Amuesha, Lorenzo in Peru

People Name:	Amuesha, Lorenzo
Country:	Peru
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	9,000
World Population:	9,000
Primary Language:	Yanesha
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	45.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.80 %
Scripture:	New Testament
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	South American Indigenous
Affinity Bloc:	Latin-Caribbean Americans
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Lorenzo is a subgroup of the Amuesha people. They migrated to the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains about 2,000 years ago. For centuries they only had contact with other indigenous peoples. Their first contact with Spaniards was in 1635 with the establishment of a Franciscan mission station. There were violent confrontations in 1671 and again in the 1800s. Both times the mission stations were burned by indigenous peoples. Peruvian colonists began arriving in the 1860s, eventually displacing the Lorenzo Amuesha people.
There was a rubber boom in the early 20th century at which time the Lorenzo Amuesha were enticed into the patron system. This put them in constant debt. The 1940s brought more negative changes for the Lorenzo Amuesha. They were talked into allowing cattle ranchers to use their abandoned fields. Some worked as migrant workers on coffee plantations. After 1955 some began to own their own coffee farms where they would hire other Amuesha people.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Lorenzo Amuesha are slash-and-burn farmers who grow manioc, maize, sweet potatoes and tropical fruits. They supplement their diets by fishing, hunting and gathering exotic foods from the jungle.
Children are raised permissively until they have a younger sibling to care for. They are discipled with nettles when they step out of line. Usually, they don’t need that lesson a second time. The Lorenzo Amuesha value education, and about half are literate in either Spanish or their own language, Yanesha. They have a New Testament in their language, but not a full Bible.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Almost half of the Lorenzo Amuesha are Roman Catholic, but most are dedicated to their traditional religion. A small number are Evangelical.

What Are Their Needs?

The Lorenzo Amuesha need to dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ so they can have abundant life.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to do a major work among the Lorenzo Amuesha, giving them the desire to follow Jesus Christ with all their hearts.
Pray for Lorenzo Amuesha followers of Christ to disciple others.
Pray for the Lord to provide the Lorenzo Amuesha people with his protection and blessings.