While we were in Peru this summer building houses we came to the town of El Olivo. It’s a small town of about 3,000 people that I first visited 3 years ago when we first started building a house in that town, because it was one of the hardest hit in the region. Only 2 or 3 buildings in the entire town had been left standing after the quake! I remember seeing how devastated the town was. Most streets were impassable because of the rubble in the street.
Now, as we were entering the town 3 years later I suddenly realized that our bus was driving down the same street I last remembered being completely full of rubble. Except now the street was wide, clean and smooth with nice houses lining the side. I couldn’t believe my eyes! This town had been totally transformed! I tried to count all of the houses that had been built by ours and other groups along with El Shaddai the local church, but I had to stop counting because it was too many.
This was so powerful to me because I could see how much impact God had made through us in this one community. And it hasn’t just been house construction. There is also an Awana club for the local children and a daughter church that have resulted in the church’s investment in the community.
Our partnership with the local church has helped bring God’s kingdom to the little town of El Olivo in a big way. Much credit goes to our willing and enthusiastic groups, and other teams that have partnered with El Shaddai church in Ica.