The Quiet Work of Discipleship: Zach’s Reflection on Peru

Dec 21

It is hard to believe that six months have passed and that I now stand at the end of the year reflecting on a season filled with the unexpected. New relationships, academic changes, and professional growth have all shaped this year, but nothing impacted me as profoundly as my journey to Lima. Looking back, I want to pause and reflect on what I experienced in Peru and how it continues to shape me.

During my time in Peru, I learned what discipleship truly requires, its difficulty, its patience, and its quiet faithfulness. Discipleship is not efficient or convenient. It demands time, presence, and care. It is a commitment to walk alongside others through life, not to fix them, but to remain with them. Just as church membership reflects a covenant between individuals and a community, so too does faithful mission work depend on partnership between those who serve and those they serve alongside.

While in Peru, I had the privilege of being a part of Wilma Grandez’s ministry. Her work is not flashy or self-promoting. It does not rely on spectacle or demand attention. Instead, it is grounded in consistency, relationship, and trust in God’s provision. Wilma’s ministry walks with people. It disciples communities to know God personally and intimately, affirming the worth and dignity of every child of God, especially the youngest and most vulnerable. Her work is marked by surrender and dependence on the Lord, sustained only through faithful partnership within the broader body of Christ.

Peru also revealed to me the weary and broken faces of God’s children, those longing to be seen, held, and known. I met children who carried burdens far beyond their years, yet found safety and belonging within Wilma’s sanctuary. Her school embodies the words of Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden…” The Larry Cochran School stands as a visible light for the surrounding community, a tangible witness of God’s presence and care.

As I reflect on the testimonies of marriages restored, brokenness healed, and children clothed, fed, and given hope, I find myself filled with gratitude and joy. These are the fruits of Wilma’s ministry. Christ tells us that we will know them by their fruits, and I can bear witness to what I have seen. I have seen God at work in Lima, Peru and that vision continues to shape how I move forward.

And as the year comes to a close, with my final college semester now on the horizon, I look toward the future with both excitement and anticipation. The peace, joy, and love I encountered among God’s children in Peru is something that will remain with me long after this season has passed. Learning to love, care for, and disciple others in the quiet, faithful manner modeled by Wilma is a pursuit I intend to carry forward. Her example taught me that true service is rooted in total surrender, offering oneself fully to Christ Jesus in service to the least of these, and it is this posture of surrender that I hope will continue to shape my life, leadership, and calling.

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Zach Fazio served as a summer intern with GO InterNational, spending seven weeks in Lima, Peru, and joining a mission team to Chuquibambilla during his final week. A senior at Asbury University and current Student Body President, Zach is passionate about cross-cultural ministry, servant leadership, and helping others see the heart of God through real stories from the field. His time in Peru deepened his call to walk alongside local churches and share how the gospel is transforming communities around the world.