Update 05/07/08

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Since our last update when we shared about Zábalo (the jungle), we need to briefly mention our Souvenir from the jungle. While we were in Zábalo, one of the families that we were visiting had baby parrots. Naturally, Jonathan was very interested in these parrots and liked the idea of bringing one home to Quito. After much persuasion, he talked Doug into inquiring if the owner would be interested in selling one of them and for how much. The owner said he was very interested in a trade. He was interested in trading one of the babies for a flashlight. Well, that seemed like a pretty good deal and we were set to make the trade during our final day before we left. Upon Doug's visiting with the Chief of Zábalo about this, he quickly informed Doug that our bus ride and multiple roadside checks would quickly eliminate our chances of ever getting this bird back to Quito. So, we disappointedly decided to just give away our 4 flashlights and forget about the bird. We were all disappointed, but understood that was best. Well, the following week, Cindy's student in school who is from Zábalo, informed her that the bird made the trip with them (a few days later) and they would be bringing it to school. Sure enough, the bird showed up at school, and we are now the proud owners of a Blue-Headed parrot name "Tufi" (his Cofán name). He is a fun and very friendly parrot with his own little personality. So, far the guests here seem to enjoy him as well.

Soon after our trip to Zábalo, we had a Intercessory Prayer team of nine members from the Ovid Community Church in Anderson, Indiana come to visit several of the churches located within the Central AIEE District. The goal of the Ovid team was to gather information so that they could pray about how to best form a long-term partner relationship with one or more Ecuadorian churches. Jerry Mattocks from Pennsylvania (who is our OMS Ecuador Prayer Champion) also came to be a part of the team. He served as an "embedded intercessor" whose primary role was to support the Ovid team in prayer as they visited churches, and met with pastors and their leadership. Doug, along with AIEE District Superintendent Antonio Zabala and the team, visited 9 churches from Ibarra in the North to Riobamba in the South. At each stop we heard from the pastor what his dreams and aspirations were for his congregation and how Ovid might participate in helping fulfill those visions. Of course, the first and primary request was for prayer support! Ovid is currently praying about working with 3 churches here within the Central District as well as helping to finance bible/seminary training scholarships for future church leaders and pastors. They also plan to bring another team here within 6 months. Please pray for Ovid as they seek the Lord's wisdom and guidance on how they can best serve the Lord here in Ecuador.

April was a bit slower in the Guesthouse after a very busy March. This was a good time to be slower as Doug and Jonathan both battled a bacterial infection with fever for 8 days. This month things have picked up a bit and we currently have a team from Pennsylvania staying here at the Guesthouse that is working with various churches, in various areas including puppets, music, evangelism, and shoe distribution. This team has many members that are repeat visitors to Ecuador, and they too, are also looking into how they can be more productive in reaching the lost here in Ecuador. In addition to running the Guesthouse, Doug plans to work in some additional church visits this month, as well as a Field Council meeting in Guayaquil and a Central District Church Committee meeting in Píllaro. We are still anticipating the Chambers to return to Quito in June, and resume the responsibilities of running the Guesthouse. They currently have two additional meetings and a mission conference in Waco, TX scheduled to help them complete their fundraising requirements. Please pray that the Chambers will be able to complete their fund raising requirements and will be able to return prior to our leaving.

Cindy is busy preparing for May 18, in which she will be sharing her testimony and encouragement as part of a women's outreach evangelistic campaign at Iglesia Betel. Her friend Silvie from school will be translating for her. As part of an Ecuadorian custom, when you are asked to be the key speaker of a program, along with that comes the responsibilities of providing all of the refreshments and decorations for the event. Please pray for Cindy as she prepares what she will be sharing, and for the hearts of those women attending to be open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jonathan will be graduating from 6th grade this year, as they prepare to move into the Middle School, and Cindy has been very busy as the committee leader for the 6th grade graduation services to be held at the Alliance Academy. Please pray for the professional needs at the Alliance Academy, especially the need for an elementary principal.

David finished his Varsity year of basketball on a good note, when their team won their final tournament. During the recent winter sports awards banquet, David received the "Most Hustle" award for Varsity Basketball. His coach, who has been there for 18 years (and this is his last year as coach), publically said that he thought if David kept working at it, he just might be the best defensive player Alliance Academy has ever seen. Sounds like a good goal.

We are still scheduled to make a brief visit to Illinois on June 17 prior to our four weeks of additional intensive language training in Costa Rica. David & Jonathan will be staying with their Grandparents in Gibson City during most of this time. Also during this time, David is seeking summer employment. When asked what type of employment he might be interested in, his reply was "anything that pays". If you have any needs in hiring an athletic 16 yr. old boy (without a Driver's License) in the Gibson City area, or know of anyone that may be in need of his assistance, would you please let us know? He will be available to work from June 23 through August 1. We are looking forward to seeing and visiting with many of you when we return.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 03/29/08 - Back from the Jungle

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. 3 John 1:5

It was only five days, but it will take us days, months and years to tell the stories, ponder the events, and understand God's purpose in all that we experienced as well as every adjective in our vocabulary. WET, HOT, HUMID, ITCHY, JOYFUL, HARD, DISCOURAGED, BUGGY, WET, BEAUTIFUL, HOT, UNCOMFORTABLE, MEANINGFUL, WET, etc.

