Embedded Files
"Our family has been blessed to participate in several Peru mission trips. Each trip usually consisted of an overall theme such as church construction in a remote village that didn't have an existing church building or food distribution to several villages after their crops had been destroyed by a flood. In each case we took the opportunity to pray with and share the gospel with those in the villages and as a result have seen scores of individuals come to know Christ.
Even though the goal of these trips was to impact others both physically and spiritually, each of us have been amazed at how much we ourselves were impacted. Despite their circumstances, the friendliness of the people we met in the villages was infectious. They seemed so happy and so receptive to us and to the Gospel. You simply can't help but come away from that experience without being more appreciative and thankful for the many blessings we have been given."
-Ray Pritchett
"Rick Stallings and Charles Ellis have been invested in getting the Gospel to the most primitive parts of Peru for over twenty years. I first paired up with them around 2005 when I was presented the opportunity to go on a trip into the Andes Mountains. This was early in the their efforts to do work in Peru as we were traveling alongside a sister church in our home state that was making all of the arrangements. While on the trip, Rick (and later Charles also) had a chance to converse with an IMB missionary about the spiritual state of Peru and its different regions. They discovered from those talks that much of the Amazon Jungle regions were completely neglected from mission work. Much of this had to do with how difficult it was to get there and how primitive the conditions were.
This started a passion in both men to find a way to get the Gospel into some of the least trekked parts of the western hemisphere. I would travel to Peru once again two years later, but this time to a few of the very remote villages along the Amazon River. The conditions were rough. There was no plumbing or electricity in most of the places we went. I slept on the ground or on a straw mattress, usually wet from humidity. No A/C and no showers. We had to carry medicines and powders to keep from getting rashes, fungi, and digestive illnesses since the water supply came straight from the river. It was one of the poorest places in the world at the time and we had to bring in translators from the capital city of Lima to communicate with the people there. They knew little to nothing about God’s plan of salvation.
Since that trip, Rick and Charles have worked with several churches, businesses, and many individuals on helping to raise support for the Peruvian jungle. It has taken years to build the relationships there that have enabled them the trust to build buildings, provide healthcare, dig wells, teach and train young Christians to become leaders and pastors in their villages, and provide resources for them to learn about the life changing impact of Jesus Christ.
This is not a ministry for the faint of heart. Nor does the funding provide an "international vacation" for people under the guise of ministry. It’s not an easy place to go and the work there is hard to do. Just getting supplies into that part of the world requires great expense. I’m grateful to be able to partner with Rick, Charles, and the few dozen other folks who have had a chance to support it."
- Justin Belew
" Participating in a mission trip to Peru was a life-changing experience that left a permanent mark on my heart and perspective. The vibrant culture, breathtaking landscapes, and the warmth of the people I encountered truly transformed my world view. Witnessing the challenges faced by local communities firsthand, I was inspired by their resilience and the power of unity in overcoming various challenges. It is one thing to look at pictures of a third world country, but experiences the challenges the people of Peru face on a daily basis firsthand was inspirational. Teaching the children in Peru about Jesus and his love for them was a great experience & seeing their eyes light up and the love they felt was unsurmountable.
To anyone considering a mission trip to Peru, I wholeheartedly encourage you to go on this once in a lifetime incredible journey. Embrace the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others while discovering the profound impact it will have on your own life. The memories, friendships, and lessons gained have stayed with me forever, serving as a reminder of the positive change we can bring to the world when we open our hearts and simply care for other human beings."
-Lindsey Moreen
"The opportunity to travel to an isolated location in Peru for the purpose of ministering to groups of people for the gospel of Jesus Christ was something I could have never contemplated. It truly was the trip of a lifetime! Everyone should visit a third world country at least once. The Peruvian people have so many basic needs that we in America take for granted every day. And yet, they are a very content people! Speaking to a group of young men who desire to be pastors in their home villages allowed me to see their yearning for the Lord. I was constantly encouraged by these young men’s dedication to the Word and their desire for ministry. Whether it was visiting a village on a South American river or attending a church service in the city, I saw God at work in Peru in ways that aren’t normally seen in America. My life was changed by being exposed to a culture that, although was very different than my own, shared the same need for a Savior."
-Bobby Wood
"I was fortunate to participate in multiple trips to Peru. The most memorable moment from my trips occurred when Lori Pritchett broke her arm as we walked back to our base village of Irlanda at night following a worship service at a nearby village. What happened following Lori's accident made a lasting impression on me. The women of Irlanda immediately began taking care of her by washing her legs and feet to remove the mud from her fall. The men in the village constructed a splint for her arm by carving wood using hatchets. Thankfully, Lori was able to be transported down the Napo river the next morning to Iquitos where she was treated at a medical facility and her arm placed in a cast.
To show their appreciation, Lori & her husband purchased basic food and cooking supplies in Iquitos and had the supplies shipped back to Irlanda for that village and the two nearby villages. That evening at our worship service in Irlanda residents of all three villages joined us. There were so many attendees at the service that people were looking through and sitting in open windows and the main door during the service. What Satan meant for bad, God turned into good!"
-Jeff Engel
" When Charles first convinced me to go on the youth trip to Peru in 2012 as a chaperone, I had absolutely no idea that it would change my life so completely. Throughout the week in the jungle I was simply overwhelmed with the experience. There was something truly profound about being able to work with people in the jungle and experience something so completely different. At first, when we returned back to the US, I thought I would be able to just return to my every day life without any difficulty. I did not expect the trip to impact me so deeply. It took me about a year to realized that my life had been changed forever. I not only wanted to continue taking trips to the jungle, I wanted to be a missionary to the jungle. While I know that my experience going to the mission field in Peru is not the common experience, I can say that not one single person I have known that made the trip came back the same. I absolutely recommend it! "
-Christina Lessman
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse