24 March 2008

2007 Summary - Part Three

JULY

Mom Guido passed away on July 5. It was the first day in ten years with us that she didn’t get out of bed. She hadn’t been eating well for about 2 weeks so we were expecting it. We shared 10 years together with her in our home. She was a very easy person to care for and brought a special joy to our home. We were blessed to have her and miss her greatly.

John was able to attend the Haggai Leadership Seminar in Singapore. It was a great opportunity to meet Christian leaders from all over the world and receive some first class teaching on leadership. Here the group from Latin America receive the first prize for the group presentation they prepared.

During the Haggai Seminar John suffered his first ever attack of sciatica. It was the most painful experience of his life and continues to be a bit of a problem although he is finally feeling 95% better during the last month. This is his friend Sheriff, from Calcutta, India. It looks like he is enjoying ministering to his new brother.

Paul and Diana Hermoza with their son Matias were sent out to join Fabian and Clara Molina and their 3 girls in the work Manta, Ecuador.


His Glorious Presence Church, from Maryland sends youth a youth outreach team to Manta, Ecuador. The Church and the city receive a great blessing and the US team leaves inspired and encouraged by a job well done.


AUGUST

Our church community suffered the most traumatic event of its 20 year history when 4 members of our church are killed in a bus accident. They were on their way back from a youth outreach to the Ark orphanage and were side swiped by an oncoming bus. Andres Vallejo, Pedro Vintimilla and Santiago Carrion lost their lives while serving the Lord Jesus. His grace has mightily poured out on their parents, relatives and friends and on the congregation.

SEPTEMBER - Our daughter Lisa and her husband Christoph, announce Lisa’s pregnancy with our third grandchild. The ultrasound says it’s a boy. Not in this view of a cute profile, of course. The due date is June 3, her father’s birthday. Marilyn will be there at that time for a month to help with the girls and with the new arrival. We are all very excited to welcome another member to the family, and we hope his name is Guido Neumann. :o)



2007 Summary - Part Two

APRIL – Our dear friend, Curtis Leins, visits to minister to the congregation. The Lord used Curtis mightily to minister to us, our leadership, the congregation and the Verbo leadership in Quito.

Daniel and Marta Quiroz with their son Alejandro were sent to Gualaquiza, Ecuador a small town in the jungle, where they are currently pastoring a new church plant with 70 in attendance. They have had many opportunities to have radio and television time, locally. They are having a big impact on the whole area. There is a family who is riding a bus 6 hours each way, to get to church each week!

Medical Doctors associated with Taylor University work one week at our clinic in a Medical Outreach.

MAY – Taylor University President, Gene Habecker, and his wife, Marylou, visit Ecuador to see what all the hubbub is about from the teams and faculty who have come down in the past. His vision is to have ten Global Engagement Centers where Taylor students can study and have a healthy exposure to the culture and the expression of the Christian church in other countries. He also presented a Leadership Seminar in Quito and Cuenca.

Construction project begins on our Sunday school and fellowship area.

JUNE - On the third of this month John turns 53 years of age.