Hinterland Ecuador

Serving the Quichuas of Ecuador

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Quichua homes in
Chimborazo province.
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These images courtesy of Don Williams.

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Preparations
for a feast
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Women’s choir
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Mother and child
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HINTERLAND: The term Hinterland refers to the remote areas of a country or region, far from metropolitan centers, whose inhabitants are usually the indigenous and poor of the land. In South America, this means the tribal peoples of the Andean Mountains and the rain forest of the Amazon basin.

OVERVIEW: The largest minority people group in South America is the Quechua (or Quichua in Ecuador) numbering over 12 million and speaking approximately 46 different languages within the Quechuan language family, yet lacking a national identity. They range through Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, with a few groups also found in Colombia, Argentina and possibly Chile. They inhabit primarily the remote mountain regions, although some have moved to the cities and jungle. There are also many small to medium sized indigenous tribes scattered across the Amazon rain forest, with their own languages and cultures.

HINTERLAND GOALS: There is a crucial need for church planting and leadership development training among these tribal peoples. Missions such as Wycliffe Bible Translators have provided scriptures and other training materials that can be used in church planting. Hinterland’s primary goal is to train and facilitate indigenous leaders, empowering them with a vision for reaching the millions of unreached in their own language and culture. Another goal is to prepare leaders to instill in their own people a vision for the indigenous church.

THE SITUATION: In Ecuador there are a significant number of Quichua evangelicals who have a rudimentary understanding of the Christian faith. However, their pastors often lack essential training in Bible knowledge. Many of these pastors are not supported by their churches and must find other means of personal livelihood because of harsh economic realities.

Things are vastly different in Peru where the Quechuas are 99% untouched by the gospel. They live as they have for centuries, steeped in pagan religious rites and practices, existing on subsistence farming. Because of their various dialects and inaccessibility, they will only be reached by trained Quechua evangelists and church planters.

STRATEGY: Our plan is to develop indigenous leadership for bringing these unreached people to Christ. Hinterland Ministries is establishing training centers that will prepare leaders to plant churches among their own tribal peoples. MTW missionaries are translating and preparing training courses where needed that will provide the church planter with ministry skills and a viable means of support.

More information about Hinterland