A Call To Leadership

EP302: Missionaries for Life with Nicolasy and Jael Churque

• Dr. Nate Salah

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Ever wondered what faith-driven community transformation looks like up close? Join us as Nicolasy and Jael Churque walk through decades of mission work in rural Bolivia, from teaching first-generation readers to equipping local leaders through grassroots Bible training. Their boots-on-the-ground approach shows how practical skills and spiritual formation work hand in hand. Listen in and discover the powerful model reshaping villages far beyond city limits.


 Key Takeaways To Listen For

  • The childhood moment that set Nicolasy on a lifelong path of mission work
  • How church-based development equips villages with real skills for daily life
  • The literacy and radio-Bible programs training new leaders in remote areas
  • Why education brings freedom and confidence to isolated communities
  • The spiritual challenges missionaries face and the need for discernment
     

About Nicolasy and Jael Churque
Nicolas and Jael Churque are lifelong missionaries serving communities across Bolivia and Peru through discipleship, literacy programs, and church-based community development. For more than four decades, they have equipped rural families with biblical training, practical skills, and tools for long-term self-sufficiency. Their work empowers isolated regions with education, small-scale agriculture, and spiritual formation, helping entire communities grow in faith and resilience.
 

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[00:00:00] Dr. Nate Salah
Communities are important. You're bringing up aspects of the gospel and the message that are not just preaching about, oh, how to be a good citizen and how to follow the golden rule. You're teaching people how to do life. Hello, my friend, and welcome to this episode of A Call to Leadership. I'm Dr. Nate Salah, your host. So glad you are here. Well, every so often we'd love to invite our brothers and sisters on the mission field to share their. Experiences, to share reports and to share how we can support them, whether it be be by prayer or by our financial blessings. And I've invited some dear friends in the faith, Nicholas and Al, they have been on the mission field for so many years, and in fact, what a wonderful story they're gonna share about how God not only brought them together, but brought a greater vision and unity for how he. Is going to move in ministry. I can't wait for you to listen in. I'm Dr. Nate Salah and this is a call to leadership. Hello my friends. 

[00:01:12] Jael Churque
Hello. Hello.  

[00:01:14] Dr. Nate Salah
Here we go. I used to drink a lot and, when I'd go to Mexico, I'd always have to know how to, where's the bathroom. Right. Okay. Cancun, you ever been to Cancun? 

[00:01:30] Nicolas Churque
No, no, but before that, you're supposed to say, oh. 

[00:01:36] Dr. Nate Salah
Is, is Spanish your first language? Yes. Yes. See? 

[00:01:40] Jael Churque
Yes. See, but I know the other language in Peru.

[00:01:45] Nicolas Churque
Native language, I know some true uh-huh.

[00:01:48] Dr. Nate Salah
How do you say hello in Quechua?

[00:01:52] Nicolas Churque
That's, it's pretty much like that. Hi. No, Ola. Depends. Do you spend a lot of time in Peru? 

[00:02:01] Jael Churque
Yes. 

[00:02:01] Nicolas Churque
We gotta visit her family. She's from Peru. 

[00:02:03] Jael Churque
I am from Peru. 

[00:02:04] Nicolas Churque
But we live more do ministry work in, in Bolivia. 

[00:02:07] Dr. Nate Salah
Ah, so Peru is is the mountainous region? 

[00:02:12] Jael Churque
It has the three parts, the mountains, the coast, and the jungle.

[00:02:16] Dr. Nate Salah
Oh wow. Mountain, a coast and a jungle all in one place. Pretty much California. Theof very. So where, what part are you from the mountains, the coast of the jungles. 

[00:02:28] Jael Churque
I, I born in the mountains. Mountains in the highlands. But I grew up since I had two years old in the city. Inma, Peru? 

[00:02:38] Dr. Nate Salah
Yes. Did you ever go to the jungle?

[00:02:40] Jael Churque
No. 

[00:02:40] Dr. Nate Salah
No. 

[00:02:41] Jael Churque
But the, oh, yes, I went, but it was. We call sba. It's like between the real jungle and the highlands. 

[00:02:51] Dr. Nate Salah
Oh. But it was nice. Yes. Dangerous. I see. Like I can, I imagine like big snakes and all kinds of other, she went to jungle, me and Bolivia.

[00:03:02] Nicolas Churque
She went to Jungle. Oh, in Blim. In Bolivia. Yes. She learned to go to Jungle in Bolivia, 

[00:03:09] Jael Churque
but I learned, what I learned is in Florida, 

[00:03:12] Nicolas Churque
Well, that's the thing, if you talk about mission, she learned to be missionary in Lake West, Florida. Yeah, she was trained there. 

