Joel Choqque Arce
Joel works in Pitumarca, located at an elevation of about 12,000 feet in the Andes mountains of Peru. Most of the residents of this village are of Quechua descent and speak primarily Quechua. A graduate of Cusco Baptist Seminary, he leads a gathering of believers in a humble meeting place and is also involved in radio ministry. His wife, Veronica, and son, Josias, serve alongside him.
Testimony and Call to Ministry
I was born into a Christian family but I was not saved. I turned away from my parents when I was 14 and lived without Christ with friends who did not know Christ. I began to drink alcohol and go to parties with them in search of happiness, but I never found it. I ended up alone because I had failed in everything. I worked only for my vices and I ended up disappointed because everything was going wrong. I just wanted to die.
During the time I was involved in drugs and alcohol, I happened to go and hear a sermon preached. I understood then that God wanted to give me an opportunity to be saved. He spoke to me through His Word, and in that moment I gave up and asked God to forgive my sins and received Christ as my only Savior. The date of my conversion is September 25, 2012 in the city of Arequipa.
After I received Christ, I felt a great need to learn the Word of God, through which God guided me to seminary and opened my eyes to see lost souls and preach to them. During my time in seminary, my fellow students and I were praying to God to know how we could serve Him, and I was preaching more to lost souls. When I finished seminary, God gave me the opportunity to share the Word of God in Pitumarca, where people accepted Christ, and my wife and I continued to pray for this place. As time passed, we realized that God wanted to use us here.