G R O U P S + M I S S I O N S
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2025 Ecuador Trip Updates & Photos
June 3,2025 The adventure begins…….. The first part of our group (Eliana, Kara, Mark, Jackie and Jerry) met at the Sunport at 5:30am and departed Albuquerque at 7:30am. The rest of us (Janira, Steve, Michael, Michey, Noah, Genesis, Chloe and Hailey) met at the airport at 10am for a 12:10pm departure. Both flights were uneventful and the two groups were united in Houston. We departed around 6pm from Houston and 5 short hours later, we landed in Quito. They are on central time for those curious minds. We made it through customs, retrieved all the luggage (it all made it as did all of our group!) and met Pastor Alejandro and his wife Katy. We loaded all the luggage and we are currently heading to the foundation where we will spend the night. Everyone is doing well and it was an excellent travel day! Please keep the team in your prayers as it has been a long day, especially for those that were on the early flight. We will get a good night of sleep ( at least those that have ear plugs) and hit the ground running in the morning. That’s it for now. Just wanted to let everyone know that we arrived safely in Quito with no issues.
June 4, 2025 We arrived at the foundation last night/this morning at 1:15am. We unloaded the bus and went to bed around 1:45am. Quito comes alive very early in the morning with the sound of trucks braking, cars honking, dogs barking, sirens and random music playing. The occasional yelling breaks up the noises from the vehicles. Ear plugs help, but I don’t think anything can adequately prepare someone for the constant noise that is just outside the foundation walls. We were thankful for the rest just the same. We met for breakfast at 9am. We had scrambled eggs, watermelon, coffee and fresh fruit juice. It is a drizzly morning in Quito with the temperature in the 50’s and low 60’s. The sun seems to come and go all throughout the day with a 50% chance of rain most days I would guess. At 10am we left the foundation and headed to “Intinan Museo de Sitio”, museum of the path of the sun. It’s the museum at the equator. Our guide conducted multiple experiments demonstrating the Coriolis Effect which was the highlight of the tour. I am happy to report that each member of the group earned the title of “Egg Master” by balancing an egg on a nail at the equator. This will serve them well on their resumes down the road I am certain. Ask to see their official certificates. They are definitely worth framing and putting on a wall when we get home. Eliana was the fastest to complete the task as she did it in no more than 3 seconds! She did not complete the task last year so she definitely spent some time practicing in the off season and it paid big dividends. For more information you can visit : www.museointinan.com If ever you visit Quito, it’s worth the trip to the “middle of the world” museum. Ask for Albert as he is an outstanding tour guide that we have had for several years in a row. At 12:15, we departed the museum and headed for the marketplace. The marketplace is an outdoor market that would be similar to a flea market. There are many storefronts that sell all sorts of items from t-shirts, to blankets, to chocolate to all sorts of touristy trinkets. The kids were able to practice their negotiation skills, some faring better than others. It is an excellent experience and some of the sales people are pretty hard core. Michael has declared himself the “master haggler”. At 2:45pm we left the market under a fairly steady drizzle. We headed to a mall in Quito for a late lunch. We ate at Casa Res Steak House (www.casares.ecu). It was a wonderful meal and the fellowship was entertaining to say the least. We then proceeded to the Supermaxi which is a supermarket inside the mall. We picked up some necessities for the trip into the jungle (yes Oreos are considered a necessity!) and headed back to the foundation at 5:30pm. We sorted through the donations to separate what stays in Quito and what goes to the jungle. It was another solid group effort. We split up into our groups for our nightly devotional. The boys group (Michael, Noah, and Michey) is being led by Michael. The girls group (Eliana, Kara, Hailey, Chloe and Genesis) is being led by Eliana. The older group dubbed “the Jerryatrics” (Mark, Janira, Jerry, Jackie and Steve) is being led by Jerry, hence the name. Tonight’s topic was “Humbleness and Humility”. It was based on Luke 14:7-11. One quote that came to mind regarding the theme was “humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” The discussion centered on serving others and on this trip there will be absolutely no shortage of opportunities to serve others. I’m reminded of Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” We added two new people to our small groups. Sunney is a young lady from Santo Domingo, Ecuador and will be helping us out. She was with us a few years ago as well and will be traveling to the jungle with us. Elijah is from Quito and he will be a translator for the group also. Both are great additions and will be very helpful. As I close this note out, all the kids are sitting in the main room just yapping away. They are laughing and having what sounds like a great time sharing stories about who knows what. It’s really neat to witness. This will be a great team. Tomorrow we meet at 6:30am to have breakfast and then take the bus ride to Maderos in the jungle. Everyone is doing well. Please pray for safe travels tomorrow and that the group remains healthy. The attached pictures are of the market, the equator and of the bus we will be spending a lot of time in. Hope it gives you a little visual…
June 6, 2025 It was a restful night of sleep, however, there is a rooster that could use some extra sleep. He was up awfully early. It is so peaceful here in the jungle and the quiet is a nice change from Quito. We met for breakfast at 8am. We had arepas, scrambled eggs with cheese, watermelon and fruit juice. Per Wikipedia, the source for everything factual, “Arepa is a type of flatbread made of ground maize dough stuffed with a filling, eaten in northern parts of South America since pre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela, but also present in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Central America.” They are delicious by themselves, with jelly or to use as the ends of a breakfast sandwich like an Egg McMuffin. At 8:45 AM we left for the farm. The foundation owns a farm that has fruit trees and cows and is in the process of planting 1500 cacao (not to be confused with cocoa) plants. Ultimately the milk from the cows will be used with the cacao to make chocolate and chocolate ice cream down the road. Pastor Alejandro is always looking for ways to earn money for the foundation which in turn provides meals for many, many children. He really has an entrepreneurial spirit about him and is always thinking of the greater good. It is really impressive. We split into two groups at the farm. One group worked on clearing and