We were delighted to meet Victor and his wife, Peggy at the Cono Norte Conference. This couple now lives and works in Colombia. Peggy was a part of an outreach team that came to Cusco in 1989 when YWAM Cusco existed for 10 years. This is her story she shared with us:

“(In 1989), a group of about 400 YWAMers gathered in Cusco to pray over the city during the Inti Rami Festival. 400 was considered a big group back then. This festival is a ceremony held every year by Inca tradition that worships the sun god, Rami. If the sun shines while the ceremony is taking place, then it means that the sun-god is pleased and it will be a good year for crops. If the sun doesn’t come out, then it will mean a year of bad harvest. It was at this gathering that 3 women out of this group held themselves up in a hotel for 3 days and prayed that during the ceremony that clouds would cover up the sun and that God’s glory would be seen and worshipped instead of a sun-god that doesn’t exist, but is kept alive through spirit worshippers. She said that at the ceremony that year it was a clear day, not a cloud anywhere and once the ceremony began, clouds came and blocked out the sun. There was a terrible harvest that year, but God made his presence known that year.”

She asked how the spiritual climate was over Cusco at the present time and we said that in general, people are open when you ask to pray for them (in our experience) and we know the curses spoken over our city, but we hope in God’s grace and transformation of hearts. We want to continue to be rooted in prayer. (If God can do it in Cali, Colombia, he can certainly do it in Cusco and in so many other cities). Her last suggestion was to “serve. When things get crazy and there’s a lot of fighting even between ministries or whatever; serve. When you serve, you love.” Thanks God. Thanks Peggy.