I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe this?

I recently encountered Jesus’ astounding statement in a new way while working through John 11:17–27.

Jesus speaks these words to Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus, while she suffers a tragedy. She grieves the loss of her beloved brother and worries over the financial uncertainty his death could bring to the family. To make matters worse, Martha had asked Jesus to help because she knew he had the power to heal. But Jesus arrives too late! Lazarus’ death has killed Martha’s hope.

“Those that believe in me,” Jesus says “have life even if they die. And those that live in and believe in me will never die.” Jesus does not minimize the pain of Lazarus’ death. In fact, Jesus himself mourns (11:33, 35, 38). At the same time, he speaks into Martha’s pain to bring her along the path of discipleship. Jesus promises both victory over death and a life that death cannot diminish. This is not only a spiritual reality. It is also a physical, bodily reality. Physical death cannot ultimately defeat our physical bodies because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We will be physically raised even if we die.

For the Christian, life is not a slow and steady journey to the grave; life is a slow and steady journey toward more abundant life!

If this is true, if death cannot diminish the life Jesus gives, then with confidence and freedom, I can give my life to and for him! Yet, I must answer John’s question to Martha: Do you believe this, Andrew?

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We’ve signed!

Just a few weeks ago, I officially signed a three-way agreement between our mission organization (Mesa Global), the seminary where I will teach (Centros Teológicos Bautistas, CTB), and myself.

Once we arrive in Peru, I will work full-time with CTB. I will be the Academic Director and Professor of Old Testament. I’ll teach several classes each year and oversee the seminary’s academics.

In the next few months, I will share more details about the seminary and my role. For the time being, let me say that I am very excited! CTB has been doing an important work. CTB’s mission is:

To provide quality, accessible, and contextualized theological education for leaders and pastors in and outside of Peru so that they do not have to leave their communities.

Last year, CTB served 514 students with a staff of only 6 people (3 full-time and 3 part-time)! Students come from a variety of denominations, cities, and countries. Please pray for God to continue to use CTB to equip pastors and ministry leaders to further Christ’s kingdom.

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Upcoming Ministry Opportunity

At the end of the month, I will be travelling to the Dominican Republic for a symposium titled: “The Future of Leader Formation in Latin America.” In this two-day conference, the participants will wrestle with how the church can form and train the next generation of Christian leaders for the challenges facing the Latin American church. My father was invited to attend and lead a group discussion. He extended the invitation (to attend) to me. Please pray that this time of reflection would be formative and that we would make good contacts with others invested in theological education in Latin America.

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Family Updates

In just one week our children will be back in school and the rhythms of fall will be under way. We have enjoyed a busy summer full of kids sports, beach time at Lake Michigan, and more. As a special treat, Adriana’s parents arrived for a visit two weeks ago. We love having them with us. We are looking forward to the day that they do not have to fly across the world to see their grandchildren!

On another note, Adriana has been struggling with back issues for a few years. This summer has been particularly challenging for her. The doctors have begun to identify the cause, but solutions have not been easy to come by. Please pray for healing and endurance through the pain!

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Progress Updates

Ph.D. Progress Tracker

Dissertation

I continue to plug away… my advisor and I have agreed on a spring defense (i.e. sometime between January and April). I will need to submit a  full draft between October and December. To make this happen, I must write my conclusion and make revisions to earlier chapters. Please pray for energy and endurance for me and the whole family as my work inevitably impacts everyone in many ways.

Throughout the writing process, my advisor and second reader have given me very helpful feedback which has pushed me to think more deeply and to better articulate my thoughts. They have been a blessing!

Comprehensive Exams

• 28 of 37 book reviews done.
• 9 more to go.

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Ministry Partner Tracker

Even though I have prioritized working on my dissertation over raising support the past several months, new partners have joined out team. We are now at 50% of our goal for monthly support!

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Please Pray

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“How long, oh Lord?”

“How long will you hide your face from me?”

“How long…”

“How long…”

Four times, David cried out to God in Psalm 13 for an answer from the depths of despair and doubt. He needed an answer not to why this was happening but to when it would be over.

David knew that if God didn’t help he had no hope at all.

“Look on me and answer, Lord my God!”

