God Will Add

In the Andean heights of Cusco, Josefina—an eighty-year-old woman you support monthly with your giving—lives as a convincing reminder to us all of God’s intervening love. Her narrative is one of resilience, a testament to the power of perseverance. But even in her name we see God at work, setting the stage as a story for the ages unfolds.

Josefina—a derivative of Joseph—means “God will add.” This is an intentional declaration over her life, not a coincidence. Just as we read in Genesis how Joseph from the Bible overcame many years of great adversity and challenge, and God added to his life strength, favor, and provision, the same God who wrote Joseph’s story has been writing Josefina’s, adding strength, favor and provision to the chapters we read.

Josefina’s life began with a childhood marked by poverty. Having very little land useful for cultivating, Josefina’s family faced a constant struggle against hunger. Those were tough times, but they weren’t the totality of her story. And even in the darkest of moments, every time her name was spoken, it gave voice to hope and truth: “God will add.”

Josefina grew up and married. Together, she and her husband had 7 children. But after their seventh child was born, her husband passed away, leaving Josefina to raise the children alone. Loneliness was her most frequent companion during that season. And those were tough times, but they weren’t the totality of her story. And even in the darkest of moments, every time her name was spoken, it gave voice to hope and truth: “God will add.”

Josefina met and married a second husband. Together, they had two more children, for a total of nine children to provide for amidst the scarcity. Working the land was exhausting, and its yield insufficient; they eventually moved to a different town in search of a better means for survival. This, too, proved a hardship. Without land or resources, the family faced continual adversity. In time, Josefina and her husband purchased a small plot of ground in hopes of it producing for the family, but the arid land offered little. Forced to look for work elsewhere, Josefina’s husband went to Quillabamba, leaving Josefina to raise the children alone while he sought employment. Hunger was a constant visitor. Every day was a battle to find food for her children. The days became a struggle for survival, and the nights brought deep darkness, as the harsh reality of not having electricity settled over the community each evening. Those were tough times, but they weren’t the totality of her story. And even in the darkest of moments, every time her name was spoken, it gave voice to hope and truth: “God will add.”

The lack of electricity—a community-wide problem—made for long, dark nights, which limited community activity and development. Eventually, the entire community united in an ongoing effort to remedy the problem. They organized collections and worked tirelessly, each contributing their part, until their community was finally able to acquire electricity. God had added and provided, a testament to what Josefina’s name represented all along.

This victory became a catalyst for other communities, like Quillabamba, who also wanted to obtain electricity. Josefina and her husband chose to relocate their family to Quillabamba in order to assist that community with the process. Because of her courage and leadership, Josefina was elected president of the community. Her fight for electricity became a fight for hope. With determination, she negotiated for the arrival of electricity to Quillabamba, a triumph that illuminated not only their homes but also their lives. It was a symbol of the perseverance and unity of her people. And in her community today the Home of Refuge ministry supplies food and care to many elderly like Josefina. God has added and provided, a testament to what Josefina’s name represented all along.

Now, Josefina enjoys the fruit of YOUR generosity. For years she struggled to eat every day, but today she knows the comfort of regular meals. Today, your generosity is bringing good to many in her community, far beyond their natural means. And isn’t it beautiful that one recipient is named Josefina: a testament to the hope and truth: God will add ?

Thank you for giving to this ministry. In times when it looks darkest, we must remember “Josefina”: God will add. He knows your need. He sees your circumstances. He is not aloof, or disinterested. It has been said, “If we don’t quit, we win!” Certainly, that can be said of Josefina’s life. But what I like most of all is that amidst the darkest of moments, God tucked into her name a declaration that would give voice to hope and truth! Revelation 12:11 ties our spoken testimony to our power to overcome. Next time you are faced with a challenge, look for how God has set you up for victory. Speak His hope and speak His truth. Don’t give up. God will add.

In closing, we are in need of a vehicle that we can use to transport the elderly, many of whom do not walk well at this stage in their lives. We project the cost to be around $11,000 in order to secure this vehicle. We ask you to consider donating specifically to this cause. Thank you and may the Lord bless you as you yield to His Spirit at work in your life.

Grace and peace,

Tony and Rosa Rivera

Home of Refuge International, Inc.