hauling branches away and using the woodchipper. The other group was moving a rock pile to the church in Troncal where the rocks will be part of a foundation for a floor. We worked until about 12:15 and the group was productive and efficient. Thankfully it was overcast throughout the workday. There was a light drizzle when we were finishing which was somewhat refreshing. The sun didn’t come out which was a blessing as it gets scorching hot after a light rain. At 1pm, we had lunch. Typically, we will have soup as a starter and popcorn comes with it. The popcorn is added to the soup much like oyster crackers (Thanks to Jackie for reminding me of those!). It adds some texture to the soup. Try it at home sometime and you just might find yourself hooked! It really is tasty. We also had chicken, rice and yucca. The yucca is kind of like a potatoey starch. It has nothing to do with what we in New Mexico think of as yucca. After lunch we had about an hour of downtime. Some took advantage of it by napping after a hard morning of manual labor. Others sat and chatted. The work ethic displayed by the group was truly exceptional in my opinion. Everyone worked diligently without complaining about the heat or humidity, etc. I was reminded of Philippians 4:13 - do everything without grumbling or arguing… There was a task that needed to be completed, and it got done well. I didn’t hear a single person complain about the work or the conditions. They just got after it! Currently it’s absolutely pouring. It is a steady and heavy rain. The sound of the rain is therapeutic on the tin roof. At 3pm we headed to Troncal. We conducted the VBS and soccer camp to approximately 55 kids. They loved the donations as always and wear them proudly right away! It is so much fun to see how excited they get with the gift. Thank you, Gift of Soccer, for so many donations! To learn more about their program, please visit their website: Gift of Soccer Foundation - The Gift of Soccer Foundation We were blessed to witness the feeding program after our ministry. There is a local family that feeds the kids once a week. Elohim provides the ingredients, and the family prepares the meal. Today the meal was beef, lentils and rice along with a cup of lemonade. The lemonade was made from lemons from the farm. The beef was from a bull from the farm as well. We returned to the foundation in Maderos at 6:30 and had an hour or so before dinner. Some groups did their devotional while others rested. Tonight’s devotional was based on Mark 25:31-46. We had an excellent discussion on what it means to serve others and to look for ways to serve. In service, we are sharing Christ’s love. It is a physical way to demonstrate God’s unconditional love to others. At 7:30 we had dinner together. We had rice with cut up hot dogs and vegetables along with a fried egg. It was excellent as always. The cooks really do an amazing job preparing the meals for the team. After dinner we shared our daily snapshots: Steve noted how much work got done on the farm today and how hard everyone worked. Mark mentioned how remarkable the change was in the kids in Troncal. He discussed how obvious the change was in the kids from years past. Kudos to the missionaries for their hard work and perseverance. Chloe noticed how the family feeding the kids after the program had to redistribute the food as more kids showed up than they usually have. For some kids, this is the only nutritious meal they will get each week. Eliana felt bad about a centipede that had been cut in half, so she asked permission to put it out of its misery. She handled the situation very well even though I told her that it was on the endangered species list and that the “policia” would be looking for her. Thankfully she has a good sense of humor and doesn’t believe a thing I say anymore. Michael discussed how his work group moved the rock and drove back and forth dropping it off in Troncal. Janira loved seeing Hailey hold the babies over the last few days. She really has a heart for the little ones. After our snapshots, Pastor Alejandro shared his testimony. He truly has a remarkable story and his journey is amazing. He really lives the Lord and has such a big heart for those in need. He does so much for the people of Ecuador, especially the children. He’s a remarkable man that has made himself available to do whatever God asks him to do. Well, that’s it for now. Have a great night and please continue to pray for the group. Everyone is healthy and doing well. And thank you Genesis for acting as my interpreter to get some warm water in the room! Very much appreciated. She’s a great team member for sure. The pictures in order….. * The team after working on the farm. * The Troncal ministry * Hailey and a baby * Eliana and Kara * The feeding program in Troncal
June 7, 2025 It was a very peaceful and quiet night. After a hard work day, I’m sure everyone was exhausted which made for a restful night. I personally didn’t hear the rooster, but multiple people did between 3-4am. It sounds like there might just be a bounty out on the rooster! We will write a strongly worded letter, but I have a feeling it will fall on deaf ears. We had breakfast at 8am. We had an omelette, toast and fruit. They really do spoil us with their meal preparation. The cooks are incredible. No one is losing weight on this trip! At 9am we left to work on the farm. The first thing we did was vaccinate the 10-12 cows on the property. We also gave them supplements. The vaccinations were for parasites. Some of the cows were willing participants while others were a little bit more reluctant at the thought of a stranger sticking them with a fairly big needle. The foundation buys the cows when they are 5 to 6 months old. They keep them for a year and half and then either sell them or butcher them. They are grass fed so it is a high quality meat. One of the cows is pregnant so there will be an addition to the farm in about 3 more months. We spent the remainder of the time clearing tree limbs from a large area to make room for coffee plants. “Many hands make light work” couldn’t be a more appropriate phrase today. The work was by no means light, but we accomplished quite a bit. There were approximately 20 people working for 3.25 hours. I’m not great at math, but I believe that’s 65 total man hours. I’m sure someone out there is checking my math right now! We hauled limbs to a wood chipper. Several local men were using chainsaws to cut down fruit trees and cut the limbs into manageable size pieces and we would haul them to the wood chipper or separate the larger ones to be picked up by a truck later on. We got a lot done, but on the farm there’s always more to do. This really is a large scale project that will continue long after we leave. The coffee plants will supply the foundation with another income stream so that will be exciting to see down the road as that business develops. We left at 12:15 and headed back to the foundation to get cleaned up for lunch at 1:30. For lunch we had thinly sliced pork chops, lentils, rice, soup, fried yucca and lemonade (no doubt from the fruit from the farm). We then had about an hour and a half of down time. Some of us walked to a local store for ice cream ( Michael, Michy, Hailey and Noah) while others walked down to the river (Steve, Jerry, Jackie, Genesis, Eliana and Kara). Chloe is sharing her testimony tonight at church in Troncal so she stayed behind to prepare. The river (Rio Coca) is only a 5 minute walk from the foundation. It is interesting to see how the river changes course every year. It is a powerful river and when it changes course, it takes out whatever is in the way (like me in the buffet line). At 3:30 we left for Troncal for church. We split up into three small groups and walked throughout the town inviting people to the 4:30pm service. We received mixed responses for sure, but it was a good experience nonetheless. It is times like this when speaking Spanish would be helpful. We had a Spanish speaker within each group, but it is somewhat of a helpless feeling when you feel like you can’t contribute due to the language barrier. The church service was beautiful. We sang several worship songs and then performed our drama for the congregation. Chloe shared her testimony while Janira translated. Chloe did a remarkable job and has a truly moving story. She has been through way too much for only being 21 years old. Isaac delivered the message and it was well received by the congregants. He is an excellent speaker and it is obvious that he and Margaret are outstanding ambassadors for Christ. They gave up everything they had in Venezuela to be missionaries in the jungle of Ecuador. God is using them in miraculous ways and they touch and change lives daily. We had a bit of ice cream and socialized with the local people for a short time after the service and then at 6:30 we returned to the foundation in Maderos. Many of the kids went to a volleyball court nearby to play with the kids and a few adults from Maderos. The net is somewhere between 12-15 feet high and they use a hard plastic soccer ball. Needless to say, there are some sore forearms, but they enjoyed it! We had dinner at 7:30pm. We had spaghetti with jello and Tangos for dessert. Tangos are like a moon pie. After dinner snapshots were shared: Mark highlighted Chloe’s touching testimony. Michy talked about how Hailey made a baby cry and he also noted the pillow fight that took place in his room. Apparently it was quite a brawl. After dinner we had our small group devotionals. Tonight’s theme was about possessions and the text was Matthew 13:45-46 and Luke 12:16-21. The discussion questions pertained to materialism and how to effectively reach people in the jungle from a ministry perspective. We spoke about the differences in being materially poor versus spiritually poor. Seeing the poverty in the jungle impacts everyone differently and it is very interesting to hear the various perspectives. Tomorrow we will be working on the farm again. We were going to do some cement work in Troncal, but the foreman has been sick so that project is delayed. Everyone is healthy and doing well. Please continue to pray for the team as fatigue will no doubt set in soon. Have a great night and thanks for your support. God is good. The pictures: Chloe sharing her testimony Genesis vaccinating a cow Team members loading limbs into the wood chipper Hailey holding a baby before he started to cry The Rio Coca
June 8, 2025 It absolutely poured during the night. It is amazing how hard it can rain here and for such an extended time. The rain was coming down so hard that it woke me up in the middle of the night. It is 6am now and still raining hard which somehow has a calming effect. It’s just nice to lie in bed and listen to the rain. With a little luck it will remain cloudy when we are working today as the sun is absolutely brutal when teamed with the humidity. I didn’t hear the rooster until after breakfast, so I assume he slept in since it was Sunday. That’s the first blessing of the day! We had breakfast at 8am. We had a fried egg, arepa and a pear. Wonderful as always. We left for the farm at 9am. Much to our chagrin, the sun came out and the clouds totally disappeared. It’s shaping up to be scorching hot. We picked up where we left off yesterday clearing the area for the coffee plants. The hard work was made more difficult by the intense sunshine. Energy is depleted very quickly with the combination of the heat and humidity and frequent water breaks are a necessity. Getting started again after a break is rough, but the team did a fantastic job, and progress was definitely made today. It was a productive workday, and the team members were covered in sweat from head to toe. The coffee plants that will be used here on the farm are being transplanted from an area at a much higher elevation and the expectation is that the coffee will be amazing. Those of you who appreciate quality coffee will need to make the trip out here to experience it one day. Watch out Starbucks and Dutch Bros! We left the farm around 12:30, got cleaned up (everyone’s work clothes are pretty ripe by now) and had lunch at 1:30. We had soup, thinly sliced fried chicken, a vegetable medley and rice. The fried chicken is one of my personal favorites. The mealtime conversations are always entertaining. This really is a lively and fun group of people with which to share the experience. At 3pm we headed to a local swimming hole. A gentleman who owns some land that a river runs through has placed large rocks across the river creating various pools in the river. He has built some rudimentary shade structures, and it seems to be a very popular spot among the local people. The team members were able to spend several hours playing in the water and enjoying a break from the heat. We returned to the foundation at 5:45pm, refreshed and ready for whatever comes next. It started to rain again as soon as we arrived home. We sure could have used that when we were working this morning:) We ate dinner at 7:30pm. We had cucumber and tomato salad, hot dogs and French fries with a fruit cup for dessert. After dinner we shared snapshots. Snapshots: * At breakfast I bet Eliana that she couldn’t eat an entire fried egg in one bite. She proved me wrong and stuffed the whole thing in! She totally looked like a chipmunk and probably wouldn’t have won the “Chubby Bunny” game for those that know what that is, but she was a great sport just the same. * Eliana mentioned how much she enjoyed swimming today and how much fun it was. Some groups held their devotionals earlier in the day, but the “Jerryatrics” had ours after dinner. The theme was “Patience and Persistence” using the parable of the persistent widow from Luke 18. God is good and God is faithful. Stay the course through the ups and downs. He is always faithful. I found this passage online and thought it was very helpful relating to the subject at hand: “The parable of the persistent widow demonstrates that effective prayer requires tenacity and faithfulness. A genuine disciple must learn that prayer never gives up and is based on absolute trust and faith in God. We can fully count on the Lord to answer when, where, and how He chooses. God expects us to keep on asking, seeking, knocking, and praying until the answers come.” Everyone on the team is doing well. Tomorrow we will be working in Troncal and then ministry in one of the villages. Please pray that it goes well and the Gospel is presented and received appropriately. Thank you for your continued prayers. Just as I was re-reading this to make sure there were no glaring errors (there still might be), the rooster started up! It’s 9:20pm! Something is definitely not ok with our rooster. Anyway…… good night! Pictures: Team members swimming Janira and Jackie Eliana
