Our Mission Path
Serving God in Ecuador
Psalm One
Psalm one is a wisdom psalm and the author tells his audience to reject the lifestyle of the wicked and to be loyal to God. The psalmist contrasts the destiny of the wicked with that of the righteous, emphasizing that the wicked are destroyed while the godly prosper under the Lord’s protection.
“How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the LORD’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night.
He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
Not so with the wicked! Instead they are like wind-driven chaff.
For this reason the wicked cannot withstand judgment, nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly.
Certainly the LORD guards the way of the godly, but the way of the wicked ends in destruction.”
-Psalm One
Love, 
The Downing Family
Seco De Pollo
Seco de pollo or chicken stew
Yield: For 8-10 people
Seco de pollo or seco de gallina is a South American chicken stew cooked slowly in a sauce of beer, onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, herbs and spices. Seven out of seven Downings recomend this dish.
Ingredients
- 6 lbs of assorted chicken pieces
- 4 tbs oil
- 2 red onions, quartered
- ½ red onion, minced for refrito
- 10 whole garlic gloves plus 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tsp ground achiote or annatto
- 4 cups of beer or apple cider
- 8 tomatoes, quartered
- 3 bell peppers, quartered
- 1 hot pepper (jalapeno or serrano)
- 1 bunch cilantro, reserve some to add at the end
- 1 bunch parsley, reserve some to add at the end
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Blend the beer, quartered onions, whole garlic cloves, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot pepper, cilantro, parsley, oregano and cumin to obtain a smooth puree.
- In a large saucepan or soup pot heat the oil over medium heat to prepare a refrito or sofrito, add the minced red onion, minced garlic and achiote, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken and brown lightly on each side, add the blended puree mix
- Cook on low heat until the chicken is very tender and the sauce has thickened. Unless it’s a hen, the chicken should be tender in less than 1 hour. However it takes longer for the sauce to thicken, so if the chicken is very tender – meat falling of the bones – and the sauce isn’t thick yet, then remove the tender chicken pieces, turn up the heat and cook the sauce until it’s nice and thick, about 20-30 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the remaining cilantro and parsley.
- Enjoy
Love, 
The Downing Family
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Salt And Light
We should not ask, “What is wrong with the world?” for that diagnosis has already been given. Rather, we should ask, “What happened to the salt and light?”
-John R. Stott
In Matthew chapter five Jesus calls his followers the salt and light of the world. We know that salt preserves, purifies, and flavors. But salt can not fulfill its purpose if it remains safely in the salt shaker. Salt must be in close proximity to that it is to effect. In the process of fulfilling its purpose the salt will be used up.
We know that the light shines britest in the darkness and that the darkness can not overcome the light. It is only when the sun disaperis over the horizon that darkness thrives but as soon as the first ray of morning rises the darkness is dispelled.
As followers of Christ we are to elucidate the world with His salvation. We are to perserve what needs preserved, to purify what needs to be puified and to flavor the flavorless. We simply can not do any of these things safely.
May we burn brightly and intensely for Christ our Saviour! May we pour ourselves ever increasingly out of the safty of our salt shakers!
Love,
The Downing Family
Throwback To A Young Family
Christmas Reflection: Room
And Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
~Doctor Luke, Luke 2:7
On the very first Christmas there was no room given to Christ. Unfortunately many today still seem to have no room for Jesus in their hearts. This is unfortunate because everyone has a hole in their heart that only Read More
Christmas Devotions: Gifts
When the wise men saw the star they shouted joyfully. As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
~The Apostle Matthew 2:10-11
The wise men brought Jesus gifts which were filled with meaning. They brought gold, a gift fit for a king. The gold was also very useful for the family as they fled to Egypt to save Jesus’ life. We may not have gold but we can make Christ the Read More
Christmas Devotions: Going Home A Different Way
After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, the wise men went back by another route to their own country.
~The Apostle Matthew, Matthew 2:12
The wise men sought something beyond their experience. They had seen in the stars that God would send a King to the Jews. They struck out to seek this one that God sent. They did what was wise, they responded to the light that Read More
Christmas Devotions: Jealousy
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.
~The Apostle Matthew, Matthew 2:16
King Herod was Jealous of Jesus. His goal was to keep the power that he had as king and Jesus was a threat to that goal. The wise men describe Jesus as the Read More
Christmas Devotions: Sacrifice
Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!”
~Simeon, Luke 2:34-35
Mary, the mother of Jesus was blessed among women but she also carried a certain sadness since the birth of Jesus. The truth is when God calls us into a significant ministry, that ministry always Read More
Christmas Devotions: Egypt
After Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”
~Angel of the Lord, Matthew 2:19-20
A wise man once said, “God’s Word tends to outlive its pallbearers.” A true work of God will outlive all its enemies. God was determined to provide a way to bring lost and hurting people into Read More
