The Colombian hillside of coffee
"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge
of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter:3
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Prayer Requests |
Our Mission
2) Guayllabamba, Ecuador - Tulcanza Family - Local Missionary Church with two outreach locations
3) El Batan Missionary Alliance Church
4) Just For Kids Orphanage - Valle de los Chillos, Ecuador
5) Home of Hope - Malawi, Africa, Canadian Missionaries
6) Missionaries and mission trips that God plants in our hearts
Photo Gallery
Fruit is available anywhere you are, whether in town or by the side of the road.
Steve enjoys a meal at Don Frijoles of typical Colombian food.
You would be amazed at how much stuff and how many people you can
carry on the back of a motorbike, while the market in Quito was
as colorful as ever.
To
follow God's will for our lives so that we can serve Him in all we do,
go wherever He leads, and share His amazing love with those around us.
Continue
to support mission projects around the world:
1)
Cusco, Peru - Romulo Tupa - Local Missionary2) Guayllabamba, Ecuador - Tulcanza Family - Local Missionary Church with two outreach locations
3) El Batan Missionary Alliance Church
4) Just For Kids Orphanage - Valle de los Chillos, Ecuador
5) Home of Hope - Malawi, Africa, Canadian Missionaries
6) Missionaries and mission trips that God plants in our hearts
Photo Gallery
Fruit is available anywhere you are, whether in town or by the side of the road.
Steve enjoys a meal at Don Frijoles of typical Colombian food.
You would be amazed at how much stuff and how many people you can
carry on the back of a motorbike, while the market in Quito was
as colorful as ever.
We had a great view of all snow-capped volcanoes leaving
Quito early in the morning
Monthly
News
The beauty that surrounds us here in Colombia is one of the positives that we really enjoy. We are fortunate to have several of the yellow blooming trees right outside our apartment and the hummingbirds have a field day in them. This month has gone by very quickly as we get more settled in school and travel more around the countryside.
Unfortunately, I think the same kids that were on the streets when we lived in Quito are still there.
Once you start thinking begging is okay and you are successful, it is a hard cycle to break.
We had a few days off
because of a Colombian holiday and were able to spend it in Quito
visiting friends and talking about future projects with the pastors we
still work with there. As always, travel in South America is an
adventure. We went back and forth to the airport as our flight was
cancelled and changed, ended up paying $55.00 each in airport tax to
leave Colombia and another $41.00 each to leave Ecuador. You
really need to find a cheap flight when the taxes add another $100 to
your ticket! It was frustrating but so worth it to get away for a few
days. Steve was very excited to have some Coke Zero and of course we
had to eat at McDonalds and Burger King while we had the chance. We
brought back a suitcase of our favorite things that are expensive in
Colombia or can't be found. Quito for us is always like coming home. A
lot of people think we are nuts to see a big dirty city of half built
concrete structures with the poverty and limitations that are so
different that the United States as "home." When you have the
priviledge of being an American and the opportunities that provides, it
is hard for some to understand why you'd rather live any where else. I
think of Ecuador as how God must look at us as sinners, unclean, that
He still loves no matter what and only wants to see the best in. When
something is a part of your heart, it is amazing the relationship that
can develop and grown.
.
We see probably 5-6 different varieties of hummingbirds every day at our feeders, but this is my favorite
We were blessed to be
able to attend El Batan for church while we were in Ecuador and see
several of the street kids we worked with in the Ninos en Riesgo
Program that had accepted Christ since we'd seen them last in
attendance. Sometimes I think the focus on planting more and more
churches can miss some of the other avenues for growth and change. You
want to grow where there is a need and provide direction for unified
worship and fellowship, but there are so many people that need to be
reached on other levels. It was so sad in April to find out that one of
the kids we had worked with for several years whose life was changed
dramatically by the program had been killed by street thugs, but
knowing he was saved and that others have found Jesus because of his
example makes its all worthwhile. We will continue to work with this
group when teams come to Quito because the results of the sharing of
love and Christian fellowship continually bear fruit.
Prayer Requests and
Praises
Praises
- a new church plant in Guayllabamba with a starter group and already seven salvations
- Salvations in the group of street kids in the Ninos en Riesgo Program
- Continued support and opportunity for projects to grow in Ecuador
- Good health
Prayer
- Guidance on where God wants us to go from here
- Steve in his new job for opportunities in many areas for him and for God
- For people to participate in Ecuador in future mission opportunities
- Pastor Marcelo and Thalia's son, Samuel, to continue to grow and develop without problems
- Continued support for Montebello and the school in Valle de los Chillos to reach their area with education and hope
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The beauty that surrounds us here in Colombia is one of the positives that we really enjoy. We are fortunate to have several of the yellow blooming trees right outside our apartment and the hummingbirds have a field day in them. This month has gone by very quickly as we get more settled in school and travel more around the countryside.
One activity popular
in Colombia, as well as Ecuador, is the chiva, an open-air bus that
drives you around the countryside, stopping in small towns to get out
and dance. The band travels with you on the bus and it is a fun and
relaxing time.
