Many of you who have been following this newsletter for the past several years may have heard of Paty before. She has been a servant within the house church groups here and also works with CUDA’s (the Christian Urban Development Association) microfinance projects and takes care of CUDA’s accounting. She has such a beautiful story to tell.
Paty is the youngest of five siblings, but not just by a few years. Her oldest sister, Lola, is eighteen years older than she and is like a second mother to her. She grew up in Mollendo, the closest beach town to Arequipa, and LOVES the beach. When we went as a church family to the beach this past March, Paty was one of the first to get in the water…and the water is COLD! Paty has one daughter, Isabel, who is fifteen years old.
Paty’s beauty shows through when she explains how she sees her role within the church.
Paty grew up catholic, became an accountant, and began working with a Christian organization doing accounting work for them. She met a missionary through her work that asked her if she wanted to begin studying the Bible, to which she replied, “Yes, but you’re not going to convert me, I am Catholic.” After two years of studying the Bible she decided it was time for her to be baptized.
Since then she has grown in her faith and knowledge of Jesus and the Bible and has also come to love the simplicity of God and faith. For her, the key is to be open to make relationships that will lead to followers of Christ. This was something that attracted her to CUDA when she was asked to do accounting work for them. She gave up her university teaching job to begin working for CUDA because she wanted to help people in the name of God without requiring anything in return.
With all of her many talents and gifts, she has become one of the leaders within the house churches that meet here, but she will tell you that she sees her role to be someone that serves.
“I have found purpose in my life. Every day has worth. A good day or a bad day, it has worth.”