Love greets me as soon as I walk out of Immigrations at the airport. I see the big signs with my Facebook profile picture, the balloons and flowers. Most importantly, I am welcomed by the smiles, shouts and celebration coming from a beautiful group of people, who by the grace of God, I get to call my friends and family.
If you talk to anyone who has been to Peru, they would say that the way Peruvians love is what connects them on such a deep level. In Peru, people look at love as an action that is commanded and demanded by God. Love is free, unconditional, and easily overcomes any language barriers. People say that anytime you serve, you get more out of it than the people you serve. Let me just say, it is true! I went to Peru to give but what I received was the gift of love.
The church in Comas, Peru, has a ministry called “Warner Butters – Centro de Emprenndedores” (Center of Entrepreneurs) that teaches skills, both business and creative, so women can create something that they can sell. This produces a business that provides for their families. My job was to teach art and serve. What I learned, from the Peruvians, is that love teaches and serves. We live in such a blessed country. In the U.S., we have opportunities and education. Those things can come with such a disconnect and distraction from the eternal things. One thing Dr. Greg Joiner says about the FSM Peru trip is that for the first time he sees the poor teaching the poor. I love this picture. It literally brings tears to my eyes every time he says that. This is the reason we do missions with believers from across the world. The Lord allows each of us to teach each other.
I went to serve, but they made it their mission to make sure that I was served. I was there to do whatever they needed me to do and yet they felt honored to help and serve me whenever I needed help. Many think that overseas can be lonely and hard because you give up things to be there. I, however, always felt so loved. I have never felt more joy in my life; it was life-giving. It’s humbling and a joy to serve with the love of Peru.
The woman in charge of me, Johana, “my Peru mom” was only a few years older than me. She has a daughter who turned two years old while we were there. She is not married and volunteers at the Comas church. Her life is crazy! She allowed me and two other American girls to live with her, even though she speaks very little English and I moved there not knowing a lot of Spanish. Still she welcomed us into her home, not the least bit uncomfortable with the struggling communication. She moved herself, her beautiful daughter and her lovely mom “Mamma Lou” to the back, unfinished part of the home just so the American girls could all live under the same roof. That was a small portion of what she did for us. Her life was a full-time mother to a two-year old, 18-year old, 22-year old and a 27-year old. She provided three meals a day for us, took us everywhere, and made sure to point us towards Christ. When I say she took us everywhere, I don’t mean she jumped in her car and dropped us off. She walked us everywhere. We as American girls were not allowed to go out by ourselves, so she had to arrange everything, every time we walked out of the door. She gave of herself to serve us constantly throughout the day.
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14
The love of this one woman, the richness of her spirit, the love she has for her heavenly Father, the way she tirelessly uses the love of her Father to love her neighbor well, is contagious. It only takes one person to radical love before it catches on. The way she loves gave me energy and pointed me to Christ and reminded me that it is only in Him that we have strength to live in a way that is powerful enough to change lives. It gave me such a radical example of what loving your neighbor and serving is all about. It moves you out of your comfort zone and it changes what your days look like. The freedom we receive in Christ demands a servant’s heart that reflects His own. The love which Johana served with and the love which she continues to pour out changed me, taught me, and pushes me to Christ. When we love our neighbor as ourselves, it demands change within our neighbor.
