Iquitos
With a population of 400,000 in the greater metro area, Iquitos represents almost half of the population of the state of Loreto (2005 census = 884,144). Outside of Iquitos are mainly smaller towns and hundreds of native villages that dot the riverside and even appear inland in the thick remote jungle.
The Nazarene Church officially started work in Iquitos in 1989 by Dr. Larry Garman. Within the state of Loreto, the Nazarene church currently has 18 organized churches. Half of them are located within the city limits. Pastor Abiatar Roncal is the current District Superintendant of Nazarene Church operations in Iquitos. People in this region of Peru are receptive to the gospel. It is just getting to them that is difficult. Often times, villages are separated by many miles of river or jungle.
Iquitos has a certain rustic charm to it that explains its burgeoning tourism industry. Thousands of people fly or float into Iquitos every year, braving the year-round rain, heat and humidity to partake of the natural wonders and vibrant culture that makes up Iquitos. However, despite the beauty of Iquitos and the Loreto state, it suffers some dramatic social challenges such as sex tourism, alcoholism, drug addiction and extreme poverty. The extreme poverty fuels the flames of malnutrition, water borne illness, petty crime and even domestic violence. One community that is literally floating on the Amazon river, called Belen (translated: Bethlehem), is one of the poorest communities in Peru. Here, sewage is dumped directly into the river water that is also used for drinking, bathing, washing food and cleaning clothes.
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