http://www.alangordon.org/index.htmlHot News!enen2025-12-27T16:03:51-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Thu, 2 Jan 2025 14:16:25 -0500Blog 20252025-12-27T16:03:51-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/5da5fd5041af24766bf12bb3474c8dd8-54.html#unique-entry-id-54http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/5da5fd5041af24766bf12bb3474c8dd8-54.html#unique-entry-id-54

A new house; a new ministry; a new chapter.
We moved into our new house on April 07. Built on our back lot. What a privilege to design your own house! I designed it for our needs, for our furniture, and for our new ministry. I think of it as a large cabin divided in two parts. The front half holds the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen. The back half serves as our bedroom, family room, and office. Plants, trees, and flowers line all four sides of the house, and the front door leads right into our covered patio. All this serves well for having people over for bible study, games, and meals. Couldn't ask for more.
So we've hosted numerous guests, bible studies, and visitors.
The new chapter is different. Faby's health is declining and we're pretty much restricted to our home. Many a Sunday, we wake up, get dressed for church, and Faby suddenly says, "My head hurts and I'm dizzy." And so we stay home. We've visited all the doctors you can think of with no results. So we leave everything in God's hands; pray daily for wisdom; and keep trying different remedies. There's no cure for memory loss, and we live one day at a time. I read, take online courses, do gardening, and keep the house in order.
On the side I use my gifts to serve the community. Security is a big issue, and I've managed to install six alarms and three cameras in our neighborhood so far. They named me "president" for doing all that. I can't do much else, but continue to pray for the day when our testimony bears fruit in our community.
Faby needs prayer and support! Thanks to all those who lift us up continually!

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Was Jesus born in a stable? I'm reading the book "Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" by Kenneth E. Bailey, who has lived in the Middle East most of his life. He argues that Jesus was born in a house and not in a stable. First of all, Joseph was from Bethlehem. He must have had friends and relatives there. Plus, in the Middle East, hospitality is well practiced and no one would turn away a pregnant woman! She didn't give birth the first night there, because Luke says, "While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born." When Luke says she "placed him in a manger," we think of a manger as being in a stable. But, Bailey argues, most houses were of one room, with a lower front for the animals, particularly a donkey. The manger lay between the animals and the rest of the house. In other words, the manger was inside the house! Finally, when Luke says, "there was no room for them in the inn," the word for "inn" refers to a guest room and not to a commercial hotel. The guest room was occupied, so they stayed in the main room of the house. Conclusion: Jesus was born in a normal house with friends and/or relatives. So much for our Christmas tradition of the stable! I recommend the book. Merry Christmas!

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They came to Quito for a concert, but they had to stop by for a visit. The youth are from "Cachisagua," a community we worked with for several years. Two are now living in Quito. Steve and Richard are brothers and their father is the pastor of the church in Cachisagua. He was one of my students in the seminary years ago, but we still hold a good friendship. We all enjoyed the visit and fellowship. Jefferson, who works in Quito as a mechanic, asked for my "puzzles." Youth always enjoy the challenge of solving them. Later they asked for songs, since they remember I play the accordion. Luis remembered the guitar lessons I gave him years ago in the community. I'm watching this next generation as they grow and mature.


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We had a burglar alert.
A neighbor called me to say: “Please activate the neighborhood alarm! There’s burglar in the street robbing the stores.” So I sound the alarm, grab a broom stick and a whistle and head out the door. I met a couple more neighbors on the street, but the burglar had already fled. Then I had my surprise. I walked over to the store where the burglar had first attacked and asked for more information. Then I asked, “By the way, what’s your name?” She answered, “You don’t remember me, but I remember you. You taught us English in the elementary school.” That was 37 years ago! Wow! She still remembers. Back in 1988, when Faby and I were the parents of 44 boys in an orphanage here in El Tingo, I volunteered to teach English in the school once a week. She remembers me. So we have sown some memories here in town. How I pray to continue our witness here in El Tingo!]]>Blog 20252025-12-01T12:42:51-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/0890e08ad8fc13eea248b9cbdcf119cd-50.html#unique-entry-id-50http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/0890e08ad8fc13eea248b9cbdcf119cd-50.html#unique-entry-id-50

