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Tent Meeting Quichua Style

2019-12-30T22:40:16-05:00

Many Quichua communities hold a big tent meeting every few years. We were invited to give workshops for such a meeting in "Herrerías." The plan was to work with women and youth, but after arriving we found out that we were to give general conferences and classes for children. You have to be prepared for anything. I've also learned that these tent meetings are not just for conferences, but also for fellowship. Nicky, my niece who is visiting with us, and I got involved in peeling potatoes. They have to feed 1000 people each night! As someone continued to dump sacks of potatoes for peeling, we chatted with folks and had a great time. (We also gave our classes.)

Building the Team

2019-12-23T20:08:43-05:00

This Christmas Sunday we saw the youth group in action. These are the ones whom we are preparing to launch a new Sunday School project at their church in Riobamba. On Sunday they prepared a Christmas program for children from the church and the neighborhood. Faby and I showed a movie of the Christmas Story, but the youth prepared songs, dance, and games. The new project begins January 26th.

Sowing and Watering

2019-12-22T20:09:20-05:00

"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." 1 Corinthians 3:6

Faby continues to plant and water in these women's lives, and we pray that God will give the growth. Their lives are very complicated, and at each meeting Faby discovers more of their problems and conflicts. They are meeting in one of the homes in the community, and their children are ever present. It's not easy, being a single mother, to work and take care of the kids, but at times they overload the grandparents with their responsibility for the children. Faby not only meets regularly with the group, but also individually with the mothers where she can address their particular situation. This is Faby's gift and ministry. May God give the growth!

(Previous meeting click here.)

Sunday School Project

2019-12-17T20:10:50-05:00

One youth from a church in Riobamba asked us to help him start a Sunday School program for kids in his church. We have held six workshops up to now, and have a stable group of eight youth who are committed to teach kids. The plan is to teach 50 kids each Sunday from 9-11am about Christ and the Bible. Faby has emphasized their need to know Christ and to be an example for the kids. During Christmas they are going to register the kids. In January we have planned a couple of days to fix up the classrooms. And we plan to begin classes the third week of January. This is our prayer: for a strong Sunday School program in this church, that will also be an example for other churches. Many churches have long abandoned Sunday School and the lack of Bible knowledge in the church today is the result.

This group of eight has shown a commitment to the project.

Faby shares her years of experience in working with children.

We lost electricity one night, but continued with the lights from the cellphones.

Ministry at home

2019-12-09T15:56:16-05:00

In Riobamba, we live in an apartment complex of two towers with 9 apartments each. Back in June, Alan was elected as administrator of the complex for one year. Building maintenance is the main responsibility, but everyone also wanted a social get-together. We provided the tents, tables, and chairs. Everyone pitched in for the food, and a few people brought games. God gave us a beautiful day, and we had a total of 25 persons who enjoyed the games and the food on the terrace. We pray for good relationships and more times like these. This was a first.

Celebration with single mothers

2019-12-02T18:36:48-05:00

Faby continues with her group of single mothers. Not an easy task, as much of the ministry takes place over phone calls. But this Saturday, we met at the home of one of the mothers in their community of "Shobol Llin Llin." Pretty impressive house! Nice floor and doors. The bathroom was incredibly clear with ceramic tiles on both the floor and walls. Faby insists on Bible study and accountability. But after the main meeting, the women had planned a birthday party both for me and for one of the women. We have the same birthday. I was impressed by how many kids were around. More kids than adults. Reminds me of the importance of children. Few churches have strong kids programs. I should be prepared to work with kids anywhere, anytime. Since I didn't attend the main meeting, I could have been working with the kids who were playing outside.

(Previous meeting click here.)

Another home retreat

2019-11-25T15:30:20-05:00

As our home is big and has a large back yard with a shelter, we are grateful to God that it is used for ministry. We're at the point where either the house gets used for ministry or we sell it and move to a smaller place. This weekend twelve couples came for workshops and fellowship. We participated some, but the couple themselves did most of the work. We enjoyed the food!

Using our House for Ministry

2019-11-18T05:09:36-05:00

We held a weekend retreat at our home in El-Tingo for members of the congregation from Capulispungo who have migrated to Quito over the years. We rejoice that our house has different areas for just such an activity. As well as the backyard, which serves for sports and "swimming," we have four rooms with beds, a dining room, and a carpeted "attic." Faby and I have a separate apartment on the second floor. We have a couple more retreats planned here for next month.

