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Thursday,
August 28, 2008 Pray for a
team that will be working in Guano (a community near And on the
top of the agenda, though with very little time to carry it out, the Lord has
directed us to move from Pray for us
to hear and respond to God’s direction for His ministry daily. Mark &
Sherry Cody  A brief
update on things we’ve mentioned in the past. The rains have continued to
inundate the country causing severe problems of flooding and disease in many
areas. Relief organizations have been helping but the need is so great,
and this now being the rainy season, it remains a major problem. The
roads between cities due to landslides and deterioration make traveling quite
an adventure / prayer time. Please pray
for the people of Volunteer
team time is getting underway. We have 3 teams coming in the next 6 weeks. May 10 – 18
– a Medical / Health Education team from May 27 –
June 4 a team from 1st Baptist, Clanton, AL will be sharing through
evangelistic teas for women in six different communities, rural and city, Also
participating in prayer walks and remodeling the center for Christian
leadership training (Ministerios CASA) The teas are designed to give
Christians in different areas the opportunity to invite non-Christians to a
special event where they will hear the gospel through music, testimonies and
Bible studies. Pray the believers will catch the vision to reach out to
the unreached and the response of each listener to the gospel message. June 14 –
21 A team from We hope to
be able to keep you updated between each team, but the time factor may not permit,
so please mark your calendars’ to pray during these six weeks for the
accomplishment of Kingdom Glory through each of these events. We praise
Him for your participation in these ministries through prayer Mark
& Sherry Cody Sunday, February 24, 2008 We have been in In the mountains, the volcano Tungarahua has continued to
put out ash causing the farmers to loose crops and animals. The health of
the people is endangered as they try to clean the ash off the crops and
grass. They do not wear masks and breathe in the ash. Food prices are going up due to these crises. The flour mills are holding back on grinding the wheat speculating the price to go up. *Pray for direction for the government and Christians to
know how to help. We plan to travel on into Thank you for being faithful to pray.
Dear Prayer Partners We have had a problem with our e-mail server for the last couple of months making it impossible to send out group e-mails, but it appears those problems have been resolved and we can now bring you up to date. Al & Anna have been in the In mid-December we spent a week in Alausi (about 5 hours
north of To bring in the New Year, we met other missionaries at a
beachside Baptist Camp and enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship. Every Saturday, Anna & Sherry meet with two different groups of ladies studying through Beth Moore’s “Breaking Free” bible study. In one group, these ladies are new in their walk with God and we have been moving very slowly as each aspect covered brings great joy as they see God’s love for them and His desire to walk with them in their life experiences. The other group is from First Baptist and though most have known the Lord much longer, they have never studied the bible like this before and they share it is highly impacting their daily walk. Rita, from First is also sharing this same study with 7 non-believers as they wait together for their children to finish classes at the conservatory. She says it is a miracle that they are open to study and are growing in knowledge of God. Pray for these ladies as they are learning how to walk in a personal, intimate relationship with God. We Praise Him for You and Your Prayer Support
Wednesday, October 30, 2007 Dear Prayer Family, Mark Cody & Al Rodriguez begin
tonight going to the church in Paute each Tuesday night to share teachings on
basic doctrine – albeit – the Baptist Faith & Message. Pray that the
pastor, Richard Arias and the members of the church, “Cristo es la Unica
Esperanza” (Christ is the Only Hope) would have eyes and ears open to discern
God’s truths. Also continue praying for the
believers in Paute who chose to work in new areas as they could not walk in the
doctrines being taught. They left peacefully, but now one of the members
of their group has stirred up strife and bitterness among them. We Praise Him for You and Your
Prayer Support
Thursday, October 25, 2007 Dear Prayer Family,
Continue to pray for Al & Anna
as very little has changed with the health of loved ones at home. They remain
here joyfully serving the Lord in kingdom ministry as they have not sensed
freedom to return home at this time. Yet they struggle with a desire to be with
their family through these difficult times. Pray for us that all we do will be
a reflection of His Kingdom’s Glory
Dear Prayer Family, We have been planning for some time with professional
counselors from The volunteers from Please pray with us we seek God’s plan in carrying out this
event. We can’t help but wonder if the
Lord has among you, a professional counselor
/ pastor who would be able to at this last moment to join our remaining
team member, also paying their own way as we do not have the funds to pull from
(but God does) to cover the expenses. As we said, we are seeking God’s plan, as He already has
worked out what He desires to be taught this next week. Thank you for joining us in seeking His
plan. Your prayer support goes a long
way in the ministry here. Blessings,
Dear Prayer Family: We would like to ask you to focus in prayer for Al & Anna Rodriguez. As fellow workers here in Their specific job description is in the area of marriage counseling, but for many reasons, they have yet been able to “settle” into this much needed role. About a month ago, they went home as Anna’s mother experienced a stroke in the brain causing paralysis on the left side of the body. As of this time, her mom is not in a coma, but is unable to communicate. Al & Anna returned to the field a couple of weeks ago, yet it is hard to not be home beside her mom. This week, they learned Al’s sister, Margie has been diagnosed for the 4th time with cancer. This time it was found in the lungs. And yesterday they learned Anna’s sister, Mary Helen is suffering with an inflammation of the liver. Pray for comfort for the family. Pray for Al & Anna as they seek God’s wisdom in these moments. Pray salvation will come to their family members who yet walk in darkness. If you would like to communicate directly with Al & Anna, their e-mail address is: al-annar@msn.com. They maintain a blog about the Lord’s Work here under: http://siervos.blogspot.com Thank you for joining us in this Prayer Need Mark & Sherry Cody
Saturday, September 15,
2007 Dear Prayer
Family Your prayer support gave strength
over the past few days in the situation in the church “Cristo La Única Esperanza
in Paute. Al & Mark traveled there every afternoon / evening from Monday –
Thursday, appealing to each “side” to abide by their church constitution in
working out the immediate problem. Al & Mark definitely served as
peacemakers. After many ups and downs from either side, the church gathered
last night, but a vote was never taken to ask the pastor to leave. This was
definitely God’s hand. The members who wanted to vote the pastor out apologized
for their behavior, asked forgiveness and stated that we are all brothers and
sisters under one God, but they are unable to walk under the doctrine as being
taught by the pastor and are going to work for God’s kingdom from another
location. Then they went and hugged each person on the “other side”, extended
the hand of friendship and left the church. We have been working
with this pastor concerning the doctrine of security of salvation since April
’05. He believes you will not lose your salvation if you sin – that is, unless
you fail to repent – in which case you will lose your salvation. As this work
was started by and built through Southern Baptist Missionaries and Volunteers,
we have been working with the pastor to reconsider his doctrinal basis if he
continues to pastor from this location. In July of this year, he agreed to
allow us to come and teach the Baptist Faith and Message. Thursday night, the
pastor and remaining members re-affirmed their previous agreement to let Al
& Mark return with these teachings, which they will begin in late October
after finishing up some previously scheduled activities. The group also agreed
to not take out the baptistry nor the church sign (Iglesia Bautista Cristo La
Única Esperanza –Christ is the Only Hope Baptist Church) as planned until they
have walked through these teachings. Please continue to pray for the body of Christ in
Paute and their testimony to the community as the Lord’s
representatives. Mark & Sherry
Cody
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007 Dear
Prayer Partners: This last week the
TIME team traveled to Azogues, Tambo, CASA Ministries in 1st – with
the pastors / believers through workshops / training in
Evangelism. 2nd - In
schools and parks the gospel was presented through creative arts such as
puppets, juggling, music, drama and preaching 3rd –
Evangelistic services with a combination of the creative arts and preaching of
the gospel The church was
encouraged and excited as many responded to the message presented. Pray for the church as they follow-up on
these sown seeds and pray for the hearts of those who responded to stay open to
following Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives. Urgent
Prayer Request - We ask that you pray especially at this time for the
church “Cristo La Única Esperanza” in Paute. In April ’05 some members of the
church were removed from leadership as they could not agree with the pastor in
the doctrine being taught nor other practices taking place. These problems have
continued to escalate and additional members of the church have recently pulled
away and met last night to ask the pastor to leave. The situation continues
today as these members have locked up the church. Missionaries Mark Cody and Al
Rodriguez are on their way to the church to work in this situation. Pray for
deceit that is involved to be flushed out and God’s truth to shine. Pray the
resolution to be one that brings glory to God and that the community will see
God’s Hand making a difference that is worth
knowing. Walk tall in Who You
are in Christ, Shine His Light!!