Even though he wasn’t sure that God cared, that God heard, that God was still around, he called God “MY GOD.” That is big, and it proved a turning point for David. By the end of this short 6-verse psalm, David’s despair and doubt turned to confidence in the Lord’s goodness. His problems and pains had not be erased or defeated. He still had his doubts, but after expressing his doubts within a framework of trust, he was able to rest in God.

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Last night I had the opportunity to share an online chapel message on Psalm 13 for a seminary in Peru called Centros Teológicos Bautistas (CTB). A little earlier this week a graduate and member of the administrative team had passed away. As it was online and broadcast live, I didn’t receive much feedback, but the coordinator said that it was a timely message for the CTB team, given the loss of their co-worker and friend.

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Family Updates

Our four kids (Aila-9, Ilana-8, Isaia-6, and Imara-4) are finishing their first year at Potter’s House Elementary school next week. This was their first year learning in English, and it was a real struggle initially. Several of them were behind their grade-level in reading ability and fluency. This was not a surprise because previously they attended a dual-language program where the majority of the instruction was in Spanish. Potter’s House provided some extra support, and the kids showed tremendous growth. We are so proud of all of them! We are also thankful that God opened doors for the kids to attend Potter’s House. It provides a loving, Christian environment in English. We really want our kids to solidify their English skills before we head to Peru, where most of their world will be in Spanish.

On Easter, Aila was baptized! She had been asking for a couple of years to be baptized, and we wanted to wait until she understood what it meant. This year we felt she was ready. An added benefit is that, now that we live in MI (we were in Illinois the previous 3 years), we attend the same church as the majority of my side of the family. So, Aila was baptized in the presence of family and alongside her cousin.

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Progress Updates

Since our last update late in 2024, we have made significant progress in several areas.

Ph.D. Progress Tracker

Dissertation

Yesterday I turned in my second to last dissertation chapter. It was 25,000 words or 76 pages (not including bibliography). No one will call it a scintillating read, but I feel pretty good about (most of) it! With a draft of this chapter done, the finish line has never seemed closer.

I’ve submitted 5 chapters totaling just over 100k words, which is the maximum length for my dissertation. I still have one more body chapter and the intro and conclusion. Once I have a draft of everything, I’ll need to cut and edit down to under 100k.

Comprehensive Exams

In addition, I’ve completed 26 of 37 book reviews for my comprehensive exams and will have the 27th done by the end of the week.

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Ministry Partner Tracker

Since the end of 2024, we have had about 15 new partners join our team of financial supporters! We are honored and humbled by your support and investment in the ministry the Lord has for us. Thank you!

One of my favorite songs is called “Andar sobre el agua” by Santiago Benavides.

In the chorus he sings:

Benavides alludes to Peter’s short stroll on the water in Matthew 14:22–33. It can be so easy for us to think that faith and trust are needed in the hard times. But Peter and Benavides remind me that all of life is walking on the water. May our gaze always be on Jesus!

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Please Pray

• Please praise God for the ways he has provided for us financially, spiritually, through the kids school, etc.
• Please praise God for Aila’s baptism and passion for knowing God.
• The last several weeks have been quite intense for me as I work hard to finish my dissertation. Please pray for energy and creativity to finish strong and for God’s sustaining presence for the whole family
• Please pray that God would continue to provide new connections and supporters.
• Please pray that this summer would be refreshing and encouraging, particularly for Adriana and the kids.

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As we drove from Michigan to Pennsylvania for a Thanksgiving reunion with Adriana’s older brother (my best friend since high school), our sister-in-law, and their two kids, I asked Adriana:

“When we move back to Peru, what U.S. traditions would you like our family to continue?”

We agreed on two:

• Cutting down our Christmas tree (sadly, that won’t be possible in Peru)
• Thanksgiving

We love Thanksgiving because we spend time with family and because it causes us to reflect on the many ways that God has blessed us. There are too many blessings to count, but I asked each family member to pick one reason they are grateful this year. Here is what they said:

• Imara (3 y/o): I’m thankful for chicken and mashed potatoes. (We ate turkey, not chicken, obviously.)
• Isaia (6 y/o): I am thankful for being at my cousins’ house for Thanksgiving.
• Ilana (7 y/o): I’m thankful for my family.
• Aila (9 y/o): I’m grateful for being at my cousins’ house in Pennsylvania for thanksgiving and my family
• Adriana:  I am thankful for having the chance to share time with family, enjoy each other’s company, taking the time to cook together and enjoy delicious food.
• Andrew: I am thankful that we get to see our family in Pennsylvania. It’s a joy to see our kids play with their cousins and to sit down to talk for hours after each meal.

