DESERT MINING TOWNS — August 2005

Maria Elena, covered by dust, is a desert salt-peter mining town northeast of Antofagasta. It is a shanty town with very little shade from the intense sun and with the land on all sides of the town turned upside down. It is a town, typical of many mining towns where I minister, without color and with dirt streets; for me a very depressive and unattrative place to live. For a pastor to live here he must have the calling of God in his life. And Pastor Jorge and his wife have that calling. Not only does he use our materials in The Church of God, but also uses our muppet type bible videos for dozens of children in a large day care he runs for the town. I spent time with them and rotated their video tapes just a few weeks ago. In appreciation he has sent the following email to you which I have translated:

 
 
 
 
Pastor Jorge
Pastor Jorge

Amados Conciervos
Ministerio SMC (VIM)

Les saludos en el nombre de nuestro Señor Jesucristo:

Queiro contarle que el material que uds. lo facilitan atravez de los videos me han sido de bendición para mi vida, la congregación, personas nuevas, y niños que gozan con este material. Gracias por hacer posible que muchas personas sean bendecidas con este material. Ruego a nuestro Dios que sigan facilitando en trabajo ministerial a muchos pastores y liderazgo qu ha veces no cuentan con esta posibillidad. Tambien por el misionero (Larry) que recorre todo nuestro pais of Chile llevando y trayendo estos videos. Gracious por nuestro hermano.

Desde ya estoy a vuestra disposición se despide atte. de vosotros
Ob. Jorge Gmo Araya R., Maria Elena, ll Region, Chile

"Salutations in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ:

I want to relate to you that the the material you make available for us, by way of videos, has been a blessing in my life, the congregation, new Christians, and children who enjoy this material. Thank you for making it posible that so many people are blessed by this material. I pray that our God continues to work in making these videos available to many more pastors and leaders who at this time do not have such materials. Also for the Missionary (Larry) who travels all over our country of Chile with these videos. Thank you for (sending) our Brother.

From this time on I am at your service; Sincerely yours,
Pastor Jorge Guillermo Araua Raminez, (arayae@latinmail.com), Maria Elena, ll Region, Chile"

Putre, further north and high up on the Atacama salt flats, 12,000 feet is another mining town. Señora Daria works there with our minstry. She owns a small grocery store on the back streets of the town. She is a little gal, full of the Spirit of God. Her love for Christ is intense. Don't be fooled by her photo. She is one of the most effective Christians I work with here in Chile. She is a power house for God, as she works with our videos in the Nazarene Church, in a Municiple building where she has open-to-the-public video presentations, and in the local public school.

Putre at 12,000+ ft.
 
Representative Señora Daria
Daria and Larry

  Over 15 public schools work with our videos as well as about 10 Christian private schools. Below, in the town of Incahuasi, I visit Profesora Emma Varas once a year. As usual, whenever I stop at one of our schools I often spend at least an hour working with the children. I act like a clown and keep the kids laughing as I teach them another lesson in English using the chalk boards. I weave basic priciples of Christianity along with the English lessons. We always have our fun in class before I invite everybody to join me outside to pick out the new videos. Much to their delight when I was driving out Incahuasi, the students discovered that my Boxer Van has a bull horn which sounds just like a bull bellowing.

Incahuasi
 

  A week ago, I returned from a few weeks on the road zig zagging over 5,000 kilometers, back and forth between different mining towns. I visited pastors in a couple dozen towns and signed up three more pastors. I live and sleep inside the van. At so many of the places I stop to sleep it seems like being parked in a crater on Mars.

 
 

One night in such a place, as I was preparing dinner in the dark, I started hearing the shuffling, grunching footsteps of someone about 100 feet out. I couldn't see a thing as I did not have any moon, but they surely could see me with the light on in the van. Then they dropped a rock that made a thud. Then only an erie silence again for about 2 minutes. Then another rock hit the ground with another loud thud. The hair on the back of my neck lifted as I could hear once again the crunching of gravel under their boots.

I decided to met the threat head on. I grabbed my flashlight and turned off the light of the van. I waited in the inky dark for the next sound. There it was - right in front of me and about 50 feet out! I took off running in the dark in that direction and turned on the flashlight when I got about half way to the source of the sound. There was nothing there. Then I heard a similar sound from the direction of the van, which really started me. Again, the flashlight showed me that there was nothing there. I started walking the perimeter and searching further away from the van. Tuning my ears to listen for these sounds, I started to realize that they were coming from beneath my feet! Then I realized that I was alone in the desert with the ground shifting and groaning under my feet from the change of the hot day time and cold night time temperatures. The joke was on me. I went back to finish heating my can of stew; now enjoying the company of sounds about me.

  Traveling in the north also brings other surprises such as pictoral landscape rock designs and settlements produced by indiginous people hundreds of years ago, as well as wildlife on the high Atacama salt flats. I still have not make it to some of the salty lakes that house thousands of pink flamingos.

llama
 

We send our love and thanks to all, Larry and Nikki

Video Instruction Ministries
% Harland Beery
P.O. Box 1332
Silverdale, WA 98383, USA
www.gault4him.org