July 26, 2023
“Buenos Dias!” That’s what I said to Bob on this warm, muggy morning as I navigated the moss covered rocks down the short, steep trail to take a look at the river before breakfast. He must have wanted to look at the river also. What’s he doing? Why is wringing his clothes out? Did he wash his clothes in the river? Oh wow, that’s not Bob. Anyway, the man in his boxer shorts, wringing out his clothes was friendly enough to offer a “Buenos Dias” in reply.
I made my way back up from the river just in time to meet Don and Bob for breakfast. Then we all checked out and loaded the van to attend a worship service at UNPES, the jungle camp we toured yesterday. As we pulled in, however, Luke (8 month old) was especially fussy and really needed a nap. So, we decided to skip the worship service and go on to our lunch stop in Puyo. We were going to be early so we stopped at the Nate Saint House, which serves as a conference center and museum memorializing the five US missionaries that gave their lives taking the gospel to the unreached people group, Huaorani, in the jungles of Ecuador. Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Wow!
The museum was closed but we thought we might peek through the windows. Across the street was a hangar and airstrip. The air strip, now paved, was the same one that served the mission team and pilot Nate Saint. As we were hanging around the house a young lady, Maddie, walked up. The Yancey’s greeted her and we chatted for a bit. She is the curator of the museum and offered to open it up for us. I have always loved this story but walking through the museum was fascinating. Before we left, Maddie’s husband walked over and Bob, Don, and Marcos began talking planes and avionics, etc. etc. Marcos is the airplane mechanic at the hangar and works with Mission Aviation Fellowship. Soon enough, he offered for everyone to walk over to the hangar and learn more about the mission work still happening out of that air strip.
They are currently down to only one pilot but are looking to hire at least two more. They make trips into the jungle to deliver supplies everyday. Sometimes it’s supplies for Compassion International children. They also work with the Ecuadorian government to fly extraction missions for medical emergencies. We also learned there is a large area where Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru meet that is off limits. The governments will not allow anyone to fly into these regions. The assumption is there are dozens of people groups who have never been contacted by the outside world. They are living in the jungle, just as they have been for thousands of years.
How do we get the gospel to them? What can I do?
Stop now and pray. Don’t keep reading until you have prayed for these people.
After lunch, we continued our climb up the mountains to the city of Baños. There’s a beautiful waterfall that comes down into the town. This town is situated in the primary vein of the Andes, near the continental divide. Since we were stopped, I just had to use the baño in the city of Baños. (Probably on funny to English speakers with sophomoric humor.) We tried to tour the Catholic church but it was closed due to a Feast of Jesus’ Grandparents. I’m not sure if that was Jesus from the Bible or a very prominent Jesus (Hay-Soos) from Baños. So, we traveled on to the mountain camp, Chacauco. Chris and his family have lived in one of the cabins for four years.
When we arrived a Chacauco, Chris took us on a tour of the campus. We saw cabins; dorms; dining hall; basketball, volleyball, and pickle ball courts; former location of the prayer chapel; new prayer chapel; a squatter’s house; worship center; lots of gorgeous flowers; a Llama named Fernanda; Yancey’s soon-to-be-completed house; and God gave us a beautiful sunset to highlight to volcano in the distance. There’s an incredible story about God’s providence and faithfulness in acquiring the land for this campus…but that will have to wait until a another day. After we returned from dinner, we got a chance to look up at the sky and see the Cruz del Sur, or Southern Cross constellation.
I still can’t get over, not just unreached people groups, but un-touched people groups. When I look around and see God’s glory displayed in the mountains, the rivers, the volcano, the flowers, I am reminded…none of these bear God’s image, only humans were created Imago Dei. That’s why we’re here. I am on this earth to proclaim the gospel to God’s image bearers. That’s my purpose. What’s your’s?
Ragamuffin Warrior 