Chapter 57: A Logger's Testimony - Churches are Built.
AS TOLD BY JOHN AGERSTEN
A Visit while in Tipisca Cocha
One afternoon in September 1974, while I was staying in the Huambisa village of Tipisca, a canoe quietly came alongside the houseboat Alli Shungo. I heard a gentle bump against the hull and looked outside. It was immediately clear that the man in the canoe was not from Tipisca.
Before even introducing himself, he asked if I was a missionary and whether I sold Bibles. I told him that both were true and invited him aboard. We sat together at the front of the boat as he began to tell his story.
His name was Juan, and he was an independent logger who worked several hours farther upriver on the Morona. A few days earlier, he had heard that a foreigner—a missionary—was staying in Tipisca, and he had felt a strong desire to meet him. That was why he had paddled down the river and into the small lake.
As he looked at me more closely, he suddenly realized that I was the same missionary he had traveled with on a trading boat during my first journey up the Morona River in the spring of 1969. It felt remarkable that, after five years, we would meet again—this time in a small village far upriver along the very same river.
A Logger on the Morona Hears About Jesus on the Radio
Juan went on to tell his story. He originally came from the great Ucayali River farther east, but in his search for work, he had traveled up the Marañón and then farther up the Morona. After some time, he settled in Puerto América, at the mouth of the Morona River. There he met the young woman who became his wife. He built a small bamboo hut where they made their home, and before long, he had a family to support.
Like everyone else in the village, they had a small plot of land where they grew bananas and manioc. But that was not enough, so Juan had to work either for a patrón or as an independent logger, cutting timber that he later sold to buyers from Iquitos. This was quite common at the time. It meant that for several months each year, while the logging season lasted, Juan lived alone in a small hut deep in the jungle.
He had with him his simple logging tools, a hunting rifle, and fishing hooks. Bananas and manioc he obtained from nearby Indigenous families. He also brought along a large jug of cheap sugarcane liquor—and something that was unusual in those days: a small battery-powered radio. His wife and children stayed behind in the village, where she worked their nearby fields. Juan told me that in his loneliness, he found comfort in alcohol, and over time, he became dependent on it.
In the evenings, Juan would sit and drink while listening to the radio. In South America, private radio and television stations are freely allowed, and one night, he came across some beautiful but unfamiliar music. The station caught his attention, and from then on, he tuned in to that frequency each evening. It was the Christian radio station HCJB from Quito, Ecuador—“The Voice of the Andes.” Even back then, its powerful transmitter could be heard clearly in the jungles of northern Peru. Few people in the area owned radios at that time, though they became more common in the years that followed.
Between the music and the songs were short messages in which God’s Word was preached in a simple and clear way. What Juan heard began to occupy his thoughts more and more.
Juan Comes to Faith Through the Radio
Juan told me that one evening, after a message, the man on the radio said, “If you want to receive Jesus as your Savior, you can do so right where you are. You can kneel by your radio and repeat the prayer of salvation after me.” Juan wanted to receive salvation through Jesus Christ, so he knelt down and repeated the prayer for forgiveness, salvation, and a new life.
Something changed deep inside him, and as he told me, “I became a new person.” The very first thing he did was pour out the liquor. He said that from that moment on, the craving for alcohol was gone. When he later heard that there was a missionary in Tipisca Cocha, he decided to set out by canoe to speak with him and to obtain a Bible.
It was with great joy that I gave him one of the Bibles I had brought with me. Juan stayed with me for several hours. We had a good conversation about faith in God and about how to read the Bible. After we had prayed together, he paddled back to his small camp in the jungle.
One afternoon in September 1974, while I was staying in the Huambisa village of Tipisca, a canoe quietly came alongside the houseboat Alli Shungo. I heard a gentle bump against the hull and looked outside. It was immediately clear that the man in the canoe was not from Tipisca.
Before even introducing himself, he asked if I was a missionary and whether I sold Bibles. I told him that both were true and invited him aboard. We sat together at the front of the boat as he began to tell his story.
