OK...I can hear you asking where are the crazy for God people off to now?..thought they were 'settling in' to Ecuador?...well I can tell you so did we, but like we have to repeat and often remind ourselves, 'God's ways are not always our ways nor his thoughts our thoughts' and one lesson we have really been learning since leaving the UK is that yes, it is always sad to leave a place were we have been a great blessing to so many people, but also a priviledge to be able to move on and bless even more people, because in the world if you are looking to help people and win them for God you will never be in lack wherever you go. We have always said God take us and use us wherever, however and whenever. Never pray a prayer you are not really willing to carry out, infact expect God to take you at your word! The picture in the centre above was taken at the church we attended, which was run by the same family that ran, managed and taught at the Christian school and college which we were at also. The photo on the right you can see of two very famous ladies, are the college director Rosa, and her daughter (the english coordinator) Daniela. A very big thanks goes out to them for opening the door for us to live and teach in Ecuador. The other picture shows Daniel with Sebastian, who was another member of the teaching staff at the school. He was part of our early morning prayer team where we would daily pray in and around the classrooms and playground etc.
This above picture shows our dearly beloved Ecuadorian family, who we lived with for a few months towards the end of our time in Ecuador. After hearing that we were living in a very basic appartment (ex classroom!) they wanted us to experience the love and warmth of living with a real-life Ecuadorian family in their home environment. This family even had their own house-church we were able to attend, and pray for. A massive thankyou to Pedro, Iracema, Pedro Junior, Irina and Emilio!!
This above picture shows our dearly beloved Ecuadorian family, who we lived with for a few months towards the end of our time in Ecuador. After hearing that we were living in a very basic appartment (ex classroom!) they wanted us to experience the love and warmth of living with a real-life Ecuadorian family in their home environment. This family even had their own house-church we were able to attend, and pray for. A massive thankyou to Pedro, Iracema, Pedro Junior, Irina and Emilio!!
Here Daniel is having a popcorn party with Oswaldo. He was the school pastoral care figure. Daniel would often support his work and pray with him etc. 
Rhoda is pictured here alongside another teacher at the school called Cecilia. She was one of three teachers who she worked alongside daily. The other teachers at the school only knew the same amount of English as we did Spanish so at times it was challenging but fun and we learnt from and supported each other! It seems that everyones first priority there is to learn English.We have had many more wonderful opportunities to serve God here in Ecuador. At Christmas
Daniel decided to give 2 of his classes of students books entitled 'Jesus-more than a carpenter'. This book settled the truthful issue that Jesus was more than just a carpenter and a good man, that he really was and is the Son of God who died that if we believe in him we will not perish but have everlasting life. When we went to the christian bookshop therefore and asked if it would be possible to have 35 copies,the manager said ''of course...in fact I will give you 2 for the price of 1 as I am so happy to see you are witnessing here in our country, so here take 70 copies!!'' This then enabled Daniel to be able to give a copy to everyone of his students he had taught English to. Rhoda gave her students bookmarks with Bible verses on them which the children were very delighted to receive. Although a Christian Academy by name, the students came from a variety of backrounds including some Christian, Catholic, Inca (local Mayan) and atheist.
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Daniel would often spontaneously without planning, and yet with God's leading go and pray for key figures imporant within the school. The original school apartment where we lived was part of the same building as the administration offices.
One day after getting home from a long day teaching at school, Daniel went into Edgar's office (the economist of the school the brother of the manager lady called Rosa) and Daniel laid hands on Edgars shoulders and prayed for him for what felt like hours but in truth was probably only minutes, but with passionate enthusiastic prayer crying out to God interceding on behalf of Edgar and the school for finances. Afterwards Daniel saw Edgars face change from one of sadness and somewhat stressed to the face of someone without any cares or worries, and later Daniel heard Edgar cassually whistling as he left the office. Specific memories such as these remind us of the power of prayer, that Gods love and power is real when his people pray. We dont always see the fruit of our prayers, but just sometimes to encourage us God allows us to see it.
