From Interpreter to Teacher: A Milestone in Sembradores
When the Sembradores Bible and Ministry Training began in Colombia in 2018, we didn’t fully know what God would do through it. But we did know this: If the ministry was going to have a lasting impact, it had to be sustainable, and for that to happen, we needed to pass the baton.
As our founder, Mark Kreikemeier, often says, “our goal is to work ourselves out of a job.” Today, we are beginning to see that vision become reality. Edwin has been part of this journey from the very beginning. As a Wayuu believer, he first served with Bread of Hope as an interpreter, faithfully translating each lesson during training sessions.
Now, years later, Edwin is leading the Sembradores program himself. He is teaching the very same lessons he once translated, and for the first time, a full Sembradores training session has been led entirely by a Wayuu leader in Wayuunaiki, the language of their hearts. A couple of weeks ago, we hosted our second Sembradores session of the year with a new group of leaders. This training focused on walking through the story of Scripture from Genesis through the Prophets to its fulfillment in Jesus, tracing God’s plan of redemption across the whole Bible.
As we have seen in past trainings, something powerful happens when God’s Word is clearly understood. Many of these leaders begin to see the gospel with new clarity. They realize that salvation is not something earned through effort or good works, but something given through Christ alone, and that realization changes everything.
One leader, Plácido, who has been a pastor for several years, responded with deep emotion during the training. At one point, he struck the table and said:
“I thought I was right with God. Now I understand that there is nothing I can do to be accepted by Him. I used to believe that my behavior and actions could give me access to God.
Now I see there are only two ways to God: man’s way, trusting in his own deeds, or God’s way through Jesus, and now I know I can only draw near to God through Christ.”
Pastor Placido Epiayu
Nayo, another leader, shared with tears in his eyes:
“Now I can clearly see what the Bible teaches. Only through the sacrifice of Jesus can we be accepted. We come to the Father through the Son.”
Adair, the son of the late Pastor Antonio, reflected on the training this way:
“As we walked through the story of the Bible, it was like my mind was being opened. Now I understand that I am not saved by my obedience, but by what Jesus has done. And now, because I am saved, I can live in obedience to God through Christ.”
After the session, Edwin shared what he witnessed in this group:
“In this new group, several leaders had become comfortable believing that their work for God was enough to earn salvation. Without realizing it, they were living in a man-made religion.
But God has transformed their hearts. Now they see in Christ the perfect life they were trying to achieve, and they understand that salvation comes only through faith in Him.
I am confident that what they learned will be faithfully taught in their communities. I saw how deeply convinced they were when they realized they had not been teaching a gospel centered on Scripture.
Now they are eager to share the true gospel with their families and communities and we are committed to walking with them as they do.”
Moments like these remind us why this work matters. God’s Word is taking root, the gospel is becoming clear, and leaders are being equipped not only to teach but to shepherd others with truth.
We are especially grateful for Edwin; his leadership is not only a milestone but also a glimpse of what the future of the Wayuu church can look like: indigenous leaders and churches, grounded in Scripture, growing in maturity, and this is only the beginning.
Join Us in Prayer
Pray for Edwin, that God would give him wisdom and clarity as he teaches His Word.
Pray for the leaders in training that the gospel would continue to take deep root in their lives.
Pray for Edwin as he begins follow-up visits in each community, discipling and mentoring these pastors beyond the classroom.
God is raising up leaders from within the Wayuu church, and we are grateful to witness it.
This post was written by our team and reviewed with the help of an AI tool for clarity, spelling, and grammar.
