Cusco, Peru: The Target City 

Cusco is nestled in the Andes Mountains of southeastern Peru in an area known as the Sacred Valley. Although it is fairly close to the equator, its elevation is approximately 11,000 feet, giving the area a pleasantly mild climate year round. It was historically the capital of the Incan Empire, whose people believed the city to be the center of the world. This ancient city is widely visited by tourists from around the world who wish to view its famous Incan ruins and the lost city of Machu Picchu, only 70 kilometers away. Peru is officially a Spanish speaking country, and many of the citizens of Cusco are bilingual, speaking both Spanish and the native language of Quechuan. The city is rich in culture and history, and its people are  very warm and receptive to American visitors who frequent the area.

    The city is in a surge of development because of the migration of Quechuan Indians from the surrounding rural areas. The population has tripled in the last 20 years, with recent estimates ranging from 340,000-450,000 inhabitants in the city limits alone. There are two small churches of Christ in Cusco with a total membership of around 80 people. Cusco and its surrounding province is ripe for evangelism because of its growing population as well as an influx of visitors. It is a multi-cultural gateway city, and evangelizing this influential city could mean reaching countless numbers of people in the surrounding area.

    This area has many religious traditions and its people are very spiritually minded. During our survey trip in June 2006, the team conducted religious surveys of the citizens of Cusco and many were receptive to answering questions regarding their spirituality. Many of their traditions and religious celebrations come from a superficial devotion to Catholicism. For them, being Catholic is more of a cultural identity than a religious experience. This will be both an aid and a challenge as we seek to teach them God’s good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.