Our trip began with a 7 1/2 hour all night bus trip (due to a change in plans), followed by a 7 1/2 hour (113 winding miles) motorized canoe trip down the Aguarico river. About half way, it started to rain (rainforest style) a wall of water for about 4 hours. Ponchos didn't cut it - we were soaked from head to toe. On several occasions, we had to use Jonathan's shoes to bail the canoe. We were all miserable to say the least, but our thoughts on this Good Friday turned to remembering all the miserable things our Lord went through for us and amazingly our misery seem to disappear quite quickly.

Saturday was an unplanned day as well. Unbeknownst to us, it was "Save the Turtle Day". The Cofán people have a project of replenishing the river turtle population. They raise turtles until a year old and then release them into the rainforest waters. We were part of releasing the turtles. We also spent the afternoon getting to know the kids and playing with them.

Easter Sunday was special as we were able to participate in a Cofán Easter service. We didn't understand a word of it (in the Cofán language), but what a joy to know that we will see these brothers and sisters again in heaven. Cindy brought the Resurrection Eggs and held a small children's service. Her student, Justino, translated as each child opened an egg that shared the Easter story. Justino was amazing. Cindy then shared the salvation message and asked if anyone would like to pray and ask Jesus into their hearts. Three children prayed and accepted Christ as their personal savior. Justino again translated through our prayers. We were able to pray for each child that came to the service and trust God with the rest. Please rejoice with us over Tokino, Machele, and Diko. This community would benefit greatly if they had a pastor for their church. Please pray that God would raise up spiritual leaders in this community.

Sunday afternoon was a beautiful day for a canoe ride down the Zábalo river (a small tributary to the larger Aguarico river) where the plan was to do some Piranha fishing after a picnic lunch in the rainforest. However, about 1 hour into the river ride, the rains came again. We got to feel the effect without ponchos. We did get to fish a little later on the way back to Zábalo, but no Piranha.

Monday was our 3 hour trek through the rainforest escorted by Justino's Dad. Okay, now we can say we did it and don't have plans to ever do that again!!! The incredible wall of water rains came again in the afternoon and we were able to rest. Although we weren't completely dried out from the day before.

Tuesday was a special day for the Cofán people as they celebrated a juice festival. All the Cofán ladies worked hard to make this "chunky" juice and brought their kettles to the center of the village. Doug, sporting his homemade beaded necklace received as a gift, was the first to receive the BOWL of special juice with specific instructions from the Chief on how to drink it: begin drinking and don't stop until it's gone, hand the bowl back to the server and say, "Bwau" and don't wipe any of the juice from your face. He was impressive!!! We spent the afternoon trying to stay cool and bug free - IMPOSSIBLE!!!

We packed up on Wednesday morning to begin our 17 hour trip home. It's only 200 miles away. Our 8 hour canoe ride upstream with no rain was an answered prayer. We all arrived home sunburned and appeared that we had been relaxing on a bug-infested beach all week.

Upon some reflection of this trip, we have many different feelings as it was made for many different reasons: to support a student, to see the rainforest up close and personal after studying it in first grade for many years, to somehow be a blessing to the Cofán people, family vacation, and as always... to glorify Jesus in all that we do. Together as a family, we have all reminisced in how we would love to bring home some of the children and older kids. They have so little, and we loved them so much. We come home with many questions as to why God allowed us to be a part of this group of strangers for a brief moment. We trust that He will teach us much in the days ahead from this trip. We continue to rely on Him for our continued "professional" development. We definitely need it!

Cindy was back to educational seminars Thursday morning; Doug flew to Cuenca today for Field Committee meeting and a meeting with the AIEE church association; We have the Indiana prayer group of 10 arriving on Saturday night. Our agenda is as follows:

• Saturday - Preparations and evening arrival
• Sunday - Church service at Iglesia Betel, Meet with leaders, and visit Iglesia Jesus Rey de Reyes church
• Monday - Travel to visit Iglesia Jesucristo El Salvador in Ibarra
• Tuesday - Travel south to visit Iglesia Bíblica Restauración in Latacunga, Iglesia Jesus de Nazareth in Salcedo, Iglesia Filadelfia in Píllaro, and Iglesia Fuente de Vida in Riobamba
• Wednesday - Sites of Quito
• Thursday - Panecillo to pray for the city, and Alliance Academy to pray for the school, Debrief and Depart

Please pray for this team, our travels, and for Doug as he leads this team.

Thank you for standing with us during our "vacation" time. Your faithful prayers for health and safety are evident and we can praise the Lord for our safe and healthy time in Zábalo and our safe return (we will continue to take our Malaria medicine).

For photos of our time in Zábalo, click here: Jungle

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 03/19/08 - Off to the Jungle

Dear Prayer Warriors,

“It is true! The Lord has risen…..” Luke 24:34

What a wonderful reminder, as we celebrate this Easter Sunday, remembering the gift of LOVE we have because He laid down His life for us, and for the gift of HOPE we have because of His resurrection. We celebrate You, JESUS, with hearts full of praise and gratitude for who You are and all You’ve done for us!

