Moyobamba

Moyobamba
I think I am in... seem to me... Thanks Jim... I will be able to exchange with you all respect to what has drawn our passion for seeing the Kingdom of G-d fulfilling in a region like Moyobamba!
HAve new year for you all. Awaiting to see your plans for 2005 and even seeing you there, eventually!
Apolos

Dario's Wilderness Experience at Christmas 2003

Extracts of report of trip by Pastor Dario to a new Aguaruna village over Christmas / New Year 2003.

Here is my report of last trip I made to Caupana (Loreto). The trip was not easy, quite the reverse and very different to the tracks we are used to – they are dangerous and tough, were it not for the grace of God we would not have reached our destination. Most of the journey (3 days in either direction) we were either wet or soaked as we had to cross more than 38 rivers and innumerable streams, bogs and puddles, but thanks to God, when we arrived and met the Aguarunas who were waiting for us life returned and the hope of continuing to dream of the evangelising of the tribal communities. I didn’t find as many people as I had been told as three families had gone hunting and fishing who would be returning later. In the first meeting the Apu (chief) and his family were converted and in the following meetings a total of 17 people were converted. They have committed to building a small church and have donated 4 hectares for the church and, what is more, one of them will come to the Aguaruna Bible Institute in Morroyacu, pray for him as he speaks very little Spanish. They are very poor and very isolated from other tribes, according to them a two day journey to San Ramon (Loreto) and three in our direction. In May Victor (a mature Aguaruna believer) will be returning with two other brothers, and if God permits, I hope to return in the summer hopefully by another route as the journey is a killer, very difficult and exhausting… I have lost 9 kilos, injections in my feet, injuries to my arms and other parts of my body. In the not too distant future we need to send an Aguaruna from the Bible Institute with training in health and medicine who can work more effectively in that community – now members of the heavenly kingdom bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. To conclude my report let me share a spiritual experience; we were totally soaked, including our bags, we had no dry clothes and we tried to rest in a shack… time was dragging and the minutes were very long and we felt the freeze in our bodies, Victor said to me.. “pastor I think I’m going to die”… taking courage and trust in the Lord I said.. “lets pray and ask for heat for our bodies, the Lord will protect us so as not to perish in this cold place..” Dear Pastor David the moment we prayed .. almost instantaneously.. we felt the heat fill that small place that seconds before had been freezing, that night we slept soundly, recovered our strengths and motivation and you cant imagine the joy we felt to speak of HIM… JESUS CHRIST IS REAL, REAL, REAL MY BELOVED FELLOW SERVANT, many times we doubt and what of the people of God… it’s the first time in my Christian life that I have had that type of spiritual experience that I will never forget. Good, in concrete, the Lord saved those Aguarunas of the Caupana, from eternal condemnation according to his plan and purpose, and I am happy to have been used as the preacher among these tribal groups in this part of our country. On the 10th (January) I travel with all my family to Morroyacu for the leadership training and Hilda (Dario’s wife) and Deisy (his daughter) will run a childrens Bible week – we will be away for 15 days. Pray for us.

Dario Meza

New headmaster for Annie Soper school

Back in 1997 José García arrived as headmaster of the Annie Soper Christian School, after completing eight years of sterling service at the school and as elder in the Presbyterian church he returns with his family to Lima. We thank God for all that José has been able to contribute during this time. As of January 3 the new headmaster will be Elio Gonzales Gamboa from the city of Trujillo, Elio has over 30 years teaching experience and we are sure is the man of God´s choosing for this next chapter in the life of the school. Please pray for both José and Elio.

Aguaruna New Testament Revision

During the 2002 trip to Moyobamba, three team members and a pastor from Moyobamba flew to Pucallpa, Peru, where they met with missionaries who have worked for years with the Aguaruna Indians. A discussion was held concerning the critical shortage of Aguaruna scripture in the Moyobamba area. A decision was made not to publish anymore until a revision was completed. The final 'read through' of this revision was completed in the summer of 2004, and funds are currently being raised for printing. It is hoped that this printing and distribution can be accomplished in 2005.

Nueva Vida- Aguaruna village receives the water of life

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-15

As we entered the remote Aguaruna village of Nueva Vida, the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well was on my heart. Water is an essential part of life for every living thing on this planet. Yet how often we take clean, life-giving water for granted here in the “civilized” world.

The inhabitants of Nueva Vida, like all Aguaruna people, are forced to drink water from stagnant pools, seeping up through the ground and laden with multiple species of parasites. These parasites weaken the bodies and minds of the Aguaruna and make them more susceptible to other illnesses as well. Imagine living each day with headaches, diarrhea, weakness, dizziness, abdominal pain, and malaise. These are the common complaints we encountered as we provided medical care to the people of Nueva Vida. We knew, from previously conducted studies of the waterholes and from stool samples from the Aguaruna villagers, that all people in Nueva Vida were infected with from one to four different kinds of parasites. These parasites—Entamoeba coli, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Giardia lamblia, Necator Americanus—can all be successfully treated with medication. However, unless a sustainable clean water supply can be established in Nueva Vida and other Aguaruna communities, the villagers will become re-infected in a very short time. Therefore it is vital that we work together diligently to provide a clean water source for each Aguaruna village as quickly as possible.

Our congregation, First Presbyterian Church, Frankfort, adopted the Aguaruna as our unreached people group in 1999. During this year’s mission trip to Peru, our sixth, it was encouraging to see the growth in the church among the Aguaruna people, both numerically and spiritually. There are now small churches with a lay pastor in at least eleven Aguaruna communities. Each of these communities have several church leaders being trained at a Bible Institute in Morroyacu under the direction of Pastor Dario Meza, associate pastor at Moyobamba Presbyterian Church. All of these communities now have a primitive school and a healthcare promoter trained in basic first aid as well. We can rejoice in the knowledge that the Aguaruna are being given the “water welling up to eternal life.” However there are still many Aguaruna who have yet to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and much work remains to be done. Even those who have given their life to Christ require discipleship and nurturing in their young faith just as we in the United States require constant involvement in the church in order to mature in our faith.

I am struck by the similarity between the water problem facing the Aguaruna and the one facing us each day of our lives. Are we continually going to the well and yet never being satisfied? Do we constantly suffer from headaches, diarrhea, weakness, dizziness, abdominal pain, and malaise as the “things of this world” attack our bodies and minds and keep us from a close relationship with God? I see many patients every day with these same complaints, yet not a one would identify the problem as one related to “water.” Maybe it’s time we all ask Jesus anew to give us living water so that we will never thirst for things in this world which can never satisfy, but only leave us wanting more.

