Two Rivers Baptist congregation heads to Peru

Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles on members of the Gonzales Two Rivers Baptist Church who are going on an 8-day mission into the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest. Their mission is to help save and protect abused children who have been used in the sex trade and to spread the Good Word. Today’s article discusses the overall mission of the group.

The congregation from the Two Rivers Baptist Church is going on a mission from God. In fact, they are going a long way for that mission—back to the jungles of the Amazon rain forest in Puerto Maldonado, Peru. But it is the purpose of that mission that is truly remarkable.
The Gonzales contingent, which numbers around 13 people, is going to Peru to help construct and repair a home for abused children, teach the word of the Bible, and help with basic life skills such as hygiene and conversational English.
While the mission has a religious motivation, there is a very basic humanitarian purpose as well.
“In this part of the Amazon in Peru, children are abused and prostituted as a way of life,” said Two Rivers Baptist Church pastor Jessie Elizondo. “They are just children, and they are often sold and trafficked in the sex trade as little children.
“Our former pastor Charles Matlock and his wife Christian decided to do something about it. They left for the jungle over five years ago and have built a compound and home for abused children. When we heard what they were doing, we decided to help out in any way we could.”
The first objective is to help add on to the existing home for abused children, which currently houses eight children. It needs basic repairs to the roof, bathrooms and sleeping quarters. In addition, the group is going to help add on to the existing facility so that the home can be expanded to house 20 children.
“These children have been beaten and used in the sex trade from as young as three or four-years old,” Elizondo said. “Recently, they brought in a two-year old boy who had been sodomized by his father. Our mission is to protect these children, give them hope and counseling, and get them on a path of faith and purpose in life. They have suffered serious emotional and physical abuse, and it is a goal to help them in any way we can.”
There are 13 members of the congregation who are traveling to Peru to help with the construction and repairs, in addition to spreading the Good Word and teaching life skills. They are: Michael Bosquez, Todd Bright, Kiara Cerna, Jesse Elizondo, Chuck Griffin, Gretchen Hilt, Keela Hoffmann, Chirsty Horstman, Tyler Horstman, Megan McLain, Jennifer Miller, Melani Vega and Tyler Vierig.
“I am really excited. We have a really good team going. The people who are going to Puerto Maldonado and Infierno—which means hell by the way—are a great mixture of old and young,” Elizondo said. “Some of them are great at construction, and they can help with roof repairs, fencing, plumbing, etc. while the younger members will help with creating Bible clubs and teaching life skills.”
According to Elizondo, the group leaves for its mission in the jungle on June 19 and eventually flies into Lima, Peru. From there, they travel to Infierno and Puerto Maldonado.
The mission has raised half of the money it needs to complete its mission in the Amazon, and is in need of another $2,500.
“People ask why we are going to Peru to help out and why we aren’t doing things here,” Elizondo said. “I tell people we do lots of work here in Gonzales and the area, but the Word requires we spread the news to all the corners of the earth. Besides, these are little children who have been beaten, sexually abused and raped. Mercy demands that we take action and try and help.”

Editor’s note: Next week profiles on the Gonzales residents who are going and why.