The following is my latest newsletter. In it you will find out about the various ministries I have been involved with while living in Quito, Ecuador and some of the people who have made a difference in my life since being here.
Ministry Overview:
As you may already know, I am currently on the third month of my 11-month journey around the world on a mission trip called the World Race. This month, I am working with an organization named Inca Link. I am staying at their beautiful facilities at Casa Blanca in the northern region of Quito.
(Above: Casa Blanca, the home of Inca Link Ecuador)
Through Inca Link, my team has been working with a few different ministries. The first two weeks, we worked with a small school in the neighborhood of San Francisco de Pinsha. Here, we helped clean up and prepare classrooms for the incoming students, painted a new classroom and storage space, repaired a leaky roof, fixed up the schoolyard, and even planted a new garden bed. Simply put, our job was to make the school look as beautiful as possible and create the ideal learning environment for these kids to flourish in. In between our various tasks, we had the opportunity to play with the kids and begin to build relationships with them. All in all, this work proved to be very rewarding.
Another ministry we are involved in while living in Quito is working with the soccer club known as Cumbre Alta. Our job is to show up to practices and games, pray for them, and support them in any way possible. A big part of our ministry with Cumbre Alta is to build relationships with the players, address their spiritual needs, and to provide answers to any questions they may have regarding the Gospel. If the players are interested, we even offer to teach them English. Some players speak better English than others, but most of them speak none at all. This ministry has been a lot of fun and a big change from the conventional ministries I have worked with since being on the World Race.
(Cumbre Alta praying before practice)
The latest ministry my team and I have been involved with is working with special needs children at Camp Hope in northern Quito. In just the brief time I have been working here, my spirit has changed profoundly. Working here has been by far one of the most challenging yet rewarding things I have ever done. Our ministry involves helping in class with lessons as well as arts and crafts, playing with them at recess, feeding the little ones at lunch, and just generally looking after them as they go throughout their day. On wednesdays and Fridays we have the opportunity to take them out for some horse therapy. This is a time where we let them ride horses and allow them to get some much needed exercise. Needless to say, they have a blast.
These children have found a way to climb into the very depths of my heart and have permanently made their homes there. I have learned many things from working with these kids. For example, I have learned a great deal about dependence from simply observing them on a day-to-day basis. Seeing how these kids have no choice but to be fully dependent on their caretakers and the rest of the staff made me realize that God is calling us to have that same level of dependence on Him. In every moment, through every circumstance, God wants to be our caretaker and for us to have complete and total dependence on Him. It has truly been a blessing to work with these kids and not only see them grow, but also to see myself grow in such a profound way.
(The selfie Orlando from Camp Hope took of the two of us. He LOVES taking pictures!)
SPOTLIGHT: Nathan Taube
Nate is the coach of the Cumbre Alta soccer club. He is a missionary kid raised in Argentina and now spends his time as a missionary for Inca Link. He uses his position as coach to create an outreach for the young adults playing soccer on his team. While doing soccer ministry with Cumbre Alta, I have had the amazing opportunity to get to know this incredible disciple of God. Seeing Nate pour his heart and soul into these men is extremely encouraging. I have heard from the players that Cumbre Alta is different from other clubs in Quito and I believe Nate is the reason for that. He takes the time to really build up strong and lasting relationships with the players. He opens his home to them and is always there to meet their every need, whether it be spiritual or a simple word of encouragement. Another difference is that every practice and game opens in prayer. Some nights they will wait a long time for someone to muster up the courage to pray; some nights it only takes a matter of seconds. This is just another small way Cumbre Alta is different. It allows them to enter their practice or game with a clear head, having their minds set on the right things while being guided by the Holy Spirit. Seeing the way Nate serves these men speaks volumes to my heart. It has been an honor and a blessing to work with him as well as getting to know and see his heart.
A Call To Arms!!!
Being able to travel the world and engage in all these various ministries comes at a price. Being a missionary, I must raise support to meet all of my expenses. By the end of this month, I must raise $2,000 to meet my next fundraising deadline. If I can get 100 people to donate $20, then I can meet my October 1st deadline. I ask you to prayerfully consider making either a one-time or monthly donation to help me continue on the World Race, serving people in need all over the world. It is one thing to give to a company or charity; it is an entirely different thing to give to someone who is on the front lines, living, engaging with, and building relationships with people who need help the most. So think about it, pray about it, and if you feel it in your heart that you are being called to give, then click on the “Support Me” tab on my blog or click the direct link:
https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=Joshua%20Glover
The change that you will make and the fruit that will come from your donation will last an eternity.
Thank you and God bless!!
(The flag of Quito, Ecuador looking over the city)