Since our last update on Feb 25th we have been busy keeping up with guests here at the Guesthouse, including the 178 individual beds that were utilized. The groups have been very diverse, ranging from medical teams, work teams, and a movie production crew here to do a promotional for a local mission group. Also during this time, our guests included 3 different individuals from South Africa, all which came at different times, and each not knowing the others. This past weekend, we said goodbye to group from Aldersgate United Methodist Church of Greenville, SC, who were here working with Mission Society. They were a blessing to us, and a fun group to visit with during their stay. We still have another group of 5 here that leaves tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow (Thursday) night, our family will be heading to Zábalo, which is an 8-hour bus ride EAST from here, then a 6-hour ride in a motorized canoe deep into the jungle near the Peru/ Columbia/ Ecuador boarder. We will be visiting and staying with the Cofán Indian tribe where one of Cindy's student's parents live. We have purchased kettles, plates, silverware, dry goods, and toys to give away while we are there, and we will also be celebrating our 21st wedding anniversary and Easter Sunday in the jungle. We have been told that “this village does not have a resident pastor, but there is a group of Christians in the village, but there is very little leadership, so the church operates by jumps and starts.” We are praying that we will have the opportunity to participate in some form of Easter Sunday (Semana Santa) church service, to share the true reason of this special day. Please pray that the Lord will open opportunities for us to minister to this village, and that everything we do and say would be pleasing to Him.

On the 27th Cindy returns to school for teacher in-service, and Doug flies to Cuenca on the 28th to meet with our OMS Field Committee and our AIEE national church association. Then, on the 29th, (as we shared in our last update) we have an Intercessory Prayer Team of 10 arriving (nine members from Anderson, Indiana, along with our OMS Ecuador Prayer Champion – Jerry Mattocks from Pennsylvania). Doug and our AIEE church association’s national central district Superintendent will be taking them to visit 7 of our OMS-affiliated churches. The team from Indiana has the desire, and is praying about building long-term relationships with one or two Ecuadorian churches, along with the plans to make multiple return trips per year. Please pray for this team of 10 individuals as they prepare to come, and for discernment in how the Lord is leading them.

One final thing to note is that the OMS Ecuador Blog is now up and running. This is a site where you’ll find postings from OMS Missionaries and National workers in Ecuador. You can also access the weekly Ecuador Prayer Digest and periodic prayer letters and updates from the field. The goal of the blog is to provide resources to help you pray strategically for the proclamation of the gospel in the country of Ecuador.

We pray you have a wonderful Easter Weekend!

Easter Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Oops... I have been telling everyone that Zábalo is west of here. It is East, not west. Sorry, I am still directionally challenged living south of the Equator.

Immediate needs for those affected by floods

Dear Prayer Warriors:

The worst flooding in more than 20 years has affected 14 out of the 23 provinces of Ecuador. On January 31 the Government declared the emergency situation for 9 provinces; on February 20, Ecuador’s President, Rafael Correa, declared a state of emergency, facilitating the army to intervene. Here are some quick facts about the flooding:

• To date, the Government has officially declared that the death toll has risen to 23 persons due to the floods. 5 of them are children under 18, 2 children are under the age of 1
  
• The country has suffered heavy damages in the productive area (nearly 300,000 acres have been affected and US$ 82 million were lost in crops), and in their infrastructure
  
• Recovery expected to cost $1 billion
  
• The total population affected by the floods is around 3.5 million which represents 27% of the total population
  
• 315,000 persons have been directly affected, and 16,000 persons have been displaced to shelters
  
• Among the displaced are 8,000 children and adolescents who are at risk of exposure to diseases, abuse or exploitation, and have limited access to food, safe drinking water, and essential medicines

The effects of the rains include; overflowing rivers, submerged crops, destruction of fields and houses, displacements, and starvation of animals. Schools and churches are being used as temporary shelters. There is a high risk of an outbreak of diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, diarrhea, respiratory infections, skin diseases, leptospirosis, and snake bites.

It is believed that the situation will get worse before it gets better. Ecuador is still in the middle of the rainy season which can last up to April. The rains continue to fall, and waters are rising as much as 7 to 8 inches a day.

We have had OMS Missionaries travel through this area, and many houses are isolated with families having to get around by dugout. Many, possibly hundreds of people are seen along the road looking for handouts to buy water, food, and clothes. This is also an area where we have several churches, and OMS has a project set-up to help with this effort. Please pray for those that have been affected by these devistating rains.

The OMS-affiliated church association (AIEE) will be sending out supplies later this month. If you would like to help with this desperate need, you may send your donations to:

. . . . OMS International, Inc.,
. . . . P.O. Box 1648
. . . . Monument, CO 80132-1648

Please indicate you wish to donate to project "Ecuador Flood Relief" ECD #402070

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 02/25/08

Dear Prayer Warriors,

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thes. 5:11

Thank you for your prayers & support since our last update. Your prayers have been evident, are greatly appreciated, and are a true encouragement to us. During the past couple of weeks, we have been repeatedly reminded of Apostle Paul's words to the Thessalonians in this verse.

Last month, we had a good and productive time during our OMS Ecuador Field Council Meetings here at the Guesthouse, which included up to 30 people. Doug had a good trip to the coast in Manta, attending the annual AIEE Asamblea (church association meetings) along with national pastors. This gave him the opportunity to hear how the Lord is working throughout nearly 100 OMS affiliated churches within Ecuador, and provided him with additional time to visit with some of the central district Pastors that he works with.

This month, Doug has been busy in his role as Liaison, traveling to various churches within his district, including those located in Quito, Salcedo, Riobamba, Latacunga, Píllaro, and Galpón. During these visits, Doug has encouraged the Pastors and leaders of the churches, and shared how important their role is and how great a responsibility they have in leading their church into the future. Unfortunately within the central district, one church has had to close it's doors due to an increase in rent, and another one is praying about what to do, as their enrollment has continued to drop. Please pray for the future of the pastors, leaders, and members of the churches of: Jesucristo Es La Respuesta (Jesus is the Answer) and El Poder de Dios (The Power of God). For a glimpse of these churches and some of the others that Doug works with, click on the following link: http://tank87.sharpcast.com/albums/image/25857_111054969376501

We have had a couple of slower weeks here at the OMS Guesthouse, however between now and the end of May, we anticipate around 575 people that will be staying with us. Please pray for the strength that we will need to keep up with the excited and energetic guests that arrive, and that the Chambers will be able to generate their needed financial support and can return in June to resume their ministry of running the Guesthouse.

