[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epT7IblB2RE&rel=0] Notice the jungle wrapping the hunter puts the wild pig in. The animal was gutted and ready for transport within 15 minutes. It was long brutal hike back to camp.
Wild Pig shot
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC7GtI-FSjs&rel=0] This is the wild pig that ran to us after we shot the monkey. Nasty teeth and they know to attack humans. Good meat as well.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YH4NWDR-7Q&rel=0]
Day Hunt - Into Jungle for more food.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABG4pDay4PM&rel=0] Five mouths to feed and long distances to cross. We needed food for our journey because we would float at night. We stalked the jungle for two hours before we had our first opportunity. Then we got it! Praise God! One interesting story we were told from our guide was when we came to a mysterious small clearing in the jungle. The guide got spooked and we asked him what was up. He said, "this area is where a demon lives." Then he told us the story of what the locals believe. He said the demon will appear to people and trick them as he takes a familiar form. Like someone you might recognize. He will tell you to follow and then take you far into the jungle. Once you are good and lost he disappears. The guide also said if people say something bad the demon will tell the animals to go away and you wont have any food to hunt. Strange thing is even the Christians hold onto this story and fear the demon. Well, we all prayed to ourselves as we passed the area and rebuked the demon. Let´s see what the greater will inside of us will do we thought. One hour later we got a monkey, and then immediately after the monkey shot, a group of wild pigs came near us, which is very strange because after you fire everything runs. Our guide thought that was very odd, but we all praised God for the harvest of animals and food to eat. No demonic power can stand to the power of the Almighty! Back at camp, after returned with our kills a small storm rolled through and a bolt of lightening struck 10 feet from us! It was the loudest noise we had ever heard, everything went white, and smoke billowed out of the ground. It gave us a scare, but we laughed about it and ten minutes later and packed up for our night float. Brings to mind the scripture where Satan was cast out of heaven like a bolt of lightening.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDwVu5rTTP4&rel=0]
Monkey meat very chewy.
Night Hunt on the Amazon
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksMeZK_iVDQ&rel=0] Expedition down river will take you through some remote parts before you emerge to another village so hunting for food and basic survival takes a large part of your day. (The follow videos of hunts took place in between villages and along the most isolated parts of the small river/creek. This is a view into every day life between ministry efforts and what it takes to get to remote peoples, or even to the next major city along the Amazon.) As we passed through this area we were two days from any village so hunting for food was necessary. You cannot see much in this video, but the moon was full and as we floated down river it was so peaceful. We spotlight hunted on this long float. The most dangerous parts to doing this type of float at night are slamming into fallen trees on the small creek, running aground, and low hanging poisonous snakes that dangle over the creek on tree branches (we encountered two on this journey and it gave us all a scare).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQKKtI-Enpg&rel=0]
Shot the Cayman, but body went under water. We thought it was dead but the once it came back up we had to lance it with a spear. It shook violently and not until we practically cleaved the head off with a machete did it stop thrashing. We were all happy to get this meat and as it turns out it was our favorite meat on the whole journey. Think Chicken texture with a faint fish taste. Really good stuff. Cooked next morning for breakfast.
Piranhas for Dinner
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ANVryYN1E&rel=0]
Journeying down river we had little food because you can only bring essentials. Caught a few after this video was taken. Piranhas are mean little fish and two days later our guide caught a huge one that made us glad we never took a dip in the water.
Hillsong in Spanish
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skYlDoucs8Q&rel=0]
Recognize this song? Yep that is Hillsong in Spanish. The influence of media is amazing. To see how far even a simple song can reach shows how media can reach and impact the lives of others. We need more Christian Media! Because it can go to the ends of the earth and make an impact.
Sunday Preaching
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DE9_TdWKVs&rel=0]
Had a great church service. About 15 saved and a warm welcoming from everyone. What a blessing the body of Christ is!
Next Journey to the Jungle
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vouax9XljrI&rel=0]
Bogota Christian Concert
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rg3Lcmj5H4&rel=0]
This crusade/concert in Bogota was 40,000 persons or more. There is something awesome and amazing about massive corporal worship. The ground in the stadium shook when everyone jumped and praised in unison.
August '09 Newsletter
Dear Friends, Greetings in the Lord! Over the past months we have been very busy, working in Colombia and Ecuador, and our journeys are full of many testimonies. We are so grateful to each of you for your prayers, as it has kept us going and protected us in every way.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTiIV_9J0dY&rel=0]
Most recently, in Colombia, we have once again entered the front lines of the drug war and been witnesses of this evil industry. Some might ask, "How does the drug trade and those areas relate to the work of the gospel?" The answer for us is much like the statement the Apostle Paul said in Romans 15:20-21, "And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation; but as it is written, "THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND." You see, our mission is to preach Christ where He has not been named and to areas deemed to difficult to reach. The jungles and valleys where coca farmers and narcotics traffickers live and conduct their trade are just such places. We look at those areas and imagine what would happen if a revival broke out! But how can they hear without a preacher? This is why we go. We want to tread where no one has gone before and deliver the message of the Gospel to those who have not heard.
