We miss you all. It has been such a wonderful trip growing together as a team, seeing God at work and being tourists. We all hate to have it end, but must admit we are ready to get home, see our families and friends, sleep in our own beds and eat some biscuits and gravy. Although, last night we all went out for a great dinner, including Cuy. For those that do not know what Cuy is, it is guinea pig slow roasted over an open fire. EVERYONE on our team tried it and I think they all actually liked it. Some even wanted more. It has been a great trip and again, we are thankful for the opportunity to be here. As John said, please keep both teams and the churches with whom we have served in your prayers. We love you and miss you all. See you sometime in the next day and a half. This will be our final posting as well.
In Christ,
Jeff and the whole Cuenca team.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Quito August 8th
Hello all you devoted blog readers,
We had a great day working at the church. We painted part of the outside of the church. Picked up trash in the neighborhood, put up supports for the roof on the church, painted the lines on the basketball court, cleaned the inside of the church, and watched a movie with Oswaldo and his family.
Thanks so much for praying for us. A few of the students have picked up a cold and Bill Hutchinson twisted his knee a bit while playing basketball. (Don't worry Robin he's ok) Just wanted to ask you guys to pray for these few things as we wrap up our time here.
Continue to pray for the kids that came to VBS both in Cuenca and Quito. God's Word has gone forth and is doing a great work in their lives. Also please pray for the two churches (Cuenca and Quito) we have had the privilege to work with this past week. Both are growing and have wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord. It's awesome to see God's church here in Ecuador honoring and living for Him!
This will be our final blog from Quito. We are signing off and will see you when we get back! Thanks for reading about our trip!
In Christ,
John
We had a great day working at the church. We painted part of the outside of the church. Picked up trash in the neighborhood, put up supports for the roof on the church, painted the lines on the basketball court, cleaned the inside of the church, and watched a movie with Oswaldo and his family.
Thanks so much for praying for us. A few of the students have picked up a cold and Bill Hutchinson twisted his knee a bit while playing basketball. (Don't worry Robin he's ok) Just wanted to ask you guys to pray for these few things as we wrap up our time here.
Continue to pray for the kids that came to VBS both in Cuenca and Quito. God's Word has gone forth and is doing a great work in their lives. Also please pray for the two churches (Cuenca and Quito) we have had the privilege to work with this past week. Both are growing and have wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord. It's awesome to see God's church here in Ecuador honoring and living for Him!
This will be our final blog from Quito. We are signing off and will see you when we get back! Thanks for reading about our trip!
In Christ,
John
Cuenca, Saturday August 7
Well, here we are finally in front of a computer again. So much to say, so little time. God is good! That is number one. I guess after that not much matters, but anyway... We finished VBS as I said before on Thursday and the our hosts want us to enjoy ourselves the rest of the time, so we are. we went to the museum yesterday along with ruins and then off to shopping. Many of our team are the ultimate deal makers and they bought lots of stuff. I hope we can get it all on the plane. We have been eating a wide variety of food and yesterday we had mexican for dinner in a place where they let us write on the walls. Rachel celebrated her 18th birthday in South America. So cool, considering her 15th was in Africa. Jill has been a great trip mom and we could not have done so much without her.
Today we went to El Cajas national park wich was very cool and got up to 13,000 + feet..not as high as Quito team, but oh well. Lack of oxygen made for some interesting conversation. We are meeting a double decker bus in an hour to take a tour of the city. Some of the group is shopping again! we have been told that it would be really great if we could get back here next year and I know Wilson will be plugging for that as well.
I cannot say again how much the kids at VBS made an impact on us and really seemed to get the Gospel as it was presented. Many tears were shed as we departed for them. Thanks again for all of your prayers. If you are wondering why I am the only one posting from Cuenca, I guess it is because the rest of the team keeps saying, ¨"No, you go ahead." That´s all for now. Hopefully more posts before we see you.
In Him, Jeff
Today we went to El Cajas national park wich was very cool and got up to 13,000 + feet..not as high as Quito team, but oh well. Lack of oxygen made for some interesting conversation. We are meeting a double decker bus in an hour to take a tour of the city. Some of the group is shopping again! we have been told that it would be really great if we could get back here next year and I know Wilson will be plugging for that as well.
