Teach to Transform

"Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth."

Psalm 86:11

Although the communities in Ecuador where our teams have worked these past fifteen years have begun to change in many ways, lasting change does not occur until the hearts and minds of a people have been transformed at the deepest level. We believe this can only occur through trusting and believing the truth about Jesus Christ. During the past half century God has used health care as a means for Christians to bring the gospel to unreached groups of people. The next step is to train believers in the unreached areas of the world how to share the gospel in their own country. Providing health care training to these believers, therefore, equips churches to share the gospel very effectively.

Kim and I participated for the first time this year in a program called "Teach to Transform". It is a new medical missions program being developed by Dr. Tom McKechnie. Tom works as an ER doctor at the University of Louisville, and has led many medical mission teams in Africa and Asia. He and others have developed teaching modules concerning basic health care, including vital signs, wound care, burns, ENT, pulmonary and diarrheal illnesses. The program also provides a backpack loaded with diagnostic equipment (stethoscope, otoscope, digital thermometer, pulse oximeter, BP cuff and headlamp) and dressings for burns and wounds. This year, Kim and I obtained four of these. We provided instruction to two individuals -- Milton, a young Awa man in the Rio Verde area, and Olga, a young Quechua woman in the Mojandita area. We have asked them to make themselves available to their communities, acting as first responders to acute illness and injury. Based on their evaluation, they will be able to competently advise whether further care by a doctor or hospital is needed, whereupon transportation can subsequently be pursued.

We are excited about this new aspect of our work in Ecuador, and are hopeful that this training will be used by our Lord to enable many people to come to a saving knowledge of Him and His grace.

Back home again,
Tim

Jessica

"While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosy left him."

Luke 5:12-13

Phil and Shelia Duncan were missionaries in Costa Rica and Ecuador from 1985-1990. They returned home and now coordinate our mission trips to Ecuador. Shelia is a Spanish teacher, and has had many students over the years in Ecuador. One of those students - a young Quechua woman named Olga - contacted us this year with an urgent request to visit her younger sister Jessica at their home near Mojandita. Over the past three years Jessica (who is now seventeen) has developed a severe dermatological disorder for which no diagnosis has as yet been made. Kim, Shelia and I accompanied Olga to their home.

What we saw was alarming. Jessica's face has been severely disfigured by the disease, with significant formation of pustules, scarring and swelling. There were large areas of black eschar covering her face. Neither Kim nor I have ever seen anything like it. The condition is painful, and the expense of her care is beyond her family's means. We conducted an extensive history. She has seen a dermatologist in Quito, and received multiple chemo therapeutic drugs at a hospital there. A biopsy was obtained, but the family is unaware of any diagnosis. We are making attempts to obtain that report. We also emailed multiple photos of Jessica's face, hands, back, abdomen and shins to our medical missions liason, Dr. Tom McKechnie, who forwarded them to dermatologists and infectious disease specialists in Louisville. We are awaiting their opinions. We did provide Jessica with antibiotic therapy, and prayed with her for quite awhile. She has been despairing lately, believing that she has become a heavy burden for her family. We told her that there was still hope, and that Jesus Christ is our Saviour and Redeemer.

Please pray for Jessica when you read this, and in the days ahead.

Sincerely,
Tim

Unconditional Love

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I Cor 13:4-7

When in Punyaro (rural village outside Otavalo), there was one Quechua couple that really stands out for me. It was an elderly couple (rare to see couples in 70s in rural Ecuador). The wife relayed a story that her husband had been an abusive drunk earlier in their marriage. If one cheek was bruised, he would hit the other. He had lost his left eye in a fight while intoxicated. She complained of pain in multiple sites (probably some old injuries and arthritis). Her husband later had a stroke. He required a cane and foot turned under frequently when walking. Now she was a caregiver for her husband. She took him to the doctor and provided for their needs that he was not able to meet.

It just reminded me of final days of Christ here on earth. I do not support the abuse, but it was an example of her love despite circumstances.

Remembering Christ's sacrifice,
Kim

Roberto

"Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

Romans 8:35

Upon returning from Lita, our team had made all the necessary plans and preparations to provide a clinic in the poor rural community of Gualsaqui. Our good friend Roberto is the pastor of a growing church there. This year, Roberto had been given permission to hold the clinic in the new school. However, we had not obtained an official letter of invitation from the president of the community. As a result, a representative of the local health department ordered that we shut down the clinic immediately (just after we had spent an hour setting up). The team received this news with some disdain, but we maintained a positive facade.

The people waiting to be seen, however, were angry, and poor Roberto was crushed. (He later wept in my arms, an unusual experience for a Quechua male.) Some said the decision represented the displeasure of some with Roberto's consistent devotion to his faith and evangelistic zeal. I do know that he is a dear brother in Christ who knows what it means to be persecuted for his faith. He has suffered several beatings and broken bones over the years because of his devotion. Moreover, the people of Gualsaqui are now being won over to faith in Jesus Christ because of Roberto's love and passion for his Lord. May this be true of us all.

Captured by a brother's love,
Tim

Friends

"Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name."

3 John 1:15

Dear family and friends,

Our time in Rio Verde is always a time of blessing for the team. Those of us who love adventure are always excited to travel through the western Andes and their amazing views. The vegetation is tropical, with an abundance of palm, elephant ears and banana trees. It rains most afternoons, and on this trip we had some impressive thunderstorms. Fortunately, the road to Rio Verde held up quite well, and we held our three day clinic in the school at the village.

One of the best things each year is to see old friends. Kevin and Kathy Bruce, of course, coordinate all of our activities. Their youngest daughter Kimberly helped as well. They are wonderful people who represent the grace and love of Jesus very well. I got to hear much more of Kevin's story as he drove us back and forth to clinic. He describes himself as a prodigal whose heart was captured one summer in Alaska as a teen. He is a jack of all trades.

One of our friends is Gloria. She is an active member of the Awa church here. I first met her several years ago during our first trip to Lita. She had lost one of her fingers to a mysterious disease, and was at risk of losing more. We got her to the university hospital in Quito, where a diagnosis of scleroderma was established. We bring her medication each year, and she is doing better. She is our friend. Please pray for her.

Some new friends are an older couple we met last year. They have two children, ages 14 and 4. Both the son as well as the daughter have Down's syndrome. Although the daughter cannot yet walk, they are clean and are happy. Please pray for them as well.

At peace,
Tim

Gualsaqui

Greetings and love to you all.

Sorry that Tim is much better about posting blogs than I am.

This has been a very different trip for me spiritually. Usually I have lots of quiet time and long times to be alone. God is teaching me that is not the reality of my life to have long periods of time. Take the moments despite distraction, emphasis on prayer, listening. It has been difficult to have alone time due to busy schedule, bonding with 28 US team members, five to seven German Impact mission team members assisting, Ecuador ministers and missionaries.

We have had many clinic days, many blessings to give and receive, many smiles. As Tim said, we have seen more than 400 people in three days at Rio Verde. Some still travel a day's journey to see us. (One newlywed couple came from near Colombian border)

Yesterday was very different (team calls it twilight day). Our truck was late coming to get equipment in Lita. We were stopped at police checkpoint and passports checked (luckily they did not ask regarding Germans and only Americans). How do you explain Germans, Americans, and Ecuadorians on bus as team working for Christ?

We were very late getting to Gualsaqui -clinic site. We set up and saw one to two patients each, then the health dept "authority" came to close us down because we did not have letter from president of community. Pastor, teachers, church, and most of community were glad to have us. Tim, Shelia (team leader), and I went to the pastor's home to talk while the sports team played with kids. The pastor gave us qui and was very remorseful that people would not be served. The president was not hurting church or pastor, but the people. The pastor wept (Quechua men do not cry). I am anxious to hear what happens with the people and what God is going to do in that community since He closed that door.

