Our Story

Ministry Timeline

Sean and Crissy started their life journey together ready to follow the American dream. God had different plans for their lives. In 2010, God led Sean to Peru for an international missions trip. In 2014, they founded Rooted In Grace & Love based on their passion and hearts to be rooted and grounded in God’s Word and to share His love with others.

2010

Sean served in Peru on his first international mission trip in the city of Cajamarca (Northern Peru)

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2011

Crissy served in Peru on her first international mission trip in the city of Cajamarca (Northern Peru)

Sean returned to Peru for a second
short-term mission trip and began seminary at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC

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2012

Sean and Crissy and their 4 kids moved to Peru to begin their full-time ministry in  Cajamarca partnering with Villa Milagro

They started their “Heath Family Just Love Jesus” blog

Their first weekly neighborhood youth ministry started in Cajamarca in the village of Huacariz

Sean & Crissy partner with Villa Milagro Ministry to help hosts teams and medical clinics in remote villages

They begin a new weekly in the village of Matara for adults, youth, and children located in the soccer stadium

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2013

Project Refuge was started to help victims of an unexpected flood that destroyed homes and communities in Peru by providing fresh drinking water and temporary shelter to families in great need

Through Project Refuge efforts and support from many in the States, construction plans were approved to help build homes for families whose lost their homes during the flood

Completed the construction of 10 new houses for the victims of the flood

Sean helps with the water well ministry of Villa Milagro. He receives special training in the US to help with future well drilling. The construction of water wells in poor rural villages, communities and schools has been and is a major part of our humanitarian ministry (Living Waters and Villa Milagro Ministry)

The Matara village ministry continues to grow weekly in the soccer stadium, as more adults, youth, and children gather to learn about God’s Word

Construction begins on the new church building for the village of Matara

Sean & Crissy continue to partner with Villa Milagro Ministry to help hosts teams and medical clinics in remote villages

Blessed by medical teams and supplies from the USA to help with the medical clinic of Villa Milagro

The weekly youth ministry of Huacariz continues to grow

The Heath Family partners with Villa Milagro to distribute Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes in villages surrounding Cajamarca, Peru

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2014

Rooted in Grace & Love is founded

The Heath Family attends Spanish language school in Costa Rica for three months

Weekly ministry in the village of Matara grows to over 200+ adults, youth, and children

Weekly Bible studies resume in the village of Huacariz

New doors opened to share the love of Christ in an all girls orphanage located in Cajamarca called Belen ~ Hogar De la Nina

Began teaching the Bible in the elementary school located in the village of Matara

Reach.Serve.Love – the mission begins to reach families weekly with the delivery of food and supplies living in impoverished areas

The construction begins on the second floor of the Matara Church. This addition provides classrooms for children, adults, and youth

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2015

The Heath family moved to the village of Curahuasi, Peru
(Southern Peru)

Sean graduates from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Masters in Intercultural Studies

Rooted In Grace & Love partnered with ALMA Ministries to help build a 56 bed orphanage in the village of Curahuasi

The construction of the new ALMA Children’s Home begins

Purchased land to build the future mission house for Rooted In Grace & Love

New Bibles classes begin in the village of Alameda

The Heath Family continues to grow with the birth of Colorado in the village of Curahuasi

Rooted In Grace & Love hosts their first 5k Race in Curahuasi. From this race, new doors open to begin a weekly running club ministry

Reach.Serve.Love – the outreach mission continues to reach families weekly with the delivery of food and supplies living in impoverished areas

The construction of the new Rooted In Grace & Love mission house begins

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2016

Rooted In Grace & Love partners with Footbridge to host dental and eye clinics in remote villages

Build new playgrounds for ALMA Children’s Home

The construction of the new ALMA Children’s Home continues. Through donations and support given to Rooted In Grace & Love, the new roof for the children’s home was installed

The Rooted In Grace & Love Mission was completed

Bible classes continue in the village of Alameda

Rooted In Grace & Love launch the new website designed by Matthew & Jaime Tang

New “Outreach Street Ministries” begin in surrounding villages

The running club continues to gather weekly to study the Word of God

A new play ground area was provided for Alameda School

Rooted In Grace & Love begins to partner with the Urubamba Children’s Home ~ “Casa Girasoles”

Sean begins preaching an English service at the First Independent Baptist Church in Curahuasi, Peru

New weekly Bible classes begin at the “Colegio Diospi” mission school in Curahuasi, Peru for high school aged students

New hot water tank and plumbing was installed at the Urubamba Children’s Home. The boys received their first ever hot shower

New water well was installed for the ALMA Children’s Home and the new Rooted In Grace & Love mission home

Rooted helps abandoned women start new their own food business to be able to provide for their families

Rooted begins weekly market evangelism to share the Good News of Jesus Christ

Reach.Serve.Love – the outreach mission continues to reach families weekly with the delivery of food and supplies living in impoverished areas

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2017

Construction begins for the new Rooted In Grace & Love Missionary House for missionary families serving full-time

Rooted In Grace & Love partners with Samaritan Purse to distribute Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes to surrounding villages

The Heath Family continues to grow with the birth of Sol Rider in the village of Curahuasi

Bible classes continue for the 3rd year in the Alameda School

Bible classes continue for high school teenagers at the Colegio Diospi School

New weekly ladies ministry begins in the village of Pisonay

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2018

The buildings of the ALMA Children’s Home and Rooted In Grace & Love Mission were damaged by severe flooding. A new wall was built to protect the property and children from future flooding

New weekly Bible class begins in the Ccocha village school

The new Rooted In Grace & Love Missionary House is completed on the property of the volunteer mission house

