“Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” John 4:35
Pastor Algusto sharing the Word of God to the people of Santa Clara
This scripture couldn’t be more true for the people in the village of Santa Clara as the Lord gloriously brought ten more of His loved ones into the Kingdom! This last trip to visit the two villages of Santa Rosa and Santa Clara proved to be an incredibly fruitful one, especially for this village.
Santa Clara is a small village of 11 families, several of which are the village leader’s children and their families. The women in this village speak more Spanish than others and so they have had the advantage of hearing the Gospel presented in both Spanish and more recently in Shawi, several times over the past four years. Since November, however, they have been able to hear the Gospel in their own language on various occasions through the Shawi pastors who have been traveling with me since then. Although the Word has continued to go forth through the pastors’ preaching, Christian films and an audio dramatized version of the Bible the hearts of these villagers were not moved enough to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ…that is until Monday, March 14.
On this night we showed a Christian film as we had done in the past, followed by a brief preaching by Pastor Algusto, whom they have heard before. When it was time to close the meeting Pastor Algusto asked me if I had anything that I would like to share and so feeling prompted by the Holy Spirit I asked if anyone would like to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Although we had done this before as well this time something of what they heard in the preaching clicked and before I could finish the invitation several hands went up! I thought for sure they couldn’t have understood my Spanish so I repeated it again but this time with more detail and again before I could finish hands went up wanting to know Jesus!
Finally convinced that this was real we invited those who raised their hands to come forward so that we could pray with them individually and to my amazement it wasn’t the men who responded at all. It was the women and the children! I knew I had seen a miracle in Santa Rosa when the first person to respond to a salvation message was a woman but this was just as incredible. A total of ten people, consisting of women and children finally came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in the village of Santa Clara! God is truly at work in these villages and the time is now for the harvest to be brought in.
Villagers of Santa Clara joyfully feasting on a wild boar with boiled plantains
The next day the village leader (upper left hand corner in white tee shirt) and his son-in-law (blue tee shirt squating next to him) came back from hunting in the jungle all day with a wild boar and some other animals they had killed and invited us along with the rest of the village to feast on the kill. It was a special and joyful time since this much meat meant that everyone could have at least one healthy meal for the week (or weeks to come).
The impact of the Word of God was so great on these people that as we were preparing
to leave several people strongly asked the pastors if they would please stay in the village to teach them the Word of God. Even some of the teenage girls asked Pastor Jonas’ daughter to live with them so that she could teach them about God! The hunger is so great in these communities and their hearts are so open to receive all that the Lord has for them. Our goal is to provide them with discipleship training and material that can be left for them to continue studying when the river is too dry for us to get in. As the Lord leads you please keep the villages of Santa Rosa and Santa Clara in your prayers so that leaders can be raised up from within the communities that can pastor their people.
With that in mind we are planning another trip to these same two villages on Tuesday, March 19 until Monday, March 26. My prayer is that since so many families have been impacted with the Truth of God that this Easter will have a deeper meaning to them. Please join with me in praying for these new believers and for this trip according to the following points:
- Safety as we travel on the river.
- Wisdom to know how to minister according to the needs of the people as the Lord directs.
- The hearts and minds of the people will continue to be open and hungry for more of God.
- No opposition from the enemy in any form that would hinder God’s Word from going forth.
- Anything else that the Lord lays on your heart to pray.
I want to thank you so very much for being such a vital part of this work. My prayer is that as you join with me in sharing Christ’s joy over our new Shawi brothers and sisters that you will be filled with His presence as you partake of the reward of His suffering.
Blessings Abundantly
Your co-laborer in the Harvest,
Sharon Malcolm
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