Monday, Sept. 3, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: As previously shared, the last three months 3 volunteer teams from the September 4th – 9th TIME Ministries from Alabama will be in our area offering evangelism training for local believers from these and many other communities, along with practical experience in the parks and markets, followed by an evangelistic service each evening. Pray for the impact of this event, for the local believers to be emboldened in their desire to share God’s message of love to the world and for the ears and hearts of the listeners to be opened to hear. Walk tall in Who You are in Christ, Shine His Light!! Mark & Sherry Cody Family Note: We are excited to announce the birth of grandchild #5 - Ella Marie, born July 17, 2007 to John, Christy and Skylar MacDonald
Monday, July 16, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: As anticipated, it was a great week in the Lord at our mission’s annual general meeting. We are fixing to head down the mountains to Guayaquil to pick up a 9 member volunteer team from Blaise Baptist Church in Mocksville, NC. The team will be offering health education such as general nutrition, hygiene, first aid, and dental care. Also passing out vitamins, soap, anti-parasite meds, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. This is being offered as a platform to the believers in the communities to reach out to their community with a teaching that will meet a physical need. As the community learns healthy ways to take care of their physical bodies, the national believers will also be sharing how to take care of their spiritual bodies through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Our mornings will be spent in a prayer walk with the national believers of the community and the health workshops will be presented in the afternoons. Please Pray for each day as follows:
We would like to invite you to check out the blog website Al & Anna Rodriguez keep updated of the work here in Cuenca - http://siervos.blogspot.com They have posted some great pics and info. If you would like to write or be added to the prayer updates from our fellow missionaries here in Cuenca, their e-mail addresses are: Al & Anna Rodriguez - al-annar@msn.comWalk tall in Who You are in Christ, Shine His Light!! Mark & Sherry Cody
Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: We had another great week with the team from Henderson Hills Baptist, Edmund, OK offering medical clinics in 5 different communities. Besides ministering to the physical needs of the communities, it was a Hallelujah!! watching the national believers completely handling the sharing of the gospel message with each person who came through. In one community, we arrived at the meeting place and were told the community would not participate because they believed we were there to change their religion - they were not interested!! We were given permission to give out vitamins to the school children, but no more. However, an announcement was made over the community loudspeaker that we had come and we had more than 40 come anyway and once again, it was great seeing the national believers being bold in sharing their testimony in spite of the rejection. Pray for national believers as many opportunities were opened up for them to continue sharing the gospel in each of these communities. Pray for their passion to follow-up where there are open doors. In between teams, we have had great sharing opportunities. Sherry is co-leading a ladies prayer time and Bible Study at CASA ministries. Mark is using his electrical know-how to teach one of our building guards as an open door to share the gospel. Also we are sharing the Experiencing God study with a pastor and members of his church in Giron. (A community about an hour out of Cuenca) Pray these learners will grow strong in their relationship with God. We are leaving tomorrow to spend a day in Ambato with the group of church planters we worked alongside while doing disaster relief around the volcano Tungurahua, then on to Quito for our mission's annual general meeting. We will join missionaries from Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela for fellowship, training, and worship. It is always so refreshing; besides the enjoyment of our missionary family, we get to spend a whole week hearing the Word preached and singing praises to Our Lord – in OUR native language!! We’ll return home the 13th in time to make final preparations for a team coming on July 16th from Mocksville, NC. We’ll send out the details next week. Pray for the preparations being made in the US and here in Ecuador – including all hearts in relation to their Father / Creator. HAPPY 4th of July!! We’re celebrating our homeland with you
in our hearts!!
Thursday, May 24, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: We had a great week with the team from First Baptist of Clanton, Alabama. The men made a great deal of progress in updating the C.A.S.A. ministries building nearly completing a children’s room and a library for resources for pastors and layman to study the Word of God. The Ladies' Teas were a big success. The first was in Cuenca at C.A.S.A. ministry center. The ladies from Alabama brought decorations, tablecloths, teapots, teas, balloons, arts and crafts; just about everything we needed. Approximately 100 women attended. Other days we traveled to Ducur, Tambo and Chunchi, and met with 15-50 women at each place. The ladies from Alabama led the music, brought the message and testimonies of who God is in their lives, and taught arts and crafts. We sang hymns and shared all this in Spanish, English, and Quichua! We already have invitations to go to other areas and hold similar events. The churches were delighted because it gave the women a place to bring friends where they could share with them the joy of knowing the Lord and belonging to his family. Mark & Sherry followed the team to the states and have spent the past few days with our family and enjoying our newest grandbaby Cody Michael Young. We will be returning to Ecuador next week. Sunday, June 3rd a team from Henderson Hills Baptist in Oklahoma will arrive to offer medical clinics. Please PRAY for their safety in travel and that all their luggage arrives with them. Their schedule will be: Sunday - Travel from Guayaquil to CuencaPRAY for the details during these dates that all we do will draw others and bring glory to Christ Thank you for praying for the radio program and the counseling ministry. Everything's booming and we can hardly keep up with the workload. God is adding leaders and we are thankful for each life that is strengthened through C.A.S.A. ministries. Pray for Ligia, as she finishes up another school year with 750 students in 14 classes. Pray for Linda who has been down the past few days with an inner ear infection. Pray for Linda and Ligia to take care of themselves and to find time to rest in the midst of giving of themselves to others. Great News!! Al and Anna Rodriguez arrived back in Ecuador last week! We are thrilled to have them back home. Blessings,
Thursday, May 3, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: This evening a volunteer team from 1st Baptist, Clanton, Alabama will be flying into Guayaquil to work in Cuenca. Please PRAY for their safety in travel and that all their luggage arrives with them. Their schedule will be: Friday - Travel from Guayaquil to Cuenca
Saturday – Men will do construction project at CASA ministris
Sunday – Team split into groups visiting and sharing personal testimonies
at 4 different churches
Monday – Men continue construction project
Tuesday – Men continue construction project
Wednesday – Men finish up construction project
Thursday – Team shopping in Cuenca
PRAY for the details this week that all we do will draw others and bring glory to Christ Blessings,
Sunday, April 15, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: To share some of our highlights of recent days: We have been to Paute and had a wonderful time in the Lord as 9 people from different house churches were baptized. We've met with the group we worked with so many months in Chordeleg and they are still struggling as they have the desire to serve God and yet many things keep them defeated. Mark has been back to the areas affected by the eruption of volcano Tungerahua to introduce Johnny who lives near that area (but had been on furlough in the states) to communities we worked with. We accompanied Linda and Ligia to Tambo to meet with three key church leaders and talk to them about true forgiveness and the bad effects of bitterness. Two of the men have been leaders in that area for 25 years or more, and continually have problems with each other. In Girón we prayed with a pastor who recently attended a conference on freedom in Christ on a church level and is passionately praying to see this in the church. Here in Cuenca, a ministry center known as Ministerios Cristianos C.A.S.A. (Christian Ministries C.AS.A.) is booming with a counseling ministry that Ligia (a national leader in the church) began last May. Over the last couple of years, there has been an awareness of a tremendous need for people, Christians in particular, to deal with emotional and spiritual barriers from their past. Anger, resentment, bitterness, lack