Where can a college student go to get total immersion into Latin American missions by living in nationals’ homes, getting hands-on experience in evangelism and discipleship and still receive college credit?
Our answer is ¡Arriba!
Among fundamental Baptist missions efforts, ¡Arriba! is a one-of-a-kind program that has been transforming the lives of college students since 1982. And the program is better than ever. Under the guidance of missionaries Jim and Becky Carlton, ¡Arriba! students experience 11 months in Peru. Students begin in a classroom setting learning Spanish, Latin American studies, and other relevant subjects. The second half transforms the students into missionaries touching the lives of local Peruvians. Students are mentored by both missionaries and strong Peruvian believers.
On May 19, 2009, Baptist Mid-Missions welcomed the ¡Arriba! Class of 2009-2010, four college students from Faith Baptist Bible College and Appalachian Bible College of Bradley, West Virginia. They joined us in the Home Office for three days of orientation and shared how God called them into the program. After their year in Peru is completed, they will return to the Home Office to share testimonies of how God changed their lives and the lives of those they had contact with.
Scroll down to browse through testimonies from past ¡Arriba! participants.
¡Arriba! 2008-2009
Kimberly Davis: Sow the seed, God will change hearts.
Eleven months, five team members, one completely new language--these circumstances alone can change and stretch a person in more ways thought possible. I am thankful for how God used my time in Peru to put my confidence where it should be--in God, rather than on familiar circumstances. God blessed me with wonderful teammates who challenged me to think deeper about things that really mattered. Having to learn a language from scratch was humbling, as I had to lean on the Peruvians around me for help with even the simplest words in Spanish. The changes that happened in my life happened inside out, causing me to arrive back in North America stretched and completely different for day to day life.
The word, "missions" is daunting to me as I look back on all I learned. God has still placed a desire on my heart to serve Him in this way; I just now more clearly know that it will not be easy. One such circumstance that proved this to me was during our last class, Personal Evangelism, taught in Spanish. During the afternoons we went out to find people we could witness to. Claudia became a Christian on one such day. I had the responsibility and blessing of following up with this sweet, young lady. Over my last six months in Peru I went to her house many times, invited her to church, and tried to start a Bible study with her. But with her hectic schedule, very little progress was made. During this same time, I heard the testimony of a Christian Peruvian lady. She said that she took several years before she even stepped foot into a church. Her testimony encouraged me that my labor was not in vain. I cannot work in people's hearts. God will do that job. I only need to be faithful, later as a missionary and where I am today, just like God was faithful to work in me during my life and perspective-changing journey in Peru. Great is His faithfulness!
¡Arriba! 2007-2008
Zachary Patke: Lessons learned far away get applied at home.
I would like to start by saying that at times it is very difficult to tell everything that I have done that might affect someone’s life for eternity. In my experience I can not put my finger on one person in specific that God used me to change for Him. Although I had the opportunity to share the gospel, speak, teach, and serve God, I can not say that there is one specific story where God showed me the fruit of my labor. However, what I can say with confidence is that God used that trip to change me for Him forever.
Being back in the States has shown me how much Spanish and the trip to Peru has done to change me. God has shown me through the Peruvian culture more things about being better with families. That means my family at home as well as spending time being a guest in other people’s houses. Watching my Peruvian Brother Ronald has taught me plenty. He is so helpful to his family. He watches his baby brother. He cooks and does so much for his family in Lima. His heart for his family has shown me that family is so important. The Bible says in Ephesians 6:1: “Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.” As the chorus says, “Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.” So far back in the States, I have made a commitment to be obedient and helpful to my parents.
Amy Brundage: The power of one changed life.
When we first came to Peru in May, 13-yr-old Johanna came to youth meeting on Saturday nights fairly regularly with her friends. She was a very quiet, rather timid, and very sweet girl. I soon found out that of the nearly 10 girls that come regularly, 7 of them are unsaved. Johanna was one of the unsaved. We began praying for the girls' salvation and for opportunities to minister to them despite our language barrier. The Lord answered our prayers, and Johanna was saved during the first week of July! When Johanna got saved, I was excited. But now, several months later, I am even more excited to see that she has grown spiritually and evidenced Christ in her life.
Little by little, my relationship grew with Johanna, providing more avenues of discipleship. And little by little, Johanna grew. We spent a week of teen camp together and began talking more during youth meetings. Nikki, my roommate and teammate in the ministry, and I eventually began spending a couple mornings a week at her house. We would pray together and did a Bible study on prayer. We went shopping together for a notebook to use as a prayer and devotional journal. I was so thrilled to see her writing prayer requests and specific verses and how they spoke to her in her journal. She also became burdened for her unsaved family members. She would ask questions about the Bible, about seminary, and about how to prepare for becoming a Sunday School teacher, showing her interest in spiritual things. I would now consider Johanna, although younger than many in the youth group, a leader in spiritual maturity. It is exciting to think how the Lord will continue to mold her and the ways He will use her in His service in the future!
Joy Akkerman: Sowing so others can reap.
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Recently, I heard one of the ¡Arriba! students say that he hoped that Jim and Becky Carlton, missionaries with Baptist Mid-Missions, would be able to reap the harvest of our past ministry in Peru. (I and two other ¡Arriba! students had the opportunity to serve along side the Carltons in their church in Manchay, Peru during our ¡Arriba! internship). I believe this was a good reminder for all of us, because many times in ministry, we do not see major changes in peoples’ lives, but it does not mean that God is not working. Some times we are just planting the seed of a major change that will be evident after it has been given time to grow.
What a privilege it was to be able to work in their church and to be able to share the gospel and disciple in Peru. It was definitely one of the best years of my life! However, we may never know until we reach heaven how God used or will use our ministry in Peru to change peoples’ lives. One thing I am certain of though, is that if God changed anyone, He changed me. God taught me so many things during my time in Peru, including that I need to trust in Him. Many times, the soil of peoples’ hearts is really hard, and they are not ready to receive the Word, but we need to remember that it is not us that are going to change them. It is God. He is in control of everything; we just need to be faithful in serving Him and planting the seed.