Return to Peru!

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

We are so very thankful for your prayers. The Lord has protected us and watched over us in a special way during the last few months.
We arrived in Lima, Peru late Wednesday evening, and had several meetings there on Thursday. This morning, we flew to Cusco, Peru for a wedding. Unfortunately our flight was delayed, and we missed most of the wedding, but at least we arrived in time for the reception!
I’ve been asked to preach 3 times on Sunday, and then be involved in the opening ceremonies on Tuesday for the Bible college here in the Cusco Area.
Lord-willing we’ll be headed back to the jungle on Wednesday or Thursday, and from there we will continue our church planting and tribal preaching efforts.
Also, if God allows we will be back in Cusco in July for the birth of our son and for me to teach a class. Please pray for God’s protection over Loren, and over the baby.
God provided for us in so many marvelous ways during our furlough, and we know that He will continue to lead us, guide us, provide for us, and be with us.
Thank you again for your prayers!

In Christ Alone, Buddy and Loren

The Gospel Surprise

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

We had been going out witnessing regularly for some time, and although we had established a lot of relationships, we hadn’t seen very many conversions. We were using a short questionnaire very much like the one used in The Exchange. Our visiting time for the day was about up, and that was a good thing, because 6-month-old Joseph was getting pretty tired, and a little grouchy as he rode in a carrier on my back. We arrived at what had been deemed the “last house” for the day. In all honesty, it was pretty hot, and I was a little eager to get back our home. After asking the few questions in the survey, I asked the young man at the door if he would to know how to have a relationship with God, and he shocked me by answering that “Yes, he would.” I obviously didn’t go back to the house right away, but I did go through the entire Exchange with him there on the porch. Dani was very happy to come to the beginning of a knowledge of God, and asked God to be his Lord and Savior right on the doorstep.
We followed up by returning together the next morning with a Bible for him, which he had never before owned, and we also brought lesson one of the Inquirer’s Bible Study. Please pray for Dani to grow, and come to know his savior better and better.
Thank you for your prayers and support.

November/December 2009

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

Dear Praying Friends,

Do you know what it is like to hear a young couple tell you they have been convicted to rethink their vacation time? They now want to think about it as a mission trip and ministry time rather than a relaxation time. This was just one of the many joyful moments we have experienced since beginning our furlough about one month ago. We have been excited to challenge adults and young people in Bethel Baptist Church, New Port Richey, Florida; Faith Baptist Church, Taylors, South Carolina; Catawba Springs Christian Church, Apex, North Carolina; Hillsdale Baptist Church, Tampa, Florida, and Iglesia Bautista Tabernaculo, Taylors, South Carolina, to think about the great mission.

It has been a tremendous joy to minister in these churches during the past few weeks, but the truth is that each church body has ministered to us in a tremendous way as well. We have left each church even more thankful for the friendships, prayer warriors, and support that each is giving. We, too, have been challenged and encouraged through the biblical preaching we have heard since being in the US.

We have also been able to distribute many tracts, witness to numerous people, and counsel on various occasions as we spend time with these church families and with our own families.

Finally, we are thankful once again for our faithful Peruvian coworkers who continue laboring in the jungle of Peru during our absence. They continue to work toward planting Grace Baptist Church, which currently meets in our living/dining room. The church is growing, and we are hammering out the details for a building lease, which will begin when we return in March, Lord willing. The building that we plan to lease is very centrally located and is near the plaza, but needs renovation, which we estimate will cost up to $10,000. Please pray for church growth and for funds to renovate and eventually build. You can send funds to Baptist World Mission, PO Box 2149, Decatur, AL 35602 designated Fitzgerald Building Fund.

In Christ alone, Buddy, Loren, and Joseph

Are you praying for us?

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

If you are praying for us, keep it up. If you haven’t been praying for us, and for the work in Peru: please start!
In either case here are a few

Prayer Requests

1. that God would build His church: we are in the process of planting a church in the city of Puerto Maldonado, the largest city in the southern jungle of Peru
2. that God would open the doors to allow us to reach one of the totally unreached, Christ-less, pagan tribes in the jungle near Puerto Maldonado.
3. that God would provide more laborers for the needy field of Peru

Praises
1. God has begun to build his church: we’ve seen well over 60 first-time visitors in the 10 weeks since the official beginning of the church.
2. God has allowed us to visit a number of semi-evangelized, but needy tribes in the jungle near Puerto Maldonado, and we have seen numerous salvation decisions
3. God has provided a team of four Peruvian National co-workers with whom we are laboring, and whom are continuing the work during our field absentia.