June 10, 2025 The still of the night came to an abrupt end at 4:25am courtesy of the dreaded rooster. It was a great night otherwise. I’m sure everyone slept well due to the physical work we did yesterday and the ministry at New Horizons. We had breakfast at 8am. We had several cereal options such as Zucaritas which are like Frosted Flakes, Corn Flakes and Chocapic which resembles a chocolate version of Frosted Flakes. The cereal is served with a liquidy yogurt to be poured on top of the cereal like milk. We also had scrambled eggs and fruit juice along with an apple. The scrambled eggs are always wonderful. It’s hard to describe what makes them different other than they are a bit more creamy. We left for Troncal at 9am. We continued our work from yesterday which involved moving piles of dirt in wheel barrows, followed by wheelbarrows of concrete. We finished the walkway and the storage room today. The painting crew continued painting the restroom area and did a remarkable job. It is obvious that there is a great deal of pride in the property. After working, we had an ice cream cone. Ironically, the ice cream machine is at the front of one of the store fronts that hosts the gym equipment! I was mistaken yesterday. There are actually 4 storefronts: •a restaurant •a gym •a feed store •a place where equipment is fixed It was an excellent day of work and there was definitely a feeling of accomplishment upon completion. It was overcast while we worked which was a huge blessing. We departed Troncal around 12:45pm. We got cleaned up and met for lunch at 1:30pm. For lunch we had soup, rice, avocado, ham, and beans. We burned a lot of calories working today so it was a nice way to refuel. At 3:30pm, we left to visit the village of Shayari. This is one of my favorite villages to visit. They are just a real sweet community. We got off the bus and were greeted immediately with hugs from the children. About 40 kids and maybe 10-15 adults were present, including the chief and his wife. They welcomed us and then performed a dance for us. You could tell they put a lot of time into the preparation. Afterward, they danced with some of the team members. We conducted the entire VBS including the drama, skit, craft and soccer camp. The kids had popsicles and then received their donations. They were again so happy to receive “gifts” from the team. The kids took part in the food program. The Shayari have a small “artisan market” with items for sale that they had crafted. They set up a series of tables with their goods and seemed pleased with the amount of items purchased. We left at 6pm. It is always bittersweet leaving Shayari as they are just a very sincere and caring community. We had dinner at 7:30pm. We had beets, hot dogs and yucca. For dessert, we had ice cream with berries. We shared snapshots: •Mark stated how appreciative the workers were of the help that we provided. •Steve noted that as he was picking the thousand green stickers off his pants, these two little girls (4-5 year olds) came over and started helping. It was very cute. •Jerry said that it was nice to see a group of kids all making the heart gesture with their hands when he was taking their pictures. •Chloe mentioned how cool it was to dance with indigenous people. •Eliana said it was fun to see Genesis painting people’s faces at the worksite. •Elijah noticed how sweet the kids were today. •Jackie told the story of how during their soccer camp when the kids were supposed to run around the goals, they instead ran around the bus that was parked nearby! •Michael noted how inflation seems to have hit the Shayari as prices have gone up since last year and included price tags. We had our devotional tonight which was based on Matthew 21:28-32, The Parable of the Two Sons. There are many key points to this parable. Some of them are as follows: •Actions speak louder than words •Repentance leads to righteousness •God honors a changed heart •Beware of hypocrisy Overall, we had a great day. It was productive on the worksite, and we had an excellent ministry opportunity at Shayari. Everyone is doing well, and we cherish your prayers. Tomorrow, I believe we will be working on the farm. Pray for an overcast day as it was today. It makes such a difference to the energy level of the team. Have a great night!
June 11, 2025 It was another restful night. The rooster woke up around 5am. There was a light rain between 6am-7am so it looked hopeful for an overcast day. The rain left as quickly as it arrived. It’s going to be another warm day for sure. We had breakfast at 8am. We had pancakes, eggs, bacon and a pear as well fruit juice. There was fruit jelly and peanut butter for the pancakes. It was absolutely delicious. At 9am, we went to visit Gabby and Mario’s house in Maderos. The following excerpt is from Janira’s email back in February: “Many of you who have been on a mission trip to Ecuador know Gabby and Mario, two faithful workers with Elohim Ecuador in the jungle village of Maderos. Gabby has worked with Elohim for many years and is currently leading the outreach to the children in several jungle villages near Maderos. Her husband Mario is a farmer and is also being trained as a pastor. He assists the ministry of Elohim in many ways. They also have a teenage daughter and young son. We wanted to make you aware of a situation that has occurred with this family. Late last week, a severe thunderstorm hit the Maderos area. A lightning bolt struck their home and started a fire which completely destroyed their home and all of its contents. They are left with nothing as you can see from the attached photos.” Many people chipped in to help them rebuild their house both financially and with labor and materials. Thank you to those who made financial donations to help make it happen. At the house, Gabby told us the story first hand. She was with her mother in Troncal and Mario was not at home, thankfully. A neighbor got in touch with her to tell her the house was on fire. It had been struck by lightning and a propane tank had exploded. It took over 2 hours for her to make the short trip from Troncal to Maderos. The severity of the storm had blown trees over making the road impassable. When she and Mario were able to reach the property, the house had been consumed by the fire. It was made out of wood planks, like most of the houses in the area. They were devastated as they had lost everything, literally everything, and