The trip to the jungle several weeks ago went very well. It was short but I feel that some important beginning steps were taken. I left Cuenca on a Sunday and drove the 6 hrs down to Zamora where the the missionary couple and my Journeyman friend live. We stayed with them that night and then we all headed out for the jungle the next morning. We traveled about 2 1/2 hrs until we reached the cabins where we would be staying that night. We then had to either cross the Nangaritza river in the truck on a barge or leave the truck and go upriver by boat. That day we chose to continue in the truck because the river was quite low and we had a long ways to go before reaching the communities (we planned to visit two). Just to explain the situation a little...in order to reach these communities by boat we would be going upriver...meaning fighting against the current for several hours. Add to that the fact that the river was low and we would have to get out and push many times when the water was too low to use the motor. And so once we crossed the river on the barge we kept driving several hours until the road ended. At this point we crossed in a canoe to reach the first community we were visiting, called Neuvo Paraiso (New Paradise in english).
Our way into the communities were pictures of the kids that had been taken when a medical team was there several months ago. They were now printed and framed to be given back. So we gave back the pictures and spent time with the kids and then moved on by foot to the second community, called Yayuh (which I'm sure means something in the Shuar language which I don't speak). It took 45 mins of walking and wading across the river up to our waists to make it. On the way we met a man who recognized the missionaries from when the medical team had been to his community. We gave him a Bible and my Journeyman friend spent some time talking to him. We discovered that he lived in Nuevo Paraiso and was open to my friend living with him for several weeks and teaching his kids about the Bible. Once we reached Yayuh we also passed out pictures of the kids and then went to see a foot bridge they used for river crossing at the edge of the village. One of the Ecuadorians we brought along was a friend of mine and an architect. As this village was already wanting to construct a better and safer bridge, he took measurements to aid them with this in the future. Finally we started the long trip back to the cabins. The next day we made a trip to one community in the morning. Because this community, Shaimi, was only about 1 1/2 hr upriver, we went by boat.
In the community of Shaimi prayerwalked for about 30 mins and then returned to the cabins to pack up. Although the trip was short I feel like a lot was accomplished. This was only intended as a vision trip anyway. We made some important connections with people in all the communities and showed them that we are serious about returning. Most importantly, we found my friend a home and family which he can stay with to start building relationships in these very closed communities. Please continue to pray for him (his name is Corey) and the couple (Rocky and Dorothy). It is a very difficult area to work in as it is very remote and very difficult to earn the respect of the people who live there. Please also pray as I try to find ways to get Ecuadorians from here in Cuenca involved with ministry in Zamora. I am currently praying about and working to get the youth group from First Baptist of Cuenca involved. I anticipate them doing a VBS for several days in some of these communities. Pray as I try to move into actual planning such as dates and the details of setting up the trip. Thanks again for your prayers...as you can see they make a difference!
This is a beautiful view of the Nangaritza river at sunset. Everything as far as the eye can see is jungle.
