Thursday's Update from Chris

This report will be different from most. 

Here are some of the regular report facts. 

• Some have wondered, how many?  We are around 50,000 so far.
• How many placement locations - several hundred, not sure, but we could probably drive around the city now.
• What are doing tomorrow?  Cuenca Gideons will work on continued wrap-up and rescheduled placements all over the city.  The International team will head to Azogues. meet with local and regional Gideons for  Distributions in the town, and work our way back.  We will also have a Pastors Appreciation Banquet tomorrow night.
• Prayers - Sleep deprived Gideons and Auxiliary members in Ecuador who are pouring their hearts and souls into this Scripture Blitz; safe travels, open doors, good attendance at the banquet, a top quality banquets for the pastors, and for the salvation of souls from Scriptures distributed

Now, for pictures and the stories behind them...

Closed Door - First distribution this morning, we rush across town to what is found to be the largest private girl's school in Cuenca.  The compound is gated and only cars and busses are allowed to enter.  Notice in the picture you can see the beauty of the mountains, three school buses, the one in the far back is the size of a Greyhound bus, and the brand new brick walled compound. We prayed, asked for the headmistress, and tried to get an appointment to reschedule later with the Auxiliary.  She was not it, and we were not allowed to do anything.  This is why we ask for your prayers for open doors.

Dedicated - In this picture, you see Carlos and Franciso, both from Loja, about a three hour drive away.  We met them at 7:30am to prepare for a 9:00am and 9:30am distribution for the Ecuadorian Army.  This is the second day they have taken off of work to do so.  After the 9 & 9:30 distributions were rescheduled until 2:30pm, they found other Gideons and worked on other distributions, then met us at this school at 12:00.  We then found out we would have to do a sidewalk distribution at 1:45pm.  This would make us late for the Army, since the base was an hour away, so they agreed to wait and take care of the school.  We asked what they would do in the meantime - they said they would pray for the ministry, school, and youth receiving Testaments.  We stayed as long as we could, prayed, and split into two teams to cover both distributions. They also worked on at least two other distributions, not finishing until after 6:15pm.  Then they drove home.  Three hours.  And to do it again tomorrow, just like today and yesterday.  Pray for strength, protection, and blessings on men that give like Christ gave - and yes, I see Jesus in them so much, it makes me glad to be a Gideon.

God's Plan - We get to the Army base, wait until the appointed time and go to the gate.  We are announced, and expect to distribute 500 - 600 Testaments. We have been looking forward to this all day, since this part of the team has ZERO regular distributions, only Personal Workers Testaments so far.  They promised that they would be in parade formation and we could talk to them.  And we do!  One squad - 44 total Testaments by the time we include all the guard shack men.  All the others received theirs earlier in the day the commander at the gate declares.  I am somewhat disappointed, as is the other  Gideon, and the driver/translator as well.  What we did not know is that based on God's perfect timing, one of our other teams DID give all but this squad their testaments earlier.  If any of us had missed our timing by 5 minutes today, we would not have gotten them all.  Praise the Lord! - All local Army soldiers have a copy of God's Word.  And they received it with great joy! 

Sharing the Word - We arrive at the Catholic University expecting only 300 in our distribution numbers.  We take 455 with us.  We are them met by Carlos and Francisco, so we have two Gideons per entrance/exit.  A fifth Gideon arrives so we have time to take a few pictures.  The school administration came out once to complain about the Testaments, but we were on a public sidewalk.  At least two students were reading theirs for at least 10-15 minutes, and I talked to them as best I could.   They did not want to talk, but at this point, pray for them that the Word they read will touch their souls and make a life changing difference in them in Jesus name!  For all receiving Testaments, we ask for the Holy Spirit to work on them to until Jesus is Lord of their lives.

I hope that gives you a flavor of a single team's experience for a day and how you are ministering to us through your prayers to God.

Gloria a Dios!