Dear Beloved Friends and Family,
As the year quickly draws to a close, we wanted to take some time to share an update on what has been happening here in the village. There is quite a bit going on right now, with some exciting ministry opportunities ahead, but also some difficult challenges that we would greatly appreciate your prayers for.
As always, we are reminded that things do not always go according to our plans, especially living and serving in a place like this. There are many things beyond our control, but we are thankful that we serve a faithful God who knows our needs and continues to provide for us one day at a time.
Sickness in the Village and a Tragic Loss
Right now, there is quite a bit of sickness going around the village, and we are doing what we can to help those who are sick. Unfortunately, we are still waiting for our medicines and Torches to make their way up here from Puerto Ayacucho.
We had hoped to have these supplies by now, but getting things transported into this area continues to be a challenge. Unfortunately, we recently received some very sad news that may make transportation even more difficult.
Yesterday, we learned that one of the small Cessna planes that occasionally flies into our area, and that we sometimes contract to transport supplies, had crashed. Tragically, a Yanomamö medic lost his life in the accident. We are thankful that the pilot and a young boy from Parima survived.
This is a heartbreaking loss, especially for the family and community of the medic who passed away. It is also a serious setback for transportation in this region, as there are very few aircraft available to serve these remote villages.
Please keep the family of the medic in your prayers, along with everyone affected by this tragedy. We would also appreciate your prayers that the Lord will make a way for our medicines and Torches to reach us soon. With so much sickness in the village, having those medicines here would be a tremendous help.
Even in situations like these, when we do not understand why things happen the way they do, we continue to trust the Lord and look to Him for wisdom, strength, and provision.
Fellowship Between the Villages
One of the encouraging things happening here is the continued fellowship between our church in Cosh and the church in the village of Toki.
This coming Sunday, a large group from our church is planning to travel up to Toki to join the believers there for a Sunday service. These visits have become a regular part of the fellowship between the two churches. Sometimes the believers from Toki travel down to visit us, and other times a group from our church makes the trip up to their village.
It is always a blessing to see these churches coming together to worship, encourage one another, and spend time in fellowship.
One of the things that makes these gatherings especially interesting is that our church is primarily Yanomamö, while the believers in Toki are Yekuana. Since they speak two different languages, translators are needed during the services so everyone can understand the preaching and teaching.
It is a wonderful reminder that even though we come from different backgrounds and speak different languages, we are united in Christ. It has been encouraging to watch these relationships grow and to see the believers taking the initiative to visit and strengthen one another.
Please pray for safe travels for those making the trip and that the time spent together will be a blessing and encouragement to both churches.
Youth Ministry and Feeding the Kids
We are very thankful that our youth program continues to go well. It has been such a blessing to be spending time with the kids again, teaching them God's Word, and being able to provide a meal during our gatherings.
Although we call it our youth program, the truth is that we have children of just about every age showing up, some as young as two years old!
Here in the village, it is very difficult to establish specific age groups the way churches might normally do back in the States. The younger children see everyone gathering and naturally want to be part of what is happening. Trying to keep them out of the services is nearly impossible, so we simply do our best to work with whoever comes.
It can make things a little challenging at times, but we are thankful for every child who shows up and for the opportunity to share God's Word with them.
We have also noticed that when we are able to provide a meal, even more children come. While that means more mouths to feed, we are grateful that we can share what the Lord has provided and use these gatherings as an opportunity to build relationships with the children.
For many of these kids, receiving a good meal is something they do not always have the opportunity to enjoy. Being able to feed them while also teaching them about the Lord is a special part of this ministry.
Please continue to pray for these young people, that the seeds being planted in their hearts will grow and that they will come to know the Lord personally.
Upcoming Youth Soccer Ministry — November 16–21
We are also preparing for another youth soccer ministry, scheduled for November 16–21.
This outreach will be geared toward young people ages 15 and older, and we are planning to have groups from other villages join us as well.
One of the challenges we face in ministry here is reaching some of the older youth. As they grow older, it can become more difficult to get them involved in regular church activities. We have found that organizing a soccer ministry is one of the best ways to bring these young people together and create opportunities to spend time with them and share the Gospel.