[00:03:20] Dr. Nate Salah
Really? 

[00:03:23] Jael Churque
I learned to watch up, where is the snake, the leasers and all that, because the university used to have, . Special place where the people can get trained, how to live in the third world country. Mm. And I was coming from the third world country, from Peru to Miami to Florida. But I learned how to live there in the jungle in Bolivia. 

[00:03:47] Dr. Nate Salah
So you, you, but you grew up in the city. Yes. So when you got to Miami, did you notice any differences from Miami to this? What city were you in? Peru. 

[00:03:55] Jael Churque
Lima. Lima, the capital? 

[00:03:58] Dr. Nate Salah
Yes. Similar. Different. Yeah, similar. Yeah, similar.

[00:04:00] Jael Churque
But I went to live in the heart program of the university. Mm-hmm. College and then I learned actually. How to live with no electricity.

[00:04:14] Nicolas Churque
 Oh, no running water. 

[00:04:15] Jael Churque
No running water. And they thought that I, that was my way to live in in Lima. 

[00:04:24] Dr. Nate Salah
They said, 

[00:04:24] Jael Churque
No, I'm learning here. Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:04:28] Dr. Nate Salah
Wow. So when you got to Miami, what were you expecting from US Culture. 

[00:04:34] Jael Churque
Well, normally they have the expectation of everything will go well in the states. You there and you have money if you work. But I knew that I wasn't allowed to work because I was coming as a company of a student visa, you know, with that kind of visa. And of course I had a little jobs, you know, and then that was okay. 

[00:05:04] Dr. Nate Salah
And how old were you? Were you young in the time? 

[00:05:06] Jael Churque
I was 26. 

[00:05:10] Nicolas Churque
26. 27. Yeah, 

[00:05:11] Jael Churque
26.

[00:05:12] Nicolas Churque
Had you two met yet? In Peru, in Lima, I went from Bolivia to Peru for the, , to study in the seminary. Ah, so, and then the seminary would assign us churches. Mm-hmm. So I went. One of the churches that was her church. That's where I met her. 

[00:05:26] Dr. Nate Salah
And that was, do you remember when, when that was? That was in 

[00:05:29] Nicolas Churque
75, started seminary. Might have been 76 

[00:05:33] Dr. Nate Salah
Do you remember when you first saw him? 

[00:05:36] Jael Churque
Oh yes. 

[00:05:36] Dr. Nate Salah
Was he very handsome? 

[00:05:39] Jael Churque
My teacher from our youth group was from Bolivia and his name is. He say, next Saturday, I will bring a group of musician to our, , church, , youth program. And I say, oh, okay. Well, everybody was expecting the group from Poli because they were playing the original music from the country in Bolivia that is close to our music in Peru. But since I grow up in the city. We don't hear so much that kind of music. Like here maybe is 

[00:06:21] Nicolas Churque
country music, like country music. Country music, you know?

[00:06:23] Jael Churque
You don't hear that kind of music say just for the worldly people we used to 

[00:06:30] Nicolas Churque
country music for. 

[00:06:32] Jael Churque
Yes, we used to say that, but I met not 

[00:06:35] Nicolas Churque
only that, but with within. Yes, within her family too. Did that Yes. Did say that. Yeah. Yeah, they were not used to listen. That kind of music. We agnostic, we call it ang, more like a Mandarin, but thin strings. Mm-hmm. And then the flute. Mm-hmm. Of guitar and then drum. Yeah. We played those. 

[00:06:50] Dr. Nate Salah
So you met in Peru when you were mm-hmm. Seminary. And you were in her church. 

[00:06:55] Nicolas Churque
Her church. 

[00:06:56] Dr. Nate Salah
Mm-hmm. Do you remember when you first met 

[00:06:58] Nicolas Churque
The dates? I don't remember. 

[00:07:00] Dr. Nate Salah
But as far as like. When were you like, wow, you know what, one day's gonna be my wife. 

[00:07:04] Nicolas Churque
70. 70. Well, that was a a year about, almost a year later. 

[00:07:08] Dr. Nate Salah
A almost a year later. 

[00:07:10] Nicolas Churque
Yes. Almost a year later.

[00:07:11] Dr. Nate Salah
Yes. 

