Picture of Kevin with Wilso

Bruce Brief - Jan/Feb

JANUARY'S OVER

In many ways, January was a somber month for us. We are right at the height of rainy season, and have passed many days with dark skies overhead, along with the rain and fog. It’s a big event to catch a glimpse of sunshine! The trails are muddy, slippery, and tiring. Hiking up to the Outpost with full backpacks has become a real challenge, with each step forward at times seeming like a small victory. (We hear that this is a result of 'El Nino', the weather trend, which is causing flooding in many parts of Ecuador. Perhaps it's a bit of a consolation to know that it has a name!) Also, last week, one of our little goats died, after being sick just two days, making us feel even gloomier. Even the Awa are feeling subdued, especially since there is also much sickness going around. The local ‘curers’ have been busy seeking to cure those who are sick, especially if a trip to the local town medical doctor doesn’t seem to help. Then, also this month, our young friend Wilso (just a little older than our Kenny) committed suicide, casting a dark shadow on the whole Rio Verde community.

 

WILSO'S STORY

Wilso committed suicide late on January 3^rd, by the Rio Verde River, in the dark and in the rain. He had been suffering for a couple of months with what the Awa called a ‘spirit’ sickness. His family had tried to help him, spending much money on town doctors, witchdoctor curers, and even taking him to the hospital in Ibarra. Nothing seemed to help, and Wilso decided to end his own suffering by drinking poison on that dark afternoon. His body was found by his cousins the next morning, starting a cycle of sadness and darkness in Rio Verde.

 

Wilso’s death was hard for us to take. Several years ago we had taken care of him when he was hospitalized for an infection of his gall bladder, and again a year later when he had another attack. During this time Wilso’s attention was caught by a picture Bible storybook we had, and he spent hours reading and listening to it. “This is so good, God’s Word is so good!” he exclaimed many times. (He eventually saved up his money and bought his own.) Then there was the  day that Wilso heard our co-worker Doug teach about Jesus being the Good Shepherd. After the lesson, I remember Wilso going up to the front and fingering the little fuzzy flannelgraph sheep that had been lost. “I want Jesus to take care of me like that,” Wilso said that day.

 

We are still putting together the pieces of what happened over the last two years. Evidently his parents forbid him to come to our Sunday teaching here in Rio Verde. We invited him many times, and were somewhat puzzled as to why he didn’t show up. Milton, one of the believers, was also faithful to talk with Wilso about the Lord. Milton tells us that last year Wilso had said to him, “Yes, I’m really wanting to follow God’s path!”

 

Then about six months ago, we noticed a change. The believers told us that Wilso was drinking and living just like the other Awa boys. One day Kevin met Wilso on the trail and asked him what he was thinking about God. "Yes, I used to want to follow, but now alot of people are telling me God's way is not good, so I'm not sure anymore. And my family doesn't really like me to go to hear the Bible teaching." To Milton, another day, Wilso said, "Oh, God, He's worth nothing." Then came the time of 'spirit sickness'. We prayed for Wilso all during December, and Kevin talked to him two more times--once during his 'spirit curing' days and then again, a few days later. Kevin was able to remind him that God is greater than the spirits or the sickenss he was experiencing, although Wilso didn't really respond. But in a note Wilso left behind, he told his family, "It's better if I go to live with Jesus in Heaven."

 

The believers have asked us many times where Wilso's spirit is now. Our honest answer has been, "Only God knows."

 

GOD'S COMFORT

And in that we find our 'LIGHT' on the dark and cloudy days. God knows, He cares, He understands our heartaches. "Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,.." says Isaiah 53. The phrase "carried our sorrows..." has been a special comfort to us as we remember Wilso.

 

PRAISES and PRAYER

We do have much to thank the Lord for right in the middle of the rain!

• Our new coworkers (and family) the Shaubs are well settled in!
• Kevin and Andy Shaub had a safe trip to Colombia for a week-long conference on tribal work.
• Rainy season, in all its splendor, does end! And we have a good dry roof over our heads here at the Outpost!
• We started up the literacy course again January 19th, and just finished our second weekend with the students.
• We have finally moved our city belongings over to the new house in Ibarra, PTL! Getting the finishing touches on the house was rather a headache, as we made many trips back and forth encouraging the workers to finish up the different projects. We do have yet to do the paperwork, and get the title deed.
• We'd like to ask your prayers for Milton, our Awa friend and neighbor. He has been sick for a couple of weeks now. His family brought him a 'curer' one day, but Milton refused to participate with the fellow. Several trips to the doctor haven't brought much help, however, and it's been a discouraging time for Milton. We do thank the Lord for the maturity He is working out in Milton's life during this time, and also for the chances Kevin has had to really encourage him.
• Kathy would appreciate your prayers as she gets to rejoice in getting all four of her wisdom teeth out next week (Monday the 11th). No fun!

 

In Christ,

Kevin & Kathy Bruce

 

Dedication day

Hi all,

Here are a few pictures of the child dedication we had this Sunday in Rio Verde! There were 55 of us for a fun Sunday together.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/brucekev/20071230ChildDedicationInRioVerde?authkey=n5iwUICtDgY

 

In Christ,

Kevin

Bruce Brief - well, not so brief this time! ;-)

Dear Friends,                                        

 

We apologize for not being faithful in our communications this fall! In many ways it’s been a stretching time for us, and we’ve really needed the Lord’s strength to get done all that needed to get done. And He’s certainly been teaching us patience and endurance in these times! At the same time, we’ve been encouraged to see all that the Lord has done over the last months. Here’s just a quick (or not so quick!) summing-up of what’s been going on here with us here in Ecuador these days:

 

·         We bought a house (really half of a duplex) in Ibarra! This is the town where we do all our supply-buying, dentist and doctor visits, and Mission business meetings. Kevin’s parents graciously took out the loan for us, since we, being foreigners, couldn’t do it here. This house will be ours, but will also be used by our co-workers, visitors, and perhaps some Liebenzell guests and groups as well. It is a newly built house in a gated community,  right across the street from another identical house bought by Rainer and Kathy Kroger, German Liebenzell co-workers. The construction is in the final stages—the windows, floors, kitchen, and bathrooms are mostly finished, while we are still waiting on the doors, closets, and such odds and ends as water and electric hook-ups. We MIGHT be moving over in January….well, Lord willing!

