(from left: Betty, Pastor Jeremy, Ali)

For nearly five years now, Ashland Avenue Baptist Church has been involved in the process of planting a church in the Andes Mountains of Peru.  We took a couple of years to investigate, plan, and pray.  We then launched our first series of short-term mission teams into the Andes to the village known as Cordova in March of 2008.   In all, we have sent six teams into the village, each team spending a week ministering to the various needs of the villagers.  We also planted 5 college students in Cordova for the months of June and July.  Our overall goal in 2008 was to establish a presence in the village through acts of service and personal evangelism.  After our first year of ministry in Cordova, we can say we accomplished our goal. 

In July of 2008, we were all overwhelmed with excitement upon hearing that there were two new converts in the village.  Along with a nurse named Betty, a man named Ali had come to faith in Christ.  Ali had a reputation of being ‘really bad.’  His background was full of sin and broken relationships.  After a few weeks of being around our summer missionaries, Ali had become interested in hearing how he could change his life.   Then one night, after preaching about the prodigal son, Casey McCall (our college ministry leader) was able to lead Ali to faith in Christ.  Ali humbly got on his knees and through faith in Jesus begged God to change Him. 

Immediately, Ali began to share the good news with others in the village.  Ali’s father, Enrique, told us, “My son has changed!” Pastor Nate Bevier was able to baptize Ali in a frigid pool of water in the Andes.  Our church family watched the video of Ali’s baptism and rejoiced!  We had pled with God for this to happen.  We were beginning to see God answer our prayers and move in village of Cordova. 

Our prayer was that Ali and Betty would be strategic in leading others in the village to Jesus and helping us establish a church in Cordova.  As the year in Cordova came to a close in October, Ali promised us that he would continue to share the gospel in Cordova.  As we drove away from Cordova, we only wondered what would happen over the course of the next four months.  

Anxious to get back to Cordova, our church family has been sitting on edge waiting to hear how Ali and Betty are doing.  Last week, we received the report from Cordova that Ali had died.   Ali fell from 30 feet while installing a satellite dish in the village.  He was taken to a hospital some distance away for an emergency surgery, which was unable to save his life.  Such news was bitter sweet for our church body.

When the announcement came on Sunday there were tears of pain in the eyes of members of our church who have never set foot in Cordova. Hundreds from AABC who have not and probably never will go to Cordova know Ali.  They have seen pictures, watched videos, and heard stories of him and his faith. Even more, they prayed for his salvation and perseverance as a believer.  

It is with heavy hearts that we look back on our encounter with Ali.  But amidst the sadness there is reason to rejoice in the providence of God. 

Ali is originally from the city of Ica, Peru.  Ali and his father were under contract to do construction work in the village of Cordova for approximately one year.   According to the providence of God, the year they were assigned to the village would be the year in which our short-term teams would begin going to Cordova.  We now know that this would also be the last year of Ali’s life.  All of this was God’s perfect timing. 

While we plan, pray, and strategize for the long-term process of seeing a church established in Cordova, we must recognize what God has already done through the efforts of short-term mission teams and the sacrificial support of our church body.  God graciously brought Ali from Ica 70 miles from Cordova for a short time to hear the gospel from a group from Lexington, Kentucky thousands of miles away from Cordova.  He became our friend and brother in Christ whom we will serve the King with together forever.