of forgiveness, hurts, addictions, immorality, and other barriers, sometimes hidden deep in their hearts, have kept people from experiencing the fullness of life Christ has for them. Those seeking help are being lead through a series of studies on true forgiveness, confession, renouncing sin, choosing truth over deceit, and claiming God's promises for our identity in Christ. Ligia has also began a radio program called Ministry of Healing and Freedom in Christ, based on the counseling ministry at C.A.S.A. During the radio program, Ligia, Linda, Al & Anna and other guest speakers talk about steps to freedom in Christ, such as affirming the truth, rejecting Satan’s lies, and working through forgiveness. Every week phone calls come in from people asking for help in response to the radio broadcast. Many have received counseling. Some people come looking for a quick fix, and go away disappointed. The good news is that many people have learned to struggle through counseling, taking small steps and at times making drastic changes as they begin to walk with Christ in newness of life. A mini-glimpse of what is taking place - Iván who came for counseling last May found what he was looking for - freedom in Christ, and victory over troubling life circumstances. Patricio is another man who came, totally defeated and disillusioned, and now God is raising him to new heights. Both these men are now counseling other people, and taking an active part in ministry. María Luisa, a 65 year old woman whose life was controlled by bitterness, anger and depression, is experiencing joy and forgiveness and a deep satisfaction like never before. She and others are becoming more effective in God's hands. Praise God for Ligia and the vision God gave her to lead this ministry. As Mark & I have accompanied others in glimpses of where God is working, we have been excited as many have affirmed us in how much our Spanish has improved, yet we also realize the need to continue to build a stronger foundation for the task before us. We ask for your prayers as we work to strengthen our Spanish foundation and seek to know how God desires to use us in His ministry – there are many avenues through which we can present God’s liberating truths. Pray for Al & Anna - They are in the States on medical leave. Al is seeking to recover his health. Pray for their time in the States, that the Lord will bless all they do and bring them back to us in His perfect timing. Pray for God’s wisdom through those working with the counseling ministries as they are taking the message of a life renewed through freedom in Christ everywhere they turn. Pray for many to know God and Believe Him , understanding who He is (Isaiah 43:10) and that His name and renown will be the desire of their hearts (Isaiah 26:8). Mark & Sherry Cody PERSONAL NOTE: Cody Michael Young was born Friday, April 6. Cody was 7 lbs. 12 oz, 21 inches long. He as well as his parents Michael & Ashley are doing very well. We are preparing our Grandparent Brag Book - if any would like to see pictures of our 4 grandchildren just drop us an e-mail and we’ll get it to you quick as we can. (#5 - a girl - is due in July to John, Christy & Skylar.)
Following is the Praise Report on Al’s release – He was released
Friday evening and we returned to Cuenca last night. We are praising
the Lord for His Faithfulness in All His Works and that we don’t walk through
anything alone!!
One last note and I hope life returns to normal. Today at 5 pm, Al was released, a free man. Lift our voices together in praise to God. Al and Anna will be with a member care counselor and resting for the next week or so. It’s been a stressful ordeal, and we’re thankful it’s over. I flew back to Cuenca this evening. I shared with my sister Anne, when she expressed concern for my safety, that being a bold Christian in an area that worships demons, is never exactly safe. But we choose to live in God’s will and bring others to freedom rather than live in safety. Your prayers are very necessary. The reward of seeing others experience victory makes it all worthwhile. During his incarceration, Al was able to teach the Bible to all the men he was around. We heard stories from families on the outside of how their sons or husbands were being ministered to by this preacher in the jail! And they were very grateful. One mother of a prisoner said, “My son looks happier than I’ve ever seen him before. He said the preacher listened to him like no one ever has. He never wanted to know the Lord, but he does now.” I look forward to eternity when we have time to hear stories of how the seed that was sown eventually bore good fruit. Thank you again!
“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. I will be glad and exult in Thee. I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High.” I wanted to share this story with our Ecuador missionary family. It’s a praise about how God is working in the midst of trial. While taking breakfast to Al this morning, Paula King and Amanda Gore had the opportunity today to pray with a group of people who were taking food to loved ones who are detained at the Policía Judicial. One lady, in particular, came to their attention. She was grieving the detainment of her son. Paula and Amanda talked with this mother, giving her a tract and sharing the Gospel. During their conversation, the mother mentioned that she was able to see her son yesterday (the guards had compassion on her and allowed this to happen). During her conversation with her son, he said that there was some man inside who gave him a New Testament and a Bible. This man in here is always talking to us about the Bible and reading from the Bible. This man listens to me. No one ever listens to me, but he does. The son gave the mom the New Testament but said that he wanted to keep his Bible. Inside the New Testament, a note was written to the young man, and signed by Al. The mother said that she had never seen her son so happy. This reminds me of Paul, in Romans, where he talks about being eager to preach the gospel. Al is eagerly preaching the Gospel and the fruit of his faithfulness is being revealed to us. In Christ,
To: "Mark & Sherry Cody" Subject: [SPAM] Urgent Prayer Request -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Linda Freeman [mailto:lindajoyfreeman@yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 5:09 PM To: Faithful Pray-ers Subject: Prayer--my note was left out of last e-mail k-q Thank you for all the letters of encouragement. I have to admit, the past week has been one of the most stressful weeks in my ministry. But I believe, first of all, that God is above all. He is greater than all the forces that try to bring us down. And second, I believe God will use this crisis for His glory. Indeed, things are already happening that are causing us to rejoice! I want to share with you that we are in Quito (capital city nine hours from Cuenca). Our team, Mark, Sherry, Ligia, Anna (Al’s wife) and I drove up here Saturday morning after a long, stressful night. Al is being detained. Here is the prayer letter that went out last night from a missionary who is coordinating our urgent prayer requests. This will give you some specifics to pray for. From Brenda: As I was reading from the book of Luke today, I came upon these verses where Jesus was talking with Simon Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” After reading this, I was reminded of James 1:2-3: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” We don’t always think of testing, or being sifted, as a time of joy. But God’s Word is clear that we are to consider it all joy, because it is through the fires, through testing and sifting, that we become more like Christ. As we pray for Al, let us continue to pray for his endurance, that through this time he will continually be filled with the joy of the Lord, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. Continue to pray for Al’s physical safety. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and they are safe.” We take comfort in the promise that God is our refuge and strength, our strong tower in the days of distress. Pray also for the lawyers that are working on Al’s behalf. Pray that the papers that have been presented will gain his release. Pray for a quick end to the strike by the Fiscalia General (Ecuador’s equivalent to the District Attorney’s office). This strike complicates the “normal” judicial process. Pray for strength for Anna during this time as well, that she will be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might. In Christ,
Monday, February 5, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: We have returned safely back to Cuenca and have been busy settling back in, putting our Spanish minds back into gear and seeking specific direction for God’s ministry here in Cuenca. We’ve mentioned before that there are other IMB missionaries in Cuenca – Linda Freeman and Al & Anna Rodriguez. Though their focus is the Quichua people (usually rural) and our focus is the Mestizo people (usually of the city), our work lines intermix and therefore, we often work together and definitely support one another. Below is their report of what God is doing in Cuenca in recent days: God is at work. We’re seeing marriages and their families being healed. New communities are opening up to the gospel. We’re running to keep up with God. It’s exciting to see new believers being strengthened, putting their roots deeply in Jesus Christ and taking baby steps as leaders. Praise God with us. He is worthy of all honor and praise. At the same time, we sense a tremendous spiritual warfare going on around us. Please pray for missionary Al Rodriguez, who has suffered some intense persecution. Pray for his physical and emotional protection, and for encouragement. While you’re at it, pray for all of us! Mark & Sherry Cody
