Anelio & Silverixia

We have such a great respect for so many of our Kuna brothers and sisters in Panama! Anelio & Silverixia are a young couple that were sent out as missionaries by their church to a village upriver. You may remember that in 2009, while returning to the village where they minister, they lost their 3 year old son in the flooded river. God has used their faithfulness in spite of many hardships to win many to Christ.

A church has been established in the village. Every Saturday Anelio has also been traveling upriver with some of the new believers to the next Kuna village to teach “God’s Book.” The chiefs are asking Anelio and the church leaders to come for some official meetings the end of this month. They would like to have  a couple move into their community to dedicate more time to teaching literacy and the Bible.  Pray for God’s wisdom, provision, and timing for this open door. What a bright spot to remember that God’s Word is still going out to new areas!

reading the Word

The countdown has begun! Next week Joyce & I travel back “home” to Panama. So much has happened in the lives of our Kuna friends since we last saw them – the flooding and devastation, intense pressure on the believers to return to the traditional ways and forsake the Bible, a dear friend’s death, the Old Testament translation nearing completion! It will be so good to have time together to rejoice and grieve. Plus we have a lot of work to do!

The Kuna literacy program is ready for its final check and then printing. This means there are 6 primers, each with detailed daily lesson plans for the teachers, student writing practice, worksheets, extra reading practice booklets. Would you pray with us that God would multiply our time and allow us to complete all this checking and editing? Pray that this literacy program will be used by God that the Kuna people will be able to read and love God’s Word in their own language.

Please also pray that we will be an encouragement and blessing to our Kuna friends. We look so forward to hearing how God is faithfully working in their lives and churches.

The Kuna ladies sent a message to us that made us smile. They have lost the recipes that Joyce had given them for desserts, especially the banana bread and squash bread. They need these recipes as the churches in several of the villages have purchased little stoves and would like to make the goodies for activities as well as to sell to support their missionary outreaches. In the absence of measuring cups, the recipes were written using tomato paste cans as the standard measurement – something they all would have!

So as the Lord brings us to mind, please hold us up in prayer. There is a lot to do, but we can hardly wait!

To give you a glimpse of the caliber of our Kuna friends, we recently heard from one of the small churches. They were concerned for the 7 widows with children in their village and another 5 in the village upriver who completely lost their crops in the flood. Not all of these ladies are part of the church, but the believers felt God would want them to care for these widows in both villages. Isn’t that what true religion is all about – putting actions to our faith (James 1:27)? So they began sharing from their own limited food supply. This was even before they were aware that funds were being collected to help their own needs!!!

What an example to all of us that even when we have personal needs (and who among us, doesn’t?) we are not to be paralyzed or self-focused, but still obey God and reach out to others! So keep living with your eyes OPEN!

We appreciate your prayers for our Kuna friends as the affects of the flood will be ongoing. Malaria is rampant. Stomach problems are common after the difficulties in finding clean water. Many have lost their crops which is their food and income. Even the seed to replant was washed away. But the Kuna churches are thriving. “They are being tested by many troubles, and they are poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more…” (2 Corinthians 8:2 & 3)

sisters in Christ

Recently Panama experienced some of the heaviest rains and flooding on record. Many Kuna villages were affected, including the village where we lived and served for many years. The believers report that 41 homes suffered damage and most of the villagers’ gardens were washed away. This was the food for their daily life as well as cash crops for next year.  All the coffee plants were washed away, the corn, rice, fruit trees, and avocados.  Much of the platano was lost (and this is the main staple of their diet). Many faithful Kuna brothers and sisters are faced with nearly a total loss. Rupentino & Griselda lost their crops to the flood, including their coffee which was a cash crop to pay for their children’s education.  Belquis, a single mom with three children who is very active in the church and a Sunday school teacher, lost her garden on the river bank. The flood took everything. Her unsaved mother blames this on her teaching children in the church and not participating in the village’s drunken ceremonies.

Also wiped out by the flood was the church’s garden which was used to support their own missionary couple, Anelio & Silverixia in the village upriver. Now there is nothing to share with them. The village where Anelio and family are serving is much worse off because the roads are still impassible in their area, even with horses. So supplies are very limited. Out of their meager supplies, the church has brought food up to Anelio, Silverixia, and the believers there.

A fund has been established to help with the needs of these two Kuna villages. Use the “contact” tab (above) to receive information. We appreciate your prayers for our Kuna friends that are suffering. Pray that the believers will see God’s provision and continue trusting Him as their Jehovah-Jireh. Pray that the unbelievers will see the love and generosity of God’s people and come to know Christ as their Savior.

