I have lived in Arequipa, Peru, for nearly two years. I have seen the deeply rooted beliefs of the people in the worship and admiration of their saints or idols. I have smelled the stench of beer as the people get drunk to ignore their problems. I have a bad taste in mouth every time I see husbands abusing their wives to gain a sense of power. I have felt the pain of the people as they search for anything to make their lives better. I have heard many people say that the church doesn’t grow here in Arequipa.
"Again he said, 'What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground'" (Mark 4:30-31).
Pastor Edilberto Solano was called to Arequipa as the superintendent of the Southern Peru District. He was told repeatedly that nothing would grow and he would fail. He arrived and struggled for many years. He prayed repeatedly for help. He was about ready to give up when he heard a reassurance from God, that He had a plan.
Solano remained faithful. He stayed and, along with the other local pastors and church leaders, continued to plant seeds. The Lord sent other workers in the form of volunteer missionaries from the United States, Canada and Europe. I was one of these. Together we all worked, planting seeds and praying.
"He also said, 'This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come" (Mark 4:26-29).
On June 27, the first Sunday in the new building of Alto Libertad Church of the Nazarene, Pastor Elvin Diaz stood to preach a sermon on this passage of scripture. By the end, four new seeds were planted and began to grow.
At Ramiro Priale Church of the Nazarene, a woman who accepted Christ during the Love Extreme outreach event (click to read more), showed up for the first time. Another seed is growing.
A spiritual retreat was taking place. Twenty-six new believers were nurtured, and their spiritual roots began to grow. They were welcomed into the church in a special service on Sunday evening. Friends and family were invited to come witness this transformation. Through their testimonies, the new believers were able to plant seeds of the Gospel in their loved ones. There are now nine more new believers.
The consolidation/discipleship team continues to reach out to the over 1,000 people in whom seeds were planted during Love Extreme. Arequipa is in bloom.
"Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade" (Mark 4:32).
This weekend, I was able to witness a family come to the Lord. They are the family I lived with for the first few months I lived in Peru. During Love Extreme, the mother accepted Christ and this weekend she attended a spiritual retreat. After hearing the testimonies of others at the retreat, her 14-year-old daughter made her own decision to follow Christ. Afterward, the daughter turned to me and said, “How old do you have to be in order to be a [church planter]? I want to do that, too.” God is growing big plants.
I don’t know what God has planned for Arequipa, and the south of Peru. But, I am excited to be here, and to witness the daily miracles that God is doing. I hope that one day, Arequipa and southern Peru will serve as an example of what God can do. From the small seeds of prayer, the harvest is coming…
-- Kindra Bible is a church planting volunteer missionary living in Peru as part of Extreme Nazarene Ministries' "Extreme Peru" four-year church planting project.