Sept 18 prayer letter

Autumn Greetings Family and Friends,         The Prophet Isaiah wrote, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace: that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth" (52:7)! We are privileged to be able to be the feet that serve our awesome God here in the beautiful Andes mountains of Ecuador. 

        This summer God's Word was shared with over 2500 Ecuadorians through the ministry of Jeremiah 38. We would like to share with you in this letter some of the results of your prayers and the ministries that the team were able to be a part of. All the praise and all the honor goes to our awesome God!The Jeremiah 38 team consisted of 34 people coming from three different countries - United States, Peru, and Honduras. Eighteen of the members went to Alausi to work alongside Daniel and Melissa and the church members of Alausi. There they held five different medical clinics in the mornings. The first day was in Alausi and the rest of the week in surrounding Quichua communities. A few days they were working in an altitude of nearly 13,000 feet. Each person saw a medical personel, received spiritual counselling, received vitamins and other needed medicine and reading glasses given to the elderly. There was also a children's ministry while they were waiting to see the doctor. In the afternoons the Alausi Church and the team held a VBS for the children in town. We are thankful for the assistance that the mayor's office provided in transportation and some medical help. The only disadvantage was that Dave and I had little time with the team members that went to Alausi. But we praise the Lord how He used them there. Klever, the pastor of the Alausi church, now has several new Bible studies with families that came to the clinic. Also, two church members are beginning a Bible study in the nearby town of Sibambe, where one of the clinics was held. Just a side note (to show God is in control), when the team arrived to Sibambe the president of the community was not going to allow them to hold the clinic. She was mad that it involved a non-Catholic group, and she didn't want people to associate her with "evangelicals." She was going to close the doors and not let the people in. Daniel had to remind her that the mayor of Alausi signed an agreement with Jeremiah 38 to hold the clinics so she could not make that decision. Praise the Lord that the agreement with the Mayor was done months before. "We know that all things work together for good." God also opened up other opportunities that were not planned. Several team members went to the prison to minister, as well as a nursing home facility. Praise the Lord for treasures that were laid up in heaven!        It was our hearts' desire to see new contacts for the town of Chambo through the ministry of the clinics. We have been praying for Chambo for nearly sixteen years, that God would use us to establish a church there. Sixteen members of the Jeremiah 38 group worked alongside Dave and I in Chambo and four other nearby communities. Through the help of the mayor's wife, all five clinics were a success. They were so organized and very helpful. They provided two doctors and assistants to help register the people. The group had such a great testimony that it impressed the doctors so that they want to help next year. It was an amazing work of God! But we also have to boast a little on the Riobamba church family. They were an inspiration as they all helped out that week with the counselling in the clinics, as well as with the pharmacy, and some translating. A beautiful picture of the body of Christ working together even with a language barrier. Our young people also did an excellent job with the VBS. They had nearly 250 kids each day. As a result of the ministry we now have two towns that we are starting Bible studies and hopefully in the future two new churches. We never imagined that God would open up two doors. The other town is called Guayllabamba. It is a small Indian community 20 miles from Chambo. But many do not have vehicles, so it makes it hard for them to get to Chambo. The Bible studies will be on Tuesday and Sunday afternoon. Be praying with us that we will see God bring many to Himself and His church added to. Keep praying with us for Chambo too. The people that showed interest have not showed up yet. We know we need to be patient and wait on God. In His time He will build His church! Lord willing, Jeremiah 38 will be coming every year to hold these clinics. We would love to encourage you to be a part of the team one summer. They usually come the first week of August, so make a note on your next year calendar. It will change your heart for missions. 

       Our weekly schedule of ministry is overflowing; but it is nice to be busy in the work of the Lord. Because of the new studies we had to tell the Alausi Bible Institute students that we can no longer go on Tuesdays to teach the class. But the men who already graduated several years ago are approved teachers by the BTCP program, so Dave encouraged them to keep on with the classes. We will try to travel there once a month for encouragement and hold a special class day. We need your prayers for God's strength and for good health! Our prayer is that God will raise up co-laborers, as there is much work to be done. Daniel and Melissa are hoping to return in two years. Praise the Lord they were able to come down for a month in July/August to visit with family and help with the medical team. Our granddaughter Lauren was such a help with the Chambo team. Even at such a young age God can use her. She did some translating for one of the counsellors and ended up evangelizing on her own. As we look to the future and getting new churches established, we have to leave the Riobamba church in the hands of the young leaders. Pray for them that they will continually seek the Lord and be godly examples in their daily lives.        Thank you so much for your prayers and support. In August we received several love gifts that will provide for us in getting our passports renewed and transferring our visas over. We are headed to Quito next week to get paperwork done and go to the U.S. Embassy. We have also made the decision to begin working on getting our citizenship of Ecuador. This will allow us to travel freely, because with visas they are restricting the time allowed outside of Ecuador without losing the visa. This process will take a year and a half to complete. Pray for God's provision for that step. He has always provided for us when the need arose.         We love you and appreciate you more than we can express. Continue to pray for our family. It is hard to be so far away but God watches over them and they are His. May the Lord bless as you faithfully shine your light where God has planted you. Together in the King's Service, Dave and Cindy