Stories from the Field

October 2006

Tamarindo Work
By a Christian Worker on the field

Tamarindo is the name of a village close to the area where we are working and is better known than the names of the areas we are actually working in, so it is easier to refer to the work in Tamarindo. Actually the house church is in a village called Luz de America (Light of America) while Florencio and Nube live in an area called Cacaoloma (Cocoa Hill).

This entire area is made up of farms, raising cocoa beans, bananas, Brahma bulls and many other plants & animals. Only the hired employees live on these farms as the owners live elsewhere. The employees are very poor having very little of material things.

This outreach began more than 3 years ago when Martha from Cuenca purchased a farm in Luz de America as she desired to see this community come to know the Lord. Martha took members of her church in Cuenca to reach out to these people including Carlos (in the baptism picture). This mission team went door to door and the first convert (Luz - "wife" of Augustin) became a believer. From the first convert in that community they have now grown into more than 15 believers. These people sought to learn the Word of God but there has not been anyone available to go to them. So they walked (yes - by foot) many Sundays more than 2 hours to the nearest town with an evangelical service to be fed on the Word.

Martha and Carlos have had a burning desire to continue sharing Christ with these people, but no one was willing or able to travel the 2 to 2 1/2 hours from Cuenca. Then last October, an IMB missionary from Guayaquil gave a seminar on house church planting in Cuenca which Mercedes (Carlos wife) attended. When Mercedes came home sharing what she had learned with Carlos, he immediately said "We need to take what you have learned to Tamarindo". The IMB missionary put Mercedes in contact with us and we are now accompanying them twice a month while Carlos & Mercedes go every Sunday.

It is not common among these poor farmers to get married for various reasons - one reason being they cannot afford to register births and therefore also cannot afford the cost for the legal documents for marriage or other civil activities. One couple who are are part of this group, Augustin & Luz have lived together more than 25 years, have 11 kids and they've lost count of grandkids. In their new relationship with God they desire to honor him through consecrating their lives together before Him, and though given help with the money to do so, Augustin has been unable to obtain a birth certificate for himself and therefore cannot get the legal documents needed. In the country of Ecuador, marriage is performed first in a civil ceremony and for those who desire, it is then followed by a church ceremony.

Another couple, Florencio & Nube also have lived together for some time and have 6 kids. With the help of many others, they were able to be obtain the necessary papers to get married and had a very special celebration, including a baptism service.

These two couples are leading out in their villages to share Christ but feel very inadequate to actually teach the Bible. We are seeking to take them materials and training to equip them to share with their community, but they are very hesitant.

Pray for this community to live a life worthy of the Lord and to be pleasing to Him in every way. Pray Philippians 1:9-11 for this body of Christ.