UIM Aviation – The beginning of the Guarijio Church

Their families live removed from a world familiar to you and me. Children walk one hour to school on a rugged footpath.  Raising chickens for eggs and growing corn and beans provide the main food supply. They believe sickness and death is the result of a curse. Death itself brings years of punishment before being sent to the father god, the sun. They are the Guarijio Indians. From an airplane, each isolated village is just a blink in a road-less expanse of territory. How, one  marvels, is God going to reach these people?

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About twenty years ago, a group of New Tribes missionaries came to the Guarijio village of Tojiachi. They began to learn local culture and language in order to, one day, present to the people a Bible in their native tongue. Building relationships with the Indians and gaining trust was a long, slow process. Such special events as medical and dental clinics helped prove that the missionaries came with a desire and a message to improve life. Over the years, UIM Aviation has been privileged to aid this effort by providing service for medical emergencies and transportation for clinic teams, their equipment, and various consultants.

In 2001, one such dental clinic  brought Santos Tigre and his family from the village of Chiltepín, six hours walk from Tojiachi. This was the first time the missionaries had heard about this Guarijio community. Santos told them that years before a traveling evangelist, whom UIM still flies monthly throughout the area, had shared the Gospel with them in Spanish.

During this same time, more and more Mexicans were moving to Tojiachi and dominating over the Guarijios.  Wishing to maintain their focus to reach native people groups, the missionaries surveyed the surrounding area for a new home base. Among other villages, their search took them to Santos and his family in Chiltepín. After a few years of monthly visitations as the Lord led, the missionaries pursued and received permission to build homes in this community of fifteen families.

Relationships developed and some of the Guarijios were asked to be language helpers. In April 2006, they helped the missionaries begin trans- lating over 1700 Scripture verses used in a chronological Bible study. A rough draft was completed seven months later. This draft must be checked for comprehension on separate occasions by at least two separate individuals who are completely unfamiliar with the information they will read. Santos’ father, Martimiano, was willing to help. He had heard the Gospel a number of times in Spanish and was eager to learn about God.  He did not, however, convey a true understanding of the significance of Christ. Martimiano’s review of these Scripture verses was the first time he had ever received God’s Word in his native language.

As they came to verses referring to Christ, the missionaries witnessed Martimiano link important concepts between the Old and New Testaments. He realized that Christ was God’s sacrificial Lamb to take away sin once, for all.
Through over 20 years, a change of location, and different teams of missionaries, God faithfully pursued the Guarijio people. That day, His Word penetrated a new heart. Martimiano’s knowledge became understanding.
“This Book,” Martimiano remarked, pointing to the Bible, “really opens our eyes and makes us start to think. It cuts off our burro ears.” (In Mexico, referring to someone as a burro means they are ignorant; Martimiano meant reading the Bible removes ignorance.)

“It is better that you tell us in Guarijio so we don’t forget,” he continued, “but there is no one to tell people in (the villages of) La Barranca and La Finca.  Who will tell them?”

Indeed, who will tell them?