His name was Juan, and he was an independent logger who worked several hours farther upriver on the Morona. A few days earlier, he had heard that a foreigner—a missionary—was staying in Tipisca, and he had felt a strong desire to meet him. That was why he had paddled down the river and into the small lake.
As he looked at me more closely, he suddenly realized that I was the same missionary he had traveled with on a trading boat during my first journey up the Morona River in the spring of 1969. It felt remarkable that, after five years, we would meet again—this time in a small village far upriver along the very same river.
A Logger on the Morona Hears About Jesus on the Radio
Juan went on to tell his story. He originally came from the great Ucayali River farther east, but in his search for work, he had traveled up the Marañón and then farther up the Morona. After some time, he settled in Puerto América, at the mouth of the Morona River. There he met the young woman who became his wife. He built a small bamboo hut where they made their home, and before long, he had a family to support.
Like everyone else in the village, they had a small plot of land where they grew bananas and manioc. But that was not enough, so Juan had to work either for a patrón or as an independent logger, cutting timber that he later sold to buyers from Iquitos. This was quite common at the time. It meant that for several months each year, while the logging season lasted, Juan lived alone in a small hut deep in the jungle.
He had with him his simple logging tools, a hunting rifle, and fishing hooks. Bananas and manioc he obtained from nearby Indigenous families. He also brought along a large jug of cheap sugarcane liquor—and something that was unusual in those days: a small battery-powered radio. His wife and children stayed behind in the village, where she worked their nearby fields. Juan told me that in his loneliness, he found comfort in alcohol, and over time, he became dependent on it.
In the evenings, Juan would sit and drink while listening to the radio. In South America, private radio and television stations are freely allowed, and one night, he came across some beautiful but unfamiliar music. The station caught his attention, and from then on, he tuned in to that frequency each evening. It was the Christian radio station HCJB from Quito, Ecuador—“The Voice of the Andes.” Even back then, its powerful transmitter could be heard clearly in the jungles of northern Peru. Few people in the area owned radios at that time, though they became more common in the years that followed.
Between the music and the songs were short messages in which God’s Word was preached in a simple and clear way. What Juan heard began to occupy his thoughts more and more.
Juan Comes to Faith Through the Radio
Juan told me that one evening, after a message, the man on the radio said, “If you want to receive Jesus as your Savior, you can do so right where you are. You can kneel by your radio and repeat the prayer of salvation after me.” Juan wanted to receive salvation through Jesus Christ, so he knelt down and repeated the prayer for forgiveness, salvation, and a new life.
Something changed deep inside him, and as he told me, “I became a new person.” The very first thing he did was pour out the liquor. He said that from that moment on, the craving for alcohol was gone. When he later heard that there was a missionary in Tipisca Cocha, he decided to set out by canoe to speak with him and to obtain a Bible.
It was with great joy that I gave him one of the Bibles I had brought with me. Juan stayed with me for several hours. We had a good conversation about faith in God and about how to read the Bible. After we had prayed together, he paddled back to his small camp in the jungle.
The First Church in Puerto América
A few months later, on a new journey, I met Juan again during meetings in Puerto América. By then, he had become part of the small group of believers there that had grown out of our earlier visits. While we were there, we also prayed with his wife.
Juan grew quickly in his faith and eagerly took part in the Bible weeks at Tigre Playa. He and his wife arranged their documents so they could be married and were baptized. Juan also visited nearby villages farther up the Morona River, sharing his testimony of salvation.
In Puerto América, the believers first held their meetings in Juan’s home or in the local school. Later, when they were able to buy a small piece of land, friends came together to build a church with a roof of palm leaves. Juan served as the leader of the congregation in Puerto América for several years. He faithfully attended Bible courses and conferences at Tigre Playa.
After we moved to Betania near Saramiriza, Juan and his family lived there for a time and helped us with various kinds of work at the new location before returning to Puerto América.
A few months later, on a new journey, I met Juan again during meetings in Puerto América. By then, he had become part of the small group of believers there that had grown out of our earlier visits. While we were there, we also prayed with his wife.
