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MISSION TO THE JUNGLE

 We are the Marquez family working as missionaries of the Cristina Misionera Alianza Church of Callao for 15 years in the Peruvian jungle.

My name is Roger Márquez Bardales, I am 51 years old, I belong to the Shipibo ethnic group.Formerly the Shipibo had the pagan custom of infanticide so when I was born my mother dug a hole in the ground and buried me alive, at that precise moment the Chief of the tribe rescued me from certain death, then I realized that it was the hand of God who saved me, because he had a plan for my life.

As a 10-year-old boy I gave my life to Jesus Christ in my community and at 16 years of age the Lord called me to serve Him for which I prepared myself at the Bible Institute of the South American Mission. In an assembly of the Shipibo churches there was a need for a missionary couple to go to evangelize a non-contacted group on the border with Brazil, I introduced myself with my sister, but we were not approved for being single. Later I continued my studies at the Alliance Theological Institute, completed in the year 77. I returned to my homeland to serve in the Association of Evangelical Shipibo Churches.

In the year 89 I met Rebeca who had been sent to the jungle as a missionary, the day I met her, I said in my heart "she is the woman that God has prepared to be my wife". After two years we got married.

REBECA: My name is Rebeca Rivadeneira de Márquez, I am 46 years old, I was born in the city of Lima, Peru. Being a girl, my father took me to see a report from the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). Seeing the fixed views of the natives with their faces painted, I felt fear. My father told me: "Child, do not be afraid, they are your countrymen and these gringos, referring to the missionaries, have come to work among them.

This comment created in me a positive feeling towards the natives, it was as if I had sown a seed in my heart that would germinate with the passing of the years.

I was 10 years old when my father gave me a reduced head of the indigenous jíbaros of Ecuador, this gift left an impressive mark on me.

I gave my life to Jesus Christ in an open air at 16 years of age, the Lord touched my heart through a song based on Ecclesiastes 12: 1 "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth ..." I said to myself : now I know that I am going to speak to the jíbaros, I will tell them about the love of Jesus.

I went for the first time to Pucallpa (in the year 79) to know the work of the SIL, it was impressive to see so many foreigners and so few Peruvians working among the natives. The Lord challenged me by saying: Rebecca is going to the jungle! I accepted the challenge, knowing that this meant leaving my comforts, adapting to a new culture, but I believe that when God calls us to a special service it also enables us.

I studied Missiology and Education, I worked in the formation of the A. B. Simpson School and in the Alianza del Callao Church as a worker in the childhood ministry.

In year 89 I received the invitation of the SIL to teach at the Higher Institute of Pedagogical Bilingual of Yarinacocha in Pucallpa to native teachers making a special friendship with the Piro-Yine, being then sent by the Alliance Church of Callao as a missionary to this ethnic group. At this time I met Roger we became good friends for having common goals and after two years we got married.

 

WHAT HAVE WE DONE? (REBECA): After getting married we were sent by the Alianza del Callao Church as a couple of missionaries to the Shipibo ethnic group, initiating the Project of the revision of the New Testament in the Shipibo language for five years.

Faced with the imminent departure of foreign missionaries from the jungle, we were commissioned to start the "Transcultural Missionary Training Program" to train native missionaries.

Simultaneously we set up our house in Pucallpa as a missionary base for the arrival and departure of young people from churches in Lima and Cusco making short mission trips in order to have a cross-cultural experience and know from experience what it takes to take the gospel to people of different cultural contexts

 

WHAT ARE WE DOING? (ROGER): After four pregnancy losses of Rebecca, the Lord blessed us with a boy named Roger David, who is now 9 years old.

Due to the deteriorated health of Rebeca we returned to Lima, being operated on two more occasions, thanks to God, she is already restored.

During our stay in Lima we have supported the Allaia del Callao Church in the pastoral ministry.

And I had the opportunity to make some short missionary trips to the Jungle of Cusco and Madre de Dios, receiving the Lord's reconfirmation of reaching with the gospel the ethnic groups in a state of isolation found in the National Reserve Parks. We have as a projection continue with the vision of reaching the uncontacted ethnic groups of the jungle, which is very difficult and dangerous since these natives are aggressive and are in areas reserved by the government of difficult access, and it is very expensive to reach these areas so far from our Amazon.

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OUR VISION: (ROGER): We are beginning a new stage in our missionary ministry, for which the Lord has opened the doors of Youth with a Mission - YWAM to receive a special training of five months as a couple of missionaries in the United States. in the city of Dallas, then we will be returning to Peru.

We thank God for having provided the air tickets that we needed in a surprising way. We ask you to support us with your prayers so that the Lord continues to supply to cover the expenses that such training requires (which includes lodging, food and studies). We trust God's provision because he is faithful.

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God did NOT allow 51 years ago a child was buried alive by his mother who belonged to a culture where these pagan customs were accepted and allowed the gospel to end these deeply rooted practices, I have great gratitude for what He did for me, He gave me the privilege to know him, to serve him better with my family, and it is our desire to glorify and magnify his name and be a participant in the fulfillment of the vision of Revelation 7: 9, 10, he says: "After this I looked, and here is a great multitude, which no one could number of all nations, and tribes and peoples and tongues, who stood before the throne and in the presence of the Lamb clothed in white robes, and with palms in their hands. "

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