Pray for Ecuador on Sunday, August 13, 2017

Lectionary Selection: Matthew 14:22-33

Prayers for Ecuador:

Lord, tell us to come and meet you on the water, call us to unfamiliar places. Challenge us not only to believe deeply, but to act on those beliefs. Help us to see fully that you are God.

Give us faith like Peter, to go and meet you in the communities of Ecuador; to Pijal where hard working families and their children are rejoicing in new opportunities, to Sua where your people are still recovering from floods and earthquakes, to Romerillos where gifts are growing through microcredit programs.

Give us faith like Peter, faith like our partner FEDICE, to step out of our comfortable and safe spaces, and go where you call us, and we will meet you there.

Amen

Mission Stewardship Moment from Ecuador:

The experience of being in Ecuador has been great, a magnificent opportunity to put love and knowledge into action. This country has everything. Its multiculturalism is admirable and each ethnic group maintains its customs and traditions. There is a lot to learn from Ecuador.

One of the opportunities I enjoyed the most was to find myself every week in the community of Pijal with the Fonte family: Cecilia, a hard-working mother and her four beautiful children Estiven, Yerely, Cinthia and Jennifer. The time spent with them was very gratifying.

In each visit, I could meet them and create bonds of friendship in addition to working on a family program which contributed to their personal, spiritual, social and intellectual development. Their socio-economic condition has limitations but this did not prevent the family and the community from being able to show the fruits of the themes explored. There was a positive change in their lives. This is a family to admire and continue to support, because even with their economic stress, these children do their best and are good students. Their grades were very good which motivated our efforts to find additional support for school supplies.

For Christmas, the FEDICE team joined forces in a personal way to provide them with basic things they did not have at home such as beds, dishes, silverware, etc. Seeing their faces so happy and their expression of gratitude was very inspiring. We are called to share joy – even with what little we have, we can give and make others happy. The coming together of hearts full of love, of faith, and work can achieve truly significant things.

(Prayer and Mission Moment by Olga Yan-Pardo)

Mission Partners in Ecuador:

More information on Ecuador: http://www.globalministries.org/ecuador

Global Ministries Mission Coworkers in Ecuador:
Olga Yan-Pardo, member of the Apostolic Faith International, Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, serves with the Ecumenical Foundation for Integral Development Training and Education (FEDICE). Her appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples’ Mission Fund, Our Churches Wider Mission, and your special.