July Update

Greetings from the middle of the world!

The annual Medical Caravan, with Shelia and our friends from Kentucky, has come and gone. Around 350 Awa were seen in the three days the group spent in our area, and many children participated in VBS programs in two locations. One highlight of the time was helping our friend Agustin, who lost his hands years ago while fishing with dynamite, receive a pair of prosthetic hands. He was quickly able to use them to hold a cup and a fork. Pretty amazing!

This year I accompanied team member Pat Boggs as he helped to train firefighters at the Ibarra Fire Station #1. As I translated for Pat, I learned more than a few new words, both in Spanish and in English! One day we spent with the new recruits showing them how to carry and set up ladders quickly and efficiently, and practicing throwing out fire hoses. As I interpreted for Pat, I found myself teaching and representing skills I really know nothing about! :-)

Just as I was a 'window' into good fire-fighting skills (interpreting for Pat, who has 29 years of experience), so I am reminded that our job as God's representatives is to be a 'window' into His heart of redemption from sin, and His grace, love, and mercy. I am also a recipient (not an expert!) in these facets of who our God is. Our desire is that the Awa may clearly 'see' our Lord through us.

We are excited to fly to the USA on July 17th for Kenny and Sophia's wedding! The wedding is the 29th, in Purcellville, VA. While much of our short trip will be spent in NJ (at the Liebenzell center) and VA, we do hope to attend a family reunion and spend one Sunday, the 23rd, at our home church in NH. We wish we could see all of our friends and family!

Returning to Ecuador July 31st, we will join our coworkers the Shaubs in hosting a literacy workshop with an international team of consultants from New Tribes Mission (Ethnos 360). Working alongside four Awa men, three of whom are teachers (Teacher Andrew from Palm Community school, Marco Antonio from Middle RV school, and Gilberto from Low RV school), along with our neighbor Milton, the goal is to produce an updated Awa primer. We are thankful for the materials we have on hand, from Wycliffe translators Lee and Lynne Henriksen, which will give us a good jump start on the project. The process of working with the written language will also give the teachers ideas for how to use the primers to teach the children in the schools, something that has been on Marco Antonio's heart for quite awhile. Please pray for us, the team of consultants, and the four Awa fellows during the course August 2-18. Pray especially for the spiritual state of each of these men, and that they will attend the course faithfully in order to understand the process well.

Prayer points:

• Thanks for praying for Meregildo, our neighbor who has distanced himself from the church. God provided a good opportunity to talk with him and wife Clemencia. Meregildo shared with me that many folks say that he will be 'contaminated' (by Milton and his sin) if he comes to church. I was able to ask him, "Meregildo, has God changed? Yes, people can sin, but does that change who God is?" Pray for Meregildo as he thinks over our conversation.
• Marco Aurelio, our Awa friend who is on dialysis three times a week, has also begun to join us on Sundays for the Bible teaching. His youngest daughter, Carmen (13 yrs old), is also attending Sunday School. How we long for them to understand God's gift of salvation! Pray also for his kidneys to heal, as they were damaged in January from a time of dehydration without medical intervention (from gastritis and vomiting).

Thank you for sharing in the work here!

In HIS grip,
Kevin & Kathy

<for a printable version click here>