I cannot say again how much the kids at VBS made an impact on us and really seemed to get the Gospel as it was presented. Many tears were shed as we departed for them. Thanks again for all of your prayers. If you are wondering why I am the only one posting from Cuenca, I guess it is because the rest of the team keeps saying, ¨"No, you go ahead." That´s all for now. Hopefully more posts before we see you.
In Him, Jeff
Quito August 8
I wanted to share something Oswaldo (the pastor of the church here) said about VBS this week. He told me yesterday that he thought it went really well. The most humbling thing he said was that many of these children heard the gospel for the first time. What a cool thing! He also said that he wants to do this every year. This was his first VBS. He said I'm always working with the adults and never have the opportunity to work with children like this. I praise the Lord for our team and the great job they did this week.
Today we will be painting the outside of the church building, picking up trash around the church, and painting the lines on the basketball court. The whole community uses the court. What we don't finish today we will finish tomorrow. Thanks so much for praying for us! We all are looking forward to seeing you early Tuesday morning. We will call parents after we get through customs so you will know what time to meet us at FBC early Tuesday morning.
In Christ,
John
Today we will be painting the outside of the church building, picking up trash around the church, and painting the lines on the basketball court. The whole community uses the court. What we don't finish today we will finish tomorrow. Thanks so much for praying for us! We all are looking forward to seeing you early Tuesday morning. We will call parents after we get through customs so you will know what time to meet us at FBC early Tuesday morning.
In Christ,
John
Friday, August 7, 2009
Quito August 7
Hello All!
Today, Friday, was our last day of VBS. We had a great week with the kids. Everything went smoothly. Our schedule consisted of (in this order): singing, story, games, snack, and craft. The kids really liked us. It was cool because when we were going out to the mall, we would see some of the kids from the VBS and they would give us a big smile and if they were close enough, they would give us a hug.
We were able to make one last stop to the market today-lots of people there :)
We met some fellow Americans at the market-one family was from Virginia and the other from North Carolina. John was talking to the man for a little while, then when they had finished, the man saw Patrick and asked him how Virginia was. (Patrick did not know the man and was not around when John was talking with him). Patrick took off his sunglasses, and looked straight at the man and asked, "How in the world did you know I was from Virginia?" I could see Patrick was very suspicious/nervous so I told him that John had talked to the man :) --then they laughed.
Ecuador, for me, is very different from the US. Don't get me started about the way they drive...crazy! hehe
Well, tomorrow we work-paint the church and paint lines on the basketball court-if all goes well.
Talk to you later!
Jordan Williamson
Today, Friday, was our last day of VBS. We had a great week with the kids. Everything went smoothly. Our schedule consisted of (in this order): singing, story, games, snack, and craft. The kids really liked us. It was cool because when we were going out to the mall, we would see some of the kids from the VBS and they would give us a big smile and if they were close enough, they would give us a hug.
We were able to make one last stop to the market today-lots of people there :)
We met some fellow Americans at the market-one family was from Virginia and the other from North Carolina. John was talking to the man for a little while, then when they had finished, the man saw Patrick and asked him how Virginia was. (Patrick did not know the man and was not around when John was talking with him). Patrick took off his sunglasses, and looked straight at the man and asked, "How in the world did you know I was from Virginia?" I could see Patrick was very suspicious/nervous so I told him that John had talked to the man :) --then they laughed.
Ecuador, for me, is very different from the US. Don't get me started about the way they drive...crazy! hehe
Well, tomorrow we work-paint the church and paint lines on the basketball court-if all goes well.
Talk to you later!
Jordan Williamson
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Quito August 6th
Hey everybody!
So... it's been an amazing Thursday here in Quito. (I think it's Thursday, right??) This morning, we did our 2nd-to-last VBS, which went really well. We started off with singing, like always, and Sarah and I have said a lot how thankful we are for Josue!! Wow, if we didn't have him, singing time would just be 2 minutes. He's been a blessing for us! He knows a lot of Spanish songs that the kids know and he plays the guitar by ear, and he accompanies us on a lot of our songs that he can pick up. (Which is most of them...:) Today was the story of the crucifixion, and Bill had us act out the scene where Mary Magdalene and the disciples see the empty tomb. Freddy explained everything out in espanol, and then he led the whole group in the sinner's prayer. The little girl named Linda on my lap said it-- how cool is that! :D We played "red light, green light" in games, and the kids liked that. After that, we made empty tombs that said inside "Jesus esta vivo!" The kids are so careful with their crafts. They do amazing work! :) Tomrrow will be sad because it's our last day, and we're going to have to say goodbye to those adorable kids!! It makes me sad just typing it. But anyways, the language difference hasn't been that bad for a lot of us, because we and the kids have been bonding so much. Awwwww:))) I think all of us have been learning a lot about ourselves and about how we relate to people. The team meetings have been really good because John has been encouraging us to stay in the word. Today our meeting was about unity, and that was a really good topic which encouraged me.
