Pioneering Along the Amazon
THE Amazon jungle! Almost everyone has heard of it. But few have had the opportunity to go and see it. During the past decade, however, a number of pioneers, or full-time ministers, have done just that. Even more important, they have taken the good news of God’s Kingdom there. Using the Watch Tower Society’s boat El Refugio (The Refuge), they have traversed the Amazon jungle by means of the network of rivers that crisscross northeastern Peru.
What an interesting assignment this has been! Many tribes of Indians are scattered throughout this vast territory. Small chacras, or farms, are to be found up and down the rivers, along the banks, and far back in the dark recesses of the jungle. Although isolated, these people too must have access to the Bible’s message of life.—Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20.
Near the jungle city of Iquitos, two principal rivers—the rapid and treacherous Ucayali and the Marañón—come together to form the mighty Amazon. Continually roiling, twisting, and surging, these rivers eat away at their banks and topple giant trees into their hungry currents. Sandbanks are formed overnight, thus changing the course of the current.
While moving downriver along the Ucayali, El Refugio suddenly ran into a submerged sandbank. The unexpected jolt threw the crew members off balance, but grabbing hold of the boat’s rails and bars kept them from toppling overboard. The captain put the boat into reverse, but to no avail. It was stuck. So the six brothers on board stripped down to their shorts, jumped onto the sandbank, and began to take off 40 boxes of literature to lighten the load. Suddenly, a crew member shouted: “Look out! A river boa is climbing aboard.” Sure enough, a six-foot-long [2 m] bright-green snake was slithering up the side of the boat. But with a few quick flicks of an oar, it was back in the river. Soon, with the load lightened, the boat broke free and was on its way once again.
Organized Preaching Methods
El Refugio is not a big boat, and certainly not the swiftest craft. In fact, it goes along quite slowly when pushing against the swift current. To accelerate coverage of inland territory, therefore, the pioneers have developed a plan of action. Before leaving their home base in the city of Iquitos, they try to find out what lies ahead in the particular area they wish to cover. By inquiring of persons who are native to the section, they are able to make up a rough map of the villages and chacras in that territory. Small rivers or channels are noted for side trips. Thus, if the chosen area has many villages, the boat can remain stationary for a week or two. Usually, four of the six pioneers will cover the scattered farms, while the captain and the remaining pioneer travel farther into the jungle, where the boat cannot go. This is done by arranging for passage on a petroleum company’s airplane that is heading out to a camp.
These camps are clearings far in the interior where exploratory drilling for oil is constantly being done. A hundred men or more may be located in such a camp. The Witnesses make arrangements to talk to the men at suppertime, after working hours. In one camp, the dining hut proved to be an excellent auditorium. The men listened, and several afterward asked questions regarding the moral problems they faced while living so far away from their families. What an excellent opportunity that was to give the Bible’s viewpoint on moral cleanness! After the question-and-answer session, many men requested Bibles and Bible study aids. Names were taken, and later studies were started with some of these men and their families in Iquitos. Four petroleum camps were worked in this manner—three by means of air travel and one by a visit of El Refugio.
Whenever a caserío, or small village, was sighted along the bank, the pioneers would tie the boat to the nearest stable object capable of holding it steady. It was the wise crewman, though, who tested the bank before jumping off. The apparently hard ridge of earthen shore that the river piles up looks safe but can be full of surprises. The unsuspecting jumper may find himself waist-deep in mud!
Once safely ashore, the brothers push past the usual group of inquisitive, chattering children and look for the village chieftain. They briefly explain to him the purpose of their visit and request the use of the local school hut or village meeting center for a Bible talk. Usually, permission is granted. Announcements are made by word of mouth as the children scatter in all directions spreading the invitation. Prior to the talk, the day is spent preaching from hut to hut. The people are friendly and hospitable and eagerly accept our Bible literature. Where money is in short supply, the books are traded for turtles, monkeys, hens, parrots, fruit, or even a lovely orchid.
As time permits, return visits are made in the afternoon. Those who show exceptional interest are asked to bring their mecheros, or receptacles, with kerosene and wick for light. Generally, by seven o’clock, all are seated, with their light in one hand and their Bible in the other. After the talk concludes, the questions begin. Do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in hellfire? How do the beliefs of the Witnesses differ from those of the Catholic religion? Most are pleased to find the answers in their own Bibles.
Heartwarming Experiences
After one such talk, a man and his wife came up to the pioneer with tears in their eyes. “Brothers, we have waited a long time to hear words like we have heard tonight,” the man said. “We love our land and the idea of an earthly paradise where we can stay close to it. Now, who is this that you say is going to heaven?” It is truly heartwarming to be far out in the Amazon jungle, miles and miles from “civilization,” and find such sheeplike ones.
The pioneers try to place the books in sets, since it may be a while before they can get back to the villages. One day, back in Iquitos, a riverboat man stopped one of the brothers and asked for another set of eight books. What had happened to his first set? One by one, his visiting relatives had borrowed the books. Reading material is scarce far back in the jungle. In this way, literature has reached places that the pioneers themselves never reach. By his spirit, Jehovah thus sees to it that our Christian publications get into the right hands.
