Our Mission Path
Serving God in Ecuador
Example
In Proverbs we read: “He that winneth souls is wise.” If any man, woman, or child by a godly life and example can win one soul to God, his life will not have been a failure. He will have outshone all the mighty men of his day, because he will have set a stream in motion that will flow on and on forever and ever.
Dwight L. Moody
Who was the greatest evangelist of our time? Are you thinking of a name? Are they the greatest evangelist or is it the one that won their soul to Christ? Is our question even proper? After all, shouldn’t we think of Jesus Christ, the One who gave his all to begin the stream of salvation? Still there is something powerful in the thought of being part of the stream that Christ began.
One of the surprises that we have encountered on the mission field is the elevation of our example over the importance of our words. This is partly due to the fact that we are still learning the language of our host country but it is also the nature of our ministry for the time being. Kind actions and a godly example is what is needed right now. Teaching and preaching will be important later.
When we think of evangelism we often think of sermons from great orators, of words that reverberate in the very corridors of heaven. But in reality evangelism is more often a matter of living a transparent and godly life overtime under the watchful eye of those who need Christ. Discipleship, likewise often flows better from a humble example than from powerful words.
May we live transparent and godly lives, may we reach others in word and deed.
With much love,
The Downings
Inti Raymi
The Incas placed great importance on the sun and moon. Solstice and Equinox dates were recognised as being very significant each year, but none more than Inti Raymi the summer solstice. In Ecuador these dates are still celebrated with colorful festivals especially in indigenous communities.
Inti Raymi, the festival of the sun celebrated on summer solstice, is the most well known festival in the annual indigenous calendar. The word Inti Raymi comes from the Quechua language, Inti means Sun, and Raymi means Festival. It is a celebration to worship Taita Inti (Father Sun). They sacrifice fruits and produce to him for the heat and energy that allows plants to grow, and they welcome a new cycle of life for Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).
Inti Raymi is considered the most important of the four sacred pagan festivals celebrated by indigenous Andean cultures. It is held on the same date as the Pagan celebration of the Summer Solstice. This marks the longest day of the year, when the sun takes the longest path through the sky.
In Ecuador, Inti Raymi is also known as the Fiesta de San Juan. The Spanish conquistadores considered Inti Raymi to be a heathen celebration. So, to make it more palatable, they merged it with the Catholic celebration for Saint John the Baptist.
Paganism is still very much alive in Ecuador. Missionaries are still very much needed.
I Cannot Be Idle
William J. Henry was an early leader in the Holiness Movement. In 1889 he, answered a call to hold revival meetings in eastern Pennsylvania and eventually held meetings in each state and Great Britain. This is one of many hymns written by W. J. Henry. We like it because of it’s missionary emphasis.
I cannot be idle, for Jesus says, “Go
And work in My harvest today;
And then at the evening, when labor is done,
Whatever is right I will pay.”Refrain:
Then away to the work I will go,
And join in the reaping of grain,
And back from the harvest with beautiful sheaves,
I’ll come with rejoicing again.I cannot be idle, the fields are so white,
And numberless sheaves will be lost;
They perish for want of more reapers to save,
How awful to think of the cost! [Refrain]I cannot be idle, soon time will be o’er,
And reaping be ended for aye;
I’ll gather the lost from the byways of sin
To walk in the beautiful way. [Refrain]I cannot be idle, no time for repose,
My resting shall be over there,
Where all of the faithful in heaven above
A crown of bright glory shall wear. [Refrain]-W. J. Henry
Love,
The Downing Family
Sumaj Diosta Cantana Himnario #144 Christ Will Come Again
Some of Church of God congregations sing out of a hymnal that is printed in both Quechua and Spanish. During today’s podcast we reflect on the wonderful words of the 144th Spanish song. Timothy translated the words for your edification.
“The angels sing with sweet voice,
The men sing with a loud voice,
Christ will come, our conquering King,
Christ will come again.
He will come again,
He will come again,
In glory come to the world He will come again,
He will come again,
He will come again,
He is coming to reign soon,
See on earth the air and the sea,
Great signs already fulfilled,
Everything indicats that the time is near,
Our glorious Lord,
All the dead in Christ will rise,
With joy the dead will rise,
To find their King they will rise,
Christ is coming again.
Come in the clouds! Oh beautiful Savior!
Come to earth, I beg you Lord!
Come, your church awaits you Jesus!
Jesus Christ will come again.”
Love,
The Downing Family
Please click here to learn more about our missionary work!
The Old Campground
We have met today on the old campground,
And our hearts, O God, o’erflow
With our songs of joy, and a stream of thanks
For the love Thou dost bestow.Refrain:
We will sing, Hallelujah, praise the Lord!