Thank you again for your prayers.

Have you mistreated your diploma lately?

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

I was just cleaning off the bookshelf and as I picked up my diploma, I noticed something unusual – it seemed to be moving. Upon further observation, I noticed that several million ants had decided to nest inside my diploma. Of course, my first reaction was disgust. I had worked extremely hard for that diploma. Besides, couldn’t those little invaders have found something far better to eat than my parchment? I carefully picked up my diploma with its unwelcome guests and quickly deposited them outdoors. As I stood outside under the shade of our awning, sweating because of the tropical sun and jungle humidity, something occurred to me. How many of the graduates of my school have ever had jungle insects attempt to consume the proof of their studies? How many of my fellow classmates have had their papers and books mold into unrecognizable shapes because of the famous jungle rot? I hate to say it, but there are far too few graduates whose diplomas are being mistreated this way. Most of the alumni probably have their piece of parchment hidden in the back of a closet, or at the best, have it collecting dust on a wall in a stuffy office. Seriously, the real question is not one of a preserved diploma but “how am I using the things that I learned in order to get that diploma?” The diploma itself doesn’t really matter. I can get another one. But how many Biblically trained young (and older) people are actually on the front lines? How many have gone to a far away mission field to risk everything for the sake of the gospel? How many are truly advancing the kingdom, and proclaiming Christ where he is not known? The sad truth is that many people are honoring the parchment, and dishonoring the Lord, while so few are honoring God and forgetting about the paperwork. My question for you is this: Are you willing to go where your knowledge and skills will really be used, but where your body and belongings will be abused? Don’t “play it safe.” “Let ants and jungle rot corrupt! Embrace the real reason for the diploma! Go out big for God’s glory and announce that the King is coming! He has better things in store for you anyway.

He WILL be glorified

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

The Fitzgeralds
Church-Planting in Peru
June and July have been amazing months! We started out the month of June helping our neighbors move again. We are praising the Lord for our neighbor’s son, Alain, to whom we have been witnessing for sometime, He made a profession of faith right there behind his home during the move. We have continued with the home Bible-study, the evangelistic films, and our visits to different communities. On June 19th we left for Cusco, where both Loren and I taught courses at the Bible College. While in Cusco Ben Schroeder, our intern got to participate with the students in a number of ways, and even do some translating for an American mission team that was visiting.
While we were in Cusco, our dentist and her groom were married, and the very next day they both made a profession of faith! We were so thankful for a little fruit after many “watering” sessions. The same night she led her mom to the Lord! While in Cusco, I translated some for Pat and Wendy Campbell, missionaries on deputation to Peru. We were thrilled to see a young man saved during one open-air service.
Just a few days after we arrived back in Puerto Maldonado, we received our first mission team. This group came from the Bible College in Cusco. We had nine team members, and they all slept in our two-bedroom house, along with the five regulars. We praise God for the many, many hours that we all invested in passing out information about the new church, and in personal evangelization. We were thankful to make many new friends and contacts. Please pray for the many follow-up opportunities in front of us. Also, please pray for a meeting place to rent or purchase. As always, pray for souls to be saved, and for God to be GLORIFIED.
Thank you for your prayers and support, the Fitzgeralds

