Mapuche Vision

We are serving as the "Champion Church" to develope a partnership to reach the Mapuche people of southern Chile.  Several other churches are  networking together to accomplish this goal.  The primary goal of the network is to "engage" the Mapuche people.  To "engage" a people group is to, through a process, assume the responsibility of taking the gospel of Christ to a people group or specific area.  This will allow the long-term missionary the freedom to move into another area of the country, where short-term groups are unable to go due to time and travel constraints.

 

The Mapuche are numbered at approximately 1,000,000.  Around 1% have a personal relationship with Christ.  They are spread across many different areas within Chile.  Some are in places relatively accessible, and some are in remote areas.  The weather can range from comfortable to very cold and snowy.  A majority of the people live away from main roads, where there occasionally may be a church.  One part of the country has over 600 communities with no church. 

 

Four Arkansas Baptist Churches have committed to be involved in this partnership, and several others have asked about it and are praying about getting involved.   

 

Our church has taken two trips to Chile, conducting first aid, dental hygiene, and CPR training in several villages. The last trip, in September 2011, resulted in the first two salvations in the Mapuche Network! We will return in the fall of 2012.