Back to main magazine page now!!

Chajuraña, Venezuela
not just a slogan; it is a command to preach
the Gospel to eight billion individuals. Paul
knew he could not do it himself, although he
really, really tried! He told Timothy to pick
some faithful men, pour his life into them,
and send them out. What a joy it is when
God does the picking and keeping and we
see them bear fruit for the church!
In 2005 after 10 years in the jungle village
of Chajuraña, we were forced to leave the
church there, the people who had become
family, and the home we loved. Politics—
governments—what did the future hold for
these men, their wives, and families? Pastor
14 BIMI
Number 1, 2024
Victor said during the final service before
we left on the flight out of the village “The
government can take the missionaries out
of our village, but they cannot take the Holy
Spirit out of our hearts.”
This is the verse of Scripture he was teaching
in Ye’kwana. Tameedä tödööjai wa ñäädä
jäädu´tänei Quidiito ni´wa´tädö que
(Jidiipense 4:13).

I know most people cannot read that
language but maybe can guess the passage—
Philippians 4:13. I wanted to share it with you
for a very specific reason. Many things have
changed in our world since 2005
when we were ordered, along
with most all of the missionaries
in the jungle of Venezuela, to
leave our ministries and villages.

Communication was only
through short wave radio and if
one had the set-up and technical
support from Mission Aviation
Fellowship, he could have packet
radio for email (no pictures of
kittens, just short letters). It was
VERY slow. Now, more than
15 years later, some villages in
the jungle have cell towers (not
many) but those who live in the
ßVictor teaching during our
seminar in Puerto Carreño,
Colombia



cities and towns have cell phones, Facebook,
and Whatsapp for communication. It is now
possible on occasion to make video calls
with them.

In 2007 it was not possible. We could not
communicate with the people or brothers
and sisters in Christ so dear to us after
much time together, and it truly broke our
hearts. But God—in His time and in His
way—will do what He wills. We felt led
to take a trip in June of 2022 to Tabatinga,
Brazil—another tri-border region. I say
another because we live in Ciudad del
Este, Paraguay, where Brazil, Paraguay, and
Argentina come together. Tabatinga is where
Brazil, Colombia, and Peru come together
in the middle of the Amazon Rain Forest.

Please understand that tri-border areas are
not known for safety or comfort. They are
known for having great need. The trip was
arranged by BIMI through AMAZON for
CHRIST. The trip opened up opportunities
to serve as we had in Venezuela. I helped
treat sick patients in the villages as we had
done back in Venezuela. Folks from the
States, some considering mission work, were
able to see and experience firsthand what
life is like on the mission field and be able
to serve in a wonderful way. God healed a
piece of my hurting heart and opened my
eyes to wonderful possibilities that He was
already arranging among the hearts of some
wonderful, faithful men from Chajuraña.

In late 2022, I received a message from
Antonio, one of those faithful men in
Chajuraña. What a blast from the past!
He is now pastoring a church they started
in Maripa. They started it to serve those
Ye’kwanas from the village who had moved
to town for better schools and work. Two
other churches had been started in different
villages along the Caura River. I know these
names of strange places may not mean much
to some, but for us, it is like describing
Chattanooga, Atlanta, Boston, or any
hometown. I cannot express in words the
joy I felt in making contact with them again.

They wanted us to travel to a little town on
the border of Colombia and Venezuela to
meet with them. Think about the leaders
Working with a patient up
river from Puerto Nariño
15