Stage 2-The doors of Hell don’t stand a chance

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

June 2009
Challenging and intense would be two good words to describe the past two months. In our last letter, we mentioned the community involvement, the trips, and our work here with a small, struggling church in town. Since that time, we have seen a number of changes.
Always having planned on a “stage two” of planting a church here in town, the Lord has directed us to start now! We have begun a series of “encounters” here in our home that we pray will be the beginning of the church. Our first night we showed an evangelistic film and had over 40 people present! Please pray that the Lord will build HIS church. Also, we are in search of a location, as we foresee growing out of our current space very quickly. Please pray also about a place to rent or buy.
Also, Joseph now thoroughly enjoys bread… and some of it even gets in his mouth. (We will try to put up proof asap).
We continue to be busy and involved in the other ministries as well. We are still traveling into the jungle every few weeks for tribal and national outreach and discipleship. In fact, we have been watering the seed in the life of one man, Benigno, for some time now, and we are thrilled that our national coworker and disciple, Richard, was able to lead him to a profession of faith! Please pray that Benigno will grow and show the fruit of a true believer.
We spent roughly half of May on a trip upriver. The furthest village we visited was about four days away by boat. That village particularly was very interesting because it is dominated by the Catholic religion. They have shown themselves to be hostile to evangelicals on numerous occasions, but thanks be to God, Who opened the door for a purity workshop for the entire high school and an evangelistic film and message in the evening!
Finally, we are thrilled to have our first-ever summer intern. Benjamin Schroeder arrived on Friday, May 30, and we put him to work and visitation right away.
Thank you so much for your support and prayers. To God be the glory

In Christ alone,
Buddy and Loren (& Joseph)

Does Prayer Matter?

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

Well Dear Friends,

We´ve now been in the city of Puerto Maldonado for about 3 months, and possibly to your great surprise, we don´t have a megachurch, our own radio station, a new seminary, or even a bright shiny building. What we do have is a lot of contacts, many of whom have heard the gospel for the first time. We also have a long list of people whom we have invited to services, and a few who have even come. We have several people who are interested in a Bible study, and there we come to crux of the matter, and the point of this article.

I´ve been working on developing a friendship with a young man named Michael for about two months now. I gave him a tract on one of our first encounters, and because of his openness, I was able to briefly share the gospel. Nearly a month ago I planted the idea for a Bible study in his mind, and a week or so ago he agreed to the study. Michael owns an auto-parts store, which is how I met him in the first place, and so I´ve been trying to stop in regularly, whether I need parts or not.

So finally, yesterday morning, I went by on the motorcycle to see if he was there, and if he would be available for me to bring the truck by later as well as the Bible study. The answer was affirmative!

In the evening, after two months of cultivating this relationship, after having prayed earnestly for some time, and after having set up the meeting, I arrived at his place of business with great expectations: only to find that Michael was seated at the table with an open Bible, and with another book next to it, as well as a man on either side of him. I entered to see who they were, and what they were studying, and to my great shock and consternation, they happened to be a couple of ´witnesses´ supposedly of Jehovah.

What a heart-wrenching experience to find them seated at the table with a young man whom God was obviously working on, a young man with whom I had an appointment, a young man whom God wanted me to talk to. How could this happen!?

Michael excused himself from the table for a moment, and began to see about replacing the tail light on my truck (the breaking of which is an entirely different story). I sat there under the street light next to him in a cuandry as to what to say or do. I certainly didn´t want to ´duke it out´with the witnesses there, but i really didn´t want them to continue their maligning of my Lord to him either. I began asking God what should be done, or what He would do, or what could be done, and it was if He told me, the best thing that could happen would be that they would just leave. I commenced praying earnestly and fervently that they would just walk out on their own, and that God would open the door for the truth, and within five minutes, He accomplished both of those tasks!

After a few comments on the history and doctrine of the ´witnesses´, I presented Michael with a Bible provided by BEAMS, and we began the introduction to the Jesus is the Answer Bible study. During the conversation he told me that this would be the first Bible that he had ever had in his home. He also said that his daughter loves Bible stories, and when she stopped by a few minutes later, he promised to read a little bit to her every evening. He then promised to do as much of the study as he could, and we made an appointment for Monday to continue the study and review what he has learned.

For me however, the lesson was clear and plain. We DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD. God swiftly and thoroughly answered prayer, and I´m certain that not only was I praying, but some of your were praying for us as well. Please, please continue to pray for us. Pray for the lost here not to be deceived into a cult. Pray for Satan to be bound. Pray for the gates of hell not to prevail against the church in this dark place. and most of all, pray that God would be glorified where Christ is not yet named.

Living Room Surgery, etc

Posted by Buddy | Filed under General

In these first two pictures, you see Loren doing minor surgery on a brother here in Puerto Maldonado. She is actually working on taking a small worm out of his arm which was laid there by a moth of some sort. We haven’t had any of these in us yet, and in case you didn’t guess, we’re glad about that fact! =)