The second greatest story ever told is the story of what God has done in your life. That's why we want you to hear these amazing stories of what God has done and is doing in some of us at CCESL. We will try to post testimonies weekly, so check back often and rejoice with us in the work God is doing in His church!
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Jimmy Vasquez
For there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. – 1 Timothy 2:5-6
I was born in a small town in the jungle of Peru and like many people here, I was raised in a family with Catholic beliefs and traditions that I never liked or understood. I had the idea of a so-called god who gets mad and punishes you whenever you do or not do what he says, but had never heard about having a relationship with Jesus and what it meant to be saved. My idea of going to heaven was basically the outcome of being as good as possible and doing enough good deeds to make God happy.
I would say that my parents and family were great and that my childhood and teenage years were awesome too. Except for the fact that I was introduced to sex at a very young age and to me and many people in the jungle, this was normal and not a big deal. Little did I know that it would affect me enormously later in life. I struggled a lot with how I saw women, relationships, and many other things. All the pain and tears that came along the way always had me turning for help to a God that I never knew completely but had heard about because of a Christian friend at school. A friend that I did not want to listen to very often and the God I always forgot whenever things got better.
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I moved to Lima, the capital in 2006 with many plans and goals, none of which involved studying to have a career, studying English, or even going to a Christian church with a group of crazy (Gringos) Americans. These plans were not the ones God had for me. I studied English from 2009 to 2012 in one of the many language schools in Lima. It was at that place where I met people from CCESL for the first time. Pastor Rick with his wife Beth and other members of his church were in charge of the conversation club, which was a class for students to improve their speaking skills. Not only did they have conversation clubs in my language school but also at their church, a place that I never wanted to go to, but ended up attending faithfully “just to improve my English.”
It is at CCESL that I understood who GOD really is and what having a relationship with Jesus and living a life for Him means. I started attending CCESL not just for conversation clubs but for every single meeting where they would speak in English, until one day in 2011 a group of young people from pastor’s Rick home church in the USA came and, in an event, called Coffee Shop Night started sharing their stories and how God changed their lives. Those stories were very similar to mine and were used to hear God calling me again. It is after that night at church when alone in my room, silly me decided to give God a last chance. It was Him calling me again; that night I prayed to God and asked Him to help me, and if He really was real, I asked Him to get rid of all the struggles and issues sex caused in my life--things that I had always tried to fix on my own but never could. That night He made me a new and different person, and all the burdens and struggles disappeared.
Ever since that day, I decided to follow Jesus for the rest of my life, and I have been part of CCESL. The Lord has used me in many ways and all for his glory, from setting up tables and chairs, mission trips, sound ministry, kids ministry, worship band--wherever and whatever He wants to use me I am there. Who I am and everything I am is thanks to Him. He has been faithful all these years, and done it all. He has been with me all the time in the good, bad, and ugly. When I thought it was going to be impossible for me to get a job, He gave me one out of nowhere. He gave me a wonderful wife when I thought I was not good enough for anybody; and when the doctors said having children was going to be impossible, He gave us two amazing children who keep us busy all. And I could keep going.
All I can say is that God is real and that I am a new creature because of Him. There is nothing I did or deserve. It was all because of his grace, mercy, and love that He sent his son Jesus to save me and you. Just as He was there waiting for me, He is there waiting for you today.
This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” Jeremiah 29: 11- 14
Alex Tapullima
Psalm 27: 10 - Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.
Psalm 27: 10 - Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.
Hi there! My name is Alex, and this is the story of how the Lord found me and shaped me into the man I am today. I was born and raised in Pucallpa, a city deep in the Peruvian jungle. Life in Pucallpa was unique, surrounded by the beauty of nature but also deeply influenced by mysticism and spiritual beliefs. My parents, like many others in the region, held strong beliefs in the spiritual realm. From a young age, I was exposed to stories about evil spirits and supernatural forces that could harm or influence people, especially children. My parents had me baptized when I was about 5 years old, not just as a Catholic tradition, but out of a fear that if I wasn’t, evil spirits could take over my soul. This was the kind of atmosphere I grew up in—a mix of religious rituals and cultural superstitions.
Despite the spiritual backdrop, my childhood was challenging. As I grew older, I began to notice cracks in my family life. My parents were distant, and there was an underlying tension that I didn’t fully understand as a child. It wasn’t until I was a bit older that I discovered the truth—my mother had been unfaithful to my father with one of our neighbors. I was too young to know what to do with that kind of information, but I knew it was wrong. The burden of holding onto that secret was heavy. In my confusion, I did something I regret. I used the information I had against my mother, bribing her for a soccer ball in exchange for my silence. It was the action of a child trying to make sense of a situation too complex for his years. But what happened next changed me forever. My mother, in a moment of anger and desperation, told me that if my father ever found out, she would have my sister and me killed. Those words pierced me through, leaving me terrified, broken, and confused.
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From that moment, the innocence of my childhood was shattered. I carried the weight of that secret and her threat for years. I couldn’t trust her, and the relationship I had with both of my parents deteriorated. Our family life was in pieces. I felt like a ghost in my own home—unseen, unloved, and abandoned emotionally. As I grew into my teenage years, I began to act out. I looked for ways to escape the pain I felt inside. I found myself turning to wild parties and bad company, losing myself in reckless behavior. The bitterness I felt toward my mother, and even my father for not knowing the truth, consumed me. I was angry with the world, and I felt completely alone, But even in my darkest moments, God never left me. At the time, I didn’t know that or realize it, but He was watching over me, waiting for the right moment to break through the walls I had built around my heart. That moment came when I was at my lowest—when I felt that there was no one left who truly cared for me.
One day through a youth ministry called kids alive where Jesus found me, I experienced God’s presence. I can’t explain it in words, but I felt a warmth, a love, and a presence that I had never felt before. It was as if God was wrapping me in His arms, telling me that I was loved, that I had worth, and that my life had a purpose beyond the pain I had endured. At that moment, I realized that God had been with me all along. He had seen my tears, heard my cries, and He was ready to heal the wounds I had carried for so long. Through prayer and the support of people God placed in my life, I began to heal. I let go of the bitterness that had poisoned my heart for so many years. God helped me to forgive my parents, especially my mother. It wasn’t easy, and it didn’t happen overnight, but His love was stronger than the pain. In time, I was able to truly forgive her, and that forgiveness set me free.
Today, I am a different man. God has given me a new purpose and direction. I am a father to my wonderful son, Caleb, and every day I strive to be the kind of father I never had. I want to give him the love, care, and support that I missed growing up. I want him to know that he is cherished and that he has a father who will always be there for him, no matter what.
God didn’t just bless me with a son—He also blessed me with an incredible woman, the most beautiful soul I have ever known. She has been my rock, my partner, and the love of my life. Together, we have built a family that is rooted in forgiveness, faith and the most important God’s love as the center of our lives. I am so grateful and blessed for her and for the family that God has put us together. If there’s one thing I’ve learned through all of this, it’s that no matter how deep the pain, no matter how broken you feel, God’s love is greater. He can take the most shattered life and make it whole again. I am living proof of that. He found me in my brokenness, He healed my heart, and He gave me a new life filled with love, purpose, and hope. For that, I will always be thankful by praising my faithful and loving God forever and ever, Amen.
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