Colombia’s Unreached Tribes

In Colombia have the pleasure of working alongside a special movement of exclusively Amazonian tribal Christian leaders known as LICAC (Indigenous Christian Leaders of the Colombian Amazon) as they prepare and mobilize missionaries from their churches to go and engage some of that country’s most inaccessible tribes with the gospel. The map below is an initial overview of Colombia’s unreached jungle tribes. As their work progresses to the expeditionary phase I will facilitate them by… Continue reading

Mango Maps and South America Research

In the fall of 2022, I began splitting my time in research and mapping of Ethnic People Groups between the needs of ALTECO in South America and Gospelink in 16 countries across several continents. To accommodate the massive new demands, my focus on the Amazon jungle region has had to narrow (become more refined) somewhat. I worked out as a goal with our South America team that for the first half of 2023 I would… Continue reading

Equipping Leaders in Colombia!

At the heart of ALTECO is the desire to prepare indigenous Christian leaders to succeed in a uniquely difficult ministry. Making disciples, planting churches, and shepherding those churches to maturity deep in the Amazon jungle requires a special type of leader, one who is both called AND equipped. In keeping with this vision, ALTECO has partnered with Lead555 to bring a select group of leaders through a 3-year program that (in their words) “is not just about training, but journeying with leaders from idea to… Continue reading

Total lockdown in Panama

Total lock-down. We are in our second month of one of the most restrictive quarantine regimes in the Western Hemisphere. Though home-bound, our ministry has not abated; rather we find ourselves catching up on projects and preparing for upcoming field work, all the while managing a delicate balance between work and family needs. We liken this season to a months-long journey aboard a sailboat on the high seas. Responsibilities continue onboard; our ship is in… Continue reading

“Ides of March” upon us

As lockdown measures were announced here in Panama, I for some reason recalled the famous line by Shakespeare, “Beware the ides of March.” I must say, the timing is interesting. We know that in all circumstances the Lord is faithful. Not knowing where this crisis we now find ourselves in will lead, we are thankful for some very productive months leading to this new season under lockdown. In January, February and early March, Drake and other… Continue reading

Hidden Tribe Emerges from the Jungle

Video footage was released recently by FUNAI (Brazil’s National Indian Foundation) of a formerly hidden tribe emerging from the jungle in the State of Acre near Brazil’s border with Peru. This tribe has been living in voluntary isolation, possibly since the Amazon rubber boom of the late 1800’s, perhaps longer. Speaking a language from the Panoan linguistic family, interpreters brought in by FUNAI were able to communicate with the group of three young men. Transcripts of… Continue reading