[00:07:12] Nicolas Churque
And then we get engaged and then I finished the seminary. Mm-hmm. I left to Bolivia, but we were engaged. Yeah. So I left for a year to work and come back to get married. Mm. So, yeah. 

[00:07:27] Dr. Nate Salah
How old were you? 

[00:07:28] Nicolas Churque
I was, I'm four and a half, almost five years older than she is. 

[00:07:32] Dr. Nate Salah
Okay. Yeah. And so then when did you decide it's time to go and be on the mission field?

[00:07:40] Nicolas Churque
Well, I've listened, heard something about God, something when I was about four years old, maybe h in my hometown, in in Bolivia. My dad, mom, we kneeled down and somebody witnessed it. I didn't know about, was witnessing nothing about that. Okay. We went to church. They would stone us, our church. That's, I remember it was stone as the people would, wouldn't allow us to have singings in the church. Why not? No, not church. It's the house. Why not? Is it illegal? No, they, they didn't run it Christians at that time. I mean, really? They said, you're not, you don't deserve to have that land. You don't deserve to have this and that. 

[00:08:21] Dr. Nate Salah
Go. That's really what they used to tell us. Is that, was that a government thing? Was that in culture? No, community, just general community culture. Just general community.

[00:08:27] Nicolas Churque
Because they're Catholics. Catholics, so they don't, oh, want to accept. 

[00:08:31] Dr. Nate Salah
So the Catholics didn't necessarily accept the Protestant. No, I understand. It was very, it was very contentious back then. Definitely. Yes. I see, I see.

[00:08:40] Nicolas Churque
See and then, , well, when I was about almost 10 years old, , I did run away from home at school. They would beat me. My dad would me too, beat me too. And then I said, well, where am I gonna go? It's pretty tough. So I left home when, somewhere else, and my dad found me. It took me to Santa Cruz City where we stay. Now. Santa Cruz left me in an orphanage. 

[00:09:00] Dr. Nate Salah
Your father left you in an orphanage? 

[00:09:01] Nicolas Churque
Well, a family who was left with, where I was left with, he found an orphanage next door, and so I stayed for a few years in an orphanage. Run by, , missionary American missionaries. 

[00:09:11] Dr. Nate Salah
Was it common back then to.

[00:09:14] Nicolas Churque
No. No, not that was the only Orphanage at that time. 

[00:09:15] Dr. Nate Salah
Only orphanage. 

[00:09:16] Nicolas Churque
American missionary is who was helping the orphans. How old were you? I was prior, at that time, started about 10. Do you 10 to 14 or 15 years orphanage? 

[00:09:26] Dr. Nate Salah
Do you, do you remember when you first entered the orphanage? Do you have a memory of that? 

[00:09:29] Nicolas Churque
 Yes. Yes, but that's what I was saying, about 10 years old. Do you remember how you felt? I was left with the family h and no family around me. And I don't know who, I don't nobody. So it was more like, , okay, okay. I didn't feel bad, bad necessarily, but I had enough, I had place to sleep and had food that was most important for me. So the simple things? Yes. Simple things, yes. And then I learned there the gospel, is that right? The missionaries taught us about the gospel, ma and Dad, we used to call them. Stansberry and Paul, I mean John and Al Stansberry with other kids, I learned and then they took me to church and then I knew how to think, but I didn't know about the Lord personally until I left from orphanage. I attended a church and then when I was about 17 years of age, I knew how to receive the Lord by myself personally. And then after, after being in a church service one Sunday night, I went to a room. And then I said, well, I need the Lord. Then I know how to do it. So I just by myself, my by myself, I prayed to the Lord, receiving Christ as my savior. From that went on my life and just doing whatever I need, can help with the church here, and then working on the days, on the night going to school. Elementary school and high school, all of them at night. 

[00:10:52] Dr. Nate Salah
Working hard for the Lord. Working hard to make ends beat. Exactly. If you 

[00:10:56] Nicolas Churque
do that, the church would help a little bit, you know, with the kids here and that sometimes teach Sunday school with to the kids. That was it. So pretty much, I don't know about missions, this and that, that the one thing I knew is just help.

[00:11:11] Dr. Nate Salah
Help. That's it. That's a forgotten phrase today. Help. Mm-hmm. Help. Yes. Help. 

[00:11:15] Nicolas Churque
Help in the, in the work. 

[00:11:17] Dr. Nate Salah
Whatever work you're doing. Yeah. So your family, did you grow up in the church environment? 