"Who's the guy on the ladder?" The message circulated on our neighborhood chat. The good part is that neighbors are alert to what's going on. The other part is that no everyone knows who I am, nor what I do. Another neighbor responded, "That's Alan Gordon. Our neighbor who keeps our security cameras and alarms up and running." We have a pretty good security system working, but I would like more contact with the neighbors. I praying for the right time to hold workshops on how to install the camera and alarms on the cell phones. Turns out, most people can handle Whatsapp, but not the applications for the cameras and alarmas. We have space for meetings at our home, but we don't have what i call "Assembly Power." That term refers to someone who calls a community meeting and lots of people show up. I need to work with folks who have that "power." ]]>Blog 20252025-11-26T12:26:16-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/17479fac689f159095310c3fa3658228-48.html#unique-entry-id-48http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/17479fac689f159095310c3fa3658228-48.html#unique-entry-id-48

I quote from the conversation with my brother Norman:

Norm: "Happy Birthday! Doing anything special today?"

Me: "We had a feast yesterday! Quichua style - chicken, lamb, cuy, and cake. It was a surprise. I didn't know until yesterday morning. A family came all the way from Riobamba just to cook and celebrate."

Norm: "This is why we do what we do. The impact on lives that rare and unsolicited but heartfelt celebrations like this give evidence of. Praise God!"


Danilo's mom, Elsa, was the one responsable for the festivity.
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I can't find this quote, but it keeps ringing in my head: "I know you can do great things for God, but I wanted to see if you could still do little things for God." Those "little things" really do make a difference. My friend and ex-student called me again from his home way in the Andes Mountains. He needed me to suggest some Bible verses for a sermon on "hope" he had to give the next day. His Spanish is improving with me, but he'll give the talk in Quichua. Julio lives with us and is starting a small business selling flavored popcorn. I'm designing and printing the labels to staple at the top of each bag. Our Tuesday night Bible study is small, but the group is growing in maturity. Today a motorcycle hit a girl in front of our house. The neighbors are asking if my security cameras caught the scene. I planted rosas in our garden, and Faby and I put up a Christmas tree with the help of George who lives with us. Small things. But they make a difference. Lucas 16:10



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I was about to give up and throw it away. I had read that an avocado seed could take from 2 weeks to 2 months to "sprout." For me, I lost count of the days and weeks. Patience! God has His timing for everything! A lot of days and weeks are like that: just waiting and waiting. My mother would wait for days and weeks for just one bud and flower on her hibiscus tree. She helped me to appreciate waiting and being patient. We have folks living with us, others are neighbors and friends. I would like to see many things change and progress in their lives, but I have to be patient. God knows what He's doing. Psalm 27:13-14
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Segundo Puculpala called me today from New York. He recently sent me the first photo of him in Mexico. (How he crossed the border twice is a mystery for me.) In the second photo he visited us just before he migrated (illegally) to the US (about four years ago). In the bottom photo he's leading a VBS in his community "Santa Julia" deep in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador (around 2019). So we've known each other for many years. His call today gave me hope. He stills wants to do mission work in Ecuador. After graduation in the US from seminary he says he's coming back to his home here. I pray so. We talked for half an hour about his vision to evangelize Quichua communities where he's from that have no evangelical witness. We don't travel anymore, but we offered our home in Quito as a missionary training base. I'm glad his heart is still for the Lord. We hope to continue to work with him, connecting New York with Santa Julia.



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With Faby's mental health declining, our house remains the center of our present ministry. The Tuesday night meeting continues to furnish fellowship and Bible study to a small but steady group. We have visitors drop in and who enjoy games and puzzles at the living room table. And Pedro has come by twice to make more bracelets to sell. We have two family units who live in our other house, plus a nephew in a small apartment out back. That's a summary of our Homefront.


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"I have to give the sermon tomorrow and don't know what to say. Can you help me?" I haven't seen Manuel Lema for 5 years! But he still remembers me when I taught a Bible course in Capulispungo. In the photo we traveled to his community in the mountains to give him his graduation certificate. That was our last visit to the communities before the Pandemia Lock-down in March 2020. Now, years later, he calls me for a sermon outline. As I remember, his Spanish isn't that good (His native language is Quichua.), he can barely read and write, but he was one of the most faithful students for years, sometimes hiking from the highway (10,000 ft) to Capulispungo (12,000 ft), when he couldn't find transportation. But I'm sure in his context, and in his language, with a few verses I sent him, his sermon will meet the needs of his congregation.]]>Blog 20252025-10-12T18:41:45-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/c96f0bdb27cff03406c54b75d94d3874-42.html#unique-entry-id-42http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/c96f0bdb27cff03406c54b75d94d3874-42.html#unique-entry-id-42

Faby dreams of owning a horse, which, of course, is just about impossible for us. My solution is to find a ranch that hosts horse rides. We tried two places this week. The first is more for day trips, but the second (in the photos) lets you ride around the soccer field for no extra cost. Once you're used to riding, they have longer rides for which you pay an extra fee. Faby held on for about ten minutes. They let me wander around the field for almost a half hour! I'm praying that Faby will be satisfied with visiting the ranch and stop longing to buy a horse.

