On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
JOhn 7:37-38
Life has essentially stood still in Ecuador since the first COVID case was brought here from Europe. Since March travel has been restricted, the economy shut down, and freedom of worship ceased. In addition to the government imposed restrictions fear gripped the people. Images of dead bodies piled on the streets of the second largest city and horror stories coming from the socialized healthcare system stoked the fires of fear. In many ways the church was paralyzed by government edict and societal fear. But the Mount of Olives Church in Cangauha faced their fear because their message of salvation was too important to remain hidden away in “jars of clay.”
The Mount of Olives Church decided to visit every family in the six rural communities surrounding their church building during the pandemic. Their goal was simply to share the love, hope, and salvation of Jesus Christ during the COVID crisis. Because of their willingness to act counter culturally and show they care about their neighbors with a visit the church has grown during the COVID lockdown!
On Sunday, October, 25 our family was invited to a baptism service. Early in the morning Tim2 and I (Timothy) drove to the Mount of Olives Church building and gathered with the brethren. We then loaded up into several pickup trucks, two buses, and our family SUV and drove an hour further into the mountains to some thermal springs. We gathered at the banks of the Pissimbilla River and worshiped. Seventeen new believers were baptized as the Church sang Spanish and Quechua hymns to our gracious Lord.
Click on any of the photos below to enlarge them.
The church gathering at the waters of baptism 
Some of the church on the other side of the river 
Pastor Luis and his Deacons preparing through prayer 
Entering the waters 
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’
-John 7:38
Dear sister entering into the waters 
It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
-Revelation 21:6
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
-Isaiah 12:3
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Isaiah 58:11
On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.
-Zechariah 13:1
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:5
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
Psalm 42:1-2
O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water.
Jeremiah 17:13
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
Psalm 23:2
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
-Acts 2:38
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
-Ezekiel 36:25
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
-John 6:35
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
-Hebrews 10:22
And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
-1 Corinthians 10:4
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
-Matthew 5:6
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
-Proverbs 4:23
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
-Amos 5:24
Praying after the baptisms 
Gathering for communion 
Throughout history the roar of the waters of baptism have called to those who are thirsty for salvation. When any of those who thirst come to Jesus and partake of the water he gives them, the Scripture says, they “will never thirst again.”
Friend, if you are reading our missionary update chances are that you have already tasted the “living water” that only Christ Jesus offers and experienced the roar of the waters of baptism. But, if you have not been saved from your sins we encourage you to heed the eternal call:
“Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
Revelation 22:17
With much love,
The Downing Family
What wonderful news to share of how the Lord is adding to the church in Ecuador. I’ll be praying for the discipleship of these new believers.