Points to Ponder

True Values

Nothing truly valuable arises from ambition or from a mere sense of duty; it stems rather from love and devotion towards men.

        -Albert Einstein

Mahatma Gandhi identified the seven sins in the world as wealth without work, pleasure before conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice, and politics without principle.

We must understand spiritual truths and apply them to our modern life. We must draw strength from the
almost forgotten virtues of simplicity, humility, contemplation, and prayer. It requires a dedication beyond science, beyond self, but the rewards are great and it is our only hope.
                                                           -Charles Lindbergh

The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration.

                      -Pearl S. Buck

Measure wealth not by the things you have, but by the things you have that you wouldn’t sell for money.
         -Author unknown

An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.
                  -Martin Luther King Jr.

Life in time remains without meaning if it does not find its meaning in eternity.
     -Nicolas Berdyaew


The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.
                                                                              -William James

Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what
we give.
             -Norman MacEwan


If life be short, then moderate your worldly cares and projects; do not cumber yourselves with too much
provision for a short voyage.
                                                         -Author unknown

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within
the heart.
                   -Helen Keller

Life becomes harder for us when we live for others, but it also becomes richer and happier.
                                                                         -Albert Schweitzer

March News from Ecuador

Excerpts of End of March 2012 News from Gonzalo and Jenny in Ecuador:

Old Part of the City of Cuenca

We were able to go on two trips to two cities. Cuenca is the 3rd largest city and a 10 to 11 hour bus ride through the mountains is required to reach it.  Here we were able to do personal visitation to various families we have been visiting. We revisited a school who use our Christian educational materials and another school whose order of nuns have dedicated themselves to help educated children from marginised areas. They have asked us to consider helping to give various workshops to the parents about the parenting role later this year.

Inspirational Reading with Gonzalo

In Ibarra, a city nearer to Quito where we live, our Hotel hostess, has asked us to consider giving talks to a group of ladies.

In Quito I,Jenny gave a workshop called POSITIVE PROGRAMING. This was in an educational institution run by the government and the event was for a group of 16 daycare and preschool teachers, all women except for one.

We noticed that their faces were radiant and there was a new energy in the group as they departed. They had arrived rather restless being the last hour of their long working day and having just sat through a work meeting which ran overtime! They have asked for more talks!!
                      
Thanks to all who  contribute towards our support here. As well as some donations covering our part of our trips, at last, we are able to start on our household list of needs and begin by investing in a  second hand fridge and get foam  and material to make cushions for some chairs and sofa!!

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

Happy New Year! You Tube clips from ACTION, Romania

From our colleagues in Romania, still going strong with the Association we helped Found when we were there. "Give this Christmas Away".