Destination: Intuto

Clean drinking water: (essentials for the skimmers)

• We made it to Iquitos! We've been on the road/river 12 days and lack 2 more 'til we reach Intuto and the Tigre Quichua.
• We picked up some very helpful language books from Wycliffe (SIL).
• We will likely be out of contact for the next two months.

Clean public restrooms: (extras for the non-skimmers)

Dear praying folks, From Puerto Maldonado to Cuzco to Lima to Pucallpa to Saman to Iquitos to Intuto. Those are the cities i've seen thus far (minus Intuto) on this voyage from one end of Peru to the other. The buses are no fun. They try to spice it up with a bootlegged movie or two in Spanish dub. In Lima we visited the Wycliffe office where we picked up a Quechua Pastaza (basically same as Tigre Quichua)-Spanish dictionary and grammar book as well as a Quechua Pastaza - Spanish parallel folklore book. Both have been priceless in the language and culture study thus far. Jeff and Graham split from us to go to Yurimaguas and on to Nueva Vida, home of the Chiuhuita people. Drew and i, as you know, went east to Pucallapa via bus where we met some more Wycliffe people who hooked us up with a couple of Quechua Pastaza New Testaments. They explained that the people where we were headed were Quechua (KAY-CHOO-AH), not Quichua (KEE-CHOO-AH), which is of the same language family but often uses different vowels and has a longer alphabet. It's hard to say who's correct because the people themselves might argue they are Quichua but are officially Quechua as far as the academic world is concerned, or they could fall the vast gray area between Quechua and Quichua. From Pucallpa we caught a three story barge headed down (north) the Ucayali River to Saman. In the tiny town of Saman, we were welcomed by the local believers who have a long standing relationship with the Xtreme Team. Two of them, Javier and Mauro, completed the Xtreme training with Bobby last Fall. We invited them to come with us to go to the Tigre Quichua and they were unsure if they could come due to the cost of travel. They still may come late if they can find the support. The following morning we barely caught the next barge headed downriver to Iquitos, where we currently are. On these boats, passengers live and sleep in a large open space with hammocks strung in rows. Privacy is nonexistent and theft was always a concern. I did loose my yogurts to a thief one night, dangit! The boats are MUCH better for travel than the buses as there is always a nice breeze and you can move around a lot and always return to your trusty hammock. Be sure time is on your side though; we averaged 12 mph for 4 days. We have heard of river pirates and one of our boats had a large sign painted on the side saying "PROHIBIDO ABORDAR" which means "BOARDING PROHIBITED" with a pirate skull and cross bones underneath. Basically it was a "NO PIRATES ALLOWED" sign. Drew and i had a good laugh as we imagined the pirates approaching, arms in hand, ready to take us for all we were worth. Thank God for that sign! The pirates would see it and realize that attacking us was against company policy. They would have leave, frustrated and empty handed, all because someone thought to use a little paint. This afternoon we leave for the final leg of the trip at "6:30," according to the people running the boat. That means we won't leave before 8pm. Welcome to Peru. Once in Intuto our language and cultural study should really pick up. It will be our home for the next month before we start back home around the 10th of July. I'm not sure how much we will travel up and down the Tigre River to indigenous comunities, but i hope to see a fair amount of the upper Tigre, where no churches exist. Some evangelical work has been done by Peruvians, but never in the Quichua language, always in Spanish. The people must hear the Gospel in their heart language if they are to make a decision of the heart. God help us!

PrayeRequests:

• Drew and i are entering a region that has belonged to Satan for thousands of years. He's secured those souls for Hell and doesn't plan on giving up the present and future Tigre Quichua people without a fight. We expect much spiritual warfare. We both are currently coming off the heals of a sinus infection that i believe was the initial attack. Sword (Bible) in hand, here we go!
• As we study the culture and worldview we will be forming a Bible story track that will be relevant to their culture. As we can't share every story from the Bible, pray we would select the stories God wants to use to reach this people to help them understand His Message.
• The brothers, Mauro and Javier, are still deciding if they can meet us in Intuto later to join in the work.
• We are studying Quichua/Quechua. Pray we are studying the right language. Non Latin-based languages = hard.
• Levi is still in Ecuador trying to gather funds and support from friends and his church to be able to come back ASAP.

"It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished.

His dying breath has brought me life.

I know that it is finished!"

love yall,

†il the whole world hears,

corey reid pendergrass