From California to Peru: A Journey of Faith and Service

What inspires a young chiropractor to leave the comfort of Southern California, step away from modern-day conveniences, and travel to Peru in the middle of their winter to build homes for those in need? For Angelene Rivera, the answer lay in a divine calling she couldn’t ignore.

When Angelene first heard about the Southern California Conference (SCC) organizing an ADRA Connections trip to Peru, her initial reaction was firm: she wasn’t going. She had already been to Peru and had an intense experience that left her feeling the chapter was closed. Peru was a check-mark on her bucket list—until God had other plans.

Years earlier, during her first visit to Peru, Angelene had a spiritual encounter she would never forget. The night before visiting Machu Picchu, she had a vivid and unsettling dream. She saw children playing with a rubber ball, felt the texture of the dirt beneath them, and then witnessed a sudden attack by an unseen enemy. The dream left her anxious and fearful. However, after praying for clarity and peace, she felt God’s reassurance and fell into a deep sleep.

Now, years later, the thought of returning to Peru resurfaced, and as much as she resisted, the Holy Spirit began working on her heart. Angelene felt a persistent call from God: “I want you in Peru.” Encouraged by her pastor and friends, and supported by a generous church member who funded her trip and a donation to ADRA, Angelene could no longer deny the pull. When she arrived, she heard God’s voice affirming, “You’re meant to be here. You’ll find your message.”

A Mission Reignited

Angelene realized that God had brought her back to the place where she first encountered Him. “This is where I need to be right now,” she reflected. “There was a sense of peace, relief, and confidence that everything is going to work out—and to have the group with me. It couldn’t have been better. To know that I had a church family who had my back.”

As Angelene began working on ADRA’s Warm Homes Project, she witnessed firsthand how their efforts transformed lives in the community. The experience moved her deeply, and as she poured her heart into the mission, she felt her connection with God grow stronger. Unexpectedly, Angelene felt a powerful conviction: she wanted to be baptized in Peru.

At first, she tried to dismiss the idea, but the feeling only grew. Finally, she approached her pastor with her hopes. “There’s a reason I’m here again,” she told him. “It’s not just this mission trip—there’s something more.”

For her pastor, Christian Botello, this desire to be baptized came out of the blue, even though Angelene had been talking more about getting closer to God and dedicating her talents to Him. “When she had been to Peru before she had heard God tell her, ‘I want you to dedicate your gifts and talents to Me,’” said Pastor Christian. “So she heard that call, and felt that conviction. She continued to pray about it, and wrestle with it, and here she was, 8 years later, back in Peru, with that conviction and those feelings again.”

June in Peru is winter, and the river running beside ADRA’s Chuquicahuana Camp—high in the Andes—was freezing cold. Despite the conditions, the ADRA Connections and ADRA Peru teams worked together to create a safe and meaningful way for Angelene to be baptized.

ADRA Connections Manager, Adam Wamack,  first thought when he heard about the baptism was for Angelene’s safety. “Three pastors and I went down to the river and researched out what we were going to do. I had everything set for her physical safety—we even had spotters downriver.” Adam made sure they had fires burning and dry towels available the minute she came out of the river. 

However the highlight was telling everyone the night before about the upcoming baptism. “It was a great moment when we announced that she was going to be baptized,” said Adam. “There was an explosion of joy and congratulations. It was a welcome party!” 

A Shared Experience of Faith

Angelene’s baptism wasn’t the first to take place in that icy river. Years earlier, Rosemary, the kitchen lead at ADRA’s Chuquicahuana Camp, was also inspired by the compassion she witnessed through ADRA’s work. Rosemary saw Jesus reflected in the selfless actions of the volunteers and decided to dedicate her life to Him. She, too, was baptized in the same river.

Rosemary’s eight-year-old son, who had befriended the ADRA Connections group, felt a special connection to Angelene’s decision. Hearing that she was going to be baptized in the same river as his mother, he wanted to give her a gift. Despite his family’s limited means, he managed to buy her a pen with the word LOVE written on the side. For Angelene, this simple yet heartfelt gesture brought her story full circle. In that moment, she saw God’s love reflected through the boy and felt a profound affirmation of her decision to be baptized.

A New Chapter

After returning from Peru, Angelene’s journey of faith continued. Before leaving for her trip, she had been exploring a pediatric program. Upon her return, she received the incredible news that she had been accepted into the program—a dream God had placed on her heart years ago. Now, she is studying to work with children, trusting fully in God’s guidance. “Making the decision to devote myself to God—because when I started as a chiropractor, all of that was in God’s hands—God has always been putting things in place, and it all works out.”

Botello agrees, “Angeline has always had a heart for service, but since she’s been back, she’s really honed into that even more and I think that’s such a beautiful thing.”

Reflecting on her spiritual growth, Angelene shared, “Even before getting to Peru, I felt this excitement to open my Bible. I just wanted to hear every word, to know what the Holy Spirit is about. I’ve learned to listen to the quiet, because that’s where He speaks the loudest. He’s always guiding us.”

Compassion in Action

ADRA Connections is a short-term service program that allows volunteers to engage directly with ADRA projects around the world. These trips require no prior experience, just a willingness to put compassion into action and make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

If you, your church, school, or Pathfinder group would like to join an ADRA Connection trip, visit the ADRA Connections website for more details.