Let’s get moving!

Four years ago, we moved with our youngest son to Florencia, the capital of the Caqueta State in Colombia, and for the first time fully entered the world of the Ko’revajʉ culture. Our son had just finished high school and decided to begin a university degree that he could pursue at the University of the Amazon’s campus in Florencia.

The transition from Bogota to Florencia brought with it many changes and cultural challenges. Yet, with the Lord’s help, we were able to adapt and eventually decided to remain in Florencia, recognizing the importance of accompanying our son through this season of his life. This commitment also meant making long and frequent trips to continue advancing in our ministry among the Koꞌrevajʉ — building friendships, learning their language, and seeking to understand their worldview as deeply as possible.

Now, by God’s grace, our son has completed his studies and will be returning to Bogota next year to seek employment and begin an independent life. For our part, we sense the Lord leading us to take the next step—moving farther south to a small town that serves as a gathering place for the Ko’revajʉ on weekends because of its proximity to most of the indigenous villages.

With this move, we are seeking a better strategy to make faster progress in learning the language and culture of the Koꞌrevajʉ people. Living in the small town will place us just forty minutes from the small village where we were allowed to build our wooden room, and also within a short boat ride from the other indigenous communities.

We have just returned from a visit to the indigenous village, and we came back very encouraged. We feel that the people are growing more affectionate toward us, we are speaking and understanding more of their language, and we have been able to learn more about how they view the world. Understanding their worldview is essential in order to share the Gospel with them in a meaningful way.

We also traveled with the expectation of finding a house in the little town next to the indigenous villages, as we need to leave the one in Florencia by the end of November. We clearly saw the Lord’s provision: through believers from the church, a house was quickly made available to us, a good house!

This has been a great relief and a beautiful confirmation that the Lord is guiding us closer and closer to the ko’revajʉ people.