Peru, a country located on the west coast of South America, has rich and varied landforms – ranging from the arid areas along the Pacific coast to the towering mountains of the Andes and the tropical rainforests of the Amazon Basin, showing the wonder and magnificence of God’s creation. This land not only has spectacular natural landscapes but also breeds a rich and diverse culture and historical heritage.
This year’s short-term mission there is the second MAC co-organized with the Lima Po Wah Alliance Church. I was fortunate to be the leader of a team of six, two of whom participated in short-term mission for the first time. The core task of short-term mission is to support the gospel work of the local church, such as youth fellowship, home visits, Bible studies and sermons, to bring God’s love into people’s hearts. In the process, we found that we were not only giving, but also learning to preach the gospel, learning humility and love through interaction and service.
The most vivid memory for me is the day when I went for a home visit to the mountainous area with a local church brother. It was a relatively poor area, and the brother reminded us not to take out our mobile phones because robbery was quite frequent. We went to the family we had planned to visit, but for some reason they were not there. When I was thinking that as the visit did not work out and we should just go back, the brother suggested we might as well go to visit places we would come across. He then stopped at every Chinese restaurant he passed by, handed out church flyers, and preached the gospel to people there. This was a bit awkward for an introvert like me. I was used to listening to people as a start, instead of preaching and sharing with them right away. Just when I was a little overwhelmed, I saw the brother walking into the restaurants very much at ease, handing out flyers, and asking people if they had been to church. When he came out, I asked him how he could do that so effortlessly, and he replied: “I was not leading them astray. I want them to repent, and their lives become better. I was just sharing good things with them, and whether they would accept it, it was not within my control.” Suddenly, I felt enlightened. I seemed to have forgotten my original purpose that I had lost for a long time. As the Bible says, we must preach the Word regardless. When we simply share with others what God has done in us and the love of Christ, we will find that the Spirit of God is leading us, and the love of the Lord is at work.
After the mission work, we had the opportunity to explore the natural wonders of Peru. Every time I go on a short-term mission, I want to understand the local culture and customs; so, after completing my ministry, I will explore which places are worth visiting. This time I chose to go to HUACACHINA first – an oasis hidden in the desert, surrounded by golden sand dunes, quiet and mysterious. There we experienced sandboarding and mountain vehicle tours and felt the diversity and grandeur of God’s creation.
Then we went to Cusco and climbed up to HUMANTAY LAKE, an emerald lake located under snow-capped mountains. The lake was clear and blue, reflecting the snow-capped mountains, which was breathtaking. When I was walking on the rugged mountain road, I felt that I was not strong enough, so I chose to ride a horse. I experienced that there is always a way out in hardship. In fact, this is also true in the journey of life. During hard times, you might look around. Perhaps God has already prepared. If we are willing and let the Lord walk with us, we will get help and strength from Him.
We also challenged ourselves visiting Rainbow Mountain, a mountain with gorgeous stripes due to mineral deposits, which is one of the most representative attractions in Peru in recent years. Although the high altitude made us breathless, when we stood on the top of the Mountain and looked down at the colorful mountain ranges, our hearts were filled with gratitude and praise – this is the manifestation of God’s infinite creativity! This trip to Peru is not just a short-term mission, but also a spiritual exercise and life renewal. Thank God for giving us the opportunity to go on this journey. May the seeds we sowed sprout and bear fruit in the land of Peru, and may we return to our own lives to continue to shine for the Lord.
Rev. Ping LI