The way God works

Marcos and Tania are members of our Guayas Mestizo Team. Every week, for over a year, they and their three small children, have made a weekly trek out to Balerio Estacio. Balerio is a vast invasion area on the outskirts of Guayaquil. Their purpose? To plant a new church amongst the thousands of people who live in the community.

Due to the many dangers of the area, one of their frustrations has been having to always leave before dark. By doing so, the men of the community are not yet home from work. In all this time, their only contact has been with the wives and children of the families they have been trying to reach.

Marcos and Tania have been praying that God would somehow allow them to establish relationships with many of the husbands of the women whom they have won to the Lord.

Last Friday, the Lord answered.

Because of the heavy rains, the roads are nearly impassable getting in and out of Balerio Estacio. After a fruitful afternoon of visits, with two more people giving their hearts to the Lord, Marcos and family extended their stay a bit longer than was prudent. By the time they left, it was already dark. Leaving in the dark on the treacherous flooded and muddy roads, the car slid in the mud and ended up hopelessly stuck in a deep rut.

Marcos did everything he could to free the car, but the more he tried, all that he managed to do was spin the wheels deeper into the mud. As the family got out of the car and were standing in the pouring rain and wondering what they would do next, they prayed for help.

Out of nowhere, a group of men came walking up the road. As it turned out they were the very men and husbands of the women they had been visiting over the preceding months. Marcos introduced himself, and the men instantly recognized who he was. They all got into the mud and together freed the car out of the rut.

After getting the car out, Marcos had a good visit with them and told them of his and Tania's desire to plant a church in the community. One thing led to another, and a large, empty house was offered where the meetings could begin with the new believers. The men gave Marcos and Tania their welcome, appreciation, and support for the work they had been doing in the community.

To put it mildly, Marcos and Tania were on "cloud nine" rejoicing in the Lord for answering their prayers in this most unexpected way!

Now they are praying about actually moving in to the offered house and making it double as the space for the new church to begin meeting on a more regular basis. This is a big step of faith for Marcos and Tania, though. Balerio Estacio is a rugged, undeveloped invasion area. It would mean considerable personal sacrifice, and living in extreme poverty to make the move from their current rented facilities in the city, to the undeveloped outskirts of Guayaquil.

Would you join us in prayer for Marcos and Tania that the Lord's will be done in their lives concerning what the Lord would have them do in regards to the new work out in Balerio Estacio?