June Happenings 2022

 

The toucans are singing loudly outside my window as I sit down to write this letter, a fitting song for a day of answered prayer in Ecuador. Many prayers have been lifted before our Father’s throne for this country that has been suffering much. After almost three weeks of protests and strikes, this afternoon we heard the good news that an agreement has been reached between the indigenous organization (CONAIE) and the Ecuadorian government. We are rejoicing at the news, relieved to see the country freed up to get back to normal. Strikes in Ecuador mean the roads are closed, gasoline is scarce, grocery stores are empty, getting to the airport is next to impossible, and many families are hungry as moms and dads lose their daily wages.

We thank God for His help during these last weeks! Despite the inconvenience of being stuck on the road waiting to get through road blocks, hobbling around on my crutches, God did help us manage to get to where we needed to be each day. He helped us continue with church services each Sunday, and it seemed that He stretched the gasoline in our pickup’s tank on several occasions! We missed a few of my physical therapy sessions, but earlier this week God helped us to make it to the clinic for the second surgery (removing the long screw holding my broken ankle bone in place while it healed.) Dealing with the uncertainty of road closings, gasoline shortages, availability of supplies, and cancelling meetings and other events is definitely wearing; we are thankful that God has carried us through. Thank you for your prayers!

And yes…the broken ankle recovery continues! After removing the screw, the doctor cleared me to begin rehabilitation. At the first session, I thought the therapist was quite optimistic about what I can do 😊 so please pray that I’ll be able to keep up with the exercises and re-condition my ankle as I begin to walk again.

Re-scheduling dates…July sees us re-scheduling several dates, specifically the graduation for the 36 youth who finished the “King of Glory” course and our outing to the beach. Kathy had hoped to take our Awa friend Gloria to a ladies’ conference but that has now been re-scheduled for September. The two Liebenzell USA Journey Ecuador interns arrive this week and we are so thankful the road to the airport should be open again for their arrival! Later this month we hope to have two VBS programs with the help of the interns, one here in Rio Verde community and one in Palmira community.

Thank you so much for your prayers upholding the ministry here. As we face each new challenge, we are taking heart in the fact that the LORD holds our right hand!



In His grip,
Kevin & Kathy

April & May 2022

 A Motorcycle Fall, Fractured Ankle, and Recovery   May 7th I was on my motorcycle heading down a steep hill on my way to Lita when I met a truck coming around a blind curve. As I braked to pull tighter into the inside of the curve, my bike slipped on loose gravel and went down. The full weight of the motorcycle landed on my ankle, fracturing the tibia bone. One young fellow from the truck helped lift the motorcycle off my leg, and somehow I managed to go on to Lita and return home, all the while thinking my ankle sure was painful! Kathy helped me to our bedroom and I didn’t move much for the next few days. 😳

Kathy and the Shaubs managed to do the two church services and both of the youth classes with 30 students in attendance that next day. By Monday I was recovered enough from all the scrapes and jolts to be able to travel, and we were becoming more convinced that my ankle was broken. Co-worker Andy Shaub drove us out to the city of Ibarra on Tuesday. Wednesday the doctor confirmed the fracture and put a cast on my foot and surgery was planned for Friday. We are thankful for a successful surgery as the doctor put nine screws and a metal plate in to hold the fracture in place. Whew! On the bright side, Dr. Villalba assures me that I have strong bones and should make a full recovery! ! Using crutches during mud season in AwaLand is definitely going to be a challenge. We need much help from God to make it through the next few weeks; we greatly appreciate your prayers.

Awa Conference 2022   We are so thankful for a great conference this year! With good weather and an average of 100 in attendance, God blessed us with a truly enjoyable time together. We were especially appreciative of a good crew of youth and adults listening attentively to the daily teaching. This year’s theme was “Jesus, the Lamb of God” and we went over the Old Testament examples of sacrifice and ended up Sunday morning recognizing Jesus’ death as our sacrificial Lamb. What joy it brings to our hearts to see an understanding growing in many of the young people, specifically the youth going through the Bible course we are doing now.

Sandra & Jaime   In March we introduced you to Milton Jr and Mónica Esthela, two of the young students. One of the young couples doing the course is Paulino’s oldest daughter Sandra and husband Jaime. They have faithfully attended Sunday after Sunday, and show a good understanding of what we are studying as they answer questions and do the worksheets. On Sundays Sandra and Jaime sit in the front of the church and we are blessed to watch them encouraging their children to sing and pay attention to the teaching. During Conference, Sandra and Jaime came up to say the memory verse together, holding hands and with big smiles on their faces. Their two daughters, Sarela and Mariuxi, also said the verse in front of the whole church! Sandra and Jaime struggle with their handicapped daughter Liseth, as she is very weak and sickly, and would greatly appreciate your prayers on Liseth’s behalf.

