Building Bridges - Reaching the Young in Iquitos, Peru

By Dan and Judy Smith

Not one bridge exists in over 3,000 miles as the mighty Amazon River makes its way to the sea. So building spiritual bridges in the Amazon region of Peru is unique.

Missionaries can build bridges to people in a variety of ways: by showing genuine interest and concern in their lives, by effectively communicating God's Word in a language they understand, and by gathering local believers into churches established for His glory.

Building bridges to reach youth for the gospel is a challenge. Sometimes it means playing with them. In a culture where opposing teams are enemies, we have the opportunity to show genuine sportsmanship and friendship. Teams of young people have come from churches and schools in the United States for several weeks of intense evangelistic outreach, building bridges for all eternity in the young people's lives. Sports evangelism, music, puppets and mimes have proven effective ways to reach out to the exploding population of high school and university age young people in the jungle city of Iquitos.

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