Thoughts on Tribal Ministry

We trust this letter finds you enjoying God's faithfulness.  It seems that internet connection is improving a little here in Puerto Maldonado, our ministry base in the southern Amazon Rainforest of Peru.  This is allowing us to resume these web-based e-letters.  Slow internet connection has also inhibited us from maintaining our website and blog.  Faster speeds are on the way (we hope!).

On that note, things are going well for us.  Our circle of contacts continues to grow.  Since our move to the Amazon last fall, we began by traveling up the area river systems and conducting services in some of the tribal villages. There are still large areas where we have not yet surveyed.  At present, we are ministering to two tribes: the Yine and the Amarakaeri. 

The tribal people among whom we work have so little biblical knowledge.  So far, the majority of our time has been spent preaching and teaching to them about salvation and repentence.

We've had many that have wanted to pray with us to receive salvation, but we are not interested in them just praying a prayer.  We are trying to make them understand the gravity of their decision to follow Christ, renouncing the world and the flesh.

From this patient pursuit to make disciples we are starting to see some results.  Recently some of the Amarakaeri have asked us to pray with them individually to receive Christ.  We have witnessed genuine conviction for sin, and a sense of their need for Christ. Both tribes have many questions, and are concerned that they understand the Gospel.  Overall, it has taken much time to build trust with the them, but now that the bond of trust is forming, we have been able to minister to them in a deeper way. 

We will be leaving for a short period of itineration in the States in a month.  Please pray for these tribes, the Yine and the Amarakaeri, that what has been gained will not be lost.  I do not write this in unbelief, but as Paul expressed many times in the Epistles, he was concerned that he had labored among them in vain.  We recognize we have strong enemies--the Devil, who is always active in stealing the seed of the Word from the hearts of men, and the carnal flesh of the Indians, which by nature may choke out the seed that it become unfruitful. 

We trust in the prayers of the saints that the good seed will break forth to produce a spiritual harvest.  Please pray with us to that end, that those that have bowed the heart to Christ will remain strong and grow to maturity.