Joyce Update September 7, 2010

Dear family and friends, So much has happened the last month.  There
have been many great blessings, but I feel it is unfair to just talk
about them, and not the trials.  There are many trials, and I have
many days of discouragement, but the Lord is faithful to meet all of
our needs.
The big excitement is the arrival of our friend, Steve.  He will be
staying with us for 5 months, and he is ready to do some work for God.
 He has been here for a week, and we have been greatly blessed
already.Please pray that God will direct his paths while he is here in
Ecuador.
There is a great blessing in my heart that I would like to share about
Costa Azul, the village I have been burdened for.  There is a small
village behind it, Pioculin, that we visited to pass out tracts about
a year ago.  I have been so burdened for that village ever since.  It
just seemed that there was such a hopelessness there.  I have prayed
for a year that God would start a work there.  Next to it there is a
village named Anzu.  There is a small church there, without a pastor,
and my pastor goes there early Sunday mornings to preach there, then
returns to our church for the morning service.  It has been my burden
that the people from Anzu would reach out to Pioculin.  Last night,
Pastor, Mark and Steve went to a New Believer's Bible Study in what we
thought was Anzu.  But when Mark came home, he said it was at a house
right in the middle of Pioculin.  It was such a blessing to hear that
God is moving in Pioculin.  I am humbled and awed that God has
answered my prayer.
Last Sunday, we returned to a village, Puca Chicta, where our church
handed out food after the flood.  I was excited to go again.  The man
we were with drove to a few other villages, too, where we passed out
bracelets and tracts.  One of the was Kachawanushka.  Then on
Wednesday, an Ecuadorian missionary called us.  He heard that we were
in that area, and said he has a church in a village there, and wanted
to know if we would like to visit with him.  It turned out to be in
the same village, Kachawanushka.  It is so amazing the way God works
things out.  We will be going again on Tuesday for another service.
It has been exciting to meet this missionary and learn more of his
work.  He starts churches in the villages, he has started about 30 of
them so far.  It has been a blessing to me because after I go to the
villages, I get so burdenend for them.  He used to travel to them by
canoe, but now there are more roads, so he drives, and it saves a lot
of time.  It reminds me of how easy we really have it today.
God has been faithful to meet all of our needs. I doubt it so many
times, but He is always faithful, then I repent of my unbelief.  The
boys are all doing weel, and keeping busy.
I hope all is well with you.  It is hard to believe that your summer
is almost over, and that it is almost back to school.  I am very
blessed to have year-round summer here, perfect for me! Love, Joyce