Voy a Ecuador

I have dates!!!! It looks like my funding is far enough along to secure my dates for departure. I should be flying to Jackson, Mississippi on August 28 where my training will be held and then I'll be leaving for Quito, Ecuador on September 1. Since I am going through it alone they decided to give me the older 4 day model of training instead of the 3 week model they are using now. I have also been told that I will spend my first month living with an Ecuadorian family from the church that I'll eventually work with. This way I'll be thrown head first into the culture of those I'll be working with. After that first month I'll have an apartment in the area. But all of this will be in South Quito and my language school will be in North Quito which means I'll have a daily bus ride of about 30 to 45 minutes each way. Which is just one more way of being thrown head first into the culture. Throughout my language school I will be attending services with the house churches that my Every Community for Christ (ECC) team is working with and I may attend planning and prayer meetings with the team but I won't actually be working on the plant until my language study is over.

It was real encouraging this past weekend in Cincinnati to hear how much emphasis was put on equipping the locals to do the ministry of the church. The church shouldn't be dependent on anyone who has to come in from somewhere else, but it should be that we bring people into the family of God, and then prepare them to continue that work once we leave. Then they do the same with others. Then so on and so forth. That to me fits the idea of the church, of Christian ministry. Everyone, upon accepting Christ becomes a minister who then shares the love of Christ with everyone they encounter.

Well all of this is to say though that I'm still not fully funded. I'm still about $3,600 from being fully funded and about $1,400 from the 80% safe zone. So I have just at a month to continue fund-raising. But I'm not worried, I know that God will provide. Well that's all I got for now. Thanks for all of your support and continuing prayers!

Straight from Cincinnati

Well, I'm nearing the end of my stay in the wonderful town of Cincinnati, OH. I've met plenty of wonderful people here. I've met several missionary families who work full-time in Ecuador and have also met Patrick Whipple, the man I've been talking to on the phone this whole time. It looks as if everything is falling in place and that departure may be more immediate than I had thought. I now have all the paperwork necessary for my Visa to Ecuador and will be sending it to Washington, D.C. any day now! It also seems that funding is starting to come in very well. I now have about 65% funding so be praying that the funding keeps coming in and that I well be ready when the green light is given for departure. I'm looking forward to it so much and can hardly wait. The closer it comes the more I become excited. So be in prayer for my patience and be in prayer for Pastor Patricio Guerrero, the man I'll be working with once my ministry starts.

Just Another Update

Well, it seems that I have now received my placement for ministry. It looks as if I'll work in South Quito after I finish up my language school (which is also in Quito but I'm unsure what part). I'll be working with Pastor Patricio Guerrero. I am told that he is working with several home churches and has a small youth ministry of about 5-7 youth at this time.

This is in a way an answer to prayers because I will be able to maintain better contact by being in the city. I'm also really encouraged about the possibility of a more eminent departure since they are already lining up placements and such. So please be in prayer for south Quito and for Pastor Guerrero (and for my inability to roll the R sound and being placed with a man who has a double R in his name.) Also, continue to pray that all preparations will continue to come together as I continue getting vaccinations, my visa, and raising funds. Thank you so much for your prayers.

In Christ,

Blake

Location Update

Well it seems that I now know where my first few months will be spent in Ecuador. For the first 3 months I'll be in Quito, the capital city, studying language and culture. After that I don't know, the field director is now trying to decide between two placements for me but he didn't say where they were.

As for the funds I'm probably still about $4,000 to $4,500 away from being able to leave. My options for leaving are August, September, or January. Of course I want to leave as early as possible but I'm willing to wait if that is what God wants me to do. I'm working right now on getting my Visa application together and on buying everything necessary for me to leave.

Thank you all for your support through prayers and money.

En el amor de Cristo,

Blake