At Denver Christian, we have the honor of keeping up with our alumni as they transform the world. Sarah Baker graduated from Denver Christian in 2005. Her life is a testimony to the way that God uses our gifts and goals to enrich the communities that He places us in–wherever that may be!
Finding her calling
Sarah has always known that she wanted to travel and explore the world. Both her parents and grandparents served as missionaries in Africa. While studying at Calvin College, Sarah spent a semester abroad in Honduras. This opened her eyes to injustices and inspired her to work in South America. In addition to working in Washington D.C., she has lived in Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia, and now Peru.
In 2016, Sarah moved to Bogotá, Colombia to work at the Wájaro Foundation. Sarah learned how community development requires relationships and learning from one another. Sarah connected with female artisans in the area to form an artist collective and sell their goods in France and the US. These women demonstrated leadership and a determination to support future generations.
“They were living in a really hard context where everyday life is a struggle–but their faith was so strong. In the moments when I struggle, I remember them.”
Sarah Baker, Denver Christian Alumni
Embroidery Project Community of artisans in Colombia
From Colombia to Peru
During her time in Colombia, Sarah met her husband, José Moya, a chef from Lima, Peru. Jose specializes in Asian-Peruvian fusion food cooked on a wok. As José developed his craft, he was inspired to open a restaurant. Sarah and Jose’s strengths combined into a vision to build community. They are using art and cooking to build trust with their neighbors and listen to their stories. They hope to work together to address root causes of poverty and violence. Sarah and José were able to hire a young man transitioning out of foster care. After growing up in a hard community, José has a passion for helping these young adults find meaningful work and see their strengths. Sarah and José shut down their restaurant during the early stages of the pandemic which has led them to a new journey.
Peruvian-Asian Cuisine José’s Wok Process
Sarah and José’s Vision
Recently, Sarah and José relocated to José’s childhood neighborhood of Pamplona Alta, a hillside community on the outskirts of Lima. The area struggles with lack of access to water and sanitation, inconsistent income, family violence, and addiction. Sarah and José have started an organization, Inti Allyu which means Community of the Sun. Their mission is to use art in all its forms to create safe spaces of community. One of the ways they plan to build community is by opening another restaurant, Inti Wok. (They are currently raising funds for this project.) José and Sarah plan to employ youth from the community. They also hope to bring the message of the gospel and God’s love. (Check out their YouTube channel to learn more about their vision for Inti Allyu in Lima!)
Ultimately, Sarah’s and Jose’s vision is to see a world without violence where young people have the opportunity to thrive. We know that these visions are impossible on our own. Sarah reflects that our visions should be something we cannot do on our own because that is where we find how much we need God and His strength.
Sarah reflects on how her education at Denver Christian helped her develop this worldview. Not only did Sarah learn Spanish and develop her love for other cultures, she also learned that all of our work serves the kingdom.
“No matter where we are in life, we are called to be renewers. It doesn’t matter what your profession is. If you’re an accountant in Denver or an artist living in Peru, but you are called to be light.”
At Denver Christian, we teach for lifelong transformation. Sarah shows the many roles that we want our students to develop: community builder, servant leader, beauty creator, and shalom restorer. We are thankful for the encouraging stories of alumni like Sarah.