September 8th, 2011
Just north of the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, on the shore of Lake Maracaibo, lies the town of Santa Cruz, home to over 100 Wayuu families.
The Wayuu are an indigenous people group who inhabit the arid La Guajira Peninsula straddling the Venezuela-Colombia border, on the Caribbean Sea coast. The Wayuu refer to themselves simply as “Wayuu” and do not acknowledge the term “Indian,” instead preferring the term “Wayuu people.”
UNICEF has ranked the Wayuu of the Guajira region as the 2nd poorest people group in all of Latin America – 2nd only to Haiti.
Santa Cruz is in the county of Mara which has a population of 210,000, 80% of whom are Wayuu. In this county alone, 30 children die monthly due to malnutrition and illness.
When the MTM Team was in Venezuela in July of 2008, Rubén Turtulici, a school teacher from Maracaibo, introduced us to some of the Wayuu people in Santa Cruz de Mara. Since then he has shared some of the history of the community and also his vision for the area.
Fifteen years ago Pastor Esteban Lopez founded the Cesarea Evangelical Pentecostal Church in Santa Cruz and appointed Pastor Francisco “Pancho” Araujo to pastor the fledgling church. Over the years, many Wayuu became Christians. As a child, Rubén visited the little church many times and developed a heart for the Wayuu people. However, about six years ago, Pastor Francisco retired, and the church closed. The church building is situated in a very strategic place near a major crossroads. The government plans to rebuild the road the church is on into a major highway to the beach. This will place the church in a very visible location. It is Rubén’s desire to restore the church building and use it not only as a church, but as central gathering place for the training of other pastors and leaders in the area.
Rubén & the Wayuu Church in Santa Cruz
There is much hunger for the Word of God and for Christian training among the Wayuu pastors. Rubén has a vision to work together with all the Wayuu pastors to bring unity and revival to the churches in this area.
But Rubén also knows their physical needs must be addressed. Since the lack of fresh water is the major problem, Rubén would like to see an Agricultural Water Treatment Facility built there.
Rubén Turtulici with Wayuu children
God has a plan to bring revival and restoration to the Wayuu community of Santa Cruz and we at Mustard Tree Missions want to be a part of it.
Please consider giving a tax-deductible gift for the Wayuu Project in Venezuela.
Checks can be made out to MTM with “Wayuu” on the “For” line.
Mail to: MTM, P.O. Box 8048, Meridian, MS 39303.
Click on “Staff” at top of page for bio and video about Rubén Turtulici.
Just north of the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela, on the shore of Lake Maracaibo, lies the town of Santa Cruz, home to over 100 Wayuu families.
The Wayuu are an indigenous people group who inhabit the arid La Guajira Peninsula straddling the Venezuela-Colombia border, on the Caribbean Sea coast. The Wayuu refer to themselves simply as “Wayuu” and do not acknowledge the term “Indian,” instead preferring the term “Wayuu people.”
Santa Cruz de Mara, Venezuela
UNICEF has ranked the 300,000 Wayuu of the Guajira region as the 2nd poorest people group in all of Latin America – 2nd only to Haiti.
Santa Cruz is in the county of Mara which has a population of 210,000, 80% of whom are Wayuu. In this county alone, 30 children die monthly due to malnutrition and illness.
When the MTM Team was in Venezuela in July of 2008, MTM Venezuelan Director Rubén Turtulici introduced us to some of the Wayuu people in Santa Cruz de Mara. There are many pastors in the Santa Cruz area that are working together in unity. These pastors have a hunger for the Word of God and for Christian training for themselves and the leaders in their churches.
Wayuu Pastors
Mustard Tree Missions wants to see revival and restoration come to the Wayuu community of Santa Cruz. We at MTM want to help the Wayuu pastors and their churches physically, financially and spiritually. Many have expressed a desire for spiritual training, knowing that as they and their leaders grow in the knowledge of God, their physical needs will be met also.
Please consider giving a tax-deductible gift for the Wayuu Project in Venezuela.
Checks can be made out to MTM with “Wayuu” on the “For” line.
Mail to: MTM, P.O. Box 8048, Meridian, MS 39303.
Santa Cruz de Mara, Venezuela
