Going to the River

The old chieftain takes a break with consultant Phil Poulson.

“I was hungry!”

Really?  That was the reason the old tribal chieftain gave for inviting missionaries Peter and Terry Rich into his M village decades ago?  Other locations along the beautiful Iaco River had not welcomed the Riches as they surveyed the area.  But this man’s village had.

Now, years later, Peter and Terry wanted to visit this village they had reached thirty years ago, and Ethnos360 Aviation helicopter pilot Bruno Siqueira was more than willing to fly them in.  They took along two consultants who would help evaluate the spiritual health of the believers and offer further Bible training for the leaders of the church.  

As they talked with this chieftain, the oldest one in the village, Peter asked why he had allowed the missionaries into his village all those years ago.  The chieftain told this story:

Did you know about the piracema (“rising of the fish”) period? It’s when the fish swim upstream [to propagate].  It's easy for you to see the fish jumping out of the water as they swim against the current, and you can catch fish using just baskets and nets. When this happens, the people in the villages celebrate ... and everyone rushes to the river with their nets and baskets, the hungriest arriving first and everyone catching as many fish as possible. If you're here that day, you'll notice that there are those Indians who don't even bother to go to the riverbank. They lie in their hammocks just watching, because they're not hungry.  With their bellies full of something they've already hunted and eaten, they don't take advantage of the opportunity to catch more fish for themselves and their families.

What would this fishing story have to do with welcoming the Riches into M land thirty years ago?  The chieftain went on to explain:

“When I heard about the missionaries coming up the river, I was “hungry," I was very hungry for answers. I went to the river to take the opportunity to seek these answers, which is why I welcomed the missionaries to my village.” 

Now a pastor in the church, the old chieftain’s son (l.) pauses for a photo with Peter Rich and Bruno Siqueira.

Pilot Bruno was touched. “When I heard this story, I couldn't contain my emotions. I could only think of the dozens of villages I fly over along the rivers in the Amazon, how many there are still with this hunger, not a physical hunger, but a spiritual hunger, a hunger for answers, a hunger for eternal life.” 

Good thing for the M village that the Riches came – and brought with them answers!  “They arrived there young and convinced that this was the place where God would use them,” related Bruno.  “The mission that Peter and Terry, along with other missionary colleagues, underwent there was full of struggles and challenges, but the fruits came.  It took almost three decades of living among the people, years of learning the language of the culture and then being able to teach the Bible lessons to them.” 

Bruno noticed the difference that the gospel message makes. “I was particularly amazed by the village, the reception we received and the testimonies I heard. I could clearly see the difference between an unreached village and a people who have a healthy church with well-trained leaders.  I could see the impact this has on the whole community.” 

With Bruno (r.) flying the R66, the difficult trip was feasible for the Riches (l.) and the two consultants. 

The Riches, now in the USA, are in the final stages of completing the New Testament translation. They will finish the mission God has given them.  But Bruno wonders, “What would have become of that [chieftain] with this hunger consuming him inside if it hadn't been for their obedience to the missionary call?”

When you donate to Missionary Flight Sponsorship, you are part of so many like the Riches who are obeying those who carry Christ’s command to take the gospel to the world.  Thank you for your part in feeding the “hungry” with God’s everlasting Word.