“No, I won’t go,” he said, as he again looked forward and sped off. It was the second taxi that refused to take us. The excuses were all the same. It was too late. Too many gangs. Didn’t know the area. No paved roads. Too dusty. The destination was only 10 minutes away in taxi, and we’d travelled on foot countless times when no other mode of transportation was available. We’d been warned many times of the gangs, the drugs, the “bravos.”
But we knew another side of this dusty, hilly, sometimes stinky, squatter’s land known as “Pacifico.” We knew the toothless grin of the town drunk, the woman who everyone was scared of and who had 6 girls ages 12 and under. The countless others we’d played volleyball with in the grassy field below. We had spent hours hearing their stories while sipping hot drinks they’d prepared for us in their houses. We knew and loved these people.
For years, we showed up at their houses, studied the Bible together, ate and drank together, mourned losses and celebrated victories. As more permanent buildings began to spring up, we begin to ask God for a place of our own in this “no man’s land.” We’d been meeting in houses, outside of houses, in the streets, wherever there was room. But we were feeling the growing pains. We needed a place of our own. We began to ask God for a specific building in Pacifico. It was located in a central area, and it was one of the first brick buildings to go up in the area.
Three years later, we were signing a contract to rent that place. God provided a way for us to not only rent the second floor of that building, but for us to open a ministry center there.
The ministry center, Casa de Paz, was born last November. it’s doors have been opened to many in the community, and specifically to several youth and kids, most of whom have been with us for the last five years. Some of them have lived temporarily with us in our home. They are like family to us, and we wanted a place in Pacifico where they could feel like a family too. A place where we could pour into them not only spiritually, but also meet emotional, relational and physical needs as well, while raising up leaders and reaching out to the community.
That is exactly what Casa de Paz is. It provides a place for children and youth to be mentored, have a nutritious meal, access to bathroom and shower facilities, access to computers and a printer, extra-curricular activities and one-on-one discipleship time. You see, not one of these youth comes from a home where their mother and father are still together. Not one of them have the positive influence of a father in their home. Some of them don’t even have a bathroom in their house, and none of them have running water. Many are failing courses simply because they don’t understand, and many of their parents can’t help, because they never finished high school or even grade school.
But more than grades or behavior, or even a hot meal or shower, these children and youth are learning what being a part of a family looks like. And what it’s like to have God as a Father.
For brothers Marcos and Javier, Casa de Paz means they will have a safe place to study. A place where Marcos’ drunk father cannot come and bother him.
For Rachel and Patricia, it means they won’t have to stay at home alone for hours while their mother is working.
For Alex, it’s a place where he can feel the presence of God in the midst of anxiety attacks and healing from abuse.
So, while it’s been a long process, it’s definitely been a beautiful one. One of restoration and promise. The excuses to stay away from Pacifico haven’t gone away, but the reasons to go far outweigh them and only deepen with time.
Join us on our journey in Pacifico Lima Peru!
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