had worked incredibly hard for what they had. With help from Elohim, they were able to rebuild. Their house is a beautiful brick block house now and will surely pass the test of time. It is obvious by the way they take care of their property that they take great pride in what they have. They literally had to start completely from scratch. They still need a few things such as installing doors and windows and running some plumbing for an indoor toilet, something they have never had. God turned something bad into something amazing. Funny how that works. It is a tremendous story of faithfulness through tragic times. Our job today was to move dirt to level out the area behind their house, clean up around the property and dig a hole that was approximately 2 meters deep for a future septic tank. The ground is filled with rock compounding the problem of digging. It was a hot and sunny day as well so the labor was, well, laborious◡̈. Everyone worked extremely hard at the various jobs and Gabby and Mario were exceptionally thankful for the help. It was a great work project today and very satisfying being able to help a family that is so involved with Elohim. Thank you again for those that contributed to the resurrection of their property. I know they are forever grateful. My retelling of this story does not even come close to doing it justice. It’s an amazing story of their resilience and faithfulness under extreme duress. While working today at the house, we saw something interesting. We heard the sound of a helicopter. There was a helicopter following the path of the river. According to Pastor Alejandro, they patrol the river, looking for illegal gold mining operations which help fund the drug trade in this region. Don’t worry, we are nowhere near any of that type of activity. We returned to the Maderos foundation at 12:30. We got cleaned up (at least I hope everyone showered) and had lunch at 1:30pm. We had soup, rice, grilled chicken and a corn dish. We left for the community of Los Angeles at 3pm. This community is between New Horizons and Shayari, about 7 minutes beyond Troncal. We were greeted with hugs as soon as we got off the bus which is always special. There were about 65 kids present. We conducted the whole VBS program including the drama, skit, a fun penguin song, craft, snack, soccer and donations (thank you Gift of Soccer!) After, the children participated in the food program at a nearby house. The children left for their homes happy and with a full belly. The soccer field at this community is beautiful. If it was mowed it would be perfect! There is a set of nice wooden bleachers as well. The lines appear to be burned into the ground, but otherwise, the field was immaculate. We left Los Angeles at 5:30pm and stopped at New Horizons on the way back to Maderos. Mark brought several portable water filters for the families that prepare the food for the food program. This way the food is prepared with quality water, free of parasites. I’m sure I am simplifying the process, but that is the gist of it. Hopefully they continue to use the systems that Mark brought. We returned to Maderos at 6pm. We had dinner at 7:30pm. We had rice, meatballs, and a vegetable medley. We had peaches for dessert. Of course the fruit here is unparalleled. Snapshots: Michy- came across the same child in Los Angeles as last year and recognized him. Hailey - little boy sleeping while holding his head up with his own hand. Michael - digging hole while rotating with three people. The other three took a break and never came back. Michael leaves the hole to get a drink and finds them building a sandcastle. Chloe - had a “somewhat coherent” conversation with a kid from Los Angeles in Spanish. He asked how old she was and she responded 21. He then asked why she didn’t have kids yet. After the snapshots, we reviewed the plans for tomorrow. We will be heading to Tena in the morning. Tonight will be spent packing up. We held devotionals at various times today. Today’s devotional was based on Mark 13, The Parable of the Sower. The theme was “The condition of the heart”. The story illustrates how differently people respond to the Gospel based on the condition of their heart. People here respond similarly to those at home. The information below was taken from an online commentary that I found useful in explaining the parable. “Upon hearing the Gospel, one has multiple responses available. 1. Reject it. 2. Get emotional about it and fall away when he faces objections. 3. Accept it but dismiss it as the world and its cares and the deceit of money take hold of him. 4. Take in the word fully and obey it, growing personally and by the fruit he produces when he shares the gospel. Each type of soil represents one’s spiritual state, or rather, one’s readiness to receive the good news offered by Jesus. Any good farmer knows his soil must be tilled, fertilized, and watered before it can receive seeds and be a means of growth. Soil, as used in this parable, is people. The first person is hard. Therefore, the word will not “sink in.” The second person is rocky and unable to be tilled. He receives the word with joy (excitement and emotion) but does not let it root (no depth). The third person is thorny. He hears the Word, but the thorns (the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches) are his undoing. The good person (soil) not only hears the Word, but he also understands it. We may see fruit while here on earth, praise God. But it may not be until heaven that we see the fruits of our labor for the gospel. Either way, God gets the glory.” Please pray for safe travels tomorrow. Everyone is doing well across the board. Please pray especially for a local woman named Vanessa. She is in the hospital with multiple kidney stones that are blocking passage and she’s unable to pass them. There is no alternative right now other than surgery. She was in a great deal of pain. Thank you. Have a great night!
June 12, 2025 There was a massive (and I mean massive) storm last night that started somewhere around 1:25am. The rain was so intense it sounded like a freight train. It was amazing and slightly scary at the same time. It’s 5:30am now and it is raining again. It is absolutely pouring. If it was any worse, you’d likely see animals walking in pairs! I’m glad those new to the jungle got to experience the torrential downpour. Well, it’s time to say goodbye to the neighborhood rooster. He said his farewell around 5am, thus the early start to the daily letter. He has been a worthy adversary and I must admit defeat today. Rooster, another year in Maderos is in the books and once again, you win. We met for breakfast at 7:30am so we could get an early start to Tena. We had cereal and yogurt as well as an apple. We also had scrambled eggs. This was our last meal in Maderos. We packed the bus, Isaac prayed for the group, we said our goodbyes and departed Maderos at 8:15am. There is a steady drizzle as we leave. My apologies as you are stuck with me and my thoughts and observations for the next few hours on the bus. It is a slow, bouncy ride. The