The Anzalone Family in Ecuador

Celebrating Jesus' Birth

2012-01-03T19:35:00.001-05:00

On December 25, we had a great day at church celebrating the birth of Christ. The attendance of 165 was our highest of 2011. We collected a great missions offering and had a pile of toys and clothes to give to needy children. There were party activities and refreshments for all ages. We honored Jesus and made Him the center of our Christmas. It was cool to have a good crowd in the auditorium, and to imagine when we are really filling it up.

Christmas Program

2011-12-23T17:33:00.000-05:00

On Sunday December 18 the Sunday School children presented a Christmas program. They used costumes, music, and Scripture to portray the Christmas Story.

Visit from Pastor and Mrs. Wille

2011-12-23T17:26:00.000-05:00

This month Joy's parents, Rev. and Mrs. Ted Wille, have been with us. We have enjoyed having them here, and they have enjoyed spending time with their grandchildren, getting to know Carla and Matthew. It has been a privilege for Joy and I to interpret for them as they have shared with our congregation. Pastor Wille preached on two consecutive Sundays, and Mrs. Wille spoke to a women's Christmas gathering. Our church has been blessed to receive their words of wisdom and insight.

Evangelismo in Jaramijó

2011-11-28T22:44:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, November 26, the Manta church took the puppet ministry on the road to the nearby fishing town of Jaramijó. Besides the puppets, around 30 people from the church went along to do set-up, pass out invitations and tracts, lead music and games, and talk to the adults standing around. There was brilliantly hot sunshine, but around 40 kids came out to enjoy the shows, music, and games. They heard the gospel and Bible stories, and at the end of the program, 12 children heard the plan of salvation from the teachers and prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior.

Baby Shower

2011-10-17T22:13:00.004-04:00

On Sunday afternoon the ladies of the Manta church held a baby shower for two expectant mothers (pictured with Joy). All of the women enjoyed the fellowship and many gifts were provided to encourage Jessica and Elizabeth. Jessica has been a part of the congregation since the first year, and Elizabeth began to attend the church recently.

Evangelism Outreach Project

2011-10-17T22:01:00.005-04:00

On Friday night 30 people from the church in Manta traveled to the nearby town of Jaramijó for evagelism. We showed a movie and passed out tracts. Between 150 and 200 people received a tract, sat and watched, or stayed and talked. We know of three people who prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior and several requested a follow-up contact. We look forward to going back soon for another outreach event.

Baby Dedication

2011-10-02T22:58:00.003-04:00

Jacinto, Maria, and their family were please to present their newest family member to the church on Sunday. It is our custom to have a prayer of blessing and dedication before the congregation. The parents are asked to bring their child up in the knowledge and training of Jesus. The church is asked to support the parents in this effort as a loving Christian community where children are welcomed, evangelized, and trained as disciples of Christ.

Baptism, September 25

2011-10-02T22:48:00.004-04:00

I haven't been very good about updating here. I'll try to do better. On Sunday,. September 25 the church had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of Javier. We have been praying for him for three years, through many ups and downs. He made a public profession of faith in Christ, and was baptized. He gave thanks to God for a friendship his daughter made with a girl from our Sunday School who invited his family to church. That girl and her parents have been used to bring Javier's whole house to our church and to a living relationship with Christ. What a great testimony to answered prayer!

Auditorium Construction

2011-07-31T23:33:00.001-04:00

More walls were added to the auditorium this past week. Doorways, windows, and office space are being defined. It's exciting to see things take shape!

Baby Dedication

2011-07-31T23:17:00.002-04:00

We are always happy to see families grow in their faith and commitment to follow Christ. Here is one of the couples that we have prayed for and worked with over the past few years. It was a blessing to present their baby Abbey during a Sunday church service and to offer a prayer of dedication for her and her parents.

Marriage for Life

2011-07-31T23:13:00.002-04:00

Five couples from our church completed the Marriage for Life course and received certificates. We are thankful for Alfredo and Wilda, a mature Christian couple, who lead this group, and are an excellent example of service for others in the church.

Father's Day at Church

2011-06-20T20:18:00.002-04:00

On Father's Day we had a breakfast for the men before the service. Thirty men attended. We showed a video of testimonies from several international soccer stars who are Christians. There were several visitors for the morning service and a good response to the message. It is always good to see families change as men live as followers of Christ.

Baptisms

2011-06-13T22:07:00.002-04:00

Sunday we had the privilege of baptizing five believers. Two are young teens, one young lady is the daughter of a dedicated young couple, and the other two are a young couple, recently married, who each came to know Jesus during the past month. It always brings joy to our hearts to see new believers following Christ and fruit of the ministries of the church. Completing the Great Commission involves evangelism, baptism, and teaching. Thank you for praying for us as we serve Christ in Ecuador.

Puppet Ministry

2011-06-10T19:39:00.003-04:00

Last weekend we had BBFI Missionary Jenny Carpenter come to Manta to train our children's ministry workers, and others who were interested, in the use of puppets. She did a great job in workshop sessions on Friday and Saturday and the folks were excited to get started. We organized four groups that immediately began working on songs and skits. On Sunday, the first group presented a skit and songs to the children during the worship and preaching service. It was a big hit with the kids. We look forward to this being a fruitful ministry in both evangelism and education.

Auditorium Space Put to Use

2011-05-02T22:45:00.002-04:00

Now that our auditorium has a roof we can use it on Sunday mornings. Walls have been built to create the new classrooms on the second floor of the education building (dividing the space we were using for Sunday services). Now each Sunday School and Bible Study group has a large meeting space and room to grow. The photo shows our 11:00 service, and you can see that we have room to grow there as well! God has been very good to us.

Easter 2011

2011-05-02T22:33:00.004-04:00

On Easter Sunday we had the joy of baptizing 4 people who wanted to identify themselves as disciples of Jesus. Each one of these has a special story. For example: The two boys have attended our Sunday School since we started the church six years ago. They have been asking their mom if they can be baptized for quite some time. Both gave testimonies of having invited Jesus to be their Savior in their Sunday School class.

We are blessed as a family in many ways. Most of all, we live with faith in a living Lord who is victorious over sin and death! We are blessed to serve him and people in Ecuador who are seeking for peace, hope, and true joy. They find it in a living relationship with Christ.

Youth Camp

2011-05-02T22:19:00.004-04:00

We had a terrific youth retreat in March. Missionary Glenn McGhee was our speaker. Many of these young people are involved in some kind of ministry in our church. They had a great time at camp.

