November: Faith and Service in Times of Uncertainty

 This month, 🇵🇪 Peru has witnessed turbulent and challenging times. The streets have been filled with protests and marches, reflecting a deep longing for justice ⚖️ and safety 🛡️. In the midst of this uncertainty, I have felt the need to reflect on our trust in the Lord ✝️ and our role as His servants in a broken world 🌍. It is in these moments, when human fragility becomes evident, that we must remember that our God is sovereign 👑, even over the nations (salm 46:10).

I confess that the reality of insecurity 🚨 and crime 🕵️‍♂️ in our country has deeply affected me. There were moments when fear 😟 touched my heart, especially while traveling through certain areas or at late hours 🌃. However, the Lord has used these challenges to remind me of His constant care 💕 and to strengthen my faith ✨. By His grace, I have also had the support of companions 🤝 and a team that reflects the prudence and wisdom that come from God, always seeking to ensure our safety 🛡️ as we fulfill our calling 📖.

One of the greatest blessings 🙌 this month was participating in a workshop organized by AETE as part of the Diplomado Nuevos Modelos de Pastoral Juvenil and Pastoral Militante en Contexto de Violencia. This workshop was AETE’s initiative, and as YAV program volunteers, we had the privilege of collaborating and supporting this effort at the Church of God of Peru ⛪, located in Pamplona Alta, San Juan de Miraflores. It was my first time visiting a church of this denomination, and it was a joy 😊 to experience how other brothers and sisters worship the same God in different ways. I was moved by their warmth 💛 and their genuine desire to serve the Lord with excellence 🌟.

The workshop aimed to encourage young people 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 to develop a habit of reading 📚 that enriches their understanding and better equips them for ministry 🙏. While Scripture 📖 is and will always be our ultimate authority and sufficiency, we know that God uses other tools 🛠️ to shape our minds and hearts 💡. As Paul says, "Examine everything; hold fast to what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). It was a privilege to share with them how well-guided reading can help us fulfill our calling, reflecting the wisdom God has given us 💎.

This space not only strengthened the young people’s commitment but also allowed me to reflect on the value of serving in community 👫. The reality in Pamplona Alta is challenging, but seeing young people filled with a passion 🔥 to learn and serve is a testimony to the transformative power of the gospel ✝️.

Despite the difficulties and challenges this month has brought, I have seen God’s hand ✋ at work in my life and in the lives of those around me. I pray 🙏 that as we continue on this journey, we may be lights 💡 in the midst of darkness, fully trusting that the Lord is working for His glory 🌟 and our good 💕. May December bring even more opportunities to serve and glorify His name! 🎉

October it´s over ... 💛

This month has been full of experiences that really shook things up and made me put some old skills back into action. Working with difficult teenagers isn’t easy, and October made sure to remind me of that.

Right from the start, the group was pure chaos: loud, restless, and full of energy. Talking about violence in those conditions was tough, and I had to come up with all kinds of strategies to keep their attention. Despite the mess, we managed to get through the activities, and meeting our goals felt like a huge win.

One thing that really stood out to me was that, even though they already knew a lot about violence and how to recognize it, the topic didn’t really faze them. They’re fully aware of what it is, but they live with it daily, both experiencing and committing acts of violence without feeling much sensitivity toward it. Knowing that the four sessions I designed would be facilitated by my fellow YAV volunteers and me, I chose to lead the first one. I wanted to get a sense of how the group reacted so my colleagues could adjust their methods and better engage with the teens.

That first session was tough. The topics, like identifying violence, weren’t new to them, so they got distracted easily and joked around a lot. But then we did an activity where they wrote down situations of violence they had experienced or witnessed, and that changed things a bit. It became clear that violence is a constant part of their surroundings, whether at school, on the streets, or at home. Even though it wasn’t entirely surprising, it was still striking.

In the end, the experience was incredibly valuable. It helped me understand how to work with them better and also gave my fellow volunteers the insight they needed to adjust their sessions and really capture the group’s attention. The later sessions flowed more smoothly, and when we covered topics that genuinely interested them, like toxic relationships, they became much more engaged, even if they still made jokes.

Overall, it was a challenging but rewarding experience. It taught me to be more flexible and creative, and it left me with the satisfaction of knowing that, even if just a little, I had managed to connect with these teens and their realities.

And September is over

This month has been a transformative time, filled with learning and valuable connections in my role as a volunteer. One of the greatest gifts has been meeting the AETE team, with whom I will have the privilege of working this year. Their hearts are aligned with the same desire to serve, and this has filled me with gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead.

On Saturday the 21st, we had our first community activity, an unforgettable day. We went to a church in one of the districts of Lima, a place that reflects both the needs and the resilience of its people. Our task was to paint a mural that represented the community’s call for better health services. But what made the mural even more special was that it not only highlighted the lack of access to modern medicine, but also how people turn to ancestral wisdom, using medicinal plants to care for their health. The message was clear: "Plants are better than pharmacies." This made me reflect on how, even in need, God provides through His creation. It reminded me of the words of Psalm 104:14, which says: "He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth."

The activity was a joint effort between the Sunday school children and the YAV and AETE teams. The children, with their joy and energy, were the driving force that kept us going, even when the terrain and conditions became challenging. It was a reminder of what Jesus said in Matthew 19:14: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Their purity and willingness to help inspired us all.

Personally, it was a great challenge. The terrain was not easy, and at times the fatigue weighed heavily. But at the end of the day, I felt deeply satisfied. Despite the exhaustion, knowing that we contributed to something the community needed and valued made every effort worth it. As Philippians 4:13 says: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This experience showed me that, with faith, even the hardest challenges can be overcome.

I left that day with a heart full of gratitude, not only for what we accomplished together, but also for the way God guided us every step of the way. I’m excited for what the future of this volunteer work will bring, and I trust that I will continue to see His hand at work in every experience.