Working with Youth in Riobamba

2019-11-11T09:36:40-05:00

God leads us in ministry. We have been trying to meet with students in Riobamba who are from the communities. Both our schedule and theirs are irregular, so it's a challenge to organize a meeting. Plus their needs are different. Here are three examples: On Faby's left sits Danilo, from "Shobol Llin Llin." He's in his third semester of Electronics. He needs a bicycle to get from his home to the university. With God's help, I found a used bicycle for him here in Quito. On his left is Jefferson from "Cachisagua" who is also studying Electronics, but is only in his first semester. For him, we have found a sponsor who is going to help pay his rent in Riobamba every month. Then on his left is Cesar, who is finishing his university studies. He wants us to help him start a Sunday School program in his church in Riobamba. So we are planning some workshops for his team. God continues to lead. We follow.

Slow, but steady

2019-11-05T10:10:36-05:00

It seems like every time I visit "Cachisagua" they have something special going on. So the FLET bible study program got put on hold for months. But they still want to continue. Finally, this Sunday we got six of the fourteen students to meet and continue their studies. I'm finding that, in the communities, things don't move fast, but they don't die either. The most important factor is the relationship. We continue to be part of the family. In fact, the girl sitting on the second bench is paralyzed from the waist down. Her name in Amanda. When I first began in Cachisagua teaching music, she was one of the students learning to play charango. Later she was in a car accident. Amazingly she is still bright and cheerful. Her family gives her full support. She has regained some feeling in her legs, and continues in physical therapy three times a week. We pray she will be able to walk someday. In the meantime, we're trying to help them get internet installed in her home so that she can begin to work on a university degree by extension. God has His perfect plans!

The Final(?) Exam

2019-11-04T09:51:27-05:00

This is it! The final exam, not just for this clase, but for the whole course. In "Capulispungo" we have finished Level 2 of the Bible FLET program! Now what? I took a look at Level 3, and decided it would require much more effort than Level 2. So I began to tell the students that they would have difficulty in the next level. In true Quichua style, we held a meeting after the exam to discuss future plans. Each person had their turn to speak and give their opinion. To my surprise, in spite of the difficulties, they want to continue! They want to learn. We're going to have to change the format some, so that they will have more time to study and absorb the material. I'm praying for guidance on how to guide them in the next stage.

(Previous blog click here.)

Conversations

2019-10-28T11:12:59-05:00

I continue to find informal times even more productive than the formal ones. Friday, in "Shobol Llin Llin," as Faby met with the single mothers to continue the discipleship process, I found myself talking with some of the men. They were supposed to have a formal leaders' meeting, but since the two principal leaders couldn't come, this meeting wasn't "formal." Yet we discussed the church's legal papers, the recent protests, activities in the church, their families, etc. Couldn't have planned a discipleship meeting any better!

(Previous meeting click here.)

Saturday, in "Capulispungo" the pastor, Antonio, invited some local pastors, not to a conference, but to come for a time of sharing. Not many came, but those of us present shared our experiences as pastors. The goal is to have fellowship, because many pastors feel lonely. (Just a note: one pastor couldn't come because the church was hosting a funeral. Another couldn't make it, because the community was having yearly elections, and if you're not present, you receive a $50 fine! That's the way communities work.)

Sunday, we visited "Cachisagua." Just to see how things were going. They had decided the night before to celebrate "Pastor's Day." So when we arrived they were preparing chickens for lunch. (Note: I learned from a conversation that the community was about to hold a trial for a man in adultery. The trial has a formal process, with local authorities and lawyers, but the process includes a beating with nettles, then a bath in cold water. In Ecuador they call it, "Indian Justice.")

Should a Christian Protest?

2019-10-24T08:53:14-05:00

So what do you say to your Christian indigenous friends when their whole community joins the national strike? Should they participate?

THE CHURCH AND THE GOVERNMENT

Romans 13:1-7 God has established civil authorities and we should submit to their authority. Yet in a democracy, protesting is not only a civil right, but a civil responsibility. If we disagree with a law, we should make our opinion known, and protest.
Yet when a protest turns violent, what should we do?
The government’s responsibility is to punish wrongdoers. Romans 13:3-4
If protestors are damaging property and infringing on other’s rights, such as blocking roads and cutting off food supplies, the government’s responsibility is to punish such persons.

1 Timothy 2:1-7 The church’s responsibility is to pray for the civil authorities so that we can live in peace and security. Implicit here is the government’s responsibility to maintain peace and order. If protests turn violent, the government has to step in and restore order. The church’s responsibility is to proclaim Christ Jesus as a ransom for all men. The government maintains order. The church, through Jesus Christ, transforms persons.

JESUS AND THE ROMANS

In Jesus’ day, the Romans governed over the Jews. Many Jews wanted to overthrow the Romans and establish a Jewish government. They expected the Messiah to re-establish David’s kingdom, as the prophets predicted, by leading a rebellion against the Roman government.

