By Rod Boyd

Close your eyes and picture the scene… two dozen Kuna Indians carrying a partially hollowed-out log down from a mountain in the middle of the rainforest to the ocean. Several were believers who occupied their time singing praises to their God. One such chorus became the favorite. The words are:

Señor Jesús, Tu eres la persona
    (Lord Jesus, You are the person)
Más importante en este lugar
    (Most important in this place)
Rey de Reyes, Señor de Señores
    (King of Kings, Lord of Lords)
Tu eres aquel que mi vida cambió
    (You are the One who changed my life)

After months of work the "cayuco" (dugout canoe) was finally floated to the island of Playon Chico. A local craftsman finished hollowing the trunk and put the cap on the end. There is enough left over from the log for another smaller canoe. Originally, the canoe was going to be named "King of Kings, Lord of Lords". But Benigno, pastor at Nargana, wants to save the name for another, larger boat. Several months ago we purchased a 25 horsepower Yamaha outboard motor. We have been using the motor with rented or borrowed canoes.

Benigno is now able to travel to the other islands to pick up our Bible school students to bring them to the monthly two-day class. We now have 25 students who study weekly on their own island and come to the island of Nargana for the monthly class. We recently appointed Clemencio Esquivel as pastor of the church on the island of Rio Tigre. He has been a deacon in the Nargana church and has been a student in the Kuna Bible School from the beginning. He uses the boat and motor each week as he "commutes" from Nargana to the nearby Rio Tigre—about 25 minutes in canoe.

Funds from Project MADU, provided by a generous donor, were used to purchase the boat and motor. But the Arkansas District Youth recently came through with a $3,000 Speed the Light offering for the boat and motor. We were able to return the Project MADU funds for use on building projects for the churches and Bible school on the islands. Thank you Roy Rhodes, District Youth Director, for your STL offering!

Please continue to pray for the Kuna Indian work. Pray that God would continue to call the Kuna Indian students into pastoral ministry. Pray that He would raise up church planters who would be willing to leave their island to evangelize in another. Pray for the Kuna Bible School while we are on furlough, especially for the assistant director Benigno Gonzalez. Pray for Benigno’s wife Evelis who has a serious medical problem. Continue to pray for the church on the island of Rio Tigre and for its new pastor Clemencio. Pray for Project MADU, that there would be sufficient funds to meet the needs on the islands. There are many needs. But God is able! And He cares about the Kuna Indians.