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The leaders came on Wednesday: "Can we use your house for a retreat?" "When?" "This Saturday!" "Okay, but I don't have beds for ten." "We'll make do." I would say that's pretty typical here in Ecuador. Actually the leaders from the same church have held retreats here for the past three years, so we were not strangers. This time the worship team came. All youth. They stayed less than 24 hours, but Saturday night we held a productive session of singing, Bible study, and sharing. Sunday morning after breakfast they led a few games that held a lesson each. Then they took off before noon. Short but sweet. Our home is always open for guests and ministry.


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They gave me twenty minutes notice: "Can we stay overnight at your house? We have to be at the airport tomorrow morning at 7:30am." "Sure, but I only have three beds." "No problem. We'll make do." And so they did. The group is from the same community as Danilo, who just spent a month with us for his eye operation. Of the group, one lady is returning to Spain with her two children. She came to see her father just before he passed away. They called me at 6:10pm and arrived at 6:30pm. We hold our Bible study the same night at 7pm. All in a day's work. Good to see them, even briefly. Also turns out that Oswaldo is going to need the same eye operation as Danilo. So we may be seeing him again sometime.




Pedro came by asking for food as usual. I made him a proposal: "You make bracelets to sell, but twice your 'friends' have stolen your loom and beads. Why don't we make another loom here; I'll buy you material; you make the bracelets here at my house, and then hit the streets to sell them." He agreed. The next day we picked him up from the park and went to buy the material. The following day he came and we made the loom. That done, he sat done to weave a couple of bracelets. Then he left and hasn't showed up yet. I presumed he would diligently make bracelets to sell, but a couple of days I've seen him in the park, hanging out with his 'friends.' Hard to get him to change. I keep praying.


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My friend, Brayan, at the hardware store calls me, "Some folks from the Welfare Dept are looking for Pedro." (Pedro is my alcoholic friend in the park.) Brayan calls me because I try to help a few of the alcoholics in the park. I go out to the park, meet the two fellows, and ask those on the bench if they've seen Pedro. Negative. I go to Pedro's "house," (Not much of a house, but at least a roof.), and no one answers. Back at the bench Carlos says, "I'll go get him." He returns with Pedro, who was sleeping under his "roof." I was interested in what the two fellows from the Welfare Dept would offer to Pedro, but after a 40 question interview, all they did was to give him a yogurt with crackers, and say, "Now you're in our register." I was expecting more. I would take Pedro into our home, but with our health situation, I don't have the emotional resources. I continue to pray for Pedro that God would work a miracle in his life.]]>Blog 20252025-09-13T18:46:55-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/d073ed463eb2dda4a55749980e49d724-38.html#unique-entry-id-38http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/d073ed463eb2dda4a55749980e49d724-38.html#unique-entry-id-38

Still going strong. Thankfully! Our friends, Hernan and Naty, who come Tuesday nights to our place, sponsored a "Samaritan Purse" event for an elementary school on the West hill "above Quito." (We looked down on the city from 10400 ft.) All of our plans changed because it turned out the school had a new director, and this one had no idea what we had come for. But we still "pulled it off" with God's help. Every child received a gift box from the US. My original participation was canned, but the unicycle and the accordion were big hits. On the unicycle I threw lollipops to the kids, and with the accordion I accompanied some singing. Still going strong! PTL!



