"But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."
~ Acts 20:24 ~
Since we started on our journey to Ecuador in 2017, Acts 20:24 has been our heart for God’s calling on our lives. A missionary’s calling was a topic of discussion at our field conference last month. Remembering God’s calling can help us to endure faithfully, no matter what challenges we face here. As we reflect on that calling, we rejoice in how God individually gave us the desire to serve in missions, and years later, He clearly directed us to Ecuador as a couple. We praise God for the life and ministry He has given us here. It is our privilege to serve in Ecuador, and we pray that God will help us to faithfully carry out that task He has given us - to testify to the Gospel of the Grace of God.
Where we’ve been
We have had a lot going on these past two months. In April we had the blessing of hosting Joel and Sarah Bourdess and their family. They came down to work on a video project for our mission, and they were able to help us with our furlough video. We really enjoyed having them with us. Following their visit, Jeff’s parents came for two weeks. It was a busy time, but we are thankful for the time we had with them.
The first part of Kevin and Trina’s visit was our team’s field conference. It was good to get away for a weekend of refreshment as a mission team, and we are thankful that BMW prioritizes this time. The theme was “Characteristics of an Effective and Enduring Missionary.” We were challenged and refreshed by the sessions. Unfortunately, our time had to be cut short as we received news that someone had broken into our home. We praise the Lord for keeping us safe. While the robbers took some cash, Jeff’s computer, and our video projector, it could have been so much worse. As we think about our calling, we realize that this is just part of life here. It did not happen outside of God’s plan. This is also why we are here - Ecuador needs the transforming truth of the gospel. As we traveled back to our home, Simon said, “Can we pray for the people who robbed our house?” We are thankful for his sensitive heart.
Following our team’s field conference, Kevin and Trina taught a marriage workshop at the church. This went along with the church’s 2024 theme of Christ as the fundamental pillar in the family. We were encouraged by the number of couples who came. We’ve been able to have some good follow-up conversations with some of them, and we would appreciate your prayers as we continue to follow-up and help the believers grow in what they learned.
In addition to the extra events, ministry continues to keep us busy! Lisa was able to finish the book Hebrews with the church ladies. It has been such a rich study for her, and several of the ladies have mentioned that it was beneficial to them. Jeff went on a men’s retreat with 17 other men. The focus of the retreat was a man’s responsibility in the home. Many of these Biblical truths are new for the men in our church, so it was helpful to have a specific time to focus on reinforcing them.
What we’re up to
With all the good things that have taken place, we have been seeing lots of spiritual attacks as some of our families are going through some hard trials. We ask that you pray for the families of our young church. There are some health issues, marital difficulties, and others are facing financial issues. Please pray for the believers to cling to God’s Word and allow these circumstances to grow their faith. Please pray for our mission team as we walk alongside them through these challenging times.
Over the next month, some of our ministries will be ending as we come to the end of our first term. But there are many things that still need to happen. Lisa will be finishing her girls’ Bible study in two weeks. She is in the process of planning a ladies’ retreat for later in June. The Thursday night study will soon finish the book of Romans, and this semester of Bible Institute will be ending right before we leave. Our coworkers, the Woodfins, are taking a two-month furlough while they are in the States for some family events. This adds a little extra to our plates as we try to wrap up and prepare for our 10-month furlough. Please pray for strength to finish faithfully.
As we prepare for furlough, here are a few specific prayer requests:
Working with the nationals as we prepare them for our absence
Someone to watch our home and our dog while we are away
Packing and planning for our departure
Wisdom in preparing our kids for the upcoming transition
Lisa as she plans out 1st grade for Simon
A vehicle for our travels.
Thank you for your faithful prayers!
In His service and yours,
The Mayfield Family
The Double Scoop:
Simon finished kindergarten at the end of April! We are working on solidifying some of his reading skills before we prepare for school on the road. Titus is growing and loves copying everything big brother does. We are thankful to see how their relationship is growing and how they are enjoying one another.
Praise and Prayer:
1. Praise: Privilege of serving in Ecuador
2. Praise: Time with visitors
3. Praise: Field conference and marriage workshop with Kevin and Trina
4. Pray: Follow-up and growth of believers
5. Pray: Finishing this term well
6. Pray: Furlough preparations
Comments