September 2007 Letter

Dear Friends,

I don’t want you to believe that missionary life is back-to-back exciting moments, but as I look over our prayer letters the boring details don’t seem to make it into them, do they? Just so you know, these are the high points, with many stodgy moments in between.

Among other things…

I experienced God’s protection on a dangerous stretch of back-road. To make a long story short, there was lots of deep dust and low visibility. Suddenly, out of the powdery haze, two huge trucks appeared, barreling down on us, apparently racing each other! I thought I had nowhere to go. The sand-like dust piled up on the shoulders prevented me from going there and a small, but dangerous drop-off would have rolled my vehicle. I do not remember reacting. I do remember the feeling that I was not in control of the wheel, but that Someone was. The next thing I knew, we were somehow driving through that deep, fine powder, balancing on the edge of the drop-off, and then back on the road with zero visibility and the two trucks long gone. I kept driving and there was total silence in the car until one of my passengers, a visitor from the States, said, “Now I know why I had to sign a release form!”

Speaking of visitors, we had two great teams in June and July. The first came with Charles McCall’s parents and helped in construction, medicine, optometry, dentistry and a children’s retreat. Because of them, the Barrio Bolivar children’s Sunday school class now has protection from the weather. The second team came from Orange Hill Baptist and worked in construction, children’s ministry, a women’s retreat and a men’s breakfast meeting. We are especially grateful to them for benches in the Poza Verde church and for progress on the plumbing of the Poza Verde mission house.

After the US teams left, it was back to regular business for our local team. As I mentioned in our last prayer letter, we are all asking ourselves about the next steps we should take. Consensus seems to have been reached on the need for a general, tribal-wide Ayoré Church Council made up of those who have been to Bible school and who are active in ministry. In the first official council meeting – which Plácido and a New Tribes national missionary were privileged to attend - they concluded that it is their responsibility to care for the wellbeing of the Ayoré church in general by ensuring solid Biblical teaching, providing a connection between the village churches for fellowship and accountability, and identifying and encouraging future ministers. I know this sounds basic and, honestly, we’ve been suggesting something like this for years, as have other missionaries. In fact, attempts have been made in the past. Now it seems to be strongly on their hearts as they feel the same urgency we do with all that is going on in terms of this difficult government. Please pray for unity between missions and villages and for the nitty-gritty details of how to carry out the stated responsibilities. One of their first efforts will be a youth retreat on the 29^th and 30^th of September. Pray for patience and understanding as we try to refrain from “doing it our way”.

The women’s Bible studies have been fun lately. One went particularly well and afterward we sat around and sang with the guitar because a lady named Maria wanted to, even though the meeting was over. I headed home with a warm, happy feeling about the whole time. Early the next morning we were rudely awakened by the phone – Maria had died at dawn, probably from a ruptured brain aneurism. I’m so glad I had that last time with her. And I’m so glad she was one of those who got things right with God after the last women’s retreat.

Plácido and José are sad to be back in Santa Cruz after having been out in the Beni along with other members of our team, including my sister, Sunny – an honorary team member. Although they enjoyed the trip, others less hardy (or wiser) might not have qualified it as a good time. First of all, they had to rebuild the bottom of the boat they had rented sight unseen (there were no other options and they’d been assured that it was fine). Then, a Flinstones-type number had to be performed, complete with people running alongside the riverbank pulling the boat with ropes while the captain tried to jumpstart it. Those of you who receive my mother’s prayer letters know that she would never pass up a chance like this to draw a cartoon but, unfortunately, I am not so talented. I will have to let you use your imagination. This worked a couple of times and they were able to visit several communities with medical and dental care as well as the Jesus film. Finally, however, the motor gave up for good and the water level inside the boat was slowly rising. They reluctantly decided to postpone a visit to one last village and returned to base camp. This meant, however, that they were not in the right place to be picked up by the mission plane, which was to take them to their vehicles for the return trip to Santa Cruz. In the end, SAMAIR came to the rescue and all’s well that ends well. Those who went seem excited and motivated about this new step for our team. One trip is being planned for June and another for July to finish the survey phase. After that, Plácido hopes to make a concrete proposal and launch a plan of action for our participation in meeting the needs of that area of Bolivia. Please pray for wisdom in this and also for river worthy boats for the trips.

Toni for the Mercados