Vacation Bible School

2011-03-07T21:03:00.005-05:00

First Baptisms at the Church Building

2011-02-27T21:30:00.004-05:00

The building isn't finished, and the baptistery isn't finished, but today (February 27, 2011) we held our first baptismal service at the church's own building. Seventeen people were baptized in obedience to Jesus' command and following his example. It was a great group: Whole families, Sunday School kids, new believers, men, women, teens! What an exciting time for our church!
I'm sure there are times that I will miss having baptisms at the beach, and maybe we can still do that once in a while, but it was cool to have over 100 present to support and witness the testimony of these new disciples.

Church Auditorium Construction

2011-02-22T21:53:00.000-05:00

Sixth Church Anniversary

2011-02-22T21:43:00.002-05:00

January is Nearly Gone

2011-01-30T19:44:00.003-05:00

We're well into 2011 and there are a number of reasons to praise God as our ministry in Manta, Ecuador moves ahead. First, we are excited about the theme for this year: Build Your House on the Rock! In our preaching and teaching we will be emphasizing the wonderful words and works of our Lord Jesus, seeking to make practical application to life, and living in obedience as disciples of Christ. We are praying for revival in our church, and for God to call servants into his harvest field. Secondly, we are so thankful that God is providing for the construction of the church building to continue. We expect to have a roof on the auditorium soon! I can't wait to post pictures!
Thirdly, we are going to get more of our church involved in ministry. Please pray for a good response to opportunities in visitation, welcome, evangelism, and discipleship ministries of the church. As the building progresses we will have more opportunities for people to teach and assist in Sunday School classes as well. This should be a great year!

Adoption Finalized

2010-12-20T21:30:00.003-05:00

On December 17, we were in Quito for the adoption hearing for Carla and Mateo. The judge was pleased to sign the order formally and finally making these precious kids our own children!

Christmas Activities

2010-12-20T21:17:00.004-05:00

This month we have held Christmas activities for the children in Travesía village as well as for the children at the church in Manta. Over 20 adults volunteered time at these programs. We are very thankful for those who serve in ministries to children. Men's and women's groups also had Christmas activities with very good participation.

Construction Continues

2010-11-15T21:54:00.001-05:00

Retreat for Women in Ministry

2010-11-15T21:42:00.003-05:00

This was the twelfth year for this retreat planned by missionary wives for the wives of pastors and other women involved in the ministry of local churches around Ecuador. This was the best attended of all! It was great to have Sharon Smith as a special speaker. With her husband Jim, she ministers to missionaries and churches through the BBFI Missionary Service Center. They returned to Ecuador, where they had served for 30 years, after a two-year absence.

Jim and Sharon Smith Visit

2010-11-01T10:21:00.003-05:00

It was great to have Jim and Sharon Smith visiting our church this weekend. They have been our friends and mentors in ministry, and now serve in the Mission Office of Baptist Bible Fellowship International. Sharon was the speaker at a weekend conference for women and Jim preached in our Sunday Morning service as well as teaching the Men's Bible Study. It is an honor to host them briefly as they return to Ecuador to visit the churches and pastors that are the fruit of their long ministry in this country.

Women's Bible Conference

2010-11-01T10:04:00.005-05:00

Sharon Smith from the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, Missionary Service Center in Springfield, MO was the speaker. Sharon and her husband Jim were missionaries in Quito, Ecuador for many years. The theme was "Adopted Princesses." The ladies enjoyed great lessons, refreshments, and fellowship. A simple handcraft is always a big hit too.

Two Young Ladies Were Baptized Today

2010-10-24T21:45:00.002-04:00

It is always a great Sunday when we have baptisms! I especially enjoy our baptisms at the beach because it provides a truly public testimony of faith in Jesus. Before we know it, we will be using the baptistery in the new auditorium, but I hope we will still go to the beach to baptize once in a while. Liseth became a believer just a few months ago. She told me that she accepted Jesus during the invitation time of the very first service she attended. She and her family have been coming to church faithfully. Pray that the whole family will soon follow Liseth's example. Stephanie accepted Christ as her Savior over a year ago through our youth ministry. She has been coming faithfully to church and youth Bible study since she attended the youth retreat we held in March. We are so very thankful for these young disciples. Please pray for them to continue to grow in grace.

October Prayer Report and Newsletter

2010-10-20T12:26:00.002-04:00

Here is a link to our October Prayer Report.

Also, Joy's Cup of Tea newsletter.

Congregation in Future Auditorium

2010-10-17T23:05:00.002-04:00

At the end of this morning's church service we asked the congregation to gather on the platform of the auditorium that is under construction. The floor was just poured yesterday. We are very thankful for what God has provided.

More Construction Photos

2010-10-10T23:18:00.003-04:00

Here are a couple of photos showing how the auditorium is taking shape.

Evangelism Class

2010-10-10T23:04:00.004-04:00

Training people to do personal evangelism and discipleship is a big part of our overall discipleship and leadership training strategy. Lately we have been teaching a simple method for personal evangelism to a group of interested church members. They are memorizing scriptures, practicing a presentation of the Gospel, and are praying for God to present them with opportunities to share their faith with others.

Construction Progress on the Auditorium Building

2010-10-03T20:56:00.003-04:00

We are really excited about the progress made during the past month on our auditorium construction! The perimeter foundation and columns are almost completed. Tons of fill have been brought in to prepare to pour the floors. Here you see me standing where the baptistery will be at the back of the platform and then at the main auditorium entrance. I can't wait until the building is ready to fill with people. There is still a lot to do, a long way to go. We will see how the Lord supplies what we need in financial and material resources. Please pray for this project, and ask God how you can be involved.

A Full House

2010-09-19T20:35:00.005-04:00

We are thankful for the growth in our church over the past year. The past several weeks we have consistently seen a full house. The temporary auditorium holds 90 to 110 people each Sunday. The classrooms are full, and even the nursery is full. That's why we need to get the auditorium built soon. Please be praying with us about that.

Building Project Continues

2010-09-14T22:21:00.004-04:00

Work has begun on the auditorium for the church in Manta! We have been getting ready for this for several months. We have purchased the steel and cement for the foundation, columns and floor. The church has saved money for most of the labor that will be needed for this part of the project. We could definitely use more financial help to continue the work and finish the building. If you would like to contribute, please let us know and we will get the information to you for making a donation through Baptist Bible Fellowship International.
We really need to get the auditorium finished. We had 155 in church on Sunday. That fills up the temporary auditorium (made up of 3 future classrooms) and the current children's classroom space in the education building.

