What does it mean to be The Church?

I've been pondering this thought for the past several months.

Membership? A building with a tall steeple? VBS programs? Wednesday night suppers? Hymns and organs?

The more I've thought about it, I've realized how negative the church is seen by many believers today. When overseas recently, I talked to a large sum of Christians that do not go to church due to corruption. I myself have struggled with the decision to partner with the church we've been a part of for a year now, due to being burned by the church in the past.

The Church seems to be viewed as a negative thing in modern America in many cases.

But what about when you strip it all away?

Get rid of the lights, the guitars. The projector screens, the pulpit. The fancy clothes and the steeple.

What are you left with?

People.

God's people.

Humans.

Sinners.

Imperfect beings.

Recently, I sat outside, covered in sweat with mosquitoes buzzing in my ear. There wasn't a piano or a guitar, a fancy projector, and no one was dressed in anything other than shorts and t-shirts. I sat in a plastic lawn chair amidst voices that spoke a language other than my own. Horns beeped and commotion went on outside the walls of the place I gathered with around 40 people who were there for one purpose— to praise the God of the universe, the Maker of heaven and earth.

And truly... it was one of the most beautiful sights I've ever beheld.

This was the Church.

Just people. Sinners and broken. Coming as they are. Worshiping the One True God.

It wasn't about the style of music, the temperature of the building or the fact that we'd be heading off for a meal after the service was over.

It was about worshiping as one.

The Body of Christ.

And these people I was with? They weren't strangers. These were MY people.

My brothers, my friends, some even called themselves my sons. And seeing them praise the Lord without fear, filled with confidence and passion— I was moved to tears.

They were children that I've watched grow— many of them from 6 or 7 years old. They’re now in middle and high school—and they are the ones leading worship.

7 years ago, I took a leap of faith. I went on a trip I was NOT cut out for. I went to a jungle to do construction work in a place that housed abandoned boys. I was uncomfortable, unqualified, and frankly, quite annoyed. Why would God bring me to a place I was so far out of my comfort zone? I wasn’t of any use on the construction site, I hated the food, I was miserable in the 100% humidity with no A/C to run to, I couldn’t speak to the kids around me. Selfishly, I never wanted to come back to that place.

Why should I?

Well, 6 months later something {read: GOD} brought me back. And again, 6 months later. Fast forward to today… I’ve just returned from my eleventh trip to this place I never planned to return. All because of these people.

Who, despite their own pasts, discomforts, scars, and heartache, welcomed me with open arms. Called me sister. Mama. Friend. They showed me what it meant to be the Church.

All that to say, it is certainly NOT of me, but completely ALL of God.

He used a place so foreign, so different, so hard on me physically and emotionally to bring me closer to Him, to a place of complete humility at His feet, clinging to the foot of the cross, to bring Him glory.

And in it, I have found abundant joy.

That place, Puerto Alegria {which means Port Joy}, is truly one of my favorite places on earth. I feel at home there. I feel alive. At complete peace. Like I’m exactly where the Lord wants me to be. And I just can’t stay away.

Over the past 7 years of serving, a lot has happened in that place. We’ve seen kids come and go. We’ve seen leadership falter and fail. We’ve seen people make promises and say they will do amazing things for these children we love so much, only to disappear months later. We have been on our knees, crying out to God for an answer. We’ve felt the spiritual warfare as the Enemy has tried to make the home collapse from the inside out.

But he will not win.

Three years ago, God sent a couple. A husband and wife, newly married. We had seen it all before. I’m always extremely apprehensive of new leadership. People I trusted and believed in have hurt my brothers. They’ve abandoned them. They’ve lied and stolen. Why would they be any different?

Rosa was someone you couldn’t ignore. She lit up the room with her vibrant personality, passion, and quick-speaking tongue. With a huge smile, she was an instant mama to those boys. She knew them by name within days. She could look at a stack of clothes and know exactly who needed which item and in what size. She danced with them in the evenings, laughed with them at meal time, hugged those who were hurting. I struggled to keep up with how quickly she talked, but truthfully, it was hard not to like her. The love of Jesus was so evident in the way she walked, spoke, and even laughed.

Julio was the complete opposite of his wife. Quiet, observant, slow to speak. Honestly, I hardly heard him speak more than a few words in he first year of him being in leadership. Would this be the man to lead these boys? He was certainly qualified with a history of 5 years of youth ministry and a bachelor’s degree. He was educated and smart. But he led in a way I hadn’t seen before. A way that was quiet, selfless, but demanded the attention and respect of the boys. They listened to him. He wasn't loud and certainly didn't have the "take charge" personality you usually think of when you describe a leader. But in his gentle spirit, they followed.

