Father Son Team 0606

This was a unique team. For the most part it was made up of fathers and sons from Oakland Baptist church in Corinth, MS. Another uniqueness was that a wonderful lady from Philadelphia, PA signed on for the trip as well. Also, we had Ron Borman and two of his kids along as well (Ron is a missionary to the Cofan people in the jungle here, and a good friend). It made for an interesting mix, and God really blessed us in our adventure here in Ecuador!

Our main thrust was working at the Orphanage "Jardin de Eden" about two hours south of Quito. The team arrived at midnight, we got on the bus, and drove to our hotel in Salcedo, arriving around 230 am. The next day we hit the ground running . For three days, we painted two buildings in the mornings, held organized games and devotionals in the afternoons, and just enjoyed being part of the kids lives. The team brought shoes, tooth brushes, sunglasses, toys, candy, tshirts, racing (olympic style) medals, and lots of love for the kids at the orphanage. We made up a special booklet about the gospel for each child with their individual picture on the front as well. We even got to pass out the dollar rewards for grades through our grades incentive program while the team was there!

Saturday was spent getting to know the culture back in Quito, where we visited San Antonio church (500 years old), went to the outdoor market at El Ejido park, enjoyed Middle of the World park, and visited with the Borman family.

Sunday, we were treated to a day with the church "Linaje Escogido" up in the mountains above the community of Cusubamba. I was recently advised by the locals there that it is really in the community "Chinchinloma", so as you see future communications about the work in that area, try not to be confused by the different names. We attended church, and had a great fellowship meal with them. We also heard the testimonies of the founding of the church in the face of terrible persecution, and how God continues to use them today.

God really grew us all a little closer to him and each other. It was an amazing time and we were all blessed beyond our dreams. The young men really got a new perspective about life and I believe grew up quite a bit in that short week.

The Team:
Travis and Josh Smith, David and John Mark Dodd, Billy and Zeb Taylor, Kenny and Jordan Miles (Corinth).
Holly Taylor (Philadelphia)
Ron, Ethan, and Lydia Borman (Missionaries in Ecuador)
Fernando Basler (translator/Ecuadorian)

Fathers and Sons on the team from Corinth	Carpenter shop at Orphanage	The team brought shoes for the kids	One of the games was with colored yarn	Our bus	the Orphanage with the newly painted building
Carpenter shop where some learn a trade	Playing games outside	The group with their new tshirts	Most of the kids in the tshirts that the team brought them	We made up a special booklet for each kid with their photo on it	A closeup of the booklet
Zach with some of the kids	Rod (me) with Anita, the co-founder of the orphanage	Relaxing at the Borman house	Fernando was an incredible song leader	Group shot at the church "Linaje Escogido"	Lunch under the heavens at "Linaje Escogido"
Outdoor games	Outdoor games	Holly was a big hit with the kids	Shoes for the kids	Kenny Miles explains the yarn game	Rod and the "grades incentive program"
the Team	San Francisco church	One of our meals, an Ecuadorian favorite, "Fritada"	Getting the packets ready for the kids	Song Time with Fernando	Song time with Fernando
Organizing the outside games was a task	Billy Taylor passes out a packet to a grateful girl	Havin' fun	the Kids loved their booklets and all the other goodies in their packets	Sunglasses were one of the items in their packets, thanks to Dr. Mike Weeden	Travis Smith gets his tshirt signed
Signing tshirts was a real treat for all	This girl hardly ever smiled, but the team brough it out of her	Kenny and David sit with Bub Borman as he shares his life's work; a Cofan bible	The team at Middle of the World	L-R: Josh Smith, Travis Smith, David Dodd, John Mark Dodd	On the bus the first night
230am at the hotel	What a room!	What a hotel!	Mixing the paint	Painting the main building in peach	We couldn't keep David away from the trees
Holly with Julio, one of the more interesting little boys	One of our lunches at the orphanage	a room at the orphanage	the Yarn game	The hotel compound	The kids getting home from school around 1pm each afternoon
Billy is proud of our work	Painting the dining hall	David Dodd is quite popular (the beard and overalls were a big hit).	How sweet it is!	We fell in love a hundred times with these kids.	Travis too!
Travis swinging a girl	The boys enjoyed just playing with the kids	Photos from Corinth, MS were a big hit	The team sings a song for the kids	Roberto, the founder of the orphanage	more kids
The finished job	the Orphanage	Another shot of "fritada"	pre- fritada: a common sight here	Jordan surrounded	Josh getting a hug
Holly and Kenny with the kids	Ron Borman holding a Macaw.	Mr. and Mrs. Borman; they gave 40 years of their life to bring the bible to a tribal people	Middle of the World Park museum building	A shot of Quito from the hotel Saturday night	Picking out a toy
David Dodd, one of my mentors from MS and a unique champion of the Lord	Ron and Rod	John Mark Dodd	Ron and Lydia	Painting the dining hall	Painting the dining hall
The group at Middle of the World	Zach and Billy Taylor	We are overcome by the testimony of Pastor Sixto, who faced much persecution for his faith.	Brother Ricardo Ona at "Linaje Escogido" church: He was once beaten and douced with gasoline to be burnt alive for his faith.	The team singing at "Linaje Escogido"	The team singing at "Linaje Escogido"
Fernando was not only a translator, but an amazing song leader	An elderly lady	Kenny Miles and a friend	Another testimony of the persecution during the founding years of the church "Linaje Escogido"	games at "Linaje Escogido"	A lady and her daughter
the unfinished church "Linaje Escogido"	Another view of the unfinished church: it is 15 years being built so far.	The countryside surrounding "Linaje Escogido".

Mission: Ecuador

Mission Team: June 2006