We have had the kind of rain and weather every day that people in Georgia would die for, but then, you'd have to give up Coke Zero, your favorite popular restaurant, free refills, and stores open whenever you want! It's all a trade off. We have talked with the local church here about how we can serve and are looking into starting English classes one night a week with the Bible as the resource. It is hard to do after teaching English all day, but it is one way we can fill a need here.
The school has had some bad luck with the social studies teacher position, so they decided to divide up the classes and pay a little extra to those that would pickup the extra work. I am now teaching six periods a day with four English classes and two social studies with no planning, but in exchange for that, the additional pay will help along with no additional duties. We will see how it goes. Our big event this month is English Day where we have a day of activities that promote English so that is taking a lot of time and planning; as always, more on the teacher than the students!
We have had the kind of rain and weather every day that people in Georgia would die for, but then, you'd have to give up Coke Zero, your favorite popular restaurant, free refills, and stores open whenever you want! It's all a trade off. We have talked with the local church here about how we can serve and are looking into starting English classes one night a week with the Bible as the resource. It is hard to do after teaching English all day, but it is one way we can fill a need here.
The school has had some bad luck with the social studies teacher position, so they decided to divide up the classes and pay a little extra to those that would pickup the extra work. I am now teaching six periods a day with four English classes and two social studies with no planning, but in exchange for that, the additional pay will help along with no additional duties. We will see how it goes. Our big event this month is English Day where we have a day of activities that promote English so that is taking a lot of time and planning; as always, more on the teacher than the students!
Unfortunately, I think the same kids that were on the streets when we lived in Quito are still there.
Once you start thinking begging is okay and you are successful, it is a hard cycle to break.
.
We see probably 5-6 different varieties of hummingbirds every day at our feeders, but this is my favorite
<>In Guayllabama, the
pastor shared about his new church plant in another part of the
countryside. They have already had seven salavations and one of the
youth that was saved has been going door to door in the community with
invitations to join them for the church services. It always amazes me
the change that having Christ in your heart can make in a life and the
fire that drives you to want that joy for everyone else. It is often
hard in our lives as we get busy and our jobs limit us to maintain that
level of excitement, but we need to continually pray and strive to be
like this new believer. I don't know about you, but I don't want to
fall short of the purpose God has for me with my life and I'll keep
plugging away at it until I figure out the direction He has for me. Of
course, Steve is a part of the plan!
Our plans upcoming plans include the following:
December 15th - 26th - Quito, Ecuador - participate with the Ninos en Riesgo, Christmas Celebration at the three missions at Guayllabamba, and help with the single mothers emphasis at El Batan.
April - (dates to come) Quito, Ecuador - help with new church plants and outreach in Guayllbamba; construction of the one room building for services in Cheka. Anyone that is interested in participating in either trip is welcome and can contact us for more information. I wish I could say all mission trips were free, but unfortunately airfare is what it is and since we are working missionaries, we incur the same costs as well. We do the best we can at our end to minimize costs but maximize the experience. <>Contact us at steve_carpenter@hotmail.com or cathleen_carpenter@hotmail.com
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Our plans upcoming plans include the following:
December 15th - 26th - Quito, Ecuador - participate with the Ninos en Riesgo, Christmas Celebration at the three missions at Guayllabamba, and help with the single mothers emphasis at El Batan.
April - (dates to come) Quito, Ecuador - help with new church plants and outreach in Guayllbamba; construction of the one room building for services in Cheka. Anyone that is interested in participating in either trip is welcome and can contact us for more information. I wish I could say all mission trips were free, but unfortunately airfare is what it is and since we are working missionaries, we incur the same costs as well. We do the best we can at our end to minimize costs but maximize the experience. <>Contact us at steve_carpenter@hotmail.com or cathleen_carpenter@hotmail.com
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<>It has been a blessing to have a friend
of ours serving in the Middle East because she is such a encourager and
gives a great perspective of what it is like to be somewhere else
trying to live your life for Christ. Serving Christ is doing what you
can wherever you are and thank God that He gives us each a heart for a
different part of the world so that all His people would have the
opportunity to hear the Word. Don't let your life here on earth be just
about what's in it for you; all you are and all you have is God's so
use it wisely and the rewards will be more than you could possible
imagine.
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Cotopaxi in the
morning cloud cover as we left Quito
Praises
- a new church plant in Guayllabamba with a starter group and already seven salvations
- Salvations in the group of street kids in the Ninos en Riesgo Program
- Continued support and opportunity for projects to grow in Ecuador
- Good health
Prayer
- Guidance on where God wants us to go from here
- Steve in his new job for opportunities in many areas for him and for God
- For people to participate in Ecuador in future mission opportunities
- Pastor Marcelo and Thalia's son, Samuel, to continue to grow and develop without problems
- Continued support for Montebello and the school in Valle de los Chillos to reach their area with education and hope
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