"You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."
~ Timothy 2:1-2 ~
When we came to Ecuador, we came alongside the church plant of Iglesia Cristiana Gracia y Paz. We’ve been involved in evangelistic Bible studies, but other facets of our ministry include discipling new believers and training leaders. As church-planters, our goal is to turn over the church to the nationals, and move on to plant a new church. Bible knowledge is indispensable in church leaders, so we strive to train them so that they can continue teaching others. We have been so encouraged with Rolando, who is one of our deacons. He has demonstrated faithfulness, humility and teachability, and a burden to reach the lost with the gospel. We pray that the Lord will develop Rolando, and others, into godly leaders for His glory!
The church leadership has decided to emphasize family this year, emphasizing that Christ should be the pillar of a Christian family. As we have been developing this and teaching on this, we have seen that many families in our church are struggling. Please pray for wisdom for us and our team here as we seek to provide Biblical solutions for these struggles. As we continually see the sufficiency of Scripture in all things, we are reminded that change and help do not depend on us, our words, or our experiences, but on the living and abiding Word of God.
Last month we started meeting with Rolando and Hilda on Friday nights. They are still baby Christians, but they have a great desire to grow and are making strides to apply what they are learning. Last week, Rolando's brother Dayán and his girlfriend Paulina also came to the study. We were able to explain that conflicts come as a result of sin and give a clear gospel presentation. It was so encouraging to see Rolando and Hilda sharing how God has changed their lives. Praise the Lord, Paulina made a profession of faith! Please pray for Dayán; he has heard the gospel many times, but he has been closed to it. Please pray that the Lord will use these meetings to soften his heart.
The next few weeks hold a lot of exciting events. On March 17th, we will hold another baptism. There are 7 believers who have expressed interest in taking this step of obedience. Please pray that they will follow through with their commitment. We’re planning to hold that baptism on the jungle side of Ecuador in the town of Shell. This is the same town where Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and the other 3 missionary martyrs lived. How special to hold such an important event in a town that holds so much significance.
We are also in the process of planning for the events of Holy Week. We will have a service on Good Friday, and another special service for Resurrection Day. With all these things, we know that Satan does not want these good things to take place. Please pray with us that God would protect us and help us to be vigilant against the devil’s attacks.
As we plan for these events, we carry on with our regular ministries. Jeff continues with the weekly Bible studies (Tues, Thurs, Fri), Saturday Bible Institute, and preaching and teaching on Sundays and Wednesdays. Lisa continues her study with 3 teen girls every other Saturday, facilitating the women’s ministry, and teaching the ladies. We are so thankful for how God is allowing us to use our gifts. We are learning so much and God is using these things to shape us more into the image of His Son. God has been reminding us that we are not sufficient to do these things in our own strength, but in His.
Thank you for your faithful part in the ministry in Ecuador!
In His service and yours,
The Mayfield Family
The Double Scoop:
The boys continue growing and developing; they enjoy playing in a small patch of woods near our house. We call it the “pretend zoo” because Simon imagines that it is filled with animals. Recently, Simon has been praying “Please help Titus and me to trust in you as our personal Savior.” We are thankful for God’s working in his life, and we pray that he will soon come to place his faith in Jesus for salvation.
Praise and Prayer:
1. Praise: Growth in Rolando and Hilda
2. Praise: Salvation of Paulina
3. Pray: Godly leaders in the church
4. Pray: Wisdom in family counseling/discipleship
5. Pray: Salvation of Dayán
6. Pray: Baptisms on March 17th; Easter services
Our current furlough schedule can be found HERE.
