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Louise Reimer has been serving in Huancayo, Peru since 2011. She and a Peruvian Christian lead a Bible study in the women’s prison each week. Louise also coordinates the Kuyay Talpuy preschool program in the communities of Tinyari, Partacocha, and Iscos. She meets families and individuals regularly for Bible study and discipleship.

Here, Louise shares Vanessa’s story, and the way in which Christ has transformed her life.

Vanessa lives in an adobe house with her parents, her sister, and her nephew. She was the first girl born to her family, and her parents decided that she did not need an education. At age 26, Vanessa is illiterate.

Vanessa’s parents put her in charge of all of the farm animals, planting and harvesting the fields, cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry. Her life is very hard and she is treated as the family servant. When I met Vanessa, her self-esteem was very low and life was pretty grim.

Vanessa came to know Christ last July during a medical campaign when volunteers came from the United States to Tinyari. In the months following, Rosio and Johana (teachers in the Kuyay Talpuy program) visited Vanessa regularly to share the Bible with her.

In November, they arrived to find Vanessa in bed where she had been for a month. She had been injured and could not walk. She was depressed and refused to talk or make eye contact with anyone.

Rosio shared with Vanessa the story of Jesus healing the woman who had been sick for 12 years. When they finished, Rosio and Johana prayed and told Vanessa that God could heal her too. Then Vanessa began to pray a prayer of healing for herself, got up, and began to walk. She kept saying, “Dios me ha sanado! Dios me ha sanado!” which means, “God has healed me!” She continued saying, “God is good! He healed me! He is with me.” Everyone began to cry and marvel at the power of God. Vanessa’s sister, Marli, said, “What? I can’t believe it!” Marli began to believe in God as well.

Recently, Vanessa was asked about her life before Christ. “It was awful. I don't’ even want to talk about it,” she said.

Vanessa’s life is still very hard. She still labors physically in the fields, in the house, and caring for the animals. She still has times of sadness but she has Christ, and she radiates joy. She says, “God is always with me. He is faithful.”