Wow! What an amazing week we've had! It would be virtually impossible to communicate all that God has done in and through us this week but I would like to list some of the highlights and some of my impressions (in no particular order).

1. Connecting with about 450 bright eyed children during three different VBS's, and being able to see the genuine joy that we were bringing to them as we shared the love of Jesus with them and taught them about how important they are to God. Almost every child left with a photograph of themself with a neat frame and a sentence below their picture that says Jesus Me Ama (Jesus loves me). Most also received a bible or a portion of the New Testament as well.

2. Doing prayer walks in two different communities and being led to several different people whom we were able to share the good news with in a comprehensive and relvent way and then praying with six of them to receive Christ as their Savior.

3. Doing sports evangelism in La Comuna, the neighborhood near San Pablo Iglesia where we've been ministering most of the week in conjunction with Thomas and Shirley Brinkley who've founded and are directing a ministry called Nuevos Amigos. We played futbol (soccer) with the team from San Pablo, but even the kids made us look ridiculous as they dribbled the ball between our legs etc... We had the chance to share a brief gospel message with those kids and then to give them some toys as Christmas presents since most probably did not receive much if anything this Christmas.

4. Going out on a Chiva (an open air bus with a flat roof with railing) complete with an indigenous Ecuadorian band i.e. drums trumpet, saxaphone, trombone, playing loud Ecuadorian music as we drove all over the city on New Years Eve waving at people and blowing our whistles. People on the streets started dancing when they saw us coming and waved and smiled back at us.

5. Being able to pray for Thomas and Shirley in the church where they are ministering and feeling that we were really able to bring blessing and support to their lives.

6. Taking a taxi last night to find an open "Cabina" so we could call Terrie before her surgery this morning.

7. Smelling the aroma of the fresh baked wafting out the bakery where we bought bread to give to the community where we ministered today and then getting to eat some of it piping hot right out of the oven.

8. Last but definitely not least sensing God's presence in my life and the infilling of His spirit daily as I stepped out of my comfort zone again and again and saw Him work in and through me and take my meager offerings and use them for the blessing of others and for His glory.

Kenny Shoemaker