We are excited to share that Doug and Pastor Antonio have been preparing for an Intercessory Prayer and Exploration short-term team from Indiana that is arriving on March 29th. This church feels that God is leading their church to develop a long-lasting relationship with one or more of the existing churches here in Ecuador, along with the idea of sending multiple short-term teams back to these churches each year. During their initial time here, we plan to take them to visit 7 to 9 churches located between Ibarra and Riobamba, so that they can meet the pastors, see the churches, determine their needs and prayer concerns, as well as have a time to pray for them. Please pray for this team of 8 or 9 individuals as they prepare to come, and for discernment in how the Lord is leading them as a church. We look forward to sharing the experience of this team with you in future updates, and pray your church might also be praying about partnering with one or more of our existing churches here in Ecuador.

On March 21, our family will travel deep into the jungle to visit the home and family of one of Cindy's students. This will include a 6+ hour drive, followed by a 6+ hour ride down a river in a motorized canoe (no roads into the village) to Zábalo. During our time there, we hope to be an encouragement to the family, to be a "bridge"

between these two completely different worlds, and participate in an Easter Sunday church service. Of course Jonathan is excited about the opportunity to go fishing for Piranha. Check out the Cofán Indian website at: http://www.cofan.org/. Please pray that the Lord will open our eyes & hearts on how to best serve this family and village.

This week, Cindy will wrap up her teaching on the Book of Romans to the group of Ecuadorian women. She is planning to begin a 6 week study on spiritual gifts and working to identify the gifts that each of these women have been given. The Lord has blessed their time together each week and has provided encouragement to all of them.

We also want to thank you for your prayers, as Doug seems to have overcome his stomach/intestinal issues, and Cindy's blood pressure levels seem to be remaining normal (with the assistance of daily medicine). David's back pain continues to flare up, and he is currently battling a severe cold. Please pray for him and that we too would not catch his cold.

Please pray for the people of Ecuador as they have been devastated with the effects of torrential rains and flooding, and Ecuador has been declared a National State of Emergency. The rainfall has ruined coffee, rice, cocoa, and banana crops, flooded hospitals and destroyed roads and bridges on the coast and in the Andean highlands. Once the water recedes, health officials say the risk of infectious disease will rise.

Just as a final note: We have been so busy that we have been unable to sit-down together and write up what has been happening. We often have thoughts to share but save them for our monthly update, and by then we have forgotten them. Therefore, we plan to begin updating our Blog much more frequently than sending out updates. So, please check our Blog site frequently.

We can encourage because we have been encouraged!! Thank you for your all you are doing for this ministry.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 01/13/08

Dear Prayer Warriors,

Happy New Year - 2008
Isaiah 40:12-31 describes our amazing God!!

Thank you for all the Christmas cards, letters, pictures and the many gifts to our ministry as well as the gifts to us personally. We are so grateful for your continued support to us. We were especially blessed with a visit from Doug's mom. Thank you for your prayers on her behalf. She remained healthy throughout her visit and arrived home safely on Jan.8th.

On January 8th, Cindy began teaching the Book of Romans to the group of Ecuadorian women. Please pray specifically for these women: Sylvie, Libby, Lorena, Bernarda, Daniella. Pray for Cindy as she teaches on Wednesdays. After a lengthy discussion on God's grace, Cindy was able to share a testimony of His amazing grace on us that week. When we examined our support account, we noticed a large donation by someone we didn't know. We called them to correct what we thought to be a mistake. However, this couple assured us that it was no mistake. We then began to panic that we should know them from somewhere and forgot. They assured us that we didn't know them and they didn't know us. They went on to say that they wanted to give a donation and asked OMS for some names of people. After praying, the Lord led them to give on our behalf. GRACE!! Nothing we do....ONLY AN UNDESERVING GIFT FROM GOD!

Beginning Tuesday of this week through Saturday, we will be hosting the OMS Ecuador Field Council Meetings here at the Guesthouse. As Chairperson, Doug has the responsibility of coordinating and leading the meetings, while we will also be running the Guesthouse (for 30 people). We are also in charge of lining up a cook for lunches and suppers, as well as purchasing all of the food ahead of time (we will be cooking and serving all of the breakfasts). Please pray for our fellow missionaries traveling to Quito. Pray for wisdom and discernment during our meetings. It's a wonderful time to reflect on all that God has done as well as eagerly anticipating all that God will do!!

Next week, Doug will be attending the annual 4 day AIEE Asamblea (church association meeting) in Manta (12 hrs away via bus) along with OMS affiliated pastors. Please pray for his travels, ability to comprehend Spanish, and for continuing to build relationships with the national Pastors.

We have some health concerns and ask for your prayer support. Doug has been battling stomach/intestinal issues for the past 3 weeks, Cindy is struggling with high blood pressure (could be altitude related) and the doctor has put her on daily medication. David's back pain also continues to flare up.

May 2008 be filled with God's Amazing Grace!

