For years, our indigenous Wounaan disciples in Panama dreamed of a mission trip to Colombia, where about 500 Wounaan live who have not yet been reached with the Gospel. When this trip finally happened, we knew we would face challenges in the jungle—transportation difficulties, close proximity to guerrilla drug traffickers, and opposition from traditional Animistic tribal leaders. 

Initially, we headed directly to the jungle village of Buena Vista. When we arrived, there was no one there! A young Wounaan man living there had committed suicide—the eighth that year—and community leaders decided to relocate all the inhabitants so that the local witch doctors could perform an exorcism of the village, going house to house to cast out the evil spirits inducing people to commit suicide.

It was discouraging, but what the Enemy meant for evil, God turned into a great good. Diverting to the town of Balsalito, we found a small group of believers. They met with us over four days, eager to be mentored in discipleship so that they could better spread the Gospel. We rejoiced at how God had led us to them.

We left to continue our a six-hour journey back to Buena Vista, to find that the witch doctors had finished their cleansing rituals and the villagers were back. That evening, we met privately with a small group of brothers and sisters, and read the Scriptures together. The next day was spent ministering one-on-one to the leaders of this community—the Wounaan of Panama ministering to the Wounaan of Colombia. It was all so beautiful!

Until we received some horrible news: a young man, barely nineteen, had attempted suicide. We rushed to see what we could do, but he had poisoned himself and was already foaming at the mouth and convulsing on the ground. His parents stood by, helplessly.

“Listen!” we told them urgently. “You must take your son to the hospital in Pizarro!”

“How?” they asked, in despair. “The municipality is four hours away. We have no money for gas.”

Quickly, we spoke with the village leader. “Let us help!” we told him. “Our team will give what we have for expenses—but he needs to get to the hospital now!”

It was agreed, and we were relieved to see the young man taken away to be treated. Would it be too late for him? There was little time for worrying; God had more for us to do.

That evening, young people began to arrive—literally by the boatload! They came from both this community and also from other communities nearby, some travelling two to three hours up river in small rowboats. These young people, some as young as fourteen, were determined to meet their Wounaan brothers from Panama, and hear the Word of the Lord. That night, they played guitar and sang together, so beautifully that it moved our hearts.

Still, we could not stop thinking about the boy who took poison. The next day, we decided to leave for the municipality hospital. We did not understand the danger—guerrillas had decreed an armed strike, with terrorists attacking everyone on the rivers! Somehow, we travelled unharmed. Again, the Enemy was thwarted.

The community was in lockdown, but the young man’s parents found us. “It is a miracle he survived!” they said. “There are not even any internal injuries from the acid he swallowed!” At every turn, we saw the power of our God.

In the days that followed, some of the Wounaan believers in the village came to talk with us. They were furtive—the local witchdoctor had threatened them with spells if they approached Christians.

“We are like prisoners,” they explained. “He curses us, he claims to be God, he demands that we renounce our faith. We are so tired! Animism brings only destruction and death, and we long to be free from fear!”

We began to understand that the source of the pervasive anxiety and depression that drove their young people to suicide. While we prayed with them, they expressed their desire to experience walking with God. That day, some of the Wounaan made a decision to embrace the faith, saying that they were willing to pay the price of walking with Christ. Then, the parents of the young man who had taken poison did the same.

Please continue to pray for us! As we plan for another trip to Colombia in July, we are confident that God will continue to be victorious.