We invited all of the missions students and their families to our house for a good ‘ole southern-style BBQ. It was a total of 30 people … and it was a great time of fun and fellowship.
We were so thankful that the afternoon rain showers held off and we were able to play in the park for a while. Then we cooked the burgers and ate. I forgot how hungry students get … they wiped out everything! I cooked Peach Cobbler and made cupcakes with my Grandmother’s famous fudge icing. These are things that are NOT common here so it was a great hit.
These students are such an inspiration to us. They are all so sold out to go to the most needy areas to proclaim the gospel. They are willing to go without knowing how they will survive financially and fully aware that it is dangerous to be a Christian in these areas. Yet, here they are, soaking up all the teaching and encouragement we have to give until it is their time to go.
It was really nice to have some fun time together.
After a very busy 2 months of traveling in the US, we are so excited to be in Ecuador again working. Our first few weeks back have been busy as usual as everyone has lots of projects for us to work on (thankfully).
Already, we have been witness to another new church forming to serve the indigenous Indians. Bobby was present at their installation service. The pastor is a dedicated minister who is now pastoring 2 different churches at once.
Bobby participated in a huge pastor’s conference for all the indigenous pastors in Ecuador. It was rewarding to see so many lay pastors and congregation members who are hungry to serve the Lord and desiring to learn more about how to reach and disciple others. We were invited to host training classes with many of these churches.
We could not wait to visit the San Roque church because so many of you generously gave to help them fund a new roof. The church people were amazed at the donation we had to give and expressed their great appreciation for all of you.
For most of the churches here, Sunday School consists of teaching a few songs with motions and a memory verse. The churches recognize that they need deeper teaching for their children but they feel unqualified to give it and don’t know where to begin. Beginning in the next 2 weeks, we will be conducting 2 – 3 different training classes for children’s ministry workers. The classes will last for several weeks. We were able to purchase several great curriculum products that are in Spanish to share with these hungry churches. Thank you to everyone who helped us to purchase these supplies!
This week Bobby will be preaching in the seminary chapel service and teaching a few short seminars.
We really loved being home for a few weeks this summer. We stayed really busy visiting with lots of family and friends and of course, visiting lots of churches.
On our first Sunday back, the folks at our home church, Harvest COG in Anniston, spoiled us greatly with a huge breakfast at the church. We loved getting to visit with everyone there and are so thankful for the loving support they give to our family.
We were blessed with the opportunity to conduct the entire kids crusade at Pineview Pentecostal Holiness church. These precious children brought in over $1200 to go toward children’s ministry in Ecuador. As always, the church spoiled us and blessed us in so many ways. Here are several photos from our time there. Our friend, Clay Lisenby, took all of these photos (except the first 2). He is an amazingly talented photographer…. Check him out at www.claytonlphotography.com THANKS CLAY!
We also had the privilege to participate in the following kids crusades:
Cornerstone Church of God (Anniston)
Daystar Church of God (Cullman)
Rainbow City Church of God (Rainbow City)
Harvest Church of God (Anniston)
Fyffe Church of God (regular Sunday service in Fyffe)
Thank you to everyone who welcomed us into your homes and churches this summer. Thanks to the generosity of all of you, we were able to return to Ecuador with lots of supplies for ministry and funds for future projects.
Most of you remember that Bobby had a medical problem in Ecuador with his ear which due to the poor medical service led to permanent hearing loss in one ear. We have been praying and believing for a miracle as the doctors said there were no options.
Last night, we were attending service at Rainbow City Church of God where my cousin Pam and her husband Doug pastor. It was an amazing service filled with surprises from God which led to the healing of Bobby’s ear and the miracle we’ve been praying for.
Another awesome thing happened when we went to tell Jonathan & Jordan about it. They had gone to kids krusade with my mother at Harvest instead of going with us. Jonathan told us that while he was at kids krusade, God told him that if He’d raise his hand for prayer that God would heal Bobby’s ear so he went forward to pray while God healed Bobby 30 miles away! Isn’t that just amazing how God uses things like that for the building of our faith in undeniable ways!
Here is the audio from the prayer prayed over Bobby and then his testimony which followed 20 minutes later:
We praise the Lord for this incredible miracle. Thank you to everyone who has been standing in prayer along with us.
James 5:13-16 (NASB)
Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Shoe shine boy showing his “replacements” how to shine shoes
I have a HUGE fear of heights - cable cars are at the TOP of that list! Everyone kept making jokes about us falling, etc. It was made worse that part of our group DID get stuck on the lines for 45 min because of a power failure. Thank goodness that was not me!
Ladies make lunch every Sunday to raise money for a new roof on the church.
PRAY for our ministry
