Lima - Pucallpa - Iquitos and finally, the beginning of the Amazon River – Nauta!

Photo by Crock | Amazon

Meeting us in Iquitos, was Crystal,
AIM staff, who has spent the last couple of years living and ministering to the
people of Nauta.  It took an hour and a half by taxi to arrive to the
village of Nauta. Much of the scenery in Peru reminds me of my years in Bolivia.
 

Photo by Chris | Iquitos

Ready to greet us with high fives and
hugs were handfuls of beautiful children. Immediately they learned our names
and began to holler them through our window which faced the street.

 

Photo by Crock | Beauty queens 1, 2 and 3.

Photo by Crock | The boys...and female dog, I named
Gary.

Photo by Crock | Omar, the man. He has no family...

Our days were spent visiting with
local pastors...brain storming, dreaming, praying, and planning for our next
Ambassador team, who will arrive there in June!

Following our time meeting with
Crystal and Pastor Williams, we feel led to do something different for this
community during our teams time there. 

 

Photo by Crystal | Pastor William, his wife
Clementina and local children.

Pastor Williams explained to us a lot
about the state of the Church in the jungle and what it desperately needs. As
with the Church in many areas of the world, unity is a big problem. Churches
work against each other in competition ("Come here to my church, it's
better than yours' ") instead of working together as the Body of Christ.
So our team is going to go in and intentionally try to engage different
denominations and churches, asking them to work together with our team-which is
also composed of teens from all walks of life. 

Another area the people
in this area of the jungle really needs help is with their greatest
resource-the land. Despite what many of us would assume, not a lot is known
about agriculture and taking care of the plants. We're praying about training
our students in this area so that they can go and teach those they come in
contact this too. The result will be plants that will live and produce food-it
will sustain the people and provide physical nourishment.

At the end of the trip our students
will take a group of people (from several churches) with them on a trip up
river to a primitive village. Only instead of being in the forefront, our team
will be in the background. They will do what gringos do best (according to
Crystal)-which is draw a crowd. It's true. Gringos overseas-in any country-draw
attention. We always try to use that for good, like using that attention to
talk about Christ. So people will come and our team will support, pray, and
encourage the national team as they disciple the church in the village and also
teach them about how to best tend to their land. Best of all, we won't be the
one finally teaching. Ultimately, the end goal of missions is to work ourselves
out of a job-to equip an area of the world with the gospel and discipleship
tools that the Church is self-sustaining without the help of missionaries. This
team's purpose is to work towards that end. Pray with us.

Photo by Kristen | Crystal's street.

Photo by Kristen | The Amazon.

Crystal has been such an instrumental
part of what is taking place in Nauta. The relationships she has built with
many churches and pastors is extraordinary!  You could see the impact she
has on so many. I've been to few places where people were so friendly. I
believe they have seen it modeled for them, by her.  There wasn't a night
in which Crystal wasn't tending to the heart of someone. There is little to no
privacy in Nauta. Children and adults, if not already inside, knocking on the
door for a cup of water, a place to pray or talk. Once you step out the door,
the children flock.

Photo by Crock | Crystal's home.

Photo by Crock | Crystal's home, the bathroom and
bucket showers.

Photo by Crock | Our room.

Photo by Crock | The kitchen.

Crystal holds English lessons and
Bible lessons often. It was pure joy for my friend Kristen and I to be a part.
The children memorized one of my favorite verses...Proverbs 4:23: "Above
all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life."  

Photo by Crock | Proverbs 4:23

Photo by Crock |  My volleyball partner.

While visiting yet another pastor, he asked if we'd
be willing to share that night with the youth of his church. I thought it would
be rude to say no, so I said yes...fully expecting Crystal to step in and
teach. But no...she wouldn't and didn't. I'm not a teacher naturally...but
shared that night about unity. About building bridges of love that could bear
the weight of truth.  

Photo by Crock | The youth service.

The last day we took a boat out on
the river and visited a village an hour up river called Amazonas. We walked
through the community, stopping, visiting, and praying with those who followed us. 

Photo by Crock | The Amazon.

Photo by Crystal | On the Amazon.

Photo by Crock | The rain arriving while on the
river.