Walking Man

Walking Man tells some of the modern missionary experiences of one man in Latin America. Published by The Quilldriver, this $10 soft-cover book ($12.95 by pp mail), is a journey in the abject poverty that often accompanies delinquent behavior. In this case, it led to Narciso Zamora’s eventually becoming an Assembly of God Christian.

His journeys led him to the Church of God, Anderson, in 1984. His story reveals treks over the mountains and through the jungles of Ecuador, Peru and Chile--raw, primitive, often the first time to hear the story of Jesus.

Walking Man became a walking evangelist, clocking more than 1,000 miles of mountainous terrain, day and night. Traveling with minimal personal items, his preaching bible, and a packet of tracks, he walked, upgraded to a mule, then to a horse, in humble circumstances. Most of his literature came from Christian Triumph Publishers of Corpus Christi, TX--people whom I have associated with for a half-century or more.

I made a point to meet Narciso at our North American Convention, after lerning he would be present one day only. I met an ordinary looking man, a small-statured Hispanic (native Peruvian who speaks little English). His demeanor showed nothing of the self-serving, public-relations driven behavior that we North Americans often parrot. What I observed was a quiet, confident, humble, “what you see is what you get,” his qualifications being “himself.”

Reading Walking Man I found passion seldom practiced in American discipleship, humility beyond description (by our standards). Here was a man going into jungle villages for the very first time, and into urban church plants, with equal success. In cautious and simple language, Narciso describes the miraculous sides of ministry, as well as the impoverishment sometimes experienced when literally “living by faith” in his God.

This is a book young and old can read, enjoy, and profit from. Udelia’s powerful testimony reveals both the wonders of medical science and the glory of an omniscient God. You will not want to miss the story of a solitary traveling evangelist, singing hymns at the top of her voice while going through a particularly dangerous area -and the reason why a gang of thugs decided not to victimize her.

I am short on mysticism and long on reason, but I found renewed faith in hiking through the book with Narciso. We went from Peru to Equador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil (not to mention Cuba, Germany and the USA). In his wake, Narciso leaves numerous churches planted, and a multitude he loved, served, and lifted.

Narciso and Eudelia press forward to establish a Training Center from which church planters will spread out across South America. He does not walk alone. Adult sons, Gerson and Eliezer (both married) now expand their active roles of adult ministry.

At the end, Michael Cassidy, founder of African Enterprise, adds a thoughtful after-word on evangelism. You want a missionary adventure? This is an adventure in cross-cultural missions at its core.

Quilldriver is a new enterprise in Clarksville, AR. It is the ministry of Donna Schillinger. Donna is the granddaughter of my longtime friend Evelyn Anderson. When a Texas pastor, and Editor of the Texas State Bulletin (1960s), I visited, and worked with, Corpus Christi based Christian Triumph publishers. Donna’s great grandparents were Lyle and Una Janes, founders of Christian Triumph publishing company. I deeply admired them for their faithful publishing ministry and their devotion to Spanish Ministry. I appreciate them even more today.

Readers of this blog can search Narciso using www.walkingman.ws. or Quilldriver, Walking Man, or Narciso Zamora. If know if I could find him, you can. I hope you enjoy the descriptive journey as much as I did.
Wayne