Day 3 - Letter from Tim

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

After a day of renewing old friendships and settling into our new residence on Thursday, the team ventured out to our first day of clinic work. The clinic was held at the Galilean Church here in Otavalo. The pastor and his wife (Wilman and Clemencia) are old friends of ours, and they told us last night that they now plan the activities of their congregation around our team´s visit each summer. While conducting the clinic today, church members took the opportunity to meet neighbors who had never been to the church before -- developing relationships that they pray will lead to changed lives.

Our team of eight had a busy day -- Kim and I each saw patients, 120 in all. We were assisted by translators, and nursing assistants. Philip Duncan led a team of three in measuring people´s vision, and in fitting them with eyeglasses, using a new computer assisted optometric system created by a retired engineer. The people served were delighted, and much glory was given to our Father.

The last patient that Shelia, Leah and I saw was a 45 year old woman who just needed a checkup. However, we quickly learned that she was facing the deepest crisis of her life -- her local physician had recently advised her of need for surgery in order to treat her for cancer. She was terrified at this prospect, in view of the fact that her sister had undergone similar surgery a few years earlier, only to be crippled by the surgery, and eventually dying of cancer one year later. Moreover, she felt a strong need to survive. She has several young children, and wants to provide for their care for many years to come. Her father had died when she was very young. Finally, her husband had recently abandoned her and her children, revealing that he had been unfaithful to her for many years with another woman. Needless to say, she was distraught and depressed.

As Shelia and I sought to comfort this woman, we were both touched as her 10 year old daughter offered her comfort by holding her hand. We prayed over both of them for a long time, and offered what assistance we could. The pastor´s wife was especially helpful as she made arrangements to transport the woman and her children to church services in two days.

This reminds me of Paul's statement to the Corinthians in his second letter, chapter 9:"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written´´He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.´"

I hope that each of you can see and hear what He is doing in your world today.

Grace, peace and mercy from Ecuador,
Tim