Rainy Season   The heavy rains continue, as well as the mudslides and travelling challenges. God kept the road open for the Conference days, but on April 18th, the following Monday, a big mudslide fell on the road near our house and carried one of the truck drivers down with the mud. Early the next morning our Awa neighbors found his body, quite battered by the mud and rocks, carried quite a way down the mountain. That was a sad day for Rio Verde. We do thank God for opening the road Sunday after Sunday as we make the trek up to Palmira for the service there.

Thanks for your partnership and prayers! As we look out at the world situation (and at my multi-colored ankle!) we are reminded how much we need to lean on God, our dependable, sturdy Rock.

In His grip,
Kevin & Kathy

for the King of Glory!

 March 2022

Thanks for praying for the youth doing the “King of Glory” course! This month we gave away the last book to 15-year-old Maria in Palmira, making a total of 36 youth doing the class! We have worked out a system for ‘make-up’ days if they miss the Sunday class: the youth come on Saturdays in Rio Verde community and on Friday afternoons in Palmira. Often the one-on-one classes give special opportunities to really talk over the truths being taught.

Among the students in Palmira are three young couples: Jaime & Sandra, Lorena & Oscar, and David & Ana. Between the couples they have 10 little busy children, so coworker Chrissy Shaub is working hard to keep the kids busy so mom & dad can attend the class! These young folks are all in their 20s and bring a more mature understanding to the class. We’ve now separated the students in Palmira into two groups, in order to teach more effectively on each level. Pray specifically for these young couples as they are really enjoying the classes and soaking it all in readily!
 

We’d like to introduce you to two of our Rio Verde youth:

For many years we’ve affectionately called him “Ainki Milton” (Little Milton) to distinguish him from his father, but these days he’s not so ‘little’ anymore! At 15 he’s getting taller and broader. At a time of life when his father’s influence is greatly needed, his dad has been mostly absent. Ainki quit school during the pandemic (there wasn’t much happening anyways!) and doesn’t hang out with friends, so mostly wanders around looking quite bored. Recently he made a little money by selling naranjilla fruit and was able to buy a motorcycle. Ainki parks his motorcycle in the church, so now we participate in repairs, loan tools, give mechanical advice (that would be Kevin), and try to look knowledgeable while being shown broken parts (Kathy). 😊 Doing the “King of Glory” course brings Ainki to church each Sunday, but he sometimes seems to be present in body but perhaps less so in spirit. Pray that he will allow these truths to make their way to his heart.

Monica Esthela comes every Sunday with grandpa Oso and absolutely loves doing the ‘King of Glory’ course! She is our champion memory verse girl, having learned every verse and earned every prize we’ve offered over the last few years. I’m not sure who Monica’s father is (she may not know either) but she lives in a small wooden house with her mom and stepdad and several half brothers and sisters. Monica has finished all the school years that were offered and is one of our best readers. At 15 years old, there’s not much left for her in Awa culture other than to marry and have a family. Her cousins her age go to parties and hang out with different guys, but Monica doesn’t seem to want that kind of life. We often pray that God will give her a Christian husband in the right time!
 

Family News

Grandson Miles just turned 10 months old and is now walking! He keeps Kenny & Sophia quite busy! We see their house is now filled with gates and barriers. 😊 Keilah & Jeremy, along with Ronin and Amaris, are gearing up to head out to Paraguay this summer. They’d appreciate your prayers for all the final details to fall into place as they begin to think about packing suitcases. Their lives have been filled with support raising and paperwork over the last few months. (For more of their news, visit their website here: https://jkwindler.com/)
Kimberly & Zach continue living in Missouri and just celebrated their 24th birthdays by spending a few days in Virginia with Kenny & Sophia. We do enjoy the many pictures that arrive on a daily basis, keeping us feeling connected!

In His grip,
Kevin & Kathy

Roads, Rain and Sowing the Good Seed

 

January & February 2022 Roads and Rain

We are SO thankful that the road to the city of Ibarra is mostly open again! After the engineers examined the area and gave the gloomy pronouncement of six months before the road could be open again, the regional tractor drivers courageously just went to work and managed to clear a pathway through the rockslide in just a month. At the point where the roadbed fell, the crew used dynamite to make a narrow passageway just wide enough for one vehicle to pass. This past week rain continues to fall and more mud and rocks have fallen in various places along the 50 mile stretch of highway, so there are days when the road is closed again (like today). These days travel at night, with the heavy rains, is not a good option. For the most part though, we are back in business, and we are grateful for the much shorter and more direct trip to the city. Thanks for your prayers!
 