Simba-Guarani lady, Bolivia

We are very excited for the opportunity to train 22 Bolivian missionary candidates, begin equipping a new literacy consultant, and make some trips into tribal areas to evaluate and move literacy forward.

Most of us haven’t heard much about the country, but Bolivia is quite the fascinating place! The landlocked country could be summarized by the word “diversity.” Besides Spanish, Aymara and Quechua languages, there are 34 other officially recognized indigenous languages spoken! That’s quite a challenge for missionaries seeking to clearly communicate the most important Message of all time!

Bolivia has the largest deposit of salt on the planet. And under all that salt is the largest deposit of lithium in the world (used for batteries). Bolivia is located in one of the wettest zones – receiving over 8 meters of rainfall per year. This makes its tropical rainforests and wetlands full of life. Forty percent of all types of animals and plants in the world are found in Bolivia.

We should see some beautiful butterflies in Bolivia. It ranks 4^th in the world for the most butterfly species. Important exports are Brazil nuts, organic coffee and cacao. Bolivia has the two highest cities in all of the world – Potosí and La Paz. And we have a connecting flight in La Paz!  

We appreciate your prayers as we minister in Bolivia!

Anelio, Silverixia & family

About two years ago a young Kuna couple were sent out by their church to work as missionaries in an unreached village upriver. This was a complete miracle as God opened doors that were previously completely closed to the Gospel.

In these first years of ministry in the village, Anelio & Silverixia have faced opposition and hardship. At first people didn’t want to hear God’s Book. They ridiculed, humiliated, and opposed Anelio & Silverixia in every way. But eventually the children of the village began showing interest in hearing God’s Book and began listening to the chronological Bible lessons. Little by little adults asked for Bible teaching until there were about 80 adults hearing God’s Word and over a hundred children.

Now there is a small group of new believers in the village who are taking stands in obedience to Christ, refusing to participate in the village drinking ceremonies. This puts them under intense pressure from the village and their families. They have to pay monetary fines. They are accused, questioned and threatened. Most of us cannot even imagine the pressure they live with each day. And yet this little group of believers stands tall for Christ, “counting it ALL joy!”

Would you pray for Anelio and Silverixia as they lead this little, hurting flock? Pray that they will have God’s wisdom, peace and strength. We will be meeting together in November for the annual Kuna leadership conference. Pray that they and other Kunas ministering in difficult locations will be encouraged and prepared for their ministries. 

A new, short film portraying the journey that brings a Moi man of Papua New Guinea from a life dictated by fear of the spirits to faith in his Creator. This is what we are about!

four generations in Christ

Twenty-three years ago a baby girl was born in a Kuna jungle village. That same year God sent the McDaniels family to that little village as missionaries. So little Silverixia grew up with memories of her mother hearing the Gospel message for the first time and then trusting Christ.

Recently Silverixia with her husband Anelio and their two small children were sent as missionaries to an unreached Kuna village. This is the story of their first year in the ministry:

“God has been so faithful in my life. I heard about God\’s trail from my mother. And she learned from you, Joyce. Some of my earliest memories are of you sitting in the hammock at our house, teaching my mother. I remember you would talk to us children, too and ask us questions. I was really too young to understand, but I knew that you spoke the Truth.

Later my mother taught me about salvation. I put my faith in Jesus and His work on the Cross. I guess that makes you, Joyce, my grandmother in the Lord! My spiritual grandmother!

Then again I saw God’s faithful leading in giving me Anelio to be my husband. God knew my heart’s desire to serve Him. There are many men who don\’t share that burden. But God gave me Anelio, one who is willing to serve and even suffer for God’s work. In the beginning our marriage was a disaster. Then we faced sickness. But God raised us up from all these things to serve Him! God chose us to work for Him.

“People did not understand us leaving our village to serve as missionaries. “What in the world will you do? You have no relatives there. Here you have a coffee garden and plátano. Who will help you there? No one! You will suffer. Your children will suffer because of your foolishness.” But nevertheless we went, depending on God’s faithfulness. And although it has been very hard as Anelio explained, God has never let us down.

“Now there is a small group of true believers in the village. They are your spiritual great-grandchildren! And there are many more that are hearing God’s Word for the first time. We trust Him for a good harvest.

“But it is hard. It reminds me of one afternoon when we went out of the village with our children. We just needed to get away and alone for a little while. We had crossed a river and then all at once a flash flood came. With two little ones how could we cross the raging river? Big trees had been snapped off and were floating down. It was dangerous. We tied together some banana plants and made a raft of sorts. Holding onto this we were able to slowly and painfully get across the river and back to the village.