[00:11:23] Jael Churque
Yeah. Me, my father, he become a Christian when he was single. And I remember he told me that there was a missionary who went to that town to preach about Jesus and they wanted. Adopt my to bring it to United States and study here, but my grandma was widow and my daddy was the older boy. I say, you cannot leave me and I will not allow you to go. You need to help me to keep with your little brothers. 

[00:11:59] Nicolas Churque
You needed to stay to help. 

[00:12:01] Dr. Nate Salah
So you two get married? Yeah. After these years. And do you start working in the church there? 

[00:12:10] Nicolas Churque
Yes. Yes. It's interesting because. In our countries, there is no support for pastors or missionaries. There is no support financially. 

[00:12:17] Dr. Nate Salah
So you, you don't work and make money. 

[00:12:20] Nicolas Churque
You don't eat, I mean much, pretty much, pretty much like that. And then I'm, okay, I graduated and there was a church needed a pastor, married co. A couple. So we went help them for three years. In that process, I'm thinking I'm gonna help family and kids, how I'm gonna support myself. Mm-hmm. So what should I study? Advised me to do different kinds of fields to study. But in that process, there was a group from the States came to my church from the Church of Ga Anderson. And then I kind of thought, maybe talked with him a little English, whatever I can say to this person, Alan Spencer, his name. And he said, why don't you go to Southern College in Lake Will, Florida? He was one of the members of the board. Mm-hmm. And I thought, well, if I learn English. That might help me to sustain myself when I come back, teach and then keep on ministry. That's what it happened. Definitely. That's what it happened. 

[00:13:18] Dr. Nate Salah
So you didn't speak English at the time? 

[00:13:19] Nicolas Churque
No. Doesn't everyone speak English? Yes, of course not. Right? I, I, I took English class at the high school, but you only, hello, how are you? My name is so and so that, that, yeah. Basic. That was all basics. Yeah. So you went to Florida, or you didn't go to Florida? Yes, yes. Came to Florida. But my promise to the Lord was he. Had me sign a paper that says me Nikola. So, so, so, so when I finished my school, I will be going back either to Peru or Bolivia to keep minister. Mm. And I said to the Lord, yes, that's what I'm going to do. I signed the paper. When I finished it, I went back. But what? And people are telling me, why are you, are you crazy? I come back from the States, no way. People are wanting to come in no matter how come right. Get to the us, but not me, my minister, the Lord. You made commitment. Made a commitment. That's the thing. Made the commitment. That's the thing. Just to go back and then do the ministry. 20 years and then we came back with those older kids, came back and got married kids, so that's why. 

[00:14:20] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. Your husband is a committed man. Yes. You better 

[00:14:27] Jael Churque
All what he promised me he needs to accomplish. Yeah. 

[00:14:33] Dr. Nate Salah
I saw that. I saw that. Yeah. You saw that? Yeah. Yes. h , you two are cute. You know, I, I wanna be that way when my wife and I are married. , for how many years you been married? Now, let's see how many, how many years? How many years. You gotta count right? When you, when you don't remember. It's a lot. 

[00:14:48] Jael Churque
You know what? It's very interesting. We are married 46 years. 

[00:14:53] Dr. Nate Salah
46 years. Wonderful. 

[00:14:55] Jael Churque
When you guys gimme that memory, the book played at the plate. I said 45. Oh yes. I made a mistake. I put it in my, in my Facebook that I'm 45 and actually it's 46. 

[00:15:09] Dr. Nate Salah
46 years. 

[00:15:11] Jael Churque
And then I say, oh, well first year is honeymoon. Second year it started. Really? Yeah. And that is 46.

[00:15:20] Dr. Nate Salah
And then 46 fast. 

[00:15:22] Jael Churque
Yeah. 46. 

[00:15:23] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. So you spend time in the mission field as well. 

[00:15:27] Nicolas Churque
Yes. 

[00:15:27] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. 

[00:15:28] Nicolas Churque
Yeah. Up to now still doing some mission work. Yeah. Yes. 

[00:15:30] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. And your mission work is primarily where? 

[00:15:34] Nicolas Churque
In Bolivia. 

