Report from Antonia Yalta January - June 2016

Ministry

January

In January God provided Segadores with the opportunity to participate in a retreat for missionaries. Among the subjects that were dealt with I have very fond memories of “God’s Guide to Divine Wisdom for Women” which encouraged each missionary (there were separate electives for both men and women at certain times). We all got together with fellow missionaries who are treading the same path as us. We shared experiences and we learnt from each other.  

After the retreat Segadores got together to plan and evaluate 2016. I planned and organised the help required for the school age outreach and I also talked to the Pariachi Bible school teachers to determine if they were going to continue working with the children suffering extreme poverty in Lima. This work is carried out in one of the human settlements.  

February

I had some holidays when I went to Chiclayo to help my brother who has had an operation on three hernias that were found in his spine. It was very difficult spending every day at the hospital but God changed the complicated situation into a blessing. I had the opportunity to speak to God and to pray for a man named John who was in the hospital with a brain tumour. I spoke with him about God each day until one day he said “thank you, sister, for speaking to me about the Bible and for bringing happiness to this place. I accept Christ”. A few days later John went to be with Jesus.  

March

The return to the native community wasn’t easy as we had to adapt again to the cultural change, like waiting for the mosquitos to bite as well as feeling unwell due to sensitivity to the sun, among other things. However it was so good to see that the work amongst the youth continued in spite of the fact that I was away. Now my interpreter is discipling some of the young people so that they will be able to teach the children. He is teaching the about new life in Christ and prayer. We are seeing great advances. Cristina is teaching the new people; her interpreter is a woman from the Nomachiguenga tribe.

Teaching the adults
We held a celebration in the church where some Bible lessons were given. The main text was Galatians 5:16-26 with an emphasis on verses 19 and 22 which talks about the option of living our lives guided by our passions or being guided by the Holy Spirit. Right afterwards I received lots of invitations to teach in the church. The pastor has asked me to help with devotions and when they teach in their own language, they ask me to add to their teaching with more information. We continue to strengthen the indigenous church.

The Lord’s provision for the children
School gear has been distributed along with clothes to children who live in extreme poverty, who have been abandoned by their parents. This distribution was coordinated by the community chief with the aim being to give out clothes and school gear to the neediest kids.  

God also provided new clothes and sandals for another Ashaninca community and the local authorities also accompanied us there. The local teacher expressed his gratitude to Segadores. He said; “thank you to Segadores Missionary Association for their gifts without any political interest attached, this comes from heaven, these children don’t have books”. Afterwards he invited us to his community to teach the Word of God. 

Visiting others
We continue to visit homes. When we come across sick people we pray for them and by doing this we hope they will cease to visit the witch doctor. If they were to visit the witch doctor the rites that they pronounce would cause the death of the person responsible for the illness (according to them). Even small innocent children get accused of causing illnesses to others. We see the hand of God because many of the people we pray for are healed.  

May and June

With the teaching program with the youth we have reached the book of Acts and we are teaching the class about baptism, putting the emphasis on the death, burial and the resurrection of Christ.   We are seeing young people coming to know Christ and there are changes in their lives. Many of them lead the worship and prayers in the Sunday school. 

The “Oasis of Love” food kitchen
After organising the Ashaninca children’s ministry with the team we launched into the food kitchen ministry. This ministry provides meals for children and adolescents who have been abandoned by their parents. The food kitchen is open from Monday to Friday providing lunches for the kids after their school classes. We have seen the need to look after the children because they have a real need to be fed. Some of them are young children and they seem to be the ones that suffer most. By faith we started this food kitchen as there is no budget to cover it. 

“Seeds of faith” food kitchen
Each Sunday 80 young people and children come to study the Word of God. After the classes we given them breakfast although resources are scarce. We have purchased a machine to roast chickens in order that the food kitchen can become self-funding. “Seeds of faith” is underway, being overseen by the team of Ashaninca teachers.  

Sewing workshop
Each day the “Ladies in Action” women surprise us. They take responsibility to produce products and they also take responsibility to pay those who are working in the workshop. Beforehand every problem that they had would be taken to the chief to sort out but now they themselves face each problem and find a solution to it. God provided the ladies with perfumes and cremes. Surprised and happy they said “this is the first perfume I’ve ever had!" They also say that it is worthwhile working in this workshop as it enables me to buy food for my children. We continue teaching the Word of God.   

Personal Life

Teaching the Word of God chronologically has led me to know God better but I am sad when I look at other indigenous people who don’t know the Lord or haven’t had the opportunity to hear about God. God strengthened me one day from Exodus 33.14, “I myself will go with you and I will give you rest – says the Lord”. 

My health is a big draw-back. I have been having medical check-ups because the pain in my back got worse and the doctor says I should look after myself, not lift weights and I shouldn’t walk too much. I need to have regular therapy. Also the doctor has diagnosed me as pre-diabetic.  

My father is old and lives alone in a different province. His health isn’t good but he, in spite of his health, evangelises. He goes to the city council building and to the army barracks and can also be seen at the entrance to the market, handing out tracts and speaking to people about Christ. He gets up early in the morning in order to pray to God for the people that he knows. God has given him a nation to pray for. I have to look after my father in terms of his food and other costs.

Current Issues and Challenges

The lack of people committed to the native tribes and capable of being involved 100% frustrates me. The neighbouring native communities to where I am working are asking us to come and teach them but we can’t cater to their needs because of distance and transport. There is transport to these places but it costs money that we don’t have.  

Prayer and Praise Points

1) That God would bring along people to help us in the community. A door has opened in another community to teach the Word of God to children. 
2) That God would provide the resources for the “Oasis of love” food kitchen. 
3) Pray for the native young people because there are a lot of negative influences coming into their communities vying for their attention. 
4) Pray for the spiritual life of the children, adolescents and young people. 
5) Pray for my health, each day there are more complications. My medical appointments are continuous and that God would provide for my physiotherapy.  
6) Pray that God would provide the funds to be able to travel to another community to teach the children there and also for materials needed.