Team prepares to show Jesus Film in Aguajum village

Backpacking Team: (left to right) Pastor Filino, Marco Flores, Steve Jordan, Eric Ramsey, Matt Osborn, Paul Perry

The TCWM backpacking team returned yesterday from the Amazonas region of Peru.  There mission was to share the gospel and assess the church multiplication progress among the Aguajum people.  Paul Perry, a veteran TCWM backpacking team member and current TCWM trustee chairman, utilized an ultralight video projection system, an iPod, battery powered portable speakers and a shower curtain to turn primitive structures into movie theaters.  Each showing of the motion picture was to crowds exceeding one hundred.  ”It seemed that nearly all of those who showed up for the Jesus Film were already believers,” said Eric Ramsey, TCWM president and backpacking team leader.  ”We were amazed at the number of believers in these remote villages.”  The villages were as far as 10 miles through the jungle from each other.

The team traveled as far as possible by boat up the river, then backpacked from one Aguajum village to another.  The team reports that churches have multiplied throughout the area, but are in need of pastoral training and discipleship.  ”The Aguajum only have the New Testament in their own language,” said Ramsey.  We are praying that God will provide the necessary means to provide the entire Bible in their language very soon.  It was thought that the Aguajum language would soon fade out as the children are taught Spanish in school.  However, Aguajum is the strongly preferred oral and written language and is still seemingly the only language spoken in Aguajum homes.  ”There is no doubt that God is moving among the Aguajum,” said Ramsey, “Our role is to faithfully, carefully, and strategically resource them with the necessary tools to grow in spiritual maturity and knowledge of the scriptures.”

Team members were Paul Perry, Matt Osborn,  Steve Jordan, Eric Ramsey and Marco Flores.  The team was accompanied by two Aguajum pastors.

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The teams provided dental, medical and optometry clinics for the needy, while others shared the gospel one-on-one with anyone who wanted to listen.  In one village, the day before the TCWM team arrived, a pastor and his wife had been severely beaten by local religious radicals and village leaders. The TCWM unknowingly shared the gospel with both the village leader and local religious leaders.  Each professed faith in Christ alone, abandoning their traditional religion; then issued apologies to the pastor, family, and small group of Christians.  ”Things like this are happening regularly,” said Hugh Roberts, TCWM Team Leader and board member, through tears.  ”It’s just amazing!” he exclaimed.

Believers throughout this region are continuing to experience increased persecution. Please, pray for the pastors, Christian leaders, and new believers to stand strong and grow in faith and truth.

The team backpacked from village to village; sometimes walking, other times hitching a ride on the back of a truck.  In each village, the team made every attempt to meet with the village leaders and/or village elders.  They recorded village history, economic system, leadership structure, family values and structure, and spiritual belief system.  ”I really enjoyed hearing traditional fables which parents and grandparents had told their children for many generations,” said K.J. Ellington, a team member from Montana.  Hearing and understanding these stories is just one of many ways of learning about a culture’s ethics, moral code, and belief system.

Preliminary reports have been filed with a large missions organization who has plans to send resident missionaries into this area very soon.  A full report will submitted in two weeks, complete with recommendations for evangelization, discipleship, and church planting.

“We certainly are praying for the team and our TCWM India staff during this difficult time,” said Eric Ramsey, TCWM president.  ”Challenges like this are also exciting, because we know that through them God always reroutes our best plans and accomplishes His purpose,” he said.

Please pray for Les, the team leader, and for each of the team members as they work through these challenges.  Pray that God would be honored by their responses to these challenges, and that they would be sensitive to His leading as plans are adjusted.  Pray also for their safety and provision for all of their needs.

Team Leader, Paul, writes: “This was very difficult missions work. I asked God for men that are willing to go where there is no road or map to guide them. God sent me much more! Men that are willing to do more than they know is possible of themselves. But with God all things are possible.
In eight days in the mountains we walked 44 miles and presented the gospel in 37 villages to over 752 people.
262 people made professions of faith to accept God’s gift of forgiveness of sins!
It’s not what we can do, but what we are willing to do for God.
To God be the glory!”