[00:15:35] Dr. Nate Salah
In Bolivia. So is that where you live or do you live in Peru? It's, , 

[00:15:38] Nicolas Churque
No. We lived in Peru when I was student, and then we pastored the church for three years. Mm-hmm. So we lived, I lived together about almost eight years in, mm-hmm. Eight years in Lima, Peru. But after coming back and going, went back to Bolivia, I started actually using the English. From Brazil, Indiana. We'll talk to you about Dan and Jane Graham and Don Wilson. You, you met in I Manson. Don Wilson from the church. First public Arnold. He was him with his wife. Marlin was in Santa Cruz. Mm-hmm. Which I didn't know. I went back and from somehow we got in touch with him and he needed some Spanish teachers, so I was able to teach them Spanish. Mm-hmm. In that process, he asked a couple of friends. He was veterinary missionary. He had friends in Evansville, Indiana. Graduated together from VE school too, so they brought them there. Then Jenna Graham, so I was the interpreter. Mm-hmm. And then that's the way I started it. When I said to the Lord, I'll do whatever you ask me to do, I'm going to use the English. To sustain myself. And that's what had happened from the beginning. So God honors whatever you promise, you do. 

[00:16:43] Dr. Nate Salah
Amen. Amen. Now, Bolivia, for those listening, don't know where exactly where Bolivia is. Where on the map is Bolivia? 

[00:16:50] Nicolas Churque
In the middle of South America. Mm-hmm. In the East Brazil, Northeast is Brazil. , west it's Peru and Chile and South is Paraguay and Argentina.

[00:16:59] Dr. Nate Salah
Mm-hmm. So that, , area, , the seasons are. Reversed from us. Correct. Exactly. Yes, yes, yes. Summer's winter winner, summer. Exactly. 

[00:17:09] Nicolas Churque
That's the way it is. 

[00:17:09] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. So your mission work in Bolivia, what's the climate like in Bolivia? Not physical climate, but I mean the climate of faith in Bolivia. 

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[00:18:00] Nicolas Churque
Holy. I would say that those years were okay. 

[00:18:04] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. 

[00:18:04] Nicolas Churque
Now it's becoming a little bit dangerous sometimes. Is that right? How so? . Because of political reasons. So it's becoming a little bit not that bad, but it's might can become more, you're starting to see the trend, 

[00:18:18] Nicolas Churque
Some kind of problems happening now. 

[00:18:20] Dr. Nate Salah
Do you minister in the cities or in the the country? Where do you minister? 

[00:18:23] Nicolas Churque
No. When this couple came to Santa Cruz, I was interrupt, interrupter. I usually interrupt when I interpret. The pastor would like to speak long, long, long, long, long sentence, and I said, stop. So I interrupt. Right? I had to interrupt. That's what I, I'm interpreter, but interrupter too. Yeah. But anyway, they wanted to go away from the city. Don Wilson was, it took us away from the city countryside, and that's what the minister does. It's called San Jose. The little towns called San Jose. That's when the minister started. So me helping them interpret and helping them process the ministry they were doing. So we call it church-based. Community development is not the gospel. First teaching the gospel, but along with the gospel comes the small tree gardening. Primary healthcare, that kind of things. Mm-hmm. So that we call them, the communities don't have that kind of teachings, so that's what we call them. Church-based community development 

[00:19:26] Dr. Nate Salah
Communities are important. Driven. Essential. Yes, essential. When you, when you go, it's interesting because you're bringing up aspects of the gospel. The message that are not just preaching about, oh, how to be a good citizen and how to follow the golden rule. You're teaching people how to do life. 

[00:19:50] Nicolas Churque
Definitely. How to not have big lands to get fruits, but an Hector to Hector, Hector enough for the family. Mm-hmm. So that kind of teaching, so that it was good community based. Church based community Develop development. Yeah, yeah. Primary healthcare, that kind of thing. 

[00:20:12] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. I mean, the essentials, the things basic, we take basic, we take for granted here in the United States. It's so important for us to have this conversation, at least this part, to emphasize how, I don't wanna use the word fortunate. Certainly. , the, the, the gratitude. Yeah. The gratitude that we sometimes forget to mm-hmm. Exert and exhibit. I had a, , a client years ago who told me when she brought her mother. For the first time from Southeast Asia, and she saw, she just went to the, the store, the, the, the grocery store. And when her mother saw all of the produce laid out mm-hmm. Just about any kind of produce you would want and all these different food items. You said, who's this for? 

[00:21:01] Nicolas Churque
It's for us. 

[00:21:02] Dr. Nate Salah
Mm-hmm. Any of it. Anyhow. Mm-hmm. She started to weep. Mm-hmm. She started to cry because she had never seen that much abundance in her life. 

[00:21:12] Nicolas Churque
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. 

