Pre-med student Matthew Bowman shares about his recent Volunteers in Mission trip to Perú, where he learned that simple gestures can convey the power of God’s love.
MATTHEW BOWMAN
Milan, Michigan
My United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) Discover … Mission journey to Perú from December 29, 2025, to January 9, 2026, was my first international mission trip, and I can say without a doubt that it changed my life. Led by Jody Pratt, this journey included a medical clinic, multiple construction projects, and two days of Escuela Bíblica de Vacaciones (Vacation Bible School).
As a pre-medical student, I particularly enjoyed the clinical day because I learned extensively about the differences in health care between the United States and Perú, even in matters as simple as handwashing, influenza vaccines, vitamins, and parasite medications.
It was also a ton of fun to get my hands dirty on construction projects, including installing 131 new windows at Colegio América La Victoria. At the Iglesia Metodista de Lomas de Carabayllo, we removed a couple of walls, replaced a sink and plumbing, refreshed the paint, and provided resources for electrical work.
As good as it felt to provide these services, the best part of the trip, hands down, was the relationships I built, both with the Peruvians and with the American team.
Our team consisted of twelve Americans. Four of them, including me, were affiliated with Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia: three students and our campus chaplain. The rest of the team was from the Midwest, including “The Minnesota 5,” one from Illinois, one from Wisconsin, and one from Michigan, the state I call home when I am not in school. That was the most comical part of this entire endeavor: Jody, the VIM Coordinator, lives 30 minutes from where I grew up and only 2.5 hours from my current home in Milan.
I loved growing closer to the people I already knew from Reinhardt, but even better was getting to know the others who have now become dear friends. Any time you bring a large group of people together to work for a single cause, you have no idea how the camaraderie will be, but on this trip, it was fantastic from the get-go.
We had a great mix of laughter, intentionality, and a wide range of personalities, which created an abundance of memories. This was what I was looking forward to most before the trip. I knew that most of the team had extensive international mission experience, and as someone trying to get more involved in these missions, I am so grateful to have learned the intricacies of this work from such a great group of people.
As great as the Americans were, the Peruvians were arguably even better. Rudy, our permanent translator, shared a room with me for the duration of the trip, and it was incredible to build a relationship with him so quickly and seamlessly.
We instantly hit it off and had so much fun celebrating the New Year, shopping, playing fútbol, or using our new “Spanglish,” courtesy of another team member, Vinny. Instead of the typical “ando” or “iendo” endings for Spanish verbs, we simply replaced them with the English “ing,” creating words like “nadading,” “lluvanding,” and many others.
Everyone I met, whether it was Rvda. Tania Barrios Olivera, our incredible drivers, or the countless others I now call “mis amigos,” was exceptionally kind, receptive, and committed to the work of Christ.
Speaking of our Lord, I understand that God is omnipresent, but I have never felt this presence like I did on this trip. With so many examples of “God moments,” I have selected, with great difficulty, one to share with you.
This moment came during our trip to Paracas and the boat ride to the Islas Ballestas. Our boat guide asked the group if anyone spoke Spanish, and because of the motor noise, I was the only one who heard her. I responded that Rudy, Josephina, Hanna, and I spoke Spanish, but for the most part, English was the preferred method of communication for the team.
This guide first explained what the tour would consist of, then, for the majority of the trip, sat with Kay Roberts, one of the aforementioned “Minnesota 5,” and me. This interaction was one of the clearest signs of God’s presence on the trip. She has two children and wants to visit the States with them, and part of that involves practicing her English, which was quite good to begin with. This worked out great. She got to practice her English, and I my Spanish as we shared about ourselves, asked questions, and formed a connection that I never would have imagined possible.
One statement she made stood out to Kay and me: our group was different from the other Americans she had interacted with on these boat tours. She said these tourists were very stoic, rarely smiled, and seemed unhappy and unloving. This was both disheartening and encouraging for us. It was depressing to hear that most of our American counterparts were melancholy. At the same time, it made us happy to know that our love and joy were radiant and impactful in the lives of the people we interacted with.
Jesus commands us in John 13, “Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35, CSB). For the team on this trip, we showed this love through simple gestures, such as a smile and politeness in everything we did with and for the people of Perú.
To anyone interested in international missions or mission work in general, I urge you to take a step of faith and do it! I do not know exactly how God will show up for you on your journey, but I can promise that He will, and it will be in a big way.
There is nothing on this earth that will stand in the way of His mission, and there is nothing that should stand in your way of assisting in that effort. Whether it be finances, time availability, or safety concerns, there are people and organizations who want to make mission work possible for you in whatever capacity you want to be involved.
So don’t wait. Get started as soon as you can. If you are anything like me, the joy of the experience will be contagious and lead to a desire to do more work for God’s kingdom on earth. ¡Dios te Bendiga!
>>Want to learn more about Discover … Mission journeys through United Methodist Volunteers in Mission? Visit this web page or contact Jody Pratt at [email protected] for more information.
The publication of this article was made possible thanks to generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.