Isaiah 54:2-3

"Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities."

It's amazing how a few patients at a time can add up to such a large final number! In the last 10 years, working with the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, (GHO) we have touched 62,350 people! That's a good sized town! Some have received a life changing surgery, some a brief check-up, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory medication. 
All have been prayed for, smiled at, and shown the love of Jesus....

A team member plays with a patient while his mother is being seen by the doctor

Mission Visits

Whatever I have,
wherever I am,
I can make it through anything
in the One
who makes me who I am.

Phil 4:12b-13 the Message

John enjoying the crowd in El Guabo

Before we left for the States we made a visit to each of the churches that we have planted around the country- and those John covers as part of the national council of Verbo. We were able to visit Gualaquiza, Loja, Vilcabamba, the 3 churches in the province of El Oro; El Guabo, Pasaje and Machala, and Manta. That's a lot of miles the highway!

In Manta we had a special time- John shared about the importance of blessing your children. Above are Cinthia and Darwin, one of the young couples who work with Fabian and Clara, praying for their kids.


We had a series of meetings with the church in Loja (above and below) - seminars for leaders in the mornings, and meetings for the congregation in the evenings. It was wonderful to see the response from the leadership all the way through the congregation.

- - -

The church in Vilcabamba is growing steadily, thanks to the dedication of Alfredo Erizalde, (that's him in the lower right corner in the photo of the Loja congregation) who is going down every week to meet and disciple these young Christians. Above, Mauricio Alvarez, the pastor from Loja, is praying for the group in the small room they rent for their meetings. Below, some of the church members waiting for the January medical team in the municipal building in downtown Vilcabamba.


The greatest blessing for us was to spend time with each of these leaders, individually and as teams, sharing our hearts and concerns for them. They all reassured us that in spite of the normal difficulties of learning to relate as teams and with their congregations, they were convinced that God had them where they were, and they were passionate about pursuing His will for their lives! Just amazing.

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.

Visit to Loja and Gualaquiza

Last week we took a trip down south to visit two of the churches that we cover. We broke it up a little, since John is trying to take care of his back. He hurt it in July, and has had sciatica ever since. So, first we drove to Vilcabamba, a little south of Loja. We have a medical team that goes there to work every January, and because of that outreach, there is a small group of believers who regularly meet with one of the leaders from Loja. We are praying that it will grow to be an official church plant soon. Above is a view of the central park. John and Bob Capaldi had meetings with the leaders on Thanksgiving day, and Lauren and I enjoyed a Mexican food lunch and watched our men at work. It was a nice break, strolling around town when it wasn't raining.

After that we headed east and north to Gualaquiza. The "highway" passes so many beautiful waterfalls. We especially enjoyed the sign placed in the middle of this waterfall- it says "enjoy nature- don't deface it" hmmm.

Here is a nice looking bridge. Kind of the opposite of a suspension bridge. I wonder what it would be called! (I doubt the engineers would name it a sagging bridge!) At least there are no potholes!

Our church in Cuenca sent Daniel Quiroz and his wife Martha to Gualaquiza to plant a church about 6 months ago. It wasn't an easy start for them but they rented a new building a month ago, and are seeing great fruit. We were there for their very first youth group meeting. (above photo) Very fun to see a new group excited about all that the Lord is doing in and through them. On Sunday, John shared and then they prepared a meal for everyone who attended. There were about 10 first time visitors among the 112 who attended!

In lieu of a "newsletter"

Hi there! Well, after having some trouble with our old newsletter format . . . can't get the website to open! We decided to try this out. Seems we can jot a quick note and keep you up to date and perhaps improve our recently abysmal communications.

It has been a busy fall. We had a visit from our dear daughter, and our two grand babies, here are Emily and Katrina playing in a fountain in Guayaquil. That was followed by a visit from the leaders of the Verbo church in Nicaragua; followed by a surgery team to Gualaquiza, where we have a young church plant; followed by a visit by a couple of great pastors from New Hampshire and Scotland; followed by a two week medical team to Manta and Cuenca; followed by a visit from the leaders of the Verbo church in Loja . . . are you getting the idea?

Right now John is in Machala for some meetings with the leaderhip in that province. He'll be joined tomorrow by some of the leaders from Cuenca, and present a seminar on Leadership with alumni from the Haggai Institute. We have several men who have studied a month either in Hawaii, or Singapore at the Haggai Institute, and they are excited to share what they learned. He'll be bringing home 5 house guests on Saturday- all members of the leadership council in our church plant in El Guabo.