“High in the Andes Mountains, at 12,570 feet above sea level, is Lake Titicaca (Peru),” the LOGOI video begins. “It is the home of the Andean people called Uros who live on the incredible floating islands made of reeds.” The video continues as amazing images flash across the screen, including spectacular views from Machu Picchu all the way to Ayacucho, “famous for its 33 churches representing one for each year of Jesus’ life.”
Meet Pastor Heber Berrocal and his incredible mission territory. (You can see the video here.) I have just watched it again and am still in awe of the spectacular settings only matched by Heber’s wonderful heart, which is set on proclaiming the Gospel and ministering to the people living throughout his impressive “mission territory.”
The joy of his life is his wife, Marcelina Ruiz Rua, and their two sons, Heber Caleb and Keith Mateo. He boldly declares, “The center of my life is the Lord, and my favorite verse is ‘For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain’ (Philippians 1:21).
Heber is an elder of the Iglesia Cristo Rey, but after the pastor had to resign due to Covid, he was asked to be in charge of the service for the Quechua-speaking group. However, as a professor of chemical biology, he has a “daily remote job.” In fact, it is his teacher’s salary that pays the bills and funds his missionary work and travels. He regularly visits the members and communities of more than eight churches in the very poor communities in the Sierra de Uchuraccay and Carhuarán, even providing services in Quechua when he visits them almost weekly. Getting to these locations is a real challenge—places most of us would never want to live in or visit.
We first met Heber back when LOGOI’s founder, the late Dr. Les Thompson, traveled to Peru to teach and help pastors and leaders. Heber was there and a friendship began. “LOGOI continues to help me with my studies and theological resources,” he says, “but I miss my pastor, Dr. Thompson. He was a great blessing to my life and my missionary work.”
What a joy to be a partner in ministry with Heber. His love and his service to the Lord are an inspiration to all of us. Would you take a moment right now and pray for him? In particular, he asks for prayer for good health and safety as he travels so many treacherous roads (see video). He also asks for prayer for a car. His motorcycle is very old and is falling apart. A car would enable him to provide more supplies and help, and it would be a bit safer. If you would like to help Heber, please let us know.
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Your gifts are used to help train and equip national missionaries like Heber to help proclaim the Gospel and make disciples all over the Spanish speaking world. Now you know a little more about one of them.
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