Blessings (& Grace) to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 11/12/07 - Visit to Southern Ecuador

This past week, I attended our Field Committee Meeting at the OMS Camp in Pallatanga. The Committee and I also helped BJ and Andi Williamson get settled, as they will be living and caring for the Camp over the next year while they continue with their regular ministries. While we were there, we also had the opportunity to help work through 9 pages of inventory, which were all written in Spanish. A bit challenging.

After the Field Committee meeting, Mike Shrode, Tom Stiles, and I then traveled to the other side of the mountains, to the jungle, to visit the towns of Cuenca, Saraguro, Yantzaza, Yacuambi, and Catamayo. This was a great opportunity for me to visit southern Ecuador, and to gain a better understanding of the OMS ministries that exist in those areas. This is especially helpful as I serve on the Field Committee and have to make decisions regarding these ministries. I had the opportunity to visit OMS' ministry property - Camp Carboncillo, as well visit Bill and Ilene Douce at the OMS Clinic, and Buen Pastor radio station located in Saraguro.

While in Yantzaza, I had the opportunity to visit one of the guinea pig micro-finance operations. This is part of a small business ministry where about 7 Saraguro church leaders received a loan to develop a Guinea Pig (Cuy) raising business. The Cuys are used as food, and they would like to eventual export their Cuys internationally. It has been a struggle for them to stay motivated, as it required them to take out loan and they don't have experience in raising Cuy commercially. The project requires maintaining 200 reproducing females, and it is taking longer than expected to reach this number. It could be another 6 months before they reach this number, and they are expensive to feed and care for.

At the end of the week, we met with the newly appointed ACIS Church Board (Association of Indigenous Saraguro Christians). They discussed their project of using the camp at Carboncillo and discussed the direction of the Buen Pastor radio station. The meeting went quite well, and from what I understand, they have had some less unified meetings over the past couple of years. So, it was great to see how well they seemed to get along. The new president is a young lady, who has matured spiritually and has taken on a lot of responsibility at the Good Shepherd church with music and teaching children.

We also had a chance to look at a couple of properties that were donated for the church in Yacuambi. Both properties are on steep hillsides, and it will take a good deal of engineering to determine how best to construct a building. However, this is nothing they are not used to. On the last day, we had the opportunity to visit a pastor in Catamayo. He has been working with this church for about three years, and it was a medical team that originally helped to get his church going. He has asked for prayer to get four cell groups started in outlying areas of the town, and to start small groups for new believers. Please pray for this pastor, as he has had some health problems and his lungs are only back to about 80% capacity. Please pray for his complete recovery and for his family.

Blessings to You!
Doug

Update 11/05/07

Dear Prayer Warriors,

¡MI CASA ES SU CASA! (My House is your House)

We understand this phrase all to well as the month of October was filled with guests, guests, & more guests. It's been a wonderful opportunity to meet all kinds of people doing what God is calling them to do. From medical doctors, to former missionaries, to rock stars, we've had quite a variety of guests serving the Lord. An OMS medical team that recently stayed with us, treated over 700 people in four days, with 302 of them making a decision for Christ. The OMS guest house is available to those doing ministry for the Lord here in Ecuador. We can house up to 24 people. If your group has a desire to minister in the Quito area of Ecuador, please know that our doors are open to you.

Cindy and the boys have completed their first quarter of the school year. David is having a great time playing varsity soccer (3 games a week is a little much). He's also a Sparky leader for AWANA once a week. Jonathan has received some help with his workload. He has had to sacrifice his Spanish class in order to get a guided study hall, but it has helped in the amount of homework that he is bringing home and he continues to use his Spanish daily. Thank you for your prayers concerning our boys.

Cindy's Bible study is meeting on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She continues to lead 5 ladies through the book of Acts. She is also providing a good deal of mentoring with women at school. Please pray for Cindy as she leads these women in God's Word and His Ways. Thank you for rejoicing with her for the 11 students in her class that accepted Christ last week. The chapel story was a blessed time. Seeds were planted and we pray that God's Word will not return void. Parent/Teacher conferences will be on November 9th. Please pray for her, as she desires to minister to the parents as well as to the children.

Doug will leave on Tuesday morning, traveling over a large portion of southern Ecuador, including Cuenca, Saraguro, Yantzaza, and Loja, returning on Sunday. He will be meeting as a part of the OMS Ecuador Field Committee at Camp Pallatanga, and they are still dealing with a situation regarding one of our church associations and one of the churches in Guayaquil. Please pray for a peaceful and mutually agreed settlement to some long standing issues with a church association. Afterwards, he and some of the other committee members will travel further south to meet with the ACIS church association (Association of Indigenous Saraguro Christians) to discuss the use of property located in Carboncillo. Pray for good discussion and the future use of this important property. Also, please pray for safe traveling mercies for Doug and the other committee members.

Our OMS Quito Team continues to get smaller. The Williamsons have left the Quito area to work 6 hours south in Pallatanga where the OMS camp is located. Please pray for BJ, Andi, and Eli as they adjust to living at the Camp where there is a great deal of work needed to be completed.

We are very excited about having Doug's sister Lynn and her family join us for Thanksgiving this year. Please pray for them while they are here. The altitude, food and germs have a way of affecting people in the most unpleasant ways. We only have 5 days with them, so pray for our time together to be blessed.

Blessings to You!

Doug & Cindy

Update 09/25/07

Dear Prayer Warriors,

"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever more. Amen" 1 Peter 4:11

Thank you for your notes of encouragement and your prayers for us. They are vital. We rely on them daily for safety, health, wisdom, discernment, and encouragement. We are so thankful for the words that God gives you and how you serve in the strength and ways that God provides. You are an incredible part of this ministry. We are so blessed!!!!