Matthew 26:52-55
When Jesus was arrested, his disciples expected him to fight and resist. He could have, and he would have won, but God’s plan, in the Scriptures, was different. Overthrowing the present government was not God’s plan. Jesus stated that violence provokes violence. Violence and civil rebellion are not God’s plan.

Juan 18:36
Jesus came to install a new government, but not a worldly one. If so, he and his disciples would have fought. But his government is a spiritual one.

Juan 19:11
Jesus knew that all civil authorities have to give account to God. God puts them in office and removes them from office as He so chooses. We submit to authorities, because we know that God is in control over them.

Luke 17:21
Jesus’ government is spiritual. Where He controls a person’s heart and mind, He governs. The civil authorities govern by laws and force. Jesus governs winning over a person’s will.

Thus, to my friends:
If you need to protest, do so. If the protest turns violent, separate from those protestors. But remember that God’s solution to our problems is not to change the government, but to change human hearts.

Turmoil in Ecuador

2019-10-14T14:39:17-05:00

My summary of the recent events:
The previous president put the country into huge debt. The new president had to find international loans to keep the country afloat. The International Monetary Fund required certain economic measures, one of them being to cancel gasoline subsides. When the president decreed the new economic measures, the price of gasoline went from $1.85 to $2.30 and the price of diesel went from $1.03 to $2.30. The first two days the taxi drivers and bus drivers went on strike but reached an agreement with the president the second day and ended the strike. But the indigenous population declared a national protest which included blocking all the roads in the country and marching to Quito to protest. The protests in Quito turned into skirmishes with the police, vandalism, violence, and property damage. It became obvious that among the protesters were professional terrorists who had a carefully planned and coordinated strategy for overthrowing the government. (They burned police stations, the national court house, and a TV station. They attacked military bases, and cut off water supplies.) To end the protests, the president and the indigenous leaders reached a temporary agreement, mediated by the United Nations. The Ecuadorian economy lost millions of dollars as a result of the protests which shut down the country for over a week. Everybody lost. This protest had no winners. The mediators have two days to reach a permanent agreement.

Surprises

2019-10-06T22:05:48-05:00

The plan on Saturday was to visit the single mothers in "Shobol Llin Llin." The bus strike was over, but we didn't realize the indigenous communities had a different agenda: block the roads. So a normal trip of 20 minutes each way took us 4 hours of looking for side roads, moving stones and trees, discussing with protestors to let us pass, and being patient until we could finally return home. Never did make it to "Shobol."

Then, at the end of the day, the church leaders from "Shobol Llin Llin" called us and asked to meet with us. They actually live in Riobamba, and they couldn't make it to their community for church meetings, because of the protests. So we ended up with a meeting at our apartment. After reviewing our experiences with the protests, we discussed future plans for the church, which included the need for a Sunday school teacher for 13-15 year olds, workshops on finance administration, and a new pastor. We appreciate their confidence in us and how God is working in their lives.

Visiting Quislag near our home.

2019-09-30T19:11:41-05:00

We finally visited the church in Sangolqui, only 10 minutes from our home in Quito, where the congregation comes from the community "Quislag," four hours south of Quito. We visited their community in August with the group from Fourth Presbyterian Church. I dropped in for a visit in this church four weeks ago. Most of the members have migrated in just the past two or three years, and most have minimum wage jobs. The church keeps the tradition of a woman's choir. Plus the pastor commutes between Sangolqui and Quislag every other week! What's their future? I don't know, but we are now witnessing the migration close to home. We pray for God's leading.

Teachers in Ambato

2019-09-23T11:20:59-05:00

The pastor asked us for help in training his Sunday School teachers. The first workshop allows us to get to know the teachers, their situation, and the church environment. We had seven very eager-to-learn teachers, some with years of experience and others with only months of practice. They had never received any kind of training before. We spent most of Sunday with them, and then participated in the worship service that night. Faby gave a brief class for the children, and I gave a message on the difference between a house and a home. Lord willing, we will hold three or four more workshops for the teachers.

On the home stretch.

2019-09-22T11:20:00-05:00

Only one more study and exam, and we'll have some graduates from the second level of FLET! We've been together for another two years to complete level two, and now we're at the final stage. The big decision now is whether to continue on to level three, or transition into a new ministry, perhaps visiting other communities and teaching what we have learned. Level three moves into more advanced studies. I told the students they were able to complete level three, but they would also have to dedicate three times the time and effort they were putting in on level two. I thinking it's time to do some practical ministry with the group. We continue to pray and see where and how God leads.

(Previous blog click here.)

