The Lita River valley is home to seven community schools and about 400
children, a majority of whom are Awa. We often find ourselves involved
in these schools in different ways: last week we handed out pencils and
school supplies to the children in the La Colonia school. These kids are
the next generation, a generation growing up in changing times as
roads, electricity, and technology make their way into these mountains.
We find it easy to love these little ones, and how we long to see them
growing up with a knowledge of God. Would you pray along with us that in
each of our interactions we could be a part of bringing these young
ones to Jesus?
We
continue to hold two services most Sundays, in Rio Verde as well as in
Palmira. Our goal is to have a “united Sunday” once a month where we
gather both groups for the service and a lunch meal together. Attendance
dropped over the summer months as many Awa spent more time at their
outlying farms, but some have returned since the beginning of the school
year. The regular Sunday soccer games in Palmira have resumed, creating
an area of conflict for many: how hard it is to choose to attend church
when a rousing soccer game is on! Paulino’s wife Manuela also finds
this difficult, as she cooks and sells “empanadas” (fried breads) and
other food to the hungry soccer players. This has been a source of
conflict for Paulino as he would love to see his whole family in church
each Sunday. “But I can’t drag them here by force!” he says. Sound
familiar? Yes, this struggle seems to be the same challenge in many
cultures! Please pray with Paulino that his family and friends would
treasure God above all else.
Our
good friends and co-workers Andreas and Donata Schiller, along with
daughters Noemà and Mattea, have recently returned to Germany to
investigate some serious health concerns for Donata. The Schillers work
with young people in ministries in and around Ibarra, especially with
college-age youth. Please pray for the Schillers as they seek to find
medical help. We would love to have them return to work with the team
here in Ecuador, but overall our desire is to have them right where God
would have them to be.
We appreciate your prayers! Here are a few prayer updates:
- Gloria is doing much better health-wise! She has more medical exams in November, but for the moment is happy to be able to eat more of a normal diet. (The picture shows Gloria with two of her five grandchildren.)
- The new internet connection has continued (mostly!) stable and we have been very thankful for the easier access.
- Milton continues to come most weeks for Bible study and also Sundays for church, although he often struggles with discouragement. We have wanted to help him to re-connect with his extended family, so that they are able to see that he desires to walk in obedience to God. Please pray with us that he would understand how to live in honesty and transparency before them.
Kevin & Kathy
