Those with any familiarity with my missionary writing will remember the names of my two dear friends Jason and Sarah Sheets. I have had the privilege of being a part of their lives for over 20 years now, and in all that time their commitment to the Lord has always been undeniable. Both have had a heart for missions for a long as I have known them and getting to the foreign mission field seemed a forgone conclusion for them.
In 2012 they became missionaries with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), and two years later their journey overseas began in Costa Rica for language school. Ultimately, though, their ministry brought them to Arequipa, Peru for a church planting project in the nearby community of Ciudad de Dios. I was finally able to visit them in Arequipa this past June. Though I have had an open invitation for years, many things seemed to always stand in the way – not the least of which was COVID-19. However, on June 17, 2022, with packed bag, vaccination card, and passport in hand, I finally touched down on the dusty slopes of Arequipa.
This series of The Believer’s Byline will chronicle my Peruvian adventure as well as provide a firsthand look at the ministry of the Sheets, several of their friends, and Iglesia Biblica Cristiana – Ciudad de Dios.
Jet lag is no joke! After catching a red-eye flight from Miami and navigating customs in Lima at dawn, I was quite exhausted when I finally made it to Arequipa. Nevertheless, you don’t simply sleep through an adventure like this, so when the Sheets greeted me at the airport, I was quite eager to get caught up.
On the ride to their house from the airport I got to see much of the breathtaking natural beauty that surrounds the city. Arequipa is an ancient city founded 481 years ago, back in 1540. It is flanked by three towering volcanos, and Arequipa is no stranger to seismic activity. The city itself sits at an elevation of 7,661 feet – with surrounding villages like Ciudad de Dios sitting even higher still. Since I basically live at sea level in a very humid climate, adapting to the dry climate and heights of Arequipa took some doing, especially my breathing, but eventually I acclimated.
Once I was settled into the Sheets’ home, Sarah gave me some highlights of their life here over the last few years. Any foreign missions calling is bound to have its difficulties, but during the time of COVID those increased exponentially. In Peru, lockdowns were extreme! The Sheets, and most Peruvians, were restricted to their homes for a full seven months. Only essential workers were allowed to leave their property regularly, and for the Sheets family only Jason left the house in that seven-month period to get food for his family and to carry on whatever aspects of the ministry were still possible. By way of comparison, my quarantine in Florida lasted two months, and I was still able to leave my property. Believers in Peru were put to the ultimate test, so when I arrived it was encouraging to see that the ministry was still thriving.
After I had time for a brief nap, we decided to take a walk and see a few of the local sites. I got to try Queso Helado (cheese ice cream, though there isn’t actually any cheese in it) and empanadas (meat, cheese, vegetable, salsa, etc. filled pastries). We also went to visit the church that trained and sent the Sheets to their church plant in Ciudad de Dios. I also had several opportunities to practice my Spanish, though it is still very much a work in progress. In all my first day in Arequipa was great, but it was only the beginning of the amazing things the Lord had in store for me on this adventure.
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