On top of that, we are thankful for you! Over the past year and half as we have geared up our preparations to return to Peru as missionaries, Adriana and I have felt like never before how important it is to have a team on our side. We are constantly aware of how much we need you! Your prayers, questions, financial support, and presence in our lives have been tangible signs of God’s grace. You remind us that we are not alone in this endeavor; we are part of a family and a team.

Thank you!

“Please Mommy, never make us do that again,” pleaded Ilana after we finally arrived in Grand Rapids on July 3rd around 11 pm. She was referring to our 25-hour trek from Lima to Grand Rapids which began with an overnight flight leaving at 2:30 am. The journey was rough, but the trip was great!

We had four goals for our vision trip in Peru. Below I’ll briefly summarize how we addressed these goals.

1. Lay the groundwork for our future ministry.

Mission accomplished! I (finally) put my training to work:

• I taught a Masterclass seminar with the Centros Teológicos Bautistas LATAM (see pictures below).
• Provided a brief training to the pastoral team of a large Christian and Missionary Alliance Church.
• Preached at two churches in the Evangelical Free Church.

In addition, I had conversations with 6+ people involved in leadership training in Lima. This helped to clarify the picture for Adriana and me. We are working on nailing down where I will teach long term in the near future. I will (hopefully) have more details in the next few months.

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2. Discern where in the city we will live and what school the kids will attend.

We visited six schools and narrowed the options down to two. We plan on living close to the kids’ school to minimize our and the kids’ daily commute. So, we now plan on looking for housing in three districts of Lima (Surco, San Borja, and La Molina). This comes as a bit of a surprise to us because we had not previously considered living in La Molina for a variety of reasons. However, one of the schools is located in this district, so it is now an option.

3. Reconnect with family and friends.

We spent a good amount of time with friends and family. This includes both sides of Adriana’s family, our youth leader from 20+ years ago, our pastor and church family from Condevilla, many good friends with whom we will do life, one of my lifelong friends from the neighborhood where I grew up (calle 28), etc.

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4. Help our kids envision their life in Peru.

This was the biggest wildcard in Adriana’s and my mind heading into our trip. We did not know what to expect from or for our four kids. How would they feel in Peru? Would they be afraid? Shy? Would they eat the food? We had no idea!

To put it simply, they LOVED Peru and THRIVED. It brought Adriana and me so much joy to see them at home. Two brief anecdotes will help paint the picture of what I mean.

On our first Sunday, we went to El Buen Pastor (where Adriana and I met and grew up). After the service ended, we stuck around for a long time, maybe an hour or so. Adriana and I were chatting with friends and people we’ve known for a loooong time, including my Sunday school teacher when I was 10 years old. Where were our kids? They were running around with other kids and talking with several of Adriana’s sister’s (Maria Gracia 21, y/o) friends. When we told them it was time to leave, they said, “NOOOOO! We want to stay!” It took several minutes for them to give all of their new friends hugs and kisses.

These two experiences show a little of how our kids experienced the trip. They quickly made friends, adapted to cultural differences to which they are not accustomed, loved the food, and repeatedly showed that they were thinking about what life will be like when we live there (“Mommy, can we live here?” “Daddy, is this going to be our new school?” etc.). This was reassuring as our move back to Peru in 2026 obviously impacts our kids greatly.

Not everything was fun and games, though. We also experience a mix of health scares and family tragedy.

