December 2023

 

Beach blessings in November and the Light of Life this December

“Can you feel the world is broken?”

We love Andrew Peterson’s music (and his books!) There’s a line from one of his songs “Do you know that all the darkness won’t stop the Light from getting through?” that resonates in our hearts. Doesn’t the world seem like a dark place in many ways these days? Troubles around the globe, and so many that are suffering. Here in AwaLand we do feel that darkness, in hurting families and in aching hearts:

• Our neighbor’s 15 year old daughter recently ran away from home; she’s home again but rebellious and defiant.
• Another young neighbor recently stood on our porch with tears running down his face, telling us about the ugly words his brother and mother had spoken to him, because they were jealous of his new job.
• One young woman who comes to church faithfully each Sunday is dealing with a husband who now has another girl he is also spending time with.
• Many of the Awa men are working at the gold mine now, for 21-day shifts, earning a good wage but leaving behind children who miss their fathers.  
• And so much more…the drunkenness, the broken families, the hopeless faces.

But…Christmas-time is here!

I’ve just begun reading the book of John, and am fascinated anew by verses 4 and 5 of chapter 1: “in Him was Life and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it…” (Amplified)
 
Please pray that we would shine that Light to the Awa this Christmas. How we wish for the hurting to find hope in their darkness! We have programs this coming Sunday the 10^th and the 24^th. Many will come, hoping for candy and cookies; pray that we can offer them the more lasting Light of Life!
 
We are thankful for your prayers! We had a wonderful visit with our daughter Keilah and family in November, and were able to take some vacation days at the beach with them. Such joy! Our Kichwa friend Angel covered one Sunday for us here in AwaLand, and his heart for ministering to the Awa is also a blessing to us.

May God bless you with His Light this holiday season!!
 
In His grip,

 

Is He worthy?  He is!

October 2023

Sowing Generously and Reaping Abundantly

Reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 9, Paul reminds the people that “he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly….” (Amplified),  but that the one who sows generously and in order to bring a blessing, will also reap a generous harvest.
 
We find these verses to be a good reminder that we do want to use God’s precious “seed” to generously scatter abroad here among the Awa! Please pray with us that God will bring about that abundant crop of righteousness and blessing in the lives of many here in these mountains.
 
God provides opportunities and fertile soil on many levels:

• Teaching God’s word of truth on Sundays. Going through the life of Joseph has been such a clear and practical way to sow God’s truth, especially into the young lives of the youth and the children. We’ve been happy to see good understanding and responses each Sunday! The children are showing a better aptitude to learn new concepts (God didn’t forget Joseph, but instead He had a plan for Joseph’s life!) and it is a joy to hear young men like Jeison and Christian really tracking with Joseph’s responses in the face of temptation.
• Practical community help. Two Saturdays in September we hosted a large group of Paulino’s extended family here at the Outpost. Some unfriendly neighbors had set fire to their gate and made ugly threats; the family was wanting to discuss the issue together and come up with a solution that would help to resolve the problem. I helped with the meeting when possible, (and entertained a passel of kids!) while Kathy cooked big lunches to feed the hungry crew. We were blessed to see the way the family, many of whom are believers, work together to come up with a good solution, and we pray it will be carried out in a way that honors God.
• Godly counsel and encouragement one on one as we live and interact in these Awa communities. God provides many openings on a daily basis! Young mother Graciela recently came to visit Kathy, talking about the recent sightings of dead Awa and evil spirits that are bringing fear to many. What a blessing to be able to remind her that God’s presence in us is the best cure for such fear! On another occasion, Miguel was clearing jungle trees and had a big limb hit him on the head and knock him unconscious. I spent that afternoon and evening driving him to the emergency room at the hospital in Ibarra. Although Miguel, a baptized believer, has not been walking with God, he did recognize God’s grace in saving his life. I was thankful for another opportunity to not only show care and compassion for him, but to also remind him how important it is to be in a right relationship with God.

Pray for us, that our ‘sowing’ would not be marked by a grudging sparseness 😊
but rather by a generosity and a bringing of blessing to the Awa people!
 
We thank God for:

• For each of you! Many of you remind us of your support and prayers. You are a blessing!

• A peaceful election day this last month, electing Daniel Noboa as the youngest president in the history of Ecuador.
• His perfect plan for the ages, even as we see the turmoil and groaning of the world around us, especially in the recent invasion of Israel and the continuing war, as well as the earthquake in Afghanistan.
• His abundant grace given to us so that we are well-supplied to pour out to others. (2 Cor. 9:8)

 

We love seeing the big grins on these little faces! These four little cousins are regulars in Kathy’s Sunday School class in Palmira.
 
In His grip,

 

September 2023

 

“Who is my neighbor?” and Opportunities to Show Mercy

 
In Luke 10, Jesus encouraged a lawyer to love God and to love his neighbor. In return, the lawyer asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37) Afterwards Jesus asked the lawyer which of the men passing by proved to be a neighbor to the injured man. “The one who showed mercy,” was the lawyer’s answer. To which Jesus replied, “Go and do the same.”
 
Living here in the mountains among the Awa people, God often seems to bring into our lives many “good Samaritan” moments, opportunities to show care and mercy to our many ‘neighbors’. Sometimes these moments come when we are weary, or when we are hoping for a quiet afternoon. We greatly appreciate your prayers that God would continually renew our hearts with His mercy so that we can pass that on to the needy. Pray that we would not become weary or worn out as we interact with the people!
 
A few of these opportunities God has brought into our paths over the last few days:

• An Awa grandma came asking for food for her little 1 yr old grandson, who she said was crying with hunger as his mother is gone undergoing surgery at the hospital in Ibarra.
• Our neighbor Porfidio coming with hand cut on sharp rocks; we were glad to be able to help him with a pain pill and ointment and bandages.
• Neighbor boys coming by hot and sweaty after school begging for haircuts for their thick hair!
• Paulino & Manuela’s daughter Mónica is struggling in her marriage; this last weekend Manuela, and three other Awa believers came along with me to make a trip to visit Mónica and her husband and in-laws. I was encouraged by their gracious words to Mónica’s wayward husband, as we together encouraged him to do what is right. We went down some narrow and steep backroads and I was thankful to make it home safely that evening! Please pray for Mónica and husband Jesús.
• 10 year old Edgar showed up (at 6 AM! ) asking for homework help for his page of long division. His older sisters had tried to help but weren’t able to do the division. He was thankful for Kathy’s help!
• We mentioned Fermin’s death in our August letter. His widow came to visit one day asking for financial help; we offered to help her three youngest children with their school supplies as classes began. The youngest of the three, 10 yr old Alicia, was delighted to receive her notebooks and other items! Each Sunday since then Alicia has been waiting by the bridge in San Francisco to ride up with us for Sunday services in Palmira. Alicia is very quiet but the big smile on her face shows how much she is enjoying her Sunday school class.

We thank God for:

• A good retreat the last week of August with the rest of our Liebenzell Mission of Ecuador pastors and coworkers!
• God’s strength for the first month with our coworkers gone.
• Gloria is teaching her Sunday School class with passion and vigor each Sunday!
• Our mechanic in Ibarra has worked hard to keep our truck running despite the difficult road trips we often make!

In His grip,