a FIELD trip

 

Josue is one of the homeschool kids I've been working with and has a keen interest in agriculture.  His uncle is some kind of agricultural engineer who works for the province.  Last week Josue and I followed his uncle around for the day.  It was an excellent time and we both learned a lot.  Here are some pictures from the time.  See how many of the agricultural products you can identify from the pictures.

My Dad and bros just finished the video. I thought it was worth posting...

Apple harvest

Today was Paz de Dios' annual apple outing.  Right after church we made a caravan of about 15 cars and headed to the village of Jima.  Not everyone in the church has cars, so in order to accommodate, Polvio borrowed a tuck for the afternoon and about 25 (of us) youth climbed in the back of it.  Jima is about 2 hrs away from Cuenca.  Part way there we stopped at a grassy area next to the road and had a great huge church picnic.

 

On arrival at the orchard, everyone got right to work eating and picking.  While there, we could eat all we wished.  It was a good time of fellowship with the brethren.  Here are some pictures from the day.  Unfortunately, because I was taking the pictures, I didn't get in any.

Fishing Tilapia

On Saturday some brothers from the church invited German and I to go with them and harvest tilapia.  Their dad has property about 2 hours away from Cuenca and fish ponds with tilapia.  When we arrived I found out that besides the fish ponds there were all sorts of fruit trees.  The land was in a warm valley close to the pacific cost.  There was maracuya, papaya, sugarcane, guavas, guayavas, mangos, yucca, papa china, and 5 or 6 varieties of bananas.  Not all the trees were producing at this time of year, but many were.  We had a fun time fishing, exploring, chewing sugarcane, and best of all eating bananas to our hearts content.  I couldn't guess how many bananas I ate today.  It was marvelous.  I was also surprised with how many butterflies were around.  I tried to get a few pictures for Dad.  It was a good time to relax and have good Christian fellowship.

Good Friday Play

For Good Friday the Paz de Dios church put on a passion play.  I didn't act, but organized all the audio/visual effects.  I wasn't able to get pictures of everything because of my responsibilities, but here are a few shots I did manage to get.  These pictures mean more to me since I know each of the people and we practiced many hours together.  Each one is part of my church family down here.  They are a very special group of people.  God has done and is doing a work in each of their hearts.

Random scenery shots

Here are some random scenery shots I took recently.  I thought they were worth posting to the blog.

Reflections on El Altar

Danilo up on the El Altar playing in the snow.

 

 

The trip to El Altar with the church youth was already almost 3 weeks ago, but I thought it would be good to write a little more about some of the outcomes from the trip.  Much planning and especially prayer went into the trip and it's been encouraging to see some of the outcomes.  Eternity will only show all the ways the Lord was working, but I just want to share a few we've seen already.

 

On the last day right before beginning the trek home, I was responsible for the devotional.  I'd been planning and preparing to share on yielding rights, anger, etc. but during my personal devotions early that morning things changed.  As I stood reading my Bible in the cold and fog surrounded by the mountain peaks, I felt a strong direction from the Lord to change the theme of my devotional for that morning.  I didn't have much time to prepare, but felt I really should share on being set apart and sanctification.  Our theme book for the whole retreat was Acts, so I based my devotional on Acts 13:2.  As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  I shared with the kids that just as we had physically been away from civilization during the retreat that they needed to now in returning home continue to be spiritually separate from the world.  (2Tim 2:21)  I challenged them to be holy before the Lord, prepared for every good work. 

 

Last Saturday we got together with the youth to look at pictures from the retreat and share together about the time.  As the kids shared, I was surprised at how many mentioned and talked about the impact of the last devotional.  That study's impact certainly wasn't because of long preparations, or a dynamic presentation.  It was a result of the Spirit's working in the hearts of each of us up there on the mountain.  It's humbling for me to see how the Lord used that study.  I can only praise Him.

 

For the first part of the return trip from El Altar, I sat next to Danilo in the bus.  He's been very faithful in attending church and the youth activities, but doesn't come from a strong Christian family.  As we watched the gorgeous scenery go by, we talked about many things and during part of the conversation, I asked him if he had an assurance of salvation.  He said he wants to follow the Lord, but had never known how to ask Him into his heart.  At that point, I had the wonderful opportunity to share the way of salvation with Danilo.  The atmosphere in the bus wasn't very conducive to praying, but a couple days later Danilo did pray to accept the Lord.  What joy it brings to my heart, not to mention the rejoicing in heaven.  You can be praying that Danilo would continue to grow in his new relationship with the Lord.

 

Thank you to each of you who are praying for my ministry down here.  The Lord is touching hearts.