In the Bible’s Old Testament, Queen Esther of Persia was a person of faith, righteousness, devotion and daring. The Jewish maiden became an instrument for God because of her willingness to listen to God’s instructions. As a result, she was able to prevent the devastation of her
people. Like Esther, University of Tennessee graduate
Liz Totten has been listening as well.
The eldest child of an army officer and a former school teacher’s six children, Elizabeth Virginia Totten was born in the Marshall Islands on November 6, 1982. Because of her father’s profession, young Liz and her family traveled the
world, living in eleven cities before graduating from Knoxville’s Bearden High School in 2001. The Colonel’s daughter loved the traveling, but hated the goodbyes when it became time to move on.
Totten then entered UT in August of 2001, leaving in May 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and a minor in Journalism. Graduating with more honors than the average scholar, Liz still found herself searching for more, waiting for God to tell her what he wanted her to do. She believes the answer came to her during a church meeting in September 2006 when her gifts as a photojournalist were enlisted to
help bring light to a dark part of the world.
Peru’s past encompasses more than 10,000 years in one of the harshest, inhospitable, yet extraordinary environments in the world - the high Andes of South America. Civilization in the Andes has long been linked with the Incas. The architectural accomplishments of these ancient people are often compared to the achievements of the Romans. However, intense poverty in Peru is widespread today, as more than half the country’s people struggle every day to survive.
The Peru Mission is an organization that is working to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the hurting people of northern Peru. The benevolent enterprise was founded in Cajamarca in 1999 and their vision is to “co-labor with the Holy Spirit, building faithful, vibrant, self-sustaining and multiplying parish churches in northern Peru.” Ministering among reformed Churches in Peru, they plan to establish new parish-communities who will serve Jesus Christ.
A journalist tells stories. A photographer takes pictures. A photojournalist takes the best of both and locks it into the most powerful medium available as a single frozen image. Liz’s talent and training in this craft will be vital to making the world more aware of Peru’s plight and the hospitals, schools and agriculture systems God sent missionaries are creating to help them.
Liz will need to raise approximately $25,000 before she can depart in October of this year. The money raised will cover travel and living expenses, insurance, and visas for one year in Peru. If you would like to financially help support this excellent endeavor, please mail a check to Christian Missionary Society P.O. Box 2051 Statesboro, GA 30459 with Liz Totten’s name on the memo line. You can research the Peru Mission on the internet at www.ChristianMissionarySociety.org
Henry Piarrot is a lodging manager in Sevier County,TN. Please send all story recommendations to hpiarrot@yahoo.com
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