School is now underway and we have settled into the daily routine once again. Jonathan is a slow starter and we should have requested prayer prior to school starting. He's coming along, but not without some headaches and mouth ulcers from the stress of 6th grade. He has had literally hours of homework nearly each night. As a sophomore, David has tried out for varsity soccer and has made the starting line-up. We're looking forward to his first game next week. Cindy is enjoying her class as well, most of which are ESL students (English as Second Language). It makes for some very interesting conversation. For those of you that pray by name, their names are: Pepito, Stephy, Simon, Emilia, Diego, Christa, Moises, Zachary, Yone, Aliah, Elizabeth, Yeon Joo, Justino, Francisca, & Kevin.

Doug just returned from Guayaquil where he met with the other members of OMS' Field Committee. He is now home and getting ready for our next guests that will arrive tomorrow, and additional guests this weekend. You can see by the pictures that Doug has been busy preparing breakfasts as a part of his additional responsibilities of running the OMS Guest House (watch out Julia Childs). We have enjoyed our first two groups of guests, and the pictures show them looking somewhat happy as well. The English speaking group from the UMC in Cumming, GA was a bit easier to communicate with than the 19 Ecuadorians, but both groups were a blessing. Our prayer is that they all feel loved and welcomed and know that we are excited to have them as guests. We trust that we can communicate this even without speaking! In the midst of Jonathan struggling through his days at school, we had the opportunity to see him shine as he served the Ecuadorians their breakfast. He has such a servant's heart and was willing to insure that they had everything they needed. What a blessing for us to see him in this perfectly-fitting role. Our guesthouse will begin to boom again this week. Beginning tomorrow, we will have guests every day through November 1 with the exception of 7 days (so far).

We turned down the opportunity to host a couple of guests for this past weekend, in order to attend the retreat for the Alliance Academy faculty and staff. Many people throughout our school have been praying for a spirit of unity, hearts that forgive, and for the love of Jesus to shine in all of us. We felt the enemy hard at work at the beginning of the year, and after a Spirit-filled weekend and a time of communion, we can see that the enemy has been bound. Please pray for our school! The elementary is currently involved in our Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW). We have a small team from North Carolina bringing the message each day. The high school will have their SEW next week. Please pray for the students during these two weeks. With our recent accreditation by the Ecuadorian Minister of Education, we are now recognized by the Ecuadorian government as an official school. This is very exciting as it has opened our doors to many Ecuadorians. Our Korean population is growing as well. With that, our population of students that don't know the Lord is increasing. We have incredible opportunities to outreach to these students. Pray that God will work in a mighty way.

We are very excited to share that we have been approved to take some time next summer for additional Spanish studies in Costa Rica. What is even more exciting, is that we will be returning to Illinois to drop-off the boys at Grandma's before we leave for Costa Rica, and then return to Illinois when we pick them up. We have tickets to arrive in Chicago on June 17, leave for Costa Rica on June 30, return to Chicago on July 26, and return back to Ecuador on August 7th. The Spanish Institute in Costa Rica offers a four-week intensive course designed for educators to study Spanish during their summer (Cindy really needs it). During that time, we will live with a Costa Rican Spanish-speaking host family. We are looking forward to seeing as many of you as we can while we are are in Illinois.

Thank you again for all of your support and prayers for us. You are all true Blessings to us.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 08/26/07

Dear Prayer Warriors,

It has been a busy time since our last update. Our Field Retreat and business meeting went well, and we thank you for your prayers. We spent four days at OMS' camp in Pallatanga, 6 hours south of here. Serving as the Field Committee's chairperson, Doug was responsible for organizing and leading this event. A British couple, Mike and Dot, led us in a workshop on conflict, team building, and marriage. Dot is a missionary kid (MK) of one of the original OMS staff that entered Ecuador from Colombia back in the early '50s. Our son David, was in charge of all organized sporting events, including Frisbee Golf, Kickball, Badminton, Ping-Pong, and of course, One-Fly. During this time, Doug was also elected to begin serving on the OMS Ecuador's field executive committee. This committee assists the Field Director with the major decisions regarding policy, property issues, personnel, etc. They meet about 8 times a year to review issues and set policy.

David had all four of his wisdom teeth removed, and two of them were very difficult to extract. He was very sore for the first few days and also came down with a virus during his recovery time which added to his discomfort. However, thank you for your prayers, as he has recovered quickly and has been back to soccer practice. Yesterday, he made a quick one-day trip to Shell, Ecuador. His friend's Dad flies for MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship). During his time in Shell, he had the opportunity to see some of his friends from school that live there during the summer, and also had the opportunity to walk around in the house where Nate Saint (martyred missionary) lived while serving in Shell. For those of you not familiar with Nate Saint, in 1956, he and four other missionaries were killed in Ecuador by the Waodani (Auca) Indians they had come to serve. David also saw the communication room that was used to communicate with the missionary's planes, as well as an original basket that had been lowered down to the Waodani Indians to exchange gifts. We have attached some photos to our Blog, and the address is listed below.

Jonathan is doing well, and still enjoying his summer vacation. He is still in the creative mode, and built a trap to catch live birds. In additional to his other birds, we now have an extra cage with a Dove that he captured, living in it.

