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PeruPeru is a land of harsh extremes. The Pacific-bordered desert region in the west stands in stark contrast to the land-locked Amazon basin jungles of the east. These two low-lying plains are separated by the jagged backbone of the Andes Mountains from north to south, with snow-encrusted peaks reaching to over 22,000 feet. In spite of such a wide range of climates and geography in an area nearly the size of Alaska, less than three percent of the land is suitable for cultivation. Consequently, seventy percent of the nearly 28 million inhabitants live in cities, primarily along the western coast. The largest ethnic group is the Quechua Indians, followed by Mestizos (Indian-Caucasian mix), then Caucasians, who make up less than one-third of the population. Reflecting this diversity, both Spanish and Quechua are official languages. Other native dialects are spoken to a lesser extent. Ninety percent of the citizens speak Spanish; Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion (again, ninety percent), and the vast majority of the population is literate (ninety percent). Peru's flag sports the country's coat of arms depicting three representative objects: the vicuña is the smallest member of the species lamoid of which the llama is the largest. Unlike the llama, the vicuña is undomesticated, though it was an important source of fleece, meat, and "leather" for the native peoples and later the Spanish conquerors. Though it was formerly abundant in the Peruvian Andes, the vicuña has been hunted to near extinction. The cinchoma tree, also on the crest, is the natural source for quinine, used for treating malaria. This tree flourishes on the lower slopes of the Andes. (Incidentally, until the mid-1990s Peru was the largest grower of the coca bush, from whose leaves cocaine is made.) Beneath the vicuña and cinchona tree is a golden cornucopia spilling gold coins. The abundance bespeaks the enormous mineral resources in Peru. Unfortunately, these resources have gone largely undeveloped due to inadequate infrastructure (only one-seventh of Peru's roads are paved), political turmoil, and fluctuating world markets. In the 1990s Peru entered a period of greater political stability and economic prosperity. During the second half of the twentieth century a concerted effort was made by some fundamental missionary agencies to evangelize Peru and establish indigenous churches. Peru now has a strong core of Bible-believing churches and Bible training centers. (Special thanks to Michael Smith for providing photographs to right.) |
Peru's Machu Picchu 
Peruvian Flower Seller 
Peru Coastline 
Catholic Church in Peru |
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Tim & Cheryl ChapmanTim Chapman is the second son of Tom and Connie, EMU missionaries in Antofagasta, Chile. Though not born in Chile, Tim spent several years with his parents in Santiago, where he learned Spanish and something of the South American culture. He then returned to Greenville, SC, to study Social Studies Education at Bob Jones University. After graduating in 1998, Tim traveled with the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Team for three years. It was then that he met Cheryl, who was also a member of the team. Cheryl, too, was raised in a Christian home and attended BJU, majoring in Elementary Education and going on to earn a Master's in Counseling. After their marriage in 2001, Tim began classes at Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary, where he secured a Master's of Theology. As a result of the Lord''s leading, a love for evangelistic work, and two visits to Peru, Tim and Cheryl met with the Board of EMU in 2004 to express their desire to become missionaries to Peru in the area of evangelism. Since going to Peru in September 2006, they have begun attending and ministering in one of Lima's fundamental churches. They plan for this church to be their home base for holding evangelistic services throughout Peru, speaking at camps, training nationals in evangelistic outreach, and helping to establish new churches. The Chapmans' ministry Web site has additional information on their family and ministry. Tim and Cheryl have two daughters, Lauren and Abigail, and a son, Micah.
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Micah, Tim, Lauren, Cheryl, & Abigail 
Tim with members of a soccer team with Peruvian young people
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