Brother Victor was ready to have bible studies with me three times a week in his home by phone. At the beginning it was just his family and him but now it has grown with more children, young people and adults. They also played games and gave prizes. We sent out some speakers and now they are able to listen better. We have taught them the plan of salvation and some people have received the Lord into their lives. We are continuing with teaching from the bible about ‘The Lamb”. They have asked a lot of questions about the character of God. God is also working in the lives of Victor Soto’s children and now they are leading the programme. After the teaching, Victor stays longer to review the study in his own language.
When I arrived at the community I was surprised to find the house full of children and adults with the desire to listen to the Word of God. Now we are doing it face to face while always keeping our distance. The Holy Spirit is working in their lives and despite the strong testings that the group is suffering they are keeping strong. Between them there are problems but they forgive and continue going ahead in their faith.
At Christmas time we couldn’t celebrate as we usually do due to the pandemic but God supplied what we needed to buy gifts for the community where Victor Soto works and for other communites we gave chocolate. The ex-Chief helped us and went with us on the trips. The chief gave us a van to use for the day but on this day there was a lot of rain and we were only able to go to two communities. In one of the communities there was too much rain and we had to pray that the rain would calm and we would be able to speak of God’s love through Christ. On 24th December we had an open air and presented an evangelistic film, lots of people attended.
The work has grown, the people have a great desire to know God such that they invited us to their homes and then came to my house to receive something of God. The pastor asks me continuously to teach in the church. I tried to keep my distance but at the end the children came to me and gave me hugs and I couldn’t resist.
We open up our homes to work with the children and within no time our houses are full with children. We need workers! Deyci is teaching the children and Leticia the women and I am doing the discipleship.
At the end of the year we distributed prizes to the children and had a dinner of fried fish with rice because it is their favourite food.
I have been in contact continually with the Dumitru children, sometimes to listen to their joys and frustrations, and we have had lovely times answering questions about the Bible. In October I travelled to visit the missionaries in Atalaya and their children and we had some really valuable times together. Afterwards I travelled to Pucallpa to see the Dumitru children. Ephram gave me a hug when he saw me and said “I have been waiting so long for this day!”. These children have spent so much time in confinement. The visit was worth it so I could see “my precious little ones”. Noemi Nagy had an operation to remove a cyst on her shoulder and we have been able to help with the costs. For their birthdays and Christmas we were able to buy them presents.
The online Christian Education studies have motivated me to continue the ministry to the children in the jungle.
I was anxious in Lima and had some treatment from the specialist. God helped me a lot through His Word.
The missionary, Zsolty, and his family travelled to Lima and didn’t want to leave me in Lima and so took me to Atalaya in exchange for a mattress. My mattress was pretty worn out and they bought me a mattress on the condition that I would leave Lima. It was different when I arrived in the jungle and breathed in the fresh air - I didn’t have tension. More than anything else I have valued the freedom.
My brother, David, has diabetes and hypotension and currently cannot work.
Something that God is teaching me is to have more unity with my family. My family are suffering a lot economically through the pandemic and what God provides to me I have shared with the family. My pastors are motivating us to always be asking our families if they have enough food to live on.
Santiago (who is 70 years old) is a worker we have known for several years. Recently I dedicated time to get to know more about his work by phone. I asked him to send me photos and he said, “I don’t have a camera”. We have been able to buy a phone with a camera for him. It is amazing to see how some of his family are pastors, and his grandchildren who he has helped with their upbringing are directing the praise times. Santiago Pascual said “sister, I am going to continue taking the Word of God to the people until the day I die”. He has to cross the river on a raft to then walk for 4 hours (he doesn’t have the money to go by car) to get to the church to teach the leadership. They need to receive encouraging words.
God opened doors to be able to communicate with Demecio (a leader with a heart for his people). He asked for medicine as 99% of the people were sick. I am very excited about what God did, opening doors through another group of Christians in the community. They responded to the need and the medicine arrived to the community in the midst of the pandemic. Demecio travelled community to community looking for people who were seriously ill from COVID to help them.
Also he told us: “the people are sick, they don’t work and don’t have food”. A church in Lima joined with us to be able to send money so that Demecio could buy them food. He took it to them to share with the needy people and to some of the pastors that don’t receive any support.
1) That the Lord will send more missionaries to help. The harvest is ready and we haven’t got the workers.
2) That God will provide so we can buy a fridge as the one we have in the community is not working well.
3) That God will give us a lot of wisdom and encouragement, and will take away the fear.
4) That God will continue to provide for the refreshments needed by the native children (those who come to study the Bible.)
5) Pray for the new leaders of the children's and women's groups in the native community.
Thank you for your prayers and your gifts during these difficult times and for your part in this great commission.
Antonia