Our learning journey

(photo:enjoying some  of the beautiful artwork of the Saanich people on Vancouver Island)

"It's too cold here, let's go back to Chepo." our three year old daughter announced after we had taken a trip through Idaho and Montana.  I think it was the first time in her life she had encountered below freezing temperatures, so I don't blame her!

I too am eager to return to our little house in Panama. Not so much for the heat, but because of our sense of anticipation for what God will do in this coming year.

Many people were understandable puzzled about us taking a trip to visit Native American communities in the Northwest. Don't we work in Panama?  Are we thinking about moving to the US?

No, we are not thinking of moving. We love working in Panama and don't think God will have us move any time soon. So why are we visiting Native American ministries?

One reason is to learn.  As missionaries, sometimes the obstacles and challenges can seem daunting. So spending time sharing with other missionaries, facing similar challenges, can provide encouragement and even give us new ideas.

The second reason that we went is that we are prayerfully considering bringing a Wounaan outreach team to the Northwest next winter.

For some that idea may sound odd.  Why not just train Wounaan people to reach out to other Wounaan communities? There certainly is plenty of need for outreach.

While there is need locally, that doesn't negate the need in other places, nor the potential that Wounaan believers have to deeply impact other nations, especially other native peoples.  Do most American believers consider it wrong to reach out to other nations, just because there is still need in our own community? No!  We understand that both need to happen simultaneously.

If we as Americans believe that we have something to offer to other nations, the Wounaan have just as much to offer. And if we look at Native American communities, and see that after 500 years of missionary effort in North America, that just 3% of Native Americans are believers in Christ, then we can understand how desperately we need missionary teams to come to our Native American communities.

During our trip we had the privilege of visiting the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) people in Idaho, as well as visiting fellow YWAMers Volkhard and Marianne Graf. Alex had the opportunity to share one Sunday morning with Native believers, and we were all touched by how they graciously received us. 

After that we headed over the mountains to the Flat head reservation in Montana, and learned about the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreilles Tribes.  We also connected with a thriving YWAM ministry there, made up mostly of Samoan YWAMers.

The next leg of our journey took us up to Vancouver Island, Canada, where we connected with YWAMers serving the Saanich people there.

After our trip, we came away with two major conclusions:

We desperately need connections with fellow missionaries, who can understand our hearts for the Indigenous and who can encourage and teach us from their experience.

Native American communities could be greatly blessed by a group of Indigenous believers who understand their hearts and can tell their own stories of following "The Jesus Way."

This coming Wednesday we return to Panama and will begin the first phase of our training school for Wounaan believers in our community of Chepo.  Pray as God prepares them to reach the nations!