With Carla in Quito

2010-09-14T22:15:00.002-04:00

We spent five days in Quito getting to know our new daughter Carla. She has been at For His Children waiting for God to provide her with a family. In this photo you can see Teddy, Carla and Mateo as we made an afternoon outing to the top of Mt. Pichincha which is situated just to the west of Quito. The children have been adjusting very well to life in the Anzalone family. We appreciate your prayers as all of us get used to each other and learn to live as a family.

With Mateo (Matthew) in Latacunga

2010-09-04T11:48:00.002-04:00

We have spent the last few days getting acquainted with our new son, Mateo in Latacunga, the small city south of Quito where he has been living at For His Children. Mateo is at the foreground of the photo with Joy and Teddy at the end of a long hike. He has received excellent care and has been well-prepared for the adjustment to our family. Please keep him in prayer. Next week in Quito we will be getting to know Carla. Thank you for all of your support and encouragement.

Prayer Request

2010-08-30T17:58:00.002-04:00

We returned to our home base in Manta on Friday. It was great to be in our church. We had a super service. It´s nice to go to church and find so many people happy to see you! I enjoy preaching to our congregation too. The house was full!
Today (Monday) Joy, Teddy and I traveled by plane to Quito and then by car to Latacunga which is about 1 hour south of Quito. Today we began our time of family adaptation with the 2 children we are adopting. In Latacunga we are working with Mateo who is five, and the dedicated staff of ¨For His Children¨ at this home. Then next week we will be meeting Carla and spending time with her under the direction of the ¨For His Children¨ team in Quito.
This is exciting! but we really need your prayers as we get to know these kids and they adjust to the idea of having parents, and a brother, ... and sisters,...and brother´s in law, ... and nieces and nephews, and grandparents, and .....
Please pray for us as we make these transitions.
Also, we are praying that our auditorium building project finally can get going this week!
Thanks for your prayers.

New Granddaughter

2010-08-02T18:00:00.004-04:00

Our granddaughter Adrienne Nina Taylor was born on July 23. We are now in the States visiting our family for a few weeks. Here Nana gets to take her to church!

A Few More Pictures

2010-07-18T19:38:00.004-04:00

Here are a few more pictures from July 11th, the Sunday after our family retreat. We had a full house with 165 in attendance--our highest Sunday morning attendance ever! Going back to the last Sunday in June we have had 125 or more four Sunday's in a row. 130 were in the Sunday morning service today, with 9 first-time visitors. We really need to get started on building the auditorium. This week we plan to buy the steel and cement for getting it started.

Mission Team from Tennessee

2010-07-16T22:00:00.004-04:00

Recently a team of 5 people from West Park Baptist Church in Knoxville ministered with us. Pastor Bill Gowder from the West Park staff, his wife Becky, Teresa, Kim, and Jeff were the team members. We also had a friend from a church in the Quito area come to help with translating. The team did evangelism with help from our church in a community where we would like to start a ministry in the future. On Friday and Saturday they led activities and teaching in a family retreat held at a nearby camp. The team did a terrific job.

Photos from Men's Retreat

2010-06-27T21:21:00.005-04:00

Here are some pictures from the men's retreat I spoke at before Father's Day. The retreat was held at "El Prado" Baptist Camp near Santo Domingo. Seven men from our church in Manta were able to go with me.

Men's Retreat and Father's Day

2010-06-20T17:22:00.002-04:00

Thursday through Saturday several men from our church and I had the privilege of joining about 50 other men from churches throughout our region for a men's retreat. The theme of the retreat was Be a True Champion. It was a blessing to the men both as a time for fellowship with other Christians and as a time for learning solid, biblical principles for the family. I'm sure we will see some good results in their homes, just as we did last year as a result of a similar retreat. Since the retreat involved missing a couple of work days, not all of the men could go. Some of our leaders had to miss it, but a number of our newer believers were able to go. I was one of the speakers, and my messages were about The Heart of a Champion. The other speaker talked about "Champions are not those who never fail, but those who never quit."

We had a good crowd for our Father's Day service, 109, the most we've ever had on Father's Day! I think there were 18 dads present. Lots of families don't get to come to church on this day, so we are glad for those who have learned to make every Sunday the Lord's Day. It is especially rewarding to see families that have gone through severe crisis, but are on the path to healing their homes make a special effort to be in church as an entire family! Please pray for God's blessings on them all.

Unexpected Bus Ministry

2010-05-30T22:16:00.003-04:00

One of our very faithful Sunday School teachers had mentioned the same prayer request several Wednesday nights in a row in prayer meeting: that God would provide a means of transportation for some of the children whose parents didn't bring them to church consistently. She was thinking that maybe someone with a pick-up truck could drive around town picking some kids up for church on Sunday, or maybe God would bless her and her husband with a minivan. Juan, one of our deacons, is very faithful on Wednesday nights. He doesn't have a regular car, but often got people together on Wednesday nights to share a taxi, or occasionally he would drive his work vehicle, a water tanker truck, to church. One Wednesday, about the time to start we heard the typical rumble of an old diesel engine. "Here comes Juan," someone said, but it wasn't the tanker truck, it was a long, old bus! Several people from Juan's neighborhood climbed out. Among the thanksgiving and praises that night: Juan had a new ministry, many of the kids have a way to Sunday School now, and more people are coming along with Juan on Wednesday night. Isn't answered prayer great?

Our Missionary Family

2010-05-19T10:36:00.003-04:00

One of the great blessings of missionary life for the Anzalone family has been our extended family of fellow missionaries in Ecuador. When we came to Ecuador bringing our three little girls, we left behind a large and supportive extended family structure in the States. Over the years we have been able to stay close to our family back in the USA through letters, phone calls, internet, and other marvels of modern communication; but God has also blessed us with close relationships with our missionary co-workers. When we came to serve in Ecuador, back in February of 1991, we were immediately adopted by Jim and Sharon Smith and their family in Quito. They hosted us in their home, helped us to get settled, and encouraged our girls to call them Uncle Jim and Aunt Sharon. We became Uncle Tony and Aunt Joy to their teens Zac and Stacey. Zac and Stacey received our little girls like younger cousins--played with them, ate at our house, even stayed at our house sometimes. Over those first few years we became as close as I can imagine any "real" relatives can be to one another, and during our service in Ecuador we have known the joy of family-like relationships with many other missionary aunts and uncles and cousins, nieces and nephews. Pray for all of the missionaries you know, asking God to bless them in this same way. We treasure these ties that bind.
That's one reason why it has been so hard these days to let go of our MK nephew Zac Smith. After a hard-fought struggle with cancer, Zac went to be with the Lord last Sunday afternoon. He was 33 years old. Zac was a joy to know as a teen--intelligent, witty, competitive, talented; he was always willing to join in with the missionary family, even being Santa Claus at Christmas gatherings and tickling his little nieces until they lost it completely! It was as an adult, however, that Zac's life made an eternal impact. As he grew closer to the Lord, he shared the wisdom and life-experiences with others as a teacher and through a blog. I was a regular reader. His insights often "blew my doors off." He worked in a very technical field, but eventually heard a calling to put his skills to use in ministry. Ironically, it was just a few months after he began to work in "full-time" ministry that he was diagnosed with cancer. He lived the roller coaster ride of surgery, chemo, no cancer, and recurrence with grace, and with an amazing openness that impressed him to share his experiences and emotions with others on the internet. He always seasoned his writings with biblical truth and urged people to turn to Jesus. Ultimately, with the help of the team he served with at NewSpring Church in South Carolina, Zac made a couple of videos that have been seen by hundreds of thousands of people. Others suffering pain like Zac have found encouragement in his words, and some who didn't know Jesus have turned to him as their Master. Zac's own words tell the story: "God is still God. God is still good. To God be the glory."
Link to Zac's Story.