Ministry from our Home #2

2019-09-16T16:52:46-05:00

Faby continues to work with the single mothers. Saturday they came to our apartment for a day of fellowship and counseling. The task is not easy for Faby, and she depends on the Lord for wisdom. The women want to meet more frequently, and Faby hopes to meet with them for the next few Saturdays.

(Previous meeting click here.)

Ministry from our home

2019-09-13T10:55:01-05:00

This past week we didn't visit the communities. They came to us! Pablo Copa, in the first photo, coordinates the FLET bible program in "Capulispungo." It was the first time he visited our apartment in Riobamba. We began a plan to visit the students who come from other communities to see how they're doing in their ministries in their home communities.

Faby continues to work with single mothers from "Shobol Llin Llin." Pascuala came for a time of one-on-one counseling.

The leaders from "Shobol Llin Llin" came to coordinate the ministry with the single mothers. They are very interested and thankful for Faby's help in this area.

"Quislag" in Quito

2019-09-06T20:36:31-05:00

In August, we visited a community four and a half hours south of Quito to participate in a VBS. "Quislag" lies in the Andes mountains in the province of Chimborazo, one of the most rural areas in the Ecuadorian Highlands. Yet Thursday, I visited folks from "Quislag" in their own church only 10 minutes from our house in El Tingo, Quito! They have migrated looking for work. The reality of their situation impacted me as I visited them as my new neighbors. They seek help, both spiritually and economically. We wait and pray to see where God leads.

Shobol Llin Llin to Quito

2019-08-26T18:03:33-05:00

The women's group from Shobol Llin Llin worked out a retreat at our house in Quito this weekend. This was the first time they had gone on a retreat, and the first time for us to host such a retreat in our home. These are single-parent mothers, and Faby has begun a ministry to help them in their precarious situations. This is just a beginning and we continue to pray for God's direction.

(Previous meeting click here.)

Paul's third journey

2019-08-19T03:41:43-05:00

We are finishing our study on the life of Paul and his third missionary journey. This study covered material I didn't even have in seminary: which cities did Paul visit and who accompanied him on each leg of his journey! I am amazed the students have come this far, but they are persevering and learning. We have one more book to cover (Ephesians) to finish the second level of "FLET."

(Previous blog click here.)

Fourth Pres in Ecuador

2019-08-15T21:51:00-05:00

Fourth Presbyterian Church held its third mission trip to Ecuador. The group of seven visited three different communities, and participated in a VBS. They shared their testimonies and interacted with youth and children as they learned more about Ecuadorian culture and ministry. For more photos: click here.

Calm before the storm

2019-08-05T18:08:24-05:00

This is the community, called "Quislag," where we'll be going next week with the group coming from Fourth Pres Church. The community is sponsoring a week-long Vacation Camp for 300 children! We're participating in the workshops. The plan is to have six simultaneous, one-hour workshops, 50 kids per group. Every hour the kids change workshops, so they received six different activities every day. This schedule is a first for the community, so we are praying that everything (and everyone) works smoothly.

(The Pan American Highway is somewhere down there in this photo.)

Capulispungo in Quito

2019-07-31T20:02:07-05:00

Some of the families who have migrated from Capulispungo to Quito have formed a church. Since we work in Capulispungo, we also work with the families in Quito. The pastor asked us to give a workshop for couples. The first Tuesday, last week, gave a small turnout, but last night, most of the church came! We emphasized three points: 1) letting Christ live in you and control your life; 2) spending time with your children; and 3) maintaining a daily family devotions. May God help these immigrant families who are struggling for stability in a new context.

Lord willing ...

2019-07-22T17:52:21-05:00

As the Bible says in James 4:15, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” or in Proverbs 16:9, In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. And whether it's human variability or God changing our plans, we have learned to pray and be flexible. With Faby's group of women, we are praying for and planning a retreat in our house in Quito for August 24th. (Next blog) We plan and pray that it will be a blessing for the women. Plus, with a former seminary student who lives in the communities in the mountains, we are joining with him in planning a 5-day retreat for 300 kids for August 12th-16th. Faby and I can only attend the first two days, but we are helping him plan the whole week. May God grant us wisdom to plan all the logistics, and may He bless our efforts! Lord willing …

(Previous meeting click here.)

Formal versus informal

2019-07-15T19:09:04-05:00

In Capulispungo, we meet every month for bible study, but not all learning takes place in the classroom. I've learned that during the informal times, when we have spontaneous conversations, we learn a lot about each other, our problems, and our ideals. It reminds me that discipleship is not a program, nor a bible study, but a relationship. Sharing your life with another is discipleship.