I pray that we would make it a top priority to provide funds for equipment to drill wells in each of the Aguaruna villages as quickly as possible. Without drilling wells to tap into a continual source of clean water, the Aguaruna will forever suffer from life-threatening parasitic infections. Let us work together diligently to improve the lives of our Aguaruna brothers and sisters so that they in turn will be able to reach out to others with the love of Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of god. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

Changing Lives Through the Love of Jesus Christ

Moment For Mission

God Works in Peru: It's not always easy to see results of the work that is done by our team members on short-term mission trips. In fact, many times we may never see the results and the effects of our mission efforts. But we trust that God is always in control and that He is leading our church and our mission teams for His purposes. We also trust that somewhere, somehow, we make a difference in someone's life. . .that seeds are planted in the hearts of people we meet. . .that lives are changed. . .that we have enabled others to effectively bring people to Christ. Sometimes it is easier to see the effects and changes in our own lives as we serve God in the area of missions.

Here is an example of a concrete way our 2003 Peru Mission Team made a difference. If you remember in the last issue of First Press, Dr. Jim Milstead wrote an article detailing a specific incident involving a very sick child, Juanito, who was suffering from starvation. Juanito was Jim's last patient on the last day of medical clinic in a remote village outside of Moyobamba, Peru. Our hearts were touched as we saw or heard about Juanito's circumstances. The team left money in a fund to provide for his care as well as for other children like Juanito. Since returning from Peru, the team members have been praying for this young child and have been finding ways to continue supporting Juanito. We have had several follow-up reports from Peru regarding Juanito. He had been taken from his family (not because of neglect but for better care) and brought into Moyobamba where friends of the Luke Society and the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church have been taking care of him. We just recently received a new update, with a picture, stating that Juanito is doing very well and that his young life was saved because of our care and concern.

Now, I know that this is just one incident. But may we all continue to pray for our mission trips and the team members. Pray that God will work mightily (and sometimes invisibly) through these trips. Pray that not only will we be instrumental in healing a young boy who was dying physically, but that our work will also help to heal people who are dying spiritually as we seek to bring hope and eternal life and the good news of Jesus Christ to wherever God leads us.

Becky Milstead

The Last Patient-Juanito's Story

Inspirations

Juanito was my last patient on the last day of medical clinics in Yantaló, an isolated pueblo of 1,500 inhabitants outside of Moyobamba, Peru. Our mission team had been working alongside the brothers and sisters from the Yantaló Presbyterian Church for nearly a week as we constructed a new church building on the same site where the old church had stood. The dilapidated remnants of the old sanctuary provided shelter from the tropical sun, and a semblance of privacy, for the hundreds of medical patients treated in the clinics. The vast majority of patients were suffering from intestinal parasites, skin infections, and chronic pain from years of grueling manual labor. Juanito was different. As his father meekly entered the clinic, I saw cradled in his arms a frail, nearly lifeless 13-month old boy...too weak to sit up...too weak to even cry.

Juanito's family had many problems, poverty and lack of education paramount to his current condition. Malnutrition was ravaging his young body as his diet of yucca and bananas could not sustain him. A child in this condition here in the United States would be removed from his home due to child neglect. However, the love and concern Juanito's father exhibited for his child was readily apparent. No, this was not a case of neglect. Rather, this was a frequent occurrence in Third World countries where millions of children die of starvation. But what could we do for little Juanito in this primitive setting? What difference could we possibly make in his fragile life?

Fortunately for me, and Juanito, there were no fewer than five godly women hovering over this child with hearts broken and eager to help. Within minutes someone had bought several cans of evaporated milk, and Juanito was eagerly taking it in through a syringe. After nearly 30 minutes Juanito began to smile and reach out his weak limbs to touch his loving caregivers. With tears in our eyes we all acknowledged that little Juanito had already touched our lives in a way that we will never forget.

I'm not sure what will become of Juanito in the future, but I thank God for allowing me to witness the effect he had on so many members of our team. We do what we can to help others; in Juanito's case we bought lots of milk, educated his father, and set up a fund for him at the Luke Society in Moyobamba. However, ultimately we entrust him to the care of the same God who provides for us in such a magnificent way.

Many Christians are deterred from performing mission work because of the apparent futility of their efforts against a backdrop of such an overwhelming need. I take comfort in knowing that God just wants us to be obedient when He calls us to serve others in His name. He doesn't ask us to fix everyone, but rather to serve others in the same way Jesus did.

As Jesus said in Matthew 25:34-40..."Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"The King will reply: 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. "

Jim Milstead

2003 Trip-19 People from 7 Churches!

Travels in Peru

Capturing the essence of the 2003 Peru Mission trip in an article is a difficult task. Quite frankly, this year's trip was an amazing one...one that is very hard to put into words. Nineteen people (from seven different churches) were a part of this year's team, and because of the diverse talents of the team, we were all traveling in different directions throughout our time in Moyobamba. This created a bit of stress for our friends in Moyobamba as they scrambled to make travel and living arrangements for our large team. Whether doing physical labor under the hot sun, trekking through the dense jungle, translating, helping in medical and dental clinics in nearby villages, doing street ministry in the Moyobamba town square, working with children, or just building relationships and showing Christ's love with the people we came into contact with, our team came to serve God and to join in the work that He is already doing in Peru.

The work that the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church is doing in the area to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to establish new churches is phenomenal. We were grateful to join in on a small part of this work...helping to build a church in Yantaló and Bajo Naranjillo. We were also able to attend a worship service in the newly established church in Tarapoto, where Pastor Paul Gaug from Champion Presbyterian Church preached. In addition, we worked with the Luke Society, a Christ-centered medical organization, and saw firsthand the wide scope of work this organization does in the area, which includes providing medical as well as spiritual care to those often overlooked by the government, teaching and training indigenous people about nutritional, agricultural, and health issues, and helping to provid clean water in remote villages.