Sunday, January 07, 2007 Dear Prayer Partners: We have been in the US over 6 weeks and our time to return to Ecuador on January 18th is nearing rapidly. We rejoice in the birth of our grandbaby Chase on November 29th, weighing in at 6 lbs, 13 ozs. to Jim and Trudy. Chase is doing very well and though Trudy has continued to struggle with blood pressure issues, she is doing well also. Your prayerful support was felt throughout the many issues we worked through. Continuing in our family baby season, we’ve mentioned Michael and Ashley will have a son in April and our granddaughter Skylar (John & Christy’s) recently announced she will become a big sister in July. Pray with us as we return to the field and God’s specific direction for His ministry. Mark & Sherry Cody
Friday, November 17, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: We returned to Cuenca from our adventures around the volcano yesterday. There are plans underway for the nationals to continue contacting the areas where we worked with offer of roofing sheets where roofs have been damaged along with follow-up on the bible studies that were left with each family. Pray for the national church planters as they go out and that they will encounter openness in the communities to learn God's Word. We have finished our 2-year term with the IMB and last week we received approval for another term!! We are flying out this Sunday to the US for 2 months, returning to Ecuador the end of January. We will be coming back to Ecuador under the IMB Masters program (you have to be 50 + years old to apply!!) for a 3-year term. We will be possibly be staying in Houston, Texas the entire 2 months, this depends on our daughter's need. Please continue to pray for our pregnant daughter, Trudy and grandbaby,
Chase. Also our son-in-law Jim.
It seems our mscody@hyperlnks.com account is no longer in service, so be sure if you send an e-mail, write to us at mscody@byhisgrace.com or mcody@samregion.com. We Praise Him for your Prayerful love and support
Friday, October 20, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: Since we last wrote in August, we have been running around the mountains surrounding Volcano Tungurahua. The lava flow covered everything down more than 1/4 of the mountain. Where there used to be trees, vegetation and homes scattered here and there and a village or two, it is now all completely covered with lava, mud and ash. They tell us only 5 people died from the eruption, though it is hard to believe when you see the most devasted areas. Guess they had a great evacuation plan. There are many other areas across the river from the slope that were buried and / or devastated, though most of these people are living in shelters and receiving lots of help and attention. We understand the government is building more than 300 homes in another area for those displaced from the eruption. Many do not want to move and it is understandable from the viewpoint of their form of lifestyle is living off the land with their crops and animals - this is all they know and the new area does not offer much more than a house. Our focus of help has been offered to communities just a little further away where the homes were not destroyed, though they had hot lava rocks come through the roofs, trees burned, the pasture lands for the animals are completely ruined and most crops also. We have identified 12 communities to which we are offering help physically and spiritually. We have taken national believers from Ambato and Riobamba as we work with a community. With the special offerings for disaster relief from the Southern Baptist churches, we are buying food for each family in a given community. When we arrive with the offering, we all meet in their central meeting place and interview each family as to what extent they have been affected by the volcano eruption. Then we divide the community up into smaller groups and the national believers share the gospel using the salvation bracelets and an evangelical tract. They are also given a booklet of the gospel of John along with 5 lessons to study from the book of John. Then we pass out the food to each family. We have just a few more deliveries to make over the next days before returning to Cuenca the 1st week of November. The contact established with these communities is opening many doors for evangelism in areas that have not been reached before. Recently, we returned to a community where we had delivered food and shared the gospel to consider the needs of neighboring communities. Two of the communities stated that yes, some physical help would be OK, but they would really like us to return and teach them the bible. We've already got some national church planters headed that way. In another community where we met right next to the predominant town landmark - the catholic church, we were told that the building is used only when someone dies and a priest is brought in to officiate. They said they want someone to come teach them Bible truths. As we returned to other communities, we have found those who have completed the studies in the book of John and said, please come teach them more of the Bible. It was great seeing the excitement among the national believers that went with us. It was like taking them on a mission trip outside of their home area and they experienced first hand what God wants to do when His Word is shared. We praise the Lord for how the special offering of the US churches has provided an opportunity to reach out in areas that are normally closed (we have found very little evangelical presence) and the Lord is opening many doors. Plus it is lighting a fire beneath the national believers as we provide the transportation and the gift of food to give, while they share the gospel and see the lost around them respond with hunger for more of God's Word. Specific prayer requests would be for those whose style of life (living off the land) has been completely destroyed by the eruption of the volcano and have no hope of having anything to sell in order to support their families for at least 4 - 6 months. The offering we give will not cover their need over this entire time, but it gives them hope in the face of devastation and most importantly we are offering eternal hope. Pray those receiving will know this gift comes to them because of how much their creator loves them and desires to meet many other needs in their lives. Pray also for the national believers to find ways to continue reaching out to these communities. Also, would you please pray with us for our oldest daughter, Trudy and our grandbaby, Chase. Trudy is pregnant with Chase - with a due date of Dec. 27th. Within the last month, she has been diagnosed with a pregnancy condition called preeclampsia. This is a problem with blood pressure spikes that are only controllable by her laying continuously on her side (she cannot lay on her back). So she has been confined to the bed (couch) with only bathroom breaks and visits twice a week to the doctor. The results of all this include her kidney is showing the first signs of shutting down and also this will result in the body withholding nutrition through the placenta to the baby. At this point, Trudy & Chase are doing well though it could change dramatically at any point. Pray also for us to know the Lord's timing as we are sensing an urgency to be home for Trudy's needs. We Praise Him for your Prayerful love and support
Saturday August 26 , 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: We are packing our bags tonight to drive to the areas affected by the eruption of volcano Tungurahua on Wednesday, August 16. If you check it out on a map of Ecuador, it is pretty much right in the middle of the country, very near to Riobamba. We have been asked to come help other IMB missionaries living in the area minister to the needs of many who are desperate for basic necessities. Please pray daily for God's provision in these peoples lives and that as God provides, they will have understanding of God's love for them and His desire to walk with them in every step they take. Working together for His Glory,
Thursday, August 24, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners:
When we were in the states in June, Utica Baptist Church in Seneca,
SC was having their Vacation Bible School emphasis. Their focus this
year was Ecuador and the kids all participated in making blankets that
said Jesus loves me in English & Spanish to be given to the kids here
in Ecuador. We had the privilege while working with the team last
month to give these blankets to the kids. We enjoyed watching the
kids playing as kids do, but without ever letting go of their new priced
possession - their blankets. Below are a couple of snapshots to enjoy.
