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In July this year, Alex and Sybil Shaw (GRN Australia) with Elda and Veronica (GRN Peru) led a team of 5 Australian and 4 Chilean Christians on the third "Aventura Misionera" in Peru.
Learning Patience
The travel from Perth, Sydney and Chile to Peru all went smoothly. The mission adventurers all met up in Lima. However, there the 'Aventura' came to a halt! It was several days before they could continue their journey across the Andes mountains. The only road was blocked at a tin mine by a strike of unknown duration! That was lesson number one for those of a Western mind-set, used to doing things 'NOW'!
Learning About Other Cultures
Eventually they got to their destination and visited an Ashaninca community at Pampamichi. As tourists, they were asked to don traditional dress, complete with red face paint and head-gear of bamboo and feathers, before joining the locals in their traditional welcome song and dance. From the chief they learned some of the history of the Ashaninca people.
Trusting God to Guide
A few days later the team was able to present the Ashaninca Gospel recordings and Bible pictures to the people. The chief was not a Christian but he welcomed the materials in his own language. Many of the women listened intently to the recordings too, enthralled to hear and understand God's word. When another group of tourists arrived, the chief said, "Keep playing the cassette, this is more important than looking after tourists!"
Alexander, a young man from another tour group, observed the team having devotions together. He asked to join them. He had studied theology at a seminary in Spain for seven years, but it had left him disillusioned with his faith. Alex challenged Alexander about his commitment to Christ and a short time later, with tears in his eyes, he committed his life to Jesus. The team learnt another great lesson: the privilege of being in the right place at the right time with God's Holy Spirit to guide.
The chief of another village, reached only by a dangerous, narrow road up the steep mountains, was eager to listen to the Ashaninca cassette. The Chileans on the team presented a great program for the many children who seemed to appear from nowhere. The expressions of awe and wonder on their faces were amazing. In Alto Palmichi the people were hungry for the Word of God in the Quechua language. There too, a number of people responded to Delfin's Gospel message in Spanish and prayed to receive Jesus into their lives.
Meeting Peruvian Believers
In the city of Lamas the team attended the local Quechua church service. Pastor Philip had helped Sybil to record the 'Good News' in the QUECHUA, San Martin dialect when she was in Lamas last year. Even in the city, about 60 % of the people cannot read in their own language, highlighting the importance of audio materials. The team did some distribution among the church members and later went house to house distributing in non Christian homes where they were well received.
Working Together
There were some difficult times. The Chileans did not have the same orientation as the group from Australia, so had some unrealistic expectations. The Australians, on the other hand, had attended a 'STEW' (Short Term Enlightenment Weekend) course beforehand. That was a great help in preparing them for cross cultural mission. However, the two teams bonded well in spite of language and cultural barriers. Vero and Delfin (Australian GRN volunteer worker, formerly from Chile) were invaluable helpers and interpreters. Prayer support from the team's churches and the GRN family was also a vital part of the mission. God gave the grace to overcome challenges and make this a positive 'learning experience'.
So What Did They Learn?
The three participants from Western Australia made these comments...
JAMES - " It has opened my eyes to the extent of God's work that is yet to be done... While some people here are church goers, they perhaps do not fully understand what treasure they possess. I want to be a Christian witness in my own culture and find out what God wants me to do in His service."
SIMON - "I have been challenged to see that all ethnic groups need to know Christ and to see more Christians share this burden."
JILL - "I thank the Lord for His protection as we travelled on bald tyres over the slippery, steep roads... So many people were saved by hearing the Good News of Christ. The joy on the people's faces was amazing. A blind boy who had been listening was in tears. He was overjoyed because he was able to understand the message on the cassette in his language. That really touched us. ... Now I want to be more open and active in sharing the Gospel in Australia."
Long Term Blessings from Short Term Mission
In total, the team distributed cassettes in 9 Ashaninca communities and 20 Quechua, San Martin communities. God has provided people to follow up many of the contacts made by the team.
Pastor Artidoro, the leader of the Quechua churches, received materials for his Bible College students to use. Pastor Jairo, the President of the Amazonian tribal churches, organized a boat to take the team down the Huallago River to four communities. He often feels alone in the tribal work. He was very encouraged by the materials and by the visit of the team. Elda and Vero, the GRN Recordists who worked so hard to produce the recordings and help organize the mission, were thrilled to have the team from Australia and Chile to help with the distribution of their recordings.
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