In our last update, we requested prayer regarding the Chambers family leaving for a year of home ministry assignment. They are the family that have been running the OMS guest house and coordinating arriving short-term mission teams. Missionaries working at OMS' headquarters are planning to come in January to assist with that vacancy. However, prior to that time, we will be taking on additional responsibilities as we move in this Tuesday and take over running the guest house for the next 4+ months. This will be a huge change for us as we continue with our other ministries. We are receiving quite a few bookings, including 7 different groups (so far) that will be staying with us over the next 2 months. We are excited about this ministry, but a bit nervous as well. We know the Lord tells us to not to be anxious about anything, but the Chambers have done an outstanding job in running the guest house, and we have some very large shoes to attempt to fill. Please pray for us as we learn the logistics of how to run a guest house, and that we will demonstrate a servant's heart towards those we serve. During the time that we will be living at the guest house, another young couple (Phillip and Melissa) who just arrived and are in desperate need a home, will be moving into our house. They moved here from the US with only 4 bags, and need housing during the first semester of the school year. Melissa will be serving as an English teacher at the Alliance Academy during the first semester. We praise the Lord in how He orchestrated our house to be available for them to use.

Over the past couple of weeks, Cindy has been busy preparing for school to begin. So far, she will have 16 first graders in her class, with around 75% of those children as ESL students (engish as a second language). School registration is scheduled for this coming Wednesday and school begins this Thursday. The boys have enjoyed having the summer off, but both seem a bit ready for school to begin. Please pray for Cindy, David and Jonathan as they begin the new school year, and that they would represent Jesus in all they do and say.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

Update 07/27/07

Dear Prayer Warriors,

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior..." Luke 1:46
In this scripture known as Mary's song, Mary recognizes and accepts the gift God had given her. We, like Mary, don't want to deny, belittle, or ignore our blessings either. We want to bring glory to God and rejoice in all that HE IS DOING!!

Cindy spent several days over a 3-week period in an Ecuadorian Christian school traveling an hour each way on the local bus-trolley system. She is convinced that she has mastered the survival level of Spanish. This experience has touched her heart to reach out to Ecuadorian educators with support and encouragement, as these educators have so little. She is in the preliminary stages of creating an outreach project through the Alliance Academy to minister to these educators. Pray that the Lord will lead and guide her planning, and her desires to reach Ecuadorian teachers with the resources that the Lord has entrusted her.

We were blessed with summer visitors. Carrie Davis joined us for two weeks. She was born and raised in Ecuador until her 10th birthday, while her parents ministered here with OMS. They are now ministering at OMS headquarters and Carrie wanted to visit her ol' stomping ground. We would all agree that one of our favorite times with Carrie was while playing with the children at the local dump and being utilized as the children's human jungle gyms. Carrie had been here for several days when Cindy's mom arrived for her second visit. We all headed to the coast for the first time and spent three days on the beach. All three days in which we never saw the sun and were quite cool. Upon our return, Cindy spent some quality time with her mom, while the rest of the gang were involved in ministry. David and Carrie joined one-half of the short term mission team from Houston, Texas to minister with Vacation Bible School in one of our area churches in south Quito. Doug and Jonathan joined the other part of the team to minister in another church with remodeling the interior of their sanctuary.

Last Sunday, Doug had the opportunity to visit Iglesia Fuente De Vida in Riobamba. This church is one of the 14 that he will be working with, and is the furthest from home. It took about 3 hours to arrive and about 4 1/2 hours to return, thanks to Sunday evening traffic returning to the city. This church has purchased property to build a new church, but there is no team scheduled to come at this time. Please pray for this church as there are some conflicts between the church leadership and their pastor.

We leave on Monday morning for our annual field retreat in Pallatanga. We will meet up with all OMS/Ecuador missionaries for a time of fellowship and refreshment. Thank you for your prayers as Doug has prepared and organized for this retreat (his first responsibility as Field Council Chairperson). Please pray for Mike and Dot Fry from England as they lead our retreat with teaching, devotions and communion. Please pray for our older MK's: David, Jonathan and Courtney as they minister to the younger MK's: Elizabeth, Isabel, and Elijah. We will return on Saturday.

Upon our return from Pallatanga, David is scheduled on August 9th to have all four wisdom teeth removed (he would appreciate your prayers); Cindy will begin preparations for a new school year; Jonathan will relish his final 3 weeks before school starts, and Doug will meet with the national District Superintendent to formulate a plan to begin ministering to the 14 pastors and their churches. We will also be experiencing a void in our lives as our dear friends/co-workers - the Chambers family, leave for a year of Home Ministry Assignment. They currently run the OMS guest house and coordinate arriving short-term mission teams. Please pray for our field leaders as they decide how to best handle their absence in the void of these ministries as well.

Blessings to You!

Doug & Cindy

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.......Lunch in the rain forrest ..........................Beach in Same, Ecuador

Update ~ One Year Anniversary

Dear Prayer Warriors,

June 27th will mark our one-year anniversary serving in Ecuador!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! Thank you for allowing us to serve here. Your giving and your prayers are what enables missionaries like us to stay on the field. We look forward to the next year of our five year term.

Here are 5 ways that we know we have been in Ecuador for one year:

1. Salchipappas have replaced our American staple of peanut butter and jelly.
2. Cindy enjoys doing laundry on the roof.
3. It's a must to have mayonnaise with our French fries.
4. We haven't experienced winter yet.
5. We miss our family and friends so much!

