We are glad to have the opportunity to provide you with this initial field update on progress at your church plant, Iglesia Alianza de la Ciudad de Pedernales, and efforts to build a more suitable, strategically located church building in city of Pedernales, Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
Construction Progress
- A 260 square-meter parcel of land was chosen for the construction. It is in a central part of the Pedernales community where there is a gym, a restaurant, a bus terminal, and parking for motorcycle taxis and three-wheel motorcycles commonly used in the region.
- The land was bought thanks to church members’ tithes and offerings.
- On May 2, Pastor Omar Barroso organized a cleaning minga (community work day), and six families attended. They used a rake and machete to remove the overgrown bushes and grass.
Church Activities
- Currently, 40 adults attend the church regularly, along with 30 children. In the last 60 days, 15 people made first-time professions of faith in Christ, and 10 were baptized.
- Following is a schedule of outreach activities led by Pastor Barroso:
- Sundays: 40 people of all ages attend Sunday School.
- Tuesdays: 10 people attend Bible study.
- Wednesdays: 8-15 parents attend door-to-door discipleship training.
- Thursdays: 6-7 parents participate in a cell group for evangelism.
- Fridays: 8-10 parents attend prayer services led by Pastor Barroso and his wife, Director Antonia León.
- On Tuesdays and Thursdays, 200 Compassion-registered children attend child development activities. They are divided into three age groups: 4-6, 7-8 and 9-11 years. Workers serve children nutritious snacks, share Bible stories, perform plays, sing and help the children make crafts to reflect on the biblical message. When they take their crafts home, they can share what they learned with the rest of their families.
Challenges and opportunities
- When the pastors of the mother church saw the land, they liked it a lot and decided to buy it because it is located in a central place in Pedernales.
- Currently, we are looking for a rental property to host church and child-development activities while the church is being built.
- The construction commission (the staffs of the mother and daughter churches) is analyzing prices quotes for material and initial construction.
Next Steps
In the next 60 days, we expect to dig foundation holes to place the pillars.
Testimony of Impact
My relationship with the parents is good because I am always willing to help and motivate them as they seek counseling and solutions to their difficulties. Parents are excited about the construction and are always willing to organize cleaning mingas on the land. We set dates that will not affect their jobs.
In this place there are no Christian churches, let alone with an infrastructure like this. I thank God that the church will attract a lot of attention in an area where many people live and need to hear from the word. Preaching the gospel is very important because people will hear that there is a living God, and through this, we will be able benefit the lives of children.
– Pastor Omar Barroso
Praises and Prayer Requests
Thanks to your help, the children will have a safer place to receive the gospel.
Despite all difficulties and situations that we go through, we are confident that God is with us. And whatever your family’s adversities may be, you should know that God is with you, because we all are God’s children. With our eyes on Jesus, we are totally confident that the Lord is in control. He is with us, and together with Him we can win.
Please join us in prayer:
- for the parents to become more involved with their children at the center; for them to come to the church and listen to the Word, so they can share with their children.
- for God to give us wisdom as a church team and keep us blameless in everything we do.
Photos of Progress