Ecuador
General Information: Forty percent of the people of Ecuador are full-blood Indian; many are descendants of the Incas. Another 40% are Mestizo, a mixture of Indian and Spanish. Protestants have been working in this country for a little over 100 years. Our work began in 1993. The Church of God in Ecuador currently has twenty congregations, four are with the Cayambe Indians, and several cell groups meeting in other parts of the country.
Karvin's purpose for this trip was 3-fold: First, to encourage the Tonsupa pastors and church, which have been robbed. Thieves broke into the church in January, and then in February they held Pastors Paola and Katia captive and stole everything they could carry away by truck. Thieves also killed many of their animals.
Second, to take the Tonsupa Church and pastors money for construction and to help replace items stolen.
Third, to visit the Santa Clara Church that is now worshipping in their
new sanctuary on the second floor, which will hold about 200 people.
The Tonsupa Church building is made of bamboo walls with a tin roof. Delia, the first convert of the Church of God in Ecuador, started this congregation five years ago with a few teenage girls (photo below). Karvin preached in their Saturday afternoon service. About 45 people attended, one man who appeared to be in his 40’s came forward to be saved for the first time. On Sunday afternoon we had a service and wedding. Karvin had the opportunity to perform the ceremony of a 24 year old girl whom Sandy and he have known since she was eight years old. Her name is Susana, the adopted daughter of Delia, although we think she is also her niece. She is the one who wrote Sandy and Karvin's names in concrete in May 1996 when they dedicated the property at Santa Clara. She was about ten at that time. Before the actual wedding, Delia preached a sermon on the family and marriage then she gave Susana away. There were probably 60 people or more in attendance.
The Santa Clara Church paid a taxi to take Karvin to the Tuesday evening service. Alejandro Choez has served as pastor for nine years. There were approximately 100 people present; thirteen were saved for the first time. One woman had brought her husband to the service for his first time. Both were saved that night. Ten of those saved were from the age of 14-25. The youngest was Jenny, whom Sandy and Karvin have known since her birth. Her family was present in the first service they had in Santa Clara in March 1995.
Karvin learned some disturbing news while on this trip. The government is requiring that every congregation give the government a list of all members, with their names, photos, fingerprints, ID numbers, etc. No doubt this is an effort to gain control of the churches. The government has already shut down one hundred congregations, according to pastor Choez. Keep the churches in Ecuador in your prayers.
We hope the following pictures will help you better appreciate what the Lord was able to do during this trip.
Bride & Groom, Susana & Rodrigo with the Flower Girl
Tonsupa Church
Young man saved in the Tonsupa Church
The 13 who were saved in the Santa Clara Church