Ever since the first time we visited in Riobamba in 1998, we referred to the countryside of that region as "Quilted Farming" as every inch of mountainside that was not occupied by a building was growing some type of crop. It looked like a patchwork quilt, but in shades of green. Many of the non-city dwellers literally lived off their land and livestock - it produced their food as well as provided something to sell for income. The eruption of Tungurahua in this region has devastated the livelihood of many. Besides the danger from lava flow and falling rocks when it erupted, the Ash from the eruption covers nearly 500,000 acres of pasture and fields of corn, potato and other crops. The eruption of the volcano has totally destroyed the locals income as well as food source and many were already living way below poverty level. The animals who existed by grazing on the pasturelands now have only ash covered plants to chew on. Ash from a volcano is a crystal - it is not absorbed into your body and passed on through. Instead it resides and causes respiratory problems. Please pray daily for God's provision in these peoples lives and that as God provides, they will have understanding of God's love for them and His desire to walk with them in every step they take. David Butts, an IBM missionary living and working in this region is researching what is being done to minister to the people in their current need. We, along with many others are ready to mobilize local churches and believers to minister as needed. Pray for God's wisdom in this. Our work strategy has been under construction in recent days. The load is shifting as Al & Anna Rodriguez have come to Cuenca and Linda Freeman returned from her time in the states. As we've sought the Lord in the reshaping of His work, He has renewed our direction through His Word, specifically from several verses in Isaiah 42 and also in Psalms 51:10, 12-13 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. THEN I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you." Pray we will walk IN HIS FOOTSTEPS - no more, no less - as we go out to share God's message to His people in the southern Andes. Pray God will raise up leaders to reach into every community in these southern Andes mountains with the Good News of abundant life in Jesus Christ". And specifically a goal of 1500 communities for Christ. Working together for His Glory,
Personal Note: It continues to be a growing season in our family.
Trudy and baby are doing well. They've learned it is a boy and have
decided to name him Chase. We all get to meet him in December. Michael
& Ashley have announced that they will present us with a grandbaby
next April!
Residents defy volcano warnings
BILBAO, Ecuador (AP) -- In normal times, Luis Egas would have risen
before dawn to tend livestock or fields of potatoes and onions.
"We never thought Tungurahua would awake like this," Egas said of the volcano, whose name means "throat of fire" in the local Quichua language. (Watch the volcano erupt -- 1:32) Authorities said Saturday that three people had died from the 19-hour eruption, which ended Thursday before dawn, and that two others were feared killed. Another 30 people who had been listed as missing had been located alive. Egas and a few others remain in Bilbao, defying a standing government order to leave the "red zone" and warnings from experts that, though calm for now, the Tungurahua volcano could erupt again. Jose Grijalva, director of Ecuador's Civil Defense, said 3,000 people were evacuated under an emergency order immediately before and during the eruption, but many of them have returned. Bilbao is one of five areas, mostly on the volcano's western slope, where people are forbidden, he said. Nearly all of its 500 inhabitants fled to makeshift shelters in churches and schools in villages farther from the volcano. Egas remained with his parents. "We feared a big eruption, but not of this magnitude," he said, looking at yard-deep drifts of volcanic ash that had caved in rooftops and at the still-hot pyroclastic flows. The superheated material shoots down the sides of volcanoes like a fiery avalanche at up to 190 mph. About 80 percent of Bilbao's adobe brick homes were destroyed. "We are afraid, but we cannot leave our belongings, what little we have," Egas said. A few yards away, volcanic steam rose off an ash-contaminated creek that had supplied the community's irrigation water. The eruption affected about 30,000 people, many of them poor Quichua-speaking
Indians, in three highland provinces, officials said.
"The problem is that people don't want to leave, and we don't know if we should take them out by force," he told The Associated Press, peering up at the volcano, shrouded in clouds. "We're very frightened." Grijalva confirmed two fatalities and said that 30 other people listed as missing had been found in the homes of relatives or in shelters. Seven people remained hospitalized Saturday for injuries and burns. Meanwhile, Juan Salazar, mayor of the village of Penipe, said the body of a man had been recovered Saturday outside the village. The 85-year-old had been washed away by a flood of water caused by volcanic ash damming up the Puela River, and he was found by his family. Authorities were searching for two more people from the hamlet who were believed buried by debris. About to blow again? The 16,575-foot (5,023-meter) volcano 85 miles (136 kilometers) south of the capital, Quito, remained in an apparent state of calm Saturday, said Patricia Mothes, a volcanologist with Ecuador's Geophysics Institute. But she warned that energy was building inside. "We have had 72 hours go by and after several days of accumulating energy, many times there is an abrupt change, but when that will be, nobody knows," she said in a telephone interview from an observation post near Tungurahua. Ash from the eruption covers nearly 500,000 acres of pasture and fields of corn, potato and other crops, said Patricio Donoso, president of Ecuador's Chamber of Agriculture. Some 350 cows, pigs and other livestock have died, he added, and thousands of other head of livestock are "suffering digestive and respiratory problems" from volcanic contamination of grass and water. The eruption Thursday was the 14th time Tungurahua has sent hot lava and ash onto villages on its flanks since its first recorded eruption, in the Spanish colonial era in 1534. After remaining dormant for eight decades, Tungurahua rumbled back to life in 1999 and has been active ever since. Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
Ecuador volcano victims in need of help
Tungurahua volcano remained calm after an eruption last week destroyed 10 villages, killing four people and burying the houses of almost 5,000 people under tons of ash. Tens of thousands of acres of pasture and crops were also destroyed, according to the Civil Defense. Jorge Arteaga, director of operations for the Red Cross, said Monday that displaced villagers urgently needed food and other supplies. "Not only do we want food for people. We also want food and medicine
for animals because they are dying of starvation and diseases. Everything
is covered by ash and they do not have anything to eat," said Fausto Acosta,
the mayor of Banos, a city of 18,000 people in the central Andes region.
A new eruption is still possible because of the buildup of magma in the volcano's crater, said Santiago Arellano, an expert at Ecuador's Geophysical Institute. But activity has remained low in the past day at the 16,575-foot volcano, located about 85 miles south of the capital, Quito, Last week's eruption was the 14th time Tungurahua has sent hot lava and ash onto villages on its flanks since its first recorded eruption in 1534. After remaining dormant for eight decades, Tungurahua rumbled back to life in 1999 and has been active ever since.