roads are a combination of dirt and rock. It is the jungle version of a cobblestone road. These roads must wreak havoc on the suspension of every vehicle that uses them. Motorcycles seem to be the preferred method of transportation in the jungle. Maintaining them must be a full time job. Often an entire family can be seen on a motorcycle. We have seen as many as 5 people on a single motorcycle. Helmets are a rarity. I did see one person using a turn signal once! He never did turn, but at least he was using it! The road seems narrow as the vegetation is overgrown and sprawling toward the road. This is definitely the pass less traveled. There are always interesting things to see as we travel the jungle roads. Wildlife is always visible whether it be a group of turkeys or some locals herding their cows down the road. It is not uncommon to see horses “parked” on the side of the road grazing while their owner works deeper in the jungle. Oh, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the zillion dogs in Ecuador! They seem to be everywhere. Young children walking alone is also a common sight. The road basically follows the Rio Coca and every so often there is an opening in the vegetation and we get a beautiful view of this powerful and dangerous river. As we approach Coca, the dirt road ends and all of a sudden there is pavement! What a nice change from the endless bumps (and much easier on the body). At 10:15, we stopped at the church in Canon. We have worked at this church for the last few years. Jefferson and Dorca are the missionaries at this location. We dropped off some donations and supplies here. The church has approximately 70 members. A local woman took out a loan to add a kitchen to the Canon location. She cooks for local day cares and pays the foundation rent for the space. It is an excellent income source for the foundation. Pastor Alejandro pulled us all in to share some information with us. He said it had been a difficult week for Elohim in other areas. The foundation in Santo Domingo (west side of the Andes) houses a day care. The day care was robbed and had to be shut down. It is a longer story, but that’s the main idea. Also something happened to Pastor Alejandro’s car back in Quito while we were gone and now it needs some expensive repairs. He knows the enemy is always trying to keep the foundation from succeeding, but they press on, trusting God in all things. He shared with us that Elohim started in El Coca. He said he had a friend in the petroleum business who every day had children lining up at the business door begging for food. It was on the opposite side of a very busy road. Kids were getting killed just trying to get something to eat. Therefore he started the food program for them and they no longer had to cross the dangerous road to get food. His friend told him about the people deeper in the jungle that needed help. It took him 3 attempts to get to Maderos as the roads were impassable. Once they got to Maderos, they were met with great resistance. A local priest had told the people that the missionaries were “agents of Satan“. Pastor Alejandro finally met with the priest in a loving manner and explained that they were just there to love the people as it says in the Bible, the same Bible the priest used. He said they should somehow work together to help the children and thus Elohim began ministering in the jungle of Maderos, about a 2 hour drive from El Coca. We then visited the foundation in El Coca where Jefferson, Dorca and their two children live. This foundation has served this community for a long time, but has also seen a lot of resistance. The community wanted food and donations, but not the Bible. They stopped holding church programs here and have moved those programs to Canon, 5 minutes down the street where it has been very successful. God is good. In the area where they used to hold church, they have begun to build a house for the missionary family to live in. The four of them have been living in a one bedroom apartment on the El Coca site. It is amazing to see the progress for those that have been here before. What was once an open area where small services were held is now a single family residence. There is still work to do, but I imagine it will be complete by this time next year. After visiting the Canon and El Coca sites we headed to lunch at 12:00 at Pico Rico, a restaurant that serves primarily chicken. It was very good and definitely filling. This will definitely put some people to sleep for the remainder of the trip to Tena. We left the restaurant at 1:10pm. We pulled up to our hotel around 5:30pm. It was a long trip, but a good one. We learned a lot about Canon and El Coca and there’s always much to see going through the jungle on these long drives. This hotel is nicknamed “The Monkey Hotel” due to the amount of monkeys on site. It really is a beautiful hotel that sits in the mountains of the jungle. The hotel website is below so you can check it out further: El Paraiso de las Orquideas, Hosteria Tena Ecuador The kids jumped in the pool almost right away! They are definitely going to enjoy our time here. It started to rain while they were swimming, but that was no deterrent whatsoever. We met for dinner at 7:30pm. We had soup, rice, grilled chicken, salad and fries. Dessert was a flambé I believe. Snapshots: Steve- Janira getting chased down by the attendant at the stop we made to make sure he got the glass Coke bottle back for the refund/exchange. Genesis- the monkeys fighting outside their patio at the hotel. Our daily devotional was found in Luke 14:25-33, The Cost of Discipleship. We discussed what believers in the jungle must sacrifice as well as what the missionaries have sacrificed. An online commentary sums this passage up well: “In this passage, Jesus talks about what it means to be His disciple. Jesus was addressing large crowds, and He used strong language to emphasize the seriousness of following Him. He spoke about the need to prioritize faith above all earthly relationships and personal comforts. He highlights that commitment to Him requires a readiness to take up one’s cross and follow Him, which symbolizes a willingness to endure hardships for the sake of faith. The call to discipleship is not just a casual invitation but a life-changing commitment of utmost importance. When Jesus mentions “hating” one’s family, He is emphasizing the need for radical devotion to Him. This does not mean we should literally hate our family members, but rather that our love for Him should be greater than our love for anyone else, even those closest to us. It reflects an understanding that discipleship demands a heart fully devoted to following Christ, even in the face of personal sacrifice or societal rejection.” Please continue to pray for Vanessa in Maderos with the kidney stones. She was sent home without resolution. She is now looking into traveling to Quito to look into more options. The team members are all healthy and doing well. Please continue to pray for health and safety as we continue the trip. Thanks again and have a great night!
