God is redeeming and restoring lives among Peru’s widows through a ministry that is dedicated to loving them and celebrating their wisdom and servant-hearts.
Pictured above are the women who have received Christ this year. World Challenge’s partner in Peru, Calvary La Semilla, is producing fruit; and we are excited watch these beautiful ladies grow in their faith.
One of these women, Eufrosina is 70 years old and was widowed when she was only 30 years old. Despite being so young when her husband passed away, she decided not to remarry and chose to raise her boy alone. She dedicated her life to working and raising her child in the community of Chinchero.
Like many young adults in Peru, Eufrosina’s son moved to the capital to pursue better job opportunities. His life and social circle there grew until he rarely called or returned to visit his mother. Euforsina now lives alone and often struggles with what is effectively another loss of a loved one for her.
“When we met Euforsina,” our partners shared, “she spoke of her son with great sorrow in her heart. She was overwhelmed with sadness and was very timid.”
The Wounds of Abandonment
The church leaders shared with their widows group about God’s salvation plan through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and they explained how God’s heart and desire for people was not only to care for them here on earth but also to give them a heavenly home.
Euforsina was struck by God’s eternal care for her that stretched through all of life and beyond even the grave. She gave herself to Christ as the Savior, and the team began to see great changes taking place in her as she regularly returned to attend the widows group.
“God is beginning to heal the deep hurts in her heart from the abandonment of her son,” Annie, one of the team, explained. “She has always had gracious gratitude towards the ministry, but we are now seeing God lift her sadness and shyness. God rescued Euforsina from hunger. She cried out to God not to forget her, and it was at the same time she heard of the ministry.
“She is one of the first ladies to join the program. We are overjoyed to see the transformative work of salvation reshaping the life and heart of this wonderful woman. She is now joyful, greeting us with a smile and always thanking God for his favor towards her. We look forward to continuing to walk alongside Euforsina as God works in her heart.”
The joy and gentleness that God is gifting to Euforsina’s healing heart have been a blessing to witness.
The Fruit of Many Prayers
This new ministry for widows has 30 widows that they regularly minister to with food baskets. Currently, two new widows are on the waiting list to receive food support; they have already joined the Bible study group and are attending the sustainability classes. Here the ladies are learning how to weave so that they can generate better income but also so they have an extra community for social, emotional and spiritual support.
All of the women in this program who have come to Christ and who are being restored are the fruit of many prayers.
Annie wrote, “Family in Christ, thank you for your abundant generosity this year. We have been able to continue to bless our ladies with much needed essential nourishment in Chinchero, Cusco and Iquitos. We have blessed them with physical sustenance but even more valuable, spiritual nourishment! We are blessed to know these ladies.”
Thank you for joining your prayers with ours for the work that God is doing in Peru and throughout the world. It is a blessing to be partnered with you in this labor to honor the Great Commission and see our Lord move powerfully to push back the darkness.