Womens Ministry and Mother's Day

2010-05-19T10:20:00.002-04:00

Joy and the women's ministry held a special activity for all of the women of the church and their invited guests. It looked and sounded like they had a great time playing games, singing, and doing a craft. Wilda, one of the ministry leaders, gave a devotion along the theme of building your home on the Lord. The women really enjoy these times of fellowship. On Sunday, we had over 100 people in attendance, with over 30 mothers present.
Overall, our church attendance has been excellent lately. We dipped below 100 a couple of times at the end of school vacations (that's the end of March around here), but aside from those days we have seen the attendance average over 120 for the past few months. Our next milestone for attendance average will be the 140 range, and then we will really need the new auditorium. Please be praying with us about that!

Baptisms

2010-05-02T17:34:00.004-04:00

Five young women were baptized on May 2. This was a great day. In spite of heavy rains, there were 137 people at church. It was also our first Sunday to have a nursery for babies during the service, and there were seven babies present! Please pray for the ladies who followed the Lord Jesus in baptism.

Missions Conference

2010-05-02T17:17:00.005-04:00

Glenn and Sherri McGhee visited us for a missions conference at our church. They shared some of the vision and strategy that they have used for planting churches in the Valley de los Chillos outside of Quito. They also challenged our church to get involved in missions by telling us about the teams that have gone from their churches to the San Blas islands of Panama. Many hearts were touched by the videos and sermons that Pastor Glenn shared.

Trip to Quito

2010-05-02T17:06:00.002-04:00

In April we had the opportunity to go to Quito for a few days. While we were there we enjoyed the hospitality of missionaries Cliff and Neoma Mcghee, and visited with Glenn and Sherri McGhee as well. We got to visit a couple of churches in the McGhees' ministry. We especially enjoyed visiting the church in Mushuñan. Several years ago our supporting churches contributed to buy the property where the church meets, and now they have a beautiful building as well. I enjoyed preaching there and in the church in La Victoria.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T12:08:00.003-04:00

Videos from VBS

2010-03-28T20:26:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple of videos from Vacation Bible School. One shows the kids singing one of their favorites. The other shows a primary class learning Philippians 4:13.

Vacation Bible School

2010-03-28T20:22:00.003-04:00

We just finished vacation Bible School. We had a great time! Evangelist David Proaño did a superb job with the music and Bible stories using his unique talents. 27 of our adults and teens served as teachers, helpers, transporters, and crowd control specialists. God blessed in many ways. We had more than 100 children attend, and a total of 152 people were at this Sunday's morning service.

Youth Retreat

2010-03-16T08:05:00.004-04:00

The youth from our church had a great time and learned many valuable truths to apply in their lives when they enjoyed a weekend retreat at a nearby camp called "Los Cerros" (The Hills). Besides our church youth leaders, Luis and Melanea Mejía, three young Ecuadorian pastors colaborated for the music, games, preaching, and workshops. They all worked very hard on very little rest. We are very thankful.

Prayer Requests

2010-03-12T11:36:00.001-05:00

I want to let you know about a few prayer requests for our ministry.
1) Joy and Teddy are in the States right now until March 30. Joy is completing follow-up appointments with her doctors and having a couple of tests done. Everything seems fine. Meanwhile, she is taking the opportunity to visit her parents and our kids and grandkids. Please pray for safety as they travel.
2) This weekend, March 12 to 14, we are having a youth retreat for our church teens and young adults. Please pray for a breakthrough in our youth for evangelism and service. This is an area where our church could grow a lot in the future. There will be a few unsaved kids at the retreat and we pray for their salvation. Pray for our pastor friends Patricio and Nikolay who will be teaching and preaching.
3) We will have Vacation Bible School for children from the 24th to 28th of March. We have a good team of teachers and a simple program planned for the kids. Pray that children will trust in Christ and will see godly Christlike examples to follow in our children's workers.

Baptisms Feb. 28 2010

2010-03-02T09:30:00.003-05:00

The tsunami alerts passed by us on Saturday so we were able to hold the scheduled baptisms on Sunday after church. One adult man and three children from church families, including our son Teddy were baptized. We are so grateful for this fruit of the church ministries and God's faithfulness.

Prayer Report and Cup of Tea

2010-02-08T09:10:00.002-05:00

To see our most recent Prayer Report click here.
To see the most recent Cup of Tea with Joy click here.

Fifth Anniversary for Manta Church

2010-02-08T08:49:00.004-05:00

BBFI missionary Cliff McGhee was a our special guest speaker. He did a super job. His sermon directed us to continue to take the next step in our walk with the Lord and in the mission of our church. We recognized those who have been baptized during the last several months and those who have completed courses in the leadership training ministry. Afterward, we all had lunch together. Many worked hard to make the anniversary service a success.

Portoviejo Update

2010-02-01T17:35:00.003-05:00

One year ago, Joy, Teddy, and I started assisting the church in Portoviejo that was without a pastor. From early February through the end of June we went each Sunday afternoon and Wednesday night to hold services. During June Gustavo, Lidia, and their son came from the Santo Domingo area to help us. They did a great job, and were able to hold the fort while we took what was to be a short trip to the States. When our furlough was extended, they continued to do a great job. Meanwhile, the church called Patricio Solis, also from Santo Domingo, to be the pastor. Patricio was unable to move his family immediately, but in November he began to make the four-hour journey to Portoviejo pretty regularly, working together with Gustavo. Now Patricio, his wife Silvana, and their daughter Kyara are ready to move to Portoviejo. They have arranged to rent a house, and have found a good school. Gustavo and Lidia will continue to serve the church as well. They all make a great team. The church is not able to support these families through their offerings so several Ecuadorian congregations will be providing some financial support. More support will be needed for a couple of years until the church really starts growing. Let us know if you would be interested in sponsoring a pastor and his family.