THURSDAY, August 17, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: Pray for the areas around volcano Tungerahua. This morning Tungerahua began erupting again around 12:30. This time it is erupting hot lave and ash. Ash has been reported as far west as Portoviejo which is almost 200 miles from Tungerahua. The pastor in Riobamba reports they have about 2 inches of ash. They are worried that the roof on the church will cave in due to the weight of the ash. Riobamba has been banned from cars driving because it stirs up the ash. No one is able to work. This is hardest on the poor who work day by day just to have food. Five people have died so far. Please pray for all the people affected by the volcano. Ask God to touch hearts of Christians to reach out to the poor. Working together for His Glory,
THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: Whew!! Trying to catch a breath as the days have been flying by with God's blessings and direction in each one. We Praise the Lord for your support in prayer throughout. We worked with the volunteer team from Clanton, Alabama last month. The team was a great encouragement to the nationals as they prayed, shared the gospel and shared testimonies of God's work in their lives. One of the highlights was as the believers in Déleg invited their community to view an evangelical movie. The believers received a great deal of rejection as many responded they were not interested in changing religions. As the movie started, there were only about 10 or 15 watching, but the believers, along with the team continued to invite many and at one time there were 100 in attendance. It was interesting though that each time the movie spoke "evangelically" a few would leave. As the movie came to an end, 50 were still watching and 3 responded to the invitation to know Jesus as their Lord. The following week when Al & Anna Rodriguez shared a time of Bible Study with the group in Déleg, they focused in on Jesus being Lord and Savior of our lives, the very basis of salvation. We understand it was a time of tears, confession and commitment. Shortly after the team returned to the states, we went to Riobamba to celebrate with our team members, the Maust family, in the graduation of their son John Mark Maust from high school. For many missionary kids, though they are born to American parents and visit the United States for various periods of time, their identity is wrapped up in the culture in which they were raised. So the adjustment to life as a North American is often times very daunting. Pray for John Mark as he embarks on a new adventure in college in New Orleans. Next, we enjoyed 12 fabulous days with our family in South Carolina rejoicing in the marriage of our daughter Ashley to Michael Young. We were filled with thanksgiving to our Lord as we knew once again what a blessing God has showered on us in the marriage of each of our children to spouses that know and love the Lord. Upon return to Ecuador, we traveled to Quito for a week of Praise and encouragement with the IMB missionaries from Ecuador, Columbia and Peru. As usual, it was a uplifting time of worship and fellowship. Por Fin, (finally) we are back in Cuenca and in fast gear preparing for the volunteer team coming on Wednesday. Lyn Heying, pastor of New Oakland Baptist Church in Hannibal, MO is leading a team of 7 to work with us from July 19 - July 28. The team's focus will be sharing through VBS and adult teachings in 3 different communities. The team's theme is "Set Free, Not Condemned, But Saved. Their mission verses are John 8:28-32 and John 3:16-21. Pray for the many aspects such as final preparations, travel and also the preparation of the hearts of those God gives us opportunity to share with. That they will be Set Free, Not Condemned, But Saved!!! Continue praying with us for God to raise up leaders to reach into every community in these southern Andes mountains with the Good News of abundant life in Jesus Christ". And specifically a goal of 1500 communities for Christ. Working together for His Glory,
TUESDAY, May 23, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: We want to start by affirming you in that your prayer support is vital to our work here. We continually praise the Lord for your joining us in His work in Ecuador. To give you a glimpse of what we've been up to, we've been putting 1000 miles on our truck each month with the traveling out to each of our various bible studies and the other trips we've had to make. Also, we feel like 1st year school teachers as we are developing our bible studies by pulling from various materials from other missionaries written in Spanish (we are definitely not proficient enough at this point to write our own studies!), interpreting the Spanish so we understand it, then praying for direction in specifically which "version" will best convey the message with the people we are working with, and finally taking it out and sharing it "IN SPANISH"!!! Thank you for praying for our safety in travel, our direction for sharing God's Word and our Spanish communication. God is faithful in every one of these areas and so many, many more. It was a privilege when Mark had the opportunity last week to share the gospel with Juan, our car mechanic. Juan spent some time in the states so speaks English fairly well. He came to us talking about his need for peace as his personal life is falling apart. Mark has missed so much not being able to share the gospel since we've been in Ecuador due to the language barrier so this was a special treat for him. Juan later called saying his wife, Gloria wanted to talk with Sherry, so she had the glorious privilege also of sharing the gospel. Pray for both Juan & Gloria as they process all they have heard. Mark is going to begin meeting with Juan weekly to walk with him through some difficulties. The political crisis in Ecuador has calmed at the moment as the Free Trade Agreement negotiations are on hold, but we are told it is just simmering under the surface if the president continues with these negotiations. Continue to pray for the people of Ecuador and this political situation to resolve peacefully. Barry Nichols, the minister of music at First Baptist Church, Clanton, Alabama will be bringing a team of 15 to work alongside of us from May 26th through June 3rd. The team's main focus will be prayer walking along with times of encouragement and evangelistic outreach in our various areas of ministry. Pray for the many aspects such as preparation, travel and also the preparation of the hearts of those God gives us opportunity to share with. Because our ministry schedule is particularly heavy at this time, we have attached a Word document (see below), asking you pray with us specifically through the various activities. Please Prayerfully choose one of the following areas of ministry and lift it before the Lord regularly: Chordeleg - Pray specifically for Rolando, Olga, Pedro and Veronica in their personal relationships with God. They are in intense struggles in many areas as they cannot "find" the time to walk with God personally, yet have been attempting to lead a weekly house church meeting. The result has been that doing it in their own power is leaving them frustrated and defeated. At this time, the weekly meetings are becoming less regular and they are crying for help. Cahuashun - We are continuing to study the book of Revelation together. Manuel has a heavy burden for his community to know the truths of God's Word. His community is made up of farmers raising animals and crops for their survival. He feels the Lord has directed him to seek out an agriculturist to teach them, as he puts it "technology", as a platform to also share the gospel. He tells us his people know only what their fathers showed them and when something fails to grow properly, they have no ideal how to identify the problem and correct it. Pray for this need to be fulfilled for their physical survival, and that through the fulfillment, God will be lifted up and glorified. Pray for an agriculturist person or team to sense the call to minister to these people through their knowledge of agriculture and God's Word for a few days. Contact us if you have knowledge of anyone who might minister in this way. Déleg - We are studying together about our personal relationship with the Lord. One way they are demonstrating their desire for this relationship is by memorizing God's Word. They have begun having their own services together and are hungry to understand God's truths. Pray for Robert, Carlos, Cecilia, Nataly and Moises to continue growing strong in their intimate relationship with the Lord. 1st Baptist of Cuenca - We have been studying to be strengthened in our personal relationship with the Lord and are now concentrating on sharing tools of evangelism. Pray they will be have a burden to share the gospel to the lost around them and will go forth in God's power Tamarindo - This group is very hungry for their community to know God's truths, yet reticent to share themselves as they feel they do not know enough. We are now traveling to Tamarindo every other Saturday to meet with a few leaders of the community to encourage them in sharing. This coming weekend, May 26 - 28th, several nationals are going from Cuenca to work with the believers going door to door to share the gospel with their neighbors. Pray for their passion to share what they do know of God's love for them and for the outreach this weekend. Paute - The struggle with this church / community continues. The Ecuadorian Baptist Convention has indicated it will work with the pastor in understanding the doctrinal issues which are splitting the church. Pray for hearts to be opened to the true Word and God to be glorified. CASA Ministries - A Baptist church in an area known as Verdeloma had died out and only a family was staying there "guarding" the building. In recent months, the members of the Baptist Association have formed a legal foundation taking possession of the building and turned it into a ministry center. They are offering counseling in many different areas, theological & evangelical training, classes in praise music on guitar or violin, a bookstore, and a medical clinic half a day each Saturday. When they have sufficient funds to complete remodeling needs in the building, they have plans to have a library and computers available for pastors and laymen to have access to bible study materials. The members of the the churches of the Baptist Association are all working together to offer these services to the community. They have received tremendous response due to a daily radio advertisement. Pray for this ministry center to be a lighthouse and for Ligia Déleg who is investing every free moment she has in her passion to share God's truth. As always, Join us in praying for God to raise up leaders to reach into every community in these southern Andes mountains with the Good News of abundant life in Jesus Christ". And specifically a goal of 1500 communities for Christ. Working together for His Glory,