Along the way, we met some amazing people. Jacob, who is a university student from North Carolina and fluent in Spanish, has spent the last few summers in Moyobamba. Ha has such a heart for the Lord...translating, singing, and sharing Christ everywhere. Using songs, puppets, and stories, Miryan, a teacher at the Annie Soper School, dedicates her weekends and vacations to sharing Christ with impoverished children in nearby communities. Many team members enjoyed sharing time with Maxwell, a young Peruvian man from Tarapoto, who is doing great works at the church in Moyobamba. Juan and Estella Ruiz and Victor and Elizabeth Vargas opened their homes and hearts to team members and provided wonderful home-cooked, Peruvian meals, as well as laundry services. Victor also helped with much of the transportation and led some of our team members into the jungle.

In addition to all the various work projects, team members experienced a number of other fun events while in Peru...our recreational trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu, the thermal baths outside of Moyobamba, a soccer tournament where the gringos got trounced, an exotic fishing expedition to a jungle lagoon (arranged by the mayor of Yantaló) where the team fished for and ate tilapia, a surprise birthday party for Victor, and the Peruvian wedding of Noe and Lori. (Lori is a young woman from North Carolina who has been teaching at the Annie Soper School for several years, and Noe is a young Peruvian man who is the main singer and drummer for a Peruvian Christian folkloric band).

The 2003 team members were deeply touched by all we saw and experienced while in Moyobamba, and many of us are already finding ways to continue the work and to help meet the needs that we saw while on this trip. None of us came home empty handed, and all of us came home changed by this experience. Even though we recognize we can't change the whole world, and our work in Peru is just a small part of God's wondrous works throughout the world, we thank the Lord for allowing us to be a part of furthering His Kingdom by joining in the work He is already doing in Moyobamba. We were truly blessed by this experience. God has given us this small corner of the world to join with our brothers and sisters of a different culture and race...to help those in need, to share Christ's love, and to offer hope and healing through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Be sure to talk with some of the 2003 Peru Mission Trip team members to hear more about this outstanding trip.

Becky Milstead

Peru Trip Plans for 2003

2003 Peru Trip

Approximately two days after the Nohchakan Team returns from Mexico, another short-term mission team will travel to Moyobamba, Peru. This will be First Presbyterian Church's fifth mission trip to Moyobamba. Our church initially became involved in this part of the world after our congregation adopted the Aguaruna Indians as our unreached people group. In 1999, a small exploratory team headed for the Peruvian jungle to learn more about the work with the Aguaruna Indians. Since that time, our church has joined forces with the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church in its gospel outreach to the Aguaruna Indians, and our work in Moyobamba has expanded to include the Luke Society, a non-denominational medical mission agency, and the Annie Soper School, a Christian elementary/high school. Additionally, David McPherson, pastor of the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church, visited our church in November 2001 and was the guest speaker for our church's Mission Weekend.

Team members for the 2003 Peru Mission Trip are: Andrew Smith, Josh Swinford, Beth Nash, Julie Neal, Jim, Becky, Angie, and Dustin Milstead. Team members from the Champion Presbyterian Church in Warren, Ohio are: Les Double, Angela Gianakos, and the pastor and his wife, Paul and Linda Gaug. Also joining on this mission trip are: Jason Knapp (brother of Laura Smith) and his daughter Lorien Knapp, from Anderson, Indiana; Lee Mulder from the Chicago area; Beverly Scott and Amy Kiefer, from northern Indiana; and Walt and Jerry Clark from Greensboro, North Carolina.

The dates for the 2003 Peru Mission Trip will be July 21 through August 4.

Angie's and Andy's Andes Adventure

For eight weeks Andy and I were in the high jungles of Peru in the city of Moyobamba. During this time, we grew accustomed to the lifestyles and cultures of this city and of our host families. We were both greatly blessed with wonderful host families. Andy stayed in the house of a couple named Juan and Estella who have made it their ministry to board missionaries from all over the world in their house. I lived in the house of Victor and Elizabeth Vargas, whose three children have all left to go study at universities. Our host families were awesome and became like our families here at home.

From day one, our Spanish skills were put to the test as we were immersed in the language. Yet after a week or so, Spanish became our common language, and it seemed strange to speak in English. Even now at home, I catch myself thinking in Spanish and even talking to others in Spanish at times. Just as I was in culture shock when I first got to Peru, I was in culture shock when I got back to the states. From paved roads to air conditioning to fast food, life here is completely different from the life I had in Moyobamba.

While in Moyobamba, Andy and I had the opportunity to work alongside the Luke Society and the Annie Soper school. Andy did a great deal of translating at the clinic and worked with several doctors there. He was even able to watch doctors putting screws into a man's broken leg, which they did with a regular Black and Decker drill and normal screws. Andy has many more interesting stories, such as going out into the jungle and being served guinea pig, so you should ask him to share them with you.

I, on the other hand, was constantly busy at the Annie Soper school. In the mornings I would help the elementary English teacher, and in the afternoons I would teach my own English classes. I had approximately seven students from each grade level (1-6) who were struggling with their English class work, so they were placed in my class. Once a week, these students would spend an hour with me, playing games and reviewing their English. Though quite frustrating at times, I thoroughly enjoyed all of my students and grew to love each one of them I miss having 30 shrill voices pipe out, "Good morning, Miss Angela", every day.

This summer was an amazing experience for Andy and me-one in which we learned a lot about ourselves, the mission experience, another country and culture, and about God. Though we may not see fully what our purpose was in Moyobamba at this time, we know that the Lord used us this summer for His will. We want to thank all of you who made this trip possible for us through your countless prayers and financial support. Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have about our trip. We are more than willing to share about our wonderful and blessed experience. It was a trip of a lifetime and one we will not soon forget.

Angie Milstead

2002 Trip-An Amazing Amazon Adventure

This year's Peru Mission Trip reads like a book filled with many chapters, plots, and subplots...drama and suspense...dozens of characters...exotic settings...all with the underlying theme that God is in charge. Much time and planning went into the preparation of this year's trip to Moyobamba. And for the most part, our plans went as scheduled. But interspersed in our plans were God's plans.

Team members

On July 19, eleven people left from the Indianapolis airport to begin the two-week adventure in the high Amazon jungle of Peru. Those on the trip from our church were: Steve Beardsley, Matt Crawford, Jim and Becky Milstead, and Josh Swinford. Three people from the Champion Presbyterian Church in Warren, Ohio joined the team: Les Double, Angela Gianakos, and Ken Perrine. Others joining the team were Jay Huber and Audrey Tobias from northern Indiana, and Lee Mulder from Glen Ellyn, Illinois. It was indeed a diverse group of individuals...all completing God's plans for the team through their individual gifts and talents.

