Roadblocks and Toothy Cows

The nice dry weather the Lord provided for the Awa conference lasted a few more days and then the rains came in earnest! In April it rained just under 18 inches, with most of that falling in the last two weeks.  This deluge, of course, has taken its toll on the road in landslides and mud. Yesterday I helped our neighbor take some of his fruit a couple of kilometers to a big landslide blocking our road. He needed to cross over two landslides to a truck waiting on the other side. We are confident that the town tractor will be up before too long to clear them out, but it does make our travel plans a bit unpredictable these days, and is definitely another area to trust in our Sovereign Lord!

Ximena helping Kathy clean up after a Sunday in Palmira

Sometimes the Lord allows things to happen in the ministry, too, that we might consider ‘roadblocks’. Just this week Paulino came down and canceled our trip to Palmira to teach. He mentioned various reasons, but perhaps the biggest was an issue with the building where we’ve been meeting. Originally the community’s ‘common’ building, it has slowly been taken over as classrooms for the school. The head school teacher has been complaining about the problems of having other meetings held in the building, and the dirty mess they leave behind.  Paulino’s wife Manuela recently attended a parent-teacher meeting where the teacher again complained about this problem, which made her feel uncomfortable about continuing to use the building for our church gatherings. While most folks certainly do leave the meeting room a mess, we are always careful to leave it cleaner than when we arrived.

We tend to see this situation through our ‘individualistic’ cultural glasses, and consequently think, ‘We are not the problem, so what is the big deal – we’ll be an exception. We just need to talk to the director and then be able to keep meeting there.’ Recently Kathy was reading in the book When Helping Hurts by Corbett & Fikkert, and was reminded of the need to see the situation through the Awa ‘collectivist’ cultural glasses. Here is a quote from the book on the contrast of the two viewpoints: “…Collectivist cultures, on the other hand, minimize individual identity and focus on the well-being of the group. Loyalty to and self-sacrifice for the sake of the other group members are seen as virtuous. People in collectivist cultures have extremely deep bonds with the various groups of which they are a part…” (pg 164) We realize that it is supremely important to Paulino and Manuela to be a blessing to their community, and not to cause problems with the school teachers.

How is the Lord going to use this situation? How are we going to move ahead with the outreach to that community? What will bring the Lord the most glory in this situation? These are just some of the questions we are wrestling with in partnership with our Awa brothers and sisters. Actually, Kathy and I are a bit excited as we face this dilemma, as Paulino and several other believers have been mentioning for some time that we ought to have our own church building. Maybe this current problem will be the impetus needed to move from this being just an idea to a reality. Please pray for these ‘roadblocks’ and ‘landslides’ in the path of the ministry here.  We are confident that together as His local body we will be able to soon ‘clear out’ a way, but it does make our plans a bit unpredictable at times, and is just another area to trust in our Sovereign Lord!

On the adventure side of news here at the Outpost, Kathy and I had a scary experience on a dark and foggy night… (drum roll, please…) …the attack of the toothy cow!* Two weeks ago, on a dark and rainy night, Kathy went out to empty some garbage onto our compost pile in the garden. It is only about 10 or 12 steps off our porch to the garden gate, and Kathy only made it half-way when, something big came charging out of the fog, hit her and sent her flying, and then ran off. Startled (to say the least), she screamed and hollered (quite loudly, actually!), so I came dashing out to find her lying in the mud puzzling over what had just happened. After helping her up and making sure she was alright, I went back for a flashlight to go find out what it was. I had just begun to search for tracks to see if it was a cow or a horse or what, when Kimberly yelled out, ‘There it is!’ As I looked up, a big cow (bull?) came crashing through a blue hydrangea bush just a few feet away straight towards me!

