Local news

So much has happened these last months!! I just want to share a few things that stand out locally, and that in one way or another affect our areas of ministry, and either directly or indirectly those that we minister to.

Drugs are a growing problem in the whole country, especially here in the jungle, because a lot is either grown locally, or moved through here to get to the coast, and from there shipped internationally. Every week there is a new drug raid in one of the four major cities here in the northern part of the jungle, and that means there are many other shipments that get through under the radar.

A month ago, there was a big bust in Tena, about two hours north west of Puyo, where a literal metric ton of drugs that was in shipment was confiscated. There have also been increased raids in a number of different local high schools, where drug use has been steadily growing. Please pray for our country and youth!!

About three weeks ago, a couple of blocks from our house, a young man was stabbed to death by two other young men, who are both in prison now. Stabbings here in Shell, in Puyo and in Tena have grown recently, with several happening each month.

Another problem recently has been the occupants of the squatters village right outside of Shell. A number of the youth there, who are not in school, and do not have jobs, are involved in the drug use and stabbing. Not everyone in the squatters village are to blame, however. A number of the people went there, paying money to the self proclaimed "owner", and are now very angry at being cheated. This last month, they caught him and brought him to the main entrance, where they spread him eagled and naked, and left him out in the sun for several hours. The government still has not been able to do any evictions, as every time they try, a protest is started which includes burning tires, stopping traffic on the road, and standoffs with the occupants armed with spears, etc.