• First, not twelve hours after we landed, Adriana’s dad, Jorge, went to the emergency room. He had been feeling unwell and had a fever for days. It turned out that he had septicemia! We were all quite scared as he has had several health issues in recent years. Thankfully, the doctors got the infection under control and, after 8 days in the hospital, he was released the day before Father’s day.
• Second, while Jorge was in the hospital, his twin brother was admitted to a different hospital. He had had a mass removed from his side a few weeks before. However, he was having strange symptoms and feeling unwell. Unfortunately, it turned out that the mass was cancerous and that his cancer had metastasized. He passed away 6 days after Jorge was released. This was a big shock for everyone! He was Adriana’s godfather and his daughter, Adriana’s cousin, was like a sister to Adriana when they were young.
• Third, the same weekend, Adriana began having tooth pain. It quickly began to hurt quite a bit. So, we decided that on Sunday morning she should go to have an emergency dental procedure to fix the problem. It was a very unpleasant and unexpected experience. Thankfully, even without insurance, dental work in Peru is good quality and cheap compared to the U.S.

Well, there is much more that I could say, but I’m out of space. I’d love to tell you about all the food we ate, places we went, and dreams and expectations about life in Peru that we awoke. I’d also love to share some of the struggles we experienced and anticipate when we move back. Maybe in a future post…

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Please Pray

1. That we would adjust well to life in Michigan. In some ways it feels like home. In others, not so much. We left a piece of our heart in Illinois, and we are focused on our goal of moving to Peru in Jan/Feb 2026. So, our time in MI is transitional.

2. That God would give us wisdom as we decide on a school for our kids in MI and the many other details of life.

3. That God would guide us and energize us as we spend the next 1.5 years preparing for our move to Peru (i.e. finishing dissertation, raising support, etc.).

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In other news, our mission organization (previously United World Mission) has rebranded to Mesa Global! Our new name reflects our dedication to fostering relationships of mutuality and celebrating the goodness of the gospel worldwide. As we embark on this journey, we’re grateful for your unwavering support. Together, let’s continue to make an impact, one life at a time. Stay connected for updates on our progress! Explore our new website mesaglobal.co for more information.

Our family has exciting news! We are going to Perú for a vision and reconnection trip from June 7th to July 3^rd. The last time we were there was 2017—seven long years ago—for the wedding of my sister to Adriana’s brother (yes, that is legal). At the time, Aila (8) was 1.5 years old and Ilana (7) was only 6 months old. Isaia (5) and Imara (3) were, as they would say, “in the mind of God.” We are so excited to be going home for this vision trip!

The purpose of the trip is to:

1. Lay the groundwork for our future ministry.
2. Help our kids envision their life in Perú.
3. Discern where in the city we will live and what school the kids will attend.
4. Reconnect with family and friends.

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The truth is that we have been on a looooong and winding (11 years and counting!) journey back to Perú since we moved to the U.S. in 2013. This trip really feels like an important step in preparation for our more permanent move to Perú, si Dios quiere, in early 2026. While there we will:

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Please Pray

We are excited to be making significant progress in preparation for our move back to Perú. At the same time, we are a bit overwhelmed with our packed schedule the next few months. Would you pray for the following things:

1. We move back to MI on June 1st, then fly out of O’Hare to Perú on June 7th. Pray for energy, patience, and God’s sustaining presence.
2. Aila fell while playing outside this week and fractured her radius. Per the doctors, it should heal well. But the timing is a bit rough as she is missing out on several “lasts” in IL and will most likely have a cast for the first week or so in Perú. Pray for healing and encouragement for her.
3. Pray that God would give us guidance and wisdom during our trip as we begin to lay the groundwork (e.g., a school for the kids, meetings with leaders in T.E.) for our 2026 move Perú.

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Ph.D. Progress Tracker

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Adriana and I have been working part-time at our church, All Peoples Fellowship (APF), since we moved to Carol Stream, IL in 2021. Our original task was to serve the younger families. So, we decided to try something new for the church: community group.

The idea of community group was to create a family-like atmosphere where people could get to know each other at a deeper level. Every week, we share a meal, pray for each other, and look at a passage of Scripture. The group has been a blessing in many ways for those that have participated, but we have struggled to bring new people in.

Until recently, that is. In the past few of weeks, a few new families have joined the church and one couple joined our community group. In addition, some of the longtime members have expressed interest in joining.

It has been a big encouragement for us to see the vision begin to catch on!