Luke Video in Aguaruna

Team member Les Double worked for months to acquire the Luke video and the necessary equipment to show this video(translated into Aguaruna) in the remote jungle villages. When the team arrived in Lima, several people took a taxi across town to pick up the Luke video which had just been completed. One evening, after experiencing a church service in the Aguaruna village of Bajo Naranjillo, dozens of Aguaruna Indians intensely watched the awesome drama of Christ unfold on a small TV powered by solar batteries.

Customs, Duties, and Luggage

One of our early prayer concerns was how to get $11,000 of medicines and medical supplies and equipment through customs without any complications or without paying any duties. In addition, we had an excess of 200 kilograms of weight for the Lima/Tarapoto flight...which was going to cost us dearly. Our team prayed fervently that God would take care of this situation. When Jim Milstead told the customs agent who we were and what we were doing, they quickly pulled us aside and sent us to the customs office. After further questioning by the customs officers and more explanation by Jim, we were quickly ushered around customs without any inspection at all and were sent on our way. Praise God! The next day as we checked our baggage for the Lima/Tarapoto flight, our leaders were able to negotiate a small fee for our excess baggage. We praised God once again. It was only when we arrived in Moyobamba that we realized that Ken Perrine did not have his luggage and would spend his entire time in Peru without it.

Jungle Trek

Most of the team members journeyed out into the jungle to visit the Aguaruna villages of Bajo Naranjillo and Cachiyacu. The trek through the jungle ended up being very strenuous and was hampered further by rain and slippery, muddy trails. Halfway into the jungle, it was determined that some of the people would not be able to continue. They were led back to the closest mestizo village of San Jose where the villagers hustled to find housing arrangements for the unexpected "guests". Matt Crawford, who was headed to the distant village of Cachiyacu, sprained his ankle three-fourths of the way there. Not only did he have to finish the hike to Cachiyacu on a bad ankle, but he had to hobble back as well. Both of the "jungle teams" experienced God's will through their "jungle adventures."

The Luke Society

Two years ago, Steve and Teresa Beardsley and Jim and Becky Milstead agreed to be the Partner Ministry Team (PMT) for the Luke Society in Moyobamba. For two years they have wondered just what this role meant. Steve and Jim spent much time at the Luke Society getting to know the staff better and learning more about what the Luke Society does. They are hoping that they will now have a clearer picture of how to be an effective PMT for this organization.

The Photojournalist

Lee Mulder--from Glen Ellyn, Illinois--is just one of the many examples of the many talented people who made up this team. Lee, a photojournalist, became aware of our trip to Peru through Dan McNerney (Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship) and came on this trip to document our mission trip and our work with the Aguaruna Indians. Before his arrival, the Luke Society and the Annie Soper School were asking him to help prepare professional videos for their organizations. Lee, who often had his face hidden behind his camera, found several other areas to use his expertise in as well.

The Evacuation of Moyobamba

Before the team left Frankfort, they had heard about threats of a possible farmer's strike which would block the major roads in the province of San Martin, including the road from Moyobamba to Tarapoto. At 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 25, the strike began. On Friday, July 26, Jim Milstead, Les Double, and Angela Gianakos flew from Moyobamba to Pucallpa on a small missionary plane where they were scheduled to meet with several missionaries in that area.

Although there was talk that the strike would fizzle out or end before the rest of the team needed to leave, we began to discuss the "what ifs?" We began to make plans to charter small planes to fly us from Moyobamba to Tarapoto. The plane was supposed to arrive on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. to transport the first group (of three) to Tarapoto. For one reason or another, the charter company delayed the planes all morning until finally we were told that they weren't coming at all because the pilots were afraid to fly into the Tarapoto airport where there were rumors of rioting. We were out of time and out of luck. Someone remembered that our group in Pucallpa was staying at a mission airbase. We quickly called there to see if there were any planes that could come get us. We were told that there was a pilot in the air near Moyobamba. They called us back twenty minutes later to tell us that they could help. The evacuation story is long and at times a bit scary, but we were all evacuated within 24 hours.

There are so many stories to this year's Peru trip. Be sure to ask a team member for more details on: John Schmidt, the South America Mission (SAMAIR) pilot who flew all of the team members out of Moyobamba; Casey the coffee buyer; the military at the airports; the arrival of the Lima police S.W.A.T. team; the team separated in five Peruvian cities; the Tarapoto airport violence; the Lima newspaper front page coverage of the strike in Tarapoto; the witness in Cachiyacu; the goats transported in the belly of the SAM plane; the joyful reunion; the Moyobamba parade; the fiestas and festivals; the Pucallpa trip; the trip to Cusco/Machu Picchu. The list goes on and on. Also, be watching for more information about this year's Peru mission trip report.

One of the most unique features about any mission trip is how God uses the trip for His glory and how He works in the lives of the team members. This year's trip to Moyobamba was no exception. God showed His hand at work in so may ways throughout this trip. After all, God is the author and illustrator of this amazing Amazon adventure.

Becky Milstead

Luke Video in Aguaruna language for first time!

Team Prepares for Peru

On July, 19, a team of 12 people will be leaving for Moyobamba, Peru, for our church's fourth short-term mission trip to this area. Team members from our church are Steve Beardsley, Matt Crawford, Jim and Becky Milstead, and Josh Swinford. Team members from Champion Presbyterian Church in Warren, Ohio are Les Double, Angela Gianakos, and Ken Perrine. Other team members are Jay Huber, Audrey Tobias, and Amy Kiefer from northern Indiana and Lee Mulder from Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The team will join with Andy Beardsley and Angie Milstead who have been in Moyobamba since early June.

This mission trip to Peru offers a number of opportunities for mission work as the team joins with the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church and continues the work with the Luke Society, the Annie Soper Christian School, and the Aguaruna Indians. Some of the team members will work with the Luke Society, assessing its needs and providing medicines, technical assistance, and supplies. Others could work at the annie Soper Christian School helping with whatever its needs might be. Many of the team members will journey out into remote jnugle areas to work with our unreached people group, the Aguaruna Indians. They plan to show the Jesus film (which has recently been made available in the Aguaruna language) , continue with church planting in the Aguaruna villages, and explore new areas to take the gospel of Jesus Christ. Exact "work plans" for this trip are sketchy at this time, but the team members are trusting that the Lord will lead them throughout their trip as they seek to work for His Kingdom.