(Previous blog click here.)

New Ministries

2019-07-08T19:44:41-05:00

As we get to know the communities better and their real needs, new ministries develop. Faby is meeting with single mothers who have never had a group like this where they can open up and deal with their inner conflicts. (Previous meeting click here.) Alan is meeting with students in Riobamba who are from the communities we have worked with: Capulispungo, Cachisagua, and Shobol Llin Llin. We want to support and help these students until they graduate from the university. We believe the future of the communities will depend greatly on university graduates who maintain their commitment both to Christ and to their communities. (Next blog)

Fourth Pres to School and site seeing.

2019-06-30T17:31:49-05:00

The girls made great friends at the school in Cachisagua. (Click here for more photos.)

Faby taught a class on ethics using the parable of the Good Samaritan as an example.

I showed the kids The Soma Cube which taught them abstract thinking.

We actually made it to the refuge on Cotopaxi mountain.

Took the cable car up Pichincha mountain to see Quito from above.

And of course visited the Equator, known as the Middle of the World.

Fourth Pres to Communities

2019-06-24T17:19:59-05:00

Saturday we visited the community Shobol Llinllin and spent some time with the youth. Click here for more photos.

Sunday we visited Cachisagua for an outing with their youth.

And stayed for the worship service that afternoon.

A Special Ministry

2019-06-17T09:16:47-05:00

We have been visiting a community near Riobamba called "Shobol Llin Llin." They have been asking us for help in different areas. One need they shared was for Faby to work with single moms. These women have felt discriminated in the church. Not that the members treat them differently, but that they still hold a lot of their guilt. The group consists of only eight mothers, but they eagerly await meeting with Faby every two weeks. God is doing His work!
(Next blog)

Christ crucified in Capulispungo

2019-06-10T19:36:38-05:00

Capulispungo, Saturday, monthly meeting to review lessons. Before they took the exam, we had some very good theological discussions. Since we're studying Paul's second missionary journey, we reviewed some of 1 Corinthians, especially where Paul emphasizes preaching only Christ and him crucified, 1 Corinthians 2:2. So I asked a question I have been asked a few times here in Ecuador: "If I fall into a sin, and before I can repent or confess it, I die, will I go to heaven?" A professor in Cachisagua asked me that just last week. Then I asked another question to get down to the fundamental issue: "Why did Christ die on the cross? What happened there?" and drew them to my favorite passage: Colossians 2:13-14 "He forgave us all our sins… nailing [them] to the cross." Of course, if someone persists in a sin, that's a different story. He's not even a Christian according to 1 John 3:9. Since we've been together for a few years, we now have good discussions, and I believe some real learning.

(Previous blog click here.)

Adventures in Cachisagua

2019-06-05T10:56:04-05:00

Surprise! Sunday we drove to Cachisagua for our monthly visit with the church for the FLET bible program. When we arrived we found the community engaged in a funeral. Their response to us was, "Join us!" I appreciate the community culture because in an event like this, the whole community joins in to console the family in their loss. All other activities take second place. (They even cancelled the worship service.) So we joined in the procession up the mountain to the cemetery for the burial.

Tuesday we returned to visit the school.

God is giving us a wonderful relationship with the teachers!

Faby and I gave our first talk with the students about ethics and morals.

Cachisagua in El Tingo

2019-05-27T10:30:53-05:00

Four of the teachers at the school in Cachisagua accepted the invitation to come to our home in El Tingo for a brief "retreat" this weekend. This is part of our efforts to work with the school, the teachers, the parents, and the students. In our home we shared meals, games, and the bible. The retreat lasted less than 24 hours, but the time was well spent. We hope to continue our work with the school, Lord willing.

Cachisagua PTA

2019-05-19T21:26:25-05:00

So we finally held a meeting in Cachisagua for the parents of the students in the local school! The community leaders said the best time was Saturday night. They announced the meeting for 5pm. To our dismay, no one showed up at 5pm. But they know their community. People come at night. So at 7pm we started with around 80 people. The room was packed! We shared about family conflicts and the need for parents to spend time with their children. (Very few do.) May God bless our efforts to help the students and their parents.

Capulispungo in Quito

2019-05-13T14:14:29-05:00

We have a very faithful group in Capulispungo studying the FLET bible program. They continue their studies at the rate of one book every two months. Some are already calculating finishing the whole program in the year 2021!

I've never mentioned that we are also working with families from Capulispungo that have migrated to Quito. Presently I meet with them every other Tuesday in Quito for training on how to lead a home bible study. Here they are making a small, seven page bible I invented to use in the homes. On Sundays, they are also studying the FLET program and will finish the first level about three months.

