On the Ground with Partners in Ecuador:
A Report from the Elliotts
Keith and Ruth Ann Elliott, EMCC Supervised Global Workers, arrived in Ecuador in early October. As global partner developers, they are there to listen, encourage, strengthen and support pastoral couples and individuals. They are scheduled to return to Canada on Nov 29. In the midst of this trip, they have sent us the following update.
Since we began meeting with people, we have heard many amazing testimonies of God’s faithfulness: conversions to Christ, calling to service, people transformed, and lives given in life-long service. We have been encouraged by the great number of new people in the churches we knew previously, and a whole new generation of young people involved in church.
We have been surprised by the openness of people to share their personal stories. To be sure, there have been some very ordinary conversations about ministry matters, but these have been the exception. Ruth Ann has been keeping a few notes on each of our meetings so we can remember to pray for them.
There have been many hugs and quite a few tears of joy shed.
There are challenges:
- How many will return to church now that restrictions are being lifted
- Will there be jobs for those who lost their employment or businesses?
- What do we do with those who seem to have turned away from the faith?
- In some places the gospel message has been heard many times and put off or rejected. However, in other places, people are turning to the Lord Jesus in faith and many are eager to hear the gospel. New churches are being planted.
Does this sound familiar? Pastor John Cedeño says that the church is being sifted during this time of the pandemic.
In the midst of this, we have been very encouraged by seeing indications of God’s faithfulness in the lives of many people who are serving in their communities, including one pastoral couple faithfully making a difference in Guayaquil.
Guayaquil is the largest city in Ecuador and unfortunately it is known for crime. The prison riots last month and last week have been in the news all over the world.
We visited Efrén Panta and his wife Bartola last week. They pastor a church on the north side of the city and supervise two other congregations in Guayaquil. During our conversation, we asked them about the problems they are facing in the city and they gave us a long list: femicide, sexual assault on girls, incest, contract killings, an increase in drug trafficking, violent robberies, ‘H’ a new potent street drug being given to adolescents, poverty, lack of employment, etc.
Last month, thieves broke into the church building and took their sound system and all the musical instruments. At times they feel impotent and overwhelmed. They know God has called them to work in the city so they pray and continue working.
Since the restrictions have been lifted, Efrén taught a weekly class for couples on marriage for six months. They raised funds through bake sales for their weekend getaway at the end of the class. For the very first time in their lives eight couples went on the weekend retreat.
Bartola started new Bible classes for children across the highway from their church building in a slum area of Guayaquil.
They have both been involved in starting two new congregations in the rural area where Bartola grew up, even though it is a five-hour trip away from where they live.
Be assured. Lives are being changed by the gospel.
