Semiannual Report May - November 2014

Ministry

“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ is not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” (Romans 15:20,21) 

By the grace of God, my work in Segadores is in the areas of administration, and of pastoring missionaries. This is through visits to the mission fields where we work. For this reason I make trips to communities in several regions of Peru. 

May

May 6th I travelled to the Ashaninka communities of Aoti and Pampa Mercado where Segadores has missionaries working. Afterwards I travelled to Atalaya to talk to the mayor for his help in straightening out legal matters relating to the Segadores’ land in Atalaya. I returned May 15th. 

May 18th I travelled to Santiago, Chile, to attend a workshop on Community Development Based on the Strengths of a Community. This was carried out with the last people-group of Chile, the Mapuches, who are a people that are despised and oppressed by the Chilean Government. Living among them was very encouraging, because they live and support themselves by working the land, though they do not receive help from the Government. Most important, they have a church in their community, and this is a strength, but they still need much material and spiritual help. I learned much from them, especially from their humility and sincerity. I returned to Lima on May 26th.  

June

June 5th I travelled again to Atalaya in order to coordinate for a visit from Bright Hope International (USA) that helps us in our missionary work, financing missionary development projects in tribal communities of the jungle where our missionaries work. I returned on June 12th.  

June 17th I travelled with the Bright Hope International team to Pucallpa and Atalaya. Brother Bill Conard also accompanied us. He had worked with Peter Hocking in the beginning of Segadores in Peru. Part of the team travelled with sister Antonia to the Ashaninka villages of Aoti and Pampa Mercado in order to see the progress in the workshops of sewing and handcrafts, and to get to know the reality of missionary work in those communities. With the rest of the team, I visited an Ashaninka village along the Tambo River. The visit to that village was possible, thanks to the help of a leader of the tribal organization CORPIAA.

Then we returned to Satipo by boat and pick-up truck, to then meet up with the other team in Aoti. This trip was in order to see the progress in our projects in these communities, and how to best help these villages to overcome their poverty, and create work through their own resources. We returned to Lima on June 22nd.  

July

July 5th I made an emergency trip to Atalaya in order to correct a problem related to the Segadores land, and I also worked on the land. I returned on July 11th. 

July 25th we travelled as a family to Pucallpa for a week of rest, but our bus trip was delayed 31 hours! Thus, we arrived very tired. During our week in Pucallpa we did family activities, because I had spent much time (of the year) travelling far from my family. We returned to Lima Aug. 3rd. 

August

August 13th I traveled to Satipo in order to talk with a representative of the tribal organization of the Junin Region to see about the possibility of signing an agreement of cooperation with his organization. The agreement was not signed because this was the first conversation. On the way back, I visited the Ashaninka village of Aoti in order to help our missionaries Antonia and Cristina in moving the materials for equipping the handcraft workshop in Pampa Mercado. The whole village (especially the women) are happy that they will have the opportunity of having a handcraft workshop. I returned to Lima August 18th.

When I got back, my wife had to be in bed sick all that week! When she recovered, I travelled to Atalaya on September 9th in order to correct some problems caused by the previous owner of the Segadores land. I also did more work on the land. All my trips to Atalaya this year have been to straighten out problems related to our land, and to visit our missionaries there: Manuel and Lucy, Liviu and Amalia. 

October

October 8th I travelled to the jungle with Bill Conard and Peter Hocking, to visit the fields where various missionaries of Segadores work. We began by travelling to Atalaya where we met and talked with our two missionary families Liviu and Amalia Acatrinei, and Manuel and Lucy Salazar. It was a special time of talking with them, because they are willing to continue working with dedication. Then we continued our trip to Pucallpa, traveling 18 hours by river boat. The next day (Sunday) we attended the first church founded in Pucallpa by Peter Hocking’s father. We had planned on travelling on to Puerto Bermudez by road, with the Dumitry family, but that did not work out because of an uprising that broke out there. For that reason we stayed in Pucallpa, and talked with our missionary family Marcus and Adina Dumitru, which was very good.

We returned to Lima Oct 14th. In Lima we met with our other missionary families, talking about how to serve them better for carrying out their ministries in the field. 

