More Fotos of SL Refugee Relief

Top Foto: It was slim pickins at the Civil Defense Warehouse. The meat on the floor is being cut up and parceled out to the 10 shelters around the small town.

2nd Foto: Our team shares with refugees. Many wanted to tell their story. They were incredibly grateful for the help.

3rd Foto: Ben Haley is really our official baby holder, but he let me have a shot at it. I think the girls name is Jocelyn. She got left out of the distribution first time around, but finally got her Jesus book. She is one, and probably will not be able to read it for a while.

Bottom Fotos: Edwin Smallwood and myself really enjoyed the chance to exercise without even joining a gym!

We left I-town at 7 a.m. with a police escort. We appreciated the help last night but thought it was unnecessary in the light of day. I was wrong, We got to San Lorenzo without incident at 10. The local police got our supplies and us to the civil defense center. They were very low on just about everything and very glad for what we brought.

What did your gifts buy? Our contribution was 100 blankets, 20 cases of powdered milk (makes 960 liters), 800 pounds of peas and 1100 pounds of potatoes. About an hour later, we were visiting in a shelter and saw one of the bags of potatoes being brought in-no sense that it was just going to sit around in the warehouse! We visited 2 shelters and met with the mayor. We handed out Gospel of John and presented Bibles to the mayor and police. I mentioned earlier that I was glad for the police presence. Since Saturday there have been three murders, including a policeman!

At some point in the day, I was interviewed by the local radio station and asked why we had come (very few, it turns out, had). My response was that as Christians, we have to do what we think Jesus would do in the same situation. There are very few evangelicals in the part of the world we were working and your gifts made it possible for the love of Christ to be shown in a real and tangible way.

Closed-captioned for the people of Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee, OK: You left a HUGE suitcase full of medicines after your mission trip here to Quito. Those meds are now in the hands of the community health officer for SL. They will be distributed to the local inhabitants in the coming few days.

We left in early afternoon and are back in I-town.

Top Foto: Christine Haley stands behind the truck of supplies. Think that milk and beans and potatoes are safe?
2nd Foto: Edwin Smallwood (IMB), local Pastor German, Christine and Ben Haley (IMB), Enrique Patehoja (Civil Defense) and Pastor Joselito from Quito at the Civil Defense warehouse in SL.
3rd Foto: 2 hours after we delivered the food to the warehouse, the potatoes got to this shelter at the Agricultural High School.
Bottom Foto: Some 70 people are crammed into the municipal hall. Bunkbeds were brought in but it is a not a comfortable situation to say the least. Everyone was given New Testaments and children received picture stories about Jesus.
Frank "Chip" Lamca, August 28

We arrived in I-town at 7:30 p.m. Our pastor, Ramiro Teran, is from I-town originally and called ahead to find us a hotel with a closed-in parking lot. We met with the provincial Colonel of National Police. He sent four officers with us including a Lt. to the mercado. They even bargained for us! They escorted us back to the hotel where the Colonel and the Governor of the state were waiting for us. The president will be here tomorrow but we are pulling out for SL at 7 a.m. with a police escort.

Top Foto: We had wall-to-wall security. Thanks to this man, the Colonel of Police for the state where I-town is located.
Bottom Foto: Governor thanks Edwin and Joselito for the material help of milk, in particular.

Chip Lamca, Monday August 27

When Did You Clothe and Feed Jesus?

Please pray for Chip, Ben and Christine Haley, our team members from Quito and another missionary. They are leaving Quito to help bring needed supplies to an area that has been hit by disaster. Your prayers are much needed for their safety and for the success of the mission. 1600 people are waiting for bedding, milk, rice and cook pots. They are also taking along 1000 copies of the Gospel of John. Pray also for Pastor Herman and his congregation as they minister to the people. They are using funds that are given through the International Mission Board's Hunger and Disaster Relief Offering.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’ NLT Matthew 25:34-40

Photos From Our CoWorkers in Peru

The Following is a Reprint of a Recent Volunteers Newsletter

Thank you for your prayers as we worked in South Quito, Ecuador. I mentioned in my previous letter that “flexibility” was our watchword, and that certainly was true!

All segments of the Team had a very good week. The Medical team saw over 1,200 patients and filled 5,000 prescriptions. Dentist Chrissy pulled 70 teeth during the 5 days of clinic. Dr. John taught seminars on Baptist Beliefs and Baptist History to classes of 90+ pastors.

We worked with IMB missionaries Frank and Julie Lamca and their children—Bryan (19), Matthew (17), Katie (12) and Thomas (11). It was wonderful to get to know all of their family.

