In Venezuela’s Amazonia, Indigenous Chief Becomes Adventist Thanks to a Radio Program
Norberto Chipiage and his family are helping plant the first congregation in the area.
August 16, 2023 | Atures, Amazon State, Venezuela | Diógenes Belisario, Steven’s Rosado, and Inter-American Division News
An indigenous tribal chief and his family living in the Venezuela jungle surrendered their lives to Jesus thanks to an Adventist radio station. Norberto Chipiage, chief of the New Millennium communities in Atures, Amazonas State, listened to the gospel message broadcast in Spanish from the Adventist radio station in Puerto Ayacucho, according to Ybraham Mujica, local church pastor and radio program host.
“By God’s grace, Chipiage listened to a message of salvation on the Plenitud 104.1 FM radio station,” said Pastor Mujica. “After a year of listening to The Present Truth radio program together with his family, the chief called the station.”
Norberto Chipiage (right) is prayed for Pastor Ybraham Mujica before he is baptized at Caño Carinagua River in the Venezuelan jungle, in June 2023. Chipiage, a leader of four communities was converted to Adventism after listening to a radio program aired on the local Adventist radio station and receiving Bible studies. He and his wife and six children were also baptized. [Photo: Courtesy of Ybraham Mujica]
“Chipiage had a bad health condition that wouldn’t allow him to freely walk around,” said Pastor Mujica said. Physicians had been trying to help him but to no avail. “However, after he listened and then accepted the Adventist message, he’s on a steady path of recovery,” Pastor Mujica added.
According to Chipiage, The Present Truth radio program topics that most caught his attention were the truth about the biblical Sabbath, biblical health principles, the Bible teaching about the sanctuary, the ten commandments, and the three angels’ messages.
He shared that he had accepted Jesus in his heart years ago and had been attending another Christian denomination for some time. But after going deeper into Bible study, thanks first to the Adventist radio program and then to personalized studies with Mujica, he decided to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Chipiage himself was instrumental in sharing what he had learned with his family, including the truth about God’s holy day.
Norberto Chipiage and his family raise their hands in acceptance of the Bible truths before they are baptized by Pastor Ybraham Mujica in the Caño Carinagua River [Photo: Courtesy of Ybraham Mujica]
It is not the first time that the local radio station has been instrumental in drawing people to bible studies and the Adventist Church, Pastor Mujica said. Even though the station needs a new office and broadcast equipment and has a lean staff, the station is spreading Bible truth across the area.
After the Chipiage family’s baptism, the chief felt so thankful to God that he decided to donate a house that can be transformed into the first Adventist church in the area, said Mujica.
On July 1, 2023, the Chipiages enjoyed participating in the first Communion service at the new venue, Mujica said.
The Amazon State is one of the 23 states in Venezuela. Even though it covers almost a fifth of the nation’s area, it has just 0.3 percent of the country’s population.