This afternoon we lazed around and played a few rounds of Uno so we could get ready for our night on the town. ha ha. just kidding. A bus picked us up around 6 and we went and got some McDonalds, and then we started our tour! We saw a really big church with star windows and then we walked around outside through some streets with restaurants, and then we went to a really big statue and I never figured out what the name of it was. But it was cool. :) Now we're all home and ready for bed.
Tomorrow we'll be having our last day of VBS, so please pray that it will go well and all the goodbyes won't be too painful. Patrick and I are saying our testimonies tomorrow, so please pray for that too. :)
~Elizabeth~
So... it's been an amazing Thursday here in Quito. (I think it's Thursday, right??) This morning, we did our 2nd-to-last VBS, which went really well. We started off with singing, like always, and Sarah and I have said a lot how thankful we are for Josue!! Wow, if we didn't have him, singing time would just be 2 minutes. He's been a blessing for us! He knows a lot of Spanish songs that the kids know and he plays the guitar by ear, and he accompanies us on a lot of our songs that he can pick up. (Which is most of them...:) Today was the story of the crucifixion, and Bill had us act out the scene where Mary Magdalene and the disciples see the empty tomb. Freddy explained everything out in espanol, and then he led the whole group in the sinner's prayer. The little girl named Linda on my lap said it-- how cool is that! :D We played "red light, green light" in games, and the kids liked that. After that, we made empty tombs that said inside "Jesus esta vivo!" The kids are so careful with their crafts. They do amazing work! :) Tomrrow will be sad because it's our last day, and we're going to have to say goodbye to those adorable kids!! It makes me sad just typing it. But anyways, the language difference hasn't been that bad for a lot of us, because we and the kids have been bonding so much. Awwwww:))) I think all of us have been learning a lot about ourselves and about how we relate to people. The team meetings have been really good because John has been encouraging us to stay in the word. Today our meeting was about unity, and that was a really good topic which encouraged me.
This afternoon we lazed around and played a few rounds of Uno so we could get ready for our night on the town. ha ha. just kidding. A bus picked us up around 6 and we went and got some McDonalds, and then we started our tour! We saw a really big church with star windows and then we walked around outside through some streets with restaurants, and then we went to a really big statue and I never figured out what the name of it was. But it was cool. :) Now we're all home and ready for bed.
Tomorrow we'll be having our last day of VBS, so please pray that it will go well and all the goodbyes won't be too painful. Patrick and I are saying our testimonies tomorrow, so please pray for that too. :)
~Elizabeth~
Cuenca August 6
Hola Amigos!
God is good! We finished up our VBS today with 25 children. They really seemed to understand what was presented and also had a great time. Our children really loved all aspects of the VBS. They played great games, had a fun time with crafts and loved the snacks. Teaching went well with some of our students sharing their testimonies and participating in the teaching as well. We shot some good video that will be shared with you at church or on the blog if we can figure out the editing. (Need Mike Lukens) We have all enjoyed a nightly praise and study time with the local church, having sung songs in Spanish and English and then breaking off for our own study and prayer. Wilson has been great at bringing us to many local restaurants and we are all feeling like we eat forever, yet are not getting fat(er)!!!.
Tomorrow we will go to the museum of Ecuadorian History and the shopping in downtown Cuenca. Saturday holds more tourist opportunities for us as does Sunday, finishing up with a church service in the evening. We have been waiting to do the tourist thing as we have been busy all week with VBS and church stuff. We are very aware of how God has been working through us and among us. We are also aware that now is the time that satan will attempt to gain his footholds. We appreciate your continued prayers in this area.
Quito team: We are continually praying for you and we are very glad to hear how well things are going for you. Stay strong in the Lord!!!
Juan just walked in the room with some notes for our team from the VBS kids (That was fast) so there will be a need for many tissues. We thank you all for your support and this opportunity to serve a glorious and faithful God!
