April 2006
April 2006
A team from Tate Baptist Church, from my home church association in Corinth, Mississippi brought their professional talents to Ecuador as well as their love for sharing the gospel. The team members were: Dr. Mike Weeden, Ken Weeden, and Lisa Weeden. Our team translators were Salome and Gisela, a mother and daughter from Quito.
We had been talking for a couple of years on and off about the possibility of coming and doing eye care here. This April our dreams became reality. Around 900 people got to hear the gospel individually, and receive eye care from this small team of professionals with big hearts! They not only brought prescription and reading glasses, but tons of eye drops, sunglasses, ointments, Tylenol, aspirin, (along with various other medicines), toothbrushes and toothpaste, and toys for the kids. It was a truly blessed and exciting time!We ministered at five different churches in three different Indigenous communities, north of Quito. We had the trip organized so that there was at least a team of 12 at each church; myself, two translators, and the three from Corinth PLUS six trained persons from each church. Everyone really did a great job, and each church was very organized. God was really with us in our work, especially with the Ecuadorians who were sharing the gospel; they had such a passion for the lost, it was simply humbling to witness.
Although the days were exhausting, it was so rewarding. Although it varied from church to church, our workday plan was leaving the guesthouse in Quito around 8am to be at the church to set up and be ministering by around 9am (for the churches farther away, that meant leaving at 7am), a quick 30 minute lunch break, and working till around 430pm or so. We then packed up and had a meal prepared by the church members, followed by a short service where we enjoyed their special music, shared testimonies, and prayer. One night the team even got to sing! We generally got back to the guest house in Quito around 8pm (and sometimes later).
We also took time out to see the coastal rainforest and the "Middle of the World" visitor's center. They were great cultural experiences, and a much needed break from the intense pace of the rest of the week.
Below are the days the team was here; with their own photos and stories for each day. Click and visit to your heart's desire!
Thursday: Middle of the World visitors center, and training session
Friday: Parada Siete Baptist Church
Saturday: El Ejido park, and San Jose Alto Baptist church
Sunday: Cusubamba Baptist church
Monday: Coastal Rainforest, and "Tony's Place"
Tuesday: Candelaria Baptist Church
Wednesday: Tupigachi church