This Sunday

2010-01-24T23:09:00.005-05:00

Theme for 2010

2010-01-10T15:15:00.002-05:00

"The whole Bible. The whole church. The whole year." That's our theme for 2010. We have started a new Bible reading program to motivate the church to read the Bible daily. Besides a calendar of readings for the year, we are providing a weekly devotional guide to help everyone understand what they are reading. Some will read the entire Bible this year, others the New Testament, and a few will read through the Gospels for the very first time. We are excited about what 2010 holds in store. Pray for us as we follow through and reach our goals.

Christmas Sunday

2010-01-10T15:05:00.002-05:00

December 20th was a big day for our church, the first Sunday that we were able to use the space on the second floor of the building. It was awesome! Besides enjoying all of the space for our Sunday morning service, we had an evening Christmas party with food, fun, and fellowship. The cooks and servers did a great job with grilled meat, rice, salad, bananas, and cupcakes. At least 170 people showed up to eat. What joy to be able to serve so many!

More Space

2009-12-13T19:54:00.001-05:00

Our increasing attendance on Sunday mornings means that we need more classroom space for children and more general meeting space. We are building a temporary auditorium on the second floor of the educational building. This space will eventually be used for three classrooms. Using this area for general church services will open up two more classroom areas downstairs for use by the Sunday School. We are grateful that the Lord has provided what we need for these spaces and we believe that he will provide what we need to finish them out properly. Our constant numerical growth is a wonderful blessing and a challenge.
The man who pushes the ice cream wagon arrives each Sunday around the end of the service. He does a brisk business as people hang around after church and visit.

Baptisms

2009-11-29T22:15:00.004-05:00

What a great day! We had 135 in church and then a big crowd went to the beach for baptisms. Nine believers made the first step of discipleship, following the example of the Lord Jesus. This is always very exciting for me personally and for our church family generally. The group included a young married couple, four people from one family, a couple of boys, two teenaged girls, and two men for whom we have been praying for quite some time. Each one gave a clear statement of faith in Christ and shared a few words of testimony, encouragement to others, or gratitude to the Lord and those who have helped them come this far.

Baby Dedication

2009-11-29T22:02:00.003-05:00

Our church is blessed with a lot of wonderful children and some good folks to work with them. The Pazos family is very involved in all of our church ministries and have been especially gifted in working with children. A couple of weeks ago they made a family commitment in the dedication of their infant son Christian. Cecilia is one of the leaders of our Sunday School ministry. She not only teaches, but also coordinates the other teachers and administers the materials and supplies. Javier is a very capable teacher of both children and adults. He is part of the administrative team of the church and serves in the Travesía outreach ministry. We are very thankful for this family, as well as the many other families that have made our church in Manta such a wonderful aspect of our work in Ecuador.

Construction Continues

2009-11-29T21:51:00.003-05:00

We are not yet finished working on the first floor of the educational building, but with attendance well over 100 each Sunday, we already need to add space. You can see that work on the sidewalk is underway. Also a temporary metal roof is being built on the second floor. We will add perimeter walls to that area to make a larger meeting place for services. We should be able to seat around 135 in that area as opposed to the capacity of 90 in the classroom area we are now using. We will also have more room for children's classes since all of the first floor classroom space will be available for the kids. We should then have total capacity of 180 to 200. This is Stage 1.5 of the building project.

Leadership Team

2009-11-12T10:09:00.004-05:00

We are grateful for the servant-leaders that God is raising up in the church in Manta. They have done an amazing job during the four months of our absence, and the church has grown because of it. Our first Sunday back they arranged to take Joy, Teddy and I out for a Chinese dinner. How generous! We took pictures. From the top down: you know who we are, Javier and Cecilia with their two children, Juan and Barbara (their kids are grown), Alfredo and Wilda (their children are adults), Darwin and Jessica and their daughter, Luis and Melanea with their son. One family was out of town, David and Monica, and they have three children. Please pray for these families.

First Sunday Back

2009-11-12T09:56:00.003-05:00

November 8 was our first Sunday back in Manta! On Saturday, the ladies held a surprise birthday and welcome home party for Joy. It was great to see all the ladies express their appreciation for Joy's ministry and friendship. We also got to see some of the new babies!
On Sunday there were over 100 people in attendance. One of the children's classes made a welcome sign: bienvenidos. The letters are a little bit out of order. One of the faithful women of the church was able to bring her husband to church for the very first time and they asked if we would present their baby daughter and pray for God's blessing on her life as we do for all of the children. This gives us a wonderful opportunity to witness about the necessity of parents knowing the Lord and teaching his ways to their children from an early age. Please pray for this father's salvation!

Back "Home"

2009-11-05T18:53:00.003-05:00

Joy, Teddy, and I returned to Manta yesterday afternoon! We are very happy to be back at home. There is a lot to do, and we are excited about the next steps in this ministry. We are looking forward to Sunday, our first Sunday back at our church after four months away. We also have meetings Saturday: Joy with the ladies fellowship, and Tony with the deacons-in-training. We have already been hearing about all that has been accomplished, and we look forward to sharing ideas for the future. We are excited about a couple of Christmas projects we have in mind to help local Christian foundations that work with street kids and orphans. We will keep you posted. Please keep praying for us.

Family Benefits

2009-10-20T17:15:00.003-04:00

I want to mention a couple of family milestones.
First, my maternal grandmother died on September 30. I had the privilege of attending her funeral in Dodge City, KS. My mother and my uncle asked me to preach at the funeral service. That was an honor, but was also emotionally difficult. I am very thankful for Mimi's testimony of faith in Christ, and the wonderful way she set an example for all of us who learned of Jesus from her.
The day after the funeral, I had another great privilege. I attended Curtis's baby dedication in Springfield, MO. My mother went along and helped with the long drive. It was great to see Shane and Ashley present their child and promise to bring him up in a way that honors the Lord. I thought of the full circle we have made in our generations--learning of Christ, growing in him, and passing on our faith and its responsibilities to our children and grandchildren.

Painting the Building

2009-10-20T17:08:00.004-04:00

Joy, Teddy, and I are still in the United States. We expect to return to Ecuador on November 2. Meanwhile, we received some pictures of some of the men painting the first floor of the building. We are very thankful for the work that they have been doing! There is still a lot to be done, but we are grateful for what has been accomplished so far.