[00:21:14] Dr. Nate Salah
So now every day I go to the grocery store, just pause. Just pause and look at it through the eyes of those who do not have. And, and, and not just for the sake of my own gratitude and appreciation, also that it might nudge and push me. To desire to serve and to love those who have not. Mm-hmm. And it's not just about those things, but those things are essential to life itself. And Jesus, when he, when he came, he was meeting physical, emotional, mm-hmm. Spiritual financial needs. He was meeting all of these different needs. Yeah. Sometimes the church forgets sometimes. Yes it does. Sometimes the church forgets and it says, well, I just wanna nourish. Spiritually. Mm-hmm. Okay. Well that's great. But if I'm, if I can't eat, if I can't live. Right? Mm-hmm. What about the nourishment I need simply to produce fruit for my family, as you mentioned? 

[00:22:13] Nicolas Churque
Yes. Yes, definitely. What about that? Yes. Yes, definitely. For instance, these people who went to to lowlands were from Highlands. Mm-hmm. So on Highland, they don't have vegetables. They don't grow vegetables because too high the land or too cold. Lowlands, you can have lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, all kinds of things. Mm-hmm. So these people who were living there, they didn't have these things. So we had to teach them how to make, how to grow this kind of vegetables. Yeah. And one time I remember, I, I won't forget this, I was driving the truck and there's a lady come in his, in her bicycle, coming back from San Jose. I just stopped because I knew I knew her. I said. Where are you coming from? From San Jose? Where did you go to San Jose? I took my, I think it was tomatoes to sell. Okay. That was amazing. Just learned to do that. 

[00:23:14] Jael Churque
Yes. No, they were doing business. 

[00:23:16] Nicolas Churque
Yeah. They were doing business. Know not only for them. 

[00:23:17] Jael Churque
Yeah, but also selling.

[00:23:20] Dr. Nate Salah
Wow. They turned into business owners, entrepreneurs. 

[00:23:24] Nicolas Churque
Yeah. Also literacy is important. We, we taught literacy a few years. Literacy. Yeah. They don't know how to read and write. So we had textbooks that we guided, and then we had some tutors. We taught them the tutors. The tutors would have the, the, the students in their own place. So we also did some ministry in tutoring or, yeah, that's the word. Tutoring. Yeah, tutoring. 

[00:23:46] Dr. Nate Salah
Literacy. Literacy. How, how do people respond generally? Do they respond? With, , anticipation, enthusiasm. I suspect some maybe respond negatively. How, how, what's the general when you, when someone doesn't know how to read and write.

[00:24:04] Nicolas Churque
Oh. 

[00:24:05] Dr. Nate Salah
How do you, how do you approach that? 

[00:24:06] Nicolas Churque
It's, it's tough. Yeah. That's what we had, that literacy program, but then we started a radio, radio bible school program. So we had textbooks. We made about six different books. We had the permission to do that, to do, to, do it in CDs. So we would put on radio and we'd listen. But then I said we had a meeting, about 70 of them showed up from different places. We went to do this program for the people who can learn how to read and write, how to study the Bible. Okay. I made a kind of field investigation a little bit and then once in that meeting, one of the guys said, I have a question. I've been having a friends, couple of friends that who like to study, but they're not Christians. Can you study? I said, what do you think about it to everybody? They catch study. Okay. They would study. They did study, and some of them became Christians studying the Bible. There is another question. He said I have, my son is about 11, almost 12 years old.

[00:25:14]
 He would like to study. Can you study? I said, what do you think about it? And they said, yeah, they could study only if he doesn't file a school in MA that allows it and it's fine. So, and then there is questions. I don't know how to write. I can do some, but can I study? Try all you can. So I had to take the test. By listening orally. Mm-hmm. Not by writing. Mm-hmm. But they did study. We had that experience, unique experience because there were students from those who have gone to school maybe one year or half a year or two years up to university students or professors. Mm. So it was amazing at that time. Now we don't have that program anymore. We still teaching different way. I think this is one way we, we teach, Bible in, in, in small groups. Hmm. 

[00:26:07] Dr. Nate Salah
Rural Bible School. 

[00:26:09] Dr. Nate Salah
Rural Bible school. So you teach all these programs? 

[00:26:12] Nicolas Churque
I don't teach them. Or you, you interpret. We pro, we made the process of training the tutors first register, and then the students, each tutor, let's say we have four of us tutors. You are a tutor, okay? Mm-hmm. You're supposed to know how to help us, how to, how to encourage us to study and then. They started. Yeah. So there is one place where we have, they signed up about over a hundred students in about 13 or 14 different groups. Of course, not everybody can continue because financially the texts plus they're not able to read it because they're not, they're not, they're not used to school. Right. So it's tough. So up to now we have around seven or 75 students. From a hundred fifty five, a hundred seventy five students. 

