The view from my window…

When you look out my window about 5:30AM, if the sky is a purple shade of clear, you can see the volcano Cayambe (kah- yahm- be) clearly stretching up into the horizon over the other peaks nearby it. It stands there, silently capped with snow, posing behind a foreground full of streetlights and houses of all shapes and sizes and income levels. This is Quito. Each direction you look, and each time of day you look, everything is slightly different from the moment before. Our apartment here in the lower floor of an older house, is located on the side of the lower slopes of another volcano called Rucu Pichincha. From here we walk a flat 30 yards and then make a hard left turn downhill, dodging taxis and buses all the way to our international school. The trip back home is a whole other cardiovascular experience.

But more than what I see geographically, I see other things as well. I see a school community, composed of teachers and students from a variety of places and backgrounds. I see a diverse parent community, with hopes and dreams and fears just like families in Birmingham, who struggle with teenagers and marital issues and special needs kids, and every other thing under the sun.

Besides the multiple array of cultures represented in the school, there are multiple economic levels represented as well. Some families have been graced by God to be scholarship recipients for their kids to attend. Literally, some parents and students and siblings are sleeping in tiny apartments nearby on foam mattresses, while the parents travel to work an hour away each morning as their kids go to school.

I even know one case with a sibling group of young Ecuadorian kids who are being cared for and educated here at AAI, whose parents aren’t even truly identified at this point, because the person they were living with has multiple identities. Neither the courts or the school knows the ages of these kids, because the documents just plain don’t exist for the environment where they were born. There are parents who have chosen careers over their family. They make a really good living by being gone, and I mean gone all the time. They choose the school because they hear that it has good values, and a US style of teaching. Then we get to deal with the aftermath of missing discipline in the kid’s lives. So North American culture has no monopoly on interesting family situations. This is at least some of what I see.

Bottom line is this. The Gospel has power to save, and this I clearly see. I have been specifically asking in recent days for God to use AAI to save many women and men. So yesterday when I met and shared a word about disciple-making with a group of Latin American pastors who volunteer at the school, one of them told me how a lady came to the office in the last couple of days to meet for counseling. This parent shared that she was not a Christian, but her husband was a Christian. She continued by saying that after she came to AAI this year with her child, she saw that the Christianity that her husband claimed to have was nothing like the Christianity she was seeing from people at AAI, and she wanted to know Christ like that! My Latin American brother was able to share Gospel truth with her and see her trust in Jesus Christ to save her soul that day. So, as I looked out my window this morning in the chilly air, I didn't just see geography, but I saw clearly yet again how God answers our prayers that glorify His Son, even when we can’t see or imagine the end result.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
(John 1:14 ESV)

The Gospel and S.E.W.

First, thank you for being patient with our blog post delay. We have just changed locations for our family to be more centrally located for ministry here in the city of Quito! But we will talk more about that in a few moments!

So what’s SEW? Here at the foot of Pichincha Volcano in Quito, Ecuador, at Alliance Academy International, it means Spiritual Emphasis Week at the school. This past week, the entire group of secondary students at our school from Ecuador, China, Japan, Indonesia, Jordan, Colombia, Korea, (and the list continues…) all got 5 straight daily segments of biblical proclamation just before lunchtime each day here at the school. A pastor from an Acts 29 church in Guatemala shared each day by “Busting Myths about God” which seems to be an incredibly needy thing in various cultures around the world, and not just in Ecuador.

We set up the week by having panel discussions several days beforehand in a variety of settings and times, where students asked basically any question they wanted to ask about God. Our team spent hours praying for God to speak to their hearts through His word. God does not disappoint when it comes to the glory of His Name because at mid-week, 20-25 students indicated that they have now placed their trust in Jesus Christ for the very first time! Please join us in thanking God for this response to His Gospel, and in asking Him for further opportunities to make disciples through their lives! We are humbled at His grace shown to us in this work.

So now back to the relocation to Quito for our family. Just to refresh everyone on our current family setup: We have an adopted son who is a senior in High School and is living with another family in the U.S. We also have two daughters currently studying at Mississippi State, working as RA’s in the University housing system. We also have one adopted son, who has graduated out of high school, and he is temporarily with us here in Ecuador. We are examining if obtaining a Visa might be an effective plan for him right now. In addition, we have another 18 year-old adopted son who is currently living in Ukraine, and we are praying and working toward helping him see the Gospel and ultimately gain independence in life. Obviously this leaves 4 more children here in Ecuador with us, specifically two biological and two adopted children, who are currently with us at AAI in grades 12,9, 8 and 7.