At the end of the work in Moyobamba, two of the team members will fly directly back to the United States on July 27. Three of the team members will fly on a mission plane to Pucallpa, Peru, to share in the work of missionaries in that region. The rest of the team will travel to Cusco where they will debrief, pass out Christian tracts, and spend time together as tourists for a few days.

Please be in prayer for our 2002 Peru Mission Team as they serve the Lord in Peru. Team members from our church will be commissioned at both worship services on Sunday, July 14.

Bibles for Moyobamba-The Word of God in Every Home

The Moyobamba Presbyterian Church will celebrate its 75th Anniversary this October. In celebration of the occasion, the congregation of the Moyobamba church wants to distribute special edition New Testaments to every home in the city. The 10,000 New Testaments will be distributed personally by members of the Moyobamba church. This large undertaking will provide an opportunity for the Moyobamba brothers and sisters to share the gospel with many in the community and will allow the Word of God to be available to every person in Moyobamba.

The cost of this special edition New Testament, which is produced by the Peruvian Bible Society, is $1.00 a copy. The total cost needed for this project is $10,000. The Moyobamba church is raising $3,000 of this money and is asking other congregations and friends to help raise the other $7,000.

The Mission Team has requested that our church be a part of this wonderful project and has received Session's approval. The Bible project was introduced to our congregation at worship service this past Sunday, June 16. Several other churches in the United States who have ties to Moyobamba will also be helping to raise the money for these Bibles.

If you would like to be a part of this project, there will be a large bottle (clearly marked) at the church to drop your donations in. All denominations and coins are appreciated. Remember, each dollar raised will bring the Word of God into the home of a Peruvian family that may be in need of God's saving grace and His promise of eternal life.

Moyobamba Pastor Headlines Mission Weekend 2001

2001 Mission Weekend-November 3 and 4

Once again the Mission Team will be sponsoring Mission Weekend which is an opportunity to enlighten our congregation in the area of missions within our church. We have several "mission events" planned for Mission Weekend as we seek to focus on our church's outreach to the community and the world. Come be a part of the 2001 Mission Weekend and learn more about the missions our church is involved in. This year, our focus is on Moyobamba, Peru, and the three ministries that we support there. Throughout the weekend you will have the chance to learn more about the Aguaruna Indians, the Annie Soper School, and the Luke Society from David McPherson, pastor of the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church. David will be our guest speaker for the weekend and will be featured at our Saturday night event as well as during the Sunday school and worship service on Sunday morning.

David McPherson

David was born in Peru in 1965 to Scottish missionary parents. He attended elementary school in Peru, high school in Scotland, and college at Aberdeen University where he studied economics. He then worked as an economist for three years before he moved back to Peru in 1990 to work in a housing construction project following an earthquake. David married Martha (a Peruvian) in 1992. He went back to Scotland in 1994 to study for the ministry in Edinburgh. He returned to Peru in 1998 as a missionary of the Free Church of Scotland (Presbyterian). He is currently the pastor of the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church and president of the Annie Soper Christian School board. David is also involved with the Luke Society, which is a non-denominational Christian medical mission which ministers to the spiritual and physical needs of the poor in that community. David,Martha, and their three boys-John (9), Samuel (7), and Joseph (1)- housed several of our team members from the 2001 Peru Mission Team while they were in Moyobamba this year.

Working For God's Kingdom in Moyobamba

On August 8, 2001, a group of ten people departed Frankfort enroute to Moyobamba, Peru, to participate in a mission trip involving three ministries in that area. The mission team was composed of five people from our church: Andy Beardsley, Angie Milstead, Jim Milstead, Beth Nash, and Josh Swinford. The other five team members- Judy Alering, Kathy Costlow, Les Double, Susan Hart, and Amy Kiefer-belong to churches in northern Indiana and Ohio, and felt called by God to participate in this mission trip. The purpose of the mission was threefold, (1) to continue evangelizing and church planting in the Aguaruna villages, (2) to provide medical supplies, equipment, technical support, and finances for the Luke Society, and (3) to assist the Annie Soper Christian School in educating their students.

As you know, our church has made a commitment to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ with an unreached people group, the Aguaruna Indians of Peru. To that end, each year we send financial support to the Iglesia Presbyteriana in Moyobamba so that they can build a church in each of the seven remote Aguaruna villages we are working with. The funds also allow Aguaruna pastors to be trained so that they can then minister to their own people. This year, our team helped construct a church in the village of Yarau and saw a recently constructed dormitory in the village of Morroyacu. Of course, buildings only provide a place for the real church-the people who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior-to meet. It was even more important for us to worship with, encourage, and pray for those new believers who live in a harsh environment. Just as we can allow the things of the world to separate us from God, the remoteness of the villages and lack of spiritual counseling from more mature Christians can lead to a falling away of these new believers. Fortunately, one of the pastors (Dario Mesa) of our sister church in Moyobamba spends about half of each month visiting each village to encourage, advise, and worship with these new believers. Please keep Dario and these Aguaruna brothers and sisters in your prayers.

The second objective was to provide medical care to the people in and around Moyobamba. The Luke Society in Moyobamba provides medical care to the indigent and reaches out to the surrounding communities to teach the people about nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, birth control, and other health issues. This year we brought medicines and supplies for the clinic and made a visit to a village to see how their work had psitively impacted the people of this community. In addition, we also held a medical clinic in three Aguaruna villages. The Luke Society functions like the Open Door Clinic, Crisis Pregnancy Center, Ag Co-op, City Planning Council, and other local agencies all rolled into one and blanketed in the love of Jesus Christ. This ministry is truly a blessing to all of the people in the Moyobamba area.

The Annie Soper Christian School provides excellent education for more than 300 children from kindergarten through grade 12. It costs approximately $50 a month per student and scholarship moneys are greatly needed. A few members of our team had the opportunity to work at the Annie Soper School. They helped in the school's library...dusting, cleaning, and reorganizing. Some visited and observed the classes. They were given a complete tour by the headmaster of the school, Señor José Martin. It was a great opportunity to see the ministry the school is doing for the young people of Moyobamba.

I have purposely not discussed again the physical demands of our trip, as God has always taken care of all of our needs. Instead, I wanted to focus on what God is doing in and around Moyobamba, and to give thanks to Him for allowing us to be a part of that. Ultimately, I think each member of our team came to know Jesus Christ in a more intimate way and we were continually blessed by God and by the people of Peru. Our devotional study was based on the book Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson. I pray that God continues to prune things from our lives which keep us from bearing much fruit for His Kingdom. To God be the glory.

