Followed By Mercy

From Peru with Gratitude: Missions, Family, and Psalm 23

• W. Austin Gardner

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Mercy isn’t a mood; it’s the current we keep finding ourselves in. In this episode, we sit down with Chris in Arequipa and trace a family story that spans decades of missions, a son’s cleft lip and palate surgeries, a pastor school that gathered leaders from Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina, and a faithful Shepherd guiding it all. What unfolds is a living picture of Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd steadying our steps through hard choices, holding our breath on tough days, and turning questions into clarity during packed evening Q&A sessions.

We talk about how Psalm 23 became the anchor for a week of teaching—seven messages that somehow made the familiar new again. The room filled with pastors, then with their children, some now grown, standing to say thank you for the gospel work that outlived the first wave of zeal. We talk about calling without pressure, letting God shape desire, keeping family first, and moving when the Shepherd leads rather than when expectations push. Along the way, we laugh about AirPods and oxygen tanks, honor David’s leadership while on furlough, and reflect on how a mature ministry shifts from planting to empowering multiplying teams who carry the mission forward with their own hands.

This conversation is both a story and an invitation. See the work in Peru for yourself. Follow the Peru Ministry on Facebook and Instagram. If this story resonates, consider helping David raise support while stateside to keep the momentum strong. Most of all, let gratitude lead your prayers this week. The Shepherd isn’t chasing you to catch you out; He’s pursuing you to bring you closer.

If this episode stirred something in you, share it with a friend, leave a review, and hit follow so you don’t miss what’s next.

In this episode:

 • Mercy and goodness as the frame for life

 • Family-first priorities shaping mission choices

 • A son’s cleft lip and palate journey and care

 • Returning to Arequipa to see mature ministry

 • David’s leadership during furlough and ongoing needs

 • Pastor school highlights and full Q&A sessions

 • The Good Shepherd theme through Psalm 23

 • Preaching with oxygen and learning to breathe

 • Pastors’ children, gratitude, and legacy moments

 • Calling without pressure, desire shaped by God

 • Invitation to visit Peru and connect with missionaries

 • Gratitude as the core posture of prayer

You can follow the Peru Ministry on Facebook and Instagram to see what God is doing in Arequipa. If you’d like to help David personally or host him in your church, reach out through those pages and join the story of grace at work in Peru.

Thanks for listening. Find us on YouTube, Substack, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

Austin Gardner:

Welcome to Followed by Mercy, our podcast. And as you know, surely goodness and mercy does follow me all the days of my life. We are being chased down by goodness and mercy from God Almighty who loves us so much. Well, I'm here with Chris Gardner, our oldest son, and he was a missionary here. How long were you a missionary?

Chris Gardner:

Uh 20 five. No, well, um, I guess let's do this again.

Austin Gardner:

Well, it's not that's not counting the fact that he lived 18 years with us without being a missionary.

Chris Gardner:

Yeah. Then on top of that, he was yeah, so I think twenty right at twenty or twenty-one years I was living in Peru.

Austin Gardner:

So so he has been many years of his life here in Peru. And because you know we understand our responsibility to God first, our wife second, then our children, and then the ministry. Why'd you go back?

Chris Gardner:

I have a son, my youngest son was born with a clef lip and palate, and we had to make sure that we could get him taken care of. He could have uh the medical procedures needed. Um procedure or or procedures? Well, first I'll start with saying a clef lip and palate. So the lip's easy, it's just cosmetic, you know, make it look good uh in most cases. But then the palate means he didn't have a roof of his mouth. And the way I like to explain it to people, the way they understand how complex that has been is you could stick your finger in his mouth and touch his brain. That would be if he had a brain. Yeah, that would be if he had a brain. He's sitting here across from us laughing. So No, he's not laughing, he's mad at me. He's mad at you. Well, that's uh it wouldn't be the first time.

Austin Gardner:

He's ignoring me, he's listening to something on his ear airpod.

Chris Gardner:

Uh he probably is, he's not even paying attention to what we're saying.

Austin Gardner:

Okay, so so he said procedures.

Chris Gardner:

He's had 26 surgeries so far, and probably has a good ten of them to go.

Austin Gardner:

Okay, and so tell me about tell me about what how you have felt being back in Aetiquiba.

Chris Gardner:

Well, I loved uh just love the privilege of being here. I've got the the this time, my favorite way to travel. I have got my son with me, which is amazing, and then I have my wife with me, which is incredible to have both of them put them together with me. So, Joshua, this was his first time to get on an airplane and come down to Peru with us, and then he's able to see.

Austin Gardner:

Last time he was in Peru, he was in the stomach.

Chris Gardner:

In the womb. He's in the womb, yep. So we've uh had a good time. He gets to see where a lot of our history is from and a lot of what's going on, which I think I think has uh been fun to share that with him. And man, uh the ministry just continues to grow and to excel and do, you know, do amazing. I'm truly blown away by what God's doing here in Peru and how God's using my brother David.

