When the Ashéninka Team was started back in 1998 it consisted of one IMB missionary family. This soon grew to two families, then our family, the McAnallys, came on the scene in August of 1999. At that time we consisted of the three career families plus a 2-year journeyman and a short-term ISC single missionary. Soon thereafter, the team began to shrink again.
By September of 2002 we found ourselves alone with a huge work to do. The Ashéninka people live in communities scattered over many hundreds of square miles in three geographic areas separated from each other by many miles and much mountainous jungle. While we were committed to the task at hand, that of sharing the gospel and planting churches among the Ashéninka people, we began to pray diligently that God would send us help through the International Mission Board.
During the ensuing seven years we were blessed to have two single young women join us for two-year terms, but not until now has a family committed to come serve with us as career missionaries. We're
grateful to our Lord for sending Michael and Crystal Gayheart and their four young children (Julia, Abigail, Nathanael, and Chloe). They have completed their IMB personnel training and are now in language school in Costa Rica. They will be in their study of Spanish in Costa Rica until August of next year when they will join us in Peru.
Michael and Crystal recently paid us a visit here in the jungle to get to know a little bit of what life here is like and to see the town where they will eventually be posted. Michael is a former software programmer and they make their USA home in California.
Please pray for the all-important process of language apprehension. Without good language skills the work of reaching people for Christ and building His church is very difficult. Once they have arrived in Peru they will also begin the process of learning the Ashéninka language. Pray that the Lord prepares them and their children for the journey ahead, indeed which has already begun as they adjust to life in Central America, and then later in the jungle of Peru. Praise the Lord for calling the Gayhearts out to live and love among this people group who are so far from their Creator.
We had such a wonderful time with your family. We miss Peru already! Crystal is communicating with people after only two weeks and I am remembering a lot of what I learned in school. We are excited to see what God has in store for us over the next year in Costa Rica and looking forwarding to keeping up with your blog. We are praying for your family!
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