February 2021

Learning, part 3

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Learning to lead, and learning to serve. My intention was to install water meters in every apartment in our building in Riobamba, but the result was confusion and division. So I called another Assembly in which 14 out of 18 apartments were present. Not easy to lead a group. I'm still learning the dynamics of recognizing each person's differences and opiniones. After much discussion and debate, we basically reverted the decisions we made at the last Assembly, because they were made with haste and division. But by God's grace, we are progressing as a "family" and learning how to cooperate with each other and seek the common good. Lot of similarities to a congregation.

Church moves back to Quito

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During the past year, we enjoyed hosting the worship services at our home for the Quichua migrants from Capulispungo. I had admired them for making an hour long bus trip with kids to our house, so I wasn’t surprised when they decided to move the meetings to the pastor’s house in Quito. It doesn’t have much space, but it’s less bus rides for the members. Just as we moved their furniture to our house, so we moved them back to Quito. We’ll still be in touch, but I’ll miss my class with the kids.

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Presidencial Elections

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This is what our presidential election ballot looks like with 16 candidates! To win, a candidate has to receive at least 50% of the popular vote. On the contrary, the top two go for a second vote in April. As of today, one candidate has 32% of the popular vote, and another two are tied at 20%. The three candidates represent three distinct ideologies: Left wing, right wing, and indigenous.
Who elects the president? The people or God?
I constantly remember studying Jeremiah in the FLET bible program. During king Josiah's reign, Jeremiah prophesied that a nation would invade from the North. At that time, Egypt, in the South, was the "world power." No one dreamed of a powerful nation coming from the North. Suddenly Babylon, from the North, appears out of nowhere and defeats Egypt. Then later conquers Jerusalem.
Who controls politics? Just read the story in Jeremiah 32.

(This is where Faby and I cast our votes, at a public school.)
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MInistry at home, part 2

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We hadn't met for over a year. Time for a new board of directors for our apartment building complex in Riobamba. I've been the administrator/president for the past term, and have taken on the responsibility as a ministry. Not surprisingly, I was re-elected unanimously. Not everyone was there, so when we made a decision about dividing up the water payments per person, we now have questions about what we decided. So I'm looking into installing a water meter for each apartment. And in the meantime, answering questions. May God bless this ministry as we make ourselves known serving as Christ representatives.