ALMA officially receives approved licenses to open the children’s home

Downhill Mountain Biking ministry begins in Curahuasi, Peru

Footbridge returns to Peru to partner with Rooted In Grace & Love to host medical and eye clinics in remote villages

Construction begins on the new Sunday school building at Tota-Ray Alta

Rooted hosts Pastor’s Conference in the village of Pisonay

Weekly ladies’ Bible study begins in San Cristobal

Rooted In Grace & Love completed the construction of a new home (with the help of local high school boys) for family living in extreme poverty and struggling with son’s life-threatening heart condition

Clothes and shoes are supplied to the boys in the Urubamba Children’s Home

Backpacks and school supplies are provided for children in surrounding village school

Reach.Serve.Love – the outreach mission continues to reach families weekly with the delivery of food and supplies living in impoverished areas

Sean continues preaching and English service at the First Independent Baptist Church in Curahuasi, Peru

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2019

Construction is completed for the new Sunday school classes in the village of
Tota-Ray Alta

Construction begins for the new Project HOPE ministry area (3rd floor of the church)

Rooted In Grace & Love hosts a 3-day Pastors Training Conference in Curahuasi, Peru

The construction is complete for the new Project Hope ministry including a new kitchen and dining hall

Project HOPE ministry begins opening doors to disciple and feed lunch to 180 high school students five days a week

Reach.Serve.Love – the outreach mission continues to reach families weekly with the delivery of food and supplies living in impoverished areas

Backpacks, clothing, and school supplies are donated to the boys in the Urubamba Children’s Home

The weekly Bible classes continue in the Ccocha village school

Weekly Bible study continues in the village of Tota-Ray Alta

Downhill Mountain Biking ministry continues in Curahuasi, Peru

Sean continues preaching and English service at the First Independent Baptist Church in Curahuasi, Peru

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2020

The world faces a pandemic

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra imposed strict quarantine measures and shut down international travel with only 24 hours notice. 

Thousands of Americans were stranded, and most Peruvians were confined to their residences under quarantine measures for over one year. The US Embassy in Lima overcame multiple hurdles to open travel options and set up repatriation flights to help bring home more than 14,000 Americans. Due to the closed borders and strict quarantine measures, the Heath family had to leave Peru in April 2020 and return to the States. 

As we entered into 2020, we had to redirect our PROJECT HOPE funds used to feed and disciple 180 youth five days a week in the church to bring the food to them (their villages and houses), as lives all around the world were being affected by COVID-19. 
All over Peru, there were huge economic impacts and a great shortage of food. In the midst of a global pandemic, Rooted in Grace & Love received special permission to deliver food to remote villages.
Rooted In Grace & Love coordinated a large outreach effort to provide food and supplies to neighbors and communities within a 3-hour radius of the village of Curahasui. From the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, thousands of people were visited by our Peruvian team members.
OVER 400 SACKS OF FOOD & SUPPLIES WERE PACKED AND DISTRIBUTED
OVER 400 FAMILIES RECEIVED MUCH NEEDED FOOD & SUPPLIES
AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE 5.2 PEOPLE
OVER 20,000 POUNDS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED
OVER 2,000 PEOPLE HEARD THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST

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2021

Peru has suffered greatly as COVID spread throughout the country. For almost two years, schools have yet to resume in the villages. Young children and youth are working with their families in the fields trying to survive. Cost of food has increased 35% and many families have been desperate to find work to help support their families.

As the pandemic and the restrictive quarantine measures in Peru continue, God opened the doors for THOUSANDS of  individuals and families to hear about His REDEEMING love.
From village to village, lives were forever changed as adults, youth, and children publicly confessed their decision to follow Jesus. During 2020-2021, over 1200 families were reached with the Gospel.
From this ministry of Project HOPE, God opened more doors to begin a Bible study in four new villages. Hundreds of men, women, youth, and young children arrived weekly for Bible studies, hungry for God’s Word.
Project Hope CHRISTMAS: 300 families were reached during two months with the GOOD NEWS. Lives to be FOREVER changed.

The government increased the quarantine level to  xtreme and all transportation halted in Peru for months. Only one family member could leave for one hour a day to try to buy food and supplies. This was extremely difficult in higher mountain areas for people traveling by foot. Rooted In Grace & Love received special travel permissions to continue Project HOPE and helping families receive much-needed food in the midst of the  new quarantine mandates.

Peru elected their new president. Unfortunately, the people remain divided over this election and the pandemic continued to have devastating impacts on the country as a whole. Families suffered both physically and spiritually.

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2022

This year as the government lifted the country-wide lock-down from the pandemic, the Lord opened many new doors to minister from village to village. Many adults, youth, and children throughout this year put their trust
in JESUS CHRIST.

In March, the doors of Project HOPE High School reopened after being closed for 2 years. Each week, approximately 200 high school students gathered daily under one roof to study God’s Word and enjoy a hot meal. Over 100 of these youth have made a public profession of faith this year.
God also led our team to 3 new villages to disciple the local people weekly and teach them His Word. What a JOY to see so many digging deep into the Word.
2000 backpacks filled with mandatory school supplies were also delivered to help many impoverished kids re-enter school again after being closed for two years.
In remote villages, God opened doors to help build a new church building and work with pastors who are struggling from the effects of the pandemic.
Throughout this year, hundreds of families were reached with much-needed food and supplies and heard the greatest story ever told about how our Savior, JESUS CHRIST, gave His life so we could have eternal life.
Food and supplies were given to hundreds of families during PROJECT HOPE CHRISTMAS. We praise God as the GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST was shared with many.

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