Serving the Poor in Peru

Russ Gunter is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Recently, I have sold or given away a lot of what I own and have decided to follow God's will for my life. Jesus says, "...sell what you have and give to the poor, and your will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." After 3 short term mission trips to Peru and a year of discernment, I am certain full time missions is where I am supposed to be right now, and I am very excited about it! Knowing God's purpose for me brings me peace and joy like none that I have ever experienced.

Three years ago after taking a Christian based leadership course from Klemmer and Associates, I answered the call to missions that had been on my heart for over 12 years. I began helping organize medical missions to Peru to share the gospel, my testimony and the gift of healing through my physical therapy training and gifts. The people I encountered were loving, hungry to learn more about Jesus and had a great need for physical healing. As my love for Jesus and the love for his people grew, I felt more called to serving full time in foreign missions. After 9 years of owning Scott Physical Therapy (formerly Gunter Physical Therapy; www.ScottPhysicalTherapy.com), an outpatient PT practice in Scott, LA, I sold the business, and I am giving up my life in Lafayette, LA for at least 2 years. I am being called to something more and something greater than I can do here. St. John Paul II says in his encyclical Mission of the Redeemer that, "There is no greater duty of the church than to proclaim the Gospel."

(2n d Peru Medical Mission 2013)

At this time, I do not know where I will be placed for the first year. After much discernment from Family Missions Company (www.fmcmissions.com), I will be notified of my placement at the end of November. I am confident God will place me where He wants me. Everything happens for a reason. I aspire to practice physical therapy and to model my ministry after Jesus' healing ministry allowing God to work healing through me as a means to bring people closer to Him . God willing, I hope to open a medical clinic where I am sent to provide a place for local volunteers as well as short term missions to participate in missions. I am writing to you to give you the opportunity to help and be part of this mission. My full time mission call is not for me alone, and I believe we are all called to missions wherever we are. Pope Francis in his exhortation, Joy of the Gospel, says, "I dream of a 'missionary option', that is, a missionary impulse...". I can really use your help to serve others, so I am asking you to become a mission partner with me. Without your prayers and/or financial support, my mission will not be as effective and will not reach as many people. Support is used to cover the $3500 of intake training for 3 mos. which includes a 3 week mission trip to General Cepeda, Mexico. It also pays for travel, language school if necessary and living expenses while in missions. My projected monthly income will be a simple and humble $300 per month stipend. All donations are tax deductible through Family Missions Company, a non-profit organization. Family Missions Company is a traditional Catholic lay ministry that follows the guidelines of the church, was established in 1996 and consists of over 120 missionaries worldwide. We have 38 missionaries currently in training, and it continues to grow every year.

If you choose, you can donate here, by mailing a check addressed to FMC with my name, Russ Gunter, in the memo section to :

Family Missions Company
12624 Everglade Rd.
Abbeville, LA 70501

or online @ www.russgunter.fmcmissions.com. Monthly donations help out the most for planning and can be made online. I believe that missions counts for tithing being that it is congruent with the mission of the church to spread the gospel. In Genesis 28:20-22 the bible says, "Then Jacob made a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.'"

I thank many of you in advance for the prayers and support you are considering and/or giving. I am very grateful for all you can do for missions. I want to pray for you and your special intentions, so please post them here or email them to me at [email redacted]. Please pray for me and my mission team to provide healing and transformation for the people we encounter and ask your church, family and friends to add us to their prayer lists. Please share this on you Facebook, in your email and/or to your Twitter and to as many people as you can to help with the mission that I am sure God is calling me to.

God bless you and thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for your support.

In Christ's Love,

Russ Gunter, DPT, MTC