Jim Milstead

2001 Trip to the "City of Orchids"-Moyobamba,Peru

From August 8-18, ten people will be on a mission trip to Moyobamba, Peru. Moyobamba, which is called the "City of Orchids", is located in the foothills of the Andes in what is known as the 'high jungle". It is a city of 50,000 people located in northern Peru on the River Mayo. This will be our church's third short-term mission trip to this remote area of South America. The reason for sending a mission team to this area started two years ago when our church adopted the Aguaruna Indians as our unreached people group. Since that time our church has helped to provide boats and motors for transportation and helped to build churches in several Aguaruna villages. In addition to our adoption of the Aguaruna, our church has also become involved with two other ministries in Moyobamba: the Annie Soper School and the Luke Society. The team will work with all three areas while in Peru.

The Annie Soper School is a Christian school, supported by the Moyobamba Church, and seeks to provide a high academic level of education grounded in Christian principles and values. Many of the students are children of believers within the congregation. However, Annie Soper is open to the community at large, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, as an expression of Christian service and as a means of evangelistic outreach.

The Luke Society is an interdenominational Christian medical mission that ministers to the spiritual, economic, and physical needs of the indigent community. This organization is instrumental in contributing to the development and expansion of the Kingdom, promoting improved standards of life and health, teaching people about nutrition and environmental hygiene, and improving methods of agriculture and basic healthcare services. The Luke Society serves more than 1,700 families in and around Moyobamba.

The team members going on this trip include five people from our church and five people from other churches. Since the first announcement of team members, there have been a few changes. One woman from northern Indiana has had to drop out from the trip, but another from Cincinnati has since joined the team. Steve Beardsley, who has recently had extensive knee surgery, will be unable to be a part of this year's team and hopes to be back in shape for next year's trip. Going from our church are Andy Beardsley, Josh swinford, Angie Milstead, Beth Nash, and Jim Milstead. Other team members include Les Double, retired die maker for General Motors, from Champion Presbyterian Church in warren, Ohio; Amy Kiefer, surgical nurse from Bremen, Indiana; Susan Hart, insurance agent from College Hills Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio; Judy Alering, homemaker from Cincinnati, Ohio; and Kathy Costlow of Napanee, Indiana, former member of our church.

Please remember to pray for these team members as they journey to Peru and back.

Becky Milstead

Champion Presbyterian Church Adopts Aguaruna

Plans Continue For Peru Mission Trip

Team members for the 2001 Peru Mission Trip are meeting regularly as they continue to plan their mission trip to Moyobamba, Peru in August. The team of eleven will leave for Peru on August 8 and will return on August 17. During their stay in Moyobamba, the team will focus on three different areas of ministry; the Annie Soper Christian School, the Luke Society, and the Aguaruna Indians. Most of the team members will travel into the jungle to visit the Aguaruna Indians for at least a short time. Several of the more adventurous members are hoping to spend most of their time trekking deeper into the jungle and perhaps traveling to several remote
Aguaruna villages. No specific work projects are outlined at this time, but recent communications from leaders in Peru indicated that there will be opportunities for construction and for medical work with the Aguaruna as well as construction and/or working with the children at the Annie Soper School.

Team members participating in the trip are Andy Beardsley, Steve Beardsley, Tammy Blanton, Kathy Costlow, Les Double, Susan Hart, Amy Kiefer, Angie Milstead, Jim Milstead, Beth Nash, and Josh Swinford. Six of the members are from our church. Tammy Blanton, Amy Kiefer, and Kathy Costlow are from northern Indiana near Nappanee. Les Double is from the Champion Presbyterian Church in Warren, Ohio, which also has adopted the Aguaruna Indians as their unreached people group. Susan Hart is from College Hills Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is indeed a diverse group of individuals from many different backgrounds and with a wide variety of talents. For five of the team members, this will be their first experience on a short-term foreign mission trip. all are excited about this trip and are ready and willing to serve the Lord in the work He has prepared for them.

Please remember to be in prayer for the team members as they make trip preparations. Pray that this team will be a bold witness for our lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that the trip will be to the glory of our Mighty and Everlasting God.

The Road to Moyobamba and Beyond!

On August 16, the Peru Mission Team returned home, exhausted yet exhilarated from the many wonderful experiences we encountered during our 13-day trip through the valley, mountains, and jungles of Peru. This is just a brief glimpse of our travels.

Just getting to and through Peru was quite a test of endurance as we traveled countless hours using a variety of different modes of transportation. We zigzagged through mountains on trains: squeezed tightly into buses, trucks, cars, and jeeps; courageously rode in open air motorcycle taxis; and flew on eight different airplanes. In addition, we sat for hours on a small boat (peque peque) as we navigated the River Mayo and spent even more hours walking, hiking, and climbing. (Not to mention the long waits in the airports).

Our adventure in Peru began in Cusco, the oldest living city in the Americas with a continuous settlement of more than 3,000 years. The first day in Cusco was spent drinking coca tea and resting as we adjusted to the altitude (11,150 feet). The next three days were spent touring the various sites in and around the city. In addition to the city tour, we took a breathtaking four-hour train trip (one-way) to Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca city. Another day we boarded a bus to see the Sacred Valley of the Incas, stopping at small villages, marketplaces, a pottery factory, and other interesting sites.

For the next part of the trip we headed to Moyobamba where we began our mission work. Perhaps one of the roughest parts of our journey was the road to Moyobamba from Tarapoto. This was a three-hour drive on an incredibly rocky and bumpy dirt road filled with huge potholes. Not only did we have a flat tire on the way to Moyobamba, but we also blew a tire on our return trip back to Tarapoto. In Moyobamba our team stayed at the house of Juan and Estella, whose ministry is to provide food and lodging for visiting missionaries. Our accommodations were excellent with good food, clean beds, and lukewarm showers.

