Last week

Dear Friends,

it is good to be back. I already miss the people of Ecuador though! The import of the trip hit me in a new way on the last night. I was so privileged to be able to spend time with some amazing men and woman of God.

The last week was mainly spent in El Oriente. This is the eastern part of Ecuador. We first arrived in Misahualli to stay with a friend of Amie's. While we were in the area we tried to find a family that she had connected with in the past. The man was a Shaman and the last time Amie had seen them the wife had been having problems in her legs where she could not walk. They believed that she had been cursed by someone else. We went on a walk and tried to find them. We were having some trouble finding the house and we started to head back. We had been praying that if it was the Lord's will that we would find them. Coming back over the river we asked a gal and it turned out she was going to that house! We were able to meet with most of the family but the father was not there. The wife was now walking fine but still had some health issues, one being what looked like arthritis. We had a great conversation...mostly on Amie's part at this point. Amie laid out the Gospel to them again and the mother seemed like she was saying she believed....Both Amie and I prayed for her in the end. She says her husband is still practicing Shamanism but only for tourism. I really felt God's love for this family and I hope to check in on them again when I return and see how they are doing.

After two days we headed to Tena, which is about 20 minutes away. In Tena we visited with different families and some of the IBCI students. It was so good to be a part of all of these visiting times. Some of these conversations were difficult, as Amie was amazing in tackling some hard issues, but I was able to see practical issues being played out in the body. Like all of us in the body we can tend to deal with muck. We all need each other and it was so wonderful to be able to share in the amazing faith of some of these believers and in some of the struggles as well.

Last Monday night there was a dinner held to introduce me to the Tena IBCI logistics team. I was able to see many of the people I hadn't seen since my last trip last year. God is growing my heart for the love of the Ecuadorian people and that is what it is all about.

We came back from the jungle area on Tuesday and Wednesday was spent wrapping up and packing before the loooong flights on Thursday.

Now I come back on a mission. I have two months left here in the states before I move. There is a lot to do. Once I return in June I will be involved in the short term teams coming down and 6 months of Potter's Wheel (a discipleship training for North Americans) so I can really utilize these two months to get a lot done before the craziness.

Along with the part I will play in IBCI, short term teams and Potter's Wheel I am getting started on planning, according to God's direction, about presenting discipleship training to the lowland Quichua speakers. This is something I really have a heart for. There are still many questions but we see the hand of God moving forward.

Also as a ministry we now have land in Latacunga. This is a very central location in Ecuador that will make it easier to move in and out of the areas and it brings us closer to new areas of ministry. Now there is the task of raising funds to actually build housing and offices so we can move to the property.

These next two months will be spend raising a portion of the funds for building on the property and for raising awareness and support for preparing discipleship recordings for oral cultures. I am hoping to return to Ecuador with all the equipment I need (recording devices...) to be ready to move when God opens the doors. We had also been wondering where I might take some training for the recordings. We had talked about Brazil, Peru, and even Texas! It turns out a missionary couple are in Columbia this year and are on track to come to Ecuador next year! This puts us in good timing to accomplish all that we have to do first. God knows the timing and I don't want to go anywhere that He is not.

I was humbled to see such faith this trip in the Ecuadorian believers and stirred up in the excitement for seeing the fringes of God's work ahead! Thank you all who made it possible for this trip. You were there when we prayed for the family in Misahualli. You were there with every visit and every vision. If I could sum up my heart it would be that we would do everything and use the gifts God has given us... "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,..." Our Father bless you all.

Pictures:

1. Amie and I walking to the bus


2. The la marin bus station


3. Bus scenery


4. Part of the family we had searched for in Misahualli


5. Me and my new buddy


6. Dinner with the logistical team


7. After dinner hugs


8. Graciela cooking some breakfast - yum!


9. Saying goodbye to Graciela in Tena

Hello my friends,

this week has flown by...we have mainly been doing more work in the office. Aside from computer and copier frustrations I have been plugging away at learning the logistics of the Bible Institute. Computers don't have emotions right? So I can tell them a piece of my mind...but then I sing a tune and all is well...he, he.

Last Friday we went visiting students in northern Quito. We were able to visit with two of the students. One of the gals had been on bed rest with pregnancy complications but the day we went to see her was the first day that she was out of bed. She came to meet us from the doctors where she was checking on her pregnancy. She heard the babies heart beat and it seems like that was a new day in her health! Praise God! We also visited with another sweet lady and were able to enjoy great fellowship.

On Saturday we visited with the youth group at the local church. We did not have enough time to plan for them to come over but we played a funny shoe game (we took off shoes and made a mad dash to pick any other pair and put them on...a little weird to be wearing someones shoes but it was fun!)

Today Amie and I are going to be taking the loooooong bus ride to the jungle in a few hours (it is about 6 hours). We will be having some fellowship days with a friend of Amie's then on Sunday we will be visiting students and Monday they are having a dinner to introduce me to the Tena logistical team. We return Tuesday. Please pray for safe travels on the amusement ride buses going over the mountains! : )

I met with Steve and Sandi Youngren yesterday and I have a great idea of how I am walking forward in service here. Our Father is so amazing how He perfectly brings things together for His glory and for the spread of His word....I will share more on this in another email.

Thank you all for your prayers! There are very exciting things happening and in the formation stages right now. Essentially I am training for the office with IBCI right now but we are praying and talking about the future as concerns reaching out to the oral cultures (cultures that don't have a written language) in the area with discipleship classes - Lord knows the timing and the method! Our Father bless you all in the name of His Son Jesus! : )

...sorry I don't have many pictures this week...but this one was taken on Sandi's birthday outside our house.