Maranatha Outreach - Peru

Maranatha’s outreach to Peru began in the spring of 2004. Christa was a senior at Henderson State University and was going on a mission trip with her Church and students from Ouachita Baptist University. The group consisted of several teams led by OBU staff and personnel. As God would have it, one of the team leaders had to drop out and Steve was asked if he would like to go as a team leader. That trip was amazing, about 35 people making up 5 teams went to Cuzco, Peru and connected with local pastors and elders to minister and evangelize in the villages in the area surrounding Cuzco. The teams saw many salvations through daily door to door evangelism and had opportunity to teach, encourage, and minister to believers in local churches.

That trip ignited a strong desire in Steve and Christa to keep in touch and to return to Peru for missions. Having made close friends with Pastor Francisco Luna and his family, Steve and Christa began planning another trip to the Cuzco area. The very next year, both Steve and Christa returned to work with Pastor Luna and to make arrangements to bring others from Maranatha Christian Center to help with the work there. This trip was very productive in contacts and souls. The following summer, July 22-30, 2005, Steve, Mechele, and Christa led two teams representing the Maranatha Christian Center. The rest of the group consisted of Jessica Eubanks, Jamie Martin, Aaron Cardonna, Steve Cossey, Trevor Patterson, and Jeremy Blair. During that trip, again local ministry was performed in the villages of Ryanniyoc, C’Areo, and several other areas, a strong bond was developed with the local pastors and church members and many conversions were recorded. God blessed this time in a very special way and all who had the opportunity to make this trip were tremendously blessed and edified.

As a side note, the trip to Cuzco is a very demanding trip, consisting of a 24 hr day just getting there. The day consists of driving to DFW flying to Lima and laying over all night at the airport there to fly out at daylight the next day to Cuzco. Also once on the ground in Cuzco, you begin to feel the effects of the 11,000 ft. elevation. Going into the mountainous villages requires ascending to around 13,000 ft. Walking mountainous roads and trails at that elevation is very demanding on flat-landers who reside barely above sea level. There remains an open door to return to Peru and plans are never far from being implemented as we continue to keep in contact and pray for our friends in the Cuzco area. As well as missions work, Maranatha has been able to raise up building funds for a building project, and at this current time, details are in progress to fly in our local interpreter for a time to learn and grow, and return to continue the work God has her doing in Peru.