Juan grew quickly in his faith and eagerly took part in the Bible weeks at Tigre Playa. He and his wife arranged their documents so they could be married and were baptized. Juan also visited nearby villages farther up the Morona River, sharing his testimony of salvation.
In Puerto América, the believers first held their meetings in Juan’s home or in the local school. Later, when they were able to buy a small piece of land, friends came together to build a church with a roof of palm leaves. Juan served as the leader of the congregation in Puerto América for several years. He faithfully attended Bible courses and conferences at Tigre Playa.
After we moved to Betania near Saramiriza, Juan and his family lived there for a time and helped us with various kinds of work at the new location before returning to Puerto América.
Simple Church Buildings Rise in Villages Along the Marañón
At the same time, the simple church in Tipisca was being built, in the summer of 1975, similar things were happening in several villages along the Marañón River. Wherever a group of believers and baptized friends had formed, they longed for a place of their own to gather for meetings. Their homes were small, families were large, and there was often little to sit on besides the floor.
When they attended the Bible weeks at Tigre Playa, they admired the church there. It was built in the same way as their own homes, but on a much larger scale. An enormous number of palm leaves had gone into that roof.
The villages of San Juan and Sappo Playa—later called Bethel—were among the first to put up simple church buildings. Churches were also built during this time in the Awajún villages of Potro, Cahuapanas, and Urito Yacu. In most cases, the only thing that distinguished these buildings from the other huts in the village was their size. Over time, many of them added a small cross or a sign to show that the building was an evangelical church.
At the same time, the simple church in Tipisca was being built, in the summer of 1975, similar things were happening in several villages along the Marañón River. Wherever a group of believers and baptized friends had formed, they longed for a place of their own to gather for meetings. Their homes were small, families were large, and there was often little to sit on besides the floor.
When they attended the Bible weeks at Tigre Playa, they admired the church there. It was built in the same way as their own homes, but on a much larger scale. An enormous number of palm leaves had gone into that roof.
The villages of San Juan and Sappo Playa—later called Bethel—were among the first to put up simple church buildings. Churches were also built during this time in the Awajún villages of Potro, Cahuapanas, and Urito Yacu. In most cases, the only thing that distinguished these buildings from the other huts in the village was their size. Over time, many of them added a small cross or a sign to show that the building was an evangelical church.
Difficulty Obtaining Land in San Lorenzo and Alli Shungo receives an overhaul
In San Lorenzo—already the largest village in the area at that time—many people came to faith and joined the growing congregation. Since returning for our second term in 1972, we were there almost every Saturday. Rudolf and I took turns traveling there after the Wilhelm family arrived in Peru later that same year.
In an earlier blog post, I wrote about San Juan and about Humberto, the first person there to surrender his life to Jesus. He and his family later moved to San Lorenzo, where he became a great blessing to the work for many years.
It was difficult to obtain land for a church in San Lorenzo, which was the only village in the region with a Catholic church. As early as the 1600s, Catholic monks had come to the area and founded San Lorenzo. The Catholics had a church, a school, and a clinic there, and anyone who wished to settle in the village had to apply to the priest for permission. This system remained in place until we arrived in the jungle. Because of this, it was very difficult to obtain—or purchase—land for an evangelical church in San Lorenzo.
In San Lorenzo—already the largest village in the area at that time—many people came to faith and joined the growing congregation. Since returning for our second term in 1972, we were there almost every Saturday. Rudolf and I took turns traveling there after the Wilhelm family arrived in Peru later that same year.
In an earlier blog post, I wrote about San Juan and about Humberto, the first person there to surrender his life to Jesus. He and his family later moved to San Lorenzo, where he became a great blessing to the work for many years.
It was difficult to obtain land for a church in San Lorenzo, which was the only village in the region with a Catholic church. As early as the 1600s, Catholic monks had come to the area and founded San Lorenzo. The Catholics had a church, a school, and a clinic there, and anyone who wished to settle in the village had to apply to the priest for permission. This system remained in place until we arrived in the jungle. Because of this, it was very difficult to obtain—or purchase—land for an evangelical church in San Lorenzo.