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Another time at the manager's house called Rosa, Daniel prayed for the manager and her daughters who were involved also in teaching in the school. Daniel doesnt know how to this day quite what happened, but the clock and our watches confirmed that he prayed for about 2 hours continually in Spanish for them. This was amazing and a miracle of the Lord, since even though the Spanish was far from perfect, for Daniel to be able to talk this long in Spanish was the Lords strength and not his own. When we arrived in Ecuador we didnt know any Spanish other than a few words and phrases. But God gave the ability as and when it was needed and rewarded our own efforts to try to talk to people and to be a blessing.
We have felt for some time now that God has been calling us into a more full time service role for him in a Church setting. We feel that in order to be able to do this most successfully we will need to move on to the English speaking world once again. Daniel has had the small Caribbean Island and nation of 'Trinidad and Tobago' on his heart for some time and therefore after emailing once again many churches there and praying for the correct one to respond if God wanted us there, we have been accepted by a church to come and serve with them in Trinidad. A church there whose website we found, we had a peace about it, and as the pastor responded to our email of interest within 30minutes this gave us an extra sign that it was within the Lords will for us to go there.
Having to leave the school and church here, which Daniel had the opportunity to preach in just before we leave, is sad for us and our students who grew to love us so much, but we know its God's time for us to move on to our next assignment we might call it of whatever length and wherever! Both of us were very moved by the fact that Rhoda's small primary age children were in groups crying because of her departure, and even some of Daniel's 13to17 year old's were in tears because of our departure. Helped us to know we had positively touched many lives here in Ecuador. One of Daniel's favourite bible verses is a simple statement that """Love never fails""" and that has been the basis of his and our ministry with the kids in school. Daniel preached on 'Heaven' within the connected church, and talked about the fact that our life on this earth is so short in terms of eternity so that is where we should be storing up our treasure, after all everything down here will one day pass away including ourselves. It was very moving and the English coordinator translated Daniel's words into Spanish.
So it is now time to say goodbye to Ecuador but hello to Trinidad and yet another new culture. We have always been and will always be open to staying permanently in any place God has sent us to, but at this time we have now served as missionaries 10 months in Belize, and 10 months in Ecuador. We now look forward to serving in Trinidad.
We have felt for some time now that God has been calling us into a more full time service role for him in a Church setting. We feel that in order to be able to do this most successfully we will need to move on to the English speaking world once again. Daniel has had the small Caribbean Island and nation of 'Trinidad and Tobago' on his heart for some time and therefore after emailing once again many churches there and praying for the correct one to respond if God wanted us there, we have been accepted by a church to come and serve with them in Trinidad. A church there whose website we found, we had a peace about it, and as the pastor responded to our email of interest within 30minutes this gave us an extra sign that it was within the Lords will for us to go there.
Having to leave the school and church here, which Daniel had the opportunity to preach in just before we leave, is sad for us and our students who grew to love us so much, but we know its God's time for us to move on to our next assignment we might call it of whatever length and wherever! Both of us were very moved by the fact that Rhoda's small primary age children were in groups crying because of her departure, and even some of Daniel's 13to17 year old's were in tears because of our departure. Helped us to know we had positively touched many lives here in Ecuador. One of Daniel's favourite bible verses is a simple statement that """Love never fails""" and that has been the basis of his and our ministry with the kids in school. Daniel preached on 'Heaven' within the connected church, and talked about the fact that our life on this earth is so short in terms of eternity so that is where we should be storing up our treasure, after all everything down here will one day pass away including ourselves. It was very moving and the English coordinator translated Daniel's words into Spanish.
So it is now time to say goodbye to Ecuador but hello to Trinidad and yet another new culture. We have always been and will always be open to staying permanently in any place God has sent us to, but at this time we have now served as missionaries 10 months in Belize, and 10 months in Ecuador. We now look forward to serving in Trinidad.
The following internet link is for the JESSS International Christian Academy. This is the school&college combined where both Daniel and Rhoda taught. Rhoda teaching small children, and Daniel in the high school. Please note the website is primarily in Spanish, as this is the main everyday speaking language of Ecuador and South America.
http://www.jesss.org/
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