Let the joyful music roll!
We will strike the happy key,
Hallelujah! I am free!
We will sing in sweet accord.We have met today on the old campground,
And our shouts of glory ring;
There’s a mighty stir as the Lord comes down,
And the saints His praises sing. [Refrain]We have met today on the old campground,
Oh, the fellowship so sweet,
As the pure in heart all together flow
In the bonds of love complete. [Refrain]We have met today on the old campground,
And we come in Jesus’ name;
Here, O mighty God, let Thy thunder sound,
And Thy awesome Spirit flame. [Refrain]We have met today on the old campground,
And we come to work and pray;
Here redeem, dear Lord, even multitudes
At Thy altar, day by day. [Refrain]-D.S. Warner
Love, The Downing Family
Do We Well?
And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household.
2 Kings 7:8-9
Dulce De Piña
Dulce de piña
Ingredients:
1 whole pineapple
½ cup of water
½ cup caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 cardamom pods
1 fresh lemon verbena sprig
Juice of 1 lime
Preparation:
- Peel and core the pineapple, discard the core and peel.
- Cut half of the pineapple in small squares and blend the remaining half to obtain a puree.
- In a medium sized saucepan, over high heat, boil the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods and lemon verbena sprig.
- Add the chopped pineapple, the pineapple puree, and the lime juice.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, simmer until the liquid reduces and the marmalade thickens, about an hour. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.
Love, The Downing Family
No Substitute For Action
Sympathy is no substitute for action.
David Livingstone
Felling sorrow and pity for another’s situation is a good starting point but eventually we must take action. Echoing through the pages of scripture is the disappointed yet sympathetic voice of God questioning Adam and Eve after they fell into sin. Reverberating throughout history is God’s action of redemption upon a cross. We are grateful for God’s sympathy for us poor sinners. We are indebted to Him for his action granting us Salvation.
Likewise, we who have received the grace of God must not simply gaze at lost humanity with pity. We must be moved to action. We must live and demonstrate the truth that has set us free. We must proclaim the redemption we have found. A lost and dying world is waiting for us to act.
May we feel deeply the pain of those who are on the road to perdition. May we act boldly to give the Gospel to all who will listen.
Elucidate Holiness
Friends, this post was first published in March of 2020.
Friends, in today’s podcast an excerpt was read from a book Timothy wrote when he was a pastor. The book was titled Elucidate: Simple Doctrine. If you would like a copy of the book click here.
With love,
The Downing Family
Does The Bible Speak Of More Than One Church?
Friends, this post was first published in June of 2019.
Today’s Sunday Teaching explores the idea that there were no sect divisions in the New Testament Church.
But Does the Bible Speak of More Than One Church?
D.S. Warner
The word church frequently occurs in the plural form, but never in the sense of sects or denominations. When more than one church is spoken of, it is always the one church of the living God, in different localities:
“They returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch…. And when they had ordained them elders in every church….” Acts 14:21,23
“And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the church- es.” Acts 15:41
“Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.” Rom. 16:4
“…as I teach every where in every church.” 1 Cor. 4:17 “And so ordain I in all churches.” 7:17
“…as I have given order to the churches of Galatia.” 16:1 “The churches of Asia salute you.” v.19
“…throughout all the churches.” 2 Cor. 8:18
Thus we see that when churches are spoken of, they invariably denote the same church of God in several cities, or throughout one or more countries. But there is not the slightest intimation of more than one church in the same city. Speaking of the church in various geographical localities, the apostle says: “So ordain I in all churches.” “As I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye [Corinthians].” It can easily be seen that if these New Tes- tament “churches” were different sects, as we have today, one bishop could not give orders to them all. Bishop Simpson of the Methodist Episcopal sect cannot issue orders over the United Brethren, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and other sects. He has no ju- risdiction over them. So we see a vast difference between Bible churches and sect divisions. The former are all one in Christ. The latter are independent and separate schisms.
Several sects exist in the same town, but God only has one church in the same place. Hence we read: “the church that was at Antioch” Acts 13:1; “the church of God which is at Corinth” 1 Cor. 1:2; “the church of the Thessalonians” 1 Th. 1:1; “…unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Per- gamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.” Rev. 1:11 Thus we see there was only one church in one city. Seven sects can now be addressed in one town of no great size. But when messages were sent to seven churches in Asia, seven different cities had to be addressed.
All the saved of God in any place constitute His church in that place. Then it follows that a plurality of separate bodies in the same place are not God’s church, but babel confusion.
Love, 
The Downings