In Him, Jeff
God is good! We finished up our VBS today with 25 children. They really seemed to understand what was presented and also had a great time. Our children really loved all aspects of the VBS. They played great games, had a fun time with crafts and loved the snacks. Teaching went well with some of our students sharing their testimonies and participating in the teaching as well. We shot some good video that will be shared with you at church or on the blog if we can figure out the editing. (Need Mike Lukens) We have all enjoyed a nightly praise and study time with the local church, having sung songs in Spanish and English and then breaking off for our own study and prayer. Wilson has been great at bringing us to many local restaurants and we are all feeling like we eat forever, yet are not getting fat(er)!!!.
Tomorrow we will go to the museum of Ecuadorian History and the shopping in downtown Cuenca. Saturday holds more tourist opportunities for us as does Sunday, finishing up with a church service in the evening. We have been waiting to do the tourist thing as we have been busy all week with VBS and church stuff. We are very aware of how God has been working through us and among us. We are also aware that now is the time that satan will attempt to gain his footholds. We appreciate your continued prayers in this area.
Quito team: We are continually praying for you and we are very glad to hear how well things are going for you. Stay strong in the Lord!!!
Juan just walked in the room with some notes for our team from the VBS kids (That was fast) so there will be a need for many tissues. We thank you all for your support and this opportunity to serve a glorious and faithful God!
In Him, Jeff
Cuenca, August 5
Well, I know it is the sixth, but I could not post last night and will make this quick. We had a great time with day 3 of VBS and the kids are loving it. Our team is having a great time and everyone is doing well. We are excited, yet sad that today is our last day of VBS and we willbe inviting the kids to make that personal decision to trust Christ as their savior. Hopefully, some parents will also show up to hear the Gospel as well. Please continue to pray for our reliance on the Holy Spirit and to trust God to grow the seeds we are planting.
We went for a traditional Ecuadorian dinner last night and everyone loved it! We have been having a great time studying the Word and praying together and again I am reminded how God knew exactly what he was doing putting this team together. Must run for now, but should have way more time to post this evening. God bless all of you and thanks for your support and prayers!
In Him, Jeff
We went for a traditional Ecuadorian dinner last night and everyone loved it! We have been having a great time studying the Word and praying together and again I am reminded how God knew exactly what he was doing putting this team together. Must run for now, but should have way more time to post this evening. God bless all of you and thanks for your support and prayers!
In Him, Jeff
Special request for Susan Polk
Hi Susan, everything is going great here! You did a FANTASTIC job preparing us! Thanks so much for all your hard work, it has made this trip run so smoothly! Could you do me a favor and contact Brian Carey about the family retreat? He is going to do the games at the sessions. He can have 45 minutes at each session. He wants to know the theme and time of the sessions.
Thanks again!
John
Thanks again!
John
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Quito August 5th
Greetings. We have had a great day! We had a wonderful time with the kids. We have gained more kids each day. Today we talked about Jesus and that He is both God and man. Our students did a great job acting out the story of Jesus feeding the 5 thousand and Jesus in the garden of Gesthemene. Singing time was excellent and the game time was a blast. I think the kids really enjoy the craft time the most. They stay after noon and want to continue doing their crafts. It's a great time because the craft reinforces the lesson. Relationships are being built with the children and it's so much fun to watch our students reaching out to the kids and loving them with Christ's love. We have a student share their testimony as a part of the teaching time. they have done a great job with that. We have enjoyed the people of the church here so much. They are so loving and gracious. We are definately building enduring relationships with these people. We just love them! The Holy Spirit is amazing and I love how He brings us together in Christ!
We went to Teleforoqo (spelling?) We went up in a cable car to the top of the mountain. 14000 feet. It was a great time. We are still all healthy and enjoying one another. God has given us some good prayer times together as a team. I'm thankful for this opportunity God and FBC has given both us and the Cuenca team. To Him be the glory! Thanks for praying for us. I'll write tomorrow.
Jeff, we are praying for you guys! Great to hear how you are doing. Be strong the Lord and the strength of His Might!! Love John for the rest of the Quito team!
We went to Teleforoqo (spelling?) We went up in a cable car to the top of the mountain. 14000 feet. It was a great time. We are still all healthy and enjoying one another. God has given us some good prayer times together as a team. I'm thankful for this opportunity God and FBC has given both us and the Cuenca team. To Him be the glory! Thanks for praying for us. I'll write tomorrow.
