"Come see the snake!" Paulino said.

Click on the following link to view some pictures of a bushmaster snake we killed this morning not too far from our house.

 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5383&l=364b6&id=1455164045

 

Kevin

 

Bruce Brief - Oct 11

As the initial chaos in the aftermath of Alfredo’s death settles down, we want to say thank you to all of you who specifically prayed for us. At this time Alfredo’s family is still seeking justice, and going about the paperwork process involved in the Ecuadorian penal system, but the murderers are still at large. This has caused some concern to Gilberto and his family as his life was threatened as well. Amidst the sad tragedy we have had many good opportunities to speak to the believers about the truths found in God’s word. Many questions about life after death, what is necessary for salvation, where does the spirit of the dead reside, etc. have been voiced. The Awá believe that the spirit of the dead person takes the form of a big black shadowy person with a white shirt which roams around and visit the houses and places that he walked when he was alive. This spirit will only leave and go on to heaven if they do everything correctly during the burial, and subsequent “honor” festival held on the anniversary of the burial.  Thank you for your prayers as the Lord uses the light of His Word to disperse the darkness!

 

As October began I was glad to turn over my responsibilities as field director back to Edgar Luz. I have a new first hand understanding of the weight that he will carry as he settles in again. He arrived from his short furlough in Germany the beginning of this month, and is presently trying to set up house again and find a reliable vehicle. Please join us in praying for him and the challenges he will face as he leads the field here.

 

In Christ,

Kevin

Read the Bruce Report before it hits the press!

Click to make it big enough to read!

Bruce Brief - Sept 29th

It’s a beautiful day here in the mountains. The sky is blue with just a few wispy clouds. The sun is shining on the mountains all around us, just warming the cool morning air. A light breeze is ruffling the leaves on the palm trees around our house. It’s hard to believe that all of this God-created beauty exists right beside the sin and ugliness we’ve seen over the last week here among this people. Many of you responded to our note a few days ago about Alfredo’s death, and we are grateful for your prayers. Last Thursday was the day Alfredo’s cut-up body was buried. As we accompanied the family, our hearts were struck with their hopelessness. Although the Awa appear so stoic and emotion-less, there were tears and much sadness evident. But the topic on everyone’s tongue was how to get revenge. Several Awa (including two of the believers) had gone to the community where Alfredo was killed and had grabbed a little 10-yr-old boy and another young fellow, both relatives of the two fellows who supposedly did the killing (both of whom had fled.) The Awa had tied the boy and other fellow up and had taken them down to Lita, only to find that the local sheriff was gone and the police basically refused to help. So they came back to Rio Verde and the two were brought to the graveside, as everyone talked about how to organize themselves to go and get the guilty ones. The Awa were angry, they were exhausted from the all-night wake, some were drinking, tempers were short, and opinions were many. Everyone was afraid---afraid of Alfredo’s spirit (along with other bad spirits that are around at such times) as well as afraid of the murderers (and their families) who were already making death threats against others in Rio Verde. Kevin was able to say a few words by the graveside, but it seemed like the words didn’t do much to penetrate the darkness. Only a few of the believers seemed to listen.

 

Now, six days later, Alfredo’s family is organizing themselves to pursue justice (and revenge). Alfredo’s brother German is saying he’s going to bring some of his guerrilla cousins to kill the two fellows. From the guilty families in the RV Medio community have come threats against Alfredo’s best friend, Gilberto, as well as against those who had grabbed the little boy and other fellow (who were finally sent home to take the message that they should turn in the murderers.) There is an abundance of sadness and fear. There was one sighting of a spirit or other being at the graveside (a big black thing). Paulino even warned us to be really careful, especially not to leave our houses and walk out on the trail in the dusk or darkness, presumably because of spirit dangers.

 

How can we help? How can we make a difference? We often don’t know how to respond, how much to get involved, what to say. But the Lord has used His word to encourage us to keep teaching  and living as a light in this community. We are thankful that Alfredo had come to church one last time, and that we had one last chance to encourage Alfredo and the other young fellows to live the way God is calling them to live as believers.

 

Milton has also been an encouragement. He told us yesterday, “They may want to kill me too, as I’m a brother-in-law. But I don’t want to be enemies with the folks in Rio Verde Medio.” We know where Milton’s heart is at, as he regularly goes to that community to check on a Proclaimer that one of the families has, and to encourage them to listen to God’s Word. He desires to see the folks in this community come to know the Lord.

 

Please pray that we will be able to share the reassurance that we find in God’s word with the believers in these days. Pray for the many unbelievers who are captives to the drinking, fighting, and fear that is a regular part of the Awa world. Pray for many opportunities to shine God’s light of truth into these mountains.

 

 

Kevin & Kathy Bruce

Liebenzell Mission

Casilla 10-01-692

Ibarra, Imbabura

ECUADOR

+593 9 478-7811

http://brucekev.blogspot.com

 

An article in Spanish

http://www.diarioelnorte.ec/noticia.php?ID_NOTICIA=6990&date=2008-09-26

 

The above is a link to a local news paper, “El Norte.”  I am the tall one in the picture that was taken as we prayed by Alfredo’s grave.

 

Kevin

 

Sad results of disobedience

Greetings from Ecuador.

 

We want to write you all to ask you for prayer. One the believers was killed in a fight Monday night. Alfredo was at a party in the community of RV Medio and was drunk. There was a fight and he was stabbed and cut with a machete. At first they thought he was dead, but then they realized he wasn’t yet so they attempted to bring him out to the hospital in Ibarra. He died while on the way. They will be returning his body to RV today, and have a burial probably tomorrow. Please pray for his family, all of whom are not believers. He leaves behind his wife, Andrea, with two small children, a one year old and a newborn.  Please pray for us, as we seek the Lord’s wisdom in knowing how to reach out to his family and the community during this time of pain and grief.  

 

Milton, Porfidio and Andy were in the RV Medio community with Alfredo on Monday afternoon, as the community was having a big end of school year party. When they left at three, Milton tried to convince Alfredo to leave with them, but he refused saying that he had a fast horse and would catch up later. The Sunday before Alfredo had come to our church service, and in the message one of the points was from I Thes 2:11-12 “just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”  Over the last two years Alfredo had been exhorted in that way many times, by the believers and by us. Thus we are saddened by the eventual results of his wrong choices.

 

In Christ,

Kevin & Kathy Bruce

 

Kevin & Kathy Bruce

Liebenzell Mission

Casilla 10-01-692

Ibarra, Imbabura

ECUADOR

+593 9 478-7811

http://brucekev.blogspot.com

 

New Pictures

New Pictures posted HERE

Kevin