The Amazonian Intercultural Bilingual Education Network (REIBA), one of the networks promoted by the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon (CEAMA), celebrated the Missionary Sending 2026 on Wednesday, January 28, in which new volunteers took up their service in different territories of the Amazon region. The meeting was marked by a profound spirit of prayer, ecclesial communion, and commitment to the Amazonian peoples, highlighting the richness of linguistic diversity and the shared hope that animates the educational and evangelizing mission in the Amazon.
Prayer, Gospel, and missionary joy
The meeting began with a moment of prayer and evangelization led by Sister Martha Ardila, who shared words from Pope Leo XIV on the importance of praying for Christians and proclaiming the Gospel with joy. In an atmosphere of contemplation, the volunteers were invited to live their service with joy, openness, and hope during this year and the years to come in the Amazon region.
The participants also offered a prayer for the Amazon, inspired by a psalm that recognizes it as the house of God, where the cry of life beats. The celebration culminated with a prayer for humility, continuous learning, and protection for those who give their lives in service to the peoples of the region.
One of the most significant moments was the proclamation of the Gospel (Mk 3:13-15) in the Waotededo language by Maycol, a young university student from the Waorani indigenous people of the Apostolic Vicariate of Aguarico (Ecuador). This gesture powerfully expressed the intercultural face of the Amazonian Church and the centrality of indigenous languages in educational and evangelizing processes.
New volunteers at the service of the Amazon
Sister Lisette Escárate, volunteer coordinator, introduced the group of new volunteers who will take up their mission in different Amazonian countries:
- Luz Barreneche – Colombian national volunteer, on mission in Sarrapia (Colombia)
- Julio Mancipe – Colombian international volunteer, on mission in San Borja (Bolivia)
- Iván Santos – local Asháninka volunteer (Peru)
- Yolanda Huamancondor – Peruvian international volunteer, on mission in Dicaro (Ecuador)
- Mónica Romero – Argentine international volunteer, on mission in Santo Antonio do Içá (Brazil)
- Mariela Gutiérrez – Argentine international volunteer, on mission in Dicaro (Ecuador)
- Guillermo Licuy – local Kichwa volunteer (Ecuador)
- Mário Velázquez – Brazilian national volunteer, on mission in Iauaretê (Brazil)
This new group reflects the intercultural richness of REIBA and the continental nature of the mission, which integrates local, national, and international volunteers in the service of intercultural bilingual education.
Missionary vocation: a call to love and commitment
Father Max offered a reflection on the missionary vocation, recalling that it comes from the Latin vocari, which means “called.” He emphasized that the mission is born from a profound experience of Christ’s love and involves identifying with Jesus, taking up the cross as a sign of commitment to God and to the peoples. As a symbolic gesture, he blessed the crosses given to the volunteers, who received them as a sign of their sending.
For her part, Sister Marbelis Monroy, general coordinator of REIBA, thanked those who responded to the call for their generosity and highlighted the missionary nature of the Church, encouraging everyone to enroll in the “school of Jesus” and to continue building the Kingdom of God among the Amazonian peoples.
A profession of faith in multiple languages
The day included the celebration of the Volunteer’s Creed, expressed in different languages as a sign of communion and diversity: in the Besiro language by Prof. Ignacio Pocoena (Bolivia), in Spanish and English by Father Martín, SJ (Guyana). This moment reaffirmed the multicultural character of the Amazonian mission and the unity in faith that transcends borders.
Monsignor Adalberto, from the Apostolic Vicariate of Aguarico (Ecuador), joined the meeting to congratulate the volunteers and highlight the work being done with the Waorani people, also announcing the upcoming publication of the first edition of professionals from this community, a hopeful milestone for the region.
The celebration concluded with a song performed by Alfonso Franco, an outgoing REIBA volunteer, dedicated to the vocation of being prophets among the peoples.
Voices that express hope
Among the reactions to the missionary sending, several participants highlighted the spiritual depth and community value of the experience:
“What a beautiful sending of volunteers, everything very well prepared, with deep reflection and native languages… Volunteering is the culture of solidarity, in contrast to so much individualism. It is wonderful that people want to give part of their lives to the Amazon.”
Others highlighted the rituality, commitment, and ecclesiality of the encounter as signs of hope in challenging contexts for life in the region. The emotion generated by the reading of the Gospel in the native language, the enthusiasm of the missionaries, and the communion experienced among all the participants were also emphasized.
A mission that weaves networks for life
The REIBA 2026 Missionary Sending reaffirms CEAMA’s commitment to an education that is born of intercultural dialogue, strengthens the identities of the Amazonian peoples, and promotes a Church with its own face, incarnated in the territories and at the service of life.
This new step in REIBA volunteering is, above all, a sign of hope: women and men from different countries and cultures responding to the call to walk alongside the Amazonian peoples, learn from their wisdom, and contribute to building a more just, supportive, and sustainable future for the Amazon.