Time to begin another day. Love you all!
Thanking Him from Ecuador,
Kim

... so many things

"And they were bringing children to Jesus, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them."

Mark 10:13

We have returned from Rio Verde! Many things happened there. We have heard from his family that Benin (the very sick boy) has improved as evidenced by his ability to sit up and eat. We praise God that Ben's life has been spared. We saw over 400 patients in the three days we worked at Rio Verde. Our dentist - Randy Baker - and his team have provided wonderful dental care for the Awa people that we saw at Rio Verde. They are very grateful for the relief he has provided.

One significant development that occurred at Rio Verde was the training of a health intern for the community. His name is Milton. He has received some health care training in the nearby town of Lita. Kim and I brought some diagnostic tools and a backpack that we purchased from a medical missions organization called "Teach to Transform". We instructed Milton in taking vital signs with modern equipment, and taught him how to recognize life threatening illnesses. Because Milton will be present in the Rio Verde community each day throughout the year, he will be able to provide a first line of defense for the health of the Awa people.

We were also able to train Olga as an assistant to Milton. Shelia had the opportunity to mentor Olga years ago.

Rio Verde is changing in many ways, including the construction of new waterways beneath the road, as well as bridges over the waterways. We have enjoyed many great conversations with Kevin and Kathy Bruce. They have become good friends, and we value their perspectives.

Much has happened. I will write more over the next few days.

Affected by His touch,

Tim

The Road to Rio Verde

"I will make all My mountains a road, and My highways will be raised up."

Isaiah 49:1

When the Bruce family came as missionaries to Lita, Ecuador in 1995, the road from Lita to Rio Verde was a foot path. Since then, the path became a dirt road, and is now a rock embedded road with multiple improvements made over the past year. Besides the big bridge over the Rio Verde constructed three years ago, there are now 5-6 areas where the road has been raised above crossing streams of water. The building of a second large bridge over a large waterway is currently underway.

These improvements are slowly but surely improving the quality of life for the Awa people in the Rio Verde area. Transportation via this critical link to their nation is now reliable, and therefore more frequently used. Families seem less desperately impoverished, and more hopeful. The work of establishing an Awa church continues to progress. The Shaubs (another missionary family working with the Awa) are on furlough, and will not be returning to Rio Verde until three weeks after the Bruce family departs for a well deserved furlough. During those three weeks, the Awa leadership will have responsibility for continuing the many duties that these missionaries carry fulfill. Thus begins what Kevin Bruce foresees as a transition in their work with the Awa.

Acknowledging His plan,
Tim

The very sick boy

"The royal official said to Him, 'Sir, come down before my child dies.' Jesus said to him, 'Go, your son lives.'"

John 4:49-50

It was a busy Monday morning in Rio Verde. The team had made the scenic and adventurous trip from our quarters in Lita to the little Andean village where we had held clinics twice before. Many Awa people had gathered in anticipation of our annual visit. Once the children were dismissed from school, the dental, medical, pharmacy, and pediatric tunits quickly set up for the day ahead.

The waiting lines at Rio Verde are usually long. Today was no different. One Awa mother stood in line with her thirteen children. The older nurse performing intake duties noted that one of the children - a seven year old boy- was breathing rapidly as his mother patiently carried him along. The nurse sent the whole family to the head of the line, where they were seen by two nurses seeing patients between my area and Dr. Kim's area. They noted that the boy's breathing was very labored, and called out my name, insisting that I see the boy immediately. Upon reaching the boy, it was clear that the boy was seriously ill. He did not respond to my voice, had a fever of 103, respiratory rate of 40, heart rate of 55, and oxygen saturation of 79%. He was critically ill, and had bilateral pneumonia with impending respiratory failure. He could stop breathing at any moment. Our team, however, took quick action, administering two injections of antibiotics and starting an IV line for fluids. The missionary advised the boy's mother that he desperately needed more advanced care at the hospital. She consented. The boy was transported to Lita, accompanied by one of our nurses. From Lita, he was transported by ambulance to the ICU in Ibarra. At last word, he is still alive.

It should be noted that while he was at our clinic many people were praying for Ben. They are doing so even now. Ben's mother later told us that he had stopped breathing for an hour the day before we saw him. Everyone in attendance knew that it was only the hand of God that sustained Ben's life. Please pray for him as you read this.

With hope,

Tim

Lost, then found

"Or what woman if she has ten silver coins and loses one, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?"

Luke 15:8

On Saturdays the team usually takes a break. Part of the day usually involves going down to the world famous open air market in Otavalo. Because I am such a poor shopper, I usually tag along with Shelia Duncan, shopper extraordinaire. I wanted to buy just a few items. It was a bit cool, so I wore my black jacket instead of my tan vest. While buying a shirt, belt and ring, my hearing aid battery went dead, and I placed my hearing aid in the pocket of my jacket. However, when I returned back at the hotel one hour later, I could find it nowhere. I checked and rechecked the three pockets of my jacket many times. As I checked all of my room, I despaired of finding it.

Shelia and I decided that I probably dropped my hearing aid while shopping that morning. We were to go to an event at church that afternoon, so we could retrace our steps from that morning. The day had warmed up, so I wore my tan vest. We searched the clothing stand where I had bought a shirt, questioned 2-3 proprietors, and even investigated the dirt alongside the curbs, but alas we did not find it. Shelia decided to lift up a quick prayer of trust and request that we find the hearing aid. Suddenly, she asked what was the tiny object clinging to the Velcro on the exterior of my vest. And there, believe it or not, was my hearing aid!!! I was dumb-founded, and have concluded that it was a gift from God! I have rejoiced several times since, telling the story to all.

Also in Luke 15 it says that the angels in heaven rejoice more over finding one lost person than they do over the 99 who have already been found. Could it be that our Father is trying to impress upon us His strong desire for more people to come to know Him?

Impressed by His might,
Tim

Mojandita

Team posing at Mojandita

The medical clinic established at Mojandita through our team in 1997

Crying

"The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all troubles. The Lord is near to the broken hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Psalm 34:17-18

She was a widow, 81 years of age. The people of Galilee church in Otavalo had opened their doors to the people of the surrounding community to gain access to free medical and dental care at the clinic our team was providing. Her chief complaint was dizziness. She had been through some surgical procedures over several years time, but was healthy for her age. As Shelia conversed with her in Spanish, a significant discussion began developing. Hannah, a college student on our team, began watching Shelia's face. The elderly woman described how she lived alone, and was very fearful of her future. I was praying, when the Holy Spirit said we should pray for her.

At that moment a baby in the adjoining room began to cry. So too did our patient. She began to pour out her heart in sorrow. Shelia began to cry, as did Hannah and I. We prayed with her, asking God for protection for her, and for deliverance from fear. We encouraged her to cast her anxiety upon the Lord, and to begin attending activities at the church. She welcomed the idea, and made plans to return.

Michael Card writes in a song entitled "Distressing Disguise" that, when a brother or sister reaches out to another in need, they both disappear and it is only Jesus we see. In a little church far away in the Andes Mountains today, that is exactly what I saw. God saved me too.

Eternally grateful,
Tim

End of Day One in Ecuador

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Our team landed in Quito last night two hours later than expected due to a problem with the plane's altimeter. Turned out everything checked out okay. We arrived safely, and went through customs with no snags (thanks for your prayers). We had a good night's rest at HCJB, and had a delicious breakfast there this morning. Our bigger than usual team (we have 26 at present) has worked well together today. We held a clinic for the Galilee church body here in Otavalo this pm, and the Cross Extreme sports team got started as well. We were assisted by eight German students with Liebenzell Ministries, who served as our translators. They did a great job!