“As we were struggling to cross the flooded river, I thought, “This is just like our ministry here in the village. We are struggling to go against the flood. Our energy is gone. Things are desperate. We fear for our children.” But just as God got us safely to the other side of the river, He will faithfully get us though these first difficult years of ministry. We have nothing but Him to depend on. And He is enough.

“To be honest, a part of me dreads getting back into the pressures in the village, to always be struggling against the flood. But a stronger part of me is willing and ready to go back and watch God continue His work. Please pray very much for us. Pray that we will be faithful and not discouraged. Pray for God\’s protection and wisdom.”

Update: we received a message that the other Kuna couple that was serving in the village as missionary partners with Anelio and Silverixia have left the work because of the difficulties. So please pray all the more that Anelio and Silverixia will be encouraged in the Lord and faithful to His calling on their lives.

A small Kuna church in the jungle began praying for the villages upriver where the people had yet to hear the Gospel. They repeatedly sought permission from the village leaders to send missionaries to teach God\’s Book, but permission was refused. So the church kept praying.

And that was the story for more than ten years. But then an official request came to the church, first to send literacy teachers and later that they would send Bible teachers. What a miracle that God had opened doors which had been locked! This is how fourteen months ago a young Kuna couple, Anelio and Silverixia, along with their two small children were sent as missionaries to one of these villages upriver. Those first months of their ministry were very difficult, filled with loneliness and discouragement. But their faithfulness has begun to bear fruit.

Anelio recently shared with us, “As I began to learn God\’s Book, I saw that His heart is for the whole world. And so I told Him, ‘Great Father, I will do whatever You ask of me. I will go wherever You want.’ I came to know that God had chosen me to go to a Kuna village upriver. He was asking me to suffer there for His name. I cannot explain the burden in my heart for those in that village who did not know the Savior. God put mercy in my heart for them. They are so lost, so confused, so far from the Truth.”

“And this is how we came to be sent out as missionaries. I had no idea of the great trials we were to face. We arrived in the village with nothing. Even though we had permission to be there, at first no one helped us. People didn’t want to hear God’s Word. They ridiculed, humiliated, and opposed us in every way. Silverixia and I talked often about quitting and just returning to our village. But then the children of the village began showing interest in hearing God’s Book. We were excited to begin teaching them the chronological Bible lessons. We prayed and prayed because the people’s hearts were so hard, so full of the love of sin.

“Then came the day when one man asked me to teach him God’s Book. That was the start and everyday more and more people came. Now there are about 80 adults hearing God’s Word and over a hundred children always come! There is also a small group of new believers who are taking stands to obey Christ. They refuse to give into the pressure to participate in the village drinking ceremonies. They would rather obey God than face the approval of the village and their families. But it is not easy. It is not a light thing. It means leaving all to follow Him. Some of the new believers are facing problems because their husband or wife does not know God yet. So they may want to obey God, but their partner doesn’t understand. Every one of the new believers are facing problems. Would you please pray for them?

“Please pray especially for the family living next to us. They are really close to understanding the Gospel and putting their faith in Christ. The man and his son are medicine men for the village. They are very interested in God’s Book and understand the Gospel is completely different than the ways of the forefathers. I am teaching his family the lessons from Genesis so they are coming to understand about the true God, sin and separation. This man asked me one day, “Who was the greatest one that God has ever sent to earth?” I responded, “Jesus.” He said, “Then why is it we doubt Him? I am coming to believe the Book.” He is thinking and asking good questions. God is drawing him.

“And I pray that God will continue His work in the village. Their hearts are so in love with sin. Most of them have no desire for God’s things. Please pray that we will be faithful and not give up. It is so discouraging. There is so much pressure against us. And they go about without even a hint of shame in their sin. May God give us His heart of mercy. May God help them to understand His truth. I know that one day God will show His power in the village as He changes lives.”

Greetings from Panama! We have already enjoyed several days with our dear missionary co-workers and been able to visit with some Kuna friends. What a joy to see those we have discipled, reaching others who are reaching others for our Lord! It is such a beautiful picture of the chain we all form in the Body of Christ. And we are a link in that chain with you!

Early on Thursday morning we will travel to where the annual Kuna leadership conference will begin that same morning. We are anticipating about 110 church leaders and their wives for the 8 days of conference! They represent the Kuna churches on the islands, jungle villages and cities. During the seminar we will be teaching through Ephesians and have study books completed in Kuna that will be given to each of those who attend. It is always such a thrill to fellowship with our Kuna brothers and sisters and mutually be encouraged in the work that God continues to do in the churches and new outreaches into unreached villages.