With a shout of Hallelujah we were able to do our first full medical mission since February of 2020!
2020 was to have been the last year of a 5 year commitment to Pastor David Gomez and Esmirna Church in Tarapoto, Peru. Of course that was post- poned due to the Covid-19 pandemic and just about every country around the world closing their borders to international visitors.
So it was a great joy to send a relatively small team of 13 people to Ta-rapoto to join with Esmirna church volunteers to serve the people of Ta-rapoto with medical, dental, vision and pharmacy care.
The last 2 years before the pandemic we had also added large evangelistic festival ministry to the mix. The local government asked us not to do that this year with lingering fears of a pandemic resurgence still in their minds.
However they did encourage us to do a retreat for pastors and wives if we could find a venue that was outdoors.
While I was in Peru in August meeting with Pastor David to plan our medi-cal ministry and Pastor’s retreat, we drove all over Tarapoto looking for a place to do the Retreat that the government official would approve. It
seemed every place we visited did not have the kind of facilities we needed. Until we visited a hotel a bit outside the city that had 40 rooms and an out-door covered pavilion and banquet facilities. We spoke to the manager and discovered the dates we needed were available. Pastor David called the Health Department representative who immediately came to that place and after inspection he gave us the approval!
The pastors and their wives were all tremendously blessed by the 3 days at the retreat. Each day was filled with great music and fellowship and timely, effective messages from our own Randy Bossom and Jacquelyn Jangaard. I
have so many testimonies and expressions of thanks from so many of them. Let me related just a couple.
Pastors Max and Zarira—Esmirna Church
“Hi I am pastor Max. It is a privilege that this marvelous marriage ministry, guided by the power of God, to bless all of us pastors and our wives. It has helped me so much in my ministry! God bless the ministry of His Healing Hands. I hope and pray this is not the last time we can do this kind of minis-try in Peru. It has inspired us to bring that kind of ministry to our people.” or our family, our home and our kids. We will bring these messages, everything we’ve learned, to our church and we desire that other marriages will be also blessed. May God bless you infinitely, Thank You!”
Pastors Elmars and Bolona—From Junaco
“ My name is Bolona from Juanaco. My husband and I traveled 14 hours with a lot of hope in what we would receive at this retreat. We will go back home with so many blessings! This has been a very great experience for us. Thank you to His Healing Hands and Esmirna Church. Thank you and a lot of blessing to you guys.”
“My name is Pastor Elmar. I want to give thanks to the Lord for this moment. Thank you for the sacrifice of time and money to make this retreat. It has been a blessing to us. Every great work begins with a first gesture. You have put Jesus in our hearts and we feel as one family with you because of this great blessing you have given to us! Thank you and may God bless you.”
Thank you to all who supported this ministry and the medical clinic. Here are a couple of stories from Peru team members.
From Mike Jangaard
“First impressions are rarely reliable. We learned this once again through the encounter of a boy named Walter. In fact, Walter became the unsung hero of our group. A little boy whose response to any situation was an exaggerated thumbs
up. A little boy with an impish grin who claimed everyday as his birthday. He was charming and at times exasperating, but he was consistently in the eye glass clinic trying to help in his own unique way.
Every morning Walter greeted us. Every morning Walter would ask if he was our friend. Every morning he was reassured that we were glad he was with us. It wasn’t until the final day that we truly understood his family dynamics and the
reason behind his consistent need for approval.
Walter has three younger siblings, his brother blind since birth. His mother, Mar-garita supports them by selling beaded bracelets for $.50. His dad is gone, as well as his older brother. 10-year-old Walter protects his family out of love and devotion.
As we learned of the poverty of Walter’s family over our Friday night meal, several team members, without hesitation, contributed money to buy the bracelets that Walter and his family made. Mike and Sharon took a rickshaw to his home.
We discovered that this simple act of showing up meant the world to Walter and his family. His screams could be heard through the neighborhood as he clung to Mike in gratitude and love. Serving together in the clinic was just one level of love; stepping into the threshold of one family’s life took Christ’s love to a much deeper level. We were the ones impacted by Walter’s life story. We were the ones truly blessed by a ten-year-old boy named Walter.”
From Sevy Chavez
in a group one after another I used the Evangeacube and led them to Christ in Spanish. Then the church members prayed with the new believers the prayer of salvation. It was a beautiful sight. We’d share the Gospel, and the church took names and addresses to make contact and follow-up with the new believers. They were well organized, and discipleship would follow conversion. The way it was supposed to work.”
It was a truly wonderful and blessed way to get back to the work God has called us to. More than 1,100 received medical care with more than 300 receiving Christ as their Lord and Savior! All made possible because you have been faithful to pray for His Healing Hands and continue your generous giving to the ministry even through the challenges of the Pandemic. I pray that you are blessed and encouraged to see so much fruit in your ministry!