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Sometimes community service is just hard work. I do enjoy working with my hands, and this time no one else was involved. In the park in front of our house the water lines sprang a leak. Since I've done some plumbing in the park before, and since I maintain the water fountain working, I took on the job of repairing the water line. Now with experience, it only took me an hour and a half. The benefit of working in the park is that I meet people. Some are neighbors, others are from elsewhere. Yesterday I was working in the park, when one of Faby's doctors walked by eating ice cream! I invited him to our house for a short visit. Also, the local alcoholics are always in the park. As usual, they came by to greet me. (They don't usually help, unless I pay them.) I persevere and God gives the fruit in His timing.
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Our Tuesday night Bible study attendance is becoming more regular. A new family has joined us; our Bible studies have continuity; and everyone's enjoying the Fellowship. God gives the growth. We just persevere. 1 Cor 3:7-8



Then, to our surprise, our friend Oscar invited us to his house for lunch. He also invited all the folks who attended his church years ago. This is the congregation we helped form the music program. I check the hymnal I made for them and the date is 2015. Oscar wanted us to lead a time of music of all the songs we used to sing together. We had a good time of singing, and remembering old times. Good to see everyone continuing in their faith.
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Danilo's mom came from their mountain community to accompany Danilo, have her eye checked with the same problem as Danilo, and to take Valery back on Monday for classes. Danilo is going to stay for another two weeks to rest until his eye completely heals. We have enjoyed their company as well as their meals. Since they live in the mountains with animals, their special treat is guinea pig. When properly cooked, it's delicious!


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The opthalmologist operated on Dani's eye on Thursday. He has to keep his eyes covered for one whole week. His little sister, Valeria, is taking care of him. She's only twelve, but already knows how to cook. I have to check on Dani every four hours to put drops in his eye. They're staying in our front house. We're all going through this together. My challenge is how to keep Dani occupied when he can't see. One day at a time!

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We now have four families with us: three permanent and one visitor - Danilo and his sister came yesterday to stay while Danilo receives an operation on his left eye. He came in March for one of his checkups, but now he has three weeks vacation from his studies and time for the operation. Technically he has a "Pterigion" in his left eye. Today we saw an opthalmologist. Tomorrow we do blood tests, and if everything is fine, the doctor can operate perhaps Wednesday. The recovery is the tough part. Danilo will have to spend 8 - 10 days with his eyes covered. He can use the good eye for eating and bathing, but should keep both covered most of the time. So we'll have him and his sister here for a while. ]]>Blog 20252025-08-08T15:46:01-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/c8702da40f70bdf4608e7492edd513b4-32.html#unique-entry-id-32http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/c8702da40f70bdf4608e7492edd513b4-32.html#unique-entry-id-32

So far, I have installed six alarms in the neighborhood. Occasional burglaries have occurred and so people want to scare them off and alert everyone else. But … the typical message in our neighborhood Whatsapp chat is "Please sound the alarms." The idea is for everyone and anyone to be able to activate the alarm using their cell phone. The sirens are connected to smart plugs that work through the internet. Once the alarm sounds, we all check out the chat to see what's going on and how to respond. Yet, just about no one can sound the alarms. Now our neighborhood is a bit spread out, so if one alarm sounds on one street, those on another street are not likely to "run around the block" to see what's going on. Those near the alarm are expected to turn out. In short, we have a long way to go yet. Most adults do not even know how to download apps on their cellphones, much less how to register oneself on the app. Then once done, we have to connect them to the smart plug that activates the siren. My frustration has turned to acceptance. It's going to be one-on-one to teach folks how to use the alarm in their cellphones. But that gives me an opportunity to get to know them better.

I compare this to Bible knowledge. Very few people know the Bible. How I would like the opportunity to sit down and teach them what the Bible says. God has His perfect timing. I pray.
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Today we received a new family into our home: Marcelo and Juilo (brothers). Faby's family and their family have known each other for half a century. Marcelo lives off his meager retirement pension and Julio sells food door to door. I ran into Julio a few weeks ago and he told me they were looking for a cheaper place to live. We have room and are glad to host them. So now we have three families living in our home: Marcelo and Julio, Jorge and Vilma, and Faby's great nephew David Andres.

"Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romanos 12:13]]>Blog 20252025-07-26T09:14:56-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/a9e937a262cde52edd0563f3b686dc31-29.html#unique-entry-id-29http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/a9e937a262cde52edd0563f3b686dc31-29.html#unique-entry-id-29

It may seem a small thing, but I finally managed (after several months) to fix the water fountain in the park. (It had two problems: a clogged water line, and a burnt out electrical part.) Once again, folks can enjoy the flowing water. It's all part of my community service. In fact, I'm getting the reputation of "the guy who takes care of the park." One of my motives is that when I'm changing the water, or adding chlorine to the tank, I meet people. I finally found help to replace the electrical part, and when I began to take apart the plumbing to find the clogged pipe, one of the "park alcoholics" came to help. They know me well by know since they're almost always in the park. And he found the problem! So once again we have flowing water. May they one day find "flowing water" (John 7:38). ]]>Blog 20252025-07-18T09:29:09-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/44f94c7ff8424cd254ea0c49aefe2f5f-28.html#unique-entry-id-28http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/44f94c7ff8424cd254ea0c49aefe2f5f-28.html#unique-entry-id-28

Our neighbors organized a meeting last night to discuss security. I installed both a siren and another camera on Wednesday. At the meeting I had an eye-opener. First of all, I realized that a good deal of the neighbors know each other since many are relatives. I felt like a stranger. Second, I had hoped that many would want to install the apps for the siren and camera in their telephones, but the reality is that few understand the technology. Frustrating for me. I wanted to dialogue with folks, but the meeting was more formal than I expected. I guess community work takes time (and prayer).]]>Blog 20252025-07-14T07:02:29-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/415a0ca82a472c51290c5a71dcd1085f-27.html#unique-entry-id-27http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/415a0ca82a472c51290c5a71dcd1085f-27.html#unique-entry-id-27

Last night some thieves dismantled a car right on our back street! At 7:30pm. The neighbors all came out to discuss what happened and what to do. I saw it as an opportunity to get to know our neighbors, since we know very few. They all walk by our door, but I don't know many names. The conversation centered on creating a chat, plus installing cameras and a siren, all connected to our cell phones. I initiated a chat (to get to know a few names) and plan to install another camera and a siren, both as a service to our small community. We'll see how it goes. ]]>Blog 20252025-07-07T11:14:34-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/45d4e0ee7015a651be4284c64f9df884-26.html#unique-entry-id-26http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/45d4e0ee7015a651be4284c64f9df884-26.html#unique-entry-id-26

As one gets older, I focus on the next generation who will take our place. In today's world, you need a good education not just for a decent job, but to be more useful in society. I have three youth on my list. The first is Danilo, who is in his twenties, lives in the mountains, and is studying a degree in Electronics. He needed a sum to help him register for the next level in English, required for his studies. Then there's Faby's second cousin, who, for various reasons, hasn't been able to finish her law degree. She finally won a spot in the university, but still has to take the entrance exam. She needed help in paying for a course to prepare her for the exam. Finally, Faby’s nephew, who lives with us, finished his high school degree, but, for some reason, the degree didn’t get “in the system.” So we’re encouraging him to persevere in the paperwork, even if he has to repeat the final year. Danilo is in his twenties, but Naty and David are both well past thirty. Still, we pray and hope that all will finish their studies and find good jobs.]]>Blog 20252025-06-29T15:58:28-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/e644859b7edc8110b7fcbfba4046b8fb-25.html#unique-entry-id-25http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/e644859b7edc8110b7fcbfba4046b8fb-25.html#unique-entry-id-25

We closed our church over 20 years ago, but the fruit remains. Yesterday we received a visit from two of our church members: Eulalia and Maggy. Both have new husbands (I never knew Eulalia's husband, and Maggy lost hers to cancer.) They've been wanting to visit us for some time, and they finally found us at home! Eulalia and her husband, Samuel, live in Oklahoma, but are planning to live in Ecuador. Maggy married Carlos, who is one of Faby's cousins. (Small world!) The fact is that although the church no longer meets, the disciples continue. ]]>Blog 20252025-06-17T20:19:20-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/6ba606da5813ff500ff0d40819e04c09-24.html#unique-entry-id-24http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/6ba606da5813ff500ff0d40819e04c09-24.html#unique-entry-id-24

I've written much about Pedro, our alcoholic friend in the park. (Black sweater in the photo.) Friday he betrayed me. He attacked Faby's nephew who lives with us. David went out to buy bread and on his return Pedro, in the lead with two others, attacked David. He put up a defense, but three on one have the advantage. David ended up with a dislocated and fractured shoulder. A neighbor's security camera captured the whole deal. The next day Pedro came to our door to ask for bread. I asked for an explanation of the fight and he gave me none. So I told him until he changes his ways from being a drunk and betraying a friend, he's no longer welcome. I hope and pray he reacts and repents.

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Pedro comes by often. It's not just for food, but for friendship. Every time he shows up I remember Jesus' words: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Mt 25:40 We shared a meal together. He really appreciates it.

