Christ for Christmas
In this season of “Black Friday” and “Ciber Monday” it’s easy to forget that the greatest Christmas gift that anyone can receive is Christ himself. We are so excited to be able to share with you the stories of the people here in Cayambe whose most precious gift this year is the gift of eternal life. Too often in this materialistic world, we take for granted the incomparable spiritual gift that God the Father gave mankind, his only Son. Our hope is that these stories will inspire you as you enter into this season of worship of God who became man and dwelt among us, Emmanuel.
Long-term Investment, Eternal Reward
Vicky has been part of our ministry for almost 6 years. She started attending our kids club at the age of 11 as one of the first contacts we made when we came to Cayambe. Through the years she has had her ups and downs, sometimes attending faithfully, sometimes disappearing for months at a time. Over the past year, she has become increasingly active in the youth group.
Her family are very committed to the Catholic religion. They would often prohibit her from attending our activities, even beating her or punishing her if they found out she had attended an activity with the “evangelicals”. Now 17, she only two weeks ago made the commitment to trust Christ as her Savior.
One of the things that impresses us so much about Vicky is that she never made a decision because we told her to. She understood the seriousness of trusting Christ and resisted until she was truly convinced it was what God was calling her to do. It was not an easy decision knowing the condemnation she would face in her family.
Since she trusted Christ, we have seen a radical change in her. She is the happiest girl in the world. She has not missed a meeting of the youth or the church. She’s usually one of the first ones there and the last to leave. The change in her has been so dramatic that even her mother has been pleased with her becoming a “Christian”. The best news of all is her drive to reach others with the hope she has found. Her younger sister, Jessica, has also now received Christ and is following in her sister’s footsteps in discipleship and making disciples.
In the last few months, we have seen five commitments to Christ in our youth group. All of them followed by a dramatic change in behavior and lifestyle. The Spirit of God is moving in Cayambe. Thank you for your continued part in this movement of God through your prayers and financial support.
The Future of Ecuadorian Missions
In addition to the holiday activities gearing up as we draw closer to Christmas and New Years, God has also allowed us to play a part on inspiring the next generation of Ecuadorian missionaries. On December 3, all of the youth groups in the association of churches gathered together for a special missions conference. Dave was invited to be the speaker for the day, and Gissela, our Ecuadorian co-worker, was asked to present a display featuring the ministry in Cayambe. The conference provided an opportunity for the youth to be challenged that a disciple-making ministry could be what God is calling them to.
Here in Cayambe we have a living example of how God is raising up young people to go out into the harvest fields. Alexandra is an extraordinary young lady who graduated from High School last year. She has always been one of the most faithful members of the youth group and has been involved in the ministries of the church for several years. Recently, she shared with us that God had been convincing her of her calling in ministry. At the missions conference, she finally surrendered to God’s calling in her life. She has made a commitment to begin studying at the Bible Institute of Word of Life in Argentina, and follow God’s call into missions. Please pray for Alexandra as she begins the process of enrollment and raises funds for her education and training.
Open Doors for Christmas
Like in many parts of the world, Christmas is a season of open doors for us. We are presented with more ministry opportunities in the Christmas season than any other time of the year. We have already done an evangelistic Christmas presentation with clowns, puppets, games and skits in the plantation where our ministry partner, Pablo, works. We have received invitations to do presentations in the Christmas programs of at least three other day-care centers in addition to our big Christmas program in Primero de Mayo that is scheduled for December 23rd. Pray for our whole team as this level of activity is exhausting. We are excited about the work of God in extending our reach to new contacts, but please pray for physical, emotional and spiritual strength to complete the task laid out before us.
Merry Christmas!
We also want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Merry Christmas. Even though we are far from our friends and family this year, we feel so very privileged to be with our Ecuadorian friends and our spiritual family this year. Being involved in the God’s work in Cayambe is a blessing that we cannot express in words. We also know that we would not be here if it were not for the sacrifice of time, prayer and physical resources that you invest in the ministry. Thank you for all you do to help us bring the Christ of Christmas to Cayambe.
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