Colorado Team Continues Work at Guamaní Church

On January 12, the Work and Witness team from the Colorado District arrived in Ecuador.  This group had many different talents, gifts and professions:  a woodworker, retired art teacher, retired biologist, a home-schooling mom, a pharmacy tech, a real estate agent, a llama farmer, two pastors, a nurse, two teenagers, a pilot, a potato farmer and a boy with a missionary call.  (See picture 1.)

 On Sunday they visited two churches.  The first was the Mount Sinai church where some of the team members or family members of team members had worked at in the past.  The second was the Guamaní church, an indigenous church in the southern part of Quito.  We enjoyed a special time of worship in three languages:  Spanish, Quechua and English.  The worship set the tone for the relationships and friendships that would be built during the next two weeks while the team worked to finish the second floor of the church.  Although the work was long and hard, the team was encouraged knowing that God’s plan will be accomplished through this church and its people.  (See pictures 2 and 3.)

 The team, along with some women in the church, held Kids club twice a week for the neighborhood children.  One day the local school allowed them to tell the Bible story.  The retired art teacher on the team drew a beautiful chalk drawing for the kids during the story depicting Jonah and the Big Fish.  It was a great opportunity to open doors between the church and the school, and we look forward to hear how God uses this opportunity to build relationships in this community.  (See picture 4.)

 The highlight of the trip occurred at the end of the last day when everyone gathered to share in worship in this new place.  It was a beautiful time of sharing and praising the Lord.  Afterwards, the churchwomen announced that they had a surprise.  They proceeded to thank each team member by putting a scarf around their necks as a reminder of their work.  The team was profoundly impacted by the generosity of these brothers and sisters in Christ who had so little.   It was a reminder that “Little is MUCH when GOD is in it.”