October 18th I travelled back to Pucallpa with my family, in order to help the Dumitru family in constructing their house. During that week I talked with them, and we spent quality time with them, encouraging them to continue with the vision and work of Segadores. 

October 30th we received in our Lima office a visit from Rosa Hart, Latin American Director of Christian Aid Mission. She visited Peru as part of a tour in South America visiting ministries backed by Christian Aid. We had a meaningful time of sharing about our missionary work in tribes. Thank you, sister Rosa, for passing through Peru and encouraging us in our ministry. 

November

November 9th I travelled to Pucallpa with brother Gregorio to continue working on the house of the Dumitru family. With the Lord’s help we were able to advance on the general construction, and to put on half of the metal roofing. We returned to Lima on November 25th. 

November 28th was my last trip to the jungle, for the purpose of attending a congress organized by the native organization FECONABAP (with whom we have a signed agreement of cooperation) so that this agreement could be renewed. The Emergency Congress was convened in order to see what could be done in response to the invasion of their tribal territories by foreign petroleum companies, loggers, and others. I attended the congress so as to present the work that we do with Ashaninka communities, and to renew our agreement. Many Ashaninka leaders were happy, saying: “How good that there are people that know God who are thinking of us!” Thus, the agreement was easily renewed for three more years. 

The call of the tribes for missionaries 
While I was at the congress, I talked with the chief of the Ashaninka village of Nuevo Amanecer (meaning New Awakening) who begged of me saying: “Why do you not come to teach us the Word of God? We need it. Please come, or send us a missionary family that can live with us. Please do not forget.” Right then, I was without words, trying to think what to say. The only thing that I could say was that with the Lord’s help we would try to visit and know his village. There is an urgent need for more missionaries because we receive this kind of request from many villages, especially from those that are far away. 

Besides my trips to the jungle, I have administrative tasks to care for when I am in Lima. 

Personal

In my daily walk with the Lord, I have seen the faithfulness and care of the Lord in every aspect of my personal and family life, because we never lacked anything that we needed. I owe everything to the Lord, as well as to each of you who are attentive to share from the little, or much that the Lord blesses you with, through your work. It is amazing that in the midst of adverse circumstances, the Lord gives me joy in serving Him, serving and loving others as He does. For me, this is difficult to do, but not impossible, because I have His constant help, and in Him I am more than conqueror.

My wife is a woman of faith and prayer, and is faithful with the Word of God. She is my help-meet, backing me in my walk with God. Without her, I would be very sad, and would not be able to fulfill the ministry that God has entrusted to me in Segadores. My daughter Briana (6 years old), and Filip Daniel (4 years old), are the inheritance that God has given me. They pray for me with my wife whenever I make a trip to the jungle.

My daughter Briana suffers (as you know) from bronchial and allergy problems, although we invest in her health. We are happy that our children are doing well in school, and are the top students in their classroom. Between May and November I have been 85 days away from home because of my trips to the jungle. I ask the Lord for His strength and for unity in our family. Many thanks to the brothers that sponsor our children. Thank you for this, because this way we are able to buy certain medicines and food for their lunch boxes. Praise the Lord! 

July 13th my parents had birthdays: my mother completed 86 years, and my father 100 years! I was able to share the Word of God with my brothers, relatives, and friends. All of them were impacted by the Word of God. Since then, my oldest brother has been attending an evangelical church sporadically. 

Plans for the Future

- Research trips to native communities around Atalaya in order to choose the village where the Acatrinei family will work. 

- Research trips to isolated tribes in order to make known their needs to churches so that they adopt them in prayer, and send missionaries to plant indigenous churches in them. This will involve a trip along the Inuya River to visit Ashaninka and Amahuaca villages and a trip along the Mapuya River to visit Yaminahua villages. 

Prayer Points

1) For wisdom in the leadership and administration of Segadores
2) For the health of our daughter Briana
3) For finances for the research trips
4) For more missionaries for the tribes
5) For guidance in the changes being made in Segadores

“God is not unjust to forget your work of love that you have shown towards his Name, having served the saints, and continuing to serve them.”   Hebrews 6:10 

Your fellow-servant in Christ, with passion and compassion for the un-contacted, 

 Oscar Raul Tello