We continue to serve where God leads, and pray for His direction in each and every program. How I pray that they could return to their communities and live at a decent economic level!

(Previous blog click here.)

Cachisagua

2019-05-07T23:44:18-05:00

Our activities are picking up in Cachisagua. Sunday, after six months of "vacation" the men have renewed their studies in the FLET bible program. It's slow going, but this course is about perseverance. It's not a "crash course." Actually, the communities have a way of being patient. "If we didn't have time today, we can do it tomorrow."

Faby continues with the vision God gave her for working with the school in Cachisagua. She has a special grace for working with kids. Today we visited the school to talk with the teachers about a date for a retreat in our house in Quito. We "hung out" for a good three hours, until the teachers finally got together. But in the meantime, Faby visited and talked with the students in four different classes!

We are also planning a meeting with the parents of the students on Saturday next week, and praying for guidance in planning what we're going to share with them.

End of the Journey

2019-04-29T16:43:17-05:00

As I shared back in March, Pastor Consepcion was diagnosed with cancer. His wife, Carmen, spent every day with him in various hospitals taking care of him day and night. This past Tuesday, his journey ended and the Lord took him home. The Quichua community sponsored the vigil and burial, Wednesday through Friday, with over 1000 people attending. My contribution was accompanying the women's choir with the accordion.

Carmen at the tomb site with her mother-in-law and sister.

Sunday afternoon in our home in Quito, we held a short time of sharing and singing with Carmen and others.

New Community: "Chismaute Telan"

2019-04-22T09:09:35-05:00

Pastor Manuel has studied with us in Capulispungo for the past three years. I've been trying to visit his community for some time, and this Saturday, the opportunity finally came. His church is way up in the mountains. Even so, I learned that his son works on a farm near our house in El-Tingo, Quito. We participated in a special program for Easter. Since no one in the church plays an instrument, my accordion was well received. This visit reminded me of the difference between a Quichua church close to the city, and a Quichua church in the mountains. Both maintain their traditions, only those near the city have more resources such as finances and technology. What's the future of these rural churches? We continue to pray for God's direction.

Settling Down

2019-04-16T11:04:04-05:00

These past months have been irregular with some old projects dying out, and new ones coming in. This weekend we visited different communities to nail down which projects will continue. The group in Shobol seems to be pretty serious about continuing with the home groups. In Capulispungo, level 2 of the FLET bible program continues with steady progress. In Cachisagua, we had to sit down with all the leaders to confirm if they're going to continue with the FLET bible program or not. I like how they decide: it's everyone or no one. In our culture, those who want to continue do so, and those who don't drop out. But they don't see it that way. For them it's "all or nothing."

Working with Shobol Llin Llin

2019-04-08T21:11:27-05:00

We continue to consolidate the group of leaders from the community of "Shobol Llin Llin." This Thursday I began by playing UNO with them! My point was to avoid falling into a routine every week. A home group meeting needs to be dynamic and varied. Don't be afraid of trying something new or changing the program.

Sunday we were invited to participate in a baptism service, with me preaching. (Of course they let me know about an hour in advance that I was preaching. But I'm used to that.)

After the service (and lunch), the deacons invited us to a meeting where we are discussing the organization of the church. Most indigenous churches elect a board of seven deacons that changes every one or two years. They work with a model where the pastoral council remains the same and they (not the General Assembly) elect the board of deacons that can be re-elected indefinitely. This could be a good working model for other churches.

A New Emphasis

2019-04-03T09:12:30-05:00

The church in Capulispungo has some migrants in Quito who have started a church among themselves. They have asked for help in starting cell groups. I met last night with some of the leaders to discuss a plan. My first question was, "Why do want to start cell groups?" Every church has different needs, so I wanted to see if they needed bible courses or if they needed to build better relationships within the congregation. The latter proved true. They need a new emphasis in the church, because the church has become simply a Sunday worship service. They want to create a family. So for the cell groups we are going to emphasize relationships more than a bible study, and continue to pray for God's leading.

Building relationships

2019-03-25T11:36:33-05:00

Wednesday, we continue meeting with the teachers at Cachisagua. More important than our teaching them ethics, is the relationships we are building with them.

Thursday, the same applies with the cell group leaders from Shobol Llin Llin. We continue to meet and review how to lead a bible study group, but the key is gaining their confidence and becoming friends.

Friday, the bilingual, indigenous schools celebrated the new indigenous year on March 21st. We accompanied the teachers from Cachisagua at the local celebration. They celebrated the new year with a fire ceremony in a circle, as is the indigenous tradition, but the tables sponsored by each school held a demonstration of some scientific process, such as measuring the pH of water. Our teachers prepared corn cakes and demonstrated the use of a digital scale.

