Christmas in the Amazon

Deanna and I took a team of 10 people down the Aquarico River in the Amazon Jungle. We visited around 2,000 people and gave away over 800 Christmas gifts. We shared the Jesus Film in the evening and encouraged the churches. We want to thank First A/G of Monticello, Arkansas, Calvary Assembly, Winter Park, Florida, Arkansas AIM team, and many supporters for helping us being able to give clothes, shoes, candy, and toys this Christmas.

Condado Church Ministry Fair

We had several hundred people attend our ministry fair. Each ministry chose a country to represent such as Spain, Thailand, and even our college group chose Neverland (not that I can explain that), but it was a great day in the Lord. We were blessed to have Alternativa with us from Uruguay. We have never been associated with so many people willing to serve. We are blessed to apart of their lives.

Monticello, Arkansas Construction Campgrounds October

Testimony

Bringing God and people together is why He sent us and you support us. In June and July, several youth groups from the U.S. served on the Pacific coast of Ecuador. One night, I talked to young woman who could have been beautiful but the light in her eyes had faded, her lips were curved downward. She cast her eyes to the floor when I began talking to her about the love of God . . . .

Nervously, she danced from one foot to the other. She’d glanced over at smiling young woman. Her friend encouraged her to listen. I could sense her desperation as her friend explained to me her situation as hopeless. Music from the band broke into our conversation.

The girls sat three rows from the front on the left side. That night, the Spirit flowed through the worship, dramas, and preaching. At the altar call, the young woman came forward. I wasn’t sure if her friend had hauled her to the front or not. A young woman from the states began praying in English for her. It is moments like this that one understands the grace of God when two different cultures and languages come together at an altar that His grace is sufficient.

At the back door, I stopped the young woman and talked with her for a brief moment about what she could expect from Jesus if she would only trust him. She only nodded. Her friend gave me a big smile as if all was well. I thanked the Lord for a good church and caring Christians since the team and I were moving onto minister in other churches, schools, and parks.

In October, Deanna and I returned with a team from First Assembly, Monticello, Arkansas. We were early. The five o’ clock service was closing, so we waited by the front door as people milled around waiting for the next service. Through all the noise, I heard someone call my name. I turned toward it. A large smile greeted me. Bright green eyes sparkled with life. I struggled to recall her name. Her hand grabbed my wrist, and she pulled me toward her and whispered, “I am so glad to see you and another group here. Jesus has been so good to me and I want him to bless others through the minister of your group as he blessed me last summer.”

I thanked her for her kind words, and then I expressed a prayer of gratitude for the call of God and the great Christian people from home who allow us to be His hand extended.

Evangelism on the Coast in May

Ministry in the Jungle

A little boy at the clinic and a sunset in the Amazon.

Riding down river, and Deanna and me at Cuyabeno.

People waiting for medicine.

I am with a Cofan pastor. He drives the boat.

Some children rowing down river in a rainstorm.

Sleeping Quarters. Those are mosquito nets.

We are back and things are wild.

We are back in Ecuador, and things have gotten interesting. First, a volcano was erupting south of us. Then, the coastal area was flooding as well as south Quito. Finally, the tension between Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.

Now to some great news: With the help of an construction team from Calvary Assembly, pastored by George Cope, Orlando, FL we were able to get the roof on the church at Condado. We also a big debt of gratitude to the Arkansas District Council, and First Assembly of God, pastored by Rusty Blann, West Memphis, Arkansas for their help on the project.

Next project is to put up some walls. Last Sunday, we had 183 people and it was very cold, so pray we can get some walls up.

Meet our Grandsons

Meet our grandsons, Blake (left) and Austin to the right. They are the only two reasons that makes leaving difficult. Yes, we are excited about returning and starting back to work, but every day, we pray and think about them.

Deanna and I are closing down our iteration and preparing to return to Ecuador at the end of February. I counted the time we were here raising funds. It was only a eleven months, and two of those were December 06-07, which is a difficult month to schedule services. We spent three months in Ecuador last summer. So, we praise the Lord for helping us return and continue on with the work.

First, we are $400 short on monthly pledges, but we trust the Lord that this will come in.

Second, we need this support to continue working with the Air Force. Most of this has been designated for Jungle Ministry.

Third, I have been through a difficult time with a major dental problem. It appears that when I had some type of virus that it also moved into the front part of my mouth. I wore a bridge, and so I have to make some major decisions about which way to go: Implants or something else. But another problem, I have had is that all my fillings were replaced and I have been in pain with two of them since the end of October. Philip Barber