Our trip into the jungle to visit the Aguaruna, our church's adopted unreached people group, divided our team into two groups. We all started out together heading upriver on the small peque peque boat with our equipment and around 20 people. . .our team, our guides and translators, and several youth from the Presbyterian Church in Moyobamba. We picked up several Aguaruna passengers along the way until our boat was overflowing with more than 30 people. We traveled for over six hours and deposited the first group at the riverbank near the village of Nuevo Progresso where we hiked for twenty minutes, spent the night, and returned to Moyobamba the next day. While in Nuevo Progresso, we attended an evening worship service and dedicated the newly constructed church building. The rest of the group traveled several more hours on the river and stopped near the village of Nueva Vida, hiked a good distance to the village, and spent the night. The next morning, the group from the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church headed out to the remote village of Kuso, leaving the rest of our team in the primitive Aguaruna village of Nueva Vida for two more days. There we were given the opportunity to interact more closely with the people and to observe how they lived. We attended two worship services and held several Bible schools with the children. Four people came to Christ and one recommitted his life during our stay. We also witnessed the baptizing of a few new Christians in the river as we returned back to Moyobamba.

Back in Moyobamba the first group which returned early visited the Luke Society and learned more about the great work this Christian medical mission does with the needy throughout the community. We attended Sunday morning and Sunday evening worship services at the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church, and we visited the Annie Soper School, a Christian school supported by the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church.

In the year that our church has been working with the Aguaruna, we have provided funds for the construction of two church buildings in two Aguaruna villages, two boats to connect the remote villages to Moyobamba, and a powerful 40-horsepower motor to help the Moyobamba church members to go out to the distant Aguaruna villages more quickly. We took with us eight sets of pictorial teaching materials from New Tribe Missions, a large supply of medicine for the Luke Society, Spanish Christian tracts from World Missionary Press, and small items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, pens, and crayons supplied by our church's Vacation Bible School. Additional money was left for the establishment of an emergency medical fund for the Aguaruna, for two scholarships at the Annie Soper School, for improvement of the Moyobamba Church's Christian radio system which will enable them to broadcast farther to reach the Aguaruna communities, for support of an Aguaruna lay pastor who is taking the gospel to the Aguaruna villages, and for a 20-year-old girl from Moyobamba who will be spending several months living in Nueva Vida as a missionary.

Again, this is just a glimpse of the many marvelous things that happened while we were in Peru. Be sure to attend the Peru Mission Report on Sunday, September 10, at 6:30 p.m. to hear more details about this trip. Team members on this trip were Steve and Teresa Beardsley, Victor and Alice Cleveland, Kathy Costlow, Shirley Knapp, Jim and Becky Milstead, and Pat and Laura Smith. We truly felt blessed, protected, and guided by God throughout our trip and would like to thank everyone for their faithful prayers for our health, safety, ministry, etc. while we were in Peru.

Becky Milstead

2000 Peru Team Set for Departure

Mission Team Heads For Peru

Ten people from our church will be heading out on the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to Peru for thirteen days This team will be spending time in Moyobamba, Peru, where they will work with the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church and the Luke Society. They will also travel into the jungle to visit and witness to the Aguaruna Indians, the unreached people group that our church adopted last year.

The members of the team are Steve and Teresa Beardsley, Victor and Alice Cleveland, Kathy Costlow, Jim and Becky Milstead, and Pat and Laura Smith. A recent and welcomed addition to the team is Shirley Knapp, mother of Laura Smith and a veteran mission traveler. The team has been meeting on a regular basis as they make plans and preparations for this trip

This journey begins as the team leaves from Indianapolis on Friday, August 4. They will arrive in Lima, Peru, early the next morning. The first part of their trip will be in Cusco, Peru, where they will spend time adjusting to the altitude, sightseeing, shopping, and touring ancient Inca ruins such as Macchu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The second part of their trip will take them to Moyobamba, a city of 50,000 located in the northern high jungle of Peru. Moyobamba, which is 2,820 feet above sea level, is know as the Orchid City with more than 2,500 orchid species in the region.

In Moyobamba, they will work closely with the Luke Society and the Moyobamba Presbyterian Church. The Luke Society is an interdenominational Christian medical mission that ministers to the spiritual and physical needs of the needy in the community. This organization is instrumental in contributing to the development and expansion of the gospel; promoting improved standards of life and health in the surrounding communities, teaching people about nutrition, environmental hygiene, and improved methods of agriculture, and providing basic health care services. The Luke Society serves more than 1,200 families in the community.

As the team heads from the jungle via small boats on the Rio Mayo, they will divide into two different groups. One group (the less adventurous) will travel to one of the closest Aguaruna villages where they will spend the night, perhaps visit another nearby village, and return back to Moyobamba to focus on the work with the Luke Society. The other more daring group will venture deeper into the jungle for several days to visit some of the more remote villages. In conjunction with the church in Moyobamba, our church has supported the building of several churches in these villages and has provided boats to help access these isolated villages.

Please remember to pray for this team. The team prayer requests are:

• Pray for safe travel.
• Pray for good health and safety as they journey through the jungle.
• Pray that they are protected against a spiritually active world.
• Pray that God would prepare the hearts of the unreached people so that they will be receptive to the gospel.
• Pray for their families and friends at home.
• Pray that they will be witnesses for Christ to all they come in contact with.
• Pray that God uses all their gifts and they work together as a team.
• Pray that God's will is done and that He is given all the glory.

The team will return to Frankfort on Wednesday afternoon, August 16.

The Adoption of the Aguaruna

FPC Congregation: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

The Aguaruna: I have no shepherd. I want and am in need.

What a wonderful and joyous event an adoption is! After a long period of frustration, anticipation, and longing for the addition of a new child to the family, at last the moment arrives. The family lovingly embraces the new member and begins a life-long journey together. The commitment to love and nurture does not end but grows stronger with each passing day.

Our church family has recently adopted the Aguaruna, an unreached people group in the jungle of northern Peru. Let us pledge to love the Aguaruna just as God loves us. And may we continue to pray for God's will to be done as we seek to bring all of the Aguaruna people into the kingdom.

We have just received our new "family member." Now our life-long journey begins, and we need to make a commitment, as a church, to nurture the spiritual growth of the Aguaruna. Please read the Certificate of Adoption below, pray for the Aguaruna, and ask God to prepare our hearts to pledge our unending support for the establishment of the church among all the Aguaruna people.

On Sunday, October 24, at both worship services, our church will formally adopt the Aguaruna people in a special commitment service.

Certificate of Adoption

Whereas Father God has adopted us into His Kingdom, and whereas the Lord Jesus has purchased us and men from every tribe and language and people and nation by His very precious blood shed on the cross (Rev. 5:9), and whereas the people of our culture have ready access to the Gospel and there are still thousands of people in the world with no such access or Gospel witness, and whereas Christ has commanded us and all Christians to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) and to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20). . .