Austin Gardner:

So well uh David's been here, you know, most of his life too. He's just about to turn 40. I think he's been a year or two, maybe in the States total. And uh he's doing a tremendous job, and I am extremely proud of him. And he has an incredible team of pastors and men here. He literally hasn't had to do anything to be ready for the conference except fly in with us because he happens to be on furlough this year. I think the second furlough he's taken in 20 years, I think I heard him say, but I'm not positive on that one.

Chris Gardner:

Yeah, something like that. So he's taken shorter trips to the States, but now not a full furlough. This time he is back on furlough. If you're looking for a missionary that's doing an incredible work and that you'll know that you'll get a good return on your investment, I don't know of a better place to put your money than the ministry here in Aetipa Peru. We've been at pastor school here. The the room has been jam-packed. I think it's probably been as full as any time in the whole history of our of the ministry when you were when you were in charge of the ministry, and then when I took over the ministry, I think it's probably been as full as or maybe even fuller than what it was with us. So great room, great crowd. The pastors were here from I know Ecuador, Chile, Bolivia, Argentina, Argentina. Yeah, and man, just some just some great messages. Probably not all, and then they were from all over Peru. Yeah, and just had some great messages from them. Heard, you know, heard uh heard you know, some amazing truths from the Word of God and pastors teaching classes in the mornings, and so yeah, it's been a great time. I'm looking forward to some time to spend with the family, but but man, it's been it's been great here. Probably my favorite time while we were here though was from six to seven every evening. We had a question and answer time with the with the pastors, and you know, there'd be, I don't know, 40, 50 pastors. Is that that's fair, right? Something like that. Maybe 40 or 50 pastors sitting in a room, and we'd just sit around, and my dad and I talking to them and just spending some time on them. And um, but just the the the level of questions that they had and uh their passion to see the word of God spread in their local communities and being able to impact those that surround them was just and man, it's so encouraging to see uh to see and be a part of what's going on with all of them.

Austin Gardner:

So, this Congress of pastors, we started it about 29 years ago, something like that, or 30. And I think they're calling this the 26ths because I think there were three years that we have not had it all these years, and people are coming from everywhere, and it's wonderful. And this time they called it the Good Shepherd, my good shepherd. And we based it on Psalm 23. So I preached Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday twice, Thursday twice, and Friday once, all from Psalm 23. And you know that season two, if you haven't listened to it, I really wish you would. Not because I think I did a great job. However, I do think that when you know who our shepherd is and what he's doing for you, it will radically and completely change your life. And so that I think I think learning more about our shepherd, our pastor, our as because in Spanish, shepherd is pastor, and uh learning our father, our Abba, our daddy, will just thrill you and change your life.

Chris Gardner:

Yeah, it was Psalm 23, is I've I've heard it in English, Shady Grove, when you've preached through it, probably the most impactful series I've ever heard you preach. And I've heard a lot of preaching by you since I'm 50 years old and have thoroughly enjoyed uh the time in Psalm 23. In English, it really, it really, you know, just drew me closer to God. And then in Spanish, man, just listening to it and watching how the others are listening was really an amazing time going through that passage. I never thought we could spend as much time in Psalm 23 as we have, but I was sad when it was over.

Austin Gardner:

So you know, one of the things that if you're listening, some of some people you know are afraid of being a missionary. And some people are trying to pressure you into being a missionary, and you shouldn't never be pressured. You should just follow your shepherd and obey him and whatever. If you have if he puts a hunger and a desire in you, then do it. If he doesn't, then don't do it. Do what he wants you to do. But I wanted I wanted my family, my grandchildren, to see what a blessing. Betty and I spent 20 years as Mr. Anstraproof. That's only 18 living here. One raising support, and one in Mexico learning the language. But last year and this year, there are special things that they're doing for me. Guess having cancer and uh not knowing my life expectancy makes them real nostalgic and come up with stuff.

Chris Gardner:

Yeah, that that's for sure. We had a great time. The the I think it was Wednesday night we had they they had the pastors' children stand up on the platform, and a couple of them just said, Hey, thank you for sharing the gospel here in Atikepa. What it was such a powerful, impactful time watching 50 or I don't uh no, I counted on. There were actually 38 pastors' kids that were up there, and they weren't all up there. There were quite a few that were still missing, but it was really it was quite amazing to see them there and hear them them talk. And then uh on Friday night, we had a great time. We sat around in a circle, and the pastors that were with us, we had we had pastors that have been with us now for since 1989, I guess, maybe ninety. Yeah, 35 years at least. 35 years, and just listening to them tell stories and memories. It was so much fun to remember how God has done so such an incredible work here. If you come here now, the ministries mature. We're not it's not all about planning a local church, it's all about you know empowering a group of people that are going to reach the world of the gospel. And it's just it's you know, each and every church realizes their part and they're out there doing that, but listening and just you know, the memories and thinking back about what God has done was an that was just an incredible time. I have enjoyed it so much.