At one small village, two of the brothers stayed with the boat while the others followed a trail through the jungle. Huge trees closed overhead, blotting out much of the sunlight, while multicolored birds called back and forth amid the green foliage. After a 15-minute walk, the Witnesses came out into a fairly large clearing. It took about an hour to call on all the huts there. When the brothers were ready to leave, a man approached and entreated them to stay overnight, as he had many questions. So one of the pioneers stayed behind while the rest returned to the boat.
The pioneer suggested that a Bible talk be given in the evening. So off the children were sent, following trails the brothers had missed, to bring in the neighbors. Meanwhile, a Bible study was conducted in the village, using chapters of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life that covered the questions the hospitable man asked. As the cool of the evening spread over the blanket of heat, a stand of bamboo trees suddenly exploded into a cacophony. Hundreds of parakeets all seemed to start chattering at the same time, seemingly welcoming the evening coolness.
By early evening, 20 adults and many children had gathered around the speaker. A bright gas lamp gave excellent light for reading, but it also attracted hundreds of jungle insects. About halfway through the talk, the speaker swallowed one! After a bedlam of backslapping, laughter, and sympathy, he continued, bringing the talk to its successful conclusion. By then, all shyness was gone and a lively discussion ensued.
After the last neighbor had left, the interested man fixed a mosquito net in one corner of the open-air platform of his home, which had been built on stilts about five feet [1.5 m] above the ground. Leaving the pioneer to settle himself under the net, the man gathered his animals and tethered them under the platform for protection against jungle marauders. As the brother lay there giving prayerful thanks to Jehovah for his watchcare, the jungle sounds soon lulled him off to sleep.
It did not seem like any time at all before the brother abruptly sat up straight. A cock had crowed, and it sounded as if the bird was right under his pallet. It was. First the cock crowed, then the dog barked, next the turkey gobbled, and last the goat sounded off. Following this, all kinds of birds started their morning chatter. A new day had begun.
After a hearty breakfast, the brother took off down the trail to rejoin his companions. Just ahead he saw what looked like a big tree across the path. A closer look showed it to be a large boa constrictor, easily some 25 feet [8 m] long. The pioneer cautiously walked around it and arrived safely at the boat.
Clergy Opposition Thwarted
The next village was not so receptive. As the boat nosed its way over to a landing post, the brothers were surprised to see a large group gathered on shore. Headed by a Catholic priest, they waved the boat away, shouting that they did not need any Bible literature. So the brothers continued on and tied up at a point just below the village.
It was not long before a raft carrying bananas pulled out from the village. As it drifted by, the brothers called out to the three men poling the raft to pull alongside El Refugio. When they did, three pioneers boarded the raft and began witnessing. The owner of the raft wanted to know why the priest did not want the Witnesses to land at the village, and the pioneers answered that they could not see why a priest would not want people to understand the Bible. For instance, what bad could result from reading My Book of Bible Stories? Once the men looked into the book, they could not put it down.
The next day, several canoes headed for El Refugio. The publication My Book of Bible Stories had caused a sensation in the village. The brothers were told that by walking a short distance inland they would come upon a trail that would take them into the village by a back way. Once there and going from door to door, the pioneers enjoyed a much better reception. Many of the villagers took entire sets of the books, much to the chagrin of the local priest.
Remote Kingdom Hall Constructed
In time the intrepid pioneers reached the point on the Amazon where the borders of three countries come together. Three villages, all within a short distance of each other, make up a bustling commercial center there. They are Caballococha in Peru, Leticia in Colombia, and Tabatinga on the Brazilian side. Entrance into any of the towns is easily gained, as there is little passport protocol so deep in the jungle.
At Tabatinga, it was learned that two Brazilian pioneer sisters were working the town. They had a small group interested in meeting together but had no place to meet. The two sisters implored the brothers to stay and give talks in that area, which they gladly did. Subsequent discussions showed that there were sufficient contributions among the group to buy lumber to construct a small building on land that had been donated. The sisters had already located a sawmill up the river where an interested man had promised a good price on lumber. It took two trips by El Refugio to bring the lumber down. In 15 days, willing hands constructed a Kingdom Hall large enough to seat 80 persons. The boat crew contributed their own atril, or speaker’s stand, and several benches to accommodate the excited group. How happy they were to have their own meeting place at last!
There is still much territory to cover along the Amazon and its connecting rivers. Those who heed the Macedonian call “to declare the good news” in these remote areas are greatly blessed. (Acts 16:9, 10) Now El Refugio has a new crew of pioneers. They too have complete confidence that Jehovah will guide and protect them in their sacred service.
[Map on page 25]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
COLOMBIA
Leticia
PERU
Iquitos
Amazon
Marañón
Ucayali
BRAZIL
Tabatinga
[Pictures on page 26]
Pioneers aboard “El Refugio” bring life-giving truth to people along the Amazon