Shelly Meyer - Hand of Hope International Relations Officer
David and I were recently in Peru visiting some of the churches and wells built by the partners and friends of Joyce Meyer Ministries. We met Pastor Gilberto Vasquez who told us a very interesting story. He had worked in construction for most of his life, but a few years ago God called him to be a pastor. He started a church. The people of the church met in an open shelter and when it rained, which it does very often in this tropical climate, rain would come in on them and they would have to huddle under a small section of the covering where it was dry. They didn’t have any money to fix the covering. Pastor Vasquez was very discouraged and one day he said to God, “I am not sure anymore if this is what you want me to do, if it is then you have to tell me.” He told his wife this and they prayed together.
The next day Pastor Vasquez told God that he needed Him to give him an answer by 1:00 pm that day. Promptly at 1:00 pm, he took out his Bible and prayed and told God, "Whatever scripture I open my Bible to and put my finger on, I know that will be your answer." Pastor Vasquez opened his Bible and put his finger on Zechariah 6:15, "Those who are far away will come and help build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God." Pastor was sure this was God and his faith was renewed. He had plans for a church building made and he showed them to his church members and they began to make preparations for building even though they had no money to pay for it. The next week another pastor we work with in that area, who Pastor Vasquez had never met, called Pastor Vasquez and said he wanted to meet with him. He asked Pastor Vasquez, "What can we do to help you?" That was the beginning and now Pastor Vasquez has a brand new church and water well for his community, funded by "those who are far away…", the partners and friends of Joyce Meyer Ministries.
The next day Pastor Vasquez told God that he needed Him to give him an answer by 1:00 pm that day. Promptly at 1:00 pm, he took out his Bible and prayed and told God, "Whatever scripture I open my Bible to and put my finger on, I know that will be your answer." Pastor Vasquez opened his Bible and put his finger on Zechariah 6:15, "Those who are far away will come and help build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God." Pastor was sure this was God and his faith was renewed. He had plans for a church building made and he showed them to his church members and they began to make preparations for building even though they had no money to pay for it. The next week another pastor we work with in that area, who Pastor Vasquez had never met, called Pastor Vasquez and said he wanted to meet with him. He asked Pastor Vasquez, "What can we do to help you?" That was the beginning and now Pastor Vasquez has a brand new church and water well for his community, funded by "those who are far away…", the partners and friends of Joyce Meyer Ministries.
Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.