[00:26:58] Dr. Nate Salah
So far they're not used to school. They're used to, it's a much different experience. Definitely. Right. They go to work, this is sitting for hours. 

[00:27:05] Nicolas Churque
Well, they, they're supposed to study by same, by themselves first because Filling, filling out the planks. I see. That's the text. Yeah. And then once, once a week, at least twice a month, they're supposed to meet with the group. And to help each other and then answer some questions and then take tests, things like that. Yeah. But they're doing great in spite of not being able to read much, not being used to. Mm-hmm. So they're doing great. 

[00:27:32] Dr. Nate Salah
You know, there's something to be said about this and the power of education. Yes. The power of education. Yes. , it's been said, the educated mind cannot be enslaved. And. You think Jesus' entire model was built on freedom, liberation. 

[00:27:49] Dr. Nate Salah
First from sin. And then from the oppression that we experience in, in our lives, and of course, what was Jesus called? The great what? Teacher? Teacher. Right? Teacher, teacher, rabbi Ramoni, and educators. We have a special place in liberation. And we cannot take that for granted and we cannot stop educating. Most of what Jesus did was education. Exactly. Think about it. Right? Mm-hmm. Constantly telling his disciples 

[00:28:24] Nicolas Churque
Yeah. 

[00:28:25] Dr. Nate Salah
And reeducating them. Mm-hmm. And reeducating them. Mm-hmm. Even his disciples didn't get it the first, second, third time, fourth time. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So there's a, a patience that comes with that. , there's a, , a need to have compassion and recognize that people are helpless and they're harassed. Just like in, in the ninth chapter of Matthew where Jesus sees the crowds and what does he say? He says, the harvest is plenty. Mm-hmm. But the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest. Ascend more, more workers. 

[00:29:02] Nicolas Churque
We have a few values that we teach them first to these volunteers. I mean, tutors, volunteers. Of them is how to deduct us, which is self-studying. Right? Self study. We encourage so much that per to those brothers, sisters to teach themselves. And then of course, faithfulness, consistency and persevering. Perseverance. Mm-hmm. If they didn't consist and perseverate continuously might not go far. 

[00:29:32] Dr. Nate Salah
That's right. That's right. Perseverance is, mm-hmm. Essential. Another essential. It's, yeah. Right. Perseverance. Character. Character. Hope, I hope, does not disappoint. 

[00:29:41] Dr. Nate Salah
Yeah. So what's next? What's the next adventure? 

[00:29:45] Nicolas Churque
The next adventure is continue with these groups. Mm-hmm. That we are, I mean, the tutors I am, we meet with them about twice, three times a year with the tutors I. In Be area, which is another state in Bolivia, but now we have about six, seven groups in Santa Cruz area, which is about an hour away, two hours away driving. Mm-hmm. In those places, a little bit different. We need almost, we need to teach the group of six, eight, or 10. We have now, this coming Sunday, la following Sunday, we'll be going Saturday. We'll be going to another town has seven, eight students. That is discouraged this time because the person's supposed to tutor. He doesn't have enough, , what called motivation mm-hmm. To do that. So the tutor hasn't, does not exactly. Exactly. So we will be going to be with them after the service. We'll meet with them for an hour at least.

[00:30:35] Dr. Nate Salah
Sounds like a guy I know from scripture, you might have heard of him named Paul. Yeah. He had some discouraged people in different churches. He had to, he had to deal with. Yes. Yes. It's a blessing that you're able to do that. And we support you fully and your journey and your mission, and the work that you do is, it is not without trial. 

[00:30:58] Nicolas Churque
Definitely all at the same time.

[00:30:58] Dr. Nate Salah
It is not without triumph. Yeah. So, I sometimes I like to ask this question on the, on the podcast and, and I'd love to hear how you respond. You have such a blessing of being able to be around people who need the gospel. The good news. And the good news is not just. Words on paper, on it's how we respond to people.

[00:31:24] Jael Churque
How we live. 

[00:31:26] Nicolas Churque
Yeah. How we live. 

[00:31:28] Jael Churque
Yes. It's our, we are open book for them. They're watching us. Yes. You know, and Yes. And now in these times we are teaching the Bible. I mean, we are helping encourage them how to be, how to out self-sufficient to do that. But sometimes we know that N enemy is working on there because we know that because it's that spiritual world we have in this world. They need to be prepared to be strong and very listen. And when they listen, other preachers kept, you know, because have that war of discernment. Whatcha listening and. Because right now there is a lot of churches that say, oh, I am the prophet, the postal, I am here and there, you know, and, and our people needs to base in the world of God. 

