The village people are ready

As we share the stories of what is happening in Burela, Salta (yesterday there was a meeting of the missions team at Iglesia Jesucristo Rey among other opportunities), I contine to be amazed at how God is bringing things about. The people of the village of Burela are ready and excited about the work ahead.

Marcelo and others spoke with the ¨agentes sanitarios¨ in Burela, who are (I think) nurses paid by the government to go house to house and perform some public health work. What they told Marcelo was, ¨We need to do more than vaccinate. The majority of pregnancies we now see are among 14 - 15 year-olds!¨ They are ready to learn how to work in a more holistic way, even within a government framework. They have invited Marcelo to be a part of their semi-annual training which next occurs in December. Please pray for this opportunity.

Cultural fact: most programs in schools and churches stop for the summer, which is December through March. The new trainers in Burela are planning a ¨seed project¨for December 8, to coincide with the end of Sunday School and other programs. They are thinking of incorporating some teaching on combatting teenage drinking and domestic violence. Please pray for these plans and for the resources to carry them out.

The village of Manantial sent two people to the training last week. They took a five-hour tractor ride to come from this remote area! They are planning a seed project with the Lorena oven, a way for the villagers to use less firewood and keep the fire contained so that it does not cause burns. Please pray that they will learn how to make the oven and that they will be well-received within their village.

Please pray that a path will open to enter the different Wichi communites. Gabriel has formed a lot of relationships, but there are many obstacles. The Wichi that live in the town of Burela no longer speak Wichi and there is animosity between them and those who live in the forest. The other villagers look down on the Wichi. The Wichi look down on themselves and have been pushed down so long by others.