My heart for Peru and its people started in 2009 when I went on a trip with my high school to visit Lima and Cusco, and learn more about the country’s culture. I immediately fell in love with all of it! The people of Peru are some of the absolute kindest people I’ve ever had the chance to know. God will often call you to places and people that He laid on your heart years, even decades, before. 

In 2020, the Lord opened a door for me to visit Lima again, a decade long prayer finally answered! He connected me with The Lily and The Sparrow through the ministry school I was attending at the time. I was set for a month-long trip with two classmates, and halfway through the trip, everything was cut short due to the pandemic. After that, I began praying again for another opportunity to return, hoping that this time wouldn’t take 10 more years. I knew my work wasn’t done there and wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Earlier this year, I connected with the leaders of The Lily and The Sparrow and was invited to join them on their first trip back to Lima since the pandemic. I didn’t hesitate a second to accept! Little did I know, it wouldn’t just be a week that I would be visiting. After some changes in my job situation, I was able to extend my trip to almost two months long!

While on my trip, I was able to reconnect not only with the local ministry team (who have become not just friends, but lifelong sisters), but with some of the women The Lily and The Sparrow ministers to, as well. It was an honor to continue connecting with these women, empowering them, loving on them, praying with them, sharing the Gospel with them, and building them up in Christ. 

One of the coolest experiences I had during my stay was being able to see the unfolding of the new drop-in center! After the former refuge center closed, the team searched for a new space to meet new needs. This new drop-in center is more centrally located and more accessible to the women that we serve. We were able to bring the women in for their monthly canasta (basket in Spanish) pick up, spend time with them, pray with them, and give them new Bibles! It was such an honor to share the Word of God with them, and know that they can take it home with them to read on their own. This drop-in center will allow the women a safe place to come and meet with the ministry team, create resumes, work on interviewing skills, access the closet full of interview clothing and hygiene products, attend small groups and events. This drop-in center represents a new start, empowerment, joy, and compassion. The local team is eager to see how many lives change in this space!

Another opportunity I had, and arguably my favorite, was getting to travel to the Carabayllo community. This mountainside community sits about an hour and a half away from downtown Lima. The area where we did ministry is quite literally on the side of the mountain! Definitely one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited. To get up to our friend, Nelida’s house, you have to take a moto-taxi, a motorcycle taxi service with a cab similar to a motorized rickshaw. It’s a steep trek and awaiting at the top of our journey is a modest home filled with love, good food, and lots of laughter! Nelida and her family continued to open their home to our team for Bible studies and as a place to rest on busy ministry days. Nelida, our head volunteer in Carabayllo, exemplifies what it means to grab hold of the Kingdom vision and run with it! She continues to devote her time to The Lily and The Sparrow and has a desire to see her community changed by the Gospel. She’s an amazing woman of God and as I was there to help empower and encourage her, she was encouraging me the whole time!

The woman that impacted and empowered me the most, was a woman named Maria Flores, or as we like to affectionately call her, Mamita. She’s the mother of two of The Lily and The Sparrow’s staff members and is one sweet lady! Her heart for missions and evangelism is great and her role is much needed. Letting missionaries stay at the family’s home is such a beautiful way to do her part for the Kingdom. She took care of me when I was sick (twice haha), cooked me the best (THE BEST) meals, prayed over me daily, and encouraged me in my mission every chance she had. I am forever changed by her heart and her willingness to love Jesus and follow after what God has for her life. Gracias a mi Mama Peruana!

My two-month stay was filled with opportunities of a lifetime, building relationships with the most amazing people, some of the best food I’ve ever had in my life (and I’m not joking in the slightest!), and getting to be a part of a Peruvian family that loves as unconditionally as possible. If you’re considering missions, do it! If you’re in a place where you can’t go for an extended time, try a week-long trip! Remember this also, “doing missions” is an everyday thing. This is not reserved for overseas only. You are a missionary in your own town, your neighborhood, your school, your job, and everywhere in between. I encourage you to be as bold in your communities about making Jesus known and sharing the Gospel as you would on the streets of a foreign country. 

One of my favorite verses to remember on the mission field is from John chapter 13 which says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Love others as Christ loves. It really is that simple. I hope this testimony empowered you in some small fashion, and that I’m able to continue empowering others in the Gospel, both in my own community, but also in Peru…on my next trip of course!

Thank you to The Lily and The Sparrow for this amazing opportunity to share my testimony and experiences from my stay in Lima, as well as getting to partner with them in ministry. 

Love and blessings,

Callie Mouser