About 16 years ago I sold everything I owned and moved to Peru to preach the gospel to the children and families of a small hillside community in Lima, Peru. I did that because I had visited that community previously and I saw the great need there. For years my family and I, while serving in this community, have been praying for God to show us other communities with great needs that we could minister in as well. For years we have been praying and searching. 

Recently I was contacted by a missionary friend of mine. He had plans to come to Puno, Peru in July and August. this would be his first time in Puno so he wanted to come beforehand to be able to get things in order for when he returns later with the group that would be coming with him. Because I have been in Peru for so long I figured I could be of some help to him so I offered to go with him. In mid April the two of us set off for Puno. 

Since I had been praying for years for God to show me new places with a great need for the gospel I went to Puno, not only to help a friend, but to look for a place such as that. That is exactly what I found. Puno sits above 12,000 feet in elevation on the shores of Lake Titicaca. It is remote, poor and has very little gospel presence. With just a few Bible believing churches it is dominated by the cults. Is this an answer to our many years of prayers? I cannot answer that question just yet, but I am hopeful. 

When I saw Caja De Agua (where we minister now) for the first time I knew the need was great and that I had a responsibility to preach the gospel there. That is what I now know about Puno. I saw the need, now I say “here we are Lord, send us.”

Puno would be a very difficult place to minister. With the extreme altitude it can be difficult to get enough oxygen. The UV exposure is much higher and with my history of skin cancer that could be an issue for all of us. But, God doesn’t send us where it is easy, he sends us where there is a need. At this point, after what I saw there, I need to know if God is calling the Lindsey family to go to Puno for the gospel.

To know for sure I need to take my family there so they can see what I saw. I need to see how my family will do in the extreme conditions. I would like to go back to Puno at the end of May with my family. Until then we will be praying that God would open, or close, doors for us in Puno. That He would make it very clear to us if he is calling us to Puno. We will be praying for God to give us one heart and one mind on this matter. We will also be praying for many ministry opportunities while we are there and to be able to find a few small communities where we would be able to minister regularly. 

When I was there I found two such communities and was invited by some families to minister in those communities. We already have two wide open doors that we want to explore further as a family when we get to Puno. 

I don’t know what the Lord will do, I don’t know if He is calling us to Puno. I don’t know what us ministering in Puno will even look like. But I know I saw the great need and I need to know if God is sending us there. Could God be answering our many years of prayers? Maybe. But to know for sure we need to go as a family and to do that we need your help. There is a Christian saying that says “Where God guides, God provides”. I believe this to be true. So, if God wants us to go to Puno as a family He will provide for us to get there. So, what do we need to be able to go?

I found plane tickets for all of us for $702. We found a place to stay for 10 days for $300. We already pay for food and transportation in Lima, so we don’t need much extra for that stuff, although traveling to the outlying small communities will cost a bit more than what we pay to get around Lima. We would also want to bless these small, poor communities with food. So, for travel and housing we need about $1,000. For transportation to the outlying areas maybe a couple hundred dollars. And whatever else we raise would be used to purchase food for the poor. 

Would you prayerfully consider helping us get to Puno? Would you pray for many ministry opportunities there? Would you pray for God to make it clear to us if He wants us to minister in Puno to the children and families in the very impoverished areas there?

Thank you for your love and support,

God bless you,

TJ