My role as Director of Spiritual Life here at Alliance Academy International is providing multiple avenues for ministry as God provides frequent disciple-making opportunities. The exciting part is that many of these are with bi-lingual nationals or through bi-lingual expatriates who have direct influence into the lives of nationals here! The Lord has clearly displayed His presence and power for multiplying the gospel through making disciples, and the immediate chance to have impact here despite the language barrier is a very significant part of this display.

Christ has continued to increase my desire, as part of the leadership team here, to invest more fully during the weekdays into this work here in the city. Our school CSO groups, which have adult leaders and High school students working together, meet on each Wednesday until around 6 PM. Their areas of ministry are numerous and widespread in scope (hospitals, street kids, English tutoring, orphanage work, etc.) By God’s amazing design, the ultimate shape and direction of these ministries at Alliance Academy International are a part of my responsibilities here. Also, our Counseling and Chaplaincy programs are extensive ministry areas at Alliance. The Chaplaincy program is one of the most exciting opportunities to engage a diverse student body with the gospel truth that I have ever seen. The Counseling team touches dozens of struggling parent and student relationships and issues with care and gospel influence on a weekly basis, not to mention the opportunity for upcoming Gospel based seminars and leader training. Our Lord has been so gracious to provide many “pastoral care moments” with staff members here that have only really been addressed during my time on campus, unless I stay in Quito well past our normal commute time.

As a Health and Guided Resource Class (for ESL students) teacher here, Vickie has opportunities daily to provide spiritual leadership and mentoring to students and adults. Several additional avenues for gospel influence have been presented to her because of her experience level in coaching, and the Lord has clearly given her a desire to invest in those ways more in the days ahead.

God has also given me personal opportunity to work with CAF (Centro de Apoyo Familiar), which is a small group of national pastors and wives from ministries across Quito and beyond. This group volunteers their time to help minister to families here at the school. This seems to be an incredible chance to grow a disciple-making network here in country, and to possibly even aid the DMP summer disciple-making camp process through developing all these relationships!

Finally, as we have prayed together, God has also shown us that the current logistical makeup of our 9 children’s life stages points to a need for a place for some of them (or all of them) to stay with us and/or work alongside us here in Ecuador periodically. With both Vickie and I working at Alliance Academy, our schedule and location in Conocoto has presented a variety of interesting issues for our family, including safety, space, adequate rest, family discipleship time, and meal prep and study times.

As a result, we believe that God has graciously led us to be able to relocate our family into rented space in the lower floor of a house about 10 blocks up the mountain from the school campus in order to pursue what we see as the maximum disciple-making opportunities at this time. So as God has given us clarity, we have decided to step away from the Camp Development roles with Disciple-Making Partners in order to invest ourselves fully into the disciple making opportunities that He has given right in front of us here in Quito at Alliance Academy International.

Now this location change for our family to focus on disciple-making here does not diminish our desire to see the DMP Camp ministry out in Conocoto grow and prosper in disciple making! In fact, we obviously want to maintain gospel centered relational and spiritual connections with our co-laborers Bob and Ann Coe who will remain there at the camp in the Los Chillos Valle. We plan to pray for them and their family consistently, to contribute relationally and financially, and to support the entire camp work there toward all gospel purposes. We thank God for the opportunity to be in the initial development roles of the ministry there, and look forward to partnering with DMP in multiple ways in the days ahead.

So continue praying for us as we continually discover the plans of God for using our lives for His glory in this spot at this time!

        

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

        

(Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

Lessons Learned

Last Saturday, the Coe family and the Nichols family decided to host a small gringo style “cookout” for our friends down the hill in the Davis Foundation just to say “ thank you” for their help to us in a variety of ways. We also invited a few people from Alliance Academy in Quito that have expressed interest in ministry alongside the camp and orphanage here in the valley.

Now, North Americans frequently like to cookout in the early evening. You know, a nice Saturday afternoon, some good conversations, and time to just be together. We strategically invited some bi-lingual folks to help us with the conversations. So on Friday night our two families shopped for food, and carried the multiple bags back to our little enclave in the mountainside. I think we estimated 32 people total would be in attendance. Our flat concrete roof is a great spot to host a crowd like this.

Well, our kind brothers and sisters did not tell us when they accepted the invitation, because they are so gracious as to not offend us in any way, that during these months there is a really high probability of a rainstorm after about 2 PM each day. Not that we had not experienced it before, but I think we just failed to connect the dots that it may happen on a daily basis for several days in a row.

The morning started out beautifully, and Vickie and I walked into town and bought enough strawberries for dessert to feed an army for about 2 $ from the local market. As the day progressed we accomplished some tasks and then Bob Coe fired up the grill around 4:15 PM. Yep- you guessed it. Around 5:00 PM, or right around our projected arrival time for the meal, we received what we call in the southern US as a “frog-strangler” rainstorm. Let’s put it this way. I don’t know if it is something to do with the equator or the altitude but it was raining buckets, sideways buckets.

