Maranatha’s recent Family Project at 12,500 feet of elevation in Juliaca, Peru, proved to be a transformative experience for the nearly 70 volunteers who participated. Led by project veteran Steve Case, the team included a high number of first-time mission participants, all arriving with a readiness to serve. The work centered on the campus of the Colegio Adventista del Titicaca, a thriving institution serving approximately 1,200 students within a larger university community of 7,000. The main construction project was laying the block walls of a new three-classroom building for the academy on campus, which will allow 75 more students to join from a waiting list. The addition joins an existing layout that includes a large Education and Evangelism Center that Maranatha constructed in the 2000’s.Â
One of the unique projects on this mission trip took place on world-famous Lake Titicaca. A select group of volunteers spent two nights at the floating church that Maranatha built years ago, which sits among the reed islands of the Uros people, applying fresh paint to this unique place of worship.
Beyond construction, other volunteers focused on community outreach. Teams rotated between the Adventist school, engaging in English education—where volunteers interacted with all 1,200 students from preschool through secondary grades—and four local churches where they lead afternoon Vacation Bible School programs. A medical team provided free healthcare in four communities to about 500 people. For the younger volunteers, a special highlight on this trip was the day camp where kids assisted with construction, but also engaged in different cultural experiences, such as learning traditional ceramics from a local artisan.
Beyond construction, other volunteers focused on community outreach. Teams rotated between the Adventist school, engaging in English education—where volunteers interacted with all 1,200 students from preschool through secondary grades—and four local churches where they lead afternoon Vacation Bible School programs. A medical team provided free healthcare in four communities to about 500 people. For the younger volunteers, a special highlight on this trip was the day camp where kids assisted with construction, but also engaged in different cultural experiences, such as learning traditional ceramics from a local artisan.
From 2004-2006, more than 3,000 Maranatha volunteers landed in Peru, constructing nearly 100 churches and schools. In 2019, Maranatha returned at the request of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America. After a pause in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Maranatha’s in-country crews and volunteer groups resumed work in Peru that has continued through 2026.