This past week I was blessed with the opportunity to serve alongside 26 other members of Christian Business Leaders, a faith based professional organization within Mays Business School, to bring hope to the people of Peru through sharing the Gospel of Christ in both our words and actions. We were able to give food to the hungry, remodel a women and children’s home for victims of abuse, love on children by putting on a Vacation Bible School event and community block party, give water to those in need, and overall witness the goodness and faithfulness of God in a new light.
While we were there, we also had the opportunity to learn about business in a foreign country. During our first day in Lima, we visited a coffee shop called Velover Coffee, a small business start-up that sells both out of the church we worked with, Caminodevida, and at their own stand-alone location, We got to hear the business owners testimonies over how their journey has looked since the beginning, and more importantly, how God’s hand has established their steps to get there. It was not only an amazing experience because of the outstanding coffee, but for the vision it gave me over my own future, encouraging me to cultivate my love for coffee and Jesus into something more.
We also got to play a part in the behind the scenes of Casa Girasoles, a mission oriented non-profit organization that provides for local community members in a vast array of ways through the use of volunteers and workers. We were able to help them organize and label medicine and supplies for their storage closet. They showed us through the ropes of how they ruin their operations and shared their hearts behind why they do what they do as well.
This experience has put opened my eyes to how humble servitude can change hearts, both of those serving and receiving, even over the course of a few days. This week was incredibly fulfilling and eye-opening and allowed me to see everyone come together and utilize their own strengths and abilities to lift of one name, our Lord Jesus Christ. As a member of Christian Business Leaders, our mission is to see how we can live out our faith in the workplace, and this week showed me that and so much more. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus everyday, no matter the location or situation, because that is where we find our greater purpose and identity. It has given me the desire to not only go on more mission trips, but motivation to live on mission in my day to day. You can make an impact no matter where you are with the right heart posture. Spring break of 2025 will forever hold a special place in my heart, leaving me with memories that will last a lifetime and a mindset focused on eternity.