Hi All,
We just arrived from a weeklong trip to Nueva Esperanza, San Antonio de Arambasa and Yanashi and I wanted to update you on this trip. We headed out last Tuesday in this morning. On the way there, we hit a sand bar and the boat almost tipped over. It is a two story boat and we were on the top floor tilted way up in the air. We had to hold on to the side to keep from sliding down and to counter weight the boat. People were screaming and children were crying. Another boat came and took some people off so that the weight was decreased enough to be able to get us off of the sandbar. It was a close one because even if you know how to swim, we were in the middle of the river and the currents are strong enough to drown even a good swimmer.
After that excitement passed, we finally arrived at the mouth of the Yanashi River about 9 p.m. and got on a smaller boat to head the rest of the way to Nueva Esperanza where we finally arrived at 2:30 a.m. and set up camp. The next day we went visiting the people in the village to invite them to the evening service. The people there, because of the flooding this past year have very little food so we brought 2 sacks of rice, one for Nueva Esperanza and one for Yanashi. The watermelon and sweet corn crops were ready though so people brought us offerings of melons, watermelons and humitas which are a kind of tamale made of ground sweet corn and cooked in the corn husk. I think during the total trip, Lucy and I ate about 8 watermelons and 2 other melons. I don’t want to see another watermelon for a while now. Also, because of the river being low, there was plenty of fish to eat.
The first night we had a service in Nueva Esperanza with a full house. It was a wonderful time and attracted people who don’t normally come as we borrowed a generator and so we had lights. The next day we headed out in a boat with some of the members from the church in Nueva Esperanza to San Antonio de Arambasa which is a community about an hour away by boat. It is amazing because the church in Nueva Esperanza is one year old this month and they already have their church plant in San Antonio with a large group of people attending there. It is exciting to see the hunger the people here have for the Word of God.
We returned that night and the next day tore down the flood destroyed kitchen of the church and started rebuilding. Before we had arrived, the church had rebuilt the pastoral house (although they still have to put up the walls) and repaired the church building. This is all through the flood donation from Global Partners. After a long day of work, we held our final service in Nueva Esperanza where 5 people accepted Christ. It was really a precious time and we were sad to be leaving.
(Photo left-the church and parsonage in Nueva Esperanza, Photo-right church in Yanashi)The next day we headed out on a boat for Yanashi which is two hours away. Yanashi is quite large and is built in a straight line along the river. It takes about 2 and a half hours to walk from one end to the other. Lucy and I went walking when we got there to talk with people and invite them to the evening service. The church in Yanashi was just rebuilt (finished the day of our arrival) from the flooding and they will be rebuilding the parsonage which was completely destroyed.
The church in Yanashi is really growing and the youth group was in charge of the service Saturday night with Lucy preaching. The next day we went and visited some other church members who killed a duck for us for breakfast. We had a great time spending hours answering Biblical questions then returned to the church to get ready for the evening service in which I was to preach. It was once again with sad goodbyes that we got ready to leave the next morning. (Photo inside the church of Yanashi)
We had to get on a small boat at 5 a.m. to drive the 2 hours to the larger boat. We were loaded down with 6 watermelons, another melon, 2 huge turtles Lucy bought for her mom to eat, 3 dried majas which is an animal that was hunted, a huge bag of sweet corn, 2 birds and our luggage. It is usually 24 hours to return to Iquitos but the boat we were on arrived much faster. We arrived in Iquitos in pouring rain and when I was crossing the small plank with my suitcase on my back, I fell. Fortunately only my pride was hurt but I was afraid to cross the other plank and had to have help. We then walked up the hill and were soaked by the time we reached the church. All in all an amazing trip.
I am so encouraged by the growth in the churches here. They are growing to a new depth beyond the salvation message into doctrine, mayordomia, ect to where they are on their way to becoming an organized church. It is exciting and one of my dreams is that the Amazon area become its own district in the Wesleyan Church of Peru. Next year, Pastor Leiter, Pastor Oswaldo, Pastor Harol, Lucy and I have plans to go to the different areas and teach for three or four days at a time so that the lay leaders can become more equipped. It has really been exciting to see how the Lord is working here and I feel very honored to be a part of it. The churches are still very undeveloped, but I think within the next 5 years, they will be well formed—at least that is my prayer.
This next week we are going to be getting ready for the lock in, getting more of the materials up to Maynas for the construction of the church at the end of September and probably going out to Santa Ana. On the 22nd we will be heading to Amazonas for a youth rally and another pastoral meeting. I am tired but feel very encouraged. I hope that you all are doing well and I thank the people who took time to write me. You are an encouragement to me. Please continue to pray for the Amazon region and that God continue to display His mighty hand here. Thank you.(Photo--the work is for the future of these little ones)
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