Everybody has a place to land, right? And everybody has a story to tell.
My friend, Ken Stiver, is going to share his story with you today.
I met Ken (we all called him Stiver, though) on a mission trip to Peru two years ago.
From the short time I spent with him, I knew he was a great person.
Among the boys in the camp he was a leader, a big brother, and He loved Christ with all his heart.
I have asked many friends to share their stories of places they have landed and he is the first to send his story. Thank you Ken for taking time to share your life with us.
I hope you are touched by the impact Jesus Christ and his "American" mom, Lancy Rhyne has had on his life. Lancy is a member of our church and has traveled to Peru many times to serve at Puerto Alegria!
UNA VIDA EN ESTA VIDA (a life in
this life)
Hello! Before I tell you about how God is working in
my life, let me introduce myself. My name is Ken Stiver and I was born in a
town called San Antonio (Colombia) the border of Peru between Colombia.
Sometimes I think that I’m more Colombian than Peruvian but I’m Peruvian, lol.
This story begins when my parents broke up their
relationship. My mom moved to Colombia and my dad stayed here in Peru. This
happened when I was about 1 year old and my dad had to work so I went to live
with my grandparent (my dads parent)…. My life with them wasn’t good at all.
They were mean to me all the time, they were Christian though but I don’t
know what kind of Christians. I
went to church when I was a boy but I never understood the love of God. The
time I spent there, I got done with elementary school then I moved to Iquitos
from San Antonio with my grandparents.
Here in Iquitos my grandparents met a
person that worked in the Scripture Union. And that’s how I went to Puerto
Alegria (Scripture Union’s Orphanage). I really felt so bad when I came to this
place (Puerto Alegria). My dad never did anything, but allow my grandparents to
send me here, even when I know that he has the enough money to support me, this
meant how mean my family is. But I never showed to others how I was really
feeling in that time, I was always thinking I will grow up… and when they need
my help, it will be so late for them…
PUERTO ALEGRIA
When I came to this orphanage I saw a lot of boys like
me so I felt comfortable in that house and also I forgot to my family, well my
family made me forget them. I had been there more than 5 years and they never
appear never…visited me. You would think that was hard to me but it wasn’t. For
me I was alright, I felt peace. My life at Puerto Alegria was really different
than what I had…
Every morning for the start of the day they joined us in the
dining room for their DEVOCIONAL (I don’t know if you guys has a word for this
but its when you are all together and read your bible and sing and pray). I
even didn’t know whata devocional mean but then I understood and that is how my
life went at Puerto Alegria.
One upon a time, in our devocional our director was
speaking about the love of God, and how much He loved us and I said into my
mind, “if He loves me so much why he let that my parent broke up their
relationship?”
And others questions.
THE AMERICANS
I had seen Americans before but I never had a friend,
and I never know that in this orphanage Americans would come. So every time
when they come, everybody there was happy saying”the Americans are coming.”…
and one of my friends said me, “they are good, nice persons.” I remember that I
said “mmm ok.” And one time I saw an American a nd every time when she came
here, she brought candies, cookies for him, and I would say that I would like
to have a person like that American…
I remember that one day I really felt alone when I
looked around me and no one was my family, It was hard and the next day in our
devotional while I was looking at the others praying I say “if you, God are
real, I need someone to share things.” I knew God loves me, but I needed
someone to trust, tell me things, I know that I can tell my things to God but I
needed a person… the things spent… one day I met a person from
the United States ( I had forgetten what I had asked to God) and that woman was
the person what I was asking for when I challenged GOD in a prayer. Then I said. “wow God is real.” That’s
some of the things that I have seen the hands of God, since that time I start
to believe that God is real, and then when they spoke to me about what Jesus
did for me in that cross broke my heart. I accepted him as my savior.
My life
wasn’t the same, and when I think about my family I don’t feel hate, I was
saying, if they don’t visit me, I don’t care. My mom (the American) will come. I
feel really lucky. I’m not crying saying, “why this could happen?” I’m praying
and saying “thank you God for letting this happen, because if I were still
living with my parenst I can’t image what will be going on in my life at this
moment.” Maybe I might not be a Christian or I wouldn’t be speaking English
like now. Life hurt me a lot, but I know
God was there in every silent place that I was. He helped me to hold on
to everything. He has given to me a wonderful mom and great dad. I’m happy
about what God did in my life and what he is doing and what he will do. I only
need to trust him… he has blessed me in everything at high school with good
grades, he is my strength.
Right now I’m at the university studying tourism
administration,. I’m living in the city, not in the orphanage, now is my time
to show and teach to the rest that God is real and he loves us so much, I’m a
volunteer in the youth ministry of my church. We give food to street boys and
tell them that they aren’t alone, I’m here to help them and let them know that
God has big plans for them. And tell them what God did for me. -ken
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