On Sunday, we divided up into 4 groups and participated in the worship services of 5 churches (one group did 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.).

I went with a group to Central Baptist Church, where I gave a short testimony and sang, both in Spanish.
Our VBS team, which started with 9 members, and by switching and borrowing, ended up with 7, conducted not just 2, but THREE Bible Schools each day! Shannon led the VBS team, which ended up comprised of: Jill, G. C., Mary Jane, Dorraine, Pam and me. Also working with us were Julie Lamca and 4 MK’s (missionary kids).

We split up in the mornings and did Bible School at Nueva Aurora (as planned) with tremendous help from the members of Santisima Fe. The second location was La Bretaña (desired by the missionaries, but not planned until Monday afternoon).

Jill (music), G.C. (records and refreshments), Pam (crafts), Katie Lamca (recreation), with MK Cody and me as rovers, worked with Pastor Mario (Bible Story) at the cell church in La Bretaña which meets at his house. We had about 30-40 children each of the 4 mornings.

In the afternoons, all of the VBS workers led up to 60 children at Pastor Mario’s church, Betania Sur (Bethany South).

Here is how God answered the specific prayer requests in my previous letter:
I was surprised and pleased with the amount of Spanish I could speak and understand. ¡Gracias a Dios! We had many miles of safe travel, which included a few close calls which we vowed not to discuss, so as not to concern our families. We are so glad that you were praying! We had a few instances of people feeling bad, but no one had to miss work. We were thankful for general good health. I slept well enough to feel rested. We had a midday break, eating our sack lunches in the van. I think that we did a good job keeping up our stamina in the afternoon sessions, although I think that all of us would agree that the second group of children was more challenging than either of the morning ones. It was so great to see the church members that I met last year! They remembered me and gave the warmest greetings! I believe that our presence was an encouragement to each of the churches where we had VBS or clinics. We also enjoyed our time with the IMB missionary families so much.

All of the IBC team members got along so well, and we made new friends of those we didn’t know before. Each person, from age 17 to age 82, fulfilled a special role very well. God took care of my family at home. The kids spent quite a bit of time together and certainly enjoyed themselves.
Whenever I return from a mission trip, people want to know how many were saved. Many seeds were planted, and the Gospel was certainly presented, both at the clinic sites and in the Vacation Bible Schools. I don’t know, however, how many people accepted Christ. We may never know, here, but we will someday.
Please pray for these people we encountered:
• Maria Isabel—a young mom who came to VBS at La Bretaña each day.
• Jennifer—a 12 year old from New Jersey (!) who just showed up on the block where we were teaching VBS, in answer to our prayers for another translator.
• Pastor Mario and wife Marta—as they minister at two sites, and open their home to reach their neighbors.
• Pastor Byron and wife Nieves—who are expecting their first child in October and minister at Santisima Fe and Nueva Aurora.
Immanuel will continue the partnership with South Quito for next two years. Please pray for the plans for future journeys and for the relationships formed in these first two trips.
Each of you who prayed was an important part of our mission trip! Thank you again for praying!
Love, Cheryl <><

Way of the Sun.

What a summer, it has been! Our family hosted two large groups from Oklahoma. First, Awestar Ministries came and performed somewhere around a hundred dramas. Several church starts have developed from this work. Second, a group from Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma came with 23 people. One man led seminary classes, another goup conducted medical clinics in 4 different churches (somewhere around 1200 patients including 80 tooth extractions...ouch!) and their VBS did 3...yes, 3...VBS outreaches per day averaging about 50 children at each location.

On the Arizona end of things, 3 young ladies from Grand Canyon University taught English and led a Compassion International Project. We were happy to be able to help them get here and get set up.

Tomorrow, Bryan sadly goes Back to Arizona State. We so appreciate him and his brothers and sister. They are awesome missionaires. We saw two very clear incidents this summer and they point back to working with their first missionary ¨uncle¨seven years ago (Ken Bowie). I could almost hear Ken´s voice. Katie was with a group at a church handing out toys. She told them, ¨Better to go into each individual Sunday School Room and hand them out there. That way, nobody gets doubles and everyone gets something.¨

Matt was with a medical team while I was out setting up for the next day. Somehow, too many patients had been admitted and the team was looking at a 11 PM exit time! Matt told someone, ¨We better do some triage. Sick people only get to see the doctor. Everyone else needs to be sent to the team of nurses and given anti parasite medicines and vitamins.¨ The team heard him and got home to supper by 7:30.

I cannot wait to see what God does with these kids.