The Word of God changes lives! How important is it to pray for your missionaries as they share God’s word? VERY IMPORTANT! Today’s ministry story is about your effective prayers in our ministry. We can’t do this without you and your prayers are very important in the success of our ministry.
With much love, 
The Downings
Today’s ministry story is an ongoing story. Karen Lambert served as the national director for the Children of Promise in Ecuador for over 20 years. She and her husband Jon now serve as missionaries with Caring Partners International. Before she left Ecuador Karen handed the Directorship over to Angelita.
We currently have over 100 kids in the program who have hope for a brighter future because someone in the United States sponsors them.
To learn more about sponsoring a Child of Promise please click here.
With much love,
The Downings
What do you do if you your church has no pastor? Well if you are in Quevedo you continue in ministry because every Christian is called to follow Christ. For some time now the Quevedo church has been operating without a pastor. How does that work? Well Christ is the head of the church and he gives us each a part of his mission.
He weaves each believer into the beautiful tapestry of the church. So much so that human leadership of church is somewhat over rated.
They are truly living the prayer found in Hebrews chapter 13.
Now may the God of peace who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever.
-Heb 13:20-21
With much love, 
The Downings
Have you heard our Cultural Insight podcast yet? Click here for an episode.
Last year was a great year for ministry! Here is a quick video update compleat with contact info at the end.
With much love,
The Downings
Have you ever thought about the powerful impact your prayers have? Prayer is the life line of the missionary. When you partner with us in prayer you are truly walking along side of us through thick and thin.
With much love and prayers, 
The Downings
We eagerly await the day when all things are made new! Today’s ministry story happened during the first year of our ministry here. We invite you to journey with us through this difficult ministry encounter. Be prepared to be touched by this sad story.
With much love, 
The Downings
We invite you on a journey into the countryside of Cayambe. We will have to leave the smooth road and the small Pueblos and use the cobblestone less traveled. Imagine, we drive along the bumpy road past the eucalyptus trees, and alongside a small rio. We encounter several large rose plantations every once in a while catching a glimpse of the beautiful plants with tall straight stems reaching up to the Equatorial sun. After a while we cross the rio and begin our ascent up a steep and winding road. We pass the ancient aqueduct build by the Incas and still in use today. We eventually we pass the tree line and see picturesque views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Our 4×4 finally claws its way over the crest of the mountain. In the valley that unfolds below we see a large church building, that is our destination.
It is breathtaking, as we step out of our vehicle, partly because the temperature is 20 degrees cooler on the mountain as compared to the valley. But perhaps the real reason is our breath has been stolen by the altitude. The Cangahua congregation that we were visiting worships at an elevation of 10,768 feet above sea level. To put it into perspective we are well above the tallest peak in the Appalachian mountains, Mount Mitchell which has an elevation of 6,684 feet.
We had been invited to an evangelistic outreach event held by the Mt. of Olives church in Cangahua, Ecuador.
Cangahua is the oldest rural district in the Cayambe canton. It is located in the wasteland between the inactive Pambamarca volcano, and the active Cayambe volcano. The church building sets nearly on the Equator. 
Our brothers and sisters are serving Christ in a largely indigenous community with rural values. In the community there are also many who still celebrate the Sun or Inti Raymi. Each June 29 and 30th the Sun is celebrated in the city square.
Pastor Luis and the church very much love the community and are brilliant lights for the Gospel among the 16,000 people within the church’s reach.
The outreach service we were invited to began at 7:00 pm and ended at 1:15 am. It was full of great singing, powerful preaching and wonderful fellowship.
Pastor Luis is an excellent preacher and tought homiletics at our seminary but instead of preaching to the assembled crowd he invited a lady pastor from a sister congregation to give the message. She preached the best sermon over 1 John 4 that I have ever heard.
God is moving in Cangahua and has invited whomsoever will to believe in His Son and enter into eternal life!
