As many are aware, the Covid "plandemic" put a crimp in the style of many missionaries around the globe. We explored some different options. I was invited, by God's Grace, to join a group from Orlando, Fla., area, Tony Nardella's "Heart of Titus Ministries," on a couple of trips down to Ecuador. The first was in Dec. 2020, and then one in Oct. 2021. These trips allowed me to make a few great contacts, including Pastor Carlos Marchan from Movimiento Misionero Mundial in Puyo, a city in the upper Amazonia region in the state of Pastaza, and Pastor David Maila from Centro Cristiano Las Acasias, in Esmeraldas. So, in Feb.2022, I was able to put together a team and joined with Brother Danny and Sister Peggy Thornton of Beyond Ourselves Ministries in Esmeraldas, Ecuador. Alex and Liliana Media, and Saul Tellez, all from Elim Church and Spanish speakers, were my team members. I had no lack of translators! Pastor Carlos met us in Quito and was our gracious driver and companion for the trip.

PUYO

We spent a week in Puyo, assisting in setting up Kids' Clubs in several barrios around the city, with Pastor Carlos and members of his congregation, using 600 of the "shoe" boxes supplied by Franklin Graham's "Samaritan's Purse." We were able to pray with the children and the parents and saw several Salvations of children and their parents. GOD is SO GOOD!!

SUAR TRIBAL VILLAGE

We also were invited to an early dawn service in Suar Tribal village in the Jungle. I had preached in this village on my first trip in 2020. The government had warned them not to continue having service in their original pavilion next to the road. The Government even went so far as to tear down the structure. So, the villagers just built one off the road where the prying eyes of the government agents couldn't see. We drove as far as we were able down a mud road and then walked through the jungle a short distance. It was still dark, and our guides lead us by the light of their cell phones. Brother Saul slipped off a little bridge and went past his ankles in the mud. I hung on to my guide's shoulder and hand. As we approached the clearing, we heard the sounds of Worship drifting through the trees; it was Heavenly ethereal. As we arrived and were greeted, everyone was full of the Joy of the Holy Ghost! We were invited into the pavilion-style church where Brother Saul shared a Fiery message that stirred the hearts of the village and greatly encouraged the tribe's Pastor. After the Service, we enjoyed a delicious meal of fish soup and several types of plantains. It was interesting to hear Brother Saul speaking in Spanish and then having that translated to the Suar language. We prayed for the Pastor's wife who had been transported to the nearest hospital with bleeding from both ears. We later heard that she had recovered. After the preaching, we attended Church in the city at Pastor Carlos' church, where I was able to deliver the message that the Lord had given me. The congregation collected a generous offering for the preaching, and we sewed it back toward a tent for the church.

PAIRING WITH BEYOND OURSELVES MISSION

Then we left on a supposed 6-hour drive across the mountains to the coast. I say supposed because as we were on our way, there had been a large landslide that collapsed a big piece of the main highway to Esmeraldas. We ended up going all the way back to the outskirts of Quito and taking the old highway through the mountains. With the rain and the traffic and a couple of small mudslides, it took us about 12 hours. We arrived past midnight and were excited and grateful to the Lord to have made the trek safely.

We met with Danny and Peggy that Monday morning and had an exciting week of fellowship and learning all about the way they and their multinational team teach street evangelism through the use of mime dramas, clown skits, puppetry, and worship dance. Alex, Lili and Saul's multilingual talents were utilized by some of the English-speaking presenters as they helped with the translation. All in all, this was a very eventful and "profitable for the Kingdom" trip.

HOSTING THE UKRANIAN PASTORS

Chena and I covet your prayers in our next adventure of hosting a Ukranian refugee couple from Kiev. They are a loving and lovable, Spirit-filled Pastor and wife team that have given up everything to escape the war. They are 61, so they were not eligible for the national draft of all able-bodied men to serve in the military defense of their homeland. We are very excited to receive them after their long three-month sojourn in Tepic, Mexico. That is a story for another time. They are Pastor Oleh Kislov and Sister Liliia Kislova. Thank you for your prayers. Blessings.