To all my dear friends from a world far, far away,

Greetings from Buenos Aires!  My travels have now brought me to Argentina, one of the wealthiest and most modern countries of South America.  The past couple of days I have been exploring Buenos Aires - fascinating city!  Every sunday they have the crafts market in the plaza, and I was able to see some fantastic tango - hands down the sexiest, most beautiful dance-form created by mankind!  I will travel to the Argentinian coast tomorrow, and then take a bus tour of the Argentinian countryside.  Then back to Santiago to pick up Damian. 

It has been one month now since completing the DTS (6 month missionary journey), and it has been a nice time to relax and reflect, while improving my spanish at the language school in Santiago (YWAM base).  I got a good chance to really get to know the city of Santiago during this time, saw different churches, met a lot of wonderful people and made new friends.  I also had some good discussions with Ricardo (the director of YWAM) while at the base.  He is a man with quite an ambitious vision - to see God change an entire nation!  Currently he has a radio program in Santiago where they have a discussion forum with all the different areas of society, including government, the media, sports, education, etc, and they have had several very prominant Chileans on this program, including a political candidate for the presidency.  (an interesting note - one of the men that has been on this program is the leading News Anchor for the Chilean news, who coincidently was the man in the subway who we asked to take our photo the first time I came to Santiago.  See the picture of Kiko, Jamie, Gabi and I in the subway - this dude took this photo!)

But far and away the topic that continues to burn in my heart more than any other is the subject of the church - the beautiful bride of Christ.  This mystery continues to elude my understanding, yet it stirs my curiousity in a manner that is undescribable.  There is no greater desire, longing within my heart, than to have God reveal to me more of this heavenly, spiritual, eternal project, that I believe is the very apple of His eye.  Just like a young man who has fallen completely and desperately in love, I believe Christ is longing for his bride.  It is all about the work of the Holy Spirit within humanity, within us.  We are human, God is divine.  In Christ we see the marriage of divinity and humanity - the union of perfect humanity with complete divinity.  And somehow the church is the full fruition and expression of this sacred union.  (That is our humanity being sanctified and even transformed by the divine nature that is now within us.)  And all the while it is personal.  It is about our decisions, our desires, our thoughts, our imagination, and above all our choices, in relation to the divine will.  And the practice of the church is the environment that makes all this possible, it is an act of our will that permites the Holy Spirit to complete the work.

To me, this is all very exciting stuff.  One day we will see just how big this really is.  In the meantime, I aspire to be faithful to the call, and hope that God will continue to reveal to me more of these wonders. 

Be encouraged, beloved.  Treasure your faith - guard and protect it.  It is your salvation.

Blessings, love to you.

In Christ,

-Alex

ps - I added a couple of new photos.

Peru:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/alexkazanjian/album?.dir=/a5dd&.src=ph&.tok=phyvd0CB27qPwZtu

Chile (old):

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/alexkazanjian/album?.dir=/b23c&.src=ph&.tok=phJrd0CB9grrYEEe

Well, we have now come back to the base here in Pichilemu, Chile.  The summer tourists are now gone and the air is much colder than before, as winter is now on its way.  In some ways it feels a little strange to be back at the base - in some ways it seems incomplete.  So much has happened over the past 2 months, it is difficult to process it all and know what it all means.  But if nothing else, I have seen that opportunities abound for the work of God here in South America, at least in the countries of Peru and Chile. 

Looking back on it was really amazing how well we were received in Peru.  The people there were so receptive to our message.  At times we were treated like rock stars, children wanting us to sign our names and write down our email addresses on their notebooks.  Three different times we were in the local newspaper, one time a full 2-page write-up filled with pictures of us all with our face paint on.  We were on the radio, even on television.  And the people were so friendly, many times inviting us into their homes eager to learn more of the kingdom of God.  And some wonderful friendships were formed, even in that short time.  Words simply cannot express how great it feels to have someone thank you deeply for the heavenly gift that you brought to them, and to know that you made an eternal difference in their lives.  Some of the families that opened their homes to us, I know that I may never see them again.  But I will always treasure the memories of the precious fellowship that we shared and the rich blessing of the very presence of the Lord in our midst.  And I know that those encounters will change some of those people for ever.  There truly is no greater blessing than to be involved in the beautiful work of the Holy Spirit.  And with others, we know that the friendships formed are for a lifetime, as we share a real sense that God is going to give us opportunities to work together again in the near future. 

The last 10 days we were in Arica in the Northern part of Chile - the driest desert in the world.  The terrain up there really is quite eery, such a stark contrast from the other regions of Chile.  Outside of the city there is absolutely no life whatsoever, just hard red dirt and rocks as far as the eye can see.  You would have thought you were on Mars.  But the city of Arica is nice.  Like an oasis in the desert, Arica is a city with a lot of charm and character.  We stayed and worked with an Anglican Church, that is a new church plant.  The pastor and his wife are ex-WYAMers, and are now trying their hand at being pastors.  They are very nice, and the saints in the church very dear.  We did a lot of street evangelism, visited an orphanage and schools, worked with the local police program helping homeless kids, and held events down at the beach park in the evenings.  It was a very good time, and the church was very happy, encouraged, and blessed by our visit. 