Showing off the aftermath of the toothy cow attack

The unfriendly animal, obviously holding some large grudge against humans, shoved me into the side of the house, where I slipped and fell. I scrambled to roll under the low edge of the house to avoid being trampled (evidently I was mostly successful---only one big bruise in the shape of a hoof-mark appeared the next day!) All the while Kathy was screaming (again)...in the dark she was quite sure it was killing me. :-) It finally ran out behind our garden where I was able to scare it away with a blast from a shotgun.  Although we’ve all been a bit skittish about going to the outhouse at night, we are thankful that we suffered no more than a few bruises and sore muscles, and that the ‘toothy cow’ didn’t have horns! The story made for a lot of laughs among the Awa, and we could even laugh about it after it happened, so we thought you would enjoy the re-telling. :-)

In HIS grip,
Kevin & Kathy

*Illustration & name from one of our favorite children’s books by Andrew Peterson: wingfeathersaga.com

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16th Conference!

Greetings from the Outpost! Thanks to all of those who prayed for the Believers’ Conference! This year was the 16th year we have gotten together for three days of Bible teaching, meals and fun on Easter weekend with our Awa brothers and sisters. The picture below is of those brave enough to pose on the last day. :-)

We saw the Lord answer many prayers this year! The elders took an active role in planning, preparing, and teaching during the conference. Paulino helped in teaching the meaning of the colors of the ‘wordless book’ which we made in the form of a cross, and Milton taught about the death and resurrection of Christ. Before the Conference, Milton worked diligently to prepare the ‘outdoor’ kitchen area by sawing the boards needed and enclosing it with a floor, walls, and gate (to keep the dogs out), as well as benches and shelves. It was a special blessing to see Milton’s wife, Delia, take charge of cooking the lunches each day. This is a difficult responsibility in the Awa culture as it opens one up to the possibility of much criticism if the food doesn’t taste good, or if there isn’t enough to go around. Other ladies pitched in, but she carried the load of responsibility. The last day when Delia was feeling tired and discouraged, Milton encouraged her that she was doing the Lord’s work, not just being a cook! We were amazed to see her happy smile later on as she finished up! Seeing her being such a servant is an answer to our prayers that she would become a Godly help-mate for Milton in the ministry. It truly felt like we had new co-workers!

Kevin also taught on child-rearing and marriage.  We had some great discussions as several folks shared about family problems they were facing, and we talked together on how to apply the teaching in God’s word to their lives. Milton and Paulino were also able to share practical help from what God has taught them over the years in their own homes. We were also encouraged to see several new Awa stand to associate themselves with the believers—Ramiro, Jaime, Fermin and his wife Ana, and Manuel’s wife Maria. (With the Awa, spoken testimonies take many years to form—so going forward to take Communion with the believers is often the first step we see the new believers take. They don’t do it lightly!)

Another cool answer to prayer was the weather. For several weeks before, the rains had been heavy with little sunshine. We had a tractor come to clear and level an area for the tent, but the ground was a soggy mess.  Thank the Lord He sent us beautiful sunny weather a few days before conference to dry things out, and then continually during the three days as well. The nights were even bright with the full moon! We praise the Lord for His grace and mercy shown to us in this and many other ways!

We do truly appreciate your prayers. The two weeks before the conference were crazy (as usual). Our friend José finally managed to find time to put tile on the lower outside walls of our Ibarra apartment – a project we’d been talking about for several months.  Kimberly and her cousin Elena both got their wisdom teeth taken out.  Both of those things meant several extra trips and days in Ibarra, when we really wanted to be here in the mountains preparing. Here at the Outpost there were some bad colds going around among the Awa, some disagreements arose, money was tight among the believers for paying for the pig, and Meregildo was facing some heavy discouragement on several fronts. Kathy and I struggled to find adequate time to prepare the teaching for the sessions. But it was a blessing to us to see the Lord resolve each issue, one by one. In the end, the pig was fully paid for, we were ready for teaching, the disagreements were resolved, and Meregildo’s smile returned. We did miss Humberto and family, as they were not able to attend because of much sickness in their family.

Thanks for taking part in the work here! We pray that you also will rejoice with us in seeing the Lord’s grace at work.

In His grip,
Kevin & Kathy

<for a printable version click here>

PS: Here is a link to the Shaub's blog for their report and pictures

Easter is just around the corner!

