Chapter 41: Visiting some of the Awajun Tribe on the Cahuapanas River
AS TOLD BY JOHN AGERSTEN
An Invitation: “We Also Want to Hear the Gospel”
When traveling down the Marañon River from Tigre Playa, the mouth of the tributary Cahuapanas lies on the south side of the river a little upstream from San Lorenzo, the largest village in the district. Upon our return to our second period in Peru in the summer of 1972, we often visited San Lorenzo for services. A family living in a fairly large house in the center of the village opened their home to us for these meetings. This family was among the first to be baptized in San Lorenzo. Finally, in the fall of 1975, we were able to obtain a plot for the church. This first church was built with bamboo walls and a corrugated metal roof, and it was consecrated in March 1976.
In San Lorenzo, we met some people from the Awajun tribe who lived on the Cahuapanas River. They would come to San Lorenzo to sell goods and trade or visit the Catholic mission clinic. They had heard about us from their fellow tribe members in Potro, whom we had visited a few times already in our first year at Tigre Playa. They said, "We also want to hear the gospel"; urging us to come to their village, Kaupan. We promised to visit them as soon as possible. However, it took much longer than we had hoped to realize the visit to Cahuapanas.
We stayed very busy in Tigre Playa: there was a constant influx of sick people, we had to provide schooling for Maino and Sonya (Wilhelm’s oldest daughter), literacy classes for women in the village, house and church construction, and of course, services for children and adults. Additionally, we were constantly on the move visiting the villages where we had already established contact, and where in some places, there were small groups of believers. In the meantime, Rudolf and I occasionally had contact with people from Cahuapanas during our visits to San Lorenzo.
When traveling down the Marañon River from Tigre Playa, the mouth of the tributary Cahuapanas lies on the south side of the river a little upstream from San Lorenzo, the largest village in the district. Upon our return to our second period in Peru in the summer of 1972, we often visited San Lorenzo for services. A family living in a fairly large house in the center of the village opened their home to us for these meetings. This family was among the first to be baptized in San Lorenzo. Finally, in the fall of 1975, we were able to obtain a plot for the church. This first church was built with bamboo walls and a corrugated metal roof, and it was consecrated in March 1976.
In San Lorenzo, we met some people from the Awajun tribe who lived on the Cahuapanas River. They would come to San Lorenzo to sell goods and trade or visit the Catholic mission clinic. They had heard about us from their fellow tribe members in Potro, whom we had visited a few times already in our first year at Tigre Playa. They said, "We also want to hear the gospel"; urging us to come to their village, Kaupan. We promised to visit them as soon as possible. However, it took much longer than we had hoped to realize the visit to Cahuapanas.
We stayed very busy in Tigre Playa: there was a constant influx of sick people, we had to provide schooling for Maino and Sonya (Wilhelm’s oldest daughter), literacy classes for women in the village, house and church construction, and of course, services for children and adults. Additionally, we were constantly on the move visiting the villages where we had already established contact, and where in some places, there were small groups of believers. In the meantime, Rudolf and I occasionally had contact with people from Cahuapanas during our visits to San Lorenzo.
The first visit to Cahuapanas
Finally, in the fall of '73, Rudolf traveled to Cahuapanas and some of the villages in the lower part of the river. There were both mestizos and indigenous people from the Shayawita, and Awajun tribes living in Cahuapanas and its smaller tributaries. Rudolf reported that there was a great receptiveness to the Word of God, and many people came to the services to hear what he had to share from the Bible. We were very encouraged and motivated to make a return trip. However, another half a year would go by before we were able to do so.
A second visit to the Cahuapanas in “Alli Shungo” and a canoe
In April 1974, I traveled down the Marañon River heading towards the villages of Cahuapanas. I was accompanied by one of the young men in the church in Tigre Playa. I also brought Lewi along this time. He was 5 years old and excited to be on a trip with dad on our newly purchased and renovated houseboat "Alli Shungo."
When we stopped in the first village, what Rudolf had reported was quickly confirmed; there was a great openness to the Gospel. The teacher in the village and others spread the word about the evening service, and most of the villagers gathered in the schoolhouse. After the service, many sought prayer and decided to give their lives to Jesus. We had three services in that village before we continued upstream to a place called Santa Maria. Two nuns from the Catholic mission station in San Lorenzo lived here. They informed us that the river became quite shallow further upstream and suggested it was best to leave the houseboat behind in the village.
