November progress

– sometimes missionary life includes plain old-fashioned work! 😊

 

During the first half of November we were thankful to get a few projects done! I cut down a tree that had grown over part of the roof, and have been working to get it all cut up. Paulino’s two teenagers Abraham and Rómulo also joined us one day helping to dig a new garbage pit and do some yardwork.

God sent beautiful weather and a fine team of volunteers to help us get the roof changed on one side of the house here. Friends Pancho and Jimmy brought three young fellows and did a great job climbing around on the rafters, finishing up much quicker than we’d anticipated! The same weekend our Quichua friend Angel visited with his wife and two youngest daughters, not only helping with the roof project and helping Kathy cook lunch, but also sharing in song and testimony in both church services on Sunday. Angel was one of the cement workers who helped to build the church in Palmira, and the Awa greatly enjoy his visits and listen closely to his Bible teaching.

And the tractor has begun making the road that will go past Palmira to the Toctemí river, pushing through the muddy path that winds up the hill right beside the church there. With the tractor’s work, as well as several weeks of dry weather, this last Sunday we were able to drive right up to the church there! The tractor also leveled the church yard and made a flat spot behind the church for a future construction of a kitchen.

Church services, baby dedications, and baptisms….

Back in March, because of the pandemic, we had cancelled not only church services, but also our annual Awa Conference and the baby dedications and baptisms we had planned to do during the conference. Thankfully we were able to resume in-person church services in September with a good number of folks attending. Recently the schools have started up classes, so we also were able to start up children’s Sunday School. Kathy already has her hands full with over 50 kids coming—about 30 in Rio Verde and 20-25 in Palmira! We are working toward having a special Sunday in December for a time of baby dedications and the baptism service--there are 8 young folks who have expressed a desire to be baptized. We thank the Lord for being able to get back on track with each of these events in His good timing!

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! We are thankful that even amidst the difficulties and trials of 2020 we can still be confident that God is in control.

In HIS grip,
Kevin & Kathy Bruce
 

Picture of the month This picture shows Grandpa José with granddaughter Grace, whose name is fitting since she was born under difficult circumstances in the back seat of our truck! Grace’s mother Andrea has not chosen to follow God, but José brings Grace to church almost every Sunday, along with her big brothers Jeison (13 yrs) and José Freddy (11). How we pray that these three, along with many more children who attend on Sunday without their parents, will clearly understand the good news of the gospel and accept God’s gift of grace. Many have listened intently to the last few Sundays as we went through the last few chapters in Matthew, teaching about Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.