In September 1975, we rented a larger house for a series of meetings and Bible courses. The meetings were well attended, and many people came forward for prayer. Around that time, the Alli Shungo had been repaired and was now ready to be hauled ashore for scraping and painting.
The oil company that had supplied the engine parts and helped with the repairs offered to lift the heavy iron boat onto land using one of their cranes. At that time, a couple of oil companies had bases in San Lorenzo, and we gladly accepted their offer. After four days, the work was finished, and the boat was back in the water.
Once the superstructure was also painted, the Alli Shungo looked like new and was ready for continued service.
The struggle to obtain land in San Lorenzo continues
In a mission update from September 1975, John wrote about the ongoing struggle to obtain land for a church in San Lorenzo:
“Land in San Lorenzo still seemed quite hopeless. I had spoken with the priest and argued that we ought to be allowed land for a church, especially since bars and houses with prostitutes were being established in the town at that time. The priest replied truthfully enough, ‘They don’t ask for permission!’
He also felt that it was not good to have two churches in the same village. But then we heard that the bishop from Yurimaguas was on a visitation in San Lorenzo. Rudolf and I went to see him at the priest’s residence.
The bishop was a younger man, also from Spain. We presented our request, and as before, the priest was very negative. But then the bishop said to the old priest, ‘It is a new time now!’
They talked for a while and then proposed a plot of land for us, but it was outside the settled area. We did not accept that offer and said that we needed a more central location for the church. After some back-and-forth, they finally assigned us a good plot for the church building.
To our great joy, and to the joy of Humberto and the other believers in San Lorenzo, we received the documents for the property. We already have some of the building materials prepared. In a few days, I will be traveling up the Marañón to cut the remaining logs with the help of brothers from San Juan.”
Land for a Church in Borja
While obtaining land in San Lorenzo had been difficult, things unfolded very differently in Borja.
As early as August 1974, when Rudolf Wilhelm visited the villages upriver along the Marañón, he was offered a plot of land in Borja for the construction of a church. In addition, a man in the village who was not even a believer offered to pay for part of the roofing sheets.
Borja lies at the upper reaches of the Marañón, near the waterfalls that form a natural boundary between the upper and lower river. It was the westernmost village we visited from Tigre Playa. Before Saramiriza became the municipal center a few years later—following the construction of a road by an oil company—Borja had served as the administrative center of the Manseriche district. When we first moved from Bagua down into the jungle, Saramiriza consisted of only three or four houses. Its population later grew rapidly.
In November 1974, during another journey along the Marañón, I visited Borja and was shown the same plot Rudolf had seen earlier. I applied to the mayor for permission to purchase the land for an evangelical church. The price, including the paperwork, was less than ten Norwegian kroner. In practice, the land cost almost nothing, and the process was completed quickly and without difficulty.
There were only a few believers in Borja, so there were few workers to help with construction. Yet because all the homes were small, there was a clear need for a place where the congregation could gather.
When I returned in March 1975, the plot had just begun to be cleared of brush and weeds. A few fruit trees stood at the back of the lot, and we chose to keep them. Alongside Bible teaching and meetings, I worked with the small group of believers to prepare for the building. One man promised to provide the logs needed for the framework within a month, and we agreed on a price for cutting and transport. Unfortunately, the promise was not kept. It was not until September that the necessary materials finally arrived; at that time, Rudolf visited the villages along the Marañón as far upriver as Borja and oversaw the work.
Church Construction in Borja and San Lorenzo
In a letter home in early November 1975, Gro described the progress:
“During October, Rudolf and John were both occupied with church construction, each in his own area. John first spent a week in San Juan, where he and believers from the village cut the timber needed for the framework of the building in San Lorenzo. While the work was going on, services were held every evening, with John teaching from the Bible.
