First of all, sorry for the delay in posting. The internet has been very intermittent, but we will continue to update you as opportunity presents itself.

Sunday, July 2, 2006

Ahhh... Sunday morning in Ecuador.  We got to sleep in a bit before church at 11 am.  Everyone was grateful for that after such a long trip.  And although the skies were gray, the spirits of the team were far from it. 

An optimistic air of expectation filled the Church as we gathered for worship.  The church is actually adjacent to the Mill's home.  Michael Mills used to pastor this church until God called him to begin planting other churches across the country.

There is something very special about worshiping with brothers and sisters from a world so far away.  We are different, and yet so much the same. It was amazing! All the people there were so friendly, welcoming and excited about gathering to worship God.

It didn't matter that we didn't know the words to the songs or that some of the sermon wasn't translated, the presence of God filled the room to overflowing.  It was truly an awesome service. It was lead by their pastor, Pastor Jimmy, who talked about service and how it was our duty to go out and serve God. It was really the perfect message for us as we begin this mission.

Then he spoke about communion and how the Lord's supper was better and more wonderful than any other because everyone was invited come no matter what.  There is probably nothing more unifying than sharing the blood and body of our Savour with new friends. We came forward together to receive the elements and walked away reminded of the eternal bond we share in Christ.  It was a great blessing.

We were also blessed to witness the dedication of a new baby in the congregation.  No matter whether you are in the states or on foreign soil, babies bring out the best in everyone.  It was exciting to see this new life dedicated to the one we call Lord.

After church we went back to the Mills' and ate BBQ pork, steamed potatoes, corn, pasta salad, and the best chocolate cake ever, lovingly prepared by our hostess Denise.  There didn't seem to be any disagreement... the clean plates testified to the fact it was GREAT!

The rest of the day was ours to do as we wanted. While several team members elected to hang around the house and rest, many folks walked to the SuperMaxie, a store about 30 min away. There they staged a great game of plato, plato, ganso (duck, duck, goose) in a field right in front of the store. They returned a few hours later and we all just hun gout and talked while snacking on the left over lunch.

That evening, we all met in the living room for the team meeting.  Jonathan started talking to us about what to expect the next day and where we would be and what our assignments were. He talked about how we would see miracles and spiritual battles and how we needed to be prepared for what the Lord would bring.

We made a prayer list of our loved ones back home that needed our prayers, and gathered in a circle to pray.  As God's spirit descended on the room, our hearts and souls opened up to his leading. As the tears flowed, Jonathan and other senior members of the team moved around the room, laying hands on each team member and praying for God's anointing on their lives and their roll in this mission... it was...powerful!

Following this precious time together, it was time for bed...

We thank God for you who are at home praying on our behalf.  Please continue to pray as we go into the field tomorrow for our first clinic of the trip.

God bless you all.