Monday, April 12, 2010

Ecuador Jungle Missions...

Later this week I leave for a 9 day mission trip to the Ecuadorian jungle. Last year I made a similar trip where we spent time doing construction on a church at a retreat for pastors and their families. We were on the fringe of the jungle last year, complete with running water and electricity. This trip we will travel into the jungle in the back of a produce truck and then hike for 1/2 day further to our destination. Yeah, it kind of reminds me of "Romancing the Stone" and them riding in the bus up the mountain with the chickens and pigs roaming free around their feet. We will spend 4 nights sleeping on mats under mosquito nets as we stay in a Huarani indian village. The days will be spent building a church - something this village has never had - and attending a Bible conference which I will be leading. It will be an exciting, exhausting, rewarding and tough trip - but loads of fun doing ministry in a totally different context.

Please pray for me and the rest of the team daily. Pray that the Gospel will be presented well everytime I stand to speak and that Christ will be honored. Pray for those who are lost to come to know Jesus as Savior. Pray for harmony among all those traveling and for our security. This is a pretty remote area and we need God's hand of protection all the way. Also, please pray for my ankle. If you have seen me lately, you know that I severely sprained my ankle the Saturday before Easter. It has made good progress, but is not healed to where I'm not still hobbling to some extent. Please pray that the ankle will hold up during the hike so that the men I am going with don't have to drag the pastor in and out of the woods. Too funny!

Thanks in advance for praying and I will report in detail when I get back about all God does while visiting this beautiful country on mission for Him.