Kim and I saw a variety of cases as usual. I spent 45 minutes treating a young man for nosebleed, and also saw a five month old with what probably is cerebral palsy. I also saw a lady with a tumor of her parotid gland, and another lady with Sjogren's syndrome. Our team dentist, Randy Baker from Olive Hill, used the new portable dental chair that River of Life helped to acquire. It worked great once one of our team hooked it up to a new car battery!

I have been reading an impactful book by Brennan Manning lately, entitled "All Is Grace". I will likely share from that this week.

Love to you all,
Tim Scott ( beneath the giant ivy at Dona Esther hostel in Otavalo)

Ecuador 2012 - Getting Started

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."

Jesus

(Matthew 5:14)

Dear Saints of Tatesbrook:

Our newly formed team arose at 3 am today, and is now checking in at the airport. We have had all of the meetings this past half year, have gathered all our supplies, communicated with our counterparts in Ecuador, packed and repacked, paid up and picked up. We are ready to get started! This year's theme verse is Matthew 5:14. Jesus said we are the light of the world....Wow!! Here we go!!

In Him,
Tim

A postscript

"Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them...that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you...."

Luke 24:47-49

Dear saints and family,

              Each year when our team goes to Ecuador, people often ask "Why go all the way to Ecuador, when you could do just as much good here in Kentucky?"  It is a good question, but it misses the point that all of this is about the call of God.  Our path has been paved by the will of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  The things that happen each year in Imbaburra province, we believe, are the result of God creating and directing His will through our lives for the people who live in that place.

         I received an email today from Kevin and Kathy Bruce, missionaries to the Awa.  Each year we spend two or three days with them in the village of Rio Verde, providing some primary health care for the 300 or so people who walk up to the school there.  Kevin writes that one of the members of the church there - a man by the name of Meregildo - gave thanks this past Sunday for the medical treatment that two of his daughters had received at our clinic.  Both of them had severe cases of impetigo with boils.  Mercifully, their illness resolved quickly (in two days, he said) after receiving injections and oral antibiotics.  The girls had been crying in pain for quite some time, and they were all now very thankful.  Kevin went on to say that they had heard similar things from many other of the Awa, some of whom attend church there, and some who do not.  He also noted that we are helping them with the job of shining God's light there among the Awa.

        At the end of our trip, our coordinator Shelia Duncan had a conversation with the director of Liebenzell Missions, Edgar Luce.  Liebenzell is the evangelical church with whom our teams work in Ecuador.  Ed told Shelia that our teams are very useful to their efforts in the role of a "door opener".  Whereas villages sometimes are reluctant to welcome a missionary, they nearly always are open to a health care team coming to their community.  As they then become acquainted with the missionary, the village then welcomes them as well.  And so shines the light.

        One year ago this month David Ravenhill shared with our church a message about the purpose of God.  In Genesis 12:3, God tells Abram that "in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed".  Later, in Isaiah 49:6, He says "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."  That is happening before our very eyes, church!  Things are changing in Ecuador.  The Awa and Quechua people alike have become mature believers, and they too "shine as lights in the world".  God is working there, and He is working here.  Rejoice!

                                                                                                                     
Enjoying the walk with Him,    
Tim

Homeward Bound

"So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him."
Luke 15:20

Dear family,

Today is our last day in Ecuador. Our team of eight worshipped with out friends at Iglesias Bautista Galilea. We had worked alongside several of their members over the previous ten days. Pastor Wilman Varela, wife Clemencia and family have become our close friends. The church made a presentation to our team, giving thanks for our willingness to serve, and for God's grace, love and sufficiency. It was a day of celebration. I was reminded of how much God has blessed the bride of Jesus, and how the body of Christ stretches around the Earth.

The team is staying tonight at the HCJB guest house. We will fly out early in the morning, flying to Miami then to Cincinnati. Will be home by late afternoon. I am looking forward to seeing each of you again.

Encouraged by His love,
Tim

Rio Verde

Dear family and friends,

Our team this year had nine members - me, Shelia (our leader), Phil (Shelia's spouse and translator), Leah (the Duncan's daughter and a nurse who coordinated the pharmacy), Corey (19 yr.old student, Leah's helper), Bill Harrell (pediatrician), Jan (peds nurse), Janet (home health nurse who saw patients), and Alvaro (a mental health worker in the public schools of Columbia who translated for Janet). We had a great and experienced team.

One act of God's providence occurred last Sunday on the way to Lita. A dump truck was sitting in the opposite lane as our bus was coming around a curve. A bus coming from the opposite direction passed by the truck, leaving our bus but a few extra inches on our side of the road. Many prayers of the moment went up in those few seconds, and the two buses passed safely by one another.

The first day in clinic at Rio Verde was a day of much activity and clinical diversity. I treated an asthmatic women with a nebulizer, a lady with pneumonia with an antibiotic injection, and a family of three children with bad cases of impetigo. One lady had a large ganglion cyst which required aspiration. We saw Gloria once again. She has had scleroderma for several years, and we bring her annual supply of medication. She is doing well. We met her daughter, who is on a national soccer team for Ecuador. One man we examined had been acutely confused for four days. His diagnosis eluded us, and we recommended cautious observation and hospital treatment if not improving.

One very interesting family was a couple in their late fifties or early sixties. They had two children - a son who is ten and a daughter who is four - both of whom had Down's syndrome. It was difficult for us to know how difficult a task these parents had in raising these children. Nevertheless, they were very kind and loving. Shelia hugged the little girl, who took a particular liking to Shelia's nose. She kept pulling on it until it became quite red. Then, when I had my back turned during my exam of the boy, he caught me off guard when he tweaked by backside. I jumped about two feet, and all six of us laughed!

It was a great two days at Rio Verde. God is surely bringing His kingdom to this remote corner of the world.

In awe,
Tim

Other stories from Pijal

"And this is love, that we walk according to His commandment.  This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it."   2 John 1:6

         This was our second year to hold a medical clinic at Pijal.  It is a poor community, nestled in the hills just outside Otavalo.  The Quechua women come with their children, walking alongside the chickens, sheep, dogs and pigs.  The concrete building in which we see people was once intended to serve as the health department, but now serves as a day care.   After sweeping the floors and hanging the tarps, we began seeing patients there yesterday.

        One lady we saw was brought to the clinic by her twenty-five year old son.  She had the usual Quechuan complaints of back pain and headache.  What caught Shelia and me by surprise, however, was that her son was her only child.  She told us that she had been pregnant seven times in her life.  She went on to say that her now deceased husband had brutally ended each of her first six pregnancies by beating her until she miscarried.  We were stunned to hear this, but it seemed to relieve her of an emotional burden to be able to tell a stranger of these tragic events in her life.  We provided some medications for her, and prayed tenderly for her and her son.

      Later in the day, we were heartened to see a lady that we had seen before last year.  Her three year old twin sons accompanied her, one of whom had been unable to walk or to use his arms when we saw him last year.  We gave her $30 last year to be used for regular physical therapy.  Indeed, she had been taking him to a physical therapist, and per our request last year, produced a receipt from his visits over the past year.  He is now walking, and is beginning to use his arms and hands.  He smiled as we examined him, and demonstrated improved strength in his limbs.  We attended to the other needs of the family, and encouraged his mother to continue with the physical therapy.  Shelia and I were encouraged as well!

        The day  at Pijal was a rainy one.  We were reminded of the simultaneous presence of hope and despair in that land.

Challenged and uplifted,
Dr. Tim

Wilson

"When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him....Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones."  Mark 5:2,5

          His name was Wilson.  His mother had brought him to the school at Pijal  to be seen by us.  Four years prior he had gone out with friends in his normal state of mind, but upon returning home that evening his mind was seemingly vacant, according to his mother.  Since that day, he would wander aimlessly each day, spending many nights without sleep.  His responses to questions were minimal, and he seemed to stare constantly into the distance, moving his hands without purpose about his head and face.  He denied seeing things that were unreal, and denied hearing voices. His mother had taken him to several physicians as well as to a psychiatrist in Quito.He was on several psychiatric medications, but was no better -- perhaps worse.  The mother begged that we help her son.

