Lehtola, John: God's Kingdom Continues to Grow. The Voice of Zion 6/2001.

Notes from LLC Mission Trip, March 27 -April 3, 2001.

When the first announcement of the birth of Christ was made to the shepherds tending their flocks at night, these "glad tidings" were directed to "all people." This miracle has been witnessed and experienced in Ecuador, among other places, during the past year. Keith Waaraniemi and I made an LLC-sponsored mission trip to Ecuador March 27-April 3. During this seven-day trip, services were held in three localities: Quito, Riobamba, and Guayaquil. God opened hearts to repent and believe the gospel.

As had happened, on the February trip, there were conversions among the native Quechua people near Riobamba. This small town in the Andes Mountains boasts Chimborazo, the highest peak in the world, as measured from the center of the earth. The Hernandez family is from a ranch or "hacienda," near Riobamba. On earlier trips, many of the Hernandez relationship were converted.

Quito

Our trip began in Quito with services each evening from Wednesday through Friday. Following the adopted practice, each evening a sermon was followed by discussion. During the first evening's discussion an unbelieving man asked, "What is faith?" A woman from Loja near the Peruvian border, who was at the services for the first time asked: "How could one stay in faith if everyone else in the family does not believe?"  These questions led to a very good discussion about what God's kingdom is, how conversion takes place, and how "everything else is added" after accepting faith.

Several service guests wanted to believe their sins for- given in the name and blood of Jesus that evening, including the two mentioned above. Overjoyed, the service guests began to clap when, with his question, "What is faith" answered, one man repented to become a child of God. Those who already believed also asked to again hear the gospel. They have a custom to come and stand before the ministers who put their hands on them and bless them. We also celebrated the Lord's Holy Supper. Now with a believer living in Loja, doors have opened to perhaps hold services there in the future. Others from Loja, who do not now believe had already requested services. This request may be fulfilled on a trip later this year.

During discussion after services the second evening, topics centered on the Virgin Mary, the Pope and the differences between the Lutheran and Catholic Churches. I tried to outline the reasons for the Reformation. Though unbelievers came to the services, there were no repentances that evening.

Originally services were to be held in Riobamba on Friday evening, but since we couldn't arrange for a translator to accompany us to Riobamba until the weekend, services were held in Quito Friday evening as well. I kept a Sunday school lesson on the Good Shepherd for the children.

The discussion that evening centered around the illnesses an unbelieving man was experiencing. He and his wife, along with one other young man, repented that evening.

Riobamba

Saturday morning Raw Hernandez and Victor (Pepe) Viteri brought us by car to Riobamba, which turned out to be a five to six hour trip (with stops). We arrived at five in the after- noon. The family had eagerly waited since early afternoon. The services guests were prompt, all waiting in the living room well before 6:30, the scheduled starting time. I began the evening with the Sunday school lesson. After Keith's sermon, there was lively discussion centered on forgiveness. Some of the questions were: How much forgiveness does God have? If someone is dying, can a new  believer forgive him or her with the gospel? What happens if someone falls into sin? During the discussion many unbelieving indigenous people repented. Forty people were in attendance at these services; thirty of these were Quechua Indians. During the services in February, many other indigenous people had repented. Communion was also celebrated that evening. In conclusion, these indigenous people wanted to sing some farewell songs to us. Keith and I sang "God be with you till we meet again" in return.

Baptism
Sunday morning before we departed a neighbour family asked to have their two children baptized. Although we were in a hurry, in order to make our flight connections, we had a touching babtismal ceremony early that morning. The parents received the grace of repentance during the the occasion.

Guayaquil

After a five-hour drive, we arrived at the Quito airport at 3:30 to fly to Guayaquil. The flights were all sold out. We were to hold services that day in Guayaquil, and that city's believers had been calling Alfredo and Gladys Hernandez's home all afternoon, asking if the ministers had arrived yet. We finally got on the five o'clock flight. Alfredo picked us up at 6:30 and brought us to his home, where the house was full of service guests. I spoke from 1 Peter 2:4-8, that Sunday's epistle text. The question came up about how we celebrate Passion Week, which was the following week. In Ecuador, the outward observances of these festivals are very visible and flowery. The Palm Sunday events are

actually reenacted by the waving of palm branches. We discussed Apostle Peter's position, and Christ's discussion with him in Matt. 16:18. The Catholic Church considers Peter the first Pope, and that Christ gave the keys of the kingdom alone to him. We discussed the topic of general priesthood and the authority to forgive sins given to all believers. One believing father gave an example of how he asks his children to bless him. His little girls also came to ask for a blessing from the ministers.  

On the last evening, I again conducted my Good Shepherd Sunday school lesson and after Keith's sermon, there was active discussion centering on forgiveness. Explaining the text he read from John 13, Keith talked about the washing of feet and what it means for us today. The service guests were accustomed to seeing the washing of feet reenacted, because the Catholic Church observes this ritual every Maundy Thursday. This gave a good starting point for the discussion of forgiveness. There were many questions about caring for faults between two people. Three people were converted that evening. There were other unbelieving people present who asked many questions, but did not accept the gospel. Neither did they come for communion, when it was explained that communion is to be accepted with a believing heart. We said our farewells to our dear friends in faith and left for the airport. There, we said goodbye to Alfredo, Gladys, and Maria. God richly blessed our trip. I was able to meet many new people, see many new and exciting things, but most importantly, experience the warm love of the believers there and witness how God gives the increase in the sowing of His Word.