Time with the Awa - Day 6 and 7

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety. 

Psalms 4:8

Dear family,

While working with the Awa each year, the team in recent years has been sleeping at the youth campground quarters next to the Liebenzell Conference Center in Lita. Saturday night this year, however, was tough on sleep because a band in Lita played until 2am that night. On Sunday night, though, everyone slept very well!

VBS in Lita

Erica and Andre at VBS
( Liebenzell Centre)

On Monday and Tuesday, the medical team saw patients at the Rio Verde health centre, while the VBS team conducted VBS sessions with children in Lita as well as with children at a one-room schoolhouse along the road to Rio Verde.  Over 200 children attended the sessions in Lita. The team was very impressed by the teaching and aide rendered by our friends from Galilea Baptist Church as well as by the German students with the Liebenzell Impact team. The students had a tremendous time, and remained focused as well.

The medical team consisted of Randy and Connie Baker with dentistry, Leah Duncan and Audrey Smith with primary nursing and medical care, Jessica Marsee with pharmacy, and myself and Shelia Duncan with general medical care. We were assisted by the team from Galilea church, the Liebenzell students, and the missionary families. We also worked with and gave further medical experience to Jose, the Rio Verde community health worker employed by the Ecuadorian government. Jose has become a dependable health care provider for the Rio Verde community over the past two years.

We saw many patients on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Some of them were patients we see every year, while others were people we were seeing for the first time. We saw Gloria, the older couple with the two children with Down's syndrome, Augustine (the older man who has lost both arms in an accident), the Conticuz families, and Paulino (elder of the Awa church) and his family.

We saw more than the usual number of cases of pneumonia this year, as well as scabies and head lice. We also saw quite a few new people who I believe have seizure disorders. Some of these patients we referred on to local health departments and local physicians, when possible. The patients are now more open to this than in the past, as health care has improved. Randy took care of many patients, and his care is always deeply appreciated because of the pain relief he provides.

All things considered, life in Rio Verde continues to improve. Our team members are richly blessed to know that God has allowed each of us to be a small part of that journey.

Dona Esther hostel in Otavalo

We are now all back in Otavalo, ready to take hot showers and to sleep in soft beds. But most of all, deep in our souls, we know that we have a Father Who cares for us and leads us with a love that grows deeper, wider and stronger with each passing year.

At peace in His arms,
Tim