         After spending some time with this year man, Shelia Duncan and I wondered if there was a spiritual context to this young man´s plight.  Although he definitely seemed very depressed, he was able to give appropriate, albeit brief, replies to our questions.  He did not appear to be psychotic.  As we were talking with him, pastor Wilman stood alongside listening.  As it turned out, he knew the young man´s family.  Led by the Holy Spirit, he began speaking with Wilson directly, face to face.  He asked out sin, and this seemed to hit the target.  He began to share the Gospel with Wilson, and shared about the love of Christ, His sacrifice, and His offer of new life.  Wilson was slow in his response initially, but by the power of the Spirit, he slowly began to experience the tearing down of a stronghold.  By God´s grace, he professed Jesus Christ as Saviour!  Wilman embraced Wilson as the tears began to flow.  My thoughts turned to the passage about the prisoners being set free.

         Wilson is not yet emotionally free, however.  We did reduce his psychiatric medication regimen, and encouraged a followup with his psychiatrist.  We also strongly recommended beginning reading the Word, and to pray, and to attach himself to a local body of believers.  Wilman was going to assist him in this.  We prayed.  Once again,  everyone in the clinic was graced by the strong presence of the Holy Spirit.
                                                   Washed in the blood of the Lamb,    Dr. Tim

The Boy's Hand

¨Then He said to the man, ´Stretch our your hand!´ He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.¨ Matthew 12:13

     The drive up to Rio Verde on this past Monday morning was glorious, as usual. We were blessed with a relatively dry road, and the chill of the air in the back of the pickup was refreshing. The Rio Verde was running with plenty of water, and the new bridge looked great. When we arrived at the Rio Verde school, a good-sized crowd of Awa were awaiting us. The team was glad to see our missionary friends Kevin and Kathy Bruce as well as well as Andy and Chrissy Schwab once again. Kevin had informed me the night before that their partners with the Awa mission these past sixteen years -- Doug and Dorcas Williams -- had made the difficult decision to begin their transition back to the US for the sake of their children. This will change life signicantly for the Bruces and the Schwabs.

  As we quickly set up the clinic in the school building, Kevin announced that a family was bringing their ten year old son to be seen. While working the day before, he had sustained a significant laceration to three fingers of his right hand. They hoped that we could repair the hand without causing much pain. As I examined his hand, I could see that he may have lacerated the extensor tendon of his index finger. In addition, he was none too happy to be at the clinic. Nonetheless, his parents insisted, and so we got started. I gave him two meds to sedate him, and an hour later he was able to rest on the table while we began irrigating his wounds with sterile saline. He tolerated the local anesthetic quite well. His grandparents - who just happened to be to the next patients to be seen by me -- sat alongside the patient as I began the repair of his hand. His third and fourth finger lacerations were only skin deep, and were easily repaired. The index finger laceration , however, was much deeper, but with the help of the Holy Spirit and good light, the tissue came together nicely and I believe the tendon was intact. After further irrigation, the skin was closed and his hand bandaged. His parents and grandparents were pleased, and the boy was glad to be asleep!

Later that day, Phillip Duncan (a member of our team) commented on how fortunate it was that the boy sustained his injury just the day before we were to arrive. Indeed, the team´s witness of God´s love and concern was magnified by this opportunity to provide needed care. Wilman (the Ecuadorian pastor and friend whose church assisted us this year) prayed with the boy and his family, completing a time in which we felt the presence of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Affected by His Touch,
Dr. Tim

Return from Rio Verde

Picture taken from Inguinchu toward Quito

"Lord, have mercy on my son...for he often falls into the fire...and the boy was cured." Matthew 17:15,17

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Peace and grace to each of you from God the Father and Jesus our Lord. I am here in Otavalo this afternoon, having returned from a day´s work at the beautiful community of Inguinchu atop the Andes in Imbaburra Province. The scenery there is spectacular, but the temperature was most cold all day. We had a good day in clinic, seeing about 100 Quechua people. We had exciting rides in the back of the pickup truck both to and from the site. All team members are healthy and happy.

Our four days in Lita and Rio Verde were filled with wonder and glory. Our friends from the Galilea Church here in Otavalo sent a team along with us to Lita to lead the VBS that took place for the children of Lita, conducted at the same time as the health clinics that we held for the Awa at Rio Verde. It was great working alongside them, and in sharing meals with them. We value the long-term friendships that have developed between us over the years.

There are several stories that came out of our time there, and it will take more than this email to tell them. But I will share one story with you now. His name is Luis. Luis is a 20 year old Awa male who has a seizure disorder. Two months before we arrived, he had a bad seizure at home, and fell into the fire his parents were using to cook a meal. He sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns of his right elbow. His family did the best they could do to take good care of his injury, but by the time I saw him his right arm was infected and badly contracted by scarring of the skin around his elbow. His parents were with him, and seemed very kind. Luis, naturally, was very apprehensive about being around people he had never met before. We spent time in listening to their story, and in soothing Luis. At last, he agreed to lie down on our make-shift exam bed. His elbow was swollen, and very sensitive to touch. Gently, we debrided and dressed his wound, and gave instructions about subsequent wound care, providing the necessary materials to his family. We also asked Wilman (our good friend and the pastor at Galilee) to pray with the family over Luis. There were no flashes of lightning, nor miraculous healing, but everyone there seem to sense the peace and love of God. I do know that Luis was calmer as a result. Please pray for Luis that his arm will become functional and without pain.

The team returned to Otavalo last night, and as usual had a great time in reviewing what God is doing here in Ecuador. I am doing well, and my left knee is nearly back to normal. I have nearly run out of jokes to tell, as well! Seriously, we have taken note of the many things that God has done here over the years. Many people have found temporary help for illness. Many friendships have been formed. Several churches have been started. And many seeds have been planted. We concluded that we really have little idea of all that God has done.

I will plan on writing again tomorrow evening, and tell more stories from Rio Verde at that time.

Still busy in Ecuador,
Tim

Lita Bound

Dear brothers and sisters:
       

Peace and grace be to you. Our team is preparing to journey to Lita, in the land of the Awa. We eagerly anticipate this each year, and so we do now. We will be out of touch with the world (including you) for the most part through Wednesday. The trip from here to there is beautiful, and look forward to a peaceful bus ride. We had a restful day yesterday, and had a wonderful time of worship at Galilea Baptist church this morning here in Otavalo. I also enjoyed a short ride by horseback at the hotel, but unfortunately missed my dismount and strained my left knee. I am hopeful that the knee will heal quickly. Our team has been talking about the necessity of depending on God moment by moment as we walk through these days. We pray that his power would be manifest both for the healing of those to whom we ministry and for His glory. Pray for the missionaries that we will be working alongside (the Bruces and the Schaubs). We have a good team (older and more male than usual). We look forward to seeing what God has in store for us over these next three and a half days.

Hobbled but Hope-full somewhere in the Andes,
Tim

Gualsaqui

"Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

Dear Ones in Christ Jesus our Lord,

It is Saturday morning in Otavalo. Our team continues to experience good things from our Father. Yesterday, we spent the day in service of the people of a rural village near Otavalo called Gualsaqui. Linda and I worked there two years ago. The pastor there - Roberto - is a wonderful man of God. As we arrived to set up for the first day of clinic, he asked if we could pay a visit to one of the members of his church (the Church of the Nazarene at Gualsaqui) at her home. Shelia Duncan, nurse Jan and myself said "of course" and pastor Roberto took us there.