See our photos of both food prep and wall-to-wall guests in our house. Around 30 very wet Americans and Ecuadorians all under one roof. All, despite the storm, had a good time. Now, clean up was a different story as we continued to mop muddy floors until 11PM. Thankful to be exhausted from serving our friends here.

Blessings!

 

         “… the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 Matthew 20:28

        

The Gospel and Staff Retreat

Thank you.

Thank you for praying, because this weekend our entire school staff met together in downtown Quito including teachers, maintenance staff, guards, board members, student teachers and all their spouses. It was a beautiful thing to see North Americans, Ecuadorians, Koreans, Columbians, Brazilians, Argentineans, Palestinians, Canadians, and third-culture kids (people who grew up on the mission field that really stutter for a moment when you ask, “where are you from?”), and they all were gathered in one dining room.

My friend Ricky, an Ecuadorian intern from the chaplaincy office, worked hard last week with gathering prayer requests from members of the leadership team, as we planned together about sessions for the retreat time. God led us to plan a worship gathering, which would include nothing but God-glorifying music, prayer (biblical, gospel believing, written prayers, in English and in Spanish) and the reading of Bible verses that bring out truth from the storehouse of all truth.

Saturday night was incredibly encouraging. People praying for one another in English and Spanish, a sort of “unplugged” worship music set with only acoustic guitars, a saxophone, and a Cajon’, and lots of people obviously enjoying the worship of God through prayer and word.

Sunday morning, we cranked it up a bit more adding some wind instruments, a few more strings, and a full drum set this time, and it was glorious to see everyone singing out and praising God, from multi-denominational backgrounds, multiple age groups, cross cultural married couples, all in one room.

Then, God allowed an opportunity for us all to look together into an incredible passage in Hebrews 12:28 through 13:21 as we talked about “Risk, Challenge, and the Ultimate Goal.”

I was so encouraged to hear from so many people today about how this passage spoke individually to people’s hearts all across the room on Sunday morning in a variety of ways. His word is good…and He is faithful to answer our pleading for Him to glorify Himself through His word.

May we all have grace for receiving a “kingdom that cannot be shaken…”

Blessings,

Chris and Vickie

Something to chew on...

Every once in a while (but not very often), I have to sort of remind myself that I am in a very different place than Birmingham. Now, pictured at left is one of those “snap you back to reality” moments, where you look outside your house on a Sunday afternoon, and realize this fact fresh and new. See my two llama (pronounced yah’-mah) friends here as they enjoy some of the local produce of our camp area. I actually have two blankets on my bed made from some of the furry wool you see on their back (okay- maybe another llama’s furry back- but my two blankets are made of llama wool).

 

Here’s a picture (see right) of our newer walking route to the bus stop since we moved up the mountain. This little 3 foot wide concrete structure goes over a nice little gorge about 60 or 70 feet deep, but only about 25 feet wide, so you really can’t see the bottom.

On a more serious, and important note, here are some specific ways you can pray for us. It is so vital to the mission of Christ in us that you continue this, for much is accomplished through your devotion in asking God for favor and strength for us in these ways:

1)      Pray for our school staff retreat this weekend here in Quito. I will have the opportunity to teach on Sunday morning, and to lead in various other sessions as well, so please ask the Lord to use this time powerfully for His glory and our good, and to sustain me and conform me to His character.

2)    Pray for God to draw students from all over the world that are in school here to salvation in Christ. Pray for opportunities for the Word to reach their ears and hearts.

3)    Pray especially for our family as we wrestle with the complexity of having children spread on three continents, and all that goes with this arrangement.

4)    Pray for wisdom and healing for my Dad back in the US, as his staff infection from a hip surgery last year has returned suddenly. My Mom needs sustaining grace in this time as well.

5)    Pray for us to continually learn Spanish, to love the people here as Christ does, and to be wise in all things related to the gospel camp area here. 

C   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
    "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Classes, Crutches, Caliphones, and the Gospel

Thursday was day one. It was “opening day” for students at Alliance Academy here in Quito. We bounced and rocked our way (with our kids in a van with us) out of our little town square, and then on to the Autopista to head up the mountain toward the toll-booth, while the engine strained like a mixer in a bowl. Then we turn and climb for the next 25 minutes along a fast road called Simon Bolivar, where the hairpin turns make your weight shift from one side of the van to the other in a “not-so-smooth” motion. Now this road, that winds back and forth along the ridge that leads into Quito, is sort of like a Six Flags ride. As Ann Coe put it, “Can we get a bar to pull down over our shoulders to hold on to? ” If you know which direction to look, you can see 5 different snow- covered volcanoes on the way between the clouds in the valley below and the wispy white clouds above. (Birmingham is a beautiful place, but you won’t exactly see this type of scenery on the way down Highway 119 in the morning.)

