For at least five years we, Dr. Romo, and the Albert Schweitzer Institute for Pastoral Medicine have tried to develop the desert project. Adolfo has been successful at bring supplies, teaching, and preaching to two villages in this vast desert (which contains many mountains), but our larger scale efforts would fizzle. This summer, however, Harvest Ministries in cooperation with Hungry Kids International, and with ascent of the Schweitzer Institute, the project is starting. Dr. Romo of Harvest Ministries (Harvest International Medical Ministries) is leading the project, and at Dr. Romo’s invitation, I have assigned Pedro to accompany him when he travels to the area to develop the project. The project has the cooperation with the state and local authorities for establishing a medical and agricultural training center. We are free to preach and teach the Gospel as long as we teach Natural Medicine and Organic farming to the communities. Dr. Romo is teaching medicine, and Pedro is teaching Organic farming. Pedro is an expert in Organic farming, and he is a medical missionary. The region has many isolated villages separated by large tracts of desert and mountains. It is not practical to either present classes to all of these villages or the gather the people to one village. The plan is therefore to train people from three villages, then invite students from other villages to learn these skills and take them back to their respective villages. It will require several years to develop this project
Natural Medicine is an effective door opener for the Gospel in these communities, since the kind of medicine that Americans and most city dwellers recognize is not available in these remote regions. Though there is a strong tradition of tribal medicine in these regions, it is based on witchcraft and is secretive, so that the Curandera retains power much like a shaman. In Mexico, the role of the Grandmother in most families has the role of healer. She learned methods and local medical plants from her grandmother and mother before her. The mother raises the young and keeps house. The grandmothers assist in the labor, but they are sages in household management and in healing arts. They are called Curandera, and they are revered, since in time of sickness or injury, they are essential to the recovery of the sick. We are bringing training in the eight laws of health such that the people are instructed in taking care of themselves with the emphasis on maintaining health. This is very valuable to the tribes.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Others stories following will describe the development of this project.
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