We were graciously invited into the Quechua home, and stepped back 150 years in time. The construction was adobe, and within was one large room. An open fire was blazing in the center with a large kettle of potatoes aboil. An elderly woman was lying on the single cot to one side, with her husband alongside, and their daughter attending to meal preparation. About twenty guinea pigs (a local delicacy) were gathered along the edges of the room. There was one electric light, and by this we spent time with our patient. She was 84 years of age, and had suffered a stroke four months prior. She spoke Quechua only, so Roberto translated to Spanish so that Shelia could translate to English. She was to move neither her left arm nor her left leg. Because she spent all of her time in bed, she had developed contractures at her fingers as well as at her knee. Moreover, she lamented that she no longer had a purpose in life, and that she wished she could die. We learned however that she is a believer. After providing recommendations for daily rehabilitation exercises, as well as sitting an hour in the sunshine and taking an aspirin a day, we tried to encourage her with the truth. Roberto told her that her Father in heaven valued her not for what she does, but for who she is in Jesus Christ. This seemed to give her some hope. We finished by praying with her. I believe that her husband and daughter were encouraged as well.

We subsequently returned to the 21st century, and conducted the clinic at the church. Bill Harrell - our pediatrician - had a great day working with many children and mothers. Jan and Janet - our two senior nurses - worked with many people, while translation was provided by one of our friends here, Katie from Oregon. Shelia and I worked with many adults, one of whom had stomach cancer. We prayed with him, and hugged him. We gave out about one trunkful of medications. We finished at about sundown, and the weary team dined at a restaurant in Otavalo. I had some delicious sea bass.

Today, the team is resting and shopping. From time to time we encounter old friends on the streets here. Each night, we are engaging in our usual daily devotional. This year we are focusing on "Following Him", with daily emphasis on separate steps in that process. I shared last night about the value of "staying", with references to God's word to Isaac in Genesis 26 and Jesus´s word to the disciples in Luke 24. If we are to receive what God has promised to us, we must wait for His directions. Power has been requested for this year´s mission effort. We (and certainly I) must wait upon Him. My dear wife Linda has been encouraging me with daily notes that she packed in my travel bags. She includes a verse for each day. Yesterday´s verse was Psalm 27:14. It was ideally suited to the lessons of the day, for which I am thankful. This morning I read 2 Corinthians 9:8, which challenged me as well.

Waiting in an internet cafe in Ecuador,
Tim

Quito

Saints of Tatesbrook and dear family,

Greetings from Quito! Despite circumstances to the contrary, our team of eight missionaries arrived safely in Ecuador at 11:30 EDST last night. We are healthy and now this morning well fed and rested. We did have one or two delays, and a fairly bumpy ride, but overall a smooth trip. We stayed overnight at the beautiful HCJB Guest House here in Quito. It is operated by the HCJB Ministries, known these past decades for its worldwide broadcasts from atop the Andes here in Ecuador. Our team has just finished a great breakfast (complete with guananabi juice, Linda), and is now preparing to take a tour of the HCJB facilities, including the hospital. We are excited to hear about the history of God's grace and work in this place.

Speaking of which, God did provide me with the opportunity enroute from Chicago to Miami to sit beside a lady from Jamaica. Her name is Sandra. Sandra was extremely anxious about the prospect of air flight. She had not flown since coming to Chicago thirty years before. She had decided on the spur of the moment to return to Jamaica to see family. She was concerned about storms in the area as well. As she sat, she was trembling, had difficulty staying in her seat, and was suffering from a bad cold. At one point she expressed doubt about being able to complete the flight (!). She would hum songs to herself in an effort to calm herself. So, we subsequently engaged in a two hour conversation about her life, and about life in general. Suffice it to say that she had tried hard to enjoy life, but did not have peace. She apparently had attended church as a child, but said that she had not returned for many years. As the plane began its descent into Miami airspace she became yet more anxious. As I held her purse, I also held her hand, and we prayed. She did express a desire to know God better, and I believe that she experienced some of His peace during descent. Please pray for Sandra as well.

Until next time!
In His grip,

Tim

Traveling

"Now when they they had gone through Amphipolis and Appollonia, they came to Thessalonica." Acts 17:1

Dear Children of God,

Our group of five (Shelia, Dr.Bill, Jan, Tim and Janet) departed smoothly from Northern Kentucky this morning. We are presently in Chicago, and will fly to Miami in an hour. We will finally arrive in Quito at about 11PM, where we will be joined by the trinity (Phillip, Leah and Corey). God has blessed us with good health and safety thus far.

As your bedtime approached tonight, please pray that our team and supplies procede smoothly thru customs and security.

We will be spending the night at the HCJB guest house at the hospital in Quito (a treat).

Faithful is He, 

Tim

AWA Believers Conference 2011

Dear Friends and Family,

Nothing encourages me to pray more than hearing how the Lord is answering prayers, so I wanted to share this with you all so you will keep praying, and praying even more for the first Awa Believers Conference ever held in Rio Verde and directed by the Awa believers.

Here are some verbal "snapshots" of what we have seen this past week:

• Paulino hauling sheets of tin up the mountain on his shoulder, and then working hard to convert his old house into a community kitchen for conference cooking. 
• A phone call to the lowlands with the report that about 12 believers from that area are planning to come. 
• Porfidio showing up on Monday afternoon to cut firewood for all the cooking. (Funny, we never even would have thought of that!) 
• A cow has been bought for a conference feast by the Awa believers. We missionaries contributed, but the vast bulk was paid for by them. (Meregildo amazed us by giving $30 dollars!). Think of that as about a weeks salary, folks. 
• On hearing a donation had been made by Kevin's church for buying a large pot for cooking, Milton said, "Hey, we need to do something like that! We are really lacking in that area!" Now plans are being made to have a fund set up among the Awa believers to help those in need. 
• After spending most of a day working on checking the translation for Daniel, Elvia frowned and shook here head when I got out her pay. "I wanted to do this for God, she said" 
• Milton came to talk to me yesterday to discuss which lessons each of us would be teaching from the book of Daniel, and when and how. 

Friends, GOD IS WORKING, AND IT IS SO EXCITING TO BE HERE AND BE A PART OF IT. So above all, PLEASE KEEP PRAYING! YOUR PRAYERS ARE BEING ANSWERED IN EXCITING WAYS. GOD IS MOVING!!!!!

One additional request is for the final service on Sunday. We are thinking that this might be an excellent time to formally appoint Paulino and Milton as elders in the Awa Church, especially after having demonstrated their godly leadership in organizing the conference. We plan to talk to them about it this week. We have been preparing for this, and have had them before the people for consideration for about year now, and they have proven themselves as godly men worth emulating as leaders. Please keep praying for wisdom and grace for these two dear brothers, and for unity and love to prevail in the conference overall.

In Jesus,
Doug and Dorcas

Perspective from above the wind

Dear Ones,

The team has returned to US soil. However, due to baggage trouble in Miami, we have separated to take different paths to our final destinations. Linda and I are presently in Chicago, while Kim and Larry are in Dallas and Nick and Brandon are in Columbus. We all anticipate being home before day's end. We are all healthy, and filled with a renewed sense of God's grace and providence.

I thought I would conclude the telling of this year's Ecuador mission story by relating some thoughts about a bald eagle we saw on Sunday afternoon. After worship at the Galilee church in Otavalo, the team decided to visit Condor Parque ( something I had wanted to do for several years. ) True to it's name, there were several condors in residence there on the side of the mountain. Huge birds, they were there as the result of injuries sustained in the wild.

Although the condors were unable to fly, the highlight of our day was to observe a bald eagle in flight. A professional who works with these birds brought the eagle out to where we were seated. Over the next half hour, we were graced with the raw beauty and strength of this magnificent bird. Initially, as the trainer released him, the eagle would fly just a few dozen feet, and then quickly return to his master's arm. Finally, after several forays, the began to fly in ever-widening circles and ever higher spirals. For a few minutes, our view was blocked as he flew towards the sun, and his flight seemed to be over a mile in diameter. He concluded this seemingly effortless display by diving dramatically into the space just in front of us, finally coming to rest on his master's arm. The scene was was wild - beyond our control.

