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Good News Assembly of God in Ishpeming, Michigan

Our team is in Ecuador February 20 - March1 2007.  Click here to check out the weather.
Weather in Ecuador

Tuesday, February 20, 2007, 13 of us made it to Ecuador South America.  We had three excellent flights. However our luggage was not as successful and took an extra day to arrive.  Once we landed in Ecuador we all dove into some native food called Empanadas,  kinda like a UP Pasty,  but the crust is a little more flaky than a pasty, and it has chicken and green peppers in it.  George was happy about the hot peppers.

Wednesday February 21, 2007....  We had no luggage and and no work clothes or tools.  We found the missionary Rick Nanez not feeling well from recent surgery in the US, so his wife Renee gave us a tour of their life in Ecuador.  We visited the Bible Seminary.
 

Pastor shown here at the front gate.

The above is the entrance to the seminary.

This is the court yard for the students. Behind our team is a multi-level facility in need of repair.  It is owned by the A.G. and is managed by Rick and Renee. Currently 60 students are attending the seminary.  These trainees are nationals that will go on to plant and pastor churches in the area.

 
Some of the guys noticed this box...They said this is a good one...?

Also, to the top right, notice the barbed wire which is on top of most fences.

Who wired this?

Nothing gets by "the Seminary Guard".  He moves about the entire facility.  It doesn't appear that he's packing a pistol. But another guard on the street at the entrance of the seminary is armed with an automatic weapon.

The above picture is the seminary laundry facilities.

This is the "Automatic Dryer System" at the seminary.

This is the view from the roof of the seminary where the laundry facilities are.  We were looking for those $100,000 houses the internet was describing we would find.  Nope, just open areas with steel roofs which are very common as primary homes.

Renee showed us the new Internet Cafe for the seminary students.  This remodel was just completed by a team from an Assembly of God in Detroit.  The NEW Coffee and Espresso machine we brought down will go in this facility for the students.

We then took a 20minute drive up the mountain to Ebenezer Assembly of God in the heart of Quito.   This is where our construction will begin.  It's very common to see street vendors trying to make a buck with fresh fruit for sale.

 This picture below is the church sign out front.  Ebenezer has been in operation for 15 years and most people just walk to church from the immediate area.

Ebenezer has 120 members that worship in this church.  It is one small room.  However, the pastors and volunteers have started 4 new cel group Bible studies in 4 homes. Some 50 new members are attending in the homes doing regular Bible studies.

This is the sanctuary.  They have been worshiping here for the last 15 years.  The white color on the floor is actually broken cement and holes.  There's no carpeting here.  There is currently 120 members and many pack into this room through out the week.  Services happen several times through out the week along with Sunday.

The Local pastor is Ricardo Alberto Ospina.  We had lunch at church right in the sanctuary.  After lunch, we took up a collection for paint.  Ricardo's wife came to tears and became so grateful when we offered to have the old walls scraped, bleached, sealed, and painted.

This is the construction site.  Construction has been going on for seven (7) years.  Alberto is getting a bit discouraged because it is taking so long. We hope to lay a lot of block for this church and finish some structural steel pillars.

Mike and pastor Ricardo Alberto Ospina are making a plan.  Notice some of us still have our church clothes on yet?  Where's the luggage and tools anyway?  Help?

A truck came with 700 more blocks and we started in.

Bill noticed the power company going by with some poles.  We said that's El-UPPCO?

This is a home right near the church.  This is a good example of everyday life in Ecuador. They are living in town, which is built on the mountainside, and doing day to day chores.  There are 2.5 million people in Quito and many of them live like this.

Since our tools had not arrived,  we went to the equator and did a little sight-seeing.

Ecuador is blooming'...

Bruce and Pastor on the equator where the sun is very bright.  It was 62 degrees and we all got some sun burn.

Thursday February 22, 2007... Our luggage arrived at 10pm last night and we were all fired up and ready to work hard this day.  It started well,  we accomplished a lot of block and re bar work and had a great day.  It was 65 degrees but the sun screen didn't stop it.  The sun was very bright and burned some of us right through our long sleeve shirts.  I'm glad my wife sent the 99% Aloe Vera Gel.

Notice how they support the cement pours. One of the nationals up top in back is using a bamboo cane pole as support of the wooden box that was erected for the bucket by bucket hand pour. 

One of the nationals started the single cylinder diesel cement mixer.  It has an old style engine with no starter.  It cranks up with a piece of bent re bar like the old model A's do.

The TRIP to the market...5 decided to go shopping after a couple days of hard work.  The rest worked at the site.  These five had a great time... This is a view of the market.

Then they met a lady taking a rest...

Then George got happy...

Then George got hungry and talked Mike into it...


Yes talked into eating something very native...very un-available in North America...





And what does this look like too you?  They said it was kinda like chicken.  El Rat Gourmet?  Or is that ginney pig?  Whaaaat?

A pet Alpaca...

Sunday came and it was time for church.  WOW!  It was 2 1/2 hours of bliss...they took our picture before service.  This is the painted backdrop of the platform. 

Pastor Ricardo Alberto Ospina and his family.

Todd and George shared their testimony in English.  Renae translated to Spanish for the 100 nationals that were in attendance.

Pastor Roy preaches in English and Rick Nanez translates into Spanish.

Church was done and it was lunch time.  The church again showed their appreciation by taking us to Alberto's parents home for lunch.  Their business is catering for missions groups and other group lunches and business meetings.  This was a spectacular Spanish Villa and a delicious lunch.






We were in awe.  How could it get any better than this.  What a blessing.



We said he's out too lunch again...

The day closes....and good nite....

Lastly, we leave you with the missionary vision of this project.

...

Thank you one and all for your financial support and your continued prayers.