Carlos Maricahua
Age: 18
Birthday: March 23, 1999
Birthplace: Requena, Peru
Current Location: Iquitos, Peru
Date of Baptism: 2011
Desired Career: International Business
I’m Carlos. I arrived at a home for abandoned boys in Puerto Alegría in 2012. I came to this place because of problems I had with my family. I have brothers and sisters. My brother, Juan, is here with me. Before I came to this place, Juan was my faithful friend. I went everywhere with him. My brothers and I supported the family. I worked constantly. I washed motorcycles, sold clothes, and helped in houses by cleaning the patios and working in orchards.
My father had control of everything, and he was very bad. Every time my brothers returned from work, he took their money from them. My parents separated. I could not stand our life, so I grabbed my brothers Juan and Samuel and left the house. I never thought we would live in a shelter for abandoned boys, but we came to one. Samuel was only one and a half years old, so he could not stay in the shelter with us. He was taken somewhere else. I was very sad because I was leaving my family. For me, everything was darkness; everything was disappointment.
At first, when I was at the new home in Puerto Alegria, it was painful and strange. Then I got used to it. Almost half a year after I arrived, my mother came for me. She wanted to take us back home. I saw
that it was better for me to be here. It was also better for my mother, because I knew that if I went with her, she could not afford me. I decided to stay.
I learned many things when I arrived at the shelter, and everything I learned changed my history. I remember telling a new brother named Joshua all about my past. I told him that my desire was to grow up and kill my father; I hated him with all my soul. Every time I was sad, Joshua talked to me and told me about Jesus. He told me that Jesus loved me and that He will always be with me in the most difficult moments.
One day, I decided not to continue living with my painful past having control over me. I felt that Jesus was with me. I came to understand God's love. At that moment, Joshua asked me if I wanted to accept Jesus. He told me Jesus wants to change my story. I accepted, and I prayed. At that moment, I felt a great peace and the true embrace of God; I began to weep. I felt a love that cannot be described, of which I will never be able to forget. I understood that God has a purpose for me. After this marvelous experience, I thanked Joshua for leading me to Christ.
During my time in the shelter, I learned many things that served me well and that will serve me well later. I am now in Iquitos in a new program for college-aged abandoned boys. I am part of Divine Grace Evangelical Christian Church. It is the church my house parents pastor and the church the boys of the home attend.
I have many plans for my life. I want to help this church grow and be a blessing for other people. I am a good student. I have good grades, and I am working hard to achieve my goals. One of them is to study international business, and I will do it. I know that God will help me as He has always done, and I will be wherever God wants me to be. My desire is to help my family and this shelter that has helped me. I know it is a great blessing in my life. I know that ultimately God will lift us from all difficulties, because He loves us.
In 2015, God brought my brother Samuel back to the home for abandoned boys in Puerto Alegría. I am in a home in Iquitos now, but I get to see him sometimes. In 2013, I asked God to give me the opportunity to see my father and tell him that I love him and forgive him. This year, in 2017, God gave me a big surprise; I saw my father.
I told him everything I wanted to tell him. I told him that I did not think like I did before and that I loved him. I told him that God loves him and wants to change his life. I did not spend much time with him because I had to leave, but I felt very happy in the little time I spent with him. God is great!
Disclaimer: Please be aware that the vulnerable testimony in this sponsorship packet is shared with the full permission of Carlos, who wrote it himself.The sharing of testimonies was optional. Consequences of sharing such personal information with the public via multiple outlets were explained at length beforehand. Even so, Carlos willingly and proudly chose to share his story of hardship, suffering, and hope to impact others and bring glory to God. Kings and Queens International is reminded of Luke 8:39, “‘Return home and tell how much God has done for you.’ So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.” We are proud of Carlos for his boldness in Christ.