I love hearing people’s stories. They show me how present God is in those around me and how the power of the Holy Spirit can absolutely change circumstances. Often, these stories inspire and encourage me to do better because they remind me that with God, nothing is impossible.

If we believe, we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us to help us face even the most difficult situations. For me—and many others—this can be a hard concept to fully grasp and believe. But when you see and hear miracles in people’s lives, you understand that God is truly at work. My favorite part of our mission trip to Lima, Peru, was hearing the stories of people overcoming great odds through Him.

Flexibility and Faith in Carmen Alto

On our first day of work, we visited a community called Carmen Alto. Our task was to set up a mobile medical clinic to provide healthcare, pharmacy, and dental services. We also invited the local children for ministry and activities.

This was a new location for the group this year; the team had never "set up shop" in this part of Lima before, so we were all learning on the fly. Because our bus couldn't access the steep terrain, we had to park and carry our supplies up a long, dirt hill that zigzagged up the mountain past rows of homes. Near the top, the view of Lima was incredible—we could gaze over miles of hillsides with homes lining the expanse as far as the eye could see.

When we arrived, we found that we would be working out of a private home. The living room was already filled with people waiting for care. I was so inspired by how our team adjusted:

The living room became the check-in and eyeglass station.
A hallway served as the dentistry area.
An adjacent room became the medical and pharmacy area.
A neighbor graciously opened their home for our children’s ministry.

A House Built for a Mission

I was most inspired, however, to hear the story behind our destination. The home belonged to two people dedicated to serving the Lord whole-heartedly: Anthony and his mother, Stephanie.

Years ago, Anthony and Stephanie met Pastor Wilma Grandez, who runs the Larry Cochran school in Lima. Anthony was only about ten years old when Wilma found him on the street, lugging heavy jugs of water up the hills because they didn't have running water. Wilma met Stephanie and shared the saving grace of Jesus with her.

Over the years, Wilma continued to minister to the children in that area, taking them in and providing meals. At one point, when they were without a gathering place, Stephanie was the first to offer her home—even though it wasn't fully built yet. Stephanie served alongside Wilma for years, cooking and hosting. Eventually, the ministry grew, leading to the construction of the Larry Cochran school and another building in the El Hondo area.

Divine Provision

Anthony, now a young man, was unfortunately let go from his accounting job this past year. However, he gave credit to God for giving him the time and resources to build onto their home during that season.

In conversation with Anthony, I discovered that one of his main goals in restoring the house and adding rooms was so that GO International could come into his community and serve the people here in 2026! I was amazed. They were fully reliant on God to provide what they needed, and He did.

It was a beautiful sight to see that home full of community members and GO International volunteers fulfilling Anthony and Stephanie’s vision. Throughout our time together, Anthony continued to reiterate how grateful he was to God for always providing for his family, even in the most difficult situations and when they had so little.

Full Reliance

My time in Lima reminded me that faith is often put to the test when we reach a point of full reliance on God. If we lean on His Spirit in those times, He can create change beyond what we can imagine.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever." — Ephesians 3:20-21

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Aaron Hume is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who joined GO InterNational on a mission trip to Lima, Peru, where he served through medical outreach, children’s ministry, and community engagement. With a heart for helping others and years of experience coaching youth sports and serving in church ministry, Aaron is passionate about encouraging people and pointing them toward Jesus. His faith journey has been shaped by God’s faithfulness through hardship, and he loves sharing stories of how the Holy Spirit is still transforming lives today.