Here at the Outpost that means that it’s time to begin plans for our annual Awa Believers’ Conference coming up the last week of March. Many organizations and NGO’s in this country, when putting on an event for the native people here, are careful to do everything for them—planning, providing meals, transporting those who attend, choosing topics, and teaching. This method has given the Awa certain expectations for such occasions. In contrast, our desire for the Conference is that the Awa believers take possession of it—‘It’s our Conference!’ we want them to say. We want them to be involved in every aspect of it, and we even hope that one day they will be able to carry on the conferences without us! As you might imagine, this change in attitude from being ‘attendees’ and ‘receivers’  to being ‘possessors’ and ‘providers’ does not necessarily come easily.

But we are thanking the Lord for a good start in the right direction this year! Last Sunday the elders called the believers together in order to plan for the Conference. Milton and Paulino had already decided that it would be held in this community. We rejoiced to hear different ones planning to participate in paying for a pig, re-building the wooden shed the ladies use for their cooking-fire place, and giving promises of food for the meals. Milton enthusiastically rattled off a list of names of those whom he has invited to join us. There was only one discouraging moment, as we talked about who could give hospitality to those coming from further communities. Meregildo hung his head as he explained that he doesn’t have much money right now. “Last time I spent $100 to buy a young cow so that we’d have lots of meat at my house for the company,” he shared with a downcast face, “but I don’t have money like that this year.” Kevin reminded him how many times God has stretched what food we had to be enough---“Remember, at Christmas, all those people came, and we didn’t think there would be enough? And God helped us—there was enough for a full plate for everyone! And there were enough cookie bags, too! God can help us!” And then we prayed all together, that God will provide all that we need.

Please pray with us that this Conference will be a time when each of the believers not only shoulders his part in the load, but also learns to rely on God for His help in every aspect. We are excited to have this chance to prove that God is well able to show Himself mighty on behalf of His people!

Other news:  

• Kathy’s niece Deborah Burnham arrived safely for a two-month visit on February 20th, the very first night the new airport opened outside of Quito. We thanked the Lord for clear skies as the big passenger jets landed for the first time on the new, longer, airstrip near the town of Quinche. The old airport in Quito will soon be retired and turned into a city park!
• We are thankful that our road has remained stable during the heaviest part of rainy season. The provincial government spent many thousands of dollars to put small bridges and culverts in at each creek along the road, and then graveled the whole road. It’s been a great blessing! 
• Kenny and Keilah are both doing well at their schools. Keilah now has a regular job waitressing at a Golden Corral restaurant, while Kenny has been doing some math tutoring there at Liberty. Here in Ecuador, Kimberly continues to valiantly plow through Geometry, Geography, and Biology (among other subjects) in her effort to finish her 9th grade studies by early May. Her goal is to join Keilah this summer working at Whispering Winds Bible Camp in Missouri.  Kenny plans to spend his summer working in New Hampshire.

In HIS grip,
Kevin & Kathy

<for a printable version click here>

picks 4 u

Our group on Monday practicing their memory verse. 

Knocking the wall down so Kimberly gets a bigger room.

January 2013

January 2013

Yummy smoked 'fatty'

Kathy, Kimberly, and I spent a wonderfully quiet Christmas week here on the mountain! I tried out my new 'smoker' barrel on Christmas lunch with delicious results, while Kathy and Kimberly added more yummy dishes to the menu. We also put together a puzzle, as we do each Christmas, and enjoyed chatting long-distance with Kenny and Keilah.  These days were especially relaxing since the week before, and the week after, were both a bit crazy for us....