The last few days have been interesting regarding mobility. Kyndal fractured a bone in her ankle and tore some ligaments about 3 weeks ago, and it took about 7 days to discover this bone issue. Once the swelling went down some and the pain persisted, we had a bilingual helper go with us to a hospital in Quito. Yep- she got a cast from toes to mid-calf. Crutches are obviously needed. I plan on shooting a video of the walk from our newer place to the bus stop here so you can get a feel for the terrain she has had to negotiate on two aluminum sticks. Let’s put it this way. I enjoyed a whole other level of cardio workout for a couple of days where I gave her piggyback rides for some of the rougher parts of the trip.

I may have mentioned the water heater issue at our new spot up the mountain. After a half-day repair process, we got it working to the point that you could manually “light the rocket” and get some hot water. After several days of this practice we decided to spring for a new one. These little machines are called “caliphones”, and after a half-day venture to the local “home-depot” type store, we had our friend Ephraim help install it. Beautiful.  Now only one problem now. It runs about 1 minute and then, surprise! Out comes the chilly mountain water. After about 3 days of experimentation, it was time to take further action. My friends at Alliance helped us get a technician on the phone. The next day I timed my departure from school to get to Conocoto to meet the tech. He calls while I am on the bus and I manage to understand that he is at the gate and I tell him 10 minutes. At bridge 6, I hit the ground running and make it to the gate. No tech. Then 2 phone calls later I realize he is at the “other” gate - the one about ¼ mile down the mountain. So down the hill I go to find him. Wow. He’s at the bottom of the hill all right. No truck, no taxi. It’s just him and a backpack with a few tools in it. Are you kidding me? Okay, we then both trek back up the mountain. Summary- high temp switch is broken (on a brand new machine), it will be Saturday to replace it, but thankfully he fixes it temporarily so we get a treat of automatic hot water for the first time since we have been in this house!

But the Gospel is beyond this, more important than this, and it will outlast all of this. And when I stood in the school on Thursday morning and watched 600 faces of the next generation along with their parents, from all over the world, walk in and begin a year of Gospel influence, it renews in my heart the reason why we are here.

Pray for a Biblical Gospel to be shared here. Pray for a glorious Gospel to be shown. Pray for a righteous Gospel to be taught daily. Pray for eternal responses as we serve the world.

So thankful for all of you!

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

On A Clear Day...

Someone, maybe one of my sweet daughters, snapped this picture back in late June as we were exploring a cultural route before any mission teams arrived here.

I have it here because a) it points to the glory of our God, and b) I thought it is a good photo to accompany the following scripture passage.

My first day serving with the leadership team at Alliance Academy was Monday. God graciously allowed me to have the chance to lead a devotional time there. This meant walking out of the metal gate below my casa at 6:30 AM onto the dusty road, already showered, shaved, dressed, fed, and prayed up for the day. Clear and chilly air that makes your breath come out in a brief cloud in August- amazing. There are always lots of paths to choose from when you have the chance to lead, but why talk about anything else other than what is below?

Psalm 145:1-21

I will extol you, my God and King,

and bless your name forever and ever.

            ²      Every day I will bless you

and praise your name forever and ever.

            ³      Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,

and his greatness is unsearchable.

            ⁴      One generation shall commend your works to another,

and shall declare your mighty acts.

            ⁵      On the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

            ⁶      They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,

and I will declare your greatness.

            ⁷      They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness

and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

            ⁸      The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

            ⁹      The Lord is good to all,

and his mercy is over all that he has made.

            ¹⁰      All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,

and all your saints shall bless you!

            ¹¹      They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom

and tell of your power,

            ¹²      to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds,

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

            ¹³      Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

                  [The Lord is faithful in all his words

and kind in all his works.]

            ¹⁴      The Lord upholds all who are falling

and raises up all who are bowed down.

            ¹⁵      The eyes of all look to you,

and you give them their food in due season.

            ¹⁶      You open your hand;

you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

            ¹⁷      The Lord is righteous in all his ways

and kind in all his works.

            ¹⁸      The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

            ¹⁹      He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;

he also hears their cry and saves them.

            ²⁰      The Lord preserves all who love him,

but all the wicked he will destroy.

            ²¹      My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Here are my thoughts on vv 14-21:

·      Watch for the merciful character of our King.

o   He meets needs of humanity regardless of their response to Him.

o   He hears the plea of humanity when they call to Him in truth.

·      Watch for the eternal justice of our God.

o   We must continually consider the devotion of our own lives…

o   We must continually consider the outcome of the lives around us.

·      Let our lives continually speak His praise.

Blessings!

Chris and Vickie and family