While watching, my mind focused on the idea of dreaming and seeing a dream through to it's end. Ecuador has been like that for some of us. But it is not yet complete. We are like that eagle in his initial forays. There are bigger dreams that have been dreamed, and that are yet to be dreamed. We need to speak them out, and share them with one another. And then we need to pursue them, through their completion.

What has God spoken to you? Of what do you dream (if at all)? Is your dream God-sized, God-given? Spend some time with Him today, and ask what dream He has for you, and for your "team".

Sitting in the airport,
Tim

Travel log from Kim

Hello everyone from Ecuador. Thanks for your prayers.

Some of this you already know from Tim, but here is a brief travel log of our trip. We arrived in Quito Sunday night. Things went very smoothly through customs. We received all of the luggage and no problems getting meds in. We did an extra step this year and notified the consulate in Houston with the list of meds and supplies. They did not even ask for the papers. Monday, we headed to a town Puyo (near Shell from End of the Spear). We stopped to see an awesome waterfall and the Nate Saint house and MAF airport. We had 8 hrs of driving also. We had a clinic in Puyo. This is a place and with missionaries that have not worked with medical mission teams prior. Both sides were sort of feeling out the other for possible future opportunies.

Chet and Katie Williams and Daniel Klassen were awesome and their heart for the Waorani and God was a blessing. Then on Wed we drove from Shell to Otovalo. Early Thurs we left for Rio Verde and had clinic Thurs and Fri. There is a new bridge across the river, so we went further into the mountains/jungle than we have ever gone before. The walk from where we previously had clinic to the missionaries home was a 4 hour walk. After the bridge was built, it was an hour walk. And now the road (using the word loosely) is extended and for them a 5 min walk. For us, it was 30-40 min including getting my boots stuck in the mud. We stayed in the jungle at the missionary home Thurs night. Saturday we were back in Otovalo and went to outdoor market that afternoon. Sunday (we were more like tourists than a medical mission team) we went to church at Iglesa de Galilea which is a church in Otavalo. The pastor there is Wilman, and we work closely with him on our medical and VBS mission trips. Then our team and Wilman´s family went to the condor (bird) park. The bald eagle we saw fly (trained to return) was named Gringo. (Gotta love it!) We then went to the mountains to Cuicocha (guinea pig) Lake but were swarmed by mosquitos so did not stay long. Today we went to Pijal for clinic and just returned this evening.

I am passing along a few stories later but I do not know if I can match Tim´s storytelling.

Thanks for your prayers. We will be headed back to the USA in 2 days and see you all soon.

Love, Kim

Finishing the last regular clinic in Pijal

Dear Ones:

The team has finished their days of regular clinic as of today. We saw about 120 people in the Quichua community of Pijal. Kim saw many interesting cases, while I saw a lot of hyperactive kids. One interesting case involved a seven year old girl who would awaken several nights a month with hallucinations. Her gaze would be fixed on something, and she could not be redirected by her family. She would have no recall for the events. In the end, we decided she was experiencing absence (petit mal) seizures, but when you are here you also wonder about demon possession.

The team is tired, but contented. We believe that God has directed each of our steps and the events of each day. The people have been encouraged, and in many cases helped. We will be returning to Quito tomorrow, after seeing the local pastors and their families in the clinic at the Galilee church here in Otavalo tomorrow. We will be flying out of Quito early Wednesday morning, finally landing in the Cincinnati airport (after going through Miami and Chicago) at about 7:30 pm on Wednesday night.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers, support and encouragement. Linda`s foot has held up very well, and she attributes that to your faithfulness and God`s power. We look forward to seeing each of you in the near future.

I will close today with some more stories from the past week (to be posted in the email that follows this one).

In Awe of His Orchestration and Grace,
Tim

Viejas at clinic in Pijal

We saw many Quichawa and local people in clinic here today. Several old women came and not only told of their medical problems (usually pain) but also told me that the government should do more about their health and their land and offer more support. Some told me how their kids were already fighting over the inheritance even before she had died. My interpretors today told me just to start examining them because they would find more to talk about.

It was interesting to here the story of their land from their standpoint. We saw older people in this community that any other community I have seen in Ecuador in years past. Several were 70s-80s. They all are doing relatively well except vision and arthritis. Overall it was a great internal medicine day for me. One woman that broke her hip 11 years ago never had surgery but was frustrated because all the doctors did for her was give her pain medicine but did not offer anything else. She walked with a limp since her broken leg was shorter than the other. I discussed that even an operation now would probably not offer her much benefit for the risk of surgery and the pain/rehab. Several other similar stories came up today when surgery was recommended prior but not done and they wanted other options now. (Eye surgery needed for congenital eye muscle problem, gallbladder surgery recommended for abd pain, prostate surgery recommended for enlarged prostate due to difficulty voiding.)

I tried to encourage when I could but did not offer much in the way of new solutions. It gave me a new perspective on "missed oportunities." How often does God open doors or present situations for us to be part of His work? There have been many times immediately after it happens that I thought, there was another chance for me to join God in what He is doing. Ask (and follow) for God sized tasks and opportunities.

Sunday Lessons in Otavolo

Worship this morning was awesome. I had to concentrate much more on the words and what they mean because I am not able to sing words I have to translate while thinking about something else. Wilman preached out of I Corinthians 1.

Three problems that exist that prevent us from pursuing the cross:

1. Problem of division within the church
2. Lack of decision to follow Christ (Can we identify the church as different than the world?)
3. Not recognizing that without Christ we are nothing

The point that probably really hit home was when Wilman reminded me that the reason we do not hear or learn from God is because we are always talking. (Ouch!) Again I am reminded of one of God´s goals for me is to rest. I am always busy doing and talking, but I do not do much waiting and listening. That was the highlights of what I got out of the Spanish sermon (my own translation). Sheila´s birthday was Sunday, so they sang to her and gave her flowers. (Another story how they did that for another day.)

Other interesting things I learned that day that make you say hmmmm...: We did not get to see the condors fly because "there is not enough wind." I got batteries for the camera that did not work. I looked on the package and says "not for use in digital cameras or other high draining sources." Overall a fantastic day or rest and celebration.

Safe Return from Pijal

Back in the comforts of Otavalo

Dear Ones,

The team has returned to civilization, back in the comforts of Otavalo.

It has been a great four days spent with the Waoroni and the Awa. The travels have been long (8 hours on Wednesday and 4 hours today).

The team, though, remains healthy and unharmed. We have had much fellowship with the ministry teams here, including an exclusive overnight stay at the missionaries home in the jungle at Rio Verde. The muddy walk up the mountain was quite a slog, replete with knee and elbow

deep plunges into the quagmire. Photos of the fallen to follow. We saw about 200 Awa during the two days of clinic at Rio Verde. Problems included the usual fare of headaches, backaches, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, skin rashes, roundworms, and arthritis. We were welcomed and thanked many times. The team was humbled. Dr. Kim has been a warrior, often times serving as her own translator. Her insights and care have been exemplary. Linda has had some life-changing affirmations of her role here, including strong encouragement from Katie Williams (missionary, mother and wife in Shell, working with the Waoroni). Linda has been free-lancing, just spending time sitting and talking with the Wao and the Awa. She struck up some great relationships, and the people opened up to her in some remarkable ways. She will need to share her stories with you herself.

(One big deal that I forgot to mention above was that we crossed the new bridge on the Rio Verde, and went several miles beyond on the new road up to the actual village of Rio Verde in the jungle. A great new frontier for our team.)

We miss each of you, and love you very much.