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The week before Thanksgiving, I travelled to San Antonio for a series of professional conferences. Our mission organization rented a house for 17 missional scholars to stay together. We enjoyed a time of fellowship and iron-sharpens-iron interaction. It was a pleasure to meet for the first time several of my colleagues who serve across the globe.

I also had the opportunity to present a paper at the Evangelical Theological Society titled “Silly and Without Sense: Old Testament Anthropology and Knowledge in Hosea.” This paper jump started me on research for a chapter in my dissertation.

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Ph.D. Progress Tracker

In order to complete my Ph.D. program, I need to write a dissertation (approx. 100k words in 7 ch.) and complete comprehensive exam (read and write 36 book reviews, then take exam).

My dissertation looks at the critique of religion in Hosea contextualized for Latin America.

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The last few months have been, well, crazy.

• In April, Imara Urpi Panaggio Vilca, our 4th child (3rd daughter) was born.
• In May, we sold our house, and I started an 8-week intensive German reading course that was supposed to take 35-40 hours per week (while working full-time).
• In June, I left my job, we had a great long visit from family that lives in Peru, and we closed on our house.
• In July, we packed up everything we own and tried to say goodbye to as many people as possible in Grand Rapids, MI, our home for the past 8 years.
• In August, we went to Florida for my cousin’s wedding and for a family vacation.
• On August 12, we moved to Carol Stream, Illinois, to a house that we had only seen from the outside.

Since we arrived, we have spent a ton of time cleaning, fixing, unloading, unpacking, arranging, etc. We are probably 70% of the way unpacked. Yet, it still feels like we have quite a long way to go. Moving is hard work!

These months of transition have taken a toll on our young family. We have all been tired, stressed out, a little too irritable, and in serious need of stability. And, as I sit in our new “master bedroom” (Adriana and I actually have our own bathroom!) with a fan keeping us cool (we’ll have A/C soon, just need to do an air-duct cleaning) resting on a yet-to-be unpacked box (which is right in front of a five-foot stack of other yet-to-be unpacked boxes), I wonder how long it will take for us to feel settled. How long will it take for this place to feel like home?

I also wonder, is this just a temporary stop on our long-term journey back to Peru. Or, is it more?

What will it take for this place to win our hearts?

A mini family history might explain why I’m having these thoughts. Adriana and I moved from Lima, Peru to Grand Rapids, MI in 2013. Our plan was for me to earn a Master of Divinity, Adriana to earn a Bachelor’s degree, and then to return to Peru as fast as possible. At first, we thought we could to it in 3.5 years. The first 8-12 months, we thought constantly about Peru and schemed about how and when we could visit. This impacted our decision-making and our settledness (I know that’s probably not a word, but it should be!). For example, we didn’t buy bikes because we thought, “for the price of bikes we could pretty much buy a plane ticket home”. This was an unhealthy way to live. But it is a pretty accurate description of the beginning of our time in GR.

However, once we realized we couldn’t continue living like that, several things changed. We began investing in our life in GR, and, 3.5 years turned into 8. Over this time, in many ways, Grand Rapids became our home. We made amazing friends, we bought our first house, we had four (!) kids, we were part of an incredible church that gave us so much life (shoutout to Redemption City Church), and much more. Grand Rapids will always own a part of both Adriana’s and my heart.

Will the same thing happen in Illinois? It’s hard to say. For the time being, we are working hard at making this house, which God graciously provided through Fellowship Church of Carol Stream, our home for the next several years. And, although transition is hard, we have a long list of reasons to be thankful:

• For a place to live. A 3-bedroom house that, in many ways, came out of nowhere
• For a dual-language public school for Aila.
• For a church that has welcomed us with gifts and kind words.
• For my PhD program that starts tomorrow!
• For great friends and family who helped us move (Susie, Emily, Josh, Katie, Mom, Dad, Joshua you all were soooo helpful).
• For an incredible friend who drove down from GR to Il to help us settle in.
• For the many memories in our first house.
• For Redemption City Church.
• For a Peruvian restaurant just 25 minutes away from our new home!!!!!
• For friends from GR in Naples.
• For a quick visit to one of my best friends growing up while we were in Florida.
• And so much more.

Below are some pictures of our recent journeys…

Family Florida Vacation Extravaganza

Moving

Carol Stream, Il