In all his humility and even-tempered ways, he really reminds me of Jesus when I think of it.

Oh, and they loved each other. Never before had I seen a couple so affectionate and in love. They were so tender toward one another, so gentle and respectful, passionate. Really, it was beautiful.

They were the perfect duo. They perfectly balanced each other in their strengths and weaknesses. We may not have known it then, but they were the ones we had prayed for.

You see, that church I told you about before? It’s a church that was recently planted by Julio and Rosa. And the kids I told you about? They are the ones that are being raised in this ministry, even to the point of leading their own youth worship services.

Julio saw that there was a problem.

The organization that houses the boys could not afford transportation to the church where Julio worshiped in town. So instead of letting that be the end of it, he chose to plant a church, right there where they were, within the walls of the boys home. God has used Kings & Queens to make this a reality by getting the church established as a legal non-profit organization in the city of Iquitos, Peru. We are now partnering together with Julio and Rosa to establish our first church plant, Divine Grace Church.

Every Saturday night, the gate is opened for students in the community. The boys invite their friends and classmates to a service that is 100% run by them. They lead worship, share testimonies, take offering, and pray together.

When I last visited the jungle in May, it had been a year since my last visit. As I sat down in this church service, my mind drifted back to those little faces 7 years before...

Full of so much mischief. Some of them full of deep anger and hurt because of their past. Most of them without families and just barely getting by.

And here now, they stood before me:

Their hands raised in worship, lifting their voices high with complete abandon. Their minds were not on the friends that surrounded them. Not once did I see their expressions ask, “What are they thinking of me?”

Their praise was evidence of changed hearts. Their worship was full of passion and expression.

Many of them have given their lives to Christ and have walked in the waters of baptism. The Lord has done a mighty thing within the bare, stone walls of that place. His spirit is so evidently present.

And He has used this precious couple to reveal an awe-inspiring picture of hope, restoration, and new life.

We spent a lot of time talking with Julio and Rosa this trip. They shared with us their needs, their vision, and their heart; their desire to grow, to reach more children, to serve broken families within their city.

But they were doing it alone and needed help.

Never once has this couple ever asked us for money. They’ve never complained about the position they are in. Their hearts have remained so humble and so willing to do whatever it takes to serve.

But we could see the look in their eyes—they were tired.

They needed rest. Restoration. Some more hands on deck. Relief. Help.

As we came back home, our heads were spinning. What can we do? How can we help? Feelings of guilt rushed over me as I pondered how these precious friends of ours were so deep in the tireless trenches of ministry and here I was sitting behind my MacBook with my coffee in one hand and my iPhone in the other.

“Not another fundraiser…” I thought.

My mind reasoned with the fact that we had just adopted our two children and there was no way we could ask anyone in our circle for money.

But God wouldn't let me rest.

Over the next few weeks, my mind kept going back to Julio and Rosa time and time again. I could feel the Spirit moving my heart to action. Sometimes it would keep me up at night.

"God, what is it you want me to do?" I asked.

As we met with our Board of Directors, we came to the conclusion that the first goal of Kings & Queens would be to hire some workers to further the outreach and lighten the load that this couple is bearing all alone.

Most of the outreach of our church plant is geared toward student ministry. Having the help of some additional adult leaders within the church would be a tremendous asset to them. We pray God will make a way to provide through the help of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In addition, the walls of the boys home will not be the church's home forever. With a vision for serving street children and being a center to aid families in their community, they need a building. The goal of our church is to defend the fatherless and serve the widow (James 1:27). We desire for this church to be an orphan care center that provides feeding programs and after school tutoring the keep kids fed and in school, preventing them from being abandoned. It will act as a filter for the ever-growing problem of street children due to poverty.

Divine Grace Church is growing quickly while also raising up young men of God to be the future leadership of their community. The vision is big, but our God is bigger.

As you sit here today, would you consider coming alongside us in this vision to reach the fatherless and to uphold the cause of the widow in the city of Iquitos?

We greatly value your prayers during this time for the work Julio and Rosa are doing, for the young men they are serving, and also for the church of Divine Grace in Iquitos.

We cannot do it alone.

If the Lord impresses it upon your heart to give in support of this project, your financial donation would truly be a blessing to these believers who are living out what it means to serve the least of these. A recurring monthly donation of any amount will aid in our mission efforts to 1) pay workers, 2) purchase a church building, and 3) provide food for street children.

Click here to support these efforts and choose “Orphan Care in Iquitos” as the campaign for your donation.

Kings & Queens International is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

In His Everlasting Love,

Kailee & Titus Bowen

Being the Church

Kailee Bowen