Saturday, April 24, 2010

All 60 members of the church here in Santa Rocio showed up at the 4 a.m meeting today. This church is by far the most mature and thriving. I taught on the gifts of the Spirit and miracles (there is much confusion over this topic everywhere). After a good question & answer time, I asked to have a meeting with the elders. I tried to encourage them in what they are doing. After breakfast we read Galatians and Ephesians and then went out to visit some of the houses in the surrounding countryside. We gave out tracts and shared the gospel with many. We ate fariña* and dried deer meat for lunch. On the way back to the village, we got caught on the trail in a torrential downpour and ended up soaked to the bone. Later, we ate doncella (fish) for dinner. We then went to pray for two sick ladies (they were moaning and wailing in pain). I wished I had a doctor with me. When we set up to preach that night there were not as many people gathered because on the other side of the village there was a big fiesta going on (competition with God's word). Once I began to preach, everyone left the fiesta running over to hear the sermon. My sermon was on the first questions of the Old and New Testaments. The people were very attentive. When I gave an opportunity to repent, Damian our peke peke canoe driver came forward. I had hired him on Monday back in Yarina when he was half drunk. In tears, he told how he had now listened to 11 sermons in 6 days and how he had heard us reading the Bible in every spare moment. He said that now he wanted to experience the forgiveness and peace that Jesus gives to those who repent and trust in Him... I am so overjoyed!

*Yucca left to soak, then ground and toasted (dehydrated yucca). Mix it with water and it sort of expands like cream of wheat. Many people on the rivers take a bunch of this on their treks and it serves for a simple meal.