The Bread of Life | August 2023

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger,

and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

- John 6:35 -

In Ecuador, bread is a central part of life - it is eaten for breakfast and dinner. On Sundays and Wednesdays, we have a time for coffee and bread (“pan”) after church. After the evening Bible studies, pan and coffee are a typical refreshment. There are bread stores, or, “panaderías” all over town. Just about every neighborhood has at least one panadería, and the aroma of fresh “pancitos” wafting through the air…well, you just have to come and experience it for yourself. You could say that in Ecuador, pan is life. Just as Ecuadorians desire physical bread, they have a great need for Jesus as the Bread of Life. We are thankful for those we have found Jesus to fill the hunger of their souls, but there is much work to do! May the Ecuadorian people see their need for Jesus!

At the beginning of the month, we enjoyed about a week with Jeff’s sister and her family. We don’t often have family visiting, so that was a very special time for us. Simon really enjoyed playing with his cousins, and it was fun to see them together. Some of them even went with Jeff to Saturday night soccer. We are thankful for such a great time together. After they left, Simon started kindergarten! We are having a lot of fun learning and growing together. I think we are all happy to have somewhat of a regular routine again.

In regard to the ministry here, we are continuing with all of our normal ministries. We are thankful for God’s help - for the growth we see in those around us, and the growth God is doing in us. Thank you to those who prayed for Lisa as she taught the ladies last month. God gave her a lot of clarity as she taught through Hebrews 8. On September 16th she will be teaching through Hebrews 9-10. She really enjoys teaching, but it is a lot of work.

We do ask for your prayers regarding our Bible study with Lucía. Due to her and her neighbor’s work schedules, it has been hard to consistently meet with them. Please pray that we will be able to meet with more consistency. We planned to meet with her this past week, but it fell through at the last minute. Jeff continues with the weekly Bible studies, Saturday soccer, and occasionally teaching in the Bible Institute.

Thank you to those who prayed for Ecuador’s primary election on August 20th. We are thankful that it will go to a final election, rather than one candidate winning during the primary. The final election will be on October 15th.

This month will be a little more regular for us. Last month the Woodfins started a youth ministry, and we occasionally help with that. We don’t know the spiritual condition of many of the teens, so we are thankful for a dedicated time to invest in them. Lisa has been so encouraged during her weekly meetings with Naomy. They recently studied the topic of victory in Christ, and Naomy specifically mentioned things God is teaching her and how God is working in her heart. She is only 11, but the work that God is doing in her is amazing!

At the end of October, the Ecuador field is hosting a joint field conference for all of the BMW missionaries in Latin America. Members of the BMW office staff and board of directors will also be joining us. We will have the conference on the coast, and then some of the attendees will come to Riobamba to see a little of the ministry here. With people coming in from multiple countries, there are a lot of pieces that need to come together. Please pray for the final details of this conference as the time approaches.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for us and the ministry in Ecuador!

In His service and yours,

The Mayfield Family

The Double Scoop

Simon is enjoying school and loves learning. He has been playing regularly with our neighbor boy, Kayil, who is about a year older. It has been really helpful for his Spanish and his social interaction in Spanish. Titus likes to hang around and “color” along with Simon. He loves to eat pan, and people at church call him a “panero,” a breadmaker or someone whose life revolves around bread.