September 2017
Let them do it their way
25/09/17 16:04
We know what the problem is: they need a new Board of Deacons. They acknowledge that it needs to be changed. So why wait until December? Why not hold elections early? That was our question this Sunday as we attended the church service in Capulispungo. They had agreed to hold a general Assembly and give us an opportunity to speak to them. At the end of the service, they handed us the microphone and said, "It's all yours." (Ironic statement of the day.) We made a bunch of suggestions and comments, but in the end, they will hold elections as planned in December. We are still part of the process and very welcome in the church, but they have their way of doing things, and it's best to work with them in their way.
Projects
18/09/17 14:51
Friday, we made our second trip to an indigenous community in Cotopaxi (called "Shalala") that owns a great tourist spot next to a volcanic creator, but they haven't the know-how to run it. The president, (left in photo), has asked us to give them the training they need to manage the project. We visited. Luis talked with several of the members, and obtained a good idea of what is needed. The next step is to sit down with the leaders, plan the next steps, and make a formal agreement.
Saturday in Capulispungo, the students took their final exam. All of them passed! The graduation is set for October 22nd. And the question remains: "What's next?" They want to continue on to level 2, but there's a problem. The church Board of Deacons has fallen apart, and thus the church can't make a decision yet until they elect a new Board of Deacons in December. So we will wait on them until then.
Sunday, in Cachisagua, we attended the church service in the afternoon. The objective was to see how many people have signed up for the FLET Bible program. But, of course, if you attend the service, you end up leading the singing, plus giving the message. After the service, we discussed the bible program. Eight persons have signed up. Each received their material. With book in hand, other members could see exactly what the bible course was all about. So now we give the church members more time to sign up.
Saturday in Capulispungo, the students took their final exam. All of them passed! The graduation is set for October 22nd. And the question remains: "What's next?" They want to continue on to level 2, but there's a problem. The church Board of Deacons has fallen apart, and thus the church can't make a decision yet until they elect a new Board of Deacons in December. So we will wait on them until then.
Sunday, in Cachisagua, we attended the church service in the afternoon. The objective was to see how many people have signed up for the FLET Bible program. But, of course, if you attend the service, you end up leading the singing, plus giving the message. After the service, we discussed the bible program. Eight persons have signed up. Each received their material. With book in hand, other members could see exactly what the bible course was all about. So now we give the church members more time to sign up.
The Truth will set you Free.
11/09/17 23:32
Most people are used to a Foundation giving out money. We have to tell folks that our Foundation doesn't finance projects. We train people so they can manage on their own. Our philosophy is: "Give me a fish and I eat for a day; teach me to fish and I eat for lifetime." But it takes time for people to understand us. Friday a pastor visited us with a debt problem. One way of helping him would be to pay off his loan and have him pay us back without interest. But that doesn't teach him how to manage loans. Rather Luis did a financial analysis of his situation, and discovered that he had taken out a loan at 22% interest, when he could have taken out a loan at 7% interest. The first loan will kill him. He will never be able to pay it off. But by using another loan, he has the means to get out of debt. We give them the knowledge they need so they can solve their problems. That's the philosophy of our Foundation "Truth and Liberty." "The truth will set you free," John 8:32.
What's next?
05/09/17 13:35
This was our final class in Capulispungo in the two-year Bible Program "Flet." In two weeks they take the final exam. The graduation is planned for October 22nd. So what's next? That's the question I've been asking them for the past four months. They all agree that they should begin teaching others in the church, but the church is struggling with some internal organizational issues. Every two years they elect a new group of deacons who become the church board of directors. They are elected in a general assembly in December, but often the elections are rushed and the elect are not the ideal persons for the task. Pray for the church in Capulispungo that they will elect their deacons this coming year in an intelligent and God-inspired way, so that they can plan programs for the church.