When the logging was finished, the logs were tied together into a raft and towed behind the houseboat down to San Lorenzo. John then stayed there for two weeks, working with the believers to raise the roof framework. During that time, they held well-attended services, and several people accepted Jesus as their Savior. Now that the corrugated metal roofing sheets have arrived by riverboat from Iquitos, he will likely return soon to help nail them in place.”
Gro continues in her letter:
“Rudolf and a couple of brothers from Sappo Playa have already put the roof on the building in Borja. Both the framework and the corrugated metal sheets are now in place. Marcial Ríos from Tigre Playa was also there and was a great help with the work.
Here in the jungle, walls are not considered important. They will likely be added in time.”
In San Lorenzo, the corrugated metal roof on the church was completed in November. It was not until the following March that the believers began cutting a type of bamboo that grows along the riverbanks. The bamboo was trimmed and used as walls for the new building.
Rudolf later wrote about well-attended services in April 1976, which were now held in the new church, with bamboo walls in place. By then, however, we had already returned to Norway. After three and a half years in the jungle—our second term in Peru—we left Peru in January of that year.
While obtaining land in San Lorenzo had been difficult, things unfolded very differently in Borja.
As early as August 1974, when Rudolf Wilhelm visited the villages upriver along the Marañón, he was offered a plot of land in Borja for the construction of a church. In addition, a man in the village who was not even a believer offered to pay for part of the roofing sheets.
Borja lies at the upper reaches of the Marañón, near the waterfalls that form a natural boundary between the upper and lower river. It was the westernmost village we visited from Tigre Playa. Before Saramiriza became the municipal center a few years later—following the construction of a road by an oil company—Borja had served as the administrative center of the Manseriche district. When we first moved from Bagua down into the jungle, Saramiriza consisted of only three or four houses. Its population later grew rapidly.
In November 1974, during another journey along the Marañón, I visited Borja and was shown the same plot Rudolf had seen earlier. I applied to the mayor for permission to purchase the land for an evangelical church. The price, including the paperwork, was less than ten Norwegian kroner. In practice, the land cost almost nothing, and the process was completed quickly and without difficulty.
There were only a few believers in Borja, so there were few workers to help with construction. Yet because all the homes were small, there was a clear need for a place where the congregation could gather.
When I returned in March 1975, the plot had just begun to be cleared of brush and weeds. A few fruit trees stood at the back of the lot, and we chose to keep them. Alongside Bible teaching and meetings, I worked with the small group of believers to prepare for the building. One man promised to provide the logs needed for the framework within a month, and we agreed on a price for cutting and transport. Unfortunately, the promise was not kept. It was not until September that the necessary materials finally arrived; at that time, Rudolf visited the villages along the Marañón as far upriver as Borja and oversaw the work.
Church Construction in Borja and San Lorenzo
In a letter home in early November 1975, Gro described the progress:
“During October, Rudolf and John were both occupied with church construction, each in his own area. John first spent a week in San Juan, where he and believers from the village cut the timber needed for the framework of the building in San Lorenzo. While the work was going on, services were held every evening, with John teaching from the Bible.
When the logging was finished, the logs were tied together into a raft and towed behind the houseboat down to San Lorenzo. John then stayed there for two weeks, working with the believers to raise the roof framework. During that time, they held well-attended services, and several people accepted Jesus as their Savior. Now that the corrugated metal roofing sheets have arrived by riverboat from Iquitos, he will likely return soon to help nail them in place.”
Gro continues in her letter:
“Rudolf and a couple of brothers from Sappo Playa have already put the roof on the building in Borja. Both the framework and the corrugated metal sheets are now in place. Marcial Ríos from Tigre Playa was also there and was a great help with the work.
Here in the jungle, walls are not considered important. They will likely be added in time.”
In San Lorenzo, the corrugated metal roof on the church was completed in November. It was not until the following March that the believers began cutting a type of bamboo that grows along the riverbanks. The bamboo was trimmed and used as walls for the new building.
Rudolf later wrote about well-attended services in April 1976, which were now held in the new church, with bamboo walls in place. By then, however, we had already returned to Norway. After three and a half years in the jungle—our second term in Peru—we left Peru in January of that year.
