Indigenous Wedding

We attended our first wedding in Colombia Sunday night. In fact, it was the first wedding of its kind in history, the first “Christian” Epena Pedee wedding. The Epena Pedee are an indigenous people who live in the Pacific coast jungle region of Colombia. The Epena are one of the 97 unreached people groups in Colombia. People groups are considered unreached when less than 2% of their population have been evagelized.

We first met the bride and groom last November on one of our trips in preparation to move here. We were invited along with the rest of our team, to attend a celebration in honor of the completion of the New Testament in the Epena Pedee language. The completed translation was the culmination of 25 years work by Wycliffe Bible Translators. Ferney, the groom, and Imelda, the bride, worked with Wycliffe for several years and their contributions were key to the completion of the translation. Words cannot adequatley describe the presence and power of God made manifest that night as the scriptures were read in the Epena Pedee language by the little Pedee church for the first time. It was a breif prophetic glimpse of the glory of Revelation 5:9-10:

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Ferney and Imelda have a big role to play in the completion of that prophetic portion of scripture. The Epena Pedee are part of a group of tribes that stretch from the southern Pacific border of Colombia and Ecuador up along the costal jungles to Panama. The main tribes are the Epena, Embera Chami, and the Wounaan. There are many smaller interelated tribes in the area, with some yet to be discovered! In total there are about 2,000,000 souls in these unreached people groups.Their similar languages and cultures will allow for improved evangelization – from the inside with the help of Ferney and Imelda! We are beginning to work with Ferney and Imelda using the Perspectives on the Worldwide Christian Movement course to train them as missionaries and indigenous church planters!

We mentioned earlier it was the first “Christian” Epena Pedee wedding. Ferney and Imelda were married in the Epena tradition six years ago. Ferney was 18, Imelda was 12. Ferney was part of the guerrilla rebels that control the jungle regions of Colombia as a young boy. These communist rebel groups are also heavily involved in drug trafficing and use the indigenous men as slave laborers and women as breeding stock. Ferney was able to escape that life in his early teens and God brought him to Pereira and eventually to the Wycliffe team and the local church we attend.

After his conversion Ferney went back to his village to visit his family and saw Imelda for the first time He tells us it was love at first sight. One night Imelda’s parents came to Ferney’s family with a request. They wanted Ferney to take Imelda with him when he returned to Pereira. The rebels had been to the village earlier that week and demanded that the family have Imelda ready to go with them (as a sex slave) when they passed back through the village the next week. Ferney went to Imelda and, in the Epena tradition asked her, “Do want to go with me?” She said yes and that simple conversation in front of both families satisfied the requirements of the Epena Pedee traditional wedding.

Since that day the life they share together has already begun to impact the Epena tribe through lifestyle evangelism. The truth is that life within the Epena (and most indigenous tribes) is not all that much different for the women than the life with the rebels, they are essentially slaves of their husbands to be used for whatever purpose suits them. Violence insures continued submission. The conversion of Ferney and Imelda and their relationship together has begun to shine as an earthly example of the love of Christ for his bride the Church, opening the door of salvation for their people.

The ‘Christian’ wedding was not an act of legalism but rather a gift to this wonderful young couple. When you look at the attached pictures, we’re sure you will see the joy on their faces. When you see Imelda, try to think of the frightened 12 year old girl less than a week from a life of unimaginable brutal bondage, soveriegnly rescued by her loving Savior and set apart for His purposes.

We have more to share about what God is allowing all of us to be a part of in reaching the Epena Pedee and the related tribes. An essential key to reaching the indigenous tribes is preparing Colombian leaders to evangelize them. They can go places where it is very difficult and dangerous for us to go. If you would like to hear more please e-mail us and we will forward the information to you.

We love you all. Thank you for your prayers and support.