A summary of our work over the last few months
O Lord, you are my lamp.
2 Samuel 22:29 NTV
The Lord lights up my darkness.
A year-end marked by a wonderful gift and the Lord’s faithfulness
Dear brothers and sisters and friends in Christ,
As we close out this year, we want to share with you some of the things the Lord has been doing in our family and in the ministry He has entrusted to us. We look back with gratitude, recognizing His constant care and faithful guidance at every stage.
We write to you with great encouragement, knowing that we walk together in the calling that God has given each of us, always seeking to glorify the Lord in everything. Like you, we have also gone through times when we did not know what to do, what to decide, or how to do it, but we are grateful that the Lord is our lamp and His light always illuminates our darkness.
Natán, our gift
Let us begin with this family news before sharing ministry updates, as it has been the event that has shaped our year amid missionary work, adaptation, and construction: our son Nathan.
As many of you know, the beginning of the pregnancy was deeply painful, to the point that we surrendered and thanked the Lord for the weeks of pregnancy He allowed us, given the medical information we received. Our Natán could have gone to be with Him without us ever getting to know him, and that would have been fine.
That is why his birth now, after such an uncertain start and special care throughout the pregnancy, and being able to have him with us today without complications, is for us a clear testimony of the gift that the Lord has given us.
Natán was born healthy on Sunday night, December 21. The delivery went smoothly, thank God, and Miriam is recovering well. We are deeply grateful for the care we received at the hospital in Pucallpa, for the Lord’s provision in allowing us to be in this city, and for the constant support of our family and many of you who faithfully accompanied us in prayer.
We will remain in Pucallpa for about another month and a half before returning to the community.
Reading and writing in the mother tongue
In the months leading up to our trip, workshops on creating books and audiobooks in the Nomatsiguenga language were held in collaboration with teachers from the Chuquibambilla elementary school. We thank God for the strengthened relationship with the teachers and for the openness that has been created for future collaborations.
The main objective of this work is for teachers to take the lead in teaching reading and writing in their own language, so that the Bible being translated can be understood by children and young people in their mother tongue.
During these workshops, teachers created stories from their own cultures. Some were illustrated by one of the teachers themselves, and in the end we managed to produce printed books and others in audio format. With a good methodology, we are confident that these materials will be of great help to the children’s educational development.
Learning from other educational experiences
In November, already in Pucallpa, Miriam had the opportunity to visit bilingual schools where Shipibo is taught alongside Spanish, and to learn about an organization that trains indigenous teachers to create educational materials in their own language.
This experience encouraged her to think about how, in the future, Nomatsiguenga teachers could also develop, organize, and use similar materials in their schools. We trust in the Lord’s guidance to discern whether this will be a partnership that He wants to open at the right time.
Support for groups in South America
During this period, I have continued to provide consultation and accompany different groups in South America. One specific project was my participation in a workshop in Brazil to support a new Bible translation group for the Warao language, which is spoken in the Venezuelan Caribbean.
We thank the Lord for allowing us to serve in this way and for the opportunities to support the work of other missionaries and teams on the continent.
A new role
During these months, I also took on the role of Language Technology Coordinator for the Americas. In this role, I am able to coordinate efforts in this area to support the work being done by other missionaries on the American continent.
Our work at the Antioquia Mission Base (BMA) continues, and together with Miriam, we continue to serve among the Nomatsiguenga people.
Progress on the house
In November, I was able to travel briefly to the community and make a little more progress on the construction of our house, with the help of two people for a few days. There are still several tasks pending.
God willing, a church is organizing a visit in January with the desire to help us make the house livable. We ask for your prayers that this may come to fruition and that the Lord will provide everything necessary for this effort.
Prayer requests
We appreciate your prayers for the following:
- Gratitude for Nathan, for Miriam’s recovery, and for the excellent care received at the hospital in Pucallpa.
- Gratitude for the Lord’s provision and the support received from our family.
- Thanksgiving that Miriam was able to learn from the literacy work being done by an organization in Pucallpa among speakers of the Shipibo language.
- For wisdom and guidance in possible future educational partnerships.
- For balance and grace in the new coordination role.
- For the provision and help needed to move forward with the construction of the house.
Thank you!
We want to sincerely thank you for accompanying us in prayer and support. Every advance, every step in this ministry, is also the fruit of your faithfulness in the Lord.
With love in Christ,
Pepe, Miriam, Kari… and Natán
Thanks (gracias) to each one of you who are being part of the Lord’s ministry with your prayers, offerings and messages of encouragement.
Rosas Maya Family
WEC Mexico missionaries serving with SIL Global
Endorsed by the Morelos Baptist Convention.
Sending Churches:
IB Getsemaní, Cuautla, México & IEUP El Sembrador, Iquitos, Perú.