PERSONAL NOTE - We are excited as our youngest daughter Ashley will be married on June 17th to Michael Young in South Carolina and our oldest daughter Trudy and her husband, Jim announced their pregnancy. The baby is due the end of December. Working together for His Glory,
Weekly Bible Studies
Team ministry ScheduleJune 5 (Monday) Travel to Riobamba June 6 (Tuesday) Team meeting with the Mausts in Riobamba June 7 (Wednesday) Travel to Guayaquil June 8 – 20 In the US for Ashley & Michael’s wedding June 21 (Wednesday) Return to Cuenca June 27 – July 3 Travel to Quito for Annual Missionary Meeting July 19 – 28 Mission Team from New Oakland Baptist Church, Hannibal, Missouri
Saturday, March 25, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: The country of Ecuador is in a political crisis over negotiations of a free trade agreement with the US and renewal of a contract with an American based oil company - Occidental Petroleum Corp. For over a week and half, the Indigenous (we would call them Indians, but they prefer the title Indigenous) blockaded major roads between cities in Ecuador's highland provinces, which halted among many things the delivery of consumables such as gas and food and cost Ecuador millions of dollars in lost commerce. They are demanding that President Alfredo Palacio stop all negotiations concerning the free trade agreement and the oil company contracts. When they strike here, it typically means that tires, bricks, glass, nails, tree stumps, etc are put across the roads and set on fire making it impossible to pass with a vehicle and if anyone tries, their vehicle is assaulted with thrown objects or tires punctured. Late last week, the government called a state of emergency, which prevented people meeting together in groups, and established a curfew. The Indigenous have returned to their homes for the time being, announcing plans to meet next Friday, March 31st to make plans for more strikes of a more forceful impact. Ecuadorian representatives have been in Washington since Thursday for negotiation of the free trade agreement and our understanding is it must be signed by April 15th. President Palacio is stating it will be negotiated, the agreed to negotiations brought to the Ecuadorian congress and then signed. The Indigenous have stated that if he signs this agreement, it will be the last thing he signs - in other words, he will no longer continue as President of Ecuador. Pray for the people of Ecuador and this political situation to resolve peacefully and quickly. We came to Quito the first of March for a follow-up endoscopy for Mark, but instead, Mark got sick with a virus for the third time since November and was told to stop and rest. So, we've stayed in Quito, using this time to develop our work strategy as well as plans for summer volunteer teams. Mark has recovered from the virus, had the endoscopy and all results were great. With the roads open this weekend, we had plans of returning home to Cuenca before possible strikes make travel impossible again, but our truck broke down just before we headed out, so we will be here until we can get the repairs done - hopefully heading home by next Tuesday. Pray with us for safety in travel as we return to Cuenca next week. We have been communicating with three US churches who are making plans to bring volunteer mission teams this summer to work alongside us in reaching out to the Ecuadorians. Join us in praying for God's direction in the many preparations and plans being made for these summer partnerships; that the impact will reap an eternal harvest for God's kingdom. Continue to lift up the different works:
Cahuashun - Pray for Manuel and Luisa as they share God's truth with their circle of influence. Déleg - Pray for Robert, Carlos, Cecilia, Nataly and Moises to know God's truth. We've learned they are attending a church teaching different doctrinal truths and we have been studying these issues together. 1st Baptist of Cuenca - The Wednesday night studies have continued with our sending the lessons to be taught by e-mail to the pastor who has filled in while we've been in Quito. Pray for these that God will light a passion within each one for the lost. Tamarindo - Pray for this community to live a life worthy of the Lord and to be pleasing to Him in every way. Carlos and Mercedes Ochoa along with a group of believers from Cuenca will be traveling to Tamarindo tomorrow - Sunday, March 26th to share God's Word with Augustin, Luz, Florencio, Nube and many others in this community. Two weeks ago, this body of Christ celebrated together as three were baptized and a couple that have been together many years and have 6 kids, committed their lives to each other and to God in a marriage celebration. Paute - The struggle with this church / community continues. Lift up the pastor, Richard Arias and this congregation. Pray they will be filled with the knowledge of God's will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Pray Philippians 1:9-11 for the body of Christ in Ecuador "That your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." As always, join us in praying for God to raise up leaders to reach into every community in these southern Andes Mountains with the Good News of abundant life in Jesus Christ". And specifically a goal of 1500 communities for Christ. Working together for His Glory,
Friday, February 10, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: The days are passing so quickly, it is hard to believe it has been over a month since we sent out an update. God is showing Himself so amazingly powerful - We give Him glory for your prayers for our Spanish language. Please keep it up!!! A bilingual friend has been accompanying us to the studies on Mondays and Tuesdays up until the last two weeks when she was unable to go. This meant we have gone out on our own - without translation - to share God's Word. It has been so amazing to see His faithfulness in giving us understanding in what is said to us and the hearers understanding of our words to them. We Communicated - in SPANISH!! For us, this is SOOO Amazing. Truly a God thing. Some of those we work with are faithful to show up for the Bible study, waiting for us to bring their "religious teaching", having a desire and an understanding of the importance of obedience, yet not spending any time growing their personal relationship with the Lord. The result is a heavy burden. Our ability to obey and be all God created us to be is as we walk in His power which is grown in our personal relationship with Him. Pray for the desire in each of us to personally draw close to the Lord, to recognize that only in His strength are we made complete and able to go out to share His Word. Updates on our various areas of work Chordeleg - We are Rejoicing as two members in this community have asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. Rolando asks that we pray for him specifically for the time and desire to grow in knowledge of the Word as he is confronted by many in the community questioning his beliefs / stand on the Word of God and he wants to respond in truth. We learned that he works Tuesday through Saturday each week from 7:30 AM til 11:00 PM or sometimes 1 AM in the jewelry business, having Sunday and Monday free. Sundays, he travels over an hour to church services and back while Monday mornings, he studies with us in preparation for the Monday night service he leads. This gave us a better understanding of why he continually tells us he wants to know the Bible and spend time with the Lord, yet every time we meet, he hasn't had time to study or prepare. Pray for Rolando to know God's provision to grow in wisdom even as he fulfills his many responsibilities. Cahuashun - Manuel and Luisa are such a joy to share with because of their longing to know and understand. In our studies of Revelation we went to John 3 considering the story of Nicodemus. We discussed that Nicodemus was a very learned scholar of the Bible and had great fear and respect of God, desiring to obey, yet at this point as He talked with Jesus, Nicodemus was not born again. Manuel paused and thought on this a moment, then said - so that means that just because someone knows the scripture well and even fears God, this does not mean they are born again. John 14:6 - Jesus answered "I am the Way and the Truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" It was like a light bulb came on for Manuel. Praise the Lord as He fills those who hunger and thirst after Him. Pray for this thirst to grow even stronger and be contagious to others. Déleg - Robert, Carlos, Cecilia, Nataly and Moises share about their desire to see their families and community open to hear the Word. They are making a list of acquaintances who are lost in order to pray specifically for these people. We were excited this week as Robert and Nataly's mother joined us. Pray with them for their lives and words to give glory to God that others will be drawn unto Him. Teresa was instrumental in starting this weekly meeting in Déleg; she has such a hunger for God's Word. However her husband has forbid her to study or to read the Bible as her father-in-law who is owner of the home where they live, has told them they must move out if they become evangelical in their beliefs. Teresa was meeting "secretly" with us - telling her husband she was working late, thinking this honored God by putting Him first - until she realized how this both dishonored her husband and her testimony for God to her husband. Pray for Teresa's hunger to stay strong in the face of persecution and for salvation to come to her family. 