We Are Hungry

As we touched down on a rugged airstrip in the first village, the clouds quickly draped in around us with just a small patch of clear sky for our pilot to make it back out.

In this first village, we were introduced to some of the realities there. Leaders from a local religious group shared a "thank you" for coming but quickly changed their tone when addressing our purpose for being there. They hesitated to welcome us without broader approval from their group, fearing they could lose their position in the community if another "religion" was brought in. But not everyone felt this way. Among the conversations, a few people admitted openly that they lacked understanding of God's Word, having never heard it in their mother tongue and wanted more.

As we entered each new village, strangers were quick to open their homes and welcome us inside, where we sat on bamboo floors around a fire and storied about the reason for our journey. Garden food was plentiful wherever we went, and since we were limited on how much we could carry with us, we were constantly reminded of God's provision.

That first night, I woke up with stomach pain and struggled to go back to sleep. I left the house to see if walking would help. Between the stomach cramps, I looked up at the sky, the night unusually clear, and marveled at the thousands of stars which shone so brightly away from city lights. When looking at the stars, I often remember God's promises to Abraham - the promise of innumerable descendents and the promise to bless all nations. But the pain in my stomach interrupted, pulling me back to earth. After an hour of waiting, I was doubled over, retching into the grass. I was able to go back to bed, but the night gave me little rest, as the walks and nausea repeated in cycles until dawn.

The following day we journeyed to the next village only 4-5 miles away. Our team struggled up steep climbs through muddy rainforest trails, crossing a number of rivers and picking land leeches off our ankles the whole way. The hike stretched over six hours! (far longer than we had anticipated) It was another reminder of the lengths needed to reach those who have waited generations to hear God's truth.

As we met with the villagers the next morning, a few stood up, sharing their desire to truly understand God's talk. A teacher who is a part of the local religious group admitted his lack of understanding and spoke of how his congregation remains steeped in their old customs. One woman expressed her lack of clarity concerning God's Word and highlighted the transformation of a neighboring people group after they had been taught God's Word in their language. It is a humbling thing to experience. After years of exposure to religion, they long for more.

Finally, we made our way to the final and highest village, the longest leg of our journey. Rain joined us along the way, leaving us drenched and exhausted, but as we arrived, villagers welcomed us in again, offering warmth by the fire and a dry floor to sit. That night, we gathered with a small portion of the community and three of their leaders. "Will you bring a school? Will you help us sell our coffee? Will you build a clinic?" Yet, as we shared about bringing God's Word and teaching directly from the Bible, their focus shifted from material needs to the spiritual.

At one point, a village leader paused and confessed, "I've been focused on the body, but you're focused on the spirit." It was an encouraging shift. What he said next brought life to our weary bodies.

Before any of us were born, a German missionary came to live in a village close to here.

He brought the light.

But the darkness of our ways covered it up and we lost it.

He then looked at Ralf, our 53 year old German coworker, seeing him as a link to that past and said,

You are going to give us these three men, and they will bring us the light.

Even the shaman agreed,

We are hungry.

As we left, these village leaders assured us they would do what it takes to gain approval from the religious group; they would "fight the talk" of the religious leaders to exclude us. The people's hunger for truth is real, but the way forward is not yet clear. We ask for your prayers: for God to part the waters into this place, for wisdom in each step, and for the light of the gospel to find a permanent home in these communities. In 2-3 weeks, the people will meet with the leaders to discuss our coming to live among them. Please pray they would be bold. This journey into the highlands is a reminder that God's love crosses mountains and rain forests, reaching those whose hearts have been readied to receive it.

Thank you for being with us through your prayers and support. We couldn't do this without you, and we look forward to the day, if God wills for us to go to them, when these people can hold the Scriptures in their own hands.

We love you guys!

The Clonches