Check out the link to learn more about the amazing ministry of Pan De Vida
It’s been a little over a week since we have arrived in Quito,Ecuador. Our ministry is Pan De Vida (Bread of Life) “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35) . Our ministry hosts are absolutely amazing! At Pan De Vida we are cooking and serving, working in children’s programs and kids clubs. As well as helping and serving wherever we are needed. It’s awesome because our team and two other teams are serving in their same ministries for the whole time in Ecuador. Our team will be serving and working with Pan De Vida for the three months that we are in Ecuador.
“On April 16th, 2016 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Ecuador causing massive destruction to the coastal regions. As of April 22 many areas continue to have no electricity, no water and no latrines, people are living outdoors, in self made tents, with no protection against mosquitoes, heat and living unsanitary conditions, with no running water, no available food while enduring continuous 4 to 6 Richter scale aftershocks.”
According to the Ministerio de Gestion de Riesgos to date there have been:
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602 deaths
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132 missing
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12,492 injured
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25,376 displaced persons
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7000 destroyed buildings
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281 schools affected
pandevida.org
Pan De Vida has made many trips to the coast since the earthquake, continually helping those who are still in need from the effects of the earthquake. On Monday at 11pm we headed to the coast of Ecuador to pass food, baby, hygiene, clothes, and womens kits to those in need at four different shelters on the coast. The devastation of the magnitude and impact of the earthquake has still left many places in rubble, as people continue to live in tarp and tent shelters. We headed to the coast to show the love and hope of Jesus Christ. Tuesday we spent the whole day at those shelters.
Literally people were waiting in line for hours and hours just to get a few supplies that they needed. I was called a “walker”, we would lead people through to get the kits they needed, trying to communicate in the little Spanish I know, and prayed for everyone as they left. What we saw were those in need of physical things, waiting to get just a few items, and I couldn’t look at everyone in need without knowing that more than food, clothing, and shelter, they are all in need of Jesus. They are in need of hope, and our only hope is found in Jesus Christ. When Jesus healed people, He didn’t first heal their physical need, He forgave all their sins and then healed them. We recognize that everyone is in need of salvation, in need of having their sins forgiven.
“One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. “ (Luke 5:17-25)
We get to go back to the coast in December and I’m excited to see all our prayers answered, God has heard us and we know God will move! I’m praying that God will supernaturally give us all the ability to become fluent in Spanish and when we go we can understand and talk with everyone more. Please pray that God will give us that ability, as well as direct us and lead us to people and ministries we can serve at.
Thank you so much everyone for all your prayers, love, and generous donations. Because God has used you, I am in Ecuador sharing the Gospel, impacting lives, and growing more in my relationship with Jesus everyday.
We get to share the Gospel non verbally in many cases, my encouragement for you all is to recognize and know that you have the ability to share the Gospel without a language barrier, go in peace and let the Holy Spirit guide and direct you to those He is calling to Himself, and let the Holy Spirit speak through you!
Dios te Bendiga
With Christ’s love and mine
