Five Years with Passports

It almost snuck up on me…

Passports for minors expire after five years.

It is hard to believe that almost five years have passed since we acknowledged the call to leave our home and go wherever the Lord might lead.

I remember the feeling in my gut as we sent off the applications- a tangible expression of our submission.

And now begins the process of applications, copies and appointments to renew our children’s passports by October.

Thankfully, it can be done here in Ecuador at the U.S. Consulate in Guayaquil.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support these past five years.  It is a blessing to serve with you in the body of Christ.

We are excited about what God has in store for the next five!

Blessings,
The Studebaker Family
*Perhaps now is a good time for you to check on getting or renewing a passport?

A Month (or so) in Review

March and part of April: connections are bring made and relationships are being built.

• a meeting with missionaries from Finland on how to work together to meet the needs of indigenous missionaries in the jungle,
• had two youth ministry nights in Misahualli,
• had an initial needs assessment (water) in a Napo village,
• met with Pastor Ramiro to plan the next stage in the aquaponics ministry in his (Bella Vista) village,
• made the initial payment for the benches and table for the community outreach center and began painting.
• continued twice weekly Bible studies in our home
• completed installing the lights in the ministry center and
• the wall creating a storage area is also finished.
• we were honored to be witnesses at William’s wedding,
• and have been invited to dinners as well as hosting coffee meetings with the locals.

• Elijah had a short stint in the local hospital with a blocked bowel (no worries, he is completely better!) He has started karate classes in order to have some language practice, socialization and an energy outlet.  He loves it and for $15 a month we are happy too!
• The girls are transitioning more slowly. School is still going well.  Until the ministry center is complete and classes begin here in Paute, they have little opportunity to meet with other teens in our new town. So they are really enjoying our trips back to the jungle, our friends, and the ministries there!
• We were invited to spend Dia Fanesca (Good Friday) with a local family.  We picked apples in the orchard down the road  (A gift from their neighbors) and ate fresh humitas with coffee. Since all women need to know how to make humitas (this is obvious, right?) we are invited to return in May.  This is when the corn is at its best. The Grandmother and Mother will teach myself and the girls. We are so blessed.  

• our steps are ordered by God,
• that we hear and obey,
• that our families back in the States are comforted
• that the seeds planted will be watered, grow, and bear much fruit
• that we will be encouraged and strengthened
• and for his mercy and protection for our family.

People have to eat.

As we have worked with indigenous missionary pastors, we  have been blessed to gain precious friendships. As we meet to pray with each other, we catch glimpses into their struggles.

Planting churches hours deeper into the jungle than where we live, it is hard to get Pastors. When they do get one, they don’t usually last long.  In addition to the culture change, hostile climate and primitive living conditions their sending churches want them to be growing and self sustaining.

And that my friends, is like trying to squeeze water from a rock.

These villages are far apart.  Often, the rains come in the night before the service and the river swells so canoe travel isn’t possible. Attendance is sporadic.

When the congregation tithes it is often in the form of yucca, bananas, and fruit.  A pastor and his family cannot pay bills with these, and they can only eat so much of it.  You can’t really add these tithes up in a dollar amount  to report to the office.

So the sending church begins to cut funding or removes it altogether and redirects the money somewhere that can meet the criteria.  Sometimes the Pastors stay in the jungle.  Sometimes they don’t.

And for the church planter this is heartbreaking.

Is this an area in which we can minister?

Yes, but not by riding in and “saving the day” by writing a check that serves as a band-aid. There is a time and place for emergency assistance, but this isn’t it.

We need a long term solution that functions independently of foreign missions.

We have researched permaculture, hydroponics and aquaponics.  Eric even has his own Pinterest account just to keep all the information organized. We have talked about it for years.  Now, it begins!

The goal is to give the people here the ability to have a self supporting church, by assisting Pastors and churches in developing aquaculture based system that provides food for the Pastor and his family, as well as the orphans and widows in the church.

There is still much to do, but we are so thankful for the opportunity to support the indigenous pastors in their work for the Lord.

We ask that you pray for this ministry: So All May Be Fed.