Wednesday, September 26, 2012

2012 Ecuador Mission Play-by-Play


We returned from our e-3 mission trip to Ecuador a few weeks ago. We flew into Quito and the next day a bus took about 30 of us southeast through the Andes Mtns to Puyo. That was our “home base” for the week. We met our translators and eventually our “sponsor-Pastors.”  Tony and I had a slightly different week than the other groups (of course!). 


On our 1st day in the field we took local busses back up into the Andes to a town called Rio Verde. There we were to evangelize in “town” and teach a small church in an effort to strengthen the community. It was a very rainy day…but glorious! We led many a shop keeper to our Lord! One shop was kept by a 12 yr old boy with his baby sister in his arms and his 4 yr old brother! We talked, shared candy and best of all—both boys accepted Christ AND learned how to use the Evangicube! I gave them paper cubes to use to share with their friends! We walked up into the mountain and spoke to a few families. One man met a friend of his he had been praying for. And guess what! Yeah—we talked, the Spirit led and he accepted Christ! I must slide this in---we ate fresh roasted trout for lunch! Yum! Just when we thought the day was over, our pastor pulls out the cube and continues our evangelism at the bus stop! Cool!

The next day we took busses back up into the mountains to an abandoned tea plantation where we held a Sunday service for the laid-off workers. They were “living” on and around the plantation for the last 12 yrs waiting on the government to figure out who owned the place so they could go back to work! For 12 yrs they watched the tea grow but were not allowed to harvest it! In the meantime—they are unpaid! Boy did we see many machetes that day! Of course before and after the service we shared the Gospel with families and of course the Spirit again took many a heart!
After the morning there we finally went to the area of Puyo where we were to plant a house church! We walked and prayed on the streets that afternoon and made our plans for the next few days.

For the next 3 days we walked and shared. We held our 1st home church discipleship on the 2nd  and 3rd days, in the late afternoon. Most of the adults who were led to Christ did not come due to their work schedules but we had a lot of children! We all know that where the children are, eventually the parents will come. Our “nationals” will continue to walk and share and disciple those who accepted Christ on a one-to-one basis.

During those days in the community it was amazing! The ground is so fertile in this area! Many said they were finally filled with the Spirit they had been looking for many years! Many were confused and needed a better understanding of their Savior! I will never forget the faces and countenance of their whole beings change as the Savior just filled them!!!!  We always went back every day to those newly devoted to disciple and answer questions. To watch that garden bloom was so awesome! One day as we were walking back to the house for lunch, we noticed one of the newly devoted sitting atop his wood working bench reading his new Bible! His boss had told us that he (a now re-dedicated Christian) would help disciple this young man and they would work together to understand more of the word!

Tony and I would have liked to stay a few more days (weeks…years) to continue, but we left a very strong and well developed team behind to continue. We left all our materials that we took for them. And of course, once again, we left part of our hearts in that little town of Puyo!

Fortunately our time was not over in Ecuador. Our group headed back to Quito and on to the airport, but Tony and I stayed in Quito. We had a very important date planned for Monday! We rested, did some touring and Monday came. A van picked is up early and now we (along with our translator) headed north into the higher Andes toward Columbia. We were on our way to meet Martha and Carlos the children we have sponsored for 10 yrs through Compassion!  They were at the meeting spot 2 hrs early! What a union! Martha brought her dad and Carlos brought his dad and younger sister. Their Compassion leader also met us there. We took them to a lake (which they had never seen one) hoping to take a boat out but it was too stormy. You know Tony was very relieved! So we walked around the area getting to know one another, and then went to lunch, which also excited them! Carlos had his favorite-chicken wings and Martha had her favorite-pork chops. Back into the van and off to a nearby market. They both chose a new scarf from a vender for their gift.

Onto their village and the Compassion Project area! We drove for another hour up into the very highlands! Can you say “altitude sickness”? It was well worth it. They graciously took us into their homes and we met the rest of their families, gave them special gifts from the U.S., and on to the Project buildings. We spent time with 90 of the 180  Compassion children and 5 staff. What a treat! They asked us all kinds of questions about the U.S. and personally. They had no idea what our football or baseball was. They had no tv, books, etc. One child had a warm hat with Winnie the Pooh on the front. When I took notice and remarked on him and Tigger, not one of the children knew who I was talking about! My cousin was good enough to send along some children’s books written in Spanish which looked to me like their 1st story books! What they do have a lot of in this Ketchawan village is God, love, compassion, family and all that matters. Another blessed life changing experience for each of us! On a side note—only 1/3 of the children involved in this Compassion Project are sponsored. If God puts it on your heart, please sponsor a child. They have sponsorship programs for expectant mothers which teach necessary skills, includes all baby check-ups and shots, etc. There are also children of all ages to sponsor, including college bound (if possible).

Please look at our pics on Facebook! And pray for continued discipleship and open hearts in Puyo! Don’t forget the children and staff at the Compassion Project!

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