June 13, 2025 Well it seems that I traded the rooster for monkeys, except the monkeys wait til later in the morning to be super active.! They jump on the roof and are quite noisy for such cute looking animals. They are active throughout the night and morning. They are playing in the trees right outside the patio of the room. They are amazing creatures to watch and incredibly agile. They fly through the air leaping from branch to branch. It’s enjoyable to watch. At times it seems as if they are everywhere in the property. At other times, they prove to be quite elusive. We met for breakfast at 8am. We had coffee, fruit, juice, fresh rolls, and scrambled eggs. The hotel feeds the monkeys at times and when they do the monkeys flock to it. At breakfast they were all around the area, some even stealing food off the table. The workers walk around with squirt bottles to discourage the monkeys from going near the dining area. We left for the raft excursion at 9am. The tour group is called The River People. Their website is below: Home - River People Ecuador The rafting was amazing and the scenery was beautiful. It was a class 3 river so the rapids were fun, but not very dangerous. We had the opportunity on several occasions to get out of the raft and swim in the river. We rafted the Jatunyacu River (Big River) until it merged with the Napo River (which leads to the Amazon) toward the end of the trip. We stopped and had lunch around noon and had chips, pineapple, carrots, potato salad and tuna fish and a muffin for dessert. Where we stopped for lunch, there was a small artisan market with locals selling their creations. We played some games on the shoreline as well. All in all, it was a fantastic experience. We returned at 3:30, got cleaned up and then went into the town of Tena at 4:30. The area is full of shops, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. It’s a very nice place to walk around and people watch. We returned to the hotel at 7pm and had dinner at 7:30. We had soup, steak, fries , rice and vegetables. It was fantastic steak. Snapshots: Mark - thank you to Janira and Michael for saving him from falling off the raft. Michy- enjoyed speaking to the guide, Tim, and hearing his story. Michael and Eliana- the guide said a few of them could hop out of the raft and swim. They thought it would only be for a minute, but it turned out to be quite a bit longer and they were both exhausted by the time they got back to the raft. Kara - Tim pulled her into the water conducting a “life vest safety check”. Our devotional today was based on Mark 11:12-14 and 20-25 (The Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree). The theme was prayer and we had an excellent discussion regarding our prayers for this trip. From an online commentary: “The lesson of the fig tree is that we should bear spiritual fruit, not just give an appearance of religiosity. God judges fruitlessness and expects that those who have a relationship with Him will “bear much fruit” Here’s a quote to close out the night: “God’s work is not done by extraordinary people, but by ordinary people who are in unity with an extraordinary God.” – Oswald Chambers Prayer requests: •tomorrow we travel back to Quito (4-6 hours) We did not have our phones on the raft trip today so I do not have many pictures to post (just monkey pictures). However, the guides typically take a lot of pictures and send a link. I’m sure once Janira and Mark have that, it will be distributed. Thanks for your prayers. Have a great night!
June 14, 2025 It was a very peaceful night. No rooster, no monkeys, not even any rain that I could hear. It was just a very quiet night in the jungle. Oddly enough, I don’t think I slept as well as I kept expecting the loud knock of a monkey throwing something on the metal roof and it never happened! We met at 7:45am for breakfast. Our bags were packed and loaded onto the bus while we had breakfast. We had fruit, juice, rolls, scrambled eggs and plantains. Again, it was a delicious start to the day. We departed the hotel at 8:30am and started the journey back to Quito. We had a wonderful stay and we will miss watching the monkeys play in the trees! It was a smooth ride with no issues from Tena to Quito thankfully! I will spare you of my 4+ hours of thoughts during the ride as I have probably worn you out with it by now (plus I was in and out of consciousness as I napped off and on). We arrived in Quito at 12:45. We had lunch at a restaurant in the mall called Crepes and Waffles. The website is below. It was amazing. We all had an entree followed by a dessert which was outstanding. I’m definitely not burning as many calories as I’m consuming today! Orellana | Crepes & Waffles We left the restaurant at 2:45 and headed back to the Elohim Foundation in Quito. We arrived back at the foundation at 3:30. We had some downtime until 6:30. At that time we met and had the team debrief. I can say with 100% certainty that I did not catch all the notes regarding the debrief. They spoke faster than I can type so my apologies and you are getting a brief version so there may not be complete sentences. Debrief: Mark- recapped the trip and then asked to hear about the experiences those on the trip had whether it be an actual experience or how their heart/perspective was changed. He also asked for feedback and changes that could be made for future trips. Steve- We often remember the missionaries for a short time upon return. Once get back to our day to day routine, we tend to forget them and the fact that they are still working hard in the jungle. Please continue to pray for them. Great team; wonderful workers. Michael- Jefferson and Dorca’s house. It was amazing seeing the development and progress made on their property. The way Pastor Alejandro treats those that assist the foundation was noted. He liked not staying in El Coca and spending more time in Maderos. Michy- Liked being recognized by the missionaries since he went on this trip last year. It meant a lot to him. Enjoyed sharing the experience with good friends. Jerry- When we got to Shayari, it was the edge of the world. There was a bamboo forest and houses on the other side of a large ravine. Just a different world. The cultural dance was outstanding. He enjoyed connecting with the local people such as Montero, Edwin, and Edison. Jackie- Noted how much effort it takes for the people here in Ecuador to get us here and to keep us safe and protected and all the arrangements involved. This is a huge project that involves a lot of details and they nailed it. Eliana- Enjoyed doing ministry at all the different villages to show God’s love and be an example of it. Made her want to stay in the jungle longer. Kara- Loved meeting all the kids. She didn’t want to leave Maderos. Interesting seeing all the poverty. It’s a humbling experience. Makes you want to help more. Did great as it was her first trip without her parents. Chloe- Posted a bunch of photos in Google docs. Shows how privileged we are compared to those in the jungle. Our inconveniences are part of their daily life. Noah- Mentioned he saw stuff he wouldn’t have seen had he taken a vacation here. Nice to see people content with little from a material perspective. Mark - Noted that it was a great team, everyone contributed, people helped where needed, health was good with exception of a few minor stomach issues, team worked well together, fantastic team. Liked to work at Mario and Gabby’s house; increased their faith by the response of those involved with how Elohim helped. In Los Angeles, the kids a few years ago barely smiled and now they are hugging us when we get off the bus. Great impact of Elohim. Enjoyed handing out the water filters to the families. Contaminated water is such a problem so it was neat to see them accept the filters and be appreciative of it. Hailey- Things that were so important aren’t as important anymore. Put things in perspective. Humbling experience for sure. Didn’t know anyone, but the Hope people, so she was nervous. She was so thankful for the girls and how close they became. Genesis- Enjoyed getting to meet the kids and how nice and welcoming they were. Liked doing the devotionals. Didn’t want to leave the kids. Janira- Recognized the three high school boys and Hailey