We are off to the camp in Santo Domingo but not for our normal work. This weekend the National Church is having their annual Pastor’s Retreat which the camp is hosting. Kim will be helping out in the kitchen and Joel and Simeon will be helping out with entertaining the young children. We’re leaving on Friday, the 28th, early and will be returning later in the evening on Sunday, the 30th. As always, please pray for safe travel back and forth.
Pastor’s Retreat
Categories: Ministry, Prayer Requests, Santo Domingo, Simeon, Travel, Updates
Tags: Ecuador, Santo Domingo, Travel, Trips, Updates
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Prayer Request Update
We just wanted to update you all on the prayer request for the repair of the vehicle for the Rocha Family. They were able to get the car repaired and were able to get it back from the mechanic late last Friday afternoon. Praise the Lord!
They still owe quite a bit of money to the mechanic for the repair but at least at this point, they have the car and are able to get the family back and forth from Santo Domingo and are able to do the necessary work for the camp. Thank you all so much for your prayers!!!
La Familia Rocha
Categories: Ministry, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Santo Domingo, Updates
Tags: Ministry, Prayer Requests, Santo Domingo, The Rocha Family, Updates
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Fathers – A Light but Good Read
“A Man of Honor — Inspiration and Wisdom to Celebrate Fatherhood” is a good read for all you fathers out there. It’s filled with lots of quotes, bible verses and stories about parenting and fatherhood. There is a lot that can be learned from this short but inspirational book. I recommend it for those of you who would like to add book on parenting/being a father to your devotional reading.
Prayer Request
Just wanted to share a real quick prayer request. The Rocha Family (the family that lives at and runs the camp) has had recent difficulty with their vehicle. They have a large van which they use to take all of their girls (they have 6 all together) as well as some of the other neighborhood kids into and back from Santo Domingo every day. The trip is about 35 minutes both ways. Ruben usually makes 3-4 trips into Santo Domingo every day to take care of all of the necessities of the camp and the family. Well, the van has had recent very bad problems. The computer went 0ut and to get it repaired its going to be a very large expense for them. Something they can´t afford. They are trying to figure out ways right now to get it fixed and paid for. We just ask that you pray for them and the situation with the van as it is critical to their lives and the camp. Thank you!!! Here´s a picture of the Rocha family.
La Familia Rocha
Categories: Ministry, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Santo Domingo, Updates
Tags: Prayer Requests, Santo Domingo, The Rocha Family, Travel, Trips, Updates
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Area de Reciclajes
We just wanted to show off some pictures of the newly constructed Area de Reciclajes (“Recycling Area¨”). This small project will help eliminate much of the camp´s waste, provide income for the camp in the sold recyclables and, of course, help the environment! Yipee!!!
Categories: Ministry, Santo Domingo, Travel, Updates
Tags: Ministry, Recycling, Santo Domingo, The Rocha Family, Travel, Trips, Updates
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Plan de Vivienda
A picture of Pastor Rafael Canarte, his wife Monica and the maestro at the new construction at the Compassion Center in the Plan de Vivienda in Santo Domingo
Categories: Ministry, Santo Domingo, Travel, Updates
Tags: Compassion, Ministry, Plan de Vivienda, Santo Domingo, Updates
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Santo Domingo
Well, it has been a busy week at the camp. After having a FACE meeting in Quito, we left late afternoon on Friday to travel to Santo Domingo for the Camp Committee meeting on Saturday. Joel had a surprise out-of-the-blue meeting that popped on Friday night right when we got there but things went well. And things went well for the main Camp Comittee meeting on Saturday. We were able to work through one particularly difficult situation (thank you for your prayers!) as well as as make several other important decisions. Joel then preached on Sunday, which was his first time preaching completely in Spanish. Things seemed to go very well as the pastor was very encouraged and preached a second sermon after his sermon that further emphasized what Joel was saying in his sermon. We took that as a compliment!
Since then, we just have been hard at work at the camp with lots of things to do. This was a work week for us as we were inviting others to come join us to help better the campgrounds. No one else came this time but we are hoping that in the future with more invitations and more work weeks that other volunteers will be able to make it out. Here are some pictures of the activities that we were doing.
Simeon helping mom with the painting.
Mom and Simeon getting pumpkin seeds to plant in the new garden.
Categories: Ministry, Prayer, Santo Domingo, Travel, Updates
Tags: Answered prayers, Churches, FACE, Ministry, Prayer Requests, Preaching, Santo Domingo, The Rocha Family, Travel, Trips, Updates
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Busy Schedule and a Traveling we will go…
Here is our upcoming schedule:
October 14th — FACE Meeting in Quito
October 15th — Camp Committee Meeting in Santo Domingo
October 16th — Preaching at “Dios es Amor” in Santo Domingo
October 17th – 21st — Work Project at the camp in Santo Domingo
So after a FACE meeting here in Quito tomorrow, we will be heading to Santo Domingo for the Camp Committee meeting on Saturday, preaching at a local Covenant congregation on Sunday and then a work project Monday through Friday the following week. Basically, there are a lot of areas for prayer: safety in travel, good decision-making in the meetings, clarity and the Spirit’s leading in preaching and finally productivity in the work being done at the camp. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support.
Categories: Ministry, Prayer, Prayer Requests, Santo Domingo, Travel, Updates
Tags: Churches, Ecuador, Ecuador Info, FACE, Ministry, Prayer Requests, Santo Domingo, The Rocha Family, Travel, Trips, Updates
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Despedida (Farewell) to the Hoskins
Chris, Jenny, Breck and Elsa looking at their gift from IPEE
Friends at IPEE (Covenant Church of Ecuador) laying hands on the Hoskins
IPEE friends and missionaries
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” -C.S. Lewis
On Tuesday of this week, we had a ‘despedida’ or farewell for our very close friends, The Hoskins who left today (Wednesday) to go back to the U.S. We know that God has amazing plans for them as they begin this new adventure in their lives, but staying behind here in Ecuador is a little hard.
We know that goodbyes are a part of being a missionary. We also knew that over a year ago when we came, the Hoskins would be leaving before us, but it is quite different when you remember these things in the midst of the goodbye. I have never liked goodbyes, even when I was young. Things have not changed for me and I still hate goodbyes. We will miss our friends dearly. Please pray for us (especially Kim) during this time, as well as the other missionaries that you know that come to mind. Although we know as missionaries that we will face these things, that doesn’t make it easier for us. Pray for missionaries you know in this day, no matter what they are facing. For us, please pray for comfort and peace during this time as well as a renewed strength in being here in Ecuador, with our lives looking a little different without the Hoskins. Blessings to you all!
Update on Pacto Sumaco
Recently, Joel visited the Covenant World Relief in Pacto Sumaco with fellow missionary Mandy Hjelm and Covenant World Relief director David Husby. David was visiting to see the project and update the folks at Covenant World Relief. It was awesome to see the project being realized in the community. The farmers have begun growing their mushrooms and getting close to the stage where they will begin selling them. Below are some pictures and again if you are interested in learning more about this project or contributing to this project you can do so here: http://www.covchurch.org/relief/projects/cd/ecuador-agriculture/
The Mushrooms of Pacto Sumaco
All of us sitting around the table about ready to enjoy some fried mushrooms
One of the farmers of Sumaco showing off her fine collection of mushrooms
The farmers of Pacto Sumaco. Can you find Waldo - or Dave Husby?
The Santiago Partnership