From Ecuador with Love

Rain Forest Town

Here is an update from Jenny and Gonzalo in Ecuador:

Our January Events in Ecuador:

A trip to the rain forest towns of Shell and neighbouring Puyo. This was a trip of much bus hopping and we were kindly received without cost for 3 nights in a friend's hostel there, behind which was a marvellous scene of rain forest vegetation.
We were able to distribute 600 gospel tracts and pray with 12 people to receive Jesus into their hearts as their Saviour. Two were originally from the Woadani tribes, (but now living in the town) and others from surrounding areas. As much as we wanted to do so, we did not take photos of these indigenous people as it can appear offensive and of “touristic-only” interest with which many of our indigenous people are now bombarded.

A military base there in which we were given permission to enter has asked us to give their volunteer section a Christian based motivational talk on values which will be held on the 24th Feb.

Beautiful Rainforest Vegetation

We visited and fellow-shipped with the Director of the Christian mission school of Nate ( Nathaneal) Saint, gleaning ideas and tips on how to start such a school. It started with just 2 rooms many years ago and teaches the children of missionaries. We then spent some time with an American missionary jungle nurse, Miriam, who has been in Ecuador for 33 years and will go on to Brazil this year. She is flown in and out of the jungle to help minister treatment and fly the sick back to the mission hospital. She has some interesting out –of- print articles and records of the situation of the Aucan Indians and the event of the death of the 5 missionary men, in 1956, with an ear and eye witness of voices singing hymns and white robed figures at the scene of the death, which frightened the Aucas who had killed the 5 men. The circumstances around these deaths were that there was mistrust of foreigners who, whilst on their quest for oil, had previously entered and killed members of their tribe. Steve Saint, son of Nate Saint who had been killed, followed his father and father’s sister’s footprints into the jungle to live with this tribe. He has his father’s love for them. He later formed the I-TEC project which the then converted Aucas had asked for a project to teach them how to pull out teeth, how to make and pilot airplanes and other mechanical and technical skills. Steve Saint, it is said, will be in Ecuador this year to supervise this ongoing project.

Some of the Ladies from the Monthly Tea Group

Back in the in the capital city, Quito, our local projects of the weekly less fortunate kids event as well as group and individual Bible studies and ministering continue. Our team held the monthly ladies tea group and the weekly Saturday house fellowship open to all interested. With our dentist, also attending the bible group, on Feb 11th we will accompany and assist with 120 children and a dental program. She is appealing for a dental mobile unit.

We continually think and pray for you as well as miss you.

Gonzalo and Jenny

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Gonzalo with Pre-teens