Unshaken - February 2021

"I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.”

~ Psalm 16:7-9 ~

It is hard to believe that we landed in Ecuador just over a week ago. Our new life here is filled with unfamiliarity and uncertainty. While external living holds much change, internal living should remain the same. God continues to give us counsel through His Word. His encouraging promises hold the same instruction on how to live, whether in the United States, or Ecuador. As we saturate ourselves with God’s sufficient Word, it continues to instruct us, even on the hardest days and darkest nights. His counsel through His Word enables us to abide in Him and always set our gaze upon Him. Continual meditation on His good and precious promises fortify us so that we will not be shaken. The Psalmist expresses great confidence and security in the Lord’s ability to preserve and sustain him. May He be our confidence, our security, and our source of rejoicing!

Prior to our departure to Ecuador, we enjoyed a few weeks in Greenville, SC with our church family. Our hearts were encouraged by the fellowship of our dear friends. They blessed us with a wonderful commissioning service, and we appreciate their faithfulness to “hold our ropes.” When we left Greenville, a special group of friends came to say goodbye. This was a treasured blessing that touched our hearts deeply.

Thank you so much for praying for our trip. God’s help was evident, and we saw His kindness in every step - from waived baggage fees to helping Simon sleep during the flight. We received all of our luggage, and nothing was stolen or damaged - praise God! We truly felt as though we were buoyed on the prayers of God’s people. Our trip was seamless in almost every facet.

As we settle into Ecuadorian life, we continue to see God’s hand guiding our steps. Last Monday, we casually started looking for housing. We were not expecting to find something right away, but God has already provided an apartment for us! It will take us several weeks to move in, but we are thankful that God has provided a home for us. It perfectly suits our needs, and it even has hot water! We are already praying for our neighbors - one family and two single ladies. We have not met them, but we are praying that God will help us to build redemptive relationships with them, along with our dueña (landlady and her family). Please pray with us!

We are focusing on several tasks this next month. The most challenging task is our Ecuadorian visa application. This week, Jeff will travel to the capital city of Quito to submit some initial paperwork to our attorney. We are still waiting for one set of federally certified documents to be sent from Washington DC. Please pray for the arrival of these documents. Later this month, we will be involved in a special missions service at a church near Quito. This church is the sending church of Marco Cruz, our national coworker; he is the first and only missionary sent from this church. We are thankful for the opportunity to teach about missions and the church’s responsibility to make disciples of every nation.

Thank you so much for your prayers for our family!

In His Service and Yours,

Jeff, Lisa, & Simon Mayfield

Simon Says:

I am enjoying my life in Ecuador. I’ve met several friends at church, and I love playing with them! I have a lot of Spanish to learn, but I know my friends will help me. I’ve already ventured to the local park and have played soccer in the cancha. It is a lot of fun to live with Abuela and Abuelo Mayfield! I like to watch Abuelo play the guitar in church.