Before receiving Christ, my life was completely lost.  I lived with my dad from the age of eight, as my mom had married another man.  When I was 18 years old, I joined the army.  After spending a week in Cotahuasi, I was then sent around different places in Peru for over 2 years.  All this time, I would go out to fiestas on the weekends with my comrades.  I learned to drink alcohol, and liked to drink a lot.  I ended up with bronchitis and was put in hospital for 2 months.  When I got out I returned to my village of Cahuana, to live with my dad and grandmother.  I was twenty years old.  I worked with them in the fields for a year.  Then I started to hang out with my friends and got back into drinking.  Life continued like this, drinking with my friends, for 5 years.  My dad used to tell me "Don't drink, son.  You're harming yourself at such a young age."  He told me many times, even with

with tears.  From this point I started to feel bad, but I kept on drinking.  At 26 years old, I met my wife and we had a son, and then two more children followed.  She didn't want me to drink, and we had a lot of fights. 

One day I was coming home from the fields with my wife and my kids, and met 3 men in the street.  They greeted us, and then began to tell us about Christ.  My wife and I received Christ right there in the street, and gave our lives over to Him.  Now I give thanks to the Lord, for He has changed my life so much from how it used to be.  I'm so thankful to the Lord Jesus, for He has healed my body from all the pain I had.  I'm healed because He has cleansed me with His precious blood.  Now I need His wisdom and understanding because I hunger and thirst for Him. 

Elder in his village church, and currently spending time studying and training to grow in ministry.

Alfonso (8-1-74) is local to the Cotahuasi canyon area, where he lives with his wife Nely and 3 children.  Before receiving Christ, he lived a life that revolved around alcohol.  Three Christian men shared the Good News with him and his wife, and they both recieved Christ in the street.  He now has a passion for preaching the word of God, and reaching other rural villages.