Our History
RiverWind began with passion, prayer, and a problem.
The passion was the teaching ministry of Ruth Hidalgo with indigneous people living in remote villages along the Ucayali River in the Amazon jungle of Peru. Born in the jungle city of Pucallpa, Peru, Ruth had been a credentialed teacher in a prestigious school in Lima. Her birth was complicated; the first national missionary from Peru to the indigenous in the jungle, Victor Posada, prayed for her safety, committing her to God as a future missionary. Growing up, Ruth had other ideas; she wanted to be an educator, living and working in Lima, Peru's capital. She set her sights on her goal and succeded, beyond her dreams!
While she was teaching in Lima, Victor Posada passed into eternity, into the presence of God. His funeral was held in Lima, attended by church dignitaries and expatriate missionary leaders. The pastor told Ruth that she was to give the eulogy for Victor. She felt both overwhelmed but unworthy to step into the pulpit and honor this great Peruvian missionary. But the pastor persevered: "This was Victor Posada's request." And so she spoke to those gathered about this great man and his role in her life. And God called her into mission with the indigenous, stepping into Victor's oversized shoes. Abandoning Lima, she returned to the jungle, researched and found teaching materials for Oral cultures, and began in 2003 to visit small, often isolated villages to tell the stories of God's Word.
Several years later, Ruth met and married Dick Robinson. (You can read their short biographies here.) In 2010 they began preparations to continue together Ruth's work teaching Orality in the jungle. While honeymooning in Colorado, they attended a young, growing church. The energetic and enthusiastic young preacher dared the congregation to dream prayers so improbable that only God could bring about an answer. Ruth prayed, quite specifically, that (1) God would allow her to obtain American citizenship, (2) that God would supply the necessary resources to expand the ministry in Peru, and (3) that God would allow them to found and grow a nonprofit organization to coordinate the ministry in the remote interior of Peru. In 2014, Ruth became a U.S. citizen, willing partners, prayer supporters and donors joined the cause, and RiverWind Inc was registered with the IRS. In December 2014, Ruth and Dick relocated full-time to Pucallpa, Peru to direct the work of encouraging churches, equipping leaders and engaging communities in the District of Tahuania, upriver on the Ucayali.
Abandoned Church in Nuevo Italia
