October 2026
Psalm 38:9 says, “Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.” There is comfort in knowing that nothing in our lives is hidden from the Lord. He knows the needs we speak about and the burdens we carry silently. He sees the tears that fall when no one else is present, and He understands pain we may not know how to put into words. Sometimes a sigh is all that comes from a tired heart, but even that sigh is known by God. As we serve the elderly through the “La Mano del Padre” ministry of the Home of Refuge, we are reminded that many have carried years of hardship quietly. Barbara De Zampe is one of those people.
Barbara was born on December 4, 1948, in the Huancarina sector of the Paccaretambo district, surrounded by the mountain countryside of Peru.
Her parents did not allow her to attend school because they considered her a “special” child and believed she was not capable of learning. Instead, Barbara worked from an early age. She tended sheep, cows, and horses, gathered firewood, planted corn, wheat, and potatoes, and helped with whatever work needed to be done. Food was often scarce, the mountain cold was difficult, and she grew up with little encouragement.
At eighteen, Barbara married and began a family in Paccaretambo. She and her husband had five children, two boys and three girls. One daughter was born with special needs, including a mental disorder, which added many concerns and sleepless nights to an already difficult life. Barbara and her husband worked in farming and raised livestock, doing everything they could to provide for their children. Still, poverty remained with them. Food and clothing were limited, and if someone became sick, there were no doctors nearby.
Then Barbara experienced a loss that changed the course of her life. Her husband died suddenly of a heart attack at only 48 years of age. She was left with children to care for and no dependable means of providing for them. There were many times when she cried by herself and wondered how she would continue, but her family still depended on her. She kept working and did whatever she could to make sure her children had the basic necessities of life.
In later years, Barbara had to leave her home and move to Huanimpampa, where she lives today. Over time she gradually lost her hearing and is now unable to hear anyone speak. She also continues caring for one of her children who suffers from a mental disorder. After everything Barbara has experienced, she still carries the responsibility of caring for someone she loves. Her life has included childhood hardship, poverty, widowhood, concern for her children, and now the isolation that can come with the loss of hearing.
Yet Barbara is thankful for the help she receives through the Home of Refuge. Your faithful support makes it possible for us to reach elderly people like Barbara with practical assistance, encouragement, fellowship, and the Word of God. What may seem like a simple act of giving can mean much more to someone who has spent a lifetime wondering how the next need will be met. It reminds that person that they have not been overlooked.
More importantly, Barbara has surrendered her life to the Lord Jesus and has been baptized. This is what gives us the greatest joy. We are thankful when we can provide food and help with physical needs, but every person we serve has an eternal soul. Barbara now knows the One who has seen every year of her life and every hardship she has endured. Although she can no longer hear the voices around her, the Lord has always heard her.
Barbara’s story causes us to think again about Psalm 38:9. There are many elderly people in the mountain communities of Peru whose struggles may never be known outside their village. Some live with sickness, loneliness, loss, or needs they do not know how to express. But their sighing is not hidden from God. We are grateful that He allows Home of Refuge to be one of the ways He reaches into their lives with provision, compassion, and the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Barbara is one person, but there are many others like her who still need to be reached. Would you prayerfully consider making a gift to Home of Refuge today? Your support reaches real people with food, care, encouragement, and the message of Jesus Christ. Please continue standing with us so that together we can meet practical needs while helping men and women be ready to meet the Lord.
We love and appreciate you greatly,
Tony and Rosa Rivera
Home of Refuge International, Inc.