Updating Our Position

2009-09-01T11:35:00.002-04:00

A lot of time has passed since the last post. We have spent lots of time in the car. We have also enjoyed the opportunity to see family, friends, and supporting congregations around the USA. Right now I am in Springfield, MO. We have a few more days to be with our daughters, sons-in-law, and grandson who live here. BTW, our grandson Curtis is doing very well. He has been out of the hospital for about a month now, and has been growing fast! We are so happy and thankful.
During the past several weeks, we also visited our daughter, son-in-law, and grandkids in Ohio. The new baby there, Saranna, is doing great! It is so much fun being grandparents. It is going to be tough to return to Ecuador and be far away from them, but we are thankful for all of the ways we can communicate and travel these days. Imagine what it was like when one said good-bye to loved ones to go on a journey or to be a missionary, knowing it would probably be the last time you saw them! In reality, we never know when it will be the last time in this life, so we should enjoy the times we do have to the max!
We attended the annual BBFI missionary family reunion. That was a good time of fellowship with other missionaries from around the world, most of whom we had never met before in person. We had a good time. There were a few fun activities, and some information we needed, but the best parts were the testimonies from fellow-missionaries and the biblical teaching from Pastor Lewis Mclendon.
August 10-12 we had the great privilege of celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of Joy's parents, Ted and Verneta Wille. We were able to arrange a luncheon and overnight stay for them and several of their friends and family members at a beautiful place in Tennessee. It was neat to see them with some of their life-long friends who have also been pastors and Christian ministers. What a testimony of faithfulness!
All along our journey of these weeks we have visited supporting churches and even a couple that don't support us yet (we always hope and pray they will). We have had some opportunities to share, and even to preach in services or teach adult Bible study groups. The response is always friendly and sometimes there is obvious interest and appreciation for our work. We are thankful for these opportunities. It is especially exciting when we realize that at least some people are trying to pay attention to what is going on in our work in order to pray or participate somehow. I am conditioned to expect to hear nothing more personal than, "How are things in Ecuador?" or "So what's Ecuador like?" When my answer goes beyond "Things are going well," people tend to look for a way to escape or change the subject. It is cool when someone in a church lets you know that they have been praying for some specific aspect of the work, have read my blog posts, or even seen the pictures or video I've posted on the internet. I thank God that there are some of those people whom God uses to encourage me.
Please be praying for us, especially for Joy. We recently learned that Joy must have surgery before we return to Ecuador, so we are changing our return plans. Instead of our return to Ecuador on September 10, Joy will be having surgery on September 16. We will be able to return to Ecuador after she has fully recuperated. Please be praying with us about this.
We receive frequent news from the church in Manta. A couple of babies have been born to church families, the services have been good with fair attendances and sufficient offerings, a few of the necessary steps in construction have continued (a security apartment, wiring, bathroom fixtures), the Thursday night class is almost ready for the test, and the leaders continue to meet for prayer and planning. There are some very positive reports from Portoviejo where Gustavo and Lidia are doing a good job and have reached out to some new people. Please keep praying for all of these things.

New Grandson

2009-07-21T12:33:00.003-04:00

We had the privilege of meeting our new grandson, Curtis Anthony Coston, in Springfield, MO. Curtis was born six weeks early on July 2, and has been in neo-natal ICU. He is doing well. Please pray that he can leave the hospital soon with good health. Besides Curtis, we will be visiting Saranna Gwen Lewis, born July 4 in Ohio. We will also be visiting several churches and reporting on the great things God has done in Manta. Please pray for our safety in many thousands of miles of travel.

First Sunday

2009-07-07T08:19:00.003-04:00

How great is that! Our church moved out of the rented house and moved into the unfinished first floor of the educational building! 117 attended the first Sunday service. There is still a lot to do to finish this classroom building and then to build the auditorium, but we are looking forward to seeing the progress each week. The church can put the rent money into the construction fund. If you would like to help, just let us know by e-mail or comment. We'll let you know how you can contribute.

New Grandchildren

2009-07-07T08:13:00.003-04:00

We have had lots of excitement recently. First I want to tell about our new grandchildren. Curtis Anthony Coston was born on July 2. He came six weeks early. His parents Shane and Ashley are thrilled with the progress he has made. The picture above is after just 4 days. We are very thankful to God for His goodness. On July 4, Saranna Gwen Lewis was born. Mike and Amanda are very happy to now have two precious children. Big brother Ioan is shown in this picture with his baby sister. We are beside ourselves with happiness and gratitude. We look forward to the opportunity to hold these little ones very soon.

Last Sunday on the Roof

2009-06-29T21:10:00.005-04:00

June 28 was our last Sunday in the rented house where we have been for the past year. We met in a similar house for about 3 years before moving to this one. We have been consistently filling the rooftop terrace for our Sunday morning services. This past Sunday was our biggest crowd yet. We had 148 in total attendance. Most of the children are in classes for their age group in the rooms of the house below. Adults, teens, and older children crowd into all of the plastic chairs we can fit on the roof. We are thankful that we had this place to worship and grow. Starting next week we will be meeting at our church property in our unfinished classroom building. It will be a pioneer experience!
After the church service four people were baptized to profess their desire to follow Jesus as his disciples. We are always happy when there are baptisms, and Sunday afternoon was a beautiful time. The sky and the ocean were both beautifully blue.

Women's Ministry Retreat

2009-06-29T21:02:00.005-04:00

Joy was one of the organizers and teachers at a retreat for women in ministry from a number of churches around Ecuador. Pastors' wives, women's ministry leaders, children's ministy directors, youth workers, and others. It was a great time of fellowship and training. The retreat took place from June 25 to 27.

Building Update

2009-06-15T19:19:00.002-04:00

Here I am, standing on the 2nd floor of the educational building! That means that the first floor is now covered. What a good feeling! We have seen a lot of progress the past few months. God has been more than gracious to us, and we are thankful. Now we are starting to get walls built so that soon we can use the first floor of the building.
We must begin to meet at the property on July 5. We know that the conditions will be "rustic" until the building can be finished properly, but we are still very excited. The people of the church have been acting on faith, and God has responded. We are all very grateful.

Youth Activity

2009-05-23T20:39:00.003-04:00

Every Saturday Luis and Melanea lead a youth Bible study and fellowship meeting at the church. This week they brought the group to our house. We enjoyed serving them hot dogs, watermelon, and brownies. We had a devotional time, and played video games like tennis and bowling with the Wii for "recreation".

