English
Korean
Spanish
AYAVIRI, Peru—The Quecha people live high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. They are direct descendants of the Incas who ruled South America 600 years ago and developed a very advanced culture. The Inca chief who built the Temple of the Sun in Cusco and the city of Machu Picchu longed to know God and wrote about knowing a God who would be concerned about his creation more than just placing the sun and stars in the sky.
Today, his descendants still search for that same God, and five Southern Baptists churches from the Golden Triangle Baptist Association have answered the call to share the gospel with this unreached people group.
“We had contacted the IMB about unreached people groups and they suggested the Quecha in Ayaviri, Peru,” said Dion Ainsworth, GTBA missionary. “It was known by the IMB through research that there were a couple of churches in the town but very little evangelical work.”
In addition to meeting the need for the gospel, GTBA was also looking for an area that would be economical to reach. “We were looking for an area that was not too expensive to travel to from the USA for lay persons to be able to afford the trip,” Ainsworth said. “Peru fit that stipulation—less expensive than Asia, Europe, and Africa, and safer than Mexico.”
Members from Maplecrest Baptist of Vidor, Liberty Baptist of Bridge City and First Baptist Church of Stowel went on a fact-finding trip to Ayaviri in 2008 and discovered that less than 2 percent of the population had trusted in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and the evangelical churches in the area were doing very little outreach. It was then that GTBA adopted the region for evangelism and church planting.
“Four of us, along with an IMB missionary and an interpreter, walked the town, talked with people on the streets and prayed for a word from God to start a mission work there,” recalled Bill Collier, pastor of Liberty Baptist Church in Bridge City.
Projects to Peru began soon afterward. In the summer of 2009 three summer missionaries worked in Ayaviri and taught English classes.Two medical/dental trips were held in Ayaviri and Pueblo Libre, a neighboring town with no churches at all.
“We were able to start a weekly Bible study in Pueblo Libre that is led by a local Christian,” Ainsworth said. “The hope is that this will eventually become a church of its own.”
Another focus of the work has been training local pastors. In 2010, Ainsworth led a church planting seminar for pastors within a 100-mile radius of Ayaviri. Approximately 20 evangelical pastors came and spent the week learning about church planting, Bible storying, spiritual warfare, and prayer ministry.
In addition to training pastors and sharing the gospel, several GTBA mission trips have included humanitarian aid. “This region leads Peru in deaths in the winter due to the cold,” Ainsworth said. “One winter they averaged 40 children’s deaths in one month due to the cold.” Homes in the region have no heat and many children sleep on dirt floors on straw. A warm blanket can cost as much as three weeks’ income so people will walk for miles to get a free blanket. “We used that as an opportunity to share the gospel at the same time. Medical mission trips and blanket distributions helped to create trust and an openness among the people,” Ainsworth said.
Collier and four other members of Liberty Baptist returned for a 10-day trip last November.
“We participated in preaching, Bible study, door-to-door evangelism, as well as building relationships with people in the area. We engaged in several cultural experiences so we could understand more about who they are and about their past history,” Collier said.
“Christians saw the love and bond of fellowship that all members of the body of Christ worldwide have in common. Many heard the gospel for the first time and at least seven people gave their hearts to Jesus,” he reported.
Impressed by the hospitality shown to them, the team witnessed the faithful commitment of Christians who walked long distances in the heavy rains on a cold night to attend a Bible study. By encouraging pastors struggling with few resources, the stress of family, job circumstances and the burden of spiritual darkness surrounding them, Collier saw relationships grow even stronger.
“Having established a Bible study and strengthened the ministry of two churches there, we have expanded our area of ministry to other villages in the southern area of Peru,” he added. “Armed with the gospel of Christ and mandated by our Lord in Matthew 28:19-20 to make disciples of all nations we are committed to a missional lifestyle.”
GTBA’s efforts have not only reached individuals with the gospel, but also encouraged local churches in the area to begin outreach to their own people. “Two of the evangelical churches in Ayaviri have renewed their interest in outreach and church planting since we have been making trips to the area,” Ainsworth said.
One church has started an emphasis on evangelism and is working to start two new churches with the help of GTBA. Another church started 10 preaching points in the region. Recently, Ainsworth was able to provide funds from donors to purchase a motorcycle for a local pastor to help him reach those preaching points. Prior to this gift, Pastor Pablo did not have any transportation. Among the donors for the gift was Little Cypress Baptist Church, which provided half the money needed.
Jim Salles, pastor of West End Baptist, has experienced the work in Peru first-hand, going to the region in late 2012. He traveled with Ainsworth to an area known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This area is unchurched with almost no one having a personal relationship with Christ.
“I want to go back,” Salles said. “In Maras where there is no evangelical witness, we spent three days walking and talking in the streets. We saw 10 or so express a decision for Christ, but there are many there open to a gospel witness. I made some great friends there and must return to see about them.” For Salles, the trip confirmed the need for and the success of GTBA’s efforts in the region.
After walking the streets of Maras, Salles said he sees no difference in ministry in Peru and ministry in Texas. “They are people, just like everybody else. And they react just like us. They have wants and needs, fears and apprehensions. If there are any difficulties in gospel presentation it is entirely with us—not them. It is no different here than abroad. Jesus met people where they were and for who they were. I can do no less.”
Calvary Baptist Church of Beaumont has also been making several trips to this area yearly and started a new church in a town near Ayaviri.
Ainsworth sees great value in GTBA adopting the work in Peru and ministering there for multiple years.
“We go back to the same area because we are trying to establish an indigenous church to an unreached people group. This depends upon building relationships for evangelism and discipleship. If the area had strong churches, then making a one-time visit to help the local church might be an option,” Ainsworth said.
“But we are going where the number of evangelical Christians is less than 2 percent, and in some cases essentially zero. Repeated visits are necessary to earn trust and build relationships that allow people to be willing to listen to the gospel that challenges their world vision.”
