This last trip to Peru was something truly special. Back in March, while preparing for a mission trip to Uganda, | felt the Holy Spirit stirring in my heart, urging me to return to Lima in October. | didn’t understand why, but | said yes. Interestingly, several team members shared a similar experience: “I wasn’t planning on going this time,” they’d say, yet here we were, drawn together by something greater than ourselves.
Our primary focus for this trip was a Pastor’s Conference. We brought in two seasoned pastors, Steve Brown from Roswell, GA, and Dan Fogle from Lodge, SC, with plans to train 10-15 local pastors and church leaders. But God had bigger plans. When we arrived, over 40 people had signed up for the week. Watching them soak up the teaching was inspiring—these were men and women hungry to grow in their faith and leadership, even though most were bi-vocational.
To accommodate their schedules, we held the conference sessions at night. During the day, we visited soup kitchens and nearby villages, sharing the Gospel with adults and running pop-up VBS programs for the children.
One particular day stands out. We arrived ata soup kitchen, prepared to teach and preach, but were asked to leave everything in the van. The women who ran the soup kitchen wanted to thank us for helping build a new facility back in June.
As we approached the site, Gina, the kitchen leader, ran out to greet us. Though her English was limited, her joy was unmistakable. “Hola, Pastor Cal!” she called, embracing me warmly. Inside the small room, about 15 women from the soup kitchens had gathered. Their goal wasn’t to receive; it was to give—to share their gratitude and worship with us.
What followed was nothing short of holy. Gina led worship, her voice filling the room, while the other women joined in. Then came a time of sharing. As testimonies were spoken, one woman asked if we could pray for her. We laid hands on her, praying in the Spirit, and suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.
The presence of the Lord filled that small room. Tears flowed freely as we prayed, preached, and embraced these women. Words fail to capture it, but we call moments like this a “God Thing.”
One of the women shared her story with us. She had turned away from God after experiencing devastating tragedy in her family. She was angry and broken-hearted. But that day, in the midst of worship and prayer, she felt God’s love in a way she hadn’t in years. With tears streaming down her face, she told us she wanted to return to Him. We prayed with her as she rededicated her life to Christ.
On mission trips, we never know what to expect. But one thing is certain: we know when we’re in
God’s holy presence. Moments like this are indescribable—marvelous, even. | can only call it glorious, a glimpse of heaven’s love poured out on earth.
In His Service –
Cal