On another note, in our Tuesday night Bible study we are reading Paul's letter to the Ephesians. In chapters 2 and 3, Paul emphasizes the unity of Jews and Greeks into one body, people, nation. Here in Ecuador, many Christians are leaning toward the doctrine of celebrating Jewish traditions and laws. I'm amazed because it's not just young Christians but older ones. I ask, "Don't Christians read the Bible?" and understand all that Jesus did and all that Paul struggled against. We discuss how Paul in Ephesians chapters 4,5, and 6 explains that the Christian life concerns character, family, and an example of love and service. Nothing to do with laws and regulations. ]]>Blog 20252025-06-03T19:04:41-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/9153d1aecbba215b70f339cb4fd5add7-22.html#unique-entry-id-22http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/9153d1aecbba215b70f339cb4fd5add7-22.html#unique-entry-id-22
Me talking with Segundo on Whatsapp.

New York. Four of Pastor Antonio's children have migrated to Queens, NY. They all live together in one apartment and two are married with kids. Antonio gave the second youngest (Joel) my telephone number, and I had the opportunity to talk with him and his younger brother Javier. Javier's English is coming along. He wanted to practice it with me. Whereas Joel's English is limited because in the store where he works, most of the folk speak Spanish. But Joel wants to study the Bible, and asked me for advice. I sent him some material from the Navigators to see how "it fits him." He's also looking for a church. Turns out he's almost in the same neighborhood as Segundo Puculpala.

We worked with Segundo here in the Chimborazo Province before he migrated to New York three years ago. He called on Friday to ask for help. In the church he leads, they finished level one of Discipleship. He needed someone to design the certificates for the graduation on Saturday. I asked him for the info and made up a diploma. I assumed he would reply with some changes, but I guessed he accepted my design since he didn't ask for changes.



I met these youth in their "natural habitat" here in Ecuador in their communities deep in the Andes Mountains. Now they're in the city of New York, struggling head on with a new culture and language. I often wonder if they now understand me better, and my calling to missions. "How could someone from the US leave his commodities and move to Ecuador, if we have moved in the other direction?" Someday I hope to hear their answer. Joel, in 22 years old, told me he has thought about becoming a pastor and returning to his community of Capulispungo someday to replace his father as pastor of the church there. May God answer his prayer, and mine too!
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Last night we singing when Pedro (first on the left) rang our doorbell. He's been knocking on our door recently asking for food, but this time I just invited him to join us. He stayed for the whole Bible study, then joined us for coffee around the table. He didn't say much, but I could tell he enjoyed the company. God brought him and I trust that God will continue to work in him. Tit 3:5 (See Pedro.)

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My side of the family met this Saturday for the Internment of my mother and my aunt. The Gordon descendants are buried in a cemetery in Hazardville, Connecticut. Most of the family reunited for the event. We are privileged to have come from such a family with a tremendous Christian legacy. We owe much to our ancestors. My missionary call is due primarily to the prayers, support, motivation, and example of the Gordon clan.



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Faby's family came to inaugurate our new house. We've been here about a month and wanted the family to celebrate with us. We combined the festivity with Mother's Day. Our prayer is that our house will always be a refuge for fellowship and comfort.

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What makes a good Bible study? You need all the elements. Of course, a profound study of Scripture, but you also need interaction. Get people to talk and share. You also need music. David plays with me on another guitar and Josue beats a drum. Get the folks to sing. We have our own hymnals. Then you add fellowship. Gather around a table for coffee, and folks keep talking and sharing. We're a little weak on prayer. So that's our next challenge. The last element is to call people during the week. I need a lot of help with that!
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With Faby's headache and dizziness issues we are trying Homeopathy with a medical doctor. So far the results are positive, but not yet complete, as it takes some time. We are gradually settling into our new home, which is part of the health issue. Changing your home environment causes anxiety. We need to sort through all kinds of "stuff" we've accumulated over the decades. As for me, my heart seems to be okay after the attack last July, and I have a daily routine of taking seven pills.]]>Blog 20252025-04-23T17:12:36-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/4f73295485a5f3c9277b25d74853ccf0-16.html#unique-entry-id-16http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/4f73295485a5f3c9277b25d74853ccf0-16.html#unique-entry-id-16

Three families dropped in on us this week! Friends we haven't seen for some time and all part of our past ministry. Top photo - Wilman Mora and his family called out of the blue and wanted to visit. He pastors a church in Ambato and is well known among the Quichua communities. We held a few workshops with his congregation for his Sunday School teachers. His son also spent a month living with us before he started seminary.