With much love, The Downings
The rain was pounding on the windshield as our Toyota rolled to a stop. It was the kind of rain that gave promises of ending soon. If we had arrived a couple of minutes later we would have been able to walk into the home without getting soaked. We paused for a moment hoping the rain would cease but we were drawn to the faces filled with expectation crowding in the doorway. We opened the doors of the SUV and made a run for it. The sensation of cool rain alighting on our skin was drowned out by the wonderful smell of Pollo Seco cooking from inside the home.
When we entered the Santa Elena home we were quickly made comfortable and handed a delicious plate of food. We had a great time of fellowship as we discussed this new work that is nearly a year old.
Last year the pastors of the Carapungo Church in Quito responded to a burden that they had for the people of Santa Elena, a small town near Nanegelito. They Evangelized the area and a lady opened her home so that the new group of believers could meet. The Carapungo Church sends their pastors every other Saturday to develop the work. From time to time the entire church goes for a special service. Each visit takes a day. They begin traveling at 8:00 in the morning and return to Quito at 8:00 in the evening.
Pastor Orlando spoke in glowing terms of the growth and potential of this new work. After we shared a meal we walked the neighborhood and dreamt about reaching each family in the area and what it would take to build a permeate church building.
After our walk the church gathered to worship through song and the hearing the Word of God. Brother Orlando preached an excellent sermon and invited the new believers to be baptized. The Carapungo Church is planing a baptism service and they want the new work to be involved too.
The Church in Ecuador keeps growing under the leadership of the Holy Spirit! We are honored to walk alongside of our friends here and we are Joyful for your support! Your encouragement, prayers and donations keep us in Ecuador! Thank you for helping us stay on our mission path.
With much love, The Downings
We had two wonderful experiences recently.
We had the joy of worshiping with a new church plant in La Pradera. The church is a work born of the heart of the Rodriguez sisters, some of our pioneering church planters in the Ecuadorian Church of God. This dedicated family definitely has a missionary vision for their country. They have tirelessly worked to establish the gospel in several places.
La Pradera is a new neighborhood north of the El Caldron section of Quito. The church is located on the street named Jesús del Gran Poder (Jesus of Grand Power), an apt name for a church address. Please pray with us as this new work shines the Gospel light in this neighborhood. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”
We were impressed that this work included the children in every aspect of the service. The church was very warm and welcoming.
Timothy had the honor of preaching over a section in 1John. By an act of the Holy Spirit one of the church leaders read a section of Proverbs during the opening of the worship service that prepared everyone’s heart for the sermon God had given to Timothy.
After church we had the opportunity to travel across town and eat with brother Alejandro Choez and his family. Brother Choez used to serve as the pastor at the Santa Clara Church. Pastor Choez and the Santa Clara Church played a significant role in forming our thoughts and feelings about Ecuador. One of Timothy’s first mission trips to Ecuador was to the Santa Clara church. He joined with a church group from Greenville Tennessee lead by Sister Roma Lee and helped with a construction project on the lower level of the church building. It was a great encouragement to relive some of our shared memories.
One of the great joys of ministry in Ecuador is the encouragement we both give and receive as we walk alongside our brothers and sisters here on the Equator
with much love, The Downings
We recently had the joy of attending the graduation dinner for our friend Jonatan.
Jonatan was a Child Of Promise. He grew up in the Santa Clara Church and his family has been active in that ministry for many years. Somewhere we even have an old photograph (non-digital) of a young Timothy and Jonatan’s father taken during one of Timothy’s youthful visits.
Thanks to the love and encouragement of his Family, Church, former missionary and Children of Promise director Karen Lambert and of course his Sponsor he has now earned an engineering degree and has even invented a machine that makes fertilizer pellets!
Jonatan is a sharp young man, a very hard worker and has a bright future ahead of him.
Jonatan’s Children of Promise sponsor is unique because they continued their encouragement and financial support well beyond their original commitment. Sometimes when you connect through COP you make life long friendships!
Angelita and I love how Jonatan’s story has turned out so far and we look forward to walking alongside all of our Children of Promise on whatever adventures may come!
With love,
The Downings
Have you read about our mission yet? If not, please click here!