·         The kids are getting close to half-way in their homeschool year—Kenny, a high school junior, Keilah in 8^th grade, and Kimberly in 4^th. It’s always a challenge to keep up with our crazy schedule and travels, but the kids are actually doing quite well. (Usually it’s Mom who lags behind!)

·         By request of the Awa, we’ve started an adult literacy program—with seven students to date. Classes are every other weekend—all day Saturday and Sunday after church is over, with Alfonso Rosales coming from Lita to help with the teaching. We started the classes with some fear and trepidation (so many things can go wrong in these close relationships!) but we’ve been amazed at the way God has worked it all out. It’s so encouraging to see the ‘lights turning on’! I’m not sure it was ever Kevin’s dream to be a school teacher, but he’s taken to teaching basic addition and subtraction and beginning multiplication with great ease! The other day Kevin was helping Meregildo sound out his syllables—fa, sa, ca, va—when all of a sudden Meregildo saw a word by putting two syllables together—his first word. Wow! Both Kevin and Meregildo were beaming! Since most of our students are believers (five out of the seven), the time has turned out to be a special time of discipleship as well. Many of the students come with their children and animals (we’ve had horses, donkeys, dogs and puppies, several chickies, one pet squirrel, and a duck all attend our classes) it can be quite chaotic at times! And cooking lunch for 20,or 30, or whoever shows up, is quite a chore! But the time with the Awa has really been precious.

·         Besides teaching each Sunday here at the Outpost, we’ve been making the trek up to Paulino’s community of Palmira to teach one Sunday each month. At times there have been close to 30 people crowded into his small sitting room to listen to the teaching! We’ve been praying about separating the teaching into 2 times—one for Paulino’s and Guillermo’s families as believers, and then an evangelistic time for those who are just beginning to listen. Kevin had a good conversation with the schoolteacher, Leandro, last week, and Leandro invited him to teach at the school house, which might be a good opportunity.

·         Our interim coworkers, the Smiths, have returned to their job in Colombia, and our new co-workers Andy and Chrissy Shaub (Kathy’s sister) have joined us here at the Outpost. We’ve been helping them get settled, as they learn all those survival skills needed for living up here—especially getting supplies up. Andy’s not sure he’s cut out to be a cowboy, but after lugging up a few heavy backpacks through all the mud, I think the horse is looking better and better every day! (By the way, the horse is really sick this week, we are praying for God’s healing. The Awa thought it was a snake-bite, but we are skeptical as it seems to be something in his belly. Kevin is down giving him a shot right now. We’d be so sad to lose him!)

·         We have two new ‘kids’ in our family—the goat kind, that is! Named after our good missionary friends Guy and Jerry, the little twins have spiced up our lives with their crazy antics. We’ve been bottle-feeding them, and milking their mother, GiGi. Goat milk, anyone? It’s really quite delicious! Our chickens are happy in their new and improved chicken house, and we are glad to have found a way to reduce the daily Easter egg hunts by locking them in until after lunch every day. That way we get the eggs and not the local black snakes!

 

And that’s our news! This week also finds us preparing for a community-wide Christmas program to be held on December 14^th here in Rio Verde. We’ll be working alongside the Awa believers to put on the program, including singing, teaching, games, and handing out the traditional Ecuadorian cookie bags. Please pray for the believers to have courage to stand before the large crowd (three or four hundred people) and openly identify themselves as Christians. It also gives us a great opportunity to again remind the community why we are here—because of God’s gift of His Son, Jesus.

 

Because of His gift to us,

Kevin and Kathy and kids

 

Wayne & Becky Smith

Andy & Chrissy Shaub

Bruce Brief - Kathy's sister and family arrived

Hi everyone! This is just a short update to announce that Kathy’s sister Chrissy and her family have arrived here in Ecuador to help us with the Awa work. Andy and Chrissy are currently in Ibarra taking care of the initial paperwork that they need to do and getting familiar with the city and our mission here. They know Spanish already, as they have worked in both Colombia and Venezuela in the past, but there are still many things that are different here in Ecuador that they will need to learn and adjust to. Please pray for them as they go through the transition. They should make the move up here to Rio Verde in a month or so, and then they will begin learning the Awa language, and joining us in the work. We are very excited to have them as new members to our team!

At the same time we are sad to say goodbye to the Smith family who came to fill in the gap between the Williams family leaving for furlough and the Shaubs coming. They have been a great help these last 6 months, and we have grown to love them like family! Our kids and theirs became great friends, and now have to say goodbye, so pray for them. They are at an age when saying goodbye becomes more difficult! Smith’s plans are to return to Colombia for a short time and then on to the US for a furlough. Pray for them as they face many transitions in the days ahead as well.

Thank you so much for your prayers.

In Christ,
Kevin & Kathy Bruce
Liebenzell Mission of USA
Serving in Ecuador among the Awa people