The Amazon Project 2010 Group 1 are all now back home safe and sound. Okay, maybe sound is being used as a relative term. As sound as you can be with 100 or so mosquito bites and chiggers and a set of luggage and a bunch of clothes that are afflicted with “jungle ick!” All 22 members of the team did great and the trip was incredible.

The prayer we were praying for this trip was that God would show us clearly what His will is for our project. We went there with some ideas, but, as per usual, He had a much bigger plan than we did!

The main part of the team worked in the four villages where we have worked on the past two trips. They would do Bible School in the morning in a particular village and return to that village in the evening for a time of worship. During the afternoon, they would go to one of the other villages and take reading glasses (thanks Eyes on Christ ministry and Julie Shoeff!), toothbrushes (thanks Dr. Joe Jones of Carthage, TX!) and various other toys and humanitarian supplies. All went great and we there were 10 people who received Jesus as Savior! That makes at least 64 salvations in those four villages in our three trips!

For three days, I took three of the team members and our guide Wilson with me to make an exploratory trip up the Yanayacu River to meet the pastors of what we had been told were Evangelical Baptist churches located there. To say it was an adventure would be a gross understatement. We slept on the floor in a church the first night, completely changed our plan and traveled through a small channel in the jungle where you couldn’t see water a lot of the time and got stuck on a log at one point and slept on the floor of a pastor’s hut the next night. The Discovery Channel would have been proud of the places we went! However, we all agree that we were 100% where God wanted us and He revealed Himself to us clearer than He ever has at any point in our lives.

The first night we were honored that 8 pastors who represented 8 of the 9 churches that fellowship together from the upper end of the Yanayacu and one who came about 3 hours from the other side of Iquitos. There were also representatives there from a couple of other villages that don’t have any churches. They had planned a time of worship and then wanted to have a meeting with us to share their needs. To be honest, we all thought they were going to ask for money and/or humanitarian supplies.

After a time of each of us asking questions about beliefs, etc. and finding out that while they don’t have any sort of written doctrinal statement the basics are the same. Then the President of the fellowship looked at us and announced the only thing they want is a SEMINARY! Not only that, they had the village picked out where they wanted it and that church was willing to give us all the land we need to build it! Oh, and did I mention that if we will buy them a chainsaw, they will provide all the lumber needed to build it? Hmmm, I wonder what God wants us to do?

We have been to the village, Cabo Pantoja, and spent time with the pastor and people there. They have such an sweet spirit and opened their home, prepared our meals and view our coming there as a blessing from God. So much so that when asked what we owed them for cooking for us etc. the pastor’s wife said, “You don’t owe us any money it is God’s blessing to have you here with us.” A complete difference in the attitude of a lot of people we have met.

Now the work comes of making the request and promises a reality. We have set a goal to raise $20,000 in special one-time offerings by Labor Day. This will be the seed money to purchase the chainsaw, building supplies and hopefully a couple of boats and motors. We will need additional funds in the future, but this will get us started.

We are planning now to make a return trip earlier than the November team that has been forming for the last couple of months. It will probably be in September to do further planning and preparation. Please pray that God will guide in all things.

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