Finally, in the fall of '73, Rudolf traveled to Cahuapanas and some of the villages in the lower part of the river. There were both mestizos and indigenous people from the Shayawita, and Awajun tribes living in Cahuapanas and its smaller tributaries. Rudolf reported that there was a great receptiveness to the Word of God, and many people came to the services to hear what he had to share from the Bible. We were very encouraged and motivated to make a return trip. However, another half a year would go by before we were able to do so.
A second visit to the Cahuapanas in “Alli Shungo” and a canoe
In April 1974, I traveled down the Marañon River heading towards the villages of Cahuapanas. I was accompanied by one of the young men in the church in Tigre Playa. I also brought Lewi along this time. He was 5 years old and excited to be on a trip with dad on our newly purchased and renovated houseboat "Alli Shungo."
When we stopped in the first village, what Rudolf had reported was quickly confirmed; there was a great openness to the Gospel. The teacher in the village and others spread the word about the evening service, and most of the villagers gathered in the schoolhouse. After the service, many sought prayer and decided to give their lives to Jesus. We had three services in that village before we continued upstream to a place called Santa Maria. Two nuns from the Catholic mission station in San Lorenzo lived here. They informed us that the river became quite shallow further upstream and suggested it was best to leave the houseboat behind in the village.
The Village of Kauapan
With the houseboat safely moored below the village school, we continued our journey with the small wooden boat we had been towing behind “Alli Shungo”. In several places, the river truly was very shallow and we appreciated the nuns’ advice. Large rocks and sandbanks appeared, especially in the tight bends of the river winding through the jungle. We also had to navigate through some strong rapids before finally reaching the Awajun village of Kaupan. It was a fairly large village with a school and three teachers. The school here was established by the Wycliffe mission and provided education in both the indigenous language and Spanish.
I had met two of the teachers before, so there were no issues with introductions. They knew who I was and what I represented. We stayed in this village for two to three days and held four services. The teachers took turns translating when I spoke. Many people were eager to receive the Gospel and sought prayer, similar to our experiences with the indigenous people in the Potro River.
We were told that four other villages were located at different spots deep in the forest a short distance from Kaupan. For the indigenous people, though, a “short distance” often means hours of trekking through jungle paths, a journey we regrettably couldn't embark on at this time. As we bid farewell, they earnestly asked us to return as soon as possible.
With the houseboat safely moored below the village school, we continued our journey with the small wooden boat we had been towing behind “Alli Shungo”. In several places, the river truly was very shallow and we appreciated the nuns’ advice. Large rocks and sandbanks appeared, especially in the tight bends of the river winding through the jungle. We also had to navigate through some strong rapids before finally reaching the Awajun village of Kaupan. It was a fairly large village with a school and three teachers. The school here was established by the Wycliffe mission and provided education in both the indigenous language and Spanish.
I had met two of the teachers before, so there were no issues with introductions. They knew who I was and what I represented. We stayed in this village for two to three days and held four services. The teachers took turns translating when I spoke. Many people were eager to receive the Gospel and sought prayer, similar to our experiences with the indigenous people in the Potro River.
We were told that four other villages were located at different spots deep in the forest a short distance from Kaupan. For the indigenous people, though, a “short distance” often means hours of trekking through jungle paths, a journey we regrettably couldn't embark on at this time. As we bid farewell, they earnestly asked us to return as soon as possible.
A New Visit to the Awajun People in Cahuapanas
In July - August 1974, we were visited by another Norwegian missionary, Gunnar Vervik. He and I journeyed once more to Cahuapanas. We wanted to reach one of the villages deeper in the forest. To do that we had to navigate a narrow and shallow tributary for a little over an hour in a canoe outfitted with a “peki-peki” motor. (A two-stroke engine with the propeller at the end of a long shaft which makes it ideal in shallow waters. It is called a “peki-peki” because of the sound it makes.) After anchoring the canoe on the shore we embarked on a two-hour trek along a small jungle path. Our guide skillfully led us to the small village of Cauide, where bamboo huts were scattered around a clearing in the forest. The Awajun people there had limited contact with the outside world but had recently received a school and a teacher through the Wycliffe Institute.
The teacher in Cauide gathered the people for a service in the afternoon, and surprisingly, a lot of people showed up for such a small place. It seemed that some also came from huts further into the jungle. It was a diverse assembly of people of all ages, some more and some less dressed. It was not exactly silent either. Some had their dogs with them, leading to some barking and growling during the meeting. One woman sat with a large clay pot between her legs, chewing boiled manioc and spitting it back into the pot to make the drink Masato. It was both heard and seen, but it seemed like no one minded. Some of the youngest children played around on the floor, adding more noise to the gathering.
