In early September, I traveled to Puerto Maldonado, Peru, for a few days to fellowship with our missionary partners, Rebecca Abuid and her son David, as well as his fiancée and their new baby! It was a beautiful, blessing-filled time talking about the future potential of their land and the chapel on their property, as well as their goals and where they feel the Lord is leading them. Time went by much too quickly, and a few days later I flew to Lima and met up with the rest of the team from my church, Mt. Olive Brethren Church (McGaheysville, VA), where we worked alongside Pastor Luis Angel and his many ministries. 

At the church in Lima, the first floor is a daycare run by Luis Angel’s wife, Zoraida, as a source of income. The second floor was a half-level, with a balcony overlooking the daycare. The third level was where Pastor Luis met for church and youth groups, but because the area was poorly constructed, it was a very congested space. The fourth floor is where Pastor Luis Angel and his family live. Mt Olive, along with other Brethren churches, fundraised so we could hire a Peruvian construction team to complete the second level, utilizing the wasted space. Because of some mobility issues in the church, moving it down a level would be much easier for more people to attend. We helped the construction team by carrying cement bags, bricks, and cinder blocks up to the second floor where they were needed. We painted the gate outside the church, as well as the third floor, and a few of the men on our team tore down the third-floor framing to open up the room and make it a space for his youth group to meet. 

We attended two different youth meetings, and it was so awesome to see how the students asked questions and truly sought to deepen their faith. We also spent one day in Villa El Salvador, a compact slum where Luis Angel travels to teach Bible lessons. We played all kinds of games, helped them with crafts, and listened to the Bible lesson. It was great to see kids we have connected with in the past and to continue growing our relationships with them. We also walked around the city, passing out food and flyers inviting people to come to church, and praying over them. Each evening, we would go to the park in the neighborhood of the church and set up board games and bracelet making. So many kids came to meet us and play with us! This was probably my favorite part of the trip because not only did we get to have fun with the kids, but Luis Angel also had the opportunity to meet and talk with many of the parents in his community, explaining his many ministries and inviting them to join him.

It was an extremely fruitful trip, and the Lord showed up in such big ways. The floor construction is not yet complete, but the progress looks great. I am so excited to see all the ways God continues to move and work through these servants of Christ!

Thank you for the continued prayers and support,

Chyann Mackey
Mt. Olive Brethren Church