The week before Christmas Kathy had an allergic reaction to something here at the Outpost. After  suffering with hives and itching off and on for two days, and finding little help from Benadryl, she went out to Ibarra with the Shaub family on December 16th. That night she woke up around midnight with her tongue and throat swelling, so Andy and Chrissy took her to the emergency room. At that point, we were all thankful she was in the city! The (very!) young doctor there, as well as the doctor she saw the next day, attributed the allergy to a local plant that is known to give strong reactions. Kathy hadn't been outside at the time she started with the hives, but I had been weed-whacking in the yard for several days prior to that, which might have been the source of her trouble. After several days on stronger medication, Kathy returned to the Outpost on the 20th, not without feeling a bit wary of the local herbage! We thank the Lord that by His grace she has been fine since then.

porch getting a bit crowded!

After Christmas, I spent several days in the city with our Mission co-workers going over our goals for the coming year. I came home just in time for a special Sunday with the Awa December 30th, celebrating both Christmas and the end of the year. While expecting around 80 people, we were happily surprised to have about 150 folks show up! (At one point there were over 100 people squeezed on our porch, while the rest sat on blankets on the hill just behind.) It did give us and the believers a few tense moments wondering if the food for lunch would be enough! But we had an especially good service with both Milton and Paulino sharing with the crowd; games; a feast of boiled pork, beans, yucca, rice and plantains; and the giving of the traditional animal cracker and candy bags. The Lord graciously stretched what we had and there was enough for all. Everyone left with a smile! It was an excellent opportunity to invite those who are interested to join us each Sunday. One couple, Silvio (a fellow who tried to commit suicide about a year ago) and his wife Pastora, as well as a 12-year-old neighbor boy, Edison, have joined us for several Sundays since. Please join us in praying that their present interest will turn into a lasting understanding of God's love for them.

Happy New Year!

In HIS grip,
Kevin & Kathy

<FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION CLICK HERE>

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December Bruce Brief

María Luisa, along with her two boys, elderly parents, and a young niece, stayed with us for ten days in November. The Lord gave many opportunities to teach, help, and encourage this needy family. During these days we were encouraged to see Maria taking more of an interest in life, as she chatted with Paulino’s teenage daughter, made bead necklaces with Kathy, and even went on several short hikes. The believers in this area were very friendly to the family, bringing gifts of food, inviting them to a cow butchering, and even helping them with a financial loan! Paulino spent time encouraging them to trust in the Lord, and not live in helpless fear of their foes—María’s angry husband, the evil spirits, and the reputed hex from the shaman. It was a special blessing to us to hear the gentle and loving way he counseled and prayed with them--not discarding the validity of what they have faced, but reminding them that God is bigger.

María’s family really struggles with feeling hopeless in the face of the size of the struggles they are experiencing. As we sat down with them each day to go through the Exodus account of Moses’ life, our prayer was that God would ‘grow’ in their minds. He is the Almighty God---He was certainly able to handle mighty Pharoah and the army of Egypt! While the family listened carefully with many nods and comments of agreement, we found it hard to know if they were truly taking it all to heart for their own situation. The true test for them will come as they head back home and face the difficulties again. As they packed up to leave, however, it did seem like their overall perspective was a bit more encouraged. Please pray with us that they will be reminded daily that HE IS ABLE!

There are several colds and viruses going around our area as the cold winds and rain settle in for the rainy season. Many Awa have been sick, and we’ve taken our turn as well! Thankfully, we are now feeling much better, and pray that our friends will, also.

Thanks for joining us in prayer!

• We are missing our two college kids! But we are thankful to see how God is working out their plans for the Christmas break. Keilah is making plans to stay at NTBI over most of Christmas, as she has a house-sitting job for part of the break. Kenny is hoping to travel northwest to spend a few days with Keilah, as well as with his girlfriend’s family, the Meyers. The Meyer family, good friends of ours since Bible School days, continue to seek the Lord as they deal with their son Benjamin’s cancer. 
• Humberto is trying to buy land in our area, in order to live closer to us and the fellowship of the other believers. Sadly, his first deal to buy land has now fallen through. Milton is quite determined to help Humberto out, in spite of some opposition from folks in our area. Please pray that Humberto will lean on God’s strength during this difficult time, and that he’ll be able to find a good piece of land to buy.

Because He is able,

Kevin & Kathy

<for a printable version click here>