[00:32:27] Dr. Nate Salah
Amen. So, go ahead. 

[00:32:29] Nicolas Churque
Oh, the thing is that, why would we teach this way? Because communities would help small groups of Christians. There is no one to teach them. There are no pastor nor deed, nothing. In the city you might be able to find, , pastors or non missionaries, but away from the city, there is no one to teach them. So we kind of developed that program because they need it. So it's more like a Bible institute, but, but it is the way to do, it's different. It's by tutoring to give them the textbooks and them for themselves to study. And with the tutoring, taking the test, and doing practicum works for themselves so they can help themselves, not just waiting for a pastor to go over there to to teach them. So the objective is to help themselves to run their own congregations.

[00:33:23] Dr. Nate Salah
Mm. Wow. That's awesome. So you're leaving right away? Yeah, tomorrow morning. Tomorrow morning. You made it on the show. So, and we are gonna, we're gonna have a, a, a good time as you go back to Bolivia. Yes. Yes. And how long in Bolivia? 

[00:33:38] Nicolas Churque
We'll be for another year. 

[00:33:39] Dr. Nate Salah
Another year. So is it colder there now? 

[00:33:43] Nicolas Churque
Oh, right now it's, it's getting, getting warmer now. Warmer.

[00:33:47] Dr. Nate Salah
Oh, that's right. Yeah, it's, that's right. 'cause it's spring there. Mm-hmm. Right spring, yeah. Flipping, flipping the seasons. Yeah. Yeah. So you can just, you can just live warm to warm or you just keep coming back and forth. 

[00:33:59] Nicolas Churque
Every, the Lord is helping in that way because I am, I don't like cold. I have arthritis in my left facial blood shoulder, but my left shoulder, yeah. Warm weather helps me warm. Shower helps me. Yeah. So that's one of the main things. The Lord used it for us to continue ministering in Bolivia, in the jungle mm-hmm. Than being in Highlands, hopefully no snakes.

[00:34:27] Jael Churque
I am careful.

[00:34:28] Dr. Nate Salah
Yes. You have to be very careful, and how can we, how can we support you in your, in your mission? 

[00:34:34] Nicolas Churque
Just pray for us and if you have a chance to visit us, visit us. 

[00:34:41] Dr. Nate Salah
Absolutely. We'll make sure to do that and stay how we can stay connected with you and any support that we can give you. We'll make sure we keep it in the, in the show notes. Everyone who's listening be able to pray and support you and, and anything, even financial, if there's financial needs, we always wanna be mindful of that. 

[00:34:57] Nicolas Churque
And the financial need is mainly when we. When these brothers and sisters don't have enough money to pay the textbooks, we don't want them to, we don't wanna pay everything, but we want them to hop something. Yep. Let's say 50 Bs. 50 ano, let's say at least come up with 10, and then we would pay the rest. Sometimes it's create dependency when you That's right. Them everything. 

[00:35:18] Dr. Nate Salah
We know all about that in the United States. Mm-hmm. 

[00:35:20] Nicolas Churque
That's right. Yeah. 

[00:35:20] Dr. Nate Salah
So we want, we want to give, we say a hand up. Rather than just handouts. Exactly. We wanna teach people the old, the old, the old saying is still strong, right? Mm-hmm. Teach a person to fish, right? Mm-hmm. Rather than just giving fishes so that they can eat for a lifetime. That's not just for a day. Mm-hmm. Well, amen to that, and we'll be praying for you as well as you go on your mission and message and that many people will come to a place where they are walking with the Lord. Yes. And they have a strong foundation and they then become fishers of men themselves. 

[00:35:58] Nicolas Churque
Yes, definitely. 

[00:36:00] Dr. Nate Salah
Thank you for being here. 

[00:36:00] Nicolas Churque
Thank you for having us. 

[00:36:03] Jael Churque
Thank you so much. 

[00:36:06] Nicolas Churque
God bless you.

[00:36:13] Dr. Nate Salah
Thank you so much for supporting this program. I'd like to pray for you for just a moment. That God realigns the heart away from pressure, pride, performance back to his presence. Let us grow in God's wisdom. Let us give from our overflow, and let us go love radically in every place God sends us. Make us holy Lord, set us apart, not just successful, but surrendered. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Dr. Nate Salah

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