Second Floor

2009-05-23T20:34:00.002-04:00

We are very happy that the second floor of the church building was poured today! We are very grateful for all the help we have received to make this possible. We will need a lot more help to finish the building. Our immediate plan is to do as much as we can to make at least part of the building usable by July.

Construction Continues

2009-05-19T22:50:00.004-04:00

The church building continues to take shape. During the past couple of weeks work has gone into the steel and forms in preparation for pouring the second floor. We are excited about putting the first floor of the classroom building to use in the near future. We are thankful that the Lord is providing for this work through a couple of timely and generous contributions. We are very grateful.

Mother's Day

2009-05-19T22:36:00.006-04:00

On the Saturday before Mother's Day, Joy and the other leaders of the women's ministry held an outreach and fellowship activity for the ladies. There was food, games, music, and a devotion time. Around 50 attended.

Then on Sunday we had more than 30 moms in attendance for the morning service. Each mother received a flower. We took pictures of each mother with her family.

Baptism

2009-05-07T16:31:00.003-04:00

On Sunday two adults and a teen were baptized in a bright blue Pacific Ocean. Although it was a very hot day, it felt very cool to see these men make a public testimony of their faith in Jesus.

Men's Retreat

2009-05-07T16:14:00.005-04:00

Last week some of the men went to a retreat where I was to be one of the speakers. It was a great time. There were only a handful of church groups invited so it wasn't big, but everyone enjoyed it. The teaching definitely made in impact on the men from Manta who should be able to apply it in their homes immediately. In fact, within a half-hour of arriving home, I got a call from one of the wives saying "Thank you" for what her husband had learned at the retreat, and on Sunday a father and son were baptized together.

Still Moving Forward

2009-04-17T20:41:00.003-04:00

There are so many good things going on around our church that sometimes we don't notice all of the progress. Overall attendance has been increasing steadily. Now the Sunday attendance is over 100 more often than not. We always have new believers and others interested in personal Bible study and discipleship classes. The Thursday night Bible institute class, Escuela de Liderazgo Bíblico, just started a new cycle of classes with 17 students. The ministry/leadership team has been working well together for several months. We have about 20 people involved in teaching children's classes. The church's monthly budget and giving have increased dramatically over last year. Wow! God has been good.
Yet there have been challenges. A number of people have been hospitalized lately with illness and injuries. One man in the church was involved in a terrible auto accident that resulted in some legal troubles. The financial crunch has hit families in the congregation at all economic levels. Several are out of work or are underemployed. Crime has increased in Manta and has touched some of our church families. We are making the best of limited space and limited resources. However, we realize that each of these challenges is an opportunity for God to work and to be worshipped.
Thank you for your prayers and partnership in our ministry.

Floor Finished

2009-04-09T12:45:00.003-04:00

Here is Teddy standing on the floor of the classroom building in progress. All it needs are walls, ceiling, windows, and doors!

Building Progress

2009-04-03T23:04:00.003-04:00

It has been neat to see the education building begin to take shape as the foundation, and columns and floor are completed! We are thankful for what God has done for us.

Ecua-Volley

2009-03-24T22:35:00.004-04:00

What did the men do while the women were at a baby shower? First they spent a few hours working at the construction site. Twelve men put their hands and hearts into completing a task together. Then the fellowship continued with one of Ecuador's favorite sports--volleyball. In Ecuador volleyball is played with three on a side, a high net, and a soccer ball. There is no rotation. The competition is serious.

Double Baby Shower

2009-03-24T22:22:00.004-04:00

This past Sunday evening the ladies of the church held a baby shower for two lovely Moms-to-be, Viviana and Monica. Joy had a great time planning, organizing, and buying gifts. The cakes she made were beautiful. The other leaders of the ladies ministry pitched in and did a wonderful job with decorations, games, and a devotion. About 35 ladies participated and made both of the mothers feel very blessed and appreciated. Viviana has attended our church for a few years, but her husband is not a believer. Monica and her husband have just recently begun to follow Jesus.

Bible Institute Students

2009-03-24T22:10:00.002-04:00

Here you see most of the people from the church who recently completed subjects in our Bible institute ministry. All of these folks take active roles in our church. Baby Aaron was present for the latest subject and took the final exam. This Thursday we expect to add several new students to this group.

Miriam, Darwin and Jessica each received a beautiful Study Bible in recognition of their completing 12 subjects. They are the first to finish the Level One courses. They will be continuing to study in areas specific to the ministries they are involved in or will be stretching into!

Construction Progress

2009-03-19T23:38:00.004-04:00

Thank the Lord our church building is now starting to go up as well as down! We are so pleased to see some progress in the construction of our church's future meeting and ministry place. There is still a long, long way to go. So keep us in your prayers. Any contributions for this project are greatly appreciated and can be sent through Baptist Bible Fellowship International, PO Box 191, Springfield, MO 65801. Be sure to include a note that your gift is for the building in Manta, Ecuador, part of Tony Anzalone's ministry. Offerings given through BBFI are tax deductible. Right now, each $10 contribution makes it possible for us to build one square foot of the first floor of our education building.
This weekend, from Friday night to Saturday night, the church will have 24 HOURS of PRAYER. More than 60 people have signed up for specific time slots in order to have a continual stream of prayer for the needs of our world, country, city and church. I am very excited about this. We will end on Saturday at 6:00 PM with a one-hour unified prayer meeting. Please join with us in taking every request to God's throne of grace.

Big Holes

2009-03-12T11:34:00.003-04:00

This is a hole. How exciting! It is the first of 24 similar holes that are the beginnings of the building for the church in Manta. We have been waiting for this for quite a while. We are so thankful to God for bringing us to this point. There is still a long way to go, but we believe the entire project will be completed. May God receive the glory and praise. We trust that he will supply the financial and manpower needs for the job to continue.

This is part of the construction crew that began work on Monday, March 9. Besides digging holes they are assembling thousands of pieces of re-bar that provide the steel reinforcement for the building's concrete foundation and columns. Please be praying for this building project. That would be a big help. Thank you for being part of our construction team!

Vacation Bible School

2009-03-03T19:22:00.002-05:00

We had a really good time on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. The teachers were well prepared and well organized. We had more than enough helpers for all activities. We had an opening set of songs and the main message at the beginning. The teacher for that period was a little bit goofy, but that's okay. It was me. Then we used out limited space to break out into groups divided by age. Everyone was crowded. This group of older elementary students had to move from a small classroom to the terraza. That was the coolest place in the building anyway so it worked out great. After the classroom activities for reinforcement and age-appropriate activities we had another large group session: more music and the main story once again. This time Rafael told the story through pictures using really cool flourescent paint and black light. The kids paid attention and the Gospel was presented very clearly. What fun! Then on Sunday we had a all of the kids back for Sunday School and VBS closing. 134 people showed up! and the house didn't fall down. We desperately need our building!

