Missionary reflects on 10 years of helping build God’s Kingdom in Peru
Thank you for your partnership with us in making disciples in Peru. Thank you from the 700 children, youth, and adults who heard the Gospel message and received hot chocolate and fruitcake during our Christmas outreach. Thank you for paying the medical bills for Cesar and Eva who miscarried Dec. 23rd. Thank you from the 500 children learning about new life in Christ during three weeks of VBS in February. Thank you for making an eternal difference in the lives of the Peruvian people through your partnership with us in ministry.
We first arrived in Peru 10 years ago February. By invitation of the District Superintendent of Northern Peru, my primary task was training Methodist lay pastors and Christian leaders. After training dozens of leaders, in 2007, God gave us a clear vision of planting churches, evangelizing the lost, equipping believers to be disciple makers, and ministering to the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of the Peruvian people. Since then, through the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s amazing grace, we have planted four churches, trained dozens of leaders, and baptized over 40 new believers in Christ Jesus. Each week, we minister to over 300 children, youth, and adults at our five primary worship services. In addition, we have a dozen discipleship groups meeting on a regular basis.
This past year, we have been busy working alongside the Holy Spirit building God’s Kingdom in Peru. Our youth group presented an Easter drama in a public park, we planted a new church, hosted a mission team from Frazer UMC who ministered to over 1,100 people, prayed with dozens of people to trust in Christ as their personal Savior, and purchased land to build the first of three churches and family centers.
While I am here in the States, the ministry in Peru continues on under the leadership of our Peruvian team. This month, they are doing three weeks of VBS at our three Milagro churches for 500 kids. I don’t know if I should be glad or sad. Sad that they don’t need me; or glad that the Peruvians have taken ownership of the ministry, compelled by Christ to make disciples. After 10 years of building relationships and sharing Christ’s love through word and deed, we are witnessing an incredible outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
This past year, we have experienced many emotional highs and lows. We have seen God heal broken relationships through repentance and forgiveness. We were blessed to play a role in the lives of many people who came to faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior. We have grieved with three couples who lost their babies through miscarriage. We cried together and loved on a special needs teenager whose mom forced her to have an abortion. We rejoiced with a young teen after convincing her mom that all babies are a blessing from God and she chose not to end the life of her grandchild. We were there to baptize a 10-month old baby hours before he entered the presence of his Heavenly Father and to pray and grieve with his heart broken parents. We have fought alongside those battling demonic oppression and have seen them set free through the blood and authority of Jesus Christ. We have borne witness to God instantly and miraculously healing three people.
I am truly humbled by our loving heavenly Father who allows me to participate with Him in transforming lives for eternity. We look forward to another 10+ years of ministering alongside the Holy Spirit in making disciples of Christ in Peru. We give thanks to God for each and everyone of you who have partnered with us prayerfully and financially in fighting the good fight of faith.
My seven weeks of homeland ministry has been blessed. It was a privilege to join with 160 other Mission Society missionaries in Florida for the first ever Global Gathering in January. What a joy it has been proclaiming God’s marvelous deeds to many churches. I am excited about beginning my journey home Feb. 25th and arriving in Trujillo the 26th. I have missed my family and the hundreds of beautiful Peruvian people I get to grow in faith with each week. You can follow what is happening in Peru by befriending me “Martin Reeves” on Facebook.