Bon Voyage
Earlier this week I said farewell to my brother Barton and his family as they boarded a plane headed for Peru where they plan to do mission work for the next several years of their life. It will be a long time before I see them again.I must admit that I have mixed feelings. For the last several years Barton has been more than a brother to me. He was my coworker. We worked together at Ashville Road, where I preach, for five years. I saw him almost every day. He was someone I came to depend on, and it was a joy to work together with him. I am really going to miss seeing him on a regular basis.At the same time, Barton and his wife Allison are realizing a dream they have been chasing for many years. Since they were students at Freed-Hardeman University, they have been making plans to do mission work in a foreign country. For the last year they have been engaged in intense language and cultural studies, getting ready to live in Peru. I'm happy that they are being given a chance to do what makes them happy. More than that, I am thrilled that they are doing the Lord's work in a place that really needs it.Cusco is a large metropolitan area in Peru that, as far as we know, has fewer than 100 New Testament Christians. Barton and his team have already met the Christians there, who greeted them with much enthusiasm. On their first visit, one of the brethren told them they were the answer to years of fervent prayer. The Cusco Mission Team will start a new work in another part of the city, but the feedback they have received from the Peruvian brethren tells them they can expect to have a good working relationship with the other Christians in the area.Barton and Allison have raised their monthly support, but they are still in need of one-time gifts. If you would like to contribute to their work, learn how to do so here. Also, you can keep track of their progress at the Cusco Chronicles. Please keep them in your prayers. I believe that God will do great things through them and the rest of their team.