1st Baptist of Cuenca - This week, on Wednesday nights, Mark & I began teaching a 15-week class at 1st on house churches / evangelism training. Besides the amazing fact of communicating in Spanish, the people wanted to know if we could offer this same teaching another time during the week. They responded with great enthusiasm at receiving tools that enable them to know and share God's Word. Pray for these that God will light a passion within each one for the lost. Tamarindo - We will be making the trip to Tamarindo this Sunday, Feb. 12th with several others. The teaching will be on Baptism to be followed by a baptism service on February 27th. Pray for the hearts of the hearers to know God's truths and respond in obedience. Paute - This church / community continues to struggle. During the meeting last month there was a sweet time of reconciliation between all on "both sides" except for the pastor and his wife. He said that it is not understand all that has happened and he would not participate. Pray for the pastor, Richard Arias to be freed from his burden of unforgiveness and to have a desire to help All those in his flock to understand how to walk in God's truths. Join us in praying for God to raise up leaders to reach into every community in these southern Andes mountains with the Good News of abundant life in Jesus Christ". And specifically a goal of 1500 communities for Christ. Working together for His Glory,
Wednesday, January 4, 2006 Dear Prayer Partners: The Lord continually fills our hearts with the joy of His blessings as we partner with you in His work. Recently, each time we travel to work with a house church, group of people or wherever the Lord takes us, we've been reminded of how God has so completely provided for our needs that we do not need to ask anything of those we are ministering to or tell them - No, we can't come because we don't have the gas money. We go in freedom to share the gospel because of your gifts to the Lord's work through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Praise Him from whom all blessings flow. Our fellow missionary to Cuenca, Linda Freeman has led several over the past year to "Pray for God to raise up leaders to reach into every community in these southern Andes mountains with the Good News of abundant life in Jesus Christ". And specifically a goal of 1500 communities for Christ. We sense God's moving in response to this prayer as many, many opportunities are opening before us. We are pulling aside this week to seek specific direction on how and with what to lead. Pray we will know God's direction for responding to each of these opportunities. Pray our words will fill those listening with a thirst to know God's Word and that His power comes only from Him and His Word. Pray for the passion to share the Good News to grow stronger in each believer. We learned of a different "attack of the enemy". There is a version of the Catholic Bible here known as the LatinAmerica Bible which by its very name speaks to the people as being their very own Bible. Our understanding is that besides having the 5 additional books of the Catholic Bible, the Apocrypha, it has other changes throughout. We understand those who have followed evangelical teachings are being told they are following the "Gringo" Bible and the "Gringo's" teaching. Pray God's Word will be hidden in the hearts of each believer that they can respond to these attacks in truth and power. We'd like to share each opportunity we have learned about at this time and ask that you'd seek if the Lord would lay one on your heart for specific intercession. Chordeleg - we meet on Monday mornings with Rolando, Pedro, Olga
& Veronica. We are studying the book of John together.
Cahuashun - we meet with Manuel and Luisa on Tuesday afternoons. They also open their home to their community for study of the Word at a different time. They are dealing with conflicting Biblical teachings in their community, including prophecies of Jesus return which is leading them to dig deeper to know the truth of God's Word. For this reason, they have asked to study Revelation. Pray for God's truth in simplicity and clarity for responding to the false teachings they are having to deal with. Déleg - Our time with Robert, Carlos, Teresa, Cecilia and 4 others is on Wednesday afternoons. At this time a large part of this group consist of employees from the Déleg municipality office. They are actively sharing Christ among their fellow employees and part of our time is spent praying for the eyes of co-workers and family members to be opened. 1st Baptist of Cuenca - One Sunday last month, 10 were baptized. Several of these have said to the pastor "I want to serve the Lord, what can I do?" In response to this, the pastor, Vicente Miranda has asked us to teach on taking the gospel to the individual communities. Oasis - Christian Alliance & Missionary Church of Cuenca - Pastor Evelio León has asked us to give additional training to his members for reaching their communities. In the past he has offered training every 3 months and currently his members are leading 14 different cell groups in their homes during the week, plus one in Gualaceo, a community outside of Cuenca. Totoracoha - Mercedes Ochoa took a house church planting course offered here in Cuenca. As a result she has been instrumental in starting two new works - one here in a Cuenca neighborhood, Totoracoha and the other in the small town of Tamarindo. The Cuenca group meets on Monday nights and is growing strong. We believe this group will only need encouragement now and then. The other work in - Tamarindo - is 2 hours outside of Cuenca. It is a small town of farmers, very poor in material things. This story started three years ago when Mercedes husband Carlos went on a mission trip with a friend Marta who had a burden for these people. The first believer in that community has now grown into 15 believers. These people have sought to learn the Word of God but there has not been anyone available to go to them. So they walked (yes - by foot) many Sundays more than 2 hours to the nearest town with an evangelical service to be fed on the Word. When Mercedes shared with her husband about what she had learned from the house church planting course on enabling leaders to be trained and then train others, he immediately sought to take this to the town of Tamarindo. This is where we have become involved as Carlos and Mercedes would like us to accompany them once a month to prepare leaders within the community. Paute - We have mentioned this church before that is struggling over doctrinal issues. As requested by the local Baptist Association, Mark with other pastors have met several times separately with the pastor and with members of the church for reconciliation. The 13th of this month, a meeting is planned with all parties together - the Association serving as mediator - to seek a reconciliation in this body of believers. Pray for God's truth to prevail. Personal Notes:
Our daughter Ashley announced her engagement to Michael Young last month. We are excited as they are encouraging one another in their relationship with the Lord foremost. We are told wedding bells will be ringing June 17th in South Carolina!! We have a friend in Puerto Rico, Anna Hunt who is in need of discipling in God's Word. At present she is being heavily influenced by Jehovah Witnesses. Please join with us in prayer for someone to sense the calling to disciple her in the Word. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness and for each of you that minister with us through prayer. Working together for His Glory,
Saturday, December 3, 2005 Dear Prayer Partners: We want to express how important you are to us in joining the work to share the gospel here in Cuenca. It is such a blessing when something is on our hearts - to be able to share it with you and know you walk with us through prayer. As we go out, your prayers strengthen each step. Please also lift up your own pastoral staff though you may not receive specific prayer requests from them. We would like to share praise from fellow missionaries working in Guayaquil, Ecuador as it brought such joy to our hearts. The first week of Oct/05 a call was received from Teresa and Alvaro,
a young couple from one of the Baptist churches in Guayaquil. Teresa asked
when our next training would be for new church planters. I was pleased
to be able to share with her that a training was scheduled for the 15th
of October, two short weeks away. There was silence on the end of the line,
so I assumed she already had another commitment, and quickly added that
if she was unable to attend the 15th, another training would be on the
28th. Hesitantly she asked, "is there no way we could be trained right
now? We are so burdened about several of our neighbors and have already
made contacts with them to begin Bible studies. We need to know what to
do now!" The next day Teresa and Alvaro were at our house for a five-hour
crash course on church planting. WOULD YOU PRAY THAT THE LORD OF THE HARVEST
WOULD CONTINUE TO CALL OUT PEOPLE LIKE TERESA AND ALVARO AND GIVE THEM
AN ABUNDANT HARVEST? Alvaro and Teresa have already started a house church
in the community where they live.
Last Friday, missionary Barbara Rivers, of the Guayas Mestizo Team, took a group of women to be baptized at "La Playita", a public beach in South Guayaquil. As Marcos finished baptizing, a woman who had been watching from a distance came over and asked if she too could be baptized. The group gathered around her and shared several S |
