A few years ago on furlough, I was walking through Conway’s historic district, admiring some of the old, well-kept houses with beautiful yards full of giant flowering bushes and trees. In my heart welled up a desire that I unsuccessfully tried to ignore.  I wanted a house and a beautiful yard with bushes so huge they obviously were planted long ago.

For a long time, our ministry felt like seed in a pocket–good seed, prayed over seed, seed with a clear destination–but never quite finding the right soil to receive it. We knew what we were called to do. We knew the kinds of people God had placed on our hearts. We knew the rhythms of presence, hospitality, and long obedience that had shaped our ministry for years.

For many Christians around the world, baptism is a public celebration. Family fills the pews, cameras flash, and applause echoes across the sanctuary. But in other parts of the world, following Jesus comes at a cost far greater than discomfort or reputation. Sometimes, it requires secrecy and courage.

My name is Gerson Orellana, and I have served in church planting and pastoral accompaniment across different contexts in Latin America, including Costa Rica, the Peruvian Andean highlands, and Panama. Within this ministerial framework, during the month of December, I undertook a pastoral accompaniment visit to Bolivia,