Welcome to the blog!

If you are visiting this blog since it was listed on the back of our new prayer card, welcome! You probably noticed quickly that it hasn't been updated since we moved to Ecuador 3 years ago.  At that point I started a page on Facebook called 4 Below 0 https://www.facebook.com/fourbelowzero/ which keeps people informed about the goings-on of our family of 4 who lives just below the 0 degree latitude line of the equator. 

Please check us out on Facebook!

Big Changes in Store for our Family

We will be transitioning at the end of June from Tarma, Peru, to Quito, Ecuador. In Ecuador, J.R. will continue in his position as field coordinator for VISA teams in the Latin America area and will work with the Ecuadorian church in exploring creative ways to bless and impact their communities, particularly through agriculture and creation care initiatives. Becky will assist with Christian education training and will continue as part of the writing team for the Latin America area website:www.latinamericaarea.com/. Our daughters, Marissa and Alena, will transition from home school studies to a school classroom setting. Thanks for your prayers for wisdom for sorting and packing, for ministry decisions, for grace in saying good-bye, and for God's blessing on the Peruvian and Ecuadorian church.

Middle of the World

North of Quito, Ecuador stands an impressive monument marking "The Middle of the World" with a yellow line painted down the pavement.

A few hundred feet away is a museum with a red line painted on the ground that also says "The Middle of the World".  Two equator lines?

Well, the first line was calculated in the 1700's using the best technology available at the time. Present day GPS reveals that the original line was not placed quite correctly.  So like many visitors to Ecuador, we had our photo taken in both places on our recent visit.

Another interesting fact:  it is supposedly easier to balance an egg vertically on a nail at the equator. JR was the first person in our group to accomplish it.

Summer 2015

Created with flickr slideshow.

Our two month visit to the States flew by.  We renewed friendships and received encouragement at the Free Methodist General Conference in Florida.  In between visits to partnering churches we made lots of good memories with family and friends.

Behind the Scenes at AdorArte

As often happens when we are trying to invest in God's kingdom, our enemy tries to discourage us.  The very day AdorArte, an event for training youth in the arts and evangelism, was scheduled to begin, the director's son came down with chicken pox. Laura had to figure out how to continue with her duties while caring for her son and keeping him in isolation.  It wasn't easy, but she persevered.  Through her leadership 45 participants grew in their relationship with Christ, practiced hard, and gave evangelistic presentations in 3 Lima locations to approx. 150 people.  Several people at each presentation indicated their interest in having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

God also showed his faithfulness in the finances for the event.  Several people had donated food and funds for the event, but as Laura and her brother Luisiño went over the accounts, they discovered they were still s/1000 (over $300) short to cover all their obligations.  JR overheard their conversation and offered to pray with them to ask God to make up for the shortfall.  When JR saw Laura 30 minutes later he jokingly asked if she was coming back to tell him how God had answered their prayer.  She responded with, "How did you know?"  God had already prompted the hearts of some Peruvian brothers to donate the remaining amount.

Youth Working Together to Make a Difference

For the past several months, the youth leaders from three area Free Methodist churches have been planning joint events.  These have included fun events like hiking part of the Inca Trail.  But they have also included training events, like how to use sports as an evangelism tool and how Christians should care for creation.  And over the past month, they have also planned two creative and effective outreach events using sports and the arts to evangelize young people. 

September 27 they organized a sports tournament in Huaricolca.  Teams competed in soccer and volleyball and received awards at a closing ceremony where the gospel was shared.  Several young people raised their hands to indicate that they wanted to receive Jesus as their savior, and several new children have begun participating in the after-school program at Centro Ruhamah.

October 18 the youth organized a talent program in Tarma.  They rented the municipal auditorium and prepared several skits, and musical and choreography numbers.  Then they invited area school youth to make their own presentations.  Peruvian actor Jose Luis Ruiz shared his testimony about how even though he was famous and had everything he thought he wanted in life,
he was still empty without Jesus in his life.  Several people prayed to receive Christ, including Oscar's sister.

We congratulate youth leaders Oscar, Karina, Anibal, and Frank for their efforts, and look forward to how God will continue to use them and the young people they lead for His glory.

A Few Minutes More

I thought ladies' meeting was a washout today.  The lady who was supposed to lead the lesson had gone on a church hike and had gone straight home exhausted.  Starting time was 4:00.  When no one had shown up by 5:00, I figured that was that.  Then the doorbell rang at 5:05.  Two ladies from out of town with their five young children were there.  My American side was tempted to tell them there was no meeting and send them home.  But since they had taken all the effort to walk across town to come I invited them in for a few minutes.

Five minutes later Graciela arrived.  If you read my last entry, you know she has a heart for sharing about Jesus with people.  We visited for a while, and I asked for prayer requests to end the meeting.  Graciela said to one of the ladies, "Excuse me, but, sister, your face looks sad.  If there's anything you'd like to share, we'd love to listen and offer any advice we might have."  So we extended the meeting a few minutes more while Techi poured out her heart about the big struggles she has been having in her marriage.

Graciela shared some about her own experiences and encouraged Techi to take the issue to God in prayer and look for a church near her home.  I then made some follow up questions and ended up leading Techi in a prayer to accept Jesus as her savior and Lord.  Techi left with a smile on her face and plans to visit us at church tomorrow before she heads back to Lima.  Please join me in praying for her marriage and that she will find a good church home.  I'm so glad we were willing to tarry a few minutes more.