Eagle’s Nest- Cespedes Family (Lima, Peru)
World's Best Father
Background:
Jin Yong Oh and his son,
Matthew, attended the 2015
Short Term Mission Trip
where they helped construct
two bathroom buildings in
the Cusco region of Peru.
While their tired bodies were
recovering from a day of heavy
labor and lifting, God repaired
the broken relationship
between father and son.
But soon afterwards, in Lima,
they met the children of the
Céspedes family, whose lives
were devastated at their father’s
passing. Jin Yong Oh has
since supported this family
and has shared with them the
tremendous love that God
had blessed upon him and his
family.
Ten years ago, Yoayda Céspedes, her
two brothers, Jeyson and Shampier, and
parents, moved from the city of Tingo
Maria, located in the northern Peru, to
Lima in search of a better future. It was
not an easy decision but they chose to
leave everything behind and go to a new
place. The only thing they held onto was
their unity and love for one another.
It was this commitment that allowed
Yoayda and her family to prevail through
challenging times. She remembers
drinking tea for breakfast and on special
occasions, a cup of oatmeal. Lunch or
dinner was usually a cup of soup or
plain rice. Work was difficult for her
parents to come by and the family went
through undesirable circumstances.
But regardless of how challenging
these times were, their family’s love
and unity helped them navigated the
tough times.
It was soon afterwards that their mother,
Guillermina, met a church-going
neighbor who invited her to a service.
Soon, the whole family started to attend
the Luz y Vida (Light and Life) church
in Pachacutec. They began to listen to
the word of God and their faith in the
Almighty God increased. Even with the
shortage of food at home, they did not
stop going to church and trusted in the
One who provides.
While she was resistant to attending
church at first, Yoayda’s heart comes to
love God with a sincere heart. She was
inspired by how the pastors helped the
children who were in need by giving
food every Sunday.
When she was 13 years old, she decided
to get baptized and she also started to
10 HHK World Mission Center
receive Christian discipleship training
from her pastors. She continued to grow
stronger in the Lord and served at the
church with a thankful heart.
But soon afterwards, tragedy struck
the family as her father passed away.
The whole family was heart-broken
as much of their family was bonded
by the foundation laid out by their
father. Yoayda found comfort in her
Heavenly Father that would never leave
nor forsake her and this trust in God
allowed her to strive forward.
Guillermina found work as a maid and
cook. Her fixed income helped to barely
cover the payments they needed to make
but it was barely enough and the family
lived month by month by God’s grace.
But their family confidently believed that
God is a good God and He would never
abandon His children who trust in Him.
“It has been two years since that great
blessing,” Yoayda says, “that God put
Jin Yong Oh in their lives, who became
their sponsor and their figurative father
through the Children of Jesus ministry.
Jin Yong Oh helps us every month with
food for the Guillermina, 12 year old
Jeyson and 9 year old Shampier.
These days, they no longer eat only a
cup of tea, oatmeal, cup of soup, or
bowl of rice, thanks to the grace of
God. Now, Yoayda, along with the
rest of her family, are very excited and
continue to serve God. Yoayda is the
Sunday school teacher of the four to six
year olds and she serves with a smile on
her face every week. While Yoayda had
two earthly fathers to help teach and
provide for her and her family, she also
has the best Father of all, God.