Austin Gardner:

Something I would say of, you know, the the medicine I take that fights my cancer from my oncologist, it hinders the oxygen, oxygen absorption in the body. And so basically, he warned me to either not come or stop taking the medicine. Well, I didn't want to stop taking the medicine because if it's what's fighting the cancer, I'd I'd like to hang around here with my family and and and my especially my wife and my children, grandchildren, and all the people in my family that are so special, and my friends and you that are listening here. I'd like to be helpful if I can be. If I'm needful, I want to stay. So I didn't want to stop it. So I have used oxygen, and that was quite embarrassing. I've sat down and had uh oxygen tubes in my nose while I preached, but it uh gave me the ability to keep on talking and keep on teaching and preaching, and uh it has just been wonderful. And I kind of looked weird, didn't I, Chris?

Chris Gardner:

Yeah, it was strange. I'd never seen you preach like that before. And had carrying an oxygen tank with him everywhere he went, it was kind of strange, and then and then he he's learned how to breathe and get things better because the Lord is really working in me. Yeah, it's been really neat to watch how he's learning to breathe better, better, and it's uh he doesn't even want to carry a small can of oxygen with him, but I do it anyway.

Austin Gardner:

Now my right now, my during the daytime, today's the best day yet. And I have been able to breathe, and if my oxygen gets out in the low 80s, I just start breathing, and uh I can get it all the way back up to 95. And what's really funny is my wife told me how to breathe. My daughter-in-law told me how to breathe, my son told me how to breathe, but my grandson James, he's got a special neck. So he sat down with me and we checked his and it was 99%, and we checked mine and it was like 82%. And so he sat down and he goes, breathe, granddaddy.

Chris Gardner:

And he sat there and taught me how to breathe. It's funny how grandkids can get away with stuff that spouses and children can, isn't it?

Austin Gardner:

And I'll tell you this before we close out today. I just wanted Chris to share, because I'm really excited about Chris being able to be here with Andrea. He and Andrea, they came here when Andrea and he had just gotten married. How long had y'all been married when she got here?

Chris Gardner:

Uh six well, we got married June the 7th, and we moved down here January the 5th or 6th, or something like that.

Austin Gardner:

So I was actually driving from the church back to my house, and I saw this really white, pale girl on the side of the road outside the local market where you go to buy fresh vegetables and food, fruit, meat, even fish, and you buy it all there. And I saw her, and I my daughter Joy, Rebecca Joy, was with me, and we stopped to see who it was. It was Andrea. And I said, What are you doing here, woman? And she said, I'm married to Chris. I have no choice but to learn the language. She hadn't been here a month. She was already out by herself. And so I was excited to get to see them come back and see what's going on here. But before I leave, leave, and Chris may want to throw something in you. You know, I'm really trying to get you to understand how much your father loves you, how much he cares about you. I take so much joy in my children and my grandchildren. My wife and I have laid awake several nights just thanking God for how good he's been to us. Surely, goodness and mercy have followed us all the days of our life. And I can't get over that. And as much as I love my kids, as much as I joy in seeing them happy, as much as I joy in seeing God working in their lives, and seeing we are all here but one daughter. Stephanie is still in the States, but everybody else is here. And as much as that has thrilled me and excited me, I wonder at what my father thinks. And he loves you right now where you are and accepts you where you are. And I know people have made him look like the judge. They've made him look like the referee. They made him look like the guy that's gonna put a penalty on you, but that's not who he is. He is a father who loves you with everything in you.

Chris Gardner:

Chris? That that that conversation has meant so much this week, and I hope you guys go back to season two and listen to that. If you ever get a chance, come down to Peru, visit, visit Peru and figure and see what God's doing down here. I believe that the best way you can invest in missions is to know your missionaries and to see what they do. Don't just listen to what they say, but see exactly what they do. So, yeah, just love to have you come down here and see the ministry, be in prayer for the ministry. You can look up Peru Ministry on Facebook and you can follow them and see all that was going on there. But uh man, I've had a blast. My wife has had a blast, and just looking forward to what God does in this ministry in the years to come.

Austin Gardner:

Well, and David is in the States right now, and he needs to raise support from individuals, from churches, from any kind of group he can. He needs money for all the work that's going on here. And so if you'd be interested in helping him, I'm sure if you go to Prue Ministries on Facebook, you can connect and on uh Instagram and get in touch with him and learn more about meeting him, talking to him, having him in your church, supporting him, and we'd love to have you do that. Well, Chris, any final words on today's podcast? No, I think we're good. Looking forward to joining you all in some podcasts here to come. Well, thank you very much for listening today. I hope you realize gratitude ought to be your major word. It's the language of heaven, it's the language of a Christian to thank Almighty God who chose you, saved you, and is doing all the work in your life. God, salvation started with him and it finishes with him. And he started it in you and he will finish it in you. And what we ought to be saying all the time is thank you. You don't have to beg him to love you, he already does. You don't have to beg him to listen to you, he already does. What you got to do is say thank you for how good you are. The biggest amount of our prayers ought to be thanksgiving. In everything, give thanks. Well, I want to thank you for listening, and I'm so excited about what God's doing in each of our lives, and I look forward to talking to you again soon. God bless you.

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