*I have two videos from Ecuador to post, however, I have failed to be able to upload them, so when I do they’ll be coming your way!*
August 13, 2011
On the floor of our church is a thick white stripe making a path from the double doors to the stage and eventually the cross which forms the center of the Christian Missionary Alliance insignia. It’s faded, so much so that most days I don’t even notice it. But today I can’t take my eyes off of it. I don’t know what it means or why they painted this one swath but my guess is it’s the aisle. An aisle that was once tread upon by so many feet, but today sits faded and forgotten. This church, the Church of “El Verbo de Dios” has had a tough run, stretching back many years, beginning with the original pastor. The congregation found out the pastor had an affair, so when he left, many members, now untrusting of Christianity left as well. Later this church encountered a devastating split. A split that tore apart families and severed friendships. But still they pressed on. Today the church has 5 benches and stacks of white plastic chairs that hold the 20-30 members who attend every Sunday. It’s a good church, a constant church, but what I love the most is that this is a church that isn’t settling, and over this past month we have been so lucky to help and bless these people who are even better at blessing back.
Our first couple weeks in Conocoto we spent every morning helping construct the new church, which is located on a plot of farm land just down the street from their current location. We unloaded blocks, stacked them and filled them, and when that was done we moved rocks, mixed cement, leveled land and helped dig one big hole. The work wasn’t particularly hard, but it was good, and we were able to witness a quick progression in the appearance. The walls grew higher and it was actually starting to look like a building. Then the money ran out and construction stopped, but we’re in on a secret. There’s more money coming. Money that has been promised but hasn’t yet arrived. So soon, the construction will carry on.
Our afternoons those first weeks were spent with kids, not a lot of kids, some days more than others, but usually three, Karen, Jadira and Scout. We played games, taught english, colored but mostly loved on them. Those kids have something special, they’re going to change Ecuador one day.
Over the final week and a half life has been much slower. Without construction or kids coming around we struggled with how we could serve. Some nights we have gone to pray for families and share our testimonies, but during the day we’ve been left to our own devices, so we decided to serve in the best way we know how, prayer. We take daily prayer walks around the neighborhood, praying for the city, the church, the families anything and everything that pops into our mind we pray for, and it’s so good.
Leaving Conocoto is going to be pretty hard, especially knowing that chances are I’ll never return, but I take peace in the work that God’s doing here. Great things are going to happen through this church. Gods hand is so evident right now, and I’m excited for the changes to come!
Sunday School Class
Karen and I