Despite all the potential disturbances, it was an attentive congregation. They were hanging on every word as if they had been waiting for this moment. They enthusiastically sang along with the choruses, both in Awajun and Spanish. Wycliffe had translated some songs and choruses into their language. During the last service we had on the second day, several people expressed a desire to be saved and start a new life. It turned into a long session of prayer with tears and confessing sins. The Holy Spirit was at work among us.
In July - August 1974, we were visited by another Norwegian missionary, Gunnar Vervik. He and I journeyed once more to Cahuapanas. We wanted to reach one of the villages deeper in the forest. To do that we had to navigate a narrow and shallow tributary for a little over an hour in a canoe outfitted with a “peki-peki” motor. (A two-stroke engine with the propeller at the end of a long shaft which makes it ideal in shallow waters. It is called a “peki-peki” because of the sound it makes.) After anchoring the canoe on the shore we embarked on a two-hour trek along a small jungle path. Our guide skillfully led us to the small village of Cauide, where bamboo huts were scattered around a clearing in the forest. The Awajun people there had limited contact with the outside world but had recently received a school and a teacher through the Wycliffe Institute.
The teacher in Cauide gathered the people for a service in the afternoon, and surprisingly, a lot of people showed up for such a small place. It seemed that some also came from huts further into the jungle. It was a diverse assembly of people of all ages, some more and some less dressed. It was not exactly silent either. Some had their dogs with them, leading to some barking and growling during the meeting. One woman sat with a large clay pot between her legs, chewing boiled manioc and spitting it back into the pot to make the drink Masato. It was both heard and seen, but it seemed like no one minded. Some of the youngest children played around on the floor, adding more noise to the gathering.
Despite all the potential disturbances, it was an attentive congregation. They were hanging on every word as if they had been waiting for this moment. They enthusiastically sang along with the choruses, both in Awajun and Spanish. Wycliffe had translated some songs and choruses into their language. During the last service we had on the second day, several people expressed a desire to be saved and start a new life. It turned into a long session of prayer with tears and confessing sins. The Holy Spirit was at work among us.
The sermon is interrupted by a fox
During this trip, we also visited the largest village, Kaupan, where I had been in May. We were warmly welcomed and had some nice services in the schoolhouse. Lately, the teachers had been gathering people for services every Sunday. During these services, they read from the portions of the Bible translated into their language, prayed, and sang choruses and songs in Awajun. It was a delight to hear them sing in their language, even though it wasn't always perfectly melodic. Some sang a bit after the others because they had to hear the lyrics first before they could repeat them. The children quickly memorized the songs, including some of the Spanish choruses.
During an afternoon service, while I was speaking, there was a terrible commotion outside. We could hear the chickens cackling loudly, barking dogs, and some women shouting and screaming. It caused an impromptu break in the service. Half of the congregation rushed outside, and not long after, they proudly returned with a dead fox. It had entered the chicken coop and killed a hen. "But now you can just continue," they said and sat down to hear more.
Several new individuals accepted Jesus during those days we were there. We made many new friends who welcomed us back. I traveled there again in October and had more services among the indigenous people in Kaupan and other villages. Once again, we witnessed many people coming to faith. The school teachers mentioned that they now wanted to build a church, hoping to have it ready by our next visit. It was truly encouraging to see God’s work in these communities.
During this trip, we also visited the largest village, Kaupan, where I had been in May. We were warmly welcomed and had some nice services in the schoolhouse. Lately, the teachers had been gathering people for services every Sunday. During these services, they read from the portions of the Bible translated into their language, prayed, and sang choruses and songs in Awajun. It was a delight to hear them sing in their language, even though it wasn't always perfectly melodic. Some sang a bit after the others because they had to hear the lyrics first before they could repeat them. The children quickly memorized the songs, including some of the Spanish choruses.
During an afternoon service, while I was speaking, there was a terrible commotion outside. We could hear the chickens cackling loudly, barking dogs, and some women shouting and screaming. It caused an impromptu break in the service. Half of the congregation rushed outside, and not long after, they proudly returned with a dead fox. It had entered the chicken coop and killed a hen. "But now you can just continue," they said and sat down to hear more.
Several new individuals accepted Jesus during those days we were there. We made many new friends who welcomed us back. I traveled there again in October and had more services among the indigenous people in Kaupan and other villages. Once again, we witnessed many people coming to faith. The school teachers mentioned that they now wanted to build a church, hoping to have it ready by our next visit. It was truly encouraging to see God’s work in these communities.