With gratitude,
Tim

Mother of two special needs children in Rio Verde

She came with her other older children and two youngest (age 4 and 8). She was seeking answers what would make her 4 year old walk. She was concerned because she was not walking or talking. By observing them it was clear they had Down´s syndrome. What can I say to a mother who is here in Ecuador caring for special needs children that will be a lifetime commitment? Her 8 year old son with Down´s began to walk when his younger sister was born. We had to tell her that they would be slow to learn and possible never talk. I discussed signing but it was not well received. However, at the same time, I think the child probably eventually will walk because she was able to support her own weight. I cannot imagine the task of a mother caring for them in the jungle/mountains.

With God, are you handling the tasks set before you? Sometimes we see those in need and probably hinder (or baby) them somewhat such that they may not reach their full potential (even if that is not the same as everyone else). But at the same time, they will need more care and encouragement than others. I think the youngest child will do more when forced to walk or stand instead of being carried. How often do we look at our own circumstances and think we cannot do it or prefer to be carried? It was many emotions in one event.

The Young Widow at Rio Verde

She came into the school (converted for the day into a makeshift clinic) with her four young children (ages 6, 4, 3, and 2). The baby was on her back, and she carried her sleeping three year old son. She had the usual complaints of headache, backache and fatigue. Her countenance was somewhat depressed and discouraged. During my examination of her four children, one of them (the 4 year old) took a liking to me, and followed me around. Sheila held the sleeping 3 year old in her arms. Then, this 21 year old woman asked Sheila if she would be willing to take the little boy home to the US with her. Shocked, Sheila asked her why. The mother told Sheila that her husband had suddenly died two years before, and that she did not believe that she could take good care of her children any longer. She felt over-whelmed. We spent quite a long while exploring options with her, but none of them seemed close to adequate. We did encourage her to visit and get to know the Awa church, hoping that encouragement and hope could be known in that way. We provided meds for her and her children, prayed for them, and then she departed into the jungle.
Tim

The Trail of Mud

For the past six years, the team had never even been near this side of the Rio Verde. Then last summer "The Bridge" was built across the river, at the bottom of the hill. So this year, we were whisked across the river in the back of a pickup, and arrived at the village of Rio Verde at about midday on Thursday (last week). We had a very busy day in clinic, and saw about 90 patients. Then, as everyone turned to go home, we all anticipated the unique experience of staying overnight with the Williams and the Shaubs (Kathy Bruce`s inlaws, who also are missionaries) up on the hill. The missionaries built this home three years ago so that they could be living amongst the Awa. They built with the help of the Awa, but did so with their own hands. A remarkable feat, considering the jungle environment and the limited supply of resources.

So, this was our team`s unique opportunity to live like real missionaries, if only for about 12 hours. Better yet, Doug Williams was going to drive us most of the way up the hill in his 4-wheel drive truck. However, it had rained a lot (which is saying a lot, here) last week, and the trail was `slightly muddy`. Doug is a great driver (besides being a full fledged jungle man), but his truck was no match for the mud, what with half a ton of team members in the back of his truck. We got stuck -- completely stuck in a quagmire. He ordered most of us to walk on ahead up the remainder of the hill to their home (a mere 200 yards or so). Wasn`t as simple as that, however. We all slogged in ankle deep mud all the way up. Thankfully, we all had boots. But, poor LInda slipped and fell up to her elbows and knees into the thickest mud ever. I tried to rescue her, but it took an intrepid mission intern (David) to actually accomplish the task. Finally, we made it, laughing most of the way (mixed with a few tears and a lot of sweat).

Dinner and the rest of the evening was quite an experience, but I don`t have time to share it all. What I did want to share was Doug Williams response to my question : "What difference, if any, has the team`s efforts made for the Awa over the past six years?" After mulling the question over for a time, Doug recounted a story of a prominent man in the Awa community. The man had two daughters who had been tragically lost to drowning in a river 3 years earlier. A few months later, the man asked Doug where his daughters are today. Doug admitted that he struggled to answer the man, not knowing the daughters`spiritual condition. Finally, though, he realized that both daughters -- like many of the Awa who are not Christians -- had come to one of our medical clinics in the early years of the mission. And, like all who attend those clinics, they had indeed heard the gospel presented by either Doug or Kevin Bruce. So, he was able to give at least some potential comfort to the man, saying that they might be in heaven, ready to greet him someday should he choose to go there as well.

That one thought carried this tired sojourner through the rest of that unique night of adventure, somewhere in the Western hills of the Andes.

With peace and contentment,
Tim

Ministering to the Waoroni

Dear ones,

Peace and grace to all from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Day 3 was our first day of seeing people in clinic. We set up in a home here in puyo, which is being used as the church for the Waoroni people in this area. We had a roomy set up on the third floor, including the terrace on the roof. Shelia Duncan and I saw children as well as adults, Kim saw adults as well as children, Nick fitted folks with glasses, Leah and Brandon ran the pharmacy, and Linda provided health education as well as remarkable dialogue with the patients. Too many highlights of the day to recount here, but some included were a lunch for all 120 people, financed by River of Life and prepared by the ladies of the church. Great food and fruit juice beverages. Shelia and I were afforded the privilege of providing care for the grandson of Mincaye, the Wao featured in the movie ¨The End of the Spear¨. We saw about 120 people. More importantly, as stated earlier by our missionary host Chet Williams, was the establishment of relationships with the Waoroni people. We got to spend time with them, look into each others faces, and communicate through translators. We saw all many of disease and trauma, much as described in Matthew 15 regarding Jesus and those brought to him for healing.

The mission people here are and have been remarkable. Their faith and lives are deep in the lord, and they live their love for the waorani on their sleeves. Life can be hard here, but they smile a lot. Chet´s wife Katie is raising three very beautiful children, and the two of them are in charge of running several different ministries. Chet works for Youth World, which brings teens from churches down here to learn about life through working and living in the Amazon, etc. We met two interns while here, as well as his summer assistant Daniel. Daniel has a strong interest in health care, and spent a lot of time with our team. He is from Canada. While here, we have experienced a terrific mixture of different groups of Ecuadorian Indians, Americans, and internationals. The body of Christ is wide and strong here. The team has been richly blessed. Breakfasts at our hotel (the hostal of San Patricio) have been wonderful, and our sleep has been deep (secondary to exhaustion from working and sweating all day).

We are traveling by bus today all the way to Otavalo. This will be a 5 or 6 hour journey, passing through many mile long tunnels through the mountains, driving alongside wide sweeping rivers, elevating from jungle terrain up to the bare cliffs of the Andes. As we travel, we plan to recount the experiences of the last three days, along with explaining their significance. Linda said that yesterday was one of the best days of her life. She will tell more about that today.

We love you, and hold you close in our hearts.

Love,
Tim

Western Edge of Amazon at Dawn

Mepo

He was one of the Waorani people from the jungle but currently a worker at the new church in Puyo. (He was the photographer with my camera while I was seeing patients) He has a huge heart and compassion for people. In their culture, it is very difficult to be a believer. There is persecution and harassment from community and family members. Unfortunately, as believers, God does not promise protection but only relationship and eternity.

We returned after clinic from dinner and left him at the church where he is living. We found out the following morning that when he went outside to take out the trash from clinic, he was beat up by a drunk and went to the hospital. Mepo will have to answer questions and take ridicule due to us coming and the fight that ensued because he was doing good. The Waorani culture will kill you with a spear if necessary. However, it is very unusual for the emotion of anger in their culture. Getting hit or in a fist fight is one of the ultimate insults. Mepo did not want to tell us goodbye because he was embarrassed about getting beat up. Please pray for Mepo and the Waorani believers.

The Grandson

Many of you have heard of Mincaye. He was one of the Waoroni who speared and killed Nate Saint and the four other missionaries in 1956 in Ecuador. Later, he heard the gospel and believed unto Christ. His life changed, and he now serves as a missionary alongside Steve Saint (Nate's son).