We had our final reviews today with the director of the DTS and the leadership team.  Tommorow will be our graduation.  It is really is going to be sad saying goodbye to everbody on the team.  Some are staying behind and will continue with the school of counseling, and then will be leaders for the next DTS in September.  But the rest of us will be dispersed accross the earth as we return to our respective homelands and churches.  Just today it has really hit me that it is now over (the school), and it is proving to be very difficult to accept, as I really am going to miss everyone.  God really forged some special friendships on this DTS.  God continues to teach me the importance and value of true friendship and how to have relationships that shall never be broken.  These lessons have proven to be some of the most treasured experiences in my life. 

After the school I will do some traveling throughout the southern region of Chile, and then on to Argentina.  But prior to this I will be participating in a weekend seminar in LoMiranda on missionary work, and then going to a language school at the YWAM base in Santiago.  Only a few more weeks dear ones, and I will see you again soon! 

(I look forward to Damian and Big Greg's arrival in early April).

Keep the faith!

And be ready for His soon return!

Your brother,

-Axel

Hello dear friends,

Be sure to check out my yahoo photo album (see link below).  I am posting some new photos.  It takes a lot of time, so I may just be able to put a few up.

But having a great time in Lima.  Hanging out today with Benhur and the pastors daughter - Colina (a very dear sister).  Our team is working with a great church here in Lima.  The pastor is a fantastic preacher, and the church is really growing.  They have all participated very well with the work of evangalism.  This morning we went to an elementary school.  This time we are all together as a single group - all 25 of us.  And the kids just love all the dramas and skits.  Afterwards we are swarmed with young kids wanting us to sign their notebooks and get our e-mail address. 

The people in Lima are not quite as receptive as the people in Piura (primarily because it is a much bigger city, and the people more educated/occupied, etc), but they are still very open and willing to discuss the Bible and Philosophy.  At times missionary life has been a little bit difficult for some on the team, but we continue to press on.  The dear saints here in the church are precious, and it is always so rewarding when someone makes a decision to follow Christ.  The more we pray, the more we keep the vision alive and are inspired for the work!

Gotta run! 

I´ll try to write more when I have more time.

Take care,

-Alex

View Peru 2005-02-17

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/alexkazanjian/album?.dir=/a5dd&.src=ph&.tok=ph5F9iCBpp.LwZtu

Greetings from Peru dear friends,

I am happy to report that my time so far in Peru has been an incredible blessing, especially this past week – thanks to God (and thanks for your prayers)!  God is so good!  He is faithful in every way to fufill His end of the covenant (we just have to make sure we are keeping our end of the bargain).  This Saturday night our whole team (all 25 of us) came together to have our big event here in the city of Piura in one of the main plazas in the center of town - with rap music, dancing, dramas, and of course BenHur as one of the main attractions.  There must have been several thousands in the audience, but it all went really well; and Ben really rocked the house with his fantastic guitarre playing!  (hard rock).

I learned 20 minutes before the event that I WAS THE ONE delivering the message.  The pastor was also kind of enough to remind me that everything else was just show, and the success of the whole evening really just depended on the delivery of the final message.  Imagine how I felt, with no time to prepare, that the success of the major event of our outreach in a major metropolitan city in Peru in front of a huge audience, all was resting on my shoulders!  But God is faithful!  The message went well, thanks to God.  And Carlos only got stuck a couple of times on translation.  I could not really see the people´s faces from the stage, but my friends in the audience said the people were really listening intently to the story of Jesus & Nicodemus and the door to the Kingdom of God.  And it was absolutely one of the most beautiful days of my life when the time came for the people to respond, to see them one by one come walking out from the crowd and boldly walking up the steps of the stage in front of thousands of people to make a decision to give their lives to God and recieve Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The image of that evening - of greeting these dear ones as they came up the steps with the audience auplauding behind them, will be one that will stay with me for a long time.

And I have also been very blessed to continue to make new friends here in Peru.  Some are babes in the faith like my dear new brother in Christ, Alex.  Alex was my first ¨convert¨ here in Peru, and has become a good friend as well.  He is definetely the coolest Peruvian I have met, but unfortunately the church that we are working with has yet to really warm up to him.  They are a very conservative bunch and seem to be intimidated by his appearance – long hair, tatoes of flames on his arms and back.  But I am happy to report that he is progressing well in the faith, with a continued thirst for the things of God.  And every time he comes to a meeting/event, he brings along few of his friends, brothers, girlfriend, etc. (all of which have responded well to the message of Christ).

