Projects that Change Communities
Pastor Training.
In 2015, we held our first pastor training seminar for a small group of local pastors. Our desire was to teach basic biblical principles to better equip them to lead and teach in their own communities. Over the following years, word spread about the training, and some pastors began traveling more than 500 river miles to reach our compound for instruction.
Now, nearly a decade later, the Lord continues to work powerfully, raising up and teaching pastors across a vast area of the Peruvian Amazon River Basin. Each pastor training consists of a week-long seminar with four main teaching days and two church services that include local villagers.
Funding for this project helps cover the costs of ground and river transportation, food, fuel for generators, translators, and local helpers such as cooks. Each seminar now hosts 40 to 50 participants, including pastors, teachers, translators, and support staff. Feeding that many people three meals a day for a week is no small task, but what a great problem to have as we witness God expanding His work throughout the Amazon!
Medical Support.
With long boat rides required to reach town and limited funds for medical care, many villagers have never seen a doctor or dentist in their lives. Through this ongoing project, we bring medical professionals to the villages when possible and keep a steady supply of essential medicines for everyday health needs.
Funding for this project allows us to continue supplying basic medicines and to bring doctors, dentists, and other medical professionals to our compound for short-term clinics. In addition, your support helps us respond to extreme medical needs—such as emergency surgeries, severe infections, and childbirth complications—that often require costly transportation and hospital care.
Because our community is so isolated—located several hours from the nearest medical facility, the Cocama Project has also trained a small team of local responders to handle emergencies in the village. By partnering with us, you help provide life-saving care to people who would otherwise have no access to the medical attention they desperately need.
Children’s Outreach.
For most jungle children, traveling outside their villages is a rare event—and meeting visitors from another country or culture is even rarer. Yet, like children everywhere, they are bright, curious, and eager to learn and play. Their games require no electronics or manufactured toys, just creativity and imagination, which turn everyday life in the jungle into endless adventure.
Our Children’s Project focuses on bringing new ideas, learning, and joy to these young minds. We support the local village school by helping provide needed supplies, and we invite volunteers from U.S. churches to teach Bible stories, introduce new games, and share God’s love in creative ways.
Funding for this project allows us to supply essential materials such as books, pencils, and paper for both our compound and the village school. It also helps us bring in ministry teams and volunteers who share Christ’s love through teaching, creativity, and play, helping jungle children experience the joy of learning and the hope of the Gospel.
Mobile Pastor Training Efforts.
Our desire is to take our pastor training seminars beyond the Cocama Project compound. We are praying and planning to expand this ministry by traveling farther up the river to bring God’s Word to pastors and communities deep within the Amazon Jungle, many of whom have never had the opportunity to receive biblical training.
This future project will require careful planning, long hours of river travel, and additional resources to make each trip possible. Our goal is to equip and encourage local pastors right where they serve, providing them with the tools and training they need to shepherd their congregations and share the Gospel throughout their regions.
Funding for this project will help us take pastor training deeper into the jungle, reaching those who are unable to travel to our compound. With your partnership, we can extend the reach of God’s Word and continue building up strong, faithful leaders in even the most remote areas of the Peruvian Amazon.
Maintenance and Construction.
We are sometimes blessed with the opportunity to help rebuild homes for families in our village who are truly in need. In addition to these community efforts, we continually work to maintain and improve the Cocama Project compound so that it remains a safe, functional space for hosting trainings, ministry events, and visitors.
The Amazon’s hot, humid climate presents constant challenges. Termites, heavy rains, and rapid weathering quickly take their toll on wooden structures, making regular maintenance and timely repairs essential. Without continual upkeep, roofs begin to leak, walls weaken, and essential areas such as kitchens, dorms, and classrooms can quickly become unsafe or unusable.
Funding for our construction and maintenance projects allows us to keep the compound in strong working condition, ensuring it remains a welcoming and reliable base for ministry. It also enables us to respond to urgent repair needs in the village, whether rebuilding damaged homes or improving community structures, so that we can continue serving and sharing God’s love in both word and deed throughout the Amazon.
Discipleship Engagement.
At the Cocama Project, we are committed to building up both new and existing believers in the Word. Through regular Bible studies, discipleship training, and mentorship, we help young believers grow in their faith and equip established believers to lead and disciple others within their own communities.
A vital part of this process is ongoing engagement with local churches. Supporting village pastors and leaders through prayer, question-and-answer sessions, and structured Bible discussions strengthens the church from within, creating a foundation that nurtures both spiritual maturity and a heart for outreach. These interactions give believers the tools and confidence to apply Scripture in everyday life and to share God’s love with others.
When you partner with the Cocama Project, your support ensures that Bibles, study materials, and practical teaching supplies are available to every believer who desires them. Your partnership also strengthens the local church network, helping pastors and leaders disciple their communities and fostering a culture of prayer, learning, and spiritual growth across the Peruvian Amazon.
