Article submitted by Jim Brannan, Field Coordinator in Peru
I just got back from up river yesterday and it was a very good trip. In the indigenous community (Inaparillo) where we go on Saturday nights to show a movie and then give a short message, we had a very large turnout and everyone stayed afterward and listened. This is unusual, as normally it is a very small group of strong but very old believers that come. This large turnout was due mainly to us announcing that we are wanting to start working with the kids and would start a Sunday school class for the kids. We got a very positive response to this and will have our first kids’ class in two weeks.
Also, Sunday at the lake it was a very small turnout for the Sunday School, but now the kids are on vacation and a lot of them are helping their families work in the jungle—gold, wood or farming. So until school starts again this upriver Sunday School class will be small, but a small group of believers have asked to change the meetings to the afternoons, as more families would come, plus a whole lot less mosquitoes would come as well!
Monday morning as we headed downriver, back to town, we started to pass the mouth of the lake where a lot of people wait for the boat that acts as a taxi and takes everyone downriver—a jungle bus stop, but with boats. We saw 2 small boats with people in them waiting for the taxi, so we passed by and gave 2 men a ride downriver—and all their bananas (lots of bananas.) But God blessed us for it. One of the men is the new president of this community (Tumi). While I drove the boat downriver, a local pastor who came with me this trip, Pastor Sidney, had 2 hours to talk to our hitchhiker about the work we are trying to do there. He was very appreciative for the help, said that the community is building a new community building, that we could use it for our services, and also that he’s is building a small room in back that we could sleep in. This is very big for us as we now have our services outside, or in the school if we can find someone with a key. And during the rainy season (like right now) it is hard. So all, in all, a very good trip.