McKellips Return to Lead Arizona Team

Bruce & Cinda McKellips, former W&W Coordinators in Ecuador, recently returned to lead the Sun City Arizona team along with Fischers.  (See photo 1.)  The team made great progress on the Sierra Centro District Center.  They finished laying block on the second floor, installed the beautiful front doors and built the kitchen wall.  Also, there is now hot water and working bathrooms.  (See photo 2.)

God's hand is always evident in how He puts a team together, but several special things occurred with this team.  Ken performed magic tricks for the local children as they passed by the project after school and at an orphanage. (See photo 3.)  One team member turned out to be the mother of a special friend to the Fischers who has made numerous trips to Venezuela and has hosted the Fischers a couple of times while they were in the States.  In addition, God blessed two recent widows by putting them together as roommates.

One special day was spent visiting a church in the mountains.  Whey the team arrived, about 50 children playing soccer welcomed them.  The team sang a few songs with the children.  When it came time to pray with them, all the children removed their hats in unison.  The team was touched beyond words.  (See photo 4.)

Thank you Sun City Church for partnering with us in this long-term project.  The District Center will be a place of pastoral training and for the fellowship of District brothers and sisters.  May God richly bless you.

Construction/Medical Team from Calgary First

In April, a construction/medical team from Calgary First Church of the Nazarene came to Riobamba, Ecuador, to work on the Sierra Centro District Center and to hold medical clinics on the district.  (See photo 1.)  The construction team laid blocks, poured floors, installed plumbing in the bathrooms and did a lot of cleaning.  The kitchen ladies took their jobs seriously as they had 35 people to feed each day.

The medical team united with four national doctors from our coast district.  Missionary Nurse Carolyn Rich, along with others, translated for the doctors.  They held clinics for 4 1/2 days seeing over 200 patients each day.  One clinic was held way up in the mountains.  They treated stomach aches, colds, aching muscles and dispensed a lot of vitamins and medicines.  Of course, prayer was the number one remedy as they prayed with most of the patients.  (See photos 2 & 3.)

One of the highlights for the team was attending Sunday morning services in a tent and being warmly received with flowers and gifts for all.  On the day of touring, they rode an open bus, visited a waterfall and took a cable ride across a deep ravine.

Thank you to the Calgary First church for giving of yourselves to further the Kingdom of God.  May God bless you richly.

Mennonite Canadian Team Partners with Us

In March, we hosted a Mennonite Canadian team.  Henry Fehr, team leader, brought 15 team members including his wife and three daughters.  (See photo 1.)  We were deeply blessed that another denomination would partner with our church to help with our building project.  They worked in Riobamba on the Sierra Centro District Center, which is an on-going Work & Witness project.  (See photo 2.)

At first, we were confused by their Canadian "accent" but then realized that they were speaking German!  We became a trilingual team.  The team worked very hard at laying blocks, pouring floors, and working alongside our indigenous men and women.  We handed out invitations to the Jesus Film showing that has held on a cold night in front of the newly finished church at the District Center.  (See photo 3.)  About 20 people warmly accepted the invitation to receive Christ into their hearts that night.  Teens from the mother church were there to talk with the new converts to get names and addresses.

One afternoon, the women took time out from cooking to hold a Bible School for area children.  They heard the story of Noah and then pasted animal crackers, with frosting, on the ark that they had brightly colored.  The group also invited Diego and his family to share his testimony and then encouraged them by praying for the family.  Diego testified how the Lord had delivered him from Satanic worship.  He went to a Jesus Film showing when invited by a friend.  

We say "thank you" to the hard working Mennonite team for partnering with us in our building of the Kingdom in Ecuador.  May God richly bless you for your giving.