Jeff, we are praying for you guys! Great to hear how you are doing. Be strong the Lord and the strength of His Might!! Love John for the rest of the Quito team!
Pictures of Ecuador Cuenca team
These are pictures from Jill Dennis, posted on her facebook page for those of you who don't do facebook. Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Quito August 4th
Hola everyone :)
Today was muy bueno (that is "very good" for those of you not in tune with your espanol side). We started off the day much like yesterday... waking up to the sweet sounds of barking and car alarms, ate breakfast and then went to VBS. Led by Sarah Avery and Elizabeth Green everyone sang some amazing songs such as Jesus Loves Me, I've got the joy (Both in espanol) and then my personal favorite, Father Abraham. The kids were so cute shaking their arms and legs singing about Father Abraham ... even though I'm sure most had no idea what the song was about :D. It's amazing how God is using music as a tool to "break-the-ice"; though we speak completely different languages, we can come together to praise the Lord. Thank you so much for your prayers! We have really begun to bond with everyone here.
I had the privilege of becoming close friends with a 7 old girl named Damaris who is the sweetest person ever! She speaks very little English and I'm not exactly fluent in Spanish to say the least but when we are together it doesn't matter... we have such a great time. I know I'm not the only one who has made some friends like that and praise the Lord for the blessing of friendship.
Anyways ... After VBS the whole group including Damaris and her family, plus Oswaldo's family went to the CENTER OF THE EARTH!!!! :). We actually got to stradle the equator! (We've got pictures! :D) It was seriously one of the coolest experiences ever. We had the beautiful scenery all around us and the effect of being six pounds lighter all in the presence of our best friends... It was simply overwhelming.
After the equator stradling party we went to a mall for dinner and then went on back to Oswaldo's for some fun, games, and fellowship. Currently the group (with exception of Jordan, Alan (Oswaldo's son) and me) are playing the world class game of Uno :) So please continue the prayers for safety and the ability to minister to everyone here. I think I speak for everyone when I say "We miss you, thank you and love you" <3
Sincerly Hope.
Today was muy bueno (that is "very good" for those of you not in tune with your espanol side). We started off the day much like yesterday... waking up to the sweet sounds of barking and car alarms, ate breakfast and then went to VBS. Led by Sarah Avery and Elizabeth Green everyone sang some amazing songs such as Jesus Loves Me, I've got the joy (Both in espanol) and then my personal favorite, Father Abraham. The kids were so cute shaking their arms and legs singing about Father Abraham ... even though I'm sure most had no idea what the song was about :D. It's amazing how God is using music as a tool to "break-the-ice"; though we speak completely different languages, we can come together to praise the Lord. Thank you so much for your prayers! We have really begun to bond with everyone here.
I had the privilege of becoming close friends with a 7 old girl named Damaris who is the sweetest person ever! She speaks very little English and I'm not exactly fluent in Spanish to say the least but when we are together it doesn't matter... we have such a great time. I know I'm not the only one who has made some friends like that and praise the Lord for the blessing of friendship.
Anyways ... After VBS the whole group including Damaris and her family, plus Oswaldo's family went to the CENTER OF THE EARTH!!!! :). We actually got to stradle the equator! (We've got pictures! :D) It was seriously one of the coolest experiences ever. We had the beautiful scenery all around us and the effect of being six pounds lighter all in the presence of our best friends... It was simply overwhelming.
After the equator stradling party we went to a mall for dinner and then went on back to Oswaldo's for some fun, games, and fellowship. Currently the group (with exception of Jordan, Alan (Oswaldo's son) and me) are playing the world class game of Uno :) So please continue the prayers for safety and the ability to minister to everyone here. I think I speak for everyone when I say "We miss you, thank you and love you" <3
Sincerly Hope.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Cuenca August 4
Hola amigos!
I was not able to get logged in last night, but here we are. I guess God just wanted me to go to sleep. Day two of our VBS went very well. The kids came running up and greeted us by name. It is truly wonderful to see how quickly the attachments are made. Same of us really get a kick out of how our names are pronounced. As we played games and went into our crafts and lessons it was evident that many of them remembered the lesson form Monday and they really participated in what was being taught. We are all very excited for today.
