Ashaninka volume 17

Tonight we planned our big Christmas party which is scheduled for this Thursday, the 15th now!  There is a group from Lima also coming to help us.  We pray the seed of the Gospel will be planted in many hearts on this day, and that Christ's love will be felt through us.

As we sat around the table on tree stumps (they always give Brent and me the biggest ones, I wonder why), while the newest baby slept in a crude hammock, Kati and Edison were confronted once again with their need of Jesus in their lives.  They both admit that if they died today, they would be in Hell, but are not ready to accept Christ's gift just yet.  Please pray for them with us.

Little Mizula usually has secrets for me that go something like this, "Will you bring candy next week?"  or "Can you bring Coke next time?"  She is 4 years old and as sweet as she can be.  Of course, I can't say no to anything she asks, so this time her little secret was "Do you have some shoes my size?"  My heart just broke.  I looked at her foot and made a big deal of measuring it and promised to return with some shoes for her.  I'll probably return with Coke, candy, shoes, cookies, toys.......who knows?  (The picture below is of her.)

I have been limping around for 2 weeks now with an injured foot (dropped something very heavy on it), so Lydia took pity on me and told me to sit down (on a big tree stump) and prop my foot up.  She then proceeded to pour an oily substance from an old, dirty bottle all over my foot and gently massaged it.  She used a dirty stick to get out more and some of the chunks that were in the bottom of the bottle.  She was using snake fat.  I didn't ask if she had killed the snake or how long she had had this particular bottle of fat.  I just humbly thanked her for her kindness and told her I would follow her instructions and see if my foot felt better in the morning.  It didn't...... but the fact that she cared for me and tended to me so gently touched my heart.


She is such a servant.  She has gathered some cacao beans and has them drying in the sun so we can use them in our hot chocolate on Thursday.  She does what she can, just like the widow in the Bible who gave everything.  She made sure we were loaded down with mangos, papayas and even a small watermelon from their orchard.  I hope they are learning from us, but I can say with certainty that we are learning from them!