Continuing

2019-03-18T09:19:04-05:00

Wednesday, we visited the professors of the school in Cachisagua, and first shared lunch with them. Then Faby talked about ethics and values using the bible passages in Galatians 5 and Colossians 3. The group was vey open and we had a lot of interaction. They want to meet regularly. We continue to pray for these meetings and for a future meeting with the parents of the students.

Thursday, we met with the group leaders from Shobol Llin Llin for discipleship. We continue to review the Bible story using a short booklet I invented. At the end we played a game called "Giraffe and Elephant" that had them rolling with laughter. I coninue to emphasize that a cell group is more than just a bible study. The goal is to integrate the group around fellowship and the Word. It's all a process.

Breaking Molds

2019-03-11T16:03:45-05:00

Mold #1: Discipleship = Bible Study
We met again on Thursday with the leaders from Shobol Llin Llin. I'm not only teaching them Bible, but also icebreakers, because they have told me that many members of their groups are withdraw and don't participate. So the icebreakers are to "loosen up" the group. Also, rather than teach "doctrine," we are using a piece of paper folded into 8 pages in order to summarize the bible story. We need to understand that we are part of that story.

Mold #2: Being a Christian = Being Western
On Saturday, the FLET group was glad to have finished the book on Jeremiah. They learned a lot even though it was very challenging. Now we are studying the life of Paul. In Paul's day, his battle was to convince the Jews that a Gentile Christian didn't have to become a Jew in order to be a Christian. We began to discuss how much of our church in Ecuador is really Western. We have yet to see a truly "Indigenous Church." The Quichua have so adopted the Western model and theology that they don't realize how Western they really are. To break that mold is going to take time. One of my interests was confirmed in the discussion: They had traditions of praying while sowing their crops, but the Western church hasn't confirmed that tradition. Western theology was developed in a different context. Our theology books don't talk about the God who controls the sun, wind, and rain, and who makes the seeds spout, grow, and produce. Yet the Bible is full of these illustrations.

Cancer: one day at a time

2019-03-06T09:42:45-05:00

We have pretty much spent the last three weeks helping a pastoral couple, Concepcion and Carmen, with all that's involved with his cancer. The first week he spent in a government hospital that didn't have the equipment to diagnosis his condition. Faby and I spent days trying to obtain his transfer to an adequate hospital. God worked a miracle and used a social worker to grab a vacancy minutes often it was avaiable. The second week Concepcion received attention, but not a full diagnosis. In the meantime, we moved Carmen from the apartment she was renting into our home where she won't have to pay rent. Carmen spent most of her time in the hospital with her husband, and didn't spend a single night at her new place in our home. This week Concepcion was transferred to intensive care, and has a confirmed diagnosis of cancer in 60% of his body, with complications in his lungs and kidneys. With Carmen, we take it one day at a time. God is good and knows what He is doing. Philippians 1:6

New Discipleship Group

2019-02-25T08:45:44-05:00

So far in our ministry we have been traveling to the communities in the mountains, but we have come to realize that many have migrated to the cities for work. One community called "Shobol Llin Llin" lies only 15 minutes from Riobamba. One of their leaders, José, invited us to their community. They wanted help with a discipleship program. My first reaction was to explain to them that discipleship is more than just a bible study. Discipleship is investing your life in others. They liked the idea. So now we have begun to meet with the leaders of the home groups that meet during the week. We meet in Riobamba, because most of them live and work there. Our meetings are on Thursdays, and each of them lead a home group on Mondays. We are praying for wisdom with this new group on how to teach them to work with their home gruops. Proverbs 3:5-6

God sends us to help others!

2019-02-18T17:36:07-05:00

Faby came down with a cold. We were going to spend the week in Riobamba, but the climate is warmer in El-Tingo and better for Faby's recovery. We had barely arrived at home when we receive a call that a pastor we know is in the emergency room at a nearby hospital. That was the first visit of many all week long. We gave his wife, Carmen, rides to and from the hospital, and spent many trips between two hospitals trying to facilite his transfer to where they can offer treatment. God puts us where He need us. Concepcion has been diagnosed with leucemia. He and Carmen will need a lot of support in the following weeks and months. So far he is still awaiting the transfer. Tonight his mother flys in from Peru to be with him.

This morning we were about to go out for some errands when the phone rang. A brother from Capulispungo is asking for our help. His daughter was detained in Houston, Texas with no ID papers. Within an hour, his daughter, son-in-law and wife were at our doorstep. Martina had reached and crossed the US border with help from the "coyotes" but was stopped in Houston. To top-off the story, she went with her neice to take her to her mom in Boston. At the moment they are separated. One of many similar stories of poor, rural folk looking for a better life.

