QUITO, ECUADOR (May 20, 2014) — Retired Covenant missionary Helen (Peterson) Yepez died Monday. Her funeral was held today in Ibarra, Ecuador.
Helen was born October 6, 1926, in Kingsburg, California, and raised in the Kingsburg Covenant Church.
She earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of California and was a registered nurse. She attended North Park Bible Institute.
She was commissioned as a career missionary for Ecuador in 1951. Her ministry was focused on nursing and evangelism. She lived in Quito for the first years of her time in Ecuador.
In 1957, Helen married Cosme Yepez, and she lived the rest of her life in Ibarra, where she was a pillar of the Covenant church and helped with the administration of the Covenant school, 4th of July School.
Missionary colleague Marlan Enns remembers her as a gifted and committed servant of Christ Jesus, saying, “She was an amazing woman!”
Helen was a dear friend. I got to know her when we were in “BI” together at North Park. Several years later we met again when I was the DCE at Kingsburg Covenant Church, and she came to visit along with Cosme and Cosmecito. She was a wonderful Christian and I know she did wonders for the church and 4th of July School in Ecuador. Blessings to her son Cosmecito and family, and to her family in the states. Love, Shirley
Helen always greeted me with a friendly smile and warm hug! I have many great memories of Helen….at the “4 de julio” Covenant Elementary School she was my helpful supervisor….spending the week-end at her home with her family during the presidential election with the other 4 STMs….rides in the blue jeep out and about town….trips out to the “terrenos” that belonged to her husband Cosme….singing hymns at Templo Bethel where she accompanied on the piano…. taking into account her wisdom for teaching kids….hearing her missionary call story and testimonies as a young missionary woman in Ecuador….getting a hug and “hang in there” on a long day….listening to her cultural advice….sharing meals at her home…using her telephone at her house to call my folks back in the States (since my Ecuadorian family didn’t have a phone!)…being encouraged by her letters over the years as we kept in touch! Peace to her memory and thanksgiving for her life of testimony to God’s love and provision.