Truthfully, it has taken me a while and much effort to try and understand the Peruvian people.  Peru is such a different place from Chile, it really has been an interesting experience being here. It truly is a third world country, so different from the world I am used to – dirt roads, 3-wheel motor taxis, small stores, very hot climate/no air conditioning, different food, different social norms and customs, and all in a foreign language!  And for a long time I still felt like an outsider looking in.  But it really  has been a blessing to experience God’s love for the people here, and to the extent that I can speak the language it allows me to get closer to the dear ones God is trying to reach.  This challenge although difficult at times, has been a rewarding experience - really stretching me.  And God really has been blessing us and opening up many doors.  I had a wonderful time the other day explaining the gospel to a group of young people – all in spanish without a translator.  And just about every one wanted to pray to receive the Lord!  They also were eager to write down their names and addresses for future visits.  Words simply cannot express how much of a blessing this is!

I cringe a little when I think of what it will be like when I return to the US and plung back into the world of consumerism and busy-ness.  One of the greatest cultural adjustments for me here has been the shock of realizing just how little some peole have in life.  We have meet many christians who belong to the professional working class, but for many of the dear people that we have been meeting with, they have practically no possessions at all.  Just today Gabi, Cyntia, Ricardo, and I had a wonderful meeting in the home of some dear saints in the outskirts of the city.  Their living room floor was stones (a step up from the previous family which had dirt for the living room floor), the ceiling was metal panals filled with holes and cracks, and the chicken pen was directly next to the kitchen.  But the fellowship we had with these precious saints of God was so rich!, their faith like pure gold!  I truly have been learning what true riches are on this trip.

And this continues to be the greatest blessing - the relationships that are being formed with the dear people of Piura, Peru.  To talk to them in the streets, to be surrounded by smiling children asking what the USA is like and how tall the buildings are, to challenge a group of young people with the gospel of Christ, to be invited into the homes of those who opened the door to us, and form relationships that know no time. 

Pray about where God wants to take you.  His plans for us are numerous and wonderful.  The only requisite is a willing heart and a life of faith.  Let Him take you on the adventure He has for you!

Love you guys (those few of you who are still reading these messages)!  And look forward to seeing you again soon! 
Many Blessings!
Your brother in Christ,
-Alex

Dear Friends,

Greetings now from Peru!  I write to you now from a city in Northern Peru, called Piura.  We have now begun the outreach portion of our DTS and will be in Peru for the next two months, working with the churches and preaching the Good News to the people of Piura, as well as Lima (the capital of Peru).  My journeys so far (since my last entry) have taken me to Santiago with Benhur, where I had a very relaxing and enjoyable Christmas break with Ricardo´s family (the director of Santiago/YWAM Chile) and all of their friends; then on to Vina del Mar with good friends from the base, where we had a great time exploring this beautiful coastal city; then on to Arica (Northern Chile) with the girls, where we were refreshed in the Lord by a dear friend of one of the girls in our school; then on to the Andes mountainous region of Peru to visit the ancient cities of Puna and Cusco.  My time in Cusco (solo) was essentially my baptism into Peru and will be an experience I will not forgot - struggling to overcome altitude sickness and spiritual oppression, isolated and alone/God proving His faithfulness in the end.  Quite a fascinating city, though!  I look forward to returning some day.

Christmas and New Year´s break was a lot of fun, but it is good to be reunited with the team, and to be back in the work of the gospel (past 4 days).  We´ve been spending the mornings going from house to house to invite the people to come to the evening events held at the local church - where we do dramas/music/preach, etc.  (I preached the other night to a mid-sized church of about 200 members/ "Who is Jesus" / 2 aspects: Lion and the Lamb/Revalations 4 and 5/message received well.)  There are only 7 in my small group - 3 Chileans, 2 Equadorians, and 1 Uraguayan - all spanish speaking.  My biggest challenge now lies in gaining an understanding of the hearts and minds of the Peruvian people.  They are very different from the Chileans.  They seem to be somewhat more passive and indifferent than the Chileans, but friendlier.  They have a different look too - darkers skin color and many with distinctive Incan facial features.  Also, the standard of living is much lower in Peru, much more like Mexico. 

I am praying for God to give me more and more love for these precious people that my work here would truly come from the heart of God.  As we have become more comfortable going door to door, we have become more bold in our speaking/invitation.  It is a blessing when we are warmly received and the people are open to our message, at times inviting us in and serving us food.  There is definitely more spiritual opposition to the truth of God in this country, that has a deep tradition of idolatry and witchcraft.  But the people do have much respect for "gringos" (North Americans/Europeans) and have been very friendly toward me, which has been nice.  So, now it is just a matter of communication:  1) understanding the Peruvian mindset, 2) improving my spanish (the good news is that Peruvian spanish is "better" than Chilean spanish, so it is easier for me to communicate with the people here).

But it is truly a joy to be here in South America doing the most noble and holy work that one could be doing.  I truly want to give my body to God as a living sacrifice and allow Him to conform me to the image of Christ so that I would truly become a reflection of Him.  What a priviledge and honor it is to be given the opportunity to serve Him who the angels now know as the Great King and Lord Supreme!  Very soon all the world will also come to know Him.  In the meantime, let us aspire to be faithful and dedicated to the Calling.

Miss you much!  Be encouraged!  Rejoice in the Lord!  Learn to abide in Him.  His plan for you is perfect.  Trust in Him, and you will find peace and joy.  Love you all and look forward to seeing you again soon! 
Your brother,
Alex