Belen Refuge Home in Lima Peru

The Parents

Santos and Lys live in a Peruvian town outside of Lima. Lys grew up in that town and in 1990 Santos moved there after completion of Seminary for an internship at a local church. The Lord brought them together in marriage after Santos shared the Gospel with Lys and she became a believer.

For years they were unable to have children although they both desired to do so. As Santos pastored at their church both of their hearts were drawn to the children living on the streets near by. For years they both prayed individually about starting a program to help these children but for various reasons were afraid to mention it to the other. One day it came up in conversation and they were surprised to find that they had both been praying about helping these children. Overjoyed that God had been moving their hearts in the same direction they began praying for Him to clarify the vision and strategy of this ministry.

In 2004 along with help from their church they began a weekend program to help feed and tutor these children, they loved them and shared Jesus with them. In 2007 they began inviting children to live in their small home with them. Since then God has provided additional buildings to help house the children as well as food and supplies to care for them. There are currently 12 children living in the Belen Refuge where they are fed, loved and not only told of, but also shown the love of Jesus on a daily basis.

Santos and Lys desire to be faithful to care for the children God has entrusted to them. Their prayer is that the love and nurturing care they are offering would result in raising up children who would become leaders in their society: pastors, government officials, missionaries and more.

The Children

Aby - 5 years old

Aby is new to the Refuge and the youngest there. In January of 2023 she and her sister came to live at the Refuge home. She is spunky and full of life and brings such joy to everyone with her love for people and playfulness.
Adriano - 9 years old

Adriano arrived at the Belen Refuge in January 2016 at two years of age. He has 6 siblings, with 3 of them living in the home as well. Adriano has a fun loving personality and gets a lot of attention as he is often a bit of a clown. He loves to participate in games and sing gospel songs.
Thays - 9 years old

Thays arrived at the Belen Refuge in November 2019. She has 9 siblings and 2 of them live with her in the home. Thays is cheerful, affectionate and always hugging those around her. She has been very willing to listen to teaching about the gospel. She always says, "ask me" and loves it when we ask her questions about the topic being discussed.
Dayana - 9 years old

Dayana, along with her sister Aby, is new to the Refuge, arriving in January 2023. Dayana has a disposition to listen attentively to the teaching, asking questions and giving thoughtful answers. Pray for her as she settles into a new home and family.
Keymi - 11 years old

Keymi has 9 siblings 2 of which live in the Refuge home with her. Keymi is quiet and reserved. She is quick to obey and looks to the older children for leadership. She is sweet and likes to be with other people. She is a new believer and learning a lot about her faith.
Abigail - 13 years old

Abigail came to the Belen Refuge in January 2012 at two years of age. She has 6 siblings, with 3 of them living in the home as well. Abigail is an organized and clean young lady. She is very affectionate, yet reserved. She seems very happy in the home and is a joy to have around.
Elias - 13 years old

Elias came to the Refuge in 2020 and has 2 other siblings living in the home with him. He likes to play soccer or draw and paint. Elias has endured much in his young life, pray for us as we seek to care for him well and provide him with a loving family.
Jacob - 14 years old

Jacob came to the Belen Refuge in January 2017 at nine years old. He has one sibling with him at the Refuge home. Jacob is very affectionate and is always ready with a smile and hug. He is very intelligent, does well in school, and gets along well with others.
Wilmer - 16 years old

Wilmer arrived at the Belen Refuge in January of 2009 at age two. He has 3 siblings living in the home as well. Wilmer is very down to earth, fun loving, curious, and cooperative. He is also very skilled in soccer, but he had a knee injury that has prevented him from playing for months. He recently had surgery and is recovering well.
Rosamel - 16 years old

Rosamel came to the Belen Refuge In January 2010 at three years old. He is the son of Santos' youngest sister. God brought him to the Refuge as an unplanned but delightful surprise. Rosamel is studious, teachable, and desires to learn. He is very interested in electronics and robotics.
Michael - 18 years old

Michael arrived at the Refuge home in January 2017 at 12 years of age. He has one other sibling living in the Refuge home with him. He is very quiet and reserved, but can be a curious learner, intelligent and hard-working. He enjoys watching soccer and reading adventure literature.
Xiomara - 19 years old

Xiomara arrived at the Belen Refuge in January of 2007 at age two. She was the first child to live in the Refuge. She has 3 siblings living in the home as well. Xiomara is very neat, orderly, opportunistic and curious. She makes decisions well and is a good influence over the other children in the home. She is always helpful and cheerful.

