I am not sure what happened in the Hunter Church except that God did a great work. I didn't actually start the church. Another missionary planted the church. He had rented the room where the church met. Remember that the rent was about $4 US for the room. We had one living room and access to the bathroom. I suppose the room was large enough for 40 people maxed out, although we got to where we ran 60 and over, counting children's ministries.

While working in the Hunter Church, some young men the previous missionary had made initial contact with began to come around. I think they wanted to help me. Some of the young men came because of our daughters. I worked primarily with young people, and we slowly started seeing their parents attend church.

I had begged God for years to give me a man in Peru. I did so on deputation, in language school, and then when we arrived in Peru. Finally, one night, I led my first adult man to Christ in his home. I really believe he got saved. We worked together in construction for many years after that. He had his share of problems with alcohol and other sin but would always return. 

In the Hunter Church, drunks would constantly walk into the service. They would then come to the little pulpit and beg me to forgive them. They called me "Father" and thought I was a Catholic priest. They would kiss my hand. It took quite some time to teach the guys to help me control the drunks. In the Peruvian culture, the door always has to be open to let people know they are welcome.

The church was growing. God was blessing greatly. My pastor, the Director of my mission board, and a guy who would become a super friend and supporter, Paul Forsyth, came to visit in June of 1989. We organized the church. It was a super exciting day for all of us. 

While they were visiting, I took them to preach at the church in Mariano Melgar and then on to Hunter. They were preaching double services several times a week. I was translating or interpreting their messages each time. 

During that visit in 1989, God knit Brother Paul and my heart together. He would end up visiting about every year for nine years. Later, when Brother Paul discovered he was dying of cancer, he wanted to make one more trip to Peru before going to heaven. He helped the work more than anyone I can think of outside those working in Peru. The people loved him. He loved them.

He never tried to manipulate or control anything. He gave. He prayed. He taught the guys. He loved me and called me at least once a month. He would talk to me for over 30 minutes each time. Each call would cost him over $100, but he called anyway. 

I always knew it was him because his first words on each call were, "Hey, buddy!" He loved being in Peru. We had the greatest times with him. He became a surrogate granddad to our kids. 

While the men were in Peru, we prayed together in front of a house we would purchase later that year. It is the current home of Hunter Baptist Church though the house was long ago torn down to be replaced with their existing building. 

The Hunter Church building was the second piece of property that I was buying. I was very nervous. The first property only cost about $900. If I remember right, this one was between $13.000 and $15,000. I wanted to be sure that I had all the paperwork right. I wanted to do things right with the money the churches and individuals had sent from the USA.

I placed the building in the name of another mission I could trust. I did that so I would never have any property in my name. I later transferred the property to Hunter Church's registered name. 

Getting the new building was a super "God-send." We had a house, a garage, a backyard, a kitchen; you name it. The problem was that I ended up moving the church 4 or 5 blocks. You will probably not believe this, but that caused several people to stop coming. I had moved further than they were willing to walk. 

Buying the building for the Hunter Church led to another of my stumbler-bumbler findings. At that time, you could only leave any building unattended for a short time. If left without someone there, then thieves would break in and steal everything they could get their hands on.

I didn't know what to do. The young guys asked me if they could live in the church. They would watch the church and still go home for meals. Little did I know, but that was the beginning steps of our Bible College and the dorms we would later build. 

I dealt with all sorts of problems. They fought over someone stealing their soap or toilet paper. I lived being the peacemaker between them, but it worked. Things were slowly taking off.

I do not think I would ever have considered them living in the church building. It was too big of a step for me to think of ever having dorms for the students, but slowly, needs and problems caused me to stumble into what would become an enormous blessing to us all.

I moved all my classes and work out to the Hunter Church. I was there every day from 8 till at least 2 pm. The young men could spend so much time with me because of the financial turmoil in Peru at the time. There was 80% unemployment or underemployment. That meant that even those with jobs often didn't earn enough to feed their families and provide for them adequately.

So many were out of work. Even the parents were glad for me to work with their older teens. It kept them off the street and out of so much trouble that everyone was getting into.

The guys lived in one of the bedrooms, and my office and our classroom were in another. A Sunday School class could meet in another, and we also used the backyard to have classes. The church was only running about 60 when we moved. We probably lost 10 or 15 people, but it was soon growing again. To make our auditorium, we tore out the wall between the dining room and the living room. Later we would use the backyard and cover it with grass mats. 

Again we were having the time of our lives. I have never done anything that was more fun. I spent my weeks teaching eager young men the Bible. Then we went out and shared the gospel and invited people to church; then, we had church services. I was living the dream like never before in my life. 

I had taught the Hunter Church from the beginning that we, the church, would never be a taker but always a giver. I explained that we would be like the Dead Sea, rich but dead, if we took and took. If we took and gave, we could be like the Red Sea or the Sea of Galilee, full of life but always giving. After purchasing the building with gifts from the USA, the Hunter Church began setting aside 10% of all non-designated offerings to help other churches get their property. The Hunter Church became highly generous. 

There are a few things to think about in this story. 

It is God's work. He starts it, does it, and finishes it. He uses different people, so we should be cautious not to be too arrogant, thinking we have done something. He wants all the glory. We are not in competition, nor are we to compare ourselves with others. 

Going overseas does not make you a missionary; it only makes you a tourist. You must dedicate your life to winning souls, seeing them follow through to maturity, and starting churches that can carry on the work long after you are gone. 

There will always be distractions in your church services. You must train your people how to deal with them. You must be willing to deal with things on the mission field that you might never encounter in the USA.

God has blessed me over the years with many friends. Thank God for friends to you and your ministry. I thank God for Paul Forsyth. No man ever cared more for my soul than him. He was a constant encouragement till the day God took him to heaven.

Thank God for a home church and pastor that loved me. They were always so super kind to me. The pastor was and has always been an exceptional friend to me. He stood with me over the years many times when Satan attacked. They gave the largest offering to buy the Hunter Church. 

I thank God for the Director of our Mission. He helped and mentored me for the first few years after I was introduced to missions. I could not have done it without him. 

What seems to be horrible circumstances might just be the answer to what you need as you start your ministry. I challenge you to find some young men you can invest your life in. Do not stop. Help them be a success. Spend all the time you can with them

Realize that you will stumble into much of what you need to do. We are never fully prepared for the ministry God has for us. He trains and teaches us. 

Be a generous giver and train the ministries where you work to do the same. Do not be a taker. Always be a giver. Money has a way of controlling all of us. Those who have money often like to exert control. Be careful to avoid being sold out to get money. God is the source, and all givers are simply the means that God uses to get you funds. Your loyalty is to the Lord Jesus.