as such hard workers and the local workers appreciated all the help. It was a huge blessing. Grateful for the labor. The girls did such a great job working with one another and forming a tight knit group. Jackie and Jerry it was nice to have another set of eyes. Jerry used his Spanish well engaging with the people on a personal level. It was nice having Jackie as a buddy and a wise woman on the trip. Nice to have another mom looking out for the kids. Loves sitting down with the people and hearing their stories and sharing their stories. There’s a lot of complicated stuff going on in the villages and she gets to hear all the stories. She gets to hear the God stories and how impactful Elohim is in the jungle. Mark’s responsibility is growing each year and does a great job. It was a very nice debrief and obvious that the team became very close by this shared experience. We had dinner at 7:30. We had Papa John’s Pizza! Pizza never tasted so good! Basically we ate, sat, ate, sat, ate, sat all day. My understanding is that this is similar to how sumo wrestlers maintain their weight (substitute sleeping for sitting) and I can totally see why. We worked the calories off in the jungle, but not so much today! Today’s devotional was based on Matthew 7:24-27 (Build Your House on the Rock). Again, we had excellent conversations regarding this passage. For those following along, here is an online commentary that I found useful: “The story of the wise man who built his house upon a rock is found in Matthew 7:24–27. It is one of the parables of Jesus. During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a story about two men: one who built his house upon a rock and another who built his house upon sand. The house built upon a rock weathered the storm, and the builder is called wise; but the house built on the sand collapsed during the storm, and the builder is called foolish. The meaning of this parable is quite obvious: proper foundations are necessary. With a literal house, it is unwise to build on sand, because the foundation will be unsteady and the house will eventually suffer some kind of damage. This will waste resources, and all the time and work put into building the house in the first place will have gone for nothing. In contrast, it is wise to build one’s house on a sure foundation; anchoring to bedrock makes a building withstand the test. But Jesus’ sermon was not concerned with house construction or building code violations. The spiritual meaning of the parable is found in Matthew 7:24: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” We are each building a life. The proper foundation for a life is Jesus’ words—not just the hearing of them, but the doing of them, too. As we follow the Lord, learning to trust and obey Him, we receive a reward: our “house” is steady and solid, unshaken by circumstances. The wise man is the believer whose life is built upon the Rock of Christ.” For me, the passage made me picture the houses in the jungle. Many are built with wood planks and will not last very long. Others are built with cement blocks and will last a long, long time. What is the foundation of your life? Is Christ your foundation or is your life built on something else? The only foundation that will survive every storm is the one built on the rock. Well, tomorrow will be a long day so please keep us in your prayers. Vanessa’s situation in Maderos is unchanged. Michy wasn’t feeling well on today’s drive, but is feeling much better now. Have a great night and we will see you all real soon! Sorry for the lack of pictures today. The team waiting for the pizza delivery at the foundation….
June 15, 2025 Happy Father’s Day and Happy Birthday to Kara! It was an uneventful, but noisy night in Quito. Everyone is well rested as we begin what will be a long day leading up to the 12:30am flight Sunday night/Monday morning. We had breakfast at 8:30. We had rolls, melon, scrambled eggs and coffee. Meal times are always nice times of fellowship with the team. At 9:30, we attended the church service led by Pastor Alejandro and his wife, Katy. The service started with prayer, followed by several praise songs. Janira and Mark then summarized our time in the jungle and introduced the team to the congregation. Katy delivered the message this morning. She spoke from Luke 9:57-62 (The Cost of Following Jesus). The main two points she made were: •Our family must come second to our relationship with God. •Seeking material things must not be our priority. Three other principles she taught were: •Christ wants to be at the center of all our relationships, our number one priority. •Christ wants to be ahead of all your desires and goals. •Christ wants to be over all your material things, all that you possess. Katy delivered a powerful message that was well received by the congregation. We then performed the drama for the church and afterward Pastor Alejandro called the fathers up front. He gave a brief message to the men and gave them a gift. It was very touching. Finally, Kara was called up front and they prayed over her for her birthday! The service ended at 11:00. We had a meeting and Mark explained the process of traveling back home. We then had lunch at noon. We had fried chicken, rice and a vegetable medley. At 12:45, we left for the historic district. Our first stop was the Basilica Del Voto National, a gothic church that was constructed in 1862 (construction began). It was a beautiful structure. We were able to walk/climb to the top and Genesis conquered her fear of heights (conquered might not be the right word- survived might be more appropriate). There were majestic views of Quito from the top. The next stop was where the President lives. Palacio de Carondelet - Wikipedia After that we visited the “gold church”, La Compania. Church of La Compañía, Quito - yWikipedia We then visited the Church of San Francisco and Pastor Alejandro gave us the background on it. Fascinating stories behind the church. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_and_Convent_of_San_Francisco,_Quito Afterward we visited Virgen de el Panecillo. There was an artisan market as well. Virgin of El Panecillo - Wikipedia My apologies for all the Wikipedia links, but I could not keep up with all the information. This area is stunning with church after church. There is a very European feel to the streets here in my opinion. We returned to the foundation at 5:35. We finished packing and will head to the Wyndham Hotel near the airport at 6:30. Our devotional today is based on Mark 4:26-29 (The Parable of the Seed Growing). Our conversation will center around how our view of God’s kingdom has changed. One quote I found summarized the parable well, “May we be faithful in ‘sowing the seed,’ praying for a harvest, and leaving the results to the Lord!” Our flight is at 12:35am so I am sending this note now. Should we have any issues with travel, we will keep you updated. Thank you for bearing with me on my ramblings on this journey.
S M A L L G R O U P S
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M I S S I O N S
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V O L U N T E E R S
At St. Stephen's we love and appreciate the numerous volunteers who give of their time and service to help us in our ministries. We have a number of opportunities for people to serve including as office volunteers, care teams, kitchen teams, and more! If you are interested in volunteering in a specific area, click here for a list, or contact Martha Benn or Kristy Townsend in the church office.
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St. Stephen's is dedicated to investing in our local community, in addition to global missions, as we seek to be a beacon to a lost and broken world. We are constantly accepting donations for Locker 505, Eagle Closet at El Dorado, Storehouse, NM Kids Matter, and so much more! If you are interested in donating time, money, or gifts to one of our local organizations or have information on a potential new outreach for our church, contact Martha Benn or click here for a list of our current organizations.
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D I R E C T O R O F C O N N E C T I O N A L M I N I S T R I E S
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