After 11 Years, God Opened the Door
In February 2026, a team of forty from GO InterNational headed to Peru to serve alongside our long-term ministry partners, Pablo and Belen Soto, among the Nomatsigenga people.
To make the most of our time, the team split up. One group kept pushing forward on the Bible Translation House construction—which is now about 70% finished—while the other headed deep into remote communities to run medical clinics. It was a tangible way to meet physical needs while building the kind of relationships that open doors for the Gospel.
One of those stops was a village called Boca Kiatari.
For many on our team, Boca Kiatari was just another line on the itinerary. But for Pablo and Belen, driving into that village represented something much deeper: eleven years of answered prayer.
Back in 2015, before the Antioch Missionary Base was even a thought, they had visited Boca Kiatari hoping to build a bridge. Instead, they were turned away and asked to leave. The answer was a hard no. But over the next decade, that community never left their hearts. They kept praying, kept waiting, and kept trusting.
When we were planning the 2026 medical outreach, Boca Kiatari came up again. Medical clinics have a unique way of breaking the ice in places where relationships don't exist yet, so we prayed God would use this trip to finally open the door.
When we arrived, everything was perfectly in place. The medicines were organized, the clinic space was set up, and the locals already knew we were there to help. All that was left was the customary meeting with the village chief to get his blessing. Our team gathered, ready to welcome him.
Then the chief arrived.
Sometimes He leads us right into confusing moments of uncertainty. But He is always working behind the scenes.After introductions, our partners explained who we were and why we had come, finishing with, "We come in the name of God."
What happened next caught everyone off guard.
The chief looked at them and said, "I am the chief. I am the one who gives permission for people to enter my community, and today you are not going to enter, so I ask you to leave."
The room went completely silent. After eleven years of waiting and praying, it felt like the door had just been slammed shut all over again. Everything was ready—the medicine, the volunteers, the patients waiting for care. Pablo later admitted that his heart sank with a mix of sadness and confusion.
But instead of arguing or pushing his way in, he responded with genuine humility: "Chief, you are the authority here, and we respect your word. Because of that, we will leave."
Right then, the unexpected happened. One of the chief’s assistants stepped in and began speaking to him quietly in their local language. After just a few moments, the chief looked back up and changed his mind. We were allowed to stay.
The clinic moved forward, patients were treated, relationships were formed, and seeds of the Gospel were planted. What looked like a closed door suddenly swung wide open.
But God wasn't done yet.
At the end of the day, a local man who had watched the entire interaction drama unfold approached Pablo. "I don't know why the chief acted like that," he said, "but I want to ask you to come to some other communities I know."
That one conversation opened the doors to three more villages—three more opportunities to serve, build relationships, and share Christ.
It’s amazing how God works. Sometimes He opens doors immediately; sometimes He asks us to wait. Sometimes He leads us right into confusing moments of uncertainty. But He is always working behind the scenes.
The story of Boca Kiatari is exactly why long-term ministry matters. For eleven years, local leaders faithfully prayed and refused to give up, trusting God even when they couldn't see the results. That same commitment is driving our ongoing work today in church planting, Bible translation, and leadership development among the Nomatsigenga.
Maybe you’re praying for a door in your own life that feels firmly shut right now—whether it’s a family member, a ministry opportunity, or a situation that just won't budge. Boca Kiatari is a beautiful reminder that God is never late. What feels like a closed door might just be one He is preparing to open in His perfect timing.
Today, believers are in Boca Kiatari. Relationships are growing, new communities are opening up, and the Gospel is moving forward—all because God was working while His people kept praying.
With more than 25 years connected to GO InterNational, Larry Montgomery brings both experience and pastoral heart to his role as Director of Team Ministries. Since his first GO trip in 1998, Larry has led teams across the globe, serving indigenous pastors and helping churches multiply disciples. On staff since 2016, he now provides leadership and oversight for all of GO’s ministries, both international and domestic. Anchored by the call of 1 Chronicles 28:9-10 to “be strong and do the work,” Larry guides teams with a steady commitment to Christ and the Great Commission.
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