Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Lake Union Conference, based in the United States, recently put their faith into action on a Maranatha Volunteers International project in southern Peru. The group included conference presidents, secretaries, and treasurers who worked together to construct a church building for the Chillca congregation. These worshippers used to meet in a member’s home, placing special emphasis on children’s programming in the smaller space. But now they have a beautiful building to worship in every Sabbath.

“This year for our annual officers’ retreat, we decided to come to Peru to build a church,” Lake Union Conference (LUC) president Kenneth Denslow explained. “We wanted to expose [our officers] to the need there, but we also wanted to expose them to the success stories of the South Peru Union.”

The group was immediately struck by the passion of the Chillca congregation, which persisted even without a proper place of worship. “The level of their dedication and commitment to that local church and the large church is overwhelming,” Denslow said. “I think it’s an inspiration as we go forward to pass along and encourage churches and schools and even family groups.”

Lake Union Conference president Kenneth Denslow (center) and two other team volunteers.

Photo: Maranatha Volunteers International

Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Lake Union Conference work building a church in Chillca, in southern Peru.

Photo: Maranatha Volunteers International

Maranatha Volunteers International team in Peru provided training to volunteers, many of whom had never laid block before.

Photo: Maranatha Volunteers International

Group photo of the Lake Union Conference team that recently served in southern Peru.

Photo: Maranatha Volunteers International

The LUC team was inspired to partake in service, but they weren’t initially convinced of their capability. Denslow admitted, “I had never laid block before, and frankly, I was a little nervous about whether we would have the skill level to do it.” His team members had plenty of experience in churches—ones that were already constructed, that is. “To be honest, I think expectations for a church administrators group were pretty low,” Denslow joked. But Maranatha’s in-country crew members were ready to provide the training necessary, and the volunteers were quick learners. “Everybody pitched in,” Denslow said. “It was a powerful experience for them. It was bonding time for us as a team.”

This project was part of the Lake Union’s broader collaboration with the South Peru Union, called Project Amigo. “[We’re] doing an exchange of volunteers in all sorts of ministries: evangelism, construction projects, student missionaries, health programs. Whatever we can think of to be able to have this exchange and understand and realize that we’re a global community, a global church,” Denslow said.

From 2004 to 2006 more than 3,000 Maranatha volunteers landed in Peru, constructing nearly 100 churches and schools. In 2019 Maranatha returned to Peru at the request of the South American Division. Maranatha’s in-country crew and volunteers have worked here ever since, providing urgently needed structures for faith communities.

The original article was published on the Maranatha Volunteers International website. Maranatha is a nonprofit supporting ministry and is not operated by the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.