What is Wells of Joy?
It was the fall of 2002, and Pastor Hosea Bilyeu was preparing to
embark on a mission unlike anything in his 23-year ministry.
He and his family had accepted the invitation to lead a week-long
summit of missionaries from throughout Western South America.
Hosea recruited additional teachers, two musicians and a physician
to join the team.
Before the team had ever left the United States, Hosea had developed
a burden for these families that had “left all they had” to follow
the Lord in service in a foreign land.
That burden only intensified as the week’s events unfolded.
The days spent in Chosica, Peru were filled with sweet fellowship, but
more
significantly, the entire team was overwhelmed by the
missionaries' sincere desire to be motivated and ministered to. For
some it had been years since they had experienced corporate worship
in their native tongue.
A week’s not enough...
At the conclusion of
that week in Peru, Hosea called the team together and asked they all submit to
the Lord in prayer concerning future missions of encouragement for those in the
field. It was Hosea’s belief that this team’s mission wasn’t fulfilled in
the week spent in
Peru.
A conviction confirmed...
A few weeks passed upon returning from Peru, and the team was
re-assembled to discuss what had happened, and to determine
God’s direction on future missions.
The team was unanimous in their conviction that a genuine need was
shown to reach out to these warriors in the field. The feelings of
isolation and emotional fatigue that every Christian faces are only
intensified in a foreign environment, whether domestic or overseas.
As a result...
Hosea chartered Wells of Joy to help fund and coordinate these mission endeavors. Similar events have been coordinated and teams taken to work with missionaries and MKs in Guatemala in 2004 and Mexico in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
The Peru Team
First row (left to right): Macy, Ethan, Lauren, Alli, Joy, Debbie Merritt, Dr. Jim
Second Row: Robin, Debbie Bilyeu, Shannon
Third Row: Hosea, Chris, Asa, Perry, Gene, Geoff
Our Purpose -- From our founder