In the low lands of the Casanare region of Colombia there is a reservation called Mochuelo Creek. There lives some groups of Guahibos who have the same linguistic family. Among those groups are the Sikuani, Amorua, Tsiripo, Masiware and Waëpijiwi, all who understand Guahibo but have not yet been reached with the message of salvation.
After a number of years praying for missionaries, God put in the heart of Jose Arturo and Janet Perez along with their two children, Anabel and Alexis, to GO and share the Gospel. This couple have served the Lord for more than 15 years in their village near the Venezuelan border and other villages teaching, discipling and training new leaders who are now teaching in other areas.
José said to me, “In our devotional times when we read in the Word that there were Christians going to other parts by God’s command to teach His Word, this was causing an unrest in my and my wife’s hearts. We prayed to the Lord: Show us your will, we want to go. How can we participate? In these days of making this survey trip to see of the possibility to teach the Gospel and plant a church, I see that God answered our prayers.”
In this recent survey trip we did, we talked to leaders and Christians of the national Colombian church that wants to help missionary Jose. They said: “We have been praying for a number of years that God would send people who are equipped to teach God’s Word in their own language to these groups (of tribal people).”
The pastor of the church mentioned that for many years he has tried to minister to these people but it has not been effective because of the barrier of the language and culture. Along with this, the new generations of Indians are facing a crisis as they enter in contact with the national culture. With all these changes and in the midst of difficult scenarios, God wants to work using His people.
Teaching materials are ready to start teaching Guahibos in the region of Casanare! We would appreciate your standing behind us in prayer with this new ministry that entails new challenges for Jose, his family and the Guahibo church. May God be known and glorified in the midst of these groups of the same Guahibo linguistically family! Thank you for participating in what God is already doing!
If God would lead you to help this cause financially, the estimated cost for this move of Jose and his family need about $100 a month support. (If interested, contact Mark and Joyce Cain.)
For the Guahibo team,
Alberto Gonzalez