The Challenge

The pastor Antonio of Capulispungo has taken me to a new community where he wants to disciple the leaders of the church. So we´re putting together a six month program for them. The challenge is to take all our bible knowledge and theology and pack it into a very simple program that folks can easily understand and put in to practice. The plan is for me to teach bible for the first half of the morning, and Antonio to teach church administration for the second half. I used a very simple folder to begin with a Bible survey. Antonio was using a program developed in Europe for church multiplication. I am well aware that foreign material, although translated into Spanish, doesn´t usually "fit" into the Quichua mindset. We discussed this a bit on the way to the church. Antonio showed me the first page of his material which used the word "passion." He shared that he knew what the material wanted to communicate, but knew also that "passion" was not the right word. "Commitment" or "perseverance" communicates the idea better in the Quichua language.
Teaching the Quichua is always a challenge, but I love it! First of all, they speak Quichua, and Sunday morning, they spoke Quichua, except when talking to me. So I have to guess at what they´re saying. It´s language learning all over again. But their music keeps me connected. I have finally learned to play their music, their way, their style. So when I take the accordion and begin to play their music, they eagerly ask me to play with them. We must have played a good twenty minutes before everyone arrived, and once they did, we played it all again to "start the program." God has put me where I can use all my gifts and bless others.
(Saturday both Faby and I were in Capulispungo. Faby has a great ministry going with the women there!)


New community: San Antonio de Encalado with Pastor Antonio (in photo)
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Quichua music with the accordion.
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Driving back down the mountain.
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The group at Capulispungo continues.
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