Volume 2 ● Issue 10 ● February 2012

Arequipa is a gorgeous city surrounded by three volcanoes (Chachani, Pichu Pichu and Misti) in the southern part of the Peruvian Andes. Also known as La Ciudad Blanca (“The White City”) because of the white volcanic stone used for the majority of the city’s arquitecture, Arequipa has recently become a must-see tourist destination. A couple of weeks ago I was able to enjoy this breathtaking city (literally…at 2,328 meters above sea level, we were sucking air!), while working on the short evangelistic film, Chitachay. On one unusually clear afternoon, the production team and I were able to hit the city’s cobble-stoned streets, which like the arquitecture of the buildings that surround them on either side, date back to Peru’s colonial period. We eventually stumbled upon the Museo Santuarios Andinos, which we soon realized wasn’t just any old museum. No, in fact, this museum was home to the famous Ice Princess, Juanita. Juanita is an ice mummy that was found on September 8, 1995 by arqueologist Sir Johan Reinhard. The remains of this 13 year-old girl indicate that she had been chosen as a sacrifice by the local Incan rulers in order to stop one of the surrounding volcanoes from erupting. The Incan Empire isn’t the only civilization that has practiced human sacrifice in an attempt to satisfy the wrath of their gods. Throughout the

history of the world multiple cultures have attributed natural phenomena (landslides, tornadoes, earthquakes and droughts) to the discontent of gods, ancestors or forces of the spiritual realm. Learning of ancient civilizations that found it necessary to sacrifice their very own sons and daughters might evoke in us a sense of remorse. It hurts to imagine entire groups of people that could never be certain that their god was satisfied with their offering. The voluntary suffering and death of Jesus of Nazareth on the cross was far superior to the human sacrifices practiced by the Incan Empire in terms of both efficacy and scope. The human sacrifice that is central to our Christian faith was not carried out in order to put an end to an earthquake or to calm a storm. The sacrifice offered by Jesus (the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world – John 1:29) was a one-time deal. God the Father raised Jesus (the sacrifice He Himself had provided) from the dead, showing that his sacrifice was good enough. Unlike that of the Ice Princess, the sacrifice of Jesus worked. As we read in Hebrews 10:10, And by that will, we have been made holy, through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once and for all. Not only did the blood shed by Jesus on the cross cover the sins of a single, remote people group in the Near East, it

The Punishment that Brought us Peace

Anthony DiLiberto El Cuy Times Mercy Outreach Specialist, Perú

1 800 433 3954 www.lcmsworldmission.org Anthony.Diliberto@lcmsintl.org

The Misti volcano has erupted five times over the past century.

Ariquipa’s Plaza de Armas (townsquare). But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crucified for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

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counts as a satisfactory atonement for all peoples of all times. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 4:2 Please pray for the Peru Mission Team and me as we share the Good News of Jesus’ all-atoning sacrifice with evey person the Lord places in our path here in Peru. Mission Update Chitachay All filming has been finished for Chitachay (quechua for “beloved lamb”), the feature- length film that’s based on the story of Abraham and Isaac. The Peru Mission Team plans to use this film in the future as a way to share about the all-atoning sacrifice of Jesus with Peruvians.

“La Voz del Buen Pastor” Seminar and Flier Peru’s complicated religious landscape can make it especially challenging to dectect religious bologna. And with pseudo-Christian groups like the Jehova’s Witnesses and the Mormons on the rise, we’ve decided to develop a workshop to equip our friends here to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1-3) and better tell truth from heresy. We’ll be traveling to Lunahuana early next week to “examine the Scriptures” (Acts 17) together with the community of believers there. Fe y Familia (Faith and Family) We’ve been studying the book of John with two families in San Borja on a regular basis during Sunday mornings. We hope to start worshipping together next Sunday, Marh 11 at a local restaurant. Coffee and Conversation Twice a month our team hosts an English Conversation night at our mission office. The event has been a hit since it began a couple of months ago.

Please Pray… that the Lord would bless us with the words to say during our discipleship trip to Lunauana, March 5 -7, 2012. for wisdom and discernment as I continue to make preparations to open a community center reaching out to children forced to live and work on the streets of Lima. that the Holy Spirit would bring together people around God’s Word Sunday, March 11, 2012 for our first worship service in San Borja. for the missionary children, Erik and Annalise Eisold and Stephanie and Benjamin Wall as they begin school here in Peru.

A scene from the short film, Chitachay, directed by LCMS missionary, James Neuendorf. Support Please prayerfully consider partnering with me in mission. To support my work financially, you may send a tax-deductible gift to: LCMS World Mission, 1333 S. Kirkwood Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122-7295. Make checks payable to LCMS World Mission. Mark checks “Support of Anthony DiLiberto.” Gifts can also be given securely online through the LCMS World Mission web site on my project page: www.lcms.org/diliberto www.lcmsworldmission.org www.lcmsworldmission.org/prayercards