His grandson (also named Mincaye) visited us in clinic while we at Puyo working with the Waoroni at their church in a home there. He was a joyful man in his thirties, and had recently strained his back. As we worked with him, it was very evident that he was a close friend and co-worker of Chet Williams, the missionary with Youth World here in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Chet later told us that young Mincaye and his family had experienced great trauma these past twelve months, including the loss of his 18 month old daughter who had fallen into the Pastaza river and drowned a few months before. In addition, a young Wao woman had committed suicide in his home, his aunt had died of pneumonia, his uncle had lost an eye due to snakebite, and his wife had been gravely ill late last year (but did recover).

Despite these tragedies, though, his faith, joy and determination to share the gospel with his people have remained strong. His life is a strong reminder to us all of the faith and grace that enables us to live above the circumstances of our lives.

His smile was contagious.

Tim

The Old Man in Puyo

He was about 70, slightly built but upright. His clothes were old and dirty, and he didn´t smell great. But he was deliberate, and had a peaceful bearing about him. Sheila and I thought him to be homeless, judging by the old sack he was carrying, along with an old book. His replies to our medical history-taking were only 1 or 2 words long. We thought him to be impoverished not only of income, but possibly of mind as well. It took longer than usual to deal with him. After about 20 minutes, I gathered his medications and was preparing him for discharge from the clinic. Just before turning to go, however, he asked in Spanish if we could pray. He then held our hands, and subsequently delivered one of the most eloquent (according to Sheila) 7 minute prayers that we had every heard. After closing with an amen, he embraced each of us with minute long bear hugs, and tearfully expressed his gratitude. As he departed, I was strongly reminded of the passage in Matthew 25: "...inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto ME..." He left the two of us speechless.

Tim

Arrival in Quito

Dear family,

Grace and Peace to each of you today.

Our team arrived in Quito, Ecuador last night. Everything went perfectly smoothly and safely. No problems this year with customs and security. Chet Williams and his great assistant Daniel met us at the exit, and our adventure got underway. Though a small team this year, we still have heavy loads of supplies. As we checked into the Howard Johnson´s last night, we were glad to have a place to rest.

Today was a very informative bus ride to the distant town of Shell. The beauty of Ecuador and its rivers is remarkable. We stopped at a 200 foot waterfall along the way, and climbed our way to its top. The views below of the Devil´s Cauldron were spectacular. Later, we visited the Nate Saint House. A legacy to one of the missionaries killed here in the fifties, the house is now being torn down to be replaced by a new guest house and meeting place. Likewise, the Mission Aviation Fellowship is being turned over to an all Ecuadorian staff. So, this is a time of transition and change in these parts. We talked the night away with Chet, and have been deeply impressed by his embodiment of Jesus Christ as he and his family love and minister to the Waoroni people.

Tomorrow, we will be working all day with the Waoroni in a home here in Puyo. Pray that God will give each of the team the compassion, sensitivity, discernment, skill, and spiritual maturity to be ambassadors of Christ to these dear people.

Also, thanks for your prayers for Linda. Despite a rugged walk to the falls, she says that her foot is feeling better. God is good!!! Keep praying for her, and for me and Kim. Please also know that the effects that each of you have had on our lives is being carried forward to impact the lives of people here. Thank you!

Impressed by His unfolding plan,
Tim

Words from Dr. Kim on departure

Hello everyone!

Here I am on the way to the airport on the way to Ecuador. Last week Mike Brady asked if I had anything else to add. I could not believe all I could come up with is “I’m excited.” I am actually sort of overwhelmed with emotion. It is some like the anticipation of going to camp because we will see people that I have not seen since 2006 and 2007. The renewal of relationships offers deep joy. As usual, when I have gone to Ecuador, we are going someplace the team has not gone before which could be frightening if we really thought about it, but God always opens new doors for us to walk through.

Here is a schedule of our nighttime locations:

• 6/20 & 6/29 – Quito
• 6/21-6/23AM – Shell
• 6/23 – Otavalo
• 6/24-6/26 – Lita/Rio Verde
• 6/26 PM – 6/29 AM – Otavalo

We have already had much prayer covering our preparation to go to Ecuador. Last year the team had issues going thru customs with the medicines in Ecuador. This year we submitted all of our license and DEA info to the consulate in Houston to try to prevent problems thru customs. This was a huge risk since neither of the physicians are licensed to practice in Ecuador, and we do not work with physicians in the community. The consulate could have denied our request, and I think our mission would look very different. However, our request to go was approved.

Our team is small which allows us to travel to several sites in Ecuador. We go as physicians to serve as physicians, but I really do not feel like that is our main role (others may not agree with the opinion). For lack of a better analogy, I feel like we are the “circus show.” We work with established missionaries in every community that we visit. We act in part as a mechanism to recruit locals (and some from far away) to come hear the Word and establish relationships with the missionaries. I am sure some come just to see what the Americans look like. We feel like another major role is to bring encouragement to the missionaries that are there. I feel our third role is to treat the patients that come with the love of Christ and medical care as we can.

I just want to share some about the missionaries we will be working with. Chet and Katie Williams are the missionaries in Shell and affiliated with Mission Aviation Fellowship Youth World. This is the first time we have worked with this team. The River (local church in Lexington) is sponsoring a community meal (as recommended by the missionaries). We will be working with the Waorani and Puyo people. The believers here have had many recent difficulties: Gilberto and Silvia lost their 2 yo daughter in a drowning 2/2010 and Raynaldo and Blanca had a friend commit suicide. (This is the area Steve Saint speaks of in End of the Spear film.) The missionaries in the Otavalo area are local Ecuadorians. Wilman and Clemencia Varela are the ministers of Galilea Church (along with Roberto). Wilman was involved in a multiple vehicle accident in 2008 and suffered ankle injury that did not heal correctly and now has seizure disorder as result of injury. This has brought physical and financial hardship. Washington and Julie Pozo are also in this area (local from Ecuador but work with Liebenzel missionaries). Washington has been ill with an undiagnosed problem causing a large amount of wt loss. Doug and Dorkas Williams are missionaries with Liebenzel that are originally from the US. They work with the Awa people and are very much a vital part of that community. Rio Verde is way up the hill. However, we are excited to go there this year and anticipate a different setting because they have just completed a foot bridge over a large canyon there.

Pray for us and our trip. Until the whole world hears!
Kim

Words from Tim and Linda on departure

Dear Ones,

Grace and peace to the saints at Tatesbrook, and to our beloved.

Our team has been blessed with a safe and smooth departure this morning from Cincinnati. We are now in Miami, and hope for arrival at about 8pm tonight in Quito. We will be met by Chet Williams and other missionaries from Shell. Tomorrow we travel to the western edge of the amazon, where we will have lunch at a waterfall. Afterwards, we will start seeing the Waoroni at a school converted to a clinic.

Enroute today, I have been reading "the signature of Jesus" by Brennan manning. It is about "radical discipleship". Early on, manning is writing about faith. He says "each next step discloses itself only out of a discernment of the influence of God in the present moment". Already today the is talking about what God has done, is doing, and will do. It is exciting to be on the edge of His action and revealed purpose.

Blessings to all of you. Continue to pray for Linda's foot. We will stay in touch.

Buoyed by His grace,
Tim and Linda

Kim, Tim and Linda leaving on Sunday

Please keep the Tatesbrook trio and all traveling with them in your prayers this week as they prepare to spend ten days in Ecuador again this summer. Only our God knows just what He has in store for them on this trip.

I was able to stand in the back of the sanctuary this morning as our body gathered around them and prayed together. On a day where we celebrated faith and talked of discipline, our three faithful traveling ministers teach us with action.