Death brings new life (Part 2)

After the funeral our first concern was supporting and caring for our friends as they dealt with this loss. Times of grief and confusion can make a person very vulnerable and the temptation of past sins and destructive coping mechanisms crouch at the door. We've seen God work mightily in our tribal friends lives and were on our knees begging God for protection and strength during this time. He heard our cry.

In the coming days we heard stories of the brokenness of the family, the regret and the desire to live differently. The parents of this young man shared that at one point they knew the Truth but stopped walking with God when their kids were young. The young man died of complications related to AIDS. He'd lived with this disease, hidden and full of shame for years. The family clearly saw the sad reality of "the wages of sin is death" and grieved that they didn't raise him in Truth. This young man's death served as a wakeup call for the family. 

Our close friends expressed their desire to begin meeting with their family members and neighbors to talk about the things of God, to sing together and provide a healthy community alternative to heavy drinking and more. We were overjoyed to hear this vision and now are supporting them to fulfill this desire. It has been our prayer to see this community have a positive Christian influence and this beauty was being brought out of the ashes of death. AND, the driving force and leadership is tribal! 

Entrance into community

After learning that the young man died of a preventable disease, conversations began to circulate amongst missionaries and Ecuadorian believers about health education and the risks associated with the lack of education. This young man may have lived if shame and fear hadn't driven his choices. Additionally, his death left behind a very young mom and two young daughters. These three are at risk - desperation and fear can make way for the unthinkable. But this story of preventable death and the vulnerability of young women is common in our community. Shame, fear and cultural/language disconnection open the floodgates of risk. 

Again, our friends expressed a desire to meet this need. Yay! So, here we go again. Serving in our role. Mobilize, plan, and facilitate. It seems at this point that the effort will be a partnership between the tribal, national and foreign churches/organizations. But, the door is open and the need is great. In the coming months we will walk this path with our tribal friends. Along the way we will encourage, listen, counsel, and pray. We trust our God who brings beauty from ashes. 

Please Pray For:
- Wisdom and protection for Mateo and Emma as they lead this new venture
- Safety and provision for the young mom and her daughters
- Spiritual breakthrough and lasting impact in this community
- Unity, cooperation and wisdom amongst believers as we support and serve