Leader Bios

Joel Ferguson grew up as a missionary kid in Peru, South America.  While in high school he had the opportunity to go along as an interpreter for a medical mission trip into the Amazon jungle.  It was on this trip that God called Joel into healthcare, after which he went on to college to become a nurse.  It was in college where God called Joel to lead a medical mission trip of his own, and the trips have continued to this day.  Today, Joel works as a nurse practitioner and also teaches as a nursing professor at Indiana Wesleyan University.  He lives in Indiana with his wife, Rachel, and his daughters, Naomi and Natalie.

Rachel is from Chicago, but ended up at Indiana Wesleyan University in the nursing program.  This is where she met Joel and, after her first trip, she got the "jungle bug" and has been a co-leader on the teams ever since.  She and Joel attend a Hispanic Wesleyan Church in Carmel, IN and are involved in the ministry there. She works as an adjunct professor at Anderson University teaching nursing and takes care of their daughters Naomi and Natalie.   

Lauren was a pre-med student at Indiana Wesleyan University at the same time Joel and Rachel were there.  She accepted the challenge to serve on her first trip into the Amazon jungle in 2009 alongside Rachel and Joel, and agreed to help Joel co-lead the third trip in 2011.  Since then she has become an integral part of the leadership team.  After IWU, Lauren went on to the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine.  Lauren is now working as a hospitalist in Colorado, and plans to continue to serve with Hearts for Peru in the future.  She is living in Colorado with her husband, Kyle, and her son, Emmitt.

Ariel is from Chicago, and attended Olivet Nazarene University's nursing program. Her sister (Rachel Ferguson) and brother-in-law (Joel Ferguson) invited her on her first trip in 2013 and she has been serving ever since! She currently works in outpatient cardiac care, but has a background in cardiac critical care, family medicine, and ER nursing as well. She lives in Indiana with her husband, David, and enjoys spending time with family and friends and serving Jesus in day-to-day interactions and in Peru.