New Home For Missionaries Damaged In Earthquake

Mission Statement: To advance the Kingdom of God by completing the great commission including building schools, churches, writing relevant books and bringing people into the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Facebook: Deeper In Love Ministries Peru 

The Humphries Family are Missionaries to Peru (Deeper In Love Ministries Peru ).  Missionary Benny Humphries has been serving the people of Tarapoto Peru ( Low Jungle) for the past 20 years, he was the first African American Missionary to work in the jungle of Peru.  Specializing in training and equipping Pastors and leaders. Deeper In Love Ministries operates in the low jungle of Peru near the Amazon river. They have 3 congregations, a small k-3 school, and a feeding ministry. Apart from the Pastoral training, Pastor Benny Humphries sits on several boards providing counseling to many ministries. Benny is married to Alexandra Humphries, a native from Peru. They have 6 children (5 biological and one adopted). The children range from ages 5 to 23.

The Humphries live in a very old, traditional home made of compacted clay. Unfortunately, after 3 major earth quakes their home is unfit to live in according to the civil defense in their city. This most recent 8.0 magnitude earthquake caused the most severe damage to an already crumbling home. They currently live in the home at their own risk and safety of them and their children. The foundation has shifted and broken, and they have been patching up their home for over decade after each earth quake. The need for a secure home is urgent for the Humphries. The home needs to be torn down, and a safe home built in its place. For this reason we are trying to help raise $80,000.00 .

This is very worthwhile opportunity to give help to a missionary family that continues to give all to serve the people of Peru.

The following are photos of their home:











Contractor Testimony:
My name is Carl Nordeng, a contractor, builder, and handyman with over 20 years experience. I Have worked in construction not only in the USA but also throughout South America. A few years back as a friend and congregant of Exodo Church I was involved in doing repairs to Pastor Benny’s home in Tarapoto. While replacing a section of the very thin, outdated plywood drop ceiling I discovered that most of the ceiling was well decayed. I could in many areas push my finger through the old, dried out material, exposing years of accumulated dust from the outdated, rustic bamboo type roofing supports. In addition to the thick layer of dust and dirt there is also years of dried rodent droppings which has been well documented to have serious potential effects on human health. To learn more on the subject just research Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

I could see then that the entire house structure was in fact compromised and cracked throughout. The walls being made from this primitive rammed earth adobe type clay material works well to insulate homes from the intense jungle heat but does not provide for reliable long term integrity. It was widely used years ago because it was basically free and readily available but has been phased out for obvious reasons. The foundation that these heavy walls sit upon is badly cracked and is sloped in several areas in the home. Now it is important to bare in mind that the compromised state or condition of the home just described was prior to the recent 7.9 earthquake. it is literally just a matter of time that the house starts to cave in or fall down which would no doubt be devastating if there are people inside when that occurs.

Typically I pride myself on being able to come up with creative ways to restore or repair existing structures but in this case I can say without hesitation that the house should be torn down. Not only is the home unhealthy to inhabit but more importantly unsafe at this point in time. The Pastor and his family have sacrificed so much and have served the local jungle communities tirelessly for decades. I personally feel it is an urgent priority to address the Humphries living situation so that they may be able to live a decent home if only by third world standards. People living in the USA cannot truly comprehend what life is like on the mission field in primitive countries without experiencing it first hand. I can say having done it myself that it is not for everyone and why it is so critical to support those individuals who are selfless and bold enough to serve abroad. 


Personal Testimony:
Here is a little background on Benny and Deeper in Love Ministries Peru, from my personal perspective (Nita Brown).

I met Benny Humphries when he was in Charlotte, and have supported him for a number of years. He receives regular support from a small church in Lakeland, Fl., and various individuals.

He is a remarkable person with a remarkable testimony. A few highlights – at the Lord’s instruction, he sold his business in Florida, which was generating a personal income of over $4,000/week for him, plus salaries for over 50 employees. After a journey that included his training in Charlotte, he went to Peru. He is African-American, so was something of a novelty there, as most natives had never seen a black man. He met his wife there, and they were married shortly after he arrived. He didn’t speak Spanish, and she spoke no English – but they obeyed what they believed the Lord was telling them. My friends and I thought he was crazy. But now, after hearing some of the dramatic testimonies on how the Lord guided him over the years, this was nothing unusual for him. He returned to the states briefly, and then the Lord sent him back. He has now been in Peru for over 20 years. He and Alexandra have 5 children. Their oldest daughter just entered university with what I understand are among the highest scholastic scores ever for an entering freshman – which speaks very well for Benny’s small mission school.

In addition to ministering to the people of his village, with a small church, school and feeding ministry, Benny holds periodic pastor’s conferences to help train and encourage other pastors. Some of the conference attendees traveled a long way to come. In times past, several teams from my former congregation traveled to Peru to help conduct the conferences and provide instruction.

Benny’s support base is relatively small, and the family has struggled to subsist and fulfill the call on their lives. He supplements his income as a “tent-making” entrepreneur, selling hand-made soaps, a salsa-type sauce, and hand-crafted jewelry. 

I admire Benny’s vision, obedience and persistence to follow his calling in the face of lack, adversity and trials. He has been a personal friend and encourager via Facebook messenger for a while now, and I appreciate his wisdom and insights. That is a blessing for me, and I hope am an encouragement to him. I am fighting a battle for my vision, and he and his church are praying for me. I don’t have to tell you how much that means to me personally.

To add to his trials, Benny’s church/school and home survived an earthquake with minor damage a couple of years ago. And just last weekend (Memorial Day, 2019), they survived an 8.3 earthquake that destroyed the roads into and out of Tarapoto and cracked his compressed clay house all the way through. Along with restoration of road access into the village (70% of their food is brought in from outside), the house will have to be demolished. It needs to be replaced with a concrete building. Currently, just a few days after the quake, the family is sheltering in a portion of the home. It is unsafe, but it’s all they have. Several trees leaning toward the building and further jeopardizing the safety of the structure are in need of removal.

The cost to rebuild will not be cheap. Budget estimates are already in process. A new home/school/church will not only restore the mission and ministry, but can expand it. We are believing, according to Romans 8:28, that the Lord will “work all things together for good” and transform this disaster into a path for ministry growth that will bring many more precious souls into the Kingdom of God.