Hope in the Highlands – Part 3 – Faith of Our Fathers

Though being a tourist is great, I had a much different reason for visiting Peru. It seemed like before I left the States everyone had a suggestion of what I should see – Machu Picchu being at the top of the list. However, my primary purpose for this trip was to see and encourage my dear friends Jason and Sarah Sheets, and to experience their ministry.

When the Sheets were sent to Arequipa by TEAM, it was with the intention that they would partner with a local church, Iglesia Bíblica Cristiana de Arequipa, to plant a new church in Ciudad de Dios. As the TEAM website explains, “Ciudad de Dios, which means ‘City of God,’ is a poor area on the outskirts of Arequipa. It is here and in other areas like it where many people from the highlands of Peru have settled as they search for a better life in the city. The streets are made of dust, the homes have no running water or sewer systems, and the people work hard just to live. But in the midst of this difficulty, something beautiful is forming.”

I saw that beauty in IBC – Ciudad de Dios. The church’s facilities are simple. You won’t find an architectural masterpiece here. Rather a simple L-shaped concrete building with a tin roof comprises the main structure. The “sanctuary” is an open-air breezeway under the cover of an awning. The property is enclosed by a brick wall, has a small garden, and is protected by two guard dogs – Goofy and Chuleta. Just north of the property a range of mountains looks down almost protectively on a ministry that is desperately needed in this community. Of course, the true protector of Ciudad de Dios is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

The first Sunday I visited happened to be Father’s Day, and the church made a special point to recognize the fathers in attendance and provide them with a gift. Jason, the lead pastor at IBC – Ciudad de Dios, preached on John 3:14-21. Perhaps most believers, if not most people, are familiar with arguably the most famous verse in the Bible found in that passage – John 3:16, which reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (ESV). Jason’s message drove home the point that salvation is through faith in Christ alone. It is not a result of personal works. In a culture whose religions emphasize works as a means of salvation, this is a message of vital importance. For surely everyone who boasts of his own works to the Lord on Judgement Day will hear the horrifying words, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:23 – ESV).

Jason’s message was eternally impactful, and yet simple enough for a community of largely biblically illiterate people to understand. In fact, though the message was all in Spanish, I also understood it quite well, which is saying a lot for a beginning Spanish student!

Jason, Sarah, and their entire team are doing an amazing job in Ciudad de Dios, despite all the hardships these last few years have brought. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for this ministry in the years to come.

References

Scripture quotations are from The ESV ® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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