Now I can see the urgent need to establish small businesses in the Quichua communities. They are migrating for work not only to local cities, but also to other countries.

Test results!

2019-02-11T19:14:09-05:00

I don't often get an outside shot of the group at Capulispungo. This was the shot "before the exam." The following photo is during the exam. This study of Jeremiah is a real killer: a wonderful study of the book of Jeremiah, but so much information that the students couldn't absorb it all. I let them prepare a "cheat sheet" for the exam, but in the end I let them use all their resources at hand. Still they struggled. I could tell that some of the questions were so long that they didn't even understand what the question was asking.
I received a big surprise when I graded the exams. The two highest scores were no surprise. Pablo and Manuel Manya are excellent students. Still their scores were 75 and 74. Yet I was amazed at the third and fourth highest scores made by father and son who work together: Neicer and Inocencio. Inocencio can barely read and write. His son is only 14. Yet they made higher scores than most of the rest! Usually they score in last place. They did something right. Next month I plan to find out the key to their success.

New Project is a big surprise.

2019-02-06T18:05:01-05:00

Tuesday Faby led her second session with the school teachers in Cachisagua. We arrived early, and Faby visited some of the classrooms. Never had she seen a school in such sad shape. Not just the lack of school material, but the lack of discipline among the students, plus the disinterest of some. The situation is complicated: students whose parents work all day in the city; teachers who have lost the motivation to improve their teaching; little support from the school county board. Wow! May God pour out his grace and mercy on this community!

New Project and Wedding

2019-01-28T09:12:36-05:00

God put it on Faby's heart to begin working in the community schools. In Cachisagua the director gave her an open door to teach ethics and values. Her vision is to begin with the professors which she is doing here. Most of them are well trained in teaching the regular subjects: Language, Math, Science, and History, but to help the children is their personal development was not part of their preparation. They received Faby with open hearts and minds, and are eager work in this area.

Sunday in Capulispungo, we participated as godparents of this newly wed couple. Not your typical wedding. Both are over sixty and widowed. Children and grandchildren witnessed the ceremony. At the reception we learned through participation one of their traditions. The bride and groom, plus godparents, prepare a special treat to end the event. We mixed soup, barley flour, sugar, cheese, banana, and oil to make a paste. First we had to try it, and then hand it out to all the guests until none was left. It's called "chapo." If we didn't have "chapo" it wouldn't be a celebration.

Ordination of a Pastor

2019-01-21T20:39:04-05:00

The church in Capulispungo has a daughter church in Quito, made up of those who have migrated to the city. For some time, a young fellow has been pastoring the church, and finally the mother church decided to ordain him. The ordination took place in Capulispungo on one Sunday with the folks from Quito traveling to Capulispungo. The following Sunday we celebrated his installation in Quito. The church in Capulispungo rented a bus to participate in the ceremony.
In looking for some ritual, the deacons decided to present the new pastor with a real, live lamb for his ordination to represent his care for the "sheep." For his installation, they presented him with a staff to represent his authority as pastor.

The Test

2019-01-14T13:15:37-05:00

The book of Jeremiah is proving to be a real test for the class in Capulispungo. As they say, "This is what separates the men from the boys." The course reviews all 52 chapters of the book of Jeremiah. Most of the students have never delved into a book as much as this course does. It's not difficult, just a lot of information. So they asked for an extra month to study and review for the exam. I understand their plea, but I assured them that when they finish this book, the next three on Paul's missionary journeys are much easier. Just get over this hump and the rest is downhill. I'm going to let them make up their own "cheat-sheet" for the exam. That sounds like I'm giving them a break, but really there's so much information, that if they can organize it all on one sheet of paper, they've mastered the material.

The Start of a New Project

2019-01-10T18:04:09-05:00

I asked Ruben if the church leaders had ever thought about developing an economic project in Cachisagua. He said, "Yes!" They've had the idea of a flour mill for several years. Our good friend Patricio Vega with his wife Giovana heard about the idea and want to get involved. Patricio gave them a bigger vision than they had imagined: not just provide the service to grind grain, but to stock it and sell it wholesale later. (We celebrated Faby's birthday at our apartment afterwards.)

That happened Saturday. On Tuesday, I met Ruben at the local seminary in Riobamba, and he told me that when he talked with the others about stocking grain, they said the idea was too big for them!

But Faby and I visited them on Thursday, and they were excited about Patricio's vision. They already have a piece of land picked out for the mill and the storehouse.
We continue to pray and see what the Lord will do. Proverbs 16:3