Dr. Warrick (far right) with Regional Director Christian Sarmiento, Nazarene leaders in Peru, and residents in the current house built on the Winans foundation

Dr. J. K. Warrick, jurisdictional general superintendent for South America, recently visited new Nazarene work in Peru as well as making a historic trip to the location of the original work of the Church of the Nazarene in Peru over 90 years ago.

In connection with the Centennial Celebration, Field Strategy Coordinator Segundo Rimarachin and Regional Director Christian Sarmiento had chosen Nuevo Horizonte, the Nazarene mission compound in the jungle, for this year’s district superintendents’ meeting because it is close to the birthplace of the Church of the Nazarene in Peru. For two days, they joined 15 of the 16 district superintendents and Bible school students at the compound where Dr. Warrick preached four times from John 13—17 on “The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.” Several students were sanctified in the evening services.

The foundation where the Winans began Nazarene work in Cusu

Nuevo Horizonte is about 10 miles upriver from Cusu, the site where Roger and Mary Hunt Winans began the work of the Church of the Nazarene more than 90 years ago amid great hardships. During these difficult years as the work began to blossom, Rev. Winans lost two wives in succession, Mary Hunt and Esther Carson, and later married Mabel Park.

Where two rivers meet, across the years these collective heroes of the faith built their house, a Bible school, a clinic, and other mission operations. The foundation of their original house still exists, now occupied by a typical thatch-roofed jungle house where a Nazarene family lives. Of his trip to Cusu, Dr. Warrick said: “This different house on the old foundation is an illustration of what we are doing in Peru today in building the church.”

Dr. Warrick also visited the first church plant in Cusco, in the home of Pastor Herbert and Ruth Barco. Pastor Herbert is one of four missionaries deployed by the Peruvians to start work in areas where there are no Nazarene churches. With 20 people in attendance in their evening worship in the Barco home, Dr. Warrick was privileged to receive the first four members of the first Church of the Nazarene in this city of over 800,000 people. In addition, two people were converted in that service. “I was humbled at the simplicity of the service and the genuine faith of our leaders,” said Dr. Warrick. “To think that in that living room two people had made the decision to follow Christ! It is a reminder that good things happen in small places. My heart was so full of praise for our Lord and His great grace. It was one of the most moving experiences I have enjoyed in my time as general superintendent.”

The district superintendents in attendance at the meeting

The church in Peru is experiencing growth in attendance and membership and has committed to deploying four of its own missionaries with the goal of starting 100 new churches. There are currently almost 900 churches in Peru.

“Our Lord is at work in Peru,” said Dr. Warrick. “God is helping us find where He is working, and we are intent on joining Him in that work!”