So with that, for the past weeks we have been actively traveling with the Colombian anti-narcotics police to some of the most dangerous states across the country. FARC rebel activity has been high in every area we have set foot, but praise God we have been protected and suffered no injury or kidnapping. This is due to your prayers, and as you pray doors have been opened for so much more. We have been on medical missions and urban outreaches and we know that the drug war can be overcome. Your support in this is vital as it allows us to reach people in need and make a lasting impact.
Now, as we continue the same theme of Romans 15:20-21, we are preparing an expedition to traverse the entire continent of South America via the Amazon to its mouth on the Atlantic coast of Brazil. We are calling this expedition, "Out of the Belly." For we believe, like John 7:38 says, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." This mission is metaphorically the same. We believe that from the belly of the Amazon, as Christ is preached, it shall flow rivers of living water and souls that praise the name of Jesus. Praise God we believe it!
This expedition will include many river journeys and unreached work. Our goal will be to effectively reach remote people groups, coca farmers, and loggers along the mighty river. We will be joined by a full time interpreter and we will need to hire guides, boats, gear, and assist local ministers to help us in this effort. We will float, trek the jungles, and take any means of transport to reach those who haven't been reached before. It will be a daunting journey, but a necessary one, as it might be the only opportunity some will have to hear the gospel.
Our estimated time of this journey will total more than two months and cost roughly $8300. We sincerely and prayerfully ask you to join with us in this journey. No matter large or small, whatever you can do to support this expedition will be treasured. Your monthly and one-time gifts are needed above and beyond, but we know together we can achieve great things for the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us attempt to complete the great commission and say to the Lord we have given our best effort. Thank you and you are with us always! May the Peace of the Lord be with you!
In Him,
Tim and Will
Elite Commando Training
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4InuS5oeTw&rel=0]
Sunday Service in Bogota
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9E_9UO1Psg&rel=0]
Mission Accomplished
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z3OgXPj8Nc&rel=0] Burned 2 labs now loading back on Blackhawk. Wash from blades so strong nearly knocked us over.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of6J1VHX9o4&rel=0]
Mission accomplished. Everyone safe. This operation occured near the border of Ecuador and Colombia.
Cocaine Lab in Colombia
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p29WTIEkaDg&rel=0] This lab was seized and it was more advanced than labs in Peru. It included presses and ovens to produce cocaine chloride, which is the final product. After the video you see here, the lab was burned and coca fields were destroyed. One booby trap in the field was found and purposely exploded. Colombia produces 80% of the world's cocaine. This is a forgotten war, but necessary to fight. Addiction holds many people ransom and void of the gospel. In the word it says, "How can one hear without a preacher?" That is certainly true and it can also be said in our time, "How can one hear when high?"
Inserting into the FARC Area
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3OiKidGAr4&rel=0] FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) activity was very high in this low fly over.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWb2LrpcFKA&rel=0]
Flying en route to lab seizure.
Helicopter Mission
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B42TpBWAC4g&rel=0]
Helicopter eradication mission. This area is highly active with FARC guerillas and a major harvesting area for cocaine. We were dropped at a jungle camp.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EukTNHZ3RcY&rel=0]
Colombian Dentist at Work
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz3weWbVbfo&rel=0]
Burning the Cocaine Labs
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIf7OVg8QIs&rel=0] The chemicals of acids and kerosene make the fire explode. Everything must be destroyed. The blaze was very intense and put off a repulsive smell.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqV-aNwi_oE&rel=0]
Blaze gets going! You can see how fast the fire explodes. However, as we moved to seize another lab the fire was unrecognizable when we traveled 100 feet farther into the jungle.
After the mission we drove 4-hours back to Pucallpa in the night.
Medical Mission
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUO3m5wnqPk&rel=0]
Cocaine Lab Seizure!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ZqDI9ahSM&rel=0] Will at lab sight 2 minutes after seizure. You can see we are all out of breath and trying to take in everything that just happened.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwXNHKk-540&rel=0]
Immediately after the cocaine-workers were captured the Dinandro soldiers set themselves to breaking down the crude lab. The mounds of what looks like dead leaves are exactly that. Those are coca leaves awaiting processing from this lab.