Therefore Go…

Testimonies from July 2013

Hi there

Thank you so much for your prayers for our family and for the things

that God has called us to here in Peru. In the midst of a cold and

grey winter in Lima, God has kept us healthy and He never ceases

to amaze us with the ways in which He provides for us as a family.

Kai is also doing well. He will be four months old tomorrow and is a

source of so much joy to us as a family.

As my main ministry this last month has still very much been taking

care of my little one, I decided to dedicate this newsletter to a very dear friend of mine

who passed away last Wednesday, Ingrid Ruiz. Many of you will remember her as part of

the Reverse Mission we organised in 2009. Ingrid always spoke of how much the time she

spent in South Africa influenced her life and ministry. Many of you helped to make that

trip possible. In a way your partnership with me, impacted her life too.

Thank you for your faithfulness in standing with us as a family in

our desire to see God’s Kingdom come to this nation. Jaime

and I so value having you as a part of our lives and ministry.

Much love, Kim

In 2007 God used a woman by the name of Ingrid Ruiz to open the

doors for me to the nation of Peru. I had hoped to go on a mission trip to “somewhere”

in South America and was put in touch with her by a mutual friend as she was the

missions director of the church in Peru at the time.

Ingrid promptly invited me to come to Peru and serve alongside her reaching out to

students on the University of San Marcos campus. For three months she slept on the floor

while I slept in her bed. And for three months Ingrid modelled for me a commitment to

serving God and reaching the lost that I have seen in few others.

It marked my life to such an extent that one of the reasons I returned to Peru in 2008 I was

to continue to build on my friendship with her. During those three weeks we travelled to

the Andean town of Cajamarca on a mission trip where we ministered together.

Ingrid Ruiz, a tribute….

(It was on this same mission trip that I also got to know a certain

dreadlocked young man named Jaime, but that is another

story.) Upon returning to Lima, we continued to do outreach on

the University of San Marcos campus, where she dreamed of

planting a church.

In 2009 Ingrid was one of the two Peruvians who travelled to

South Africa as part of our “Mission in Reverse” to attend the

campus harvest conference (and which many of you helped

make possible). This was a life-changing experience for her, as

after so many years of endless giving she was finally able to

“receive”. She returned from this trip so encouraged and

always remarked that it was during this time that she

received her call to be a “pastor”, a call which came to

fruition this year as she planted the church she had

dreamed of close to the San Marcos campus.

Once I moved to Peru in 2010 our friendship continued to

grow and she became a close confidante and source of

wise counsel in a nation where there are few “strong

women in ministry”.

On Wednesday we received the sad news that Ingrid had

passed away while leading a mission trip to a community

in Iquitos in the jungle part of Peru. God’s timing and His

reasons for certain things are impossible to understand

sometimes. But one thing I do know is that without a doubt

Jesus was Ingrid’s most heartfelt joy and desire. I always

commented to Ingrid that when we get to

heaven, hers would be a front-row seat.

This month I wanted to take the time to

honour her life and example in following

Christ. It was one of much sacrifice, but also

one that left an indelible mark on countless

lives. I thank God for the privilege of having

served alongside her and being her friend.

Jaime and I would love to hear from you: please write to us at

kimmysol@gmail.com or you could call on +51 990 50 1552. My

skype name is kimmysol.

Training and equipping….

From the 7th-10th August Jaime will be travelling to the town

of Pisco in the south of Peru to help translate for a Christian

NGO from Australia called Misfit. Pisco is one of the towns

that was worst affected by the earthquake that shook Peru in

2007. The NGO will be travelling in Peru to see whether there

are any opportunities in which they can serve in community

development.

Please pray for safe travels for Jaime and the team as they drive south. Please also

pray that God will give me the extra bit of strength I need in looking after Kai by

myself while Jaime is away and that He will keep us safe and sound too.

Please keep Ingrid’s family in your prayers. He brother

passed away just 6 days before she did and two of her

remaining siblings are wheelchair-bound. Pray especially

that God will give strength to her mother Olga and make

His love and comfort tangible in her life at this time.

This coming month I am hoping to start a bible study for

other missionary ladies in my home. So many missionaries

are permanently giving to others, but seldom have time to

receive. I am really trusting these studies will be times of

great intimacy with the Lord. Please trust with me for this.

Please continue to pray for Jaime and me as we seek

God as to where He would have us serve next year. May

He clearly make His will known to us as a family.

Please trust with us….