Public Service

This year of political campaigning in Ecuador continues at a frantic pace. Right now more than 1,000 candidates are wrestling for seats on the assembly to write a new constitution for the country. The constitutional commitee will meet in Montecristi, a small town just 10 minutes from Manta.

We recently saw a terrific example of public service as the USNS Comfort spent a week in the port of Manta. Comfort is a hospital ship. The officers and crew colaborated with local doctors and hospitals to see thousands of patients and to do hundreds of surgeries during their stay. It was our privilege to thank some of the men and women of our US Navy for their outstanding service.

This past week we were invited to the home of a family that had made a couple of visits to our church services. They expressed great appreciation for the preaching and teaching of the Bible, and for the classes for all members of their family. We learned that the husband and wife are professional mourners, providing music and prayer at funeral services and masses. Both husband and wife confessed that they wanted to open their hearts to Christ and hope to learn more of God's word. They prayed, trusting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They ask us to pray that the Lord will provide another way for them to earn their living.