Howard Hicks, Ministry Update from Peru

Howard Hicks has been with Mission Travel since 2012. He works half the year in our Christian travel agency from Arizona and the other half from Peru and Argentina, where his particular mission focus is on mentoring youth and young adults exiting orphanages in Cusco, Peru. He has recently returned to South America this spring. This post is part of an upcoming series to share about our Christian travel agency staff, and how God is calling each of us to use our individual gifts. 

God totally amazed me last fall and winter (spring/and summer there!) with all the amazing opportunities to share Christ and disciple and baptize young people. It was way beyond what I could have ever imagined.

 

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This photo is of a baptism in a river near the Casa Del Aguila orphanage near Cusco. The website link has more information on what is happening there. Also I encourage you to look at the orphanage website, and also read Kiley’s story, as here is an exciting project for some opportunities for the orphans in the future. It is so exciting!

At this orphanage there is also a Christian school that many people from the surrounding communities also come to. It has been a great opportunity to be able to talk one on one with the youth and encourage them about the future and seeking God in their lives. This is really a huge need for people to  have time to be able to listen and give some Godly advice to the youth. I was so amazed how they were so open to share once I gave time to listen.

A big area of need is working with many who have finished up their time in the orphanages and are now out on their own. Life is quite hard when they have been taken care of so well and then once they are only eighteen years old, having to go out and survive. I know that God has a plan for their lives more than just surviving and I desire to be able to help find ways to help them learn how to find God’s purpose for their lives now as young adults.

In March during Easter week we are hoping to have a reunion at the orphanage and invite many to come during these days. During this time we will get to know them better and how they are doing and give them some resources and hopefully more desire to seek God and some direction for their lives. I have talked with many on Facebook and they miss the life they had before at the orphanage and also most have not had opportunities to be connected with good people and have taken some bad paths. Many desire to change and also have good friends. So we are hoping the reunion event will be an opportunity to start this.

I am so excited to keep moving in all that God has planned and is doing through all of this. I am so blessed to be a part of it. I also ask for your prayers as I continue to have faith to follow what God has in store. It can be hard being patient and also taking steps of faith but I know He is trustworthy and faithful and has shown me that all of my life. Thanks for all your prayers and support.

May God bless you! Dios les bendiga!

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