Merry Christmas from the
"Middle of the World" !

Praise God for anther year of life, and for His incredible blessings and grace. Life for us here in Ecuador has been challenging, yet rewarding beyond our dreams. Debbie is teaching Art at the Alliance Academy (where the girls go to school) in trade for part of their tuition, and also as the volunteer art teacher at Casa Gabriel (a street boys ministry). The kids especially love her imaginative and fun projects! Through God's guidance she is also working for a Christian mural ministry called Spokesman. They have just completed a wonderful art project as part of this school ministry, where the gospel is presented in three mural-sized paintings. It was a semester long, cooperative effort, and in the end, was not only used for an outreach project at the city dump to witness to thousands, but has been made into a full color tract and continues to be a tool that the Lord is using. She is being blessed, and blessing her students and many others through her God-given talent... sharing God's love and message through art.

The Lord has given Rod, "Project: Great Commission" - a multi-faceted two year ministry program designed to enable and empower the local church to stand on its own... to help it mature and become, in turn, a body carrying out the great commission. Initially we are working with a "mother" church and its six "daughter churches", centered around an indigenous community north of Quito called "Calderon". All of the pastors of these churches are without formal training, and the church members have never had formal training in evangelism, or even Sunday school literature, as we know it. What a blessing it is to disciple these neglected children of God!

Over Thanksgiving, we visited our friends at “Jardin de Eden” Orphanage, and enjoyed our part-time ministry with them; especially enjoying the kids!

We are also hosting 2 or 3 short term mission teams this year, starting in January, when we will go to the coastal rainforest and work alongside the Christians in the little village of "Toachi" to build the second floor of their church. We will hold evening services, Kid's Bible club, and show the "Jesus movie" for the whole village.

Our girls are adjusting very well to Missionary life this school year, and growing up so fast! They all have friends from all around the world; Ecuadorian, European, Asian, and American.

Melissa is doing amazingly well. She continues to help in School Ministry Outreach program, teaching Ecuadorians English. And her conversations always work their way into Christ. Her schoolwork is awesome as well, with the highest grade point average in the school. We struggle with the fact that she will be going to college in two years. But thank God everyday for the two years we have left! Pray for wisdom concerning college and future plans.

Andrea is doing much better as well. She keeps her grades up even though it’s a struggle at times, and really enjoys school this year. But I think her favorite hobby has been going twice a month to "El Refugio" (A mission retreat for youth) to ride and care for the horses. Andrea needs continued prayer in maturing through the tough early teen years.

Rachel is rolling along happily. She has many new friends. She had her first BIG piano recital and did beautifully, and I think her favorite hobby is singing! She needs prayer as she enters the pre-teen years, you know, the goofy fights among her peers have begun, and so on. Ugh!

If you don't receive our monthly newsletters because you don't have email, please let us know and we will get you a regular copy through the mail... we really want to share what the Lord is doing through us and you, here in Ecuador! Reach us at:
PO Box 2316, Corinth 38835

If you have internet access, please visit our webpage listed below, and you can see tons of photos and hear in great detail what the Lord is doing through us (and you all) in Ecuador!

Until next time, have a great and blessed Holiday!

Christian Love, <>< rod, deb, melissa, andrea, & rachel bond Global Outreach Missionaries to Ecuador rod@rodbond.com http://www.rodbond.com Next eDiary

II Cor 5:7 -"For we walk by faith, not by sight."