We held a similar event last year, and it went extremely well. We were encouraged by the participation and the opportunities it gave us to connect with young people we might not otherwise have been able to reach.
I had really hoped to organize another one before the end of this year, so we have decided to move forward with the preparations.
Of course, an event like this involves quite a bit of planning, especially when it comes to feeding everyone who will be attending. Since we are expecting young people from other villages, we will need to provide meals throughout their stay.
We are planning to ask some of the village leaders to help prepare cassava bread, and we will also be organizing groups to go fishing and hunting to help provide food for the event.
It takes a lot of work to put something like this together out here, but we believe it is worth the effort if it gives us an opportunity to reach these young people with the Gospel.
Please pray that the Lord will provide the food and other things needed, that everyone will be able to travel safely, and most importantly, that hearts will be open to hearing God's Word.
Planning for Our December Conference
Another event we are beginning to prepare for is our annual church conference in December.
Each year, we normally invite churches from the surrounding villages to come together for about a week of fellowship, preaching, teaching, and encouragement.
This year, we had actually hoped to take a break from organizing such a large gathering. One of our biggest challenges continues to be keeping enough food and other supplies on hand, and hosting a conference of this size requires a tremendous amount of preparation.
However, after discussing it, the elders of our church have decided that they would like to hold the conference again this year.
Although it will mean more work and additional supplies that we will need to find, we are thankful for their desire to continue bringing the churches together.
These gatherings are an important time for the believers from the different villages. Many of them live far apart and do not have regular opportunities to fellowship with other Christians. Being able to spend several days together studying God's Word, worshiping, and encouraging one another is a real blessing.
We know that the Lord is able to provide what is needed, so we are moving forward in faith and will do what we can to prepare.
Please pray for wisdom as we plan, for the supplies and food that will be needed, and that this conference will be a time of spiritual growth and encouragement for everyone who attends.
Praise and Prayer Requests
Even with the challenges we continue to face, we have so much to be thankful for. The Lord continues to open doors for ministry, and we are encouraged to see the local believers taking an active part in reaching out to other villages and strengthening the churches.
We praise the Lord for:
- The continued growth and opportunities in our youth ministry.
- Being able to feed the children again and share God's Word with them.
- The fellowship between the churches in Cosh and Toki.
- The willingness of our church leaders to organize and participate in ministry opportunities.
- The opportunity to reach older youth through the upcoming soccer ministry.
- The Lord's continued faithfulness and provision, even through difficult circumstances.
Please pray for:
- The many people in the village who are currently sick.
- The family of the Yanomamö medic who lost his life in the plane crash.
- Our medicines and Torches, that we will be able to get them safely transported from Puerto Ayacucho to the village.
- Safe travel and a blessed time of fellowship for the group visiting Toki.
- Our youth program and the children we have the opportunity to minister to.
- The upcoming soccer ministry, November 16–21, and the young people who will be attending.
- Provision of food and supplies for both the soccer ministry and the December conference.
- Wisdom, strength, and guidance as we continue serving the Lord here in the jungle.
Thank You for Standing With Us
As always, we want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who faithfully prays for our family and supports the work here in Venezuela.
We say this often, but we truly mean it. You are our coworkers in this ministry. Although you may be thousands of miles away, you are just as much a part of what the Lord is doing here as we are.
Every time we gather the children to teach them God's Word, provide a meal for someone who needs it, travel to another village, or have an opportunity to share the Gospel, you have a part in making that possible.
Without your faithful prayers, encouragement, and financial support, we simply could not continue doing the work the Lord has called us to do here.
There are certainly challenges ahead, and we do not know exactly how everything will come together. But we know that the Lord has been faithful in the past, and we trust that He will continue to provide for the work He has given us.
Thank you for walking alongside us, for remembering our family in your prayers, and for caring about the people we have the privilege of serving.
We love and appreciate every one of you more than words can express. May the Lord richly bless you and your families as you continue serving Him wherever He has placed you.
With gratitude and love,
Andrew & Solena Lee
Galatians 6:9 (KJV)
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
If You Feel Called to Help
Giving – Mission Padamo Aviation and Support, Inc.
Or send a check to:
Mission Padamo Aviation and Support
P.O. Box 644
Island Lake, IL 60042
Please add Andrew Lee in the memo line.