That was Sunday afternoon. Wednesday the other two families came unknowingly at the same time. Bottom photo - Geovany and Sandy (on the left) were students of mine when I taught a six month course on liturgy in Quito. At that time they were single. Now they have three young boys. Leonardo (with his wife, on the right) was one of the orphans we managed way back in 1988. His two children are now on their own. We enjoyed a fruitful time of fellowship with all, and our new house is just right for such accomodations.

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Raul and his family returned for the Tuesday night Bible study. They seem eager to study the Bible and learn about God. That's the good news! The bad news is about Pedro, whom God used to bring the family to our Bible study. Tuesday afternoon we went out to buy bread for the Bible study, when we found Pedro lying on the sidewalk, too drunk to even open the gate to his home. We rolled him inside, shut the gate, and left him there. Not much else we could do. We continue to pray for him. He needs the Lord, and he needs a family to take him in.

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A new family visited us for our Tuesday night Bible study! God works in wonderful ways! Here's how: Our friend Pedro comes to our door with a new cell phone. (New to him.) He tells me it was a gift, and he wants me to unblock it. Okay. I tell him to leave it with me til Monday. He's hesitant, but gives in. The next day another friend in the park, Carlos, comes to our door with another man. They tell me the cell phone belongs to this man's son, and Pedro told them I had the phone. I hand over the cell phone, but the man, Raul, wants us to meet his son and his wife. So he brings them in his truck and we invite them inside. Turns out Raul has been looking for a Bible study and wants help for his son, who is becoming alcoholic. In the end, they came for our Tuesday night Bible study, in which we examined Colossians chapter three. All because Pedro wanted a cell phone. God works in wonderful ways!
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It't not easy to move a piano, but friends make it less work. I took apart the piano for the move, and then we put it back together. Our new house is only 100 feet away from our present house, but it still takes time to move. For us, the process is slow. We need to reduce our belongings to less than half. Although we hope to bless others by giving them what we don't need.


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Pastor Antonio, on the left, came all the way from Capulispungo to visit his struggling sheep. He tries to visit once a month, but the trip takes over 4 hours! We visited them on Sunday. Only a few members as you can see. I enjoyed connecting with Antonio as we caught up on various members of Capulispungo who are now in various places. We held a small service. The women wanted to sing "their" songs (Quichua style). Accompanying them on the accordion brought back lots of memories of playing in the communities.

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We haven't moved into our new house yet, but we wanted to host the Bible study there. So we moved some furniture first. The living room is set, and we used a portable table for the snack, but we still have to move in the kitchen. Little by little. May God use our new house for His purposes!

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We visited the church on Sunday. Not much. Juan Manuel had to travel to Riobamba. Miriam came with one son, Anderson. Three adults showed up with two children. They all live right there in the same home. One year ago, their pastor migrated to the US, and soon afterward thieves broke in and stole their instruments and sound equipment. We held a brief time of singing, Bible reflexion, and communion. Not sure where we're going from here.




Danilo came from his community, Shobol Llinllin, for a medical visit. He has "Pterigion" in his left eye. We've known and worked with him for years, and it was refreshing to see him ago for a few days. We visited two doctors on Monday, and now we need to schedule his eye operation. He's completing his university studies in Electrical Engineering and is active is his church, plus helps support his single mom and little sister.
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They surprised us with their visit! Juan Manuel, Miriam, Anderson, and Natan. A year has passed since we've seen them, but they look to us for help. The church membership has dwindled to almost nothing. The members are from the Capulispungo community and have migrated to the city of Quito. We've worked with them for years. I taught their children Sunday school over Zoom during the Pandemic. The congregation met in our home for several months. Time has past. The pastor migrated last year illegally to the US. Without a pastor the church has struggled to continue. Juan Manuel has tried to keep it going, but he has a full-time job in a factory. The real reason for their visit was to ask us to help them with the church. The first step is to visit the church members. As we discussed the situation, the best time for everyone is Sunday. We'll see what we can do, with God's help.]]>Blog 20252025-02-26T09:18:42-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/15be4c59f8275c4e41474d13ed55d883-8.html#unique-entry-id-8http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/15be4c59f8275c4e41474d13ed55d883-8.html#unique-entry-id-8

