Ecuador 10/10/16

Today is Monday and I arrived in Salasaka about 1:30 this morning. The trip was about 20 hours this time due to scheduling problems with the airlines. Even with confirmed reservations once I arrived in Miami I found out I was not booked to or from Quito.

God had His plan and I made it to Quito arriving around 10:30 pm.

The day started about 9 am when we met Elias and Marlena on the street in Pelileo, they are, Elizabeth's parents.

We talked with them for a while and during the conversation Elias asked what I thought about a Christian taking out a loan from the bank and giving it to a brother in need. The brother in need is Lidia's brother, Clever. He was jailed for defrauding customers at a credit union he was managing.

The family of Clever is asking the family and Christian acquaintances to contribute to his 37k fine so he can get out of jail. They are saying that a "Good Christian" would help a Christian brother. (Pressure

and the laying on of guilt to achieve the desired result.)

We went through some scriptures in Proverbs, concerning borrowing and lending money, and reminding them that we shouldn't violate God's principles because WE think it's the right thing to do. (Proverbs 14:12, 19:21 and again in 16:25.)

From there we went to Condoragua to see Orlando and Marcia who were baptized in September. Orlando is Berta's brother and is being recruited by Louise, Berta's abusive husband, to side with him in the divorce. Orlando was not aware of all the abuse Berta was experiencing and now has decided to remove himself from the situation.

While we were there we met with Jannet, Matias and Marcia.

Jannet told us that Berta is living with her mother Maria and father Segundo. That Louise is staying away from Berta but he does show up every now and then in the community but doesn't stay long.

From there we went to visit Angel and Lidia. While there, the same story of Clever, Lidia's brother, came up and how they were being pressured by even her father to help pay off Clever's debt. Lidia's father told them that her mother was so sick over Clever that she couldn't get out of bed.

Again I went to God's Word and explained the principles taught there concerning borrowing and lending. I asked them if they thought the Lord may be trying to teach Clever something and by them going against biblical principles they are interfering with His plan for Clever. We are going back tomorrow morning to talk to one of the daughters who is thinking about a relationship with an unbeliever.

On the way to and from Condoragua it was a beautiful day and very scenic.

The five specks in the picture are

tending the sheep on the steep hill.

Tonight's discipleship training was a continuation on who the Church actually belongs to, who can become a member of it and the process.

Basically it involves hearing, believing, salvation, and believers’ baptism. (Rom. 10:14-17)

This process was delved into and the discussion from the 28 in attendance was good.

Well that's all from here in Ecuador where God is revealing Himself and His work in mighty ways.

We prayed tonight for all of you who are experiencing the aftermath of Matthew, that you would be strengthened in the Lord.

Guido

Ecuador 10/11/16

Today started with breakfast at Guillermo's consisting of bacon, eggs and a biscuit. Problem is this was his first attempt at biscuits and I think he left out salt. He noticed it too and commented that Elvia's were better, I agreed.

From there we went to Condoragua for a meeting with Angel's daughter Jessica Morales.

The concern for Jessica, from her parents, is that she is starting to make friends with a certain boy that her parents don't approve of and he is not a Christian. Her parents wanted me to discuss with her what God's Word had to say about that.

We started with the fact that she was a believer and therefore set apart and as such

she was very special to God. From there we went to Eph. 5:1-7, then to 1Cor. 6:16-17, 1Thessalonians 5:21-22, 2 Cor. 6:15-18 ending in Gen. 2:24.

There was a lot of discussion around how the choices she makes now will affect her entire like and generations to come. She was reminded of how easily Eve was tempted by things that were pleasing to the eye and by fancy words the serpent used that convinced her to disobey God. She was reminded that as a person set apart she needs to be obedient to God's Word and in doing so, God will give her the desires of her heart. Her desires and His will be the same because He wants the best for his children.

At the end of our time together she said that last night she was praying that God would reveal what she should do in this situation and through God's Word and our time together today He answered her prayer and she knows exactly what her future steps are going to be. 😇

From there we went to Pablo's in El Florida for a time of fellowship and lunch. Guillermo is functioning as a seminary tutor to Pablo, Patricio, Franklin, and Javier helping them with new terminologies so we stayed there helping Pablo with his homework until it was time to go to Salasaka.

The discipleship training tonight was on 1Corinthians 12 and how the Body of Christ, the church, is a living body of believers. We will continue this topic tomorrow night focusing on the gifts given to us at the moment of salvation.

I guess that's all for today,

Guido