PLNU started out the trip by putting up a portable chapel for a small church that has outgrown their building. The second and third weeks were spent in traveling to churches that have Compassion projects of over 200 children each. They installed and painted playground equipment, painted murals, classrooms, and bathrooms. One project was up in the mountains and they rented a Ranchero, an open-sided truck with seats, to take them up the curvy mountain road to where a group of anxious children and teens were waiting.
The last ministry area was in the jungles of Taisha where the road had been "made" 4 years ago. DS Mario Paredes and the missionaries who accompanied them had never been to this area before. The trip is over 5 hours long on a bumpy and rocky road and at times they had to cross rivers. It was quite an adventure. The team met Issac and Belén the pastors and DS Antonio Lopéz. They helped to paint a small wood building where the children could meet for classes. The children's ministry has recently stared in Taisha and the children are not familiar with the church. The pastors are starting out with telling the children they can have a relationship with God, until they know the gospel will be accepted.
Three of the team members were working on a mural that said, "God Loves You", at the beginning of class when Sarah, an 11-year-old girl was talking with them. They asked her if she knew God, her response was that she didn't so they explained the simple plan of salvation and she accepted Christ and prayed the prayer of forgiveness before class. The joy on her face showed that God now lived in her heart.
At another church, the team surrounded the pastors in prayer and the pastor's wife shared what an encouragement that was for them. She felt like the angles were coming beside them and uplifting them during prayer. It is hard starting a new church when you have so many children and not many workers.
At every church the team shared a presentation that showed sometimes our sins, can feel like mountains. If we have faith like a mustard seed God can move those mountains. The children/teens loved making the mountains move. They shared another presentation about how God loves us so much he will leave the 99 sheep to find the one lost sheep. Sometimes the Shepherd encounters the danger of other animals to find the one lost sheep and rejoices when he does find the lost sheep just as God rejoices over one sinner.
The team encountered the tarantulas and spiders that come with the jungle, Ecuador's beautiful scenery, and took in some touristic sights of waterfalls and cultural adventures.
God did some amazing things through the team and also in their lives while in Ecuador. Pray that God will continue to guard their hearts and they will continue in the path that God has for them.