Past Couple of Weeks

2009-02-23T21:52:00.004-05:00

Let's catch up on a few things.
On the 10th through the 12th we enjoyed the visit of our friends Patricio, Sylvana, and Kyara. They are in the lower picture. They are from the city of Santo Domingo. They stayed with us for a couple of days of their vacation. They went to the beach even though it was rainy. They are a sweet family who love the Lord and are serving Him in a number of ways. We think Patricio would be a great pastor for the church in Portoviejo. Please join us in prayer about that.
On Friday the 13th we showed a movie at church, Fireproof. We had a group fo about 50 people for the movie and they loved it. We had planned an intermission at the halfway point for food and socializing, but the crowd didn't want a break. They were into the story. We have heard a number of comments regarding the impact people felt. They could really put themselves into what the characters were portraying. We pray that their are long-term results. Several have asked to borrow the DVD or asked how to get one.
The rest of that weekend we went to Santo Domingo. The top picture shows Joe and Sylvia Wells, our good friends and co-workers in that part of Ecuador. One of the churches from their ministry invited me to speak at a banquet and at their Sunday church service. We always enjoy staying at the Wells' house. Teddy has a wonderful time playing games and enjoying their attention.
Javier, Darwin, Juan, Wilda and others substituted for us in Manta that weekend and did a great job. We are blessed with good workers.
We had a good weekend in Manta (this 20th to 22nd) with our regular services and special study groups. There was a ladies ministry meeting at out house too. Of course we had church in Portoviejo on Sunday afternoon as well. This is a big holiday weekend in Ecuador that extends through Tuesday. On Thursday we will start a short vacation Bible school for kids.

Exit Pastor Eduardo

2009-02-11T10:52:00.005-05:00

Sunday (Feb. 8) in Portoviejo the church said good-bye to Pastor Eduardo Guano and his family. Pastor Eduardo started the church 8 years ago and will be going to Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. I will be serving as interim pastor in Portoviejo until a new national pastor is called by the church.

Anniversary in Manta

2009-02-10T18:30:00.003-05:00

Cake, empanadas, and bocaditos were the menu after church in Manta. The church celebrated its 4th anniversary. In spite of pouring rain right up until church time (a rarity for us), we had a great crowd and an even better time. We recognized the 18 disciples who had been baptized during the past 12 months, and all of them were present! We had a little bit of special music from Joel and Mark, two young men who are visiting Ecuador from the USA and have been working with a team of evangelists who attend our church when they aren't on the road. The sermon was about a praying church from the book of Acts. Then we prayed. It was a terrific morning!

A Great Day

2009-02-01T22:29:00.004-05:00

Sunday, February 1, was a great day! It was very busy and full of blessings. At least 90 attended the Sunday morning service and we had a few first-time visitors. The weather was hot, but beautiful. After the service a good-sized group went to the beach for our first baptism service of 2009. Seven people followed the example of Jesus in baptism. This was a victorious time for each of them, and they were happy, (as you can see in the picture below).

A little bit later, Joy and Teddy and I went to Portoviejo, the capital of Manabí province, which is located about 45 minutes away from Manta by car. We had our first meeting with the congregation there. We will be overseeing that ministry while they are in the process of seeking a new pastor. 15 people attended the meeting. Please pray with us about this opportunity.

In the evening we led the second of the new Bible studies that began this weekend. On Friday night 18 people attended the Freedom Class, and we had a great time there. Sunday night was How to Study the Bible for Yourself. 26 people attended (photo above). We had expected around 20; so we were very pleased with the interest in the course.

Portoviejo

2009-01-27T13:46:00.002-05:00

Starting February 1, I will be assisting a church in the city of Portoviejo as they will be without a pastor. Portoviejo is about 45 minutes from Manta, and is the capital city of the Manabí province. This temporary responsibility will require some extra work, energy, and travel. Please pray with us about this.
This past Saturday, January 24, the church in Portoviejo dedicated a small building, the first stage of a two-stage building project. The congregation is excited to be getting into their own building after waiting eight years. The Ecuadorian pastor who started the church will be returning to his home area of Santo Domingo.
This coming weekend we will be starting two new Bible Study series in the Manta church and expect to have some baptisms as well. We will be celebrating the church's 4th anniversary in a couple of weeks. It will be fun to look back at what has been an eventful and fruitful 4 years of ministry here.

A Few Photos

2009-01-27T13:20:00.003-05:00

The bridal party after the ceremony. Alexis and Jonathan Taylor are the happy couple in the center. Our other daughters Ashley and Amanda are left of Alexis.

Joy and I with Alexis before the wedding.

Uncle Teddy with Ioan (our grandson).

Still Here

2009-01-20T21:45:00.003-05:00

Tons happening--very little time for blogging and usually no internet service.
I'll recap some of what's been going on in this post and then I will try to add some more in the next few days. I intend to get back to posting at least once per week as was my original intention.

First, our church had a number of Christmas activities. The ladies had a luncheon event. The Travesía ministry had a meal and gave out gifts in the village. We had a Sunday School program and the kids did a great job. The children's ministry workers had a Christmas party for more than 70 kids and 30 adults.
Joy, Teddy and I made a trip to the States. We got to be with our family for the holidays and got ready for Lexi's wedding (which was beautiful). I hope to get a few pictures from the wedding on the site. We had a marvelous time with friends in the Orlando, FL area and from around the country. We were able to visit supporting churches in Florida while we were there. Friends even took us to Disney's Animal Kingdom. An awesome time!
Our dear friend Pastor Loyal Carlson had heart by-pass surgery and had a rough time of recovery. We got to spend time with him. Pray that he will continue to recover. When he was well enough, Pastor Carlson took Teddy fishing. That was a great treat.
Back in Ecuador, the church went through a roller-coaster of emotions and had to pull together to minister to one-another. Zonia Marriott when to the presence of the Lord. We have asked prayer for Zonia many times. We are grateful for her testimony of joy and patience. That same week, Zonia's daughter Melanea gave birth to a son named Aaron. Luis and Melanea are very special to us. The church held a funeral with praise and preaching, and then helped welcome Aaron.
We returned to Manta on January 16. There are lots of things going on. We'll be keeping you posted. Later this week I want to get a few pictures posted as well.