Sowing the Good Seed

In our last Bruce Brief we asked for prayer for recently widowed Oso. We are pleased to report that he continues to come to the church service each Sunday and, yes, he continues to bring a pack of grandchildren with him. The first Sunday he returned, we asked him how he was doing, to which he replied somewhat dismally, “Well, I’m not dead yet.” We recognize the reality of the sad loneliness he is experiencing in these days, and therefore we are glad to see him seeking out the comfort of the truth of God’s word.  Thank you for your continued prayers for him, that the “God of hope would fill [him] with all joy and peace in believing” (Rom 15:13) until that day when God does call him home.

We’ve been going to visit Paulino’s elderly parents, José and Senovia. They are less mobile now and are not able to come to church, so Kathy & I take my guitar and sing and go over a short Bible lesson together with them. Grandsons Jeison (14 yrs) and José Freddy (13) are there listening as well. Please pray for these two young fellows who have lived with their mother and grandparents since their father Alfredo was killed in a drunken fight many years ago. Pray that the good seed of God’s word would be an encouragement to José and Senovia, and that Jeison and Jose Freddy would allow the truth they hear to truly take root their hearts.

With continuing covid sickness, school continues to be ‘hit or miss’ for youth in our valley. With the boredom that comes from not much going on, these young folks are open for Bible study! 😊 Just recently the last three (Avelino, Aida, and Emma, pictured above) finished the Samaritan’s Bible study book, making for a total of 25 youth who have done this study. And there are 26 young folks signed up for the new Bible study we’ll begin this coming Sunday, February 6th! Pray that this book Rey de Gloria (King of Glory, a panoramic overview of the Bible) will be like that good seed in Jesus’ parable of the sower. Pray that the seeds sown will bring forth a harvest of much fruit in these young people’s lives.

Thankful for your partnership in prayer,
Kevin & Kathy

If you are interested in checking out the King of Glory material in many different languages, you can find it here: www.king-of-glory.com.

Happy New Year!

 

By God’s grace, December finds us back in Ecuador

We flew back to Ecuador on November 22nd—many thanks for your prayers! God brought us here safe and sound, despite a travel day with some additional stresses along the way, which seem to be the new normal. One big stress was having to leave two of our check-ins behind in New Hampshire due to a last minute Ecuadorian government change in regulations. But there were also blessings as well, like getting moved to more comfortable seats at no cost on the last leg of our trip.
 

“Business as Usual”

The recent uproar over the new Omicron variant is taking Ecuador (and the world) by storm this Christmas season. The government is struggling to know how to respond, and we hear daily news of new rules and regulations. At the same time, rainy season has hit early, and we are being deluged with daily rains, triggering major mudslides and road closures. The main road between us and the city is now closed for perhaps the next 6 months as the engineers try to figure out a way to move a large section of the mountainside to re-construct the fallen roadbed. Our alternate routes are currently very long and sometimes a bit tricky to navigate being over the steep mountainside on just dirt (muddy!) backroads. Amidst this chaos, we were recently encouraged by the phrase “Business as usual” --- God’s call to keep going about the business of teaching and discipling. People need to know Him, and amidst the craziness of the world situation, that is still our call!

Kathy read this phrase from Isobel Kuhn’s book In the Arena, from the Kuhn’s struggle to continue with ministry in China during the tumultuous years leading up to World War II.

Isobel writes: “Those days the whole world was learning from England what a boost to a nation’s morale is the spirit of blitz or no blitz, we carry on business as usual! The Christian missionary surely should have equal courage and faith. This was the reason we decided to ignore the danger zone and go quietly on with our usual programme. It had a wonderfully stabilizing effect upon the whole countryside, for the Lisu [tribal people there with whom the Kuhns worked] were jittery at the presence of so many armed men and ready to desert their villages for caves and other places of refuge high in the mountains.”
 

 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son….” John 3:16

December 12th the German Impact youth were here, sharing a Christmas message with a simple drama. What a thrill to watch many of the Awa’s faces as they leaned forward taking in the action and songs. One of the mothers of several of our regular Sunday School kids, Berta, caught my attention. Berta’s husband Simón recently took a job in a far community and spends most of each month away from home. A few days before the program, Berta had come with her son Klever asking for homework help, and she shared with us how much they were struggling not having their husband and father in the house. She asked if it was okay if she joined her children for the coming Sunday program. She did come, and it was a joy to watch her face as she intently listened to the message of a Savior who came to give hope! Please pray for Berta to understand the Gospel.

On a sad note, this past week grandma Delfina, a faithful attendee of our services in Rio Verde, went to be with the Lord. She was instrumental in bringing many of her grandchildren with her each Sunday to hear God’s word. Please pray for her husband ‘Oso’ who also has some health issues. I’m sure adjusting to life without her will be hard for him! We praise the Lord that we were able to be here to help during her burial, and to have an opportunity to preach the Gospel to all those who came. Pray also that many of those grandchildren (seen in the picture to the left) will continue to come and learn of Jesus who takes the sting out of death!

