New Year Update

New Years Day, 2006. 7am.  The day promises to be very hot as we travel to Yacuambi, a 2-hour drive. The ferns, sugarcane and orchids adorn the muddy roadside still wet from overnight rain. Our car is full with people to help in this New Years Day Celebration.  Once there we set up the venue – the Council Coliseum (the venue an unknown before arriving as we have been denied permission to use other buildings).  11am.  After a late start, we begin with the service; songs of praise, testimonies and a drama, all led by the Saraguro believers. There is a sermon by Mark Pavelka, and Angel Guam·n leads communion. Lunch is then served to all – soup, a bun and juice. 2.30pm.  Now we stage an Evangelistic programme. Again, there are testimonies, a Saraguro dance, a drama, and a message from Manuel Guam·n, this time in Spanish, but sometimes he preaches in Quechua, the Indigenous language. People watch with interest, and many stand in the doorway too afraid to enter, but they are hearing the Word of God. Why are they afraid? Because they have been told Evangelicals are of the devil and will deceive you. 7pm.  Back home – hot, tired and hungry, we put our feet up, relax with fellow workers, revert to our native English tongue and give God the praise. This was our New Year’s Day. Is there any better way to spend it?

 

< Prev		Next >