2013 Ecuador Mission Report #1: Sunday, June 30 at 3:30 P.M. from Gentry, AR
Dear Family and Friends:
We had planned to be on our way today to Nashville to be with David and family before flying Wednesday at 1 P.M. to Ecuador with our twin grandchildren, Jonathan and Katie. That plan changed yesterday after church and a stop at the Post Office in Gentry. We had attended the Siloam Springs SDA Church where I presented a mission program on Mizoram, 2012 for Sabbath School and then another PowerPoint program for the church service on “Nepal, Satan’s Seat.”
At the P.O. we had notice of mail that needed to be picked up at the desk. We were expecting the T-shirts from Quiet Hour that we are all to wear for ID at the airport and for pickup in Guayaquil, Ecuador on our way to the Mission Project at Anconcito. Since the P.O. would not be open again until Monday at 9 A.M. we had to defer until then for our trip to Nashville.
As it turns out, QH didn’t send the T-shirts yet and will send them overnight to David’s house in time for us to include them into our luggage. It turns out to be a blessing because we needed the relaxed day (Today) to pack more leisurely and care for some more things before being gone another two weeks. There is always a hidden blessing when our plans are changed by something we could not manage.
It gives one more day to recuperate after the hard work in 105-degree heat here in Gentry as I mowed the whole area and did a lot of weed-eating that made it look much better outside our place. Mary Alice did some raking also and we were able to burn the dead grass and downed tree branches.
Also during the few days we had at home between Peru and Ecuador I managed to put together a Shutterfly Photo book on our Peru Mission Trip and take advantage of their 50% off sale with free shipping and handling. So now Austin and I will have a pictorial record of that memorable time together in serving the Lord. You can see it if you wish when you visit either of us. The books are probably what await us at the Post Office tomorrow.
We see lots of work yet to be done at our house and grounds when we get a break in schedule again. The plans are for us to join Messiah’s Mansion again when back from Ecuador to be Tour Guides for three exhibits—one in Oklahoma and two in Canada taking us toward the end of September. Most of the year will be involved in Mission outreach of one kind or another.
One special blessing that came from the work with Messiah’s Mansion (Sanctuary Exhibit) is getting to meet Hans Woelk in Yakima, Washington. He was on one of my tours. I learned that he has a special talent for whistling familiar hymns and has been on Safe TV with Carlos Pardeiro on Purely Music. I sent greetings from him to Carlos and received two Purely Music DVDs with Hans whistling and telling his story. We watched and enjoyed them just yesterday as part of our Sabbath special time. You see, our circle of friends grows year by year when we are serving the Lord in various ways.
In checking email this morning I read a special feature on line that paints a bleak picture ahead for the U.S. dollar. Indications are that it will soon cease being the reserve currency for the world’s business. Printing trillions of dollars in money to try to cover our enormous national debt will eventually bring down the dollar in the eyes of the world. That will bring chaos and seems to fit into the Revelation 13 scenario precisely. I reject the suggested solutions of turning dollars into gold, silver, foreign currency etc. in order to protect our future. It only affirms that the best way to secure our future is to put our finances into the Lord’s treasury. He never defaults. We are so glad that we have done that over the years and have very little to lose. We will have no gold or silver to cast out to the bats and moles (Is 2:20) just before the Lord comes. We can trust our Lord to care for us in the times of distress ahead.
With love,
Glenn and Mary Alice (Grandpa and Grandma)