How One Mission Trip Opened the Door to a Lifetime of Service: David Cowan’s Journey

For David Cowan, a professional engineer and two-time missionary with Vera Aqua Vera Vita, the path into global water service began with a moment of inspiration—and an imperfect search that ultimately led him exactly where he needed to be.

That moment came during a single 30-minute session at an engineering conference. The presentation wasn’t about Vera Aqua Vera Vita at all—it focused on well construction work in Costa Rica—but it sparked something David had been searching for.

“I had been trying to get involved with Engineers Without Borders for a few years,” David shared, “but their schedule never worked for me, because I was trying to find something that I could do with my daughter and get her exposed to this type of work as well.”

The details of the presentation faded, but the desire remained.

“I kind of remembered what he talked about, but not exactly,” David recalled. “The name of his organization had agua—not Aqua—and it had Vera, not Vera Vita.”

When David asked his wife to help search for the organization online, they didn’t find the group from the conference. Instead, they found Vera Aqua Vera Vita—and without realizing it at first, signed up for a mission trip that would shape the next chapter of their lives.

“We registered for the mission trip,” David explained. “The website was great. It was really easy to see what the mission trip was and all the resources that were available to us, so it was really easy for us to just push the button and say, ‘Put the deposit down and get going.’”

That single decision opened the door not only to service through clean water engineering but to deeper relationships, sustained collaboration, and a growing commitment to the people and communities of Peru.

From First Trip to Ongoing Commitment

David’s first mission trip quickly became something more than a one-time experience.

“There were moments during those evening reflections where I felt the comradeship building, the fellowship between Jacob, Hans, Ricardo, you, the staff of VAVV, and myself and my family and the other missionaries,” he recalled.

Those moments—rooted in shared service, reflection, and faith—sparked a deeper sense of belonging.

“I definitely wanted to experience this again,” David said. “I don’t think I ever second-guessed coming again.”

Since then, David has returned to Peru multiple times, often bringing family with him. Each trip, he explained, brings something new—both in the work itself and in how God continues to shape the experience.

David meeting community members to deliver W.A.S.H care with other Missionaries during the 2024 Mission Trip.

“I think every mission trip is going to be unique,” he shared, “and I kind of don’t want to miss whatever God has in store for me in terms of my next mission trip and what I’m going to experience.”

As David continued returning to Peru, his role naturally began to evolve. What started as participation on the ground grew into a deeper investment in the long-term sustainability of the work itself.

Serving Beyond the Trip: Engineering in Service of Sustainability

After returning home, David began using his professional skills more intentionally to support Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s active projects. Drawing on his background as a civil engineer, he joined VAVV’s Planning and Engineering Team, where he could continue serving even when he wasn’t physically in Peru. What began on the ground during the mission trip naturally extended into year-round service, as David looked for ways to continue supporting the work beyond his time in country.

Through this role, David has consistently contributed technical insight, thoughtful review, and practical deliverables to support ongoing clean water projects—helping strengthen systems, clarify plans, and improve long-term sustainability.

His involvement reflects a core value of Vera Aqua Vera Vita’s approach to global water development: mission trips are not an endpoint, but a beginning. For David, service didn’t stop when the trip ended—it expanded.

Over time, his steady presence and willingness to contribute have made him an invaluable part of the team, supporting projects not only with expertise but with humility, consistency, and a deep respect for the communities VAVV serves.

Growth That Extends Beyond the Project Site

What David didn’t expect was how service through Vera Aqua Vera Vita would extend far beyond the water projects themselves.

Through repeated mission trips and time spent at the Santisimo Sacramento Mission Center, David began forming relationships that invited him into other dimensions of community life and well-being—particularly through the parish and its care for vulnerable young women.

“Being at Santisimo Sacramento was a huge opportunity for me in terms of my faith formation,” David shared. “I was raised in the Roman Catholic Church… and by 15, I kind of had walked away from my faith.”

Through the parish, David connected with the girls’ home supported by Santisimo Sacramento—spending time simply being present, navigating language barriers, and returning again and again.

“Coming back two times, I was able to interact with two girls who were very patient with me in my very poor Spanish,” he said. “But when I came back the second time, and I was able to see the same two girls again, and they remembered me—that was really special.”

Missionaries (David center right), young women, and staff from the girls’ home pose for a picture during the 2024 VAVV Mission Trip.

Building these types of relationships moved David to action.

“It helped me want to be able to support some of the other mission activities that the parish is doing,” he explained. “I’ve been able to work with the general manager [of Mission Center]—her name is Ginet—to know when they have special events going on and support them… support the whole girls’ home during Christmas time so that they had a good Christmas.”

As those connections deepened, so did David’s understanding of collaboration.

“There’s only so much an individual can do,” he reflected. “I can help unstick the wheel, but I need Ginet, I need Father Joe [the Pastor of the Mission Center], I need the church to be able to help me get that money into the right places.”

What began as an engineering-focused mission trip became something broader and more human: a sustained commitment to walking with people, supporting transitions, and collaborating with those already doing the daily work of care on the ground.

“That was one of the things I really enjoyed that I didn’t expect as part of this journey,” David said. “I knew I was going to be able to work on a water project. What I didn’t expect was the ability to see how organized religion can play a role in my life again.”

An Invitation to Take the First Step

David’s journey is a powerful reminder that involvement with Vera Aqua Vera Vita is not limited to a single role, skill set, or moment in time. A mission trip can become the doorway to deeper service—across borders, disciplines, and communities you may not yet imagine.

Whether you come with technical expertise, a heart for service, or simply an openness to learn, the mission field has a way of meeting you where you are—and inviting you into lasting collaboration and growth.

Interested in joining the next Mission Trip to Peru?
Learn more about how you can serve alongside Vera Aqua Vera Vita—and discover how one step into the mission field can open doors to service, connection, and growth you may not yet imagine.