In 2018 Iglesia Bautista Gracia (Grace Baptist Church) in Lima, Peru began supporting the Belen Refuge financially and with biannual visits. In 2022, the church formed a group of mentors who go to the refuge biweekly in order to invest in the spiritual growth of the children. They also support the refuge with occasional offerings for specific needs.

The mentorship program includes teaching through biblical studies with the children. So far they have done studies on the basics of the Gospel, the attributes of God, Biblical love, and Ephesians: Who I am in Christ.

A normal mentoring Sunday at the Refuge includes eating lunch together followed by a skit or game to present the main idea for the day. They then split into small groups to invest in the children on a more personal level and come back together for prayer at the end. Gracia’s hope is to continue this ministry and build deep lasting relationships with the children of the Belen Refuge.

The Mentors

Juan Jesus

I have been serving at the Refuge for the past two years and have been mentoring Michael. Together with my wife Alexis, we felt the call to dedicate ourselves to the children at the Refuge because we believe that God can transform their lives and bring them to himself in salvation. It is my prayer and desire that these children will grow in the knowledge of the Word and be a light in the midst of their community.
Alexis

I have been serving at the Belen Refuge with my husband, Juan Jesus for the past two years. I am mentoring Keymi and Abigail. God put it on my heart to be a mentor at the Refuge because of the need I saw every time I visited. I am a teacher and I wanted God to use my gifts to touch the hearts of the children at the Refuge and teach them about who God is. Thank you for your support of the refuge!
Pedro

My wife Alexa and I have been serving at the Refuge for the last two years and are mentoring Thays and Dayana. I have seen the material and spiritual needs of these children and am so thankful the Lord has allowed me to be a part of sharing His love and word with them. It is a great blessing to do so, but also a weighty responsibility. I pray they will come to know what Jesus did on the cross out of love for them.
Alexa

When I received the invitation from Gracia to serve as a mentor, my heart was filled with joy and gratitude for so much undeserved grace in my life. Thays and Dayana are like our daughters, and we love them very much. God has not blessed us with children yet, but in his kindness he has given us these two beautiful girls to love, and we feel very fortunate to be able to share the Word of God with them.
Luis Miguel

I have been serving at the Belen Refuge for two years and am mentoring Jacob and Elias. I am an intern pastor at Gracia and it has been a blessing to partner with this group of mentors to help develop this ministry. I am confident that the Word of God is being sown in the hearts of these children and that in due time the Lord will reap the fruit of our labors.
Liseth

I am newly married to Luis Miguel. I have been serving at the Belen Refuge for one year and I am mentoring Xiomara. The pastors at Gracia invited me to serve at the Refuge to use my gifts in crafts and to teach the Word of God in personal discipleship. I am very happy and thankful that the Lord has given me this opportunity to serve in the refuge.
Christian

By the grace of God, I was invited to be part of this ministry of teaching children. I am a civil engineer and with the gift of teaching that God has given me, I can help Rosamel and Wilmer to understand the wonderful grace and love that God has in our lives. It is my prayer He will do His work in their hearts and that they will be able to share in the love of Christ.
Andrea

I have been serving at the Refuge for about a year, mentoring Adriano. I am a Special Education teacher and God has put it in my heart to serve people who present disabilities. By His grace He has allowed me to be able to use my training to serve in the refuge and help them understand His Word. My desire is that the Lord would show them His love and grace.