The Hutchens' Home Page

FAMILY OF RICH AND SUSAN HUTCHENS MISSIONARIES WITH THE IMB TO VENEZUELA Serving in Caracas, Venezuela

We are currently in Caracas, Venezuela, having arrived June 10 for our fourth term of service. We can be contacted at the following address and phone number while on the field (please, no packages at this address).:

Rich and Susan Hutchens CCS 3014, PO Box 024323 Miami, FL 33102-5323 011-582-730-2523

You are visitor number:

WELCOME!

PRAYER REQUESTS - Updated October 24, 1999 FAMILY PRAYER CONCERNS

For Matthew and Rachael, now both studying at Samford University! Rachael is a freshman, and is majoring in Mathematics. Matthew continues to study Biology, though he will be changing to environmental biology. They are having a good year, and looking forward to coming home to Venezuela for Christmas 1999.
For Aaron, beginning his 9th grade year at ACIC (Academia Cristiana Internacional de Caracas) He has developed some strong relationships with Christian friends, and is doing much better academically this year. Praise the Lord!
For Susan, as she leads out in the prayer ministry for the Caracas Low Income Team, as well as her continued work in the area of medical clinics.
For Rich, as he gives leadership to the Caracas Low Income Team. Pray for him a strong devotional life and close walk with the Lord.
For our parents, with praise to the Lord for their good health despite some persistent health problems. Pray that they'll continue to have strength and energy to serve the Lord and enjoy life.

MINISTRY PRAYER CONCERNS

Pray for the Medical Clinics that the Caracas Low Income Team is conducting in the San José area of Petare.. Our first clinic this year was offered through the local school, J.M. Ponte, and was not as well attended as we would have liked. One of our doctors was not able to work, and we could see only about 25 patients. Nevertheless, we were able to make some good contacts, and hope to have another Bible Study (or two) from the clinic. Continue to pray for this ministry in the following ways: (1) For our medical doctors, Norma de Campos, Pedro Pablo, and Judith and Reubín Trasladino that the Lord would knit their hearts with ours in this ministry; (2) For medical supplies, including powdered milk; especially since the national government has stopped Baptists from bringing in donated medicines from the States, and (3) For Dr. Juan Carlos Martínez, director of the vaccination program for the sector of Petare, and his secretary, Miriam Ramírez. Both have been very open to us and to spiritual matters!
Pray for the continuation of the social ministry projects at the J.M. Ponte elementary school. Through this project members of the low income team, including IMB missionaries and local Baptists, have been able to enter this school of almost 1,000 students, build relationships with the Director and Teachers, and make contact with families. Our goal is to use the school as a base to reach these families and begin Bible studies in their homes with family and neighbors. Pray specifically for (1) Señora Thania Machado, Director of J. M. Ponte, that the Lord will touch her life with his Good News; (2) For Iliana Gómez, a believer who works as child guidance counselor for the 1st through 3rd grades, that God will use her to help us reach these families; (3) For the Family Life Conferences we have planned for this year, that God would use them to reach the parents at their point of need; and (4) For craft and skill-development classes that we hope to offer this year to parents.
Please pray for wisdom and guidance for the Low Income Team as we seek to develop a three-year plan of ministry. The goal of this plan is to help us focus all the resources that the Lord has put before us in order to reach the Poor of Caracas, beginning in Petare. We are coming to the end of the planning process, and are excited about the possibilities of involving more and more believers in the ministry. Pray specifically for these churches that have expressed interest in forming a team and targeting a specific barrio of Petare: Bethany Baptist Church, and her pastor, Jesús Pinto; Jesus is the Lord Baptist Church, and Pastor Carry Monasterios; Light of the World Baptist Church, and her pastor Eduardo Salazar.
Pray that God would begin to lead us to people in Petare who He is raising up for the work in those communities. Especially we’d ask that you pray that the Lord would give us insight into reaching the young men with the gospel. This is the greatest challenge for the work. You could start a new woman’s Bible study each week, but we’ve yet to find the “key” to reaching the men.
Pray for the Poor of Caracas, that they will be receptive to the Gospel message, and that a Church Planting Movement (a spontaneous multiplication of new church starts usually led by the laity) will take hold among these people. Pray that the barriers to such a movement - extreme poverty, witchcraft, violence, and indifference on the part of some national Christians (churches and leaders) - will come under the control of the Holy Spirit. Pray specifically for the area of Petare, the focus of our church planting efforts for the next few years. This is an area of about 500,000 people, but only around 37 churches of any size or evangelical persuasion. Many have only 10 to 15 members. The only Baptist Church, the First Baptist Church, runs around 50 in Sunday School.

NOTES OF PRAISE

We are thankful for the Lord’s provision of all the personnel we have needed for the medical clinics in Petare. In particular, having now 5 doctors that are willing to serve, and another avenue for involving more doctors through the Baptist Clinic located just minutes from our house! This has been an answer to prayer!
We praise the Lord for the opportunities that Rachael and Matthew both are having a good year, and have found on-campus jobs that help meet some of their economic needs. We are grateful, too, for their grandparents, who have provided them with vehicles so that they can get around the city of Birmingham, as well as visit family! LI>
We praise the Lord for our newest Team Members, Ed and Pam Engle. Ed has been instrumental in getting our Team’s webpage up and running (www.CaracasPoor.net)
We are thankful for the most recent training conference on urban church planting. It was conducted in Mexico City, and both Lloyd Rodgers and Rich were able to attend. As a side “benefit”, the returning flight was overbooked, and Rich received a free flight home voucher for giving up his seat!

UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE CARACAS LOW INCOME TEAM JANAURY 1, 2000 through APRIL 30, 2000

Team of Students from Southern Seminary, lead by Dr. Dan Hatfield, January 10-20, 2000, to open a new sector of the work
Construction Team from Bessemer Baptist Association, Janaury 25 – February 7, 2000, to work on the homes of the poor in Petare..
Team Leader Unreached People Group training that Rich and Susan will be attending in Barbados, February 6-26, 2000
Team from the North Central Baptist Church in Florida, March 3-13, 2000
"Open New Works" Medical Clinics for the Andes and Eastern Regions of Venezuela, April 14-24, 2000. For more information contact the volunteer department of the International Mission Board.

You can find other information about IMB Missionary opportunities.

Thanks for dropping by See you again soon

Email me And, while you're here, take a moment to leave a note, comment, or prayer request by
Signing the Guestbook
Or you may just want to
View the Guestbook.
Either way, we hope you will keep us in your prayers,
and let us know how we can minister to you.

Take a moment to visit our Team's New Website:
The Caracas Poor

Please come back soon and visit me.

This page hosted by

Get your own Free Home Page