WE HEREBY ADOPT

The Aguaruna People

We pledge ourselves, from this day forward, to pray regularly for the establishment of the Church among them and to continue to do so until our prayers are answered. In addition, we proclaim ourselves willing to be led by God into further involvement in the tasks of reaching the Aguaruan, whether it be by sending people to work among them, giving financially to the work among them, working to raise consciousness of their need within our church, or in any other way God may reveal to us. We pledge to diligently seek God's will for our church in regard to the Aguaruna and to solemnly undertake to fulfill all the responsibilities inherent to the Act of Adoption, as they are revealed to us by God.

Journey to the Peruvian Jungle

As we planned our journey to the Aguaruna villages, Reverend Persin Chumbe of the Presbyterian Church in Moyobamba shared with us the difficulties the church has had in maintaining a presence in the remote villages.He laid before us a map of the region and indicated the four Aguaruna villages we would visit in the next three days. The distances to the villages from Moyobamba didn't appear that great. Why wasn't the church in Moyobamba making more of an effort to take the gospel to the Aguaruna people? The answer to that question would become very clear to me over the next several days.

After traveling for approximately ten hours in a small boat, our group of ten people arrived at our stopping point on the river.However, it would take a 45-minute trek through the jungle in the dark to reach our destination. We stayed that night with Tomas and his family in the Aguaruna village of Nueva Vida.Tomas is a Christian in a village where a spiritual battle is being waged for the souls of the Aguaruna. A missionary from a Pentecostal church in Mexico has recently been living in the village and teaching the Aguaruna that there is no Trinity, only Jesus. The Aguaruna are deeply divided between what they have been taught by the Reverend Chumbe and this false prophet. And because the Christian brothers from Moyobamba have not been in the village recently, the false doctrine this man was preaching began to replace the gospel in their lives. We held a meeting in the village on enight with the chief and several elders of the Aguaruna present. The Reverend Chumbe clearly explained the differences between the gospel and the false doctrine they were exposed to. Furthermore, he pledged to have more contact with the villagers now that the church would be buying a new boat and motor with some of the money our church donated to them.

The following day we hiked through some dense jungle and marshes for over three hours to reach the most remote Aguaruna village, Kusu. We ate lunch with some believers in this village and talked with the chief. Apparently, the villagers of Kusu will all be moving to a new location soon to establish a new community. Therefore, no church building will be built until they establish a new village. We traveled approximately 24 miles through the jungle that day in extremely rough terrain and 90 degree plus temperatures. I was dehydrated and exhausted by the end of the day.

Our last day in the jungle we visited the villages of Nuevo Progresso and San Rafael. Both of these villages are in the process of building churches and the believers are standing firm in their faith. Pablo, an Aguaruna lay pastor, was one of our group. He lives with his family in San Rafael and speaks both Spanish and Aguaruna. Pablo has been trained at the Bible Institute in Moyobamba and is instrumental in bringing the Aguaruna people to Christ.

The main obstacle the church in Moyobamba faces in taking the gospel to the Aguaruna is spiritual warfare. There is no question Satan is trying to keep the Aguaruna isolated and then deceiving them with false teaching. Our gift of $6050 will help the church in Moyobamba buy boats and motors to help overcome the physical isolation and allow more contact with the Auaruna. But much prayer is needed to overcome Satan's influence in this region and empower the church in Moyobamba to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Aguaruna. Please pray for all the members of the Presbyterian Church in Moyobamba, your brothers and sisters in Christ, they they will be faithful in taking the Word of God to the Aguaruna. And may we be led by the Holy Spirit in supporting their ministry according to God's will.

Jim Milstead

The Aguaruna Indians of Peru-An Unreached People

Last November, Reverend Dan McNerney of Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship spoke to our congregation about opportunities to partner with an unreached people group in order to help them know Jesus Christ. Since that time the Mission Team has been faithfully praying for God to show us which group He wants us to minister to. For almost six months we did not feel God leading us to any particular group, so we continued to pray and seek His will. Our prayers were answered when a previously undiscovered group, the Aguaruna tribe, was found in the Amazon rainforest in Peru!

Dan McNerney happened to be visiting Presbyterian church leaders in Lima, Peru, in May when the Aguaruna people were discovered by missionaries from the church in Moyobamba. Dan immediately recalled our request to minister with an unreached people group by providing not only money, but by ministering to them through mission work in their villages as well. The church leaders in Moyobamba were thrilled that we wanted to join them in taking the gospel to the Aguaruna. Everyone agreed that God was working to bring us all together for His glory!
The Mission Team unanimously voted to support the missionary efforts to the Aguaruna. The immediate needs of the brothers in Moyobamba are for funds to buy Bibles and a boat to begin taking the gospel to the remote villages. We are able to provide the needed funds because we already have the money budgeted for unreached people groups this year. Praise God for blessing our church that we may bless others in His name!

Jesus commanded us to "go and make disciples of all nations," in Matthew 28:19. To that end, Craig Rutledge and I will be going to Peru August 16-24 to help our Christian brothers in Moyobamba take the gospel to three Aguaruna villages. We will be part of a small team led by a public health doctor from Peru, Dr. Apolos Landa. Our mission will be to deliver the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ and to help establish the church in each village. We may also provide medical care to the Aguaruna and educate them with regards to public health measures to prevent disease.

Please pray for the Aguaruna and the brothers in Moyobamba. There is much to be done to accomplish this mission. However, God is in control and we will continue to seek His will and serve Him faithfully. We will keep you informed of our efforts as they unfold.

Jim Milstead, Mission Team Chairman

6 year perspective on our work with the Aguaruna

I thought it might be helpful, and interesting, to review from whence we came back in 1999 when we began our partnership with the Iglesia Presbyteriana in Moyobamba, Peru. The following articles from our church newsletter will give you an idea of how we got started, who has been involved, and what the Lord has done in and through each member of the mission teams who have participated. Enjoy!

FPC Indiana Team 2004 at Iglesia Presbyteriana Moyobamba, Perú 

FPC Frankfort 2005 plans

First Presbyterian Church of Frankfort, IN will be planning a mission trip to Moyobamba in July of 2005. We will set a definite date within the next month. If your church is planning a mission trip to Moyobamba in 2005, please post your trip itinerary or dates on this blog ASAP! If anyone is interested in learning more about past or current work projects, let us know!