Tuesday night the house was full for the Bible study. We've been irregular in attendance, but once in a while we have everybody. I would really like to hold the next meeting in our new house. Lord wllling!
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My mom left us a small inheritance, but enough to build a new house in our back lot. Our present house is nice, but has stairs and lots of small rooms. This new house is designed for comfort (no stairs) and meetings (a large living-dining area). For health reasons it's harder for us to travel or even attend events, so we're praying that our new house will receive friends, neighbors, and even small groups. May it serve as a refuge for refreshing many!
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"Can I borrow a saw?" Pedro was at the door. "What for?" "To cut a piece of wood?" "Ok." It was much more than to just cut a piece of wood. Pedro, (our alcoholic friend in the park) makes bracelets to sell, and a while back he lost his "loom." So he was set on making another. I invited him in, found some of my tools, and we set to work. The loom is pretty simple, but after nailing together three pieces of wood, Pedro asked for sand paper. This was not just a loom, but "his" loom. Then I found some stain for the wood, and Pedro took pride in making a nice loom for himself. He sells the bracelets he makes for one dollar, and the sales give him food. I was glad to see him motivated. I believe that really helps him.

(BTW, he wears a mask because he doesn't have any teeth.)



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Faby found these three friends in the park. We often find them drinking alcohol. So Faby recruited them to pave a small sidewalk in our yard. We know Carlos, Maria, and "Bronco" well, and they know us. About an hour into the job, I asked Carlos, "Give me an honest answer, What did you have for breakfast?" His answer, with sad eyes, was "Nothing." So I fixed them the Ecuadorian PBJ: Fried egg on top of rice. They were grateful. And they did an excellent job of the sidewalk. I was impressed. They really have nothing to do, no job, and so they sit in the park drinking. We continue to pray for their spiritual and physical health. I really don't know how to reach them. Continue to pray. ]]>Blog 20252025-01-30T18:46:54-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/6f11e6a649473da4c87f5364cc10c88c-4.html#unique-entry-id-4http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/6f11e6a649473da4c87f5364cc10c88c-4.html#unique-entry-id-4

One of our neighborhoods organized a march against crime and violence. Our neighborhood accepted the invitation to join them. Then our town council added the police force and a band. In the end, the march crossed town with live music and about one hundred persons parading behind. The march ended in the park with a few brief speeches and a short concert. The result? Well… the town showed its unity and the police showed their loyalty. Hopefully it'll reduce some of the crime in the neighborhood. In the end we're getting to know each other better.


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Tuesday evening this group of eight rolled in to our home to spend the night and the next day to make their yearly plan for the church. This is their third year to use our home for their annual planning. They finished around 4:30pm Wednesday, only to be followed by a meeting of our community safety committee. Our house is well located and still useful for retreats and meetings. (Not to mention that we held our weekly Bible study just before the group rolled in.)

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What started as community service became formal commitment. The local government has a program for forming comities with the goal that they serve to preserve the peace and safety of their neighborhoods. At the evening meeting in the park we were officially sworn in and will have to sign legal papers as the town safety committee. As president I have a good team of volunteers who take the initiative with new ideas and projects. I'm looking forward to see what God does with this committee.

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After the holidays, we were able to start again our weekly Bible study. We switched to Tuesday nights so our housemates, Jorge and Vilma, can attend on Jorge's day off. Hernan and Nataly are regulars, and we hope to integrate Vicky, who lives nearby, and David Andres, who lives with us out back. The group members vary in their spiritual maturity, so I'm praying for guidance on how to lead the group.]]>Blog 20252025-01-02T14:16:38-05:00http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/d3143a616427205273ff34edac492dd4-0.html#unique-entry-id-0http://www.alangordon.org/blog-8/files/d3143a616427205273ff34edac492dd4-0.html#unique-entry-id-0

This year I suffered a heart attack and my mother passed away. The children’s ministry faded and power outages cut off our weekly Bible study.
On the positive side we are striving to serve in our neighborhood and praying for ministry opportunities.
Security has been the major concern for the town and I have helped to install public alarms and cameras. Our concern is for the alcoholics in the park who now know us well.
The changes in both health and ministry do not discourage us but rather challenge us to pray and to seek God’s direction.
“The Sovereign Lord is my strength” Hab 3:19
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