In a small house in Puerto Rico, Lydenice (spouse, educator and nursing student) had been praying for 12 years for the conversion of her spouse Guaili. In the past year God had begun to impress Lisy to go to Peru to work as a missionary. The aspiration grew, and she began to wish to visit South America to get to know what missionary work which was being done there. But what was she going to do with her husband? He was not Adventist; he didn’t mind that she went to church on Saturday, always had worship with her children, but he did everything possible to not participate in them. Lisy began to pray intensely for her husband, and asked her friends to pray for him. One morning very early she prayed about her concern where to go on a mission trip and what organisation to go with; and two days after praying she miraculously walked by Pastor David Gates, who has missionary projects in South America. Then a voice spoke to her saying: “Speak with him, now!” she immediately talked to him and told him what she wanted to do, He responded, “With pleasure! Of course you can visit some projects in South America!”
Because Lisy had some concerns, Pastor Gates gave her the info of his wife Becky. Lisy wrote to Becky, but she didn’t answer immediately. After 2 months and Lisy had not received a response from Becky, she spent the money saved for the trip on necessary arrangements at home. Already disappointed and thinking about where she would go, one morning a friend sends her a message: “I had a dream, a young man drove up in a car and rolled down the window and told me: “Tell your friend Lisy, that God has the power.” Lisy read and thought in prayer, “God, I know you have the power over all things, but be more specific, what are you talking about, my spouse, the trip, my children…?” After 10 minutes, she received a message from Becky, apologizing that she hadn’t been in the US and was very sorry she had not been able to respond, but that she was happy Lisy was interested so they could get to know several projects in Bolivia. Licy did not know that God was putting all the pieces together in response to the 12 year prayer request!
One of the houses in the community of Esperanza.
In the first week of June, Becky Gates had told me about a family of Puerto Rico who wished to have their vacation time in South America and learn more about the mission field in mid-July. Becky was very worried because she was traveling out of Bolivia and would not be able to meet and travel with them. In my mind, I began to think that it could not be done. I had just make two trips to the interior, one to the river Mamoré and another to San Borja. I had tendinitis in one of my shoulders and Miguel in the midst of completing his flight hours and had a lot of stress and needed my support. It was not in my plans do another trip at the moment. How could I help Becky?
We started to pray! I remembered that two weeks before, Anibal Magne and Miguel Escalante, two young men who had been part of the team that had gone to Boquerón and Esperanza with us months ago asked me: “Sister Mirta, we are returning in July to the rails, will you come with us?” As I remembered what they had said, the thought came to me that we should probably go there. I mentioned the plan to Becky and so we began to prepare for the trip, the medical team. I contacted Pastor Marc Chamber, who is the leader of the project in Orinoca to begin a frontier evangelism training center, 14 km from Esperanza. He told me: “Sister Mirta, I will go to Orinoca in July, but my plans are different; I’m going to do construction.” Why not to do construction I thought? Finally we decided we would go on july 11 to 17; providing medical attention, evangelism and construction all in one trip.
Thursday, July 10 they arrived in Santa Cruz, Guaili, Lisy, Eieri and Ciba from Rurrenabaque, where they were visiting the Familia Feliz Project.
There kids Eieri and Ciba had arrived ill to Santa Cruz, with diarrhea and severe stomach pain. At 4:00 pm we had a meeting with the team. We started the meeting praying, we were eight people, each one prayed for a special blessing for the trip and the total restoration of children for the next morning as we began the journey. Guaili (the husband) had never prayed for their children, and when it was his turn, he also prayed. Lisy almost began crying, but she contained herself not show her emotion. God had already begun his work in Guaili in the Familia Feliz Orphanage and through this group of special prayer for their children.
Our team of medical missionaries who went to the isolated communities of Esperanza and Boquerón
Friday 11, at 6:00 am, we started our trip and the two children were completely well throughout the all trip until July 17 the end.
Pastor Chambers with his sons, Johann, Andrew with Aníbal Magne left a week earlier to prepare the ground. He had made all arrangements in Boqueron so when we got there we could have transportation to Orinoca. But to our surprise a upon arriving in Boqueron we found the the local people hadn’t made any arrangements as requested. It was impossible to get a van, the only possible transportation there was were motorcycles to take us 12.4 miles to the community of Esperanza, it was really an adventure to move all luggage and 12 people by motorcycle. But this was still not our last destination we needed to travel another 8.6 miles to Orinoca. Then yet again another problem pops up, the motorcyclist did not want to continue, giving different excuses; eventually we decided that Lisy, the children and David the dentist would remain in Esperanza due to lack of transportation. It was not easy for Lisy, in her prayers she prayed: “God if it is your will for Guaili to go alone, please let it be for a blessing.” So there in the jungle was where he met with God, in his conversations with Anibal and Miguel, and the meditations of the Pastor Chambers, he felt that each talk was directed to him. Guaili had was in a hurry to return to Esperanza to meet Lizzy; when he saw he said with much emotion “Now I understand that God has prepared this trip for me, every conversation, every word seemed directed toward me from the beginning, I now understand it all! “I want to be baptized, here in Bolivia or in Puerto Rico but I want to do it soon!“
Pastor chambers preaching in the community of hope on Saturday morning.
Because of the delay we had by the shortage of transportation, there wasn’t time to assist in the preparation of the land for the school, but the men did alittle service to the community by cutting a tree that was blocking the path that connects the communities of Esperanza and Orinoca. Also the team provided medical care, prevention, nutrition, dentistry, physiotherapy, activities for children, delivered Bibles and religious meetings.
Cutting the tree that was blocking the main road between the communities of Esperanza and Orinoca.
The needs of these communities are large, the lack of hygiene in homes and physical hygiene have caused the people to have have many skin diseases.
Sinai, a missionary doctor and Licy worked together checking the patients.
On YouTube there is a video that shows the work that was done in this trip, we invite you to see it.
Mission Trip to the Rails…Heading to Orinoca. July 2017
David , the dentist working in Esperanza.
We give infinite thanks to God for having been part of the response of the prayer of a spouse, which for 12 years prayed with perseverance for his beloved husband, and God take him out of their environment to bring him here to Bolivia, so he could find God. What wonderful God we have!
Lisy has a biblical verse that often used to encourage her to go ahead.
And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. 1 Chronicles 28:20.
We are truly appreciative of all heartfelt prayers offered by the friends and supporters of our ministry Mission, Send Me. Thanks be to God who answers prayers! It was a blessed journey! God directed every step of the way!
Maranatha!
Miguel & Mirta Farias