The team as a whole has been doing well. Some are experiencing a bit of homesickness, but we have each other to help through that and of course, we really feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. We have had some really good study and prayer time. I feel like we are getting a better picture of who God is, who we are in Him, and how he would have us live out these truths.
Our host families have been absolutely fantastic and hospitable. We are truly blessed! Last night Wilson arrived and we joined the church at one family's house for Bible study. We sang many songs in Spanish and I believe that even those without a grasp of the language are really figuring out what we are singing about. Our group time together was so real, honest and Spirit led. Again I will say that God sure does know how to put a team together. Everyone has been so open to the needs of the group as a whole and to the adjustments we have needed to make with our VBS plans.
If I tell you about the wonderful food we have been getting you might not think we were on a missions trip, but I believe that is one of the ways in which God is blessing us for being here.
Today we will be presenting the crucifixion. As we begin to share more of our testimonies with the children and ask them for a personal response, we would certainly appreciate all of your prayers. Thank you again for this opportunity to serve a mighty and awesome God! we love you all. Hopefully I will be able to log in tonight for more updates. Se Jill Dennis's Facebook page for a lot of pictures.
In Him, Jeff
Cuenca August 3
Hello everyone,
Well, After reading John's post I could just copy and paste it into mine because we are experiencing much of the same. Church on Sunday was an all day time of fellowship and we even had a preview of kids for the VBS that came to play games with us. Our host families have been very nice and welcoming and we really feel like we are part of their families. All health issues are minor..tired from travel, chapped lips, etc...nothing to worry about!!!
We had our first day of VBS today and it went fantastic. We also had around 20 children and they seemed to have lots of fun. They learned about who God is and His creation. Tomorrow we will discuss the fall. The Gospel has been already shared and will continue to be every day. All of the members of this team have been great! God sure does know how to put people together. I will continue to encourage the gang to call home and say hi. Our time of fellowship, study and prayer together has been very encouraging as well. I would suggest checking facebook pages for pictures because some homes have faster Internet connections. You may even get a good laugh out of a few. We appreciate your prayers and support and are all very thankful for the opportunity God has presented us. Hopefully I will be able to update tomorrow.
PS. Garlic grilled cheese sandwiches are good in Ecuador as well as the US. Oh Yeah!
Quito August 3rd
Greetings to all,
We had our first day of VBS today. We had a great time. We had about 20 children and are expecting more as the week goes on. All of our students did a great job! They were very involved. They are interacting and getting to know the kids. We are having a wonderful time with the people from the church. They are so kind and very hospitable. We have enjoyed the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. We will continue with the same plan tomorrow. We are going to the center of the earth tomorrow afternoon. Should be fun. Thanks for praying for us. So far we have not had any health issues. Everyone has a great attitude and a servant's heart. Please pray for the kids coming to VBS. We are sharing the gospel everyday. Tomorrow we will talk about Adam and Eve and the fall.
In Christ's Love,
John
P.S. We are unable to post pictures because of the slowness of the computer I'm using. Sorry. We will bring many home with us.
We had our first day of VBS today. We had a great time. We had about 20 children and are expecting more as the week goes on. All of our students did a great job! They were very involved. They are interacting and getting to know the kids. We are having a wonderful time with the people from the church. They are so kind and very hospitable. We have enjoyed the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. We will continue with the same plan tomorrow. We are going to the center of the earth tomorrow afternoon. Should be fun. Thanks for praying for us. So far we have not had any health issues. Everyone has a great attitude and a servant's heart. Please pray for the kids coming to VBS. We are sharing the gospel everyday. Tomorrow we will talk about Adam and Eve and the fall.
In Christ's Love,
John
P.S. We are unable to post pictures because of the slowness of the computer I'm using. Sorry. We will bring many home with us.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Quito August 2nd
Hi Friends,
We had a great day today. We went to church and had a wonderful time of fellowship with the believers here. We spent part of our afternoon shopping for our lunches for the rest of the week. The guys spent time playing basketball with some guys from the church. We are about to have supper and then a team meeting to get ready for our first day of VBS. We are excited to get going with it. Thanks for praying and I will let you know how it goes tomorrow night. Your kids are all doing great! Great attitudes and interaction with the people here. It's been lot's of fun. Thanks for praying and I will drop a note tomorrow.
In Christ,
John
P.S. Jeff, tell everyone in Cuenca hello for us. We are praying for you guys!