We thank you for your prayers! Pray that we would be steadfast in taking each opportunity that God provides to share the message of the coming of our Savior.

And we wish each of you a belated Merry Christmas and a blessed new year! May each of the ordinary moments of your days be blessed with the joy of knowing Jesus.

By God’s grace carrying on ‘business as usual’,
Kevin and Kathy

LIEBENZELL MISSION USA’s 80TH ANNIVERSARY!

 

06 November 2021

 

What a joy it was to participate in the celebration of Liebenzell Mission USA’s 80 years of faithful service in ministry! Missionaries, staff, and many friends of the Mission gathered at LMUSA’s headquarters for a full weekend October 22-24th. We greatly enjoyed connecting with old friends and getting to know new ones. If you are interested in a short video on the legacy of God’s goodness in the founding of Liebenzell, you can see it here!

https://www.liebenzellmission.org/80-years

Kathy and I flew back to the USA in mid-October for a “short” trip. Our hope was to quickly see our kids, attend the anniversary celebration, and have Kathy see the doctor and get some labwork done. Thank the Lord we’ve been able to do all of the above! However, our three-week trip is now rapidly extending longer as we are recovering from a bout of covid… :-/ But we are smiling at God’s perfect timing: our Kichwa friends Angel and Carlos were able to cover the first two weeks we were gone, and then our co-workers the Shaubs were able to fly back. So we are able to recover in peace. 😊 We are blessed to be with daughter Keilah & Jeremy, and Ronin and Amaris while we recuperate here in New Hampshire!

•    Pray for us to have wisdom as to the timing and details of our return to Ecuador.

In His grip,
Kevin & Kathy

Some more pictures below!

Hiking with Kim and Zach in MO

Enjoying time with Kenny and Sophia and getting to know our newest grandson Miles

4 generations of the Bruce family

Keilah and Jeremy with Amaris and Ronin

A cement mixer, a banana, and a reminder to rely on God!

Just what you would do, right? Tie a banana to the gasoline tank?!? Well…let me explain how this was God’s answer to our prayer!
 
Perhaps I should back up just a bit….
 
A week or so ago, Ángel, our builder, said he would be ready Thursday to pour the floor for the church kitchen we are constructing in Palmira. Knowing that we’d need several guys to help mix and pour the cement, we planned a “minga” (community workday) with the Awa at church on Sunday. I ordered 30 sacks of cement and arranged to rent a cement mixer, to be delivered Wednesday afternoon.
 
Wednesday evening Kathy and I were preparing all that we needed for the next day. As we packed up tools, extra gloves, and food for the lunch, we reminded ourselves that starting the day with prayer would be a great way to get going the next morning.
 
Early Thursday morning, the volunteers from Rio Verde joined us as we piled in the truck and headed to Palmira. Amidst the chaos of arriving and unloading, many things seem to need my attention. Soon we fired up the cement mixer, which ran for a few minutes, sputtered and quit. Thinking we had flooded the motor, several young fellows pulled and pulled on the starter rope, but to no avail. Then I remembered what I had forgotten…
 
Okay….so time to start anew. 😊 I called the guys over and we gathered around that obstinate cement mixer and prayed together. We prayed for God’s help and wisdom to get the mixer going, for strength for working, for God to hold back the rain so the cement could harden properly. After praying, we were checking the spark plug when David noticed that the motor wasn’t getting gasoline. Fiddling around with the valve, he got the gas flowing again and we were off and running, and then it started to falter again. That is when David realized that the vibration of the motor made the gas valve close on itself. His brilliant idea was to tie a banana over it to hold it in place! (Thank You, Lord, for the ideas You send!) And so the banana did its job, and we could do ours!
 
After the banana fix, the mixer ran without stopping until we were done. The Lord was also gracious and sent us a dry afternoon so that the surface of the cement had time to harden.
 
I am thankful that the Lord is gracious to remind me to depend on Him. Trying to pull-start a motor repeatedly without succeeding is a great way to jar my memory!
 
Please praise the Lord with us for:

• Progress in the construction of the church kitchen
• For Ángel and Carlos, our builders, both Godly men and hard workers, and the many Awa who have helped out working and cooking
• For God’s patience with us when we get busy and forget to depend on Him

And join us in praying that the future kitchen will be a place of fellowship and community, bringing glory to our Lord Jesus.
 

Grateful the job was done! (And lunch was smelling pretty good too!)

 
If you would like to see more pictures of the workday, please check out our online album here: Kitchen Floor Minga
 
Thank you as well for partnering with us by your prayers and support! The last few months have been challenging with our coworkers still in the USA, taking care of sick family members. Often we seem to be pulled in many directions with many needs calling out for our attention. And yep, in those chaotic moments we do need those reminders to rely on Him for strength and even to arrange our daily schedule.
 
You are in our prayers,
Kevin & Kathy