Our school year is finished and what a wonderful year that we have had. The boys were promoted and Cindy will repeat first grade again next year. We were greatly surprised and encouraged when she was awarded "Teacher of the Year" at the Alliance Academy. She has always loved teaching, but teaching in Quito seems like a "special" assignment delivered from the hands of God. Cindy plans to continue with leading the Bible study this summer. The ladies have completed the book of John, and their summer schedule is yet to be determined. They will begin the book of Acts when they start again. Another Ecuadorian lady, Lorena has joined them. Please pray as they try to blend all their summer schedules and join together to study God's word. Cindy has been visiting an Ecuadorian Christian school in South Quito. It's been quite interesting as she learns about the Ecuadorian school system. It's quite different from an American system, and it is all in Spanish. She has a vision to outreach to Ecuadorian teachers with educational ideas and activities that they can use in their classroom.

(Click any photo below to view an enlarged image)

Doug had a small 2 week reprieve from language school due to scheduling. However, he was using all his Spanish skills when our computer crashed and had to purchase a new one with the Spanish version of Windows Vista. However, we were quickly back up and running, and he has been back in language school. In fact, he has only 3 more weeks! This will conclude "this year's" Spanish requirements. Once he is completed with his language studies in July, he will be meeting with the national District Superintendent of OMS affiliated churches, to plan our their schedule for the coming year. He is excited about moving into his full-time work with the national pastors and churches. Please pray for Doug as he moves from his language studies into his full-time role.

In other news, we have celebrated both of the boy's birthdays for the first time in Ecuador! David turned 15 in May and Jonathan turned 12 in June. Jonathan complete his basketball season and his team received 3rd place in the local tournament. He also continues to enjoy his 5 birds. In early June, David had the opportunity to minister in one of our house churches during their Children's Day, where over 60 children and parents attended. We always knew that he was quite a clown!! He also recently returned from a week at the beach, where he attended a youth camp through the local English Fellowship Church. In July, an OMS family friend will arrive on the 6th, and Cindy's mom will arrive on the 10th. Please pray for our time together, and the for the health and safety of both.

A week ago, we were provided with an awesome opportunity to share with a group of 19 short-term missionaries from Bloomington, IL. Before they began their time ministering in the Cuenca area, we were able to join them for breakfast and share how the Lord had brought us to Ecuador and about the ministries that He prepared for us.

One additional pray request is for our good missionary friends - the Chambers, who operate the OMS guesthouse here in Quito and coordinate short-term mission teams. The Chambers had originally raised support to be here for 15 months, but have been here for over 24. Just recently their support account went into the red, and it appears as though they we will be returning to the states at the end of this summer to raise additional support so that they can return back to Quito. Despite this situation, they rejoice over the way the Lord has continued to provide for their ministry and that they were able to be here for 10 more months than planned. Please join us in prayer for the Chambers, as they seek to raise additional financial support that they need.

Thank you again for all of your support over the past year. We could never be here without your support, and you have all blessed us greatly. "From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another." John 1:12

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy

(left) Cindy helping with face painting during the recent Children's Day activities.

(right) Doug and Jonathan enjoying a camp fire during Father's Day.

Update 04/25/07

Dear Prayer Warriors,

During the first week of April we were able to host some of our supporters (people just like you). Barb and son, Jackson Mills from Chicago, Illinois wanted to see what Ecuador was like and experience some of the ministries that we are involved in. They participated in an Alliance Academy field trip with 60 - four, five and six year olds; they spent 3 hours in a Spanish speaking Good Friday church service; viewed Quito from 14,000+ feet above sea level; straddled the equator; missed an English Easter service; and played with children at the city dump during the five days that they were here. We pray that God will continue to use this small glimpse of His work in their lives.

The boys are doing well. For those of you who have focused your prayers on Jonathan's transition ~ THANK YOU!! We have seen an amazing transformation. We're seeing much of our Ol' Jonathan again. We attended David's spring sports banquet where he received MVP from his basketball team and a special Best Defensive medal from his coaches. He also scored 236 points this season.

Doug began another Spanish class, and will continue studying through mid-July. This Sunday, he plans to meet up with the District Superintendent of the churches that he will be working with, to discuss beginning to attend district activities, pastoral meetings, etc. Cindy is researching opportunities for summer sessions of Spanish (no break for her this summer). Please join us in praying for the right Spanish training and comprehension of the language. It continues to be our #1 challenge/frustration.

Cindy's bible study continues on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Libby and Silvie. They spent several lessons studying for Easter. Cindy had the Resurrection Eggs sent from the States for her classroom students and Silvie was determined to be the new owner of the set. Praise God that she took them to her family on Easter Sunday and retold the Easter story to many who heard it for the first time. Our relationship is really growing with Silvie and her family. Silvie's husband has really connected with Doug and always has lots of spiritually related questions for him.

We are reminded daily of the provision that God has given to us through answered prayer and sacrificial giving. We share with everyone that asks, and even those who don't, how we are able to be here serving Jesus in Ecuador, and it's only through your obedience and faithfulness!! We thank you for being obedient to what the Lord has called you to do on our behalf.

On a side note: If you are so led, there are two additional, very easy ways in which you can help to support OMS International:

• GoodSearch - An Internet Search Tool, and for every search on the internet, OMS receives one cent. http://www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=838654. We have made this our home page.
  
• Community Plus, includes a group of online merchants that if you make an online purchase, by first going through Community Plus, they will donate a portion to OMS http://www.communityplus.com/. We have signed up and it was very easy.

Blessings to You!
Doug & Cindy