We had a great day today. We went to church and had a wonderful time of fellowship with the believers here. We spent part of our afternoon shopping for our lunches for the rest of the week. The guys spent time playing basketball with some guys from the church. We are about to have supper and then a team meeting to get ready for our first day of VBS. We are excited to get going with it. Thanks for praying and I will let you know how it goes tomorrow night. Your kids are all doing great! Great attitudes and interaction with the people here. It's been lot's of fun. Thanks for praying and I will drop a note tomorrow.
In Christ,
John
P.S. Jeff, tell everyone in Cuenca hello for us. We are praying for you guys!
Saturday, August 1, 2009
August 1st Quito
Greetings from Quito! I can't believe you beat me writing Jeff. Great to hear you guys arrived safely!
Oswaldo (pastor of the church) greeted us at the airport and we loaded up our suitcases and drove to his house. We had a nice relaxing time talking and going to their church where we will be having VBS. The weather is absolutely wonderful here. Everyone is healthy but really tired. We just got back from supper and our group is relaxing and getting ready to be picked up by their host families. We are going to get to bed early and catch up on some sleep. Church is at 10:30am. Please pray for Jeff and myself as we will be giving the sermon in the morning at our churches. As Jeff said everything went smoothly from FBC to the front door of our host! Thank you Lord! I will let you know how tomorrow goes. Have a wonderful Lords day tomorrow. Thanks for praying for both teams.
In Christ's love,
John for the Quito team
Oswaldo (pastor of the church) greeted us at the airport and we loaded up our suitcases and drove to his house. We had a nice relaxing time talking and going to their church where we will be having VBS. The weather is absolutely wonderful here. Everyone is healthy but really tired. We just got back from supper and our group is relaxing and getting ready to be picked up by their host families. We are going to get to bed early and catch up on some sleep. Church is at 10:30am. Please pray for Jeff and myself as we will be giving the sermon in the morning at our churches. As Jeff said everything went smoothly from FBC to the front door of our host! Thank you Lord! I will let you know how tomorrow goes. Have a wonderful Lords day tomorrow. Thanks for praying for both teams.
In Christ's love,
John for the Quito team
Cuenca August 1, 2009
We arrived safely and with all luggage...God is good to us. Everyone has been taken to the houses in which they are being hosted and we will be meeting for a traditional dinner..NY style Pizza!
Everyone that brought a phone will be calling to check in..I hope... The rest of us will be sharing phones and visiting phone kiosks to call home because of costs. I will have a phone starting Sunday and the number will be 01159381365709. Use it if you need to get in touch with us, but I cannot tell you what it will cost you to call Ecuador.
The weather is beautiful and all 3 flights went well. We were met at the airport as promised and for me it was like coming home. (Smiling with a deep sigh). Hopefully I will be able to post some interesting updates as the week progresses. We will be conducting our VBS about 1/2 hour outside of the city in a poorer community that this church has been involved with. The new church here sounds a lot like the beginnings of FBC...6 families meeting in houses and seeking to find the Lord's will to grow both in their relationships with him and as a local body. Please keep praying for us and those to whom we will be ministering. Thanks for all your support. More to come later.
In Christ, Jeff
Everyone that brought a phone will be calling to check in..I hope... The rest of us will be sharing phones and visiting phone kiosks to call home because of costs. I will have a phone starting Sunday and the number will be 01159381365709. Use it if you need to get in touch with us, but I cannot tell you what it will cost you to call Ecuador.
The weather is beautiful and all 3 flights went well. We were met at the airport as promised and for me it was like coming home. (Smiling with a deep sigh). Hopefully I will be able to post some interesting updates as the week progresses. We will be conducting our VBS about 1/2 hour outside of the city in a poorer community that this church has been involved with. The new church here sounds a lot like the beginnings of FBC...6 families meeting in houses and seeking to find the Lord's will to grow both in their relationships with him and as a local body. Please keep praying for us and those to whom we will be ministering. Thanks for all your support. More to come later.
In Christ, Jeff
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Getting ready to go. July 30.
Well, I just thought I would test this before leaving for Ecuador.
1 John 4:16
Jeff
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
FBC Ecuador 2009
This is where you will find updates from the Youth team sent from Fellowship Bible Church to Quito and Cuenca Ecuador August 1-10, 2009.
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