"(We) Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!" (Psm. 107:1 amp)
Housing Needs
We must open this update, giving thanks for your prayers. In our last update, we asked for your prayers in locating a house to rent in Gibson City. The Lord answered our prayers when we received an email from a family in Forrest, Illinois. They do not know us, and we do not know them, however they heard from someone that we were in need of a house to rent. They contacted us and worked with our budget. We are very excited to now have a house to rent, with a yard, front porch, garage, and no bars on the windows! We are thrilled. The Lord is good!Despedidas Continue
Since our last update, we have completed another five despedidas (formal saying goodbyes). The churches have been so generous in showing their appreciation for us with their many kind words and gifts. On May 16th, we had the privilege of participating in the cutting of the ribbon and inauguration service of the new church 
building in Sucre. It was a day filled with giving thanks, music, and huge meals consisting of the typical potatoes, cuy (guinea pig), choclo (corn) and homemade cheeses. This was also the date of David’s 18th birthday and he had the honor of having around 100 indigenous church members sing happy birthday to him.Women's Retreat
Last weekend, 30+ ladies from the central district churches were treated to a 2 ½ day retreat held at the OMS Guesthouse here in Quito. This was a wonderful weekend for the ladies and for many, it was the first time they had ever attended or experienced anything like this. Activities included: crafts, bible teachings, counseling, praise & worship, Lord’s supper, talent show & tons of food and fun. Bonnie Shrode, Kelly Chambers and Cindy were in charge of leading and hosting, while Mike, Darryl and Doug ran things in the kitchen.Soccer Season
The soccer season for this year has finally finished. Both David and Jonathan had good seasons and neither suffered an injury for which we are grateful. During the recent awards banquet, David received honors for Best Offense and 
MVP of varsity soccer team at the Alliance Academy again this year. David is planning to play soccer at Greenville College this fall and will be attending a soccer camp at Greenville in July..
Mom's visit
Cindy's Mom - Patsy, will be arriving on June 9th and will be here to attend David's high school Baccalaureate and Graduation services. She will also be here to help with some various things around the house as we prepare to get ready to leave for furlough.
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David’s Senior Activities
This week, David has his Jr./Sr. Banquet (not called Prom here), Sr. trip to the coast at Mompiche on June 3 – 8, Sr. Open House and lunch on the 12th, Baccalaureate on the 13th, begins Ecuadorian driving school on the 14th, and has graduation on the 18th. He is excited about graduating and returning to the states, but knows that he is going to greatly miss his friends and this city.
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Upcoming Events
In addition to a couple more despedidas at churches to complete, home visits and meals, Alan Landes and his family from Indiana will be arriving on June 22. They will be helping Darryl and Kelly Chambers by managing the Guesthouse for a couple of weeks while the Chambers are out traveling with teams. Alan and Doug will also be working on final preparations as a team from his church will arrive here on July 6th. Alan and Doug will also be traveling to Latacunga on June 26th to share and encourage all of the new FLET theological students during their joint student meeting. Please begin praying for Alan, his family and team as they complete their final preparations before their arrival here.
Final Countdown
The time is spinning by and as we write this update, it is hard to believe that we will be back on U.S. soil in a little more than one month. As we complete our last month of service here in Ecuador for this term, we have a great deal to accomplish. We are busy making lists of what we need to pack, move, store, and complete prior to our departure. However we cannot complete the majority of the tasks until the last couple of weeks. Our last few weeks are also greatly packed with church activities, meetings, and graduation activities for David. This is going to be a very intense and stressful time. Please pray that we will be able to complete all of the tasks as needed before our departure.
Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy
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