Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4:35
I am grateful to God and all of you for your prayers for the advancement of the work with the Ashaninka people. I give thanks to God for the renewal of the agreement with this so we can go to more communities during the next 5 years.
In coordination with the pastor of the church in Aoti and the chief of the federation, and together with them, we have been able to visit the community of Pomporito to continue to teach the Word of God to them.
The Lord has allowed us to enter into the school to teach the children, to take chairs for the new building, take shoes and coats for the cold as at this time of the year the temperatures are low. Also in the wet season, it is muddy, and the children can’t get to school.
We are thankful to God for His provision through the people who have united to provide a donation for the chairs, my friend who sells chickens in the market and the Sunday school teacher in the community.
We continue to support the pastor, Victor, in the church with teaching about biblical stewardship on Tuesdays and Thursdays with children and adults attending. On Fridays we continue discipling a group of leaders. At the end some adults asked to colour the dynamics, it is a very interesting time and encouraging to see their enthusiasm to do it.
We continue to teach the children on Sundays, we get up very early to help prepare the refreshments. Our desire is to invest even more into their lives, to put more effort and be intentional in getting close to them, since the technology distracts them and continues to advance in the communities. When we visit other places, the children are the first to arrive, they have a hunger for the Word of God. Now is the time!
It is encouraging to see our ex-students coming to listen to the Word of God, they sit on the floor, and at the end of the teaching we give all of them refreshments.
Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:16
In the Aoti community, there was an accident in the house of some neighbours. The candle was left burning, and the fire consumed everything, it burnt up the wood and it started a fire. Thanks to God, the family were in another house at the time, and no one was physically hurt, but when they returned, they saw their house on fire. They told us that their bible had been consumed in the fire and everything they had, but the Lord put on the heart of others to come together to support them with food and clothes, and the family was provided for.
On the other hand, the teacher, Juan is sick with liver and lungs problems. He didn't have long to live. On account of his sickness, he decided to consult with a healer from there, who said to him that a woman performed witchcraft on him in addition to other lies used by the enemy to deceive people, but God put on our hearts a desire to visit him to speak about Him. Finally, we were able to go, with the permission from the authorities to his house and he reconciled with the Lord. We continued to visit him each day to read the Psalms and pray with him. Not long after he passed away and now is with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Cicada TimeWe were invited to collect cicadas in the river together with a group of children and the pastor's family. We took lanterns so we could see in the dark and identify them. It was a day in which we had many bites, as the cicadas fly along with other insects, but it was a manner in which we could get involved in the activities of the people in the community and over all with the children now that we see that they are well trained to collect the food.
On this occasion, the church family of the Baptist New Life church came to the community to support with some of the themes of leadership in the church and the emotional health. They also helped with the children and youth.
Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin, pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord, lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street. Lamentations 2:19
Current Issues and ChallengesIt is easy to get to the community because there are merchants who take cargo, and they can take us. To return is more complicated. The pastor, Victor, has a motorcycle and he takes my friend and I back to Aoti in sections, while one goes on the motorcycle, the other goes by foot and we alternate.
1) Pray for the teachers in the Sunday school for the other communities.
2) Pray for a missionary family that is coming to live in the community so that they can go to the other communities around them.
3) Pray for the Christmas campaign, that God will provide according to His will. We still need resources for some of the communities.
4) Pray for the bible studies that we have in the communities.