Creekside Christian Church, thank you for your generous gift to plant two new churches in Ecuador: Iglesia del Nazareno La Gloria de Dios (EC0660) and Iglesia del Nazareno Heredad de Dios (EC0662). Construction is complete at both churches, and we are pleased to bring you a final report on your gift to these church plants.
Above Iglesia del Nazareno Heredad de Dios hosts an inauguration ceremony, celebrating the end of construction.
Iglesia del Nazareno La Gloria de Dios (EC0660)
Your gift to plant this church has made a lasting impact on 144 children and 200 adults. In August 2019, the site was neglected and overgrown. Now, it is home to a church that is a beacon of hope for the residents of Santa Elena. The main structures are completed, with only finishing touches left to do. The church has a sanctuary/multipurpose room, bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, classrooms and a connecting hallway.
The new facilities provide a safe and nurturing environment for children and their parents to learn about Jesus and grow in knowledge of him. Pastors and church members continue to evangelize in the community and invite people to participate in church activities. So far, the church reports that 81 new people have started attending services and outreach activities since the building was completed. Pictured below are photos of the latest construction and activities.
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- The church pastor and his family in front of the new church.
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- Community and church members visit and pray for the site before construction started.
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- Pictured is the site after ground excavations began.
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- Brickmasons work on the walls of the multipurpose room.
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- Workers begin plastering the upper wall of the sanctuary.
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- The girls bathrooms are completed.
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- Caregivers and participants wait to enjoy a nutritious meal from the newly built kitchen.
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- Children learn to paint in one of their new classrooms.
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- Church and center staff members complete a child protection training.
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- Church members, caregivers and community members attend the “First Stone Ceremony.”
Iglesia del Nazareno Heredad de Dios (EC0662)
Construction began in January 2021. By October 2023, 75% of the original plan was completed. The kitchen and dining room are finished, but the multipurpose room, classrooms and bathrooms are not yet fully built. Pending tasks include building the multipurpose room’s outer walls, placing the roof, installing the electrical system, finishing and plastering the walls and completing the sanitary battery.
Throughout construction the team was challenged to find qualified personnel who could help with the project. Once identified, the project manager was trained by Compassion on the project process and responsibilities. Finding reasonably priced and available building materials was also a challenge. Finally, the community is not connected to the power grid, so additional time and resources were spent hiring the municipal power company to install a line and meter.
Despite construction setbacks, the church continues to make a gospel imprint on this small community. There are 145 children participating in holistic child development activities and 48 adults who have heard the message of salvation. In addition, the church has added 12 new members since erecting the church building.
Thanks to your gift, children are being discipled in a place that parents feel at peace sending them and where they will be known, loved and protected. The church is grateful to have a space to carry out evangelistic and gospel-centered activities, something they have dreamed about and prayed for over many years.
The photos below show the construction progress over time and some recent activities that took place at the center. Thank you for making all of this possible!
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- Before construction, volunteers work to clean up and maintain the land.
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- The team had to excavate the site and level it for the foundation.
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- The roof and metal columns are erected on the multipurpose room.
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- The outside classroom and bathroom walls still need to be plastered.
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- This is a photo of the completed kitchen and dining room.
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- Participants share stories and make new friends during a program activity.
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- Caregivers attend a parent workshop.
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- Children pray before eating their lunch, that was prepared in the new kitchen facilities.
A Message of Gratitude From Pastor William (EC0662)
Dear Friends,
We at Iglesia del Nazareno Heredad de Dios praise our God and Father, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing and who provides us with everything we need.
The church, administrative team, participants and parents are grateful for the blessings of your generous gift for constructing the church sanctuary/multipurpose classrooms and bathrooms. This gift will enable us to finish the bathrooms, classrooms and electrical system and to plaster the walls of the facility where we serve the children of the community.
The day we heard the news of your support, our faces reflected the joy of receiving such a great blessing. The greatest beneficiaries are the children and families of the community God called us to serve through fostering family development. We desire a socially empowered community that has the supernatural love only God can provide to those who accept a relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ.
We thank the church, Pastors Scott Hansen and Troy Winslow and the entire team of leaders and servants of God, who share the church’s immense love for the Great Commission and who demonstrate and reflect the love of Christ. May the Lord multiply you a hundredfold for all that you do to share with and bless many families.
We hope you enjoy the photos of our progress.
Sincerely yours,
Pastors William and Yvette
Impact of Your Gift
In Santa Elena, people are committing their lives to Jesus as their Savior, taking discipleship classes and serving in the congregation. Iglesia del Nazareno La Gloria de Dios has become a refuge of hope and healing not only for the Compassion participants but also for the community members.
Lorena, the center director at Iglesia del Nazareno La Gloria de Dios, shares:
I have seen families’ lives transformed by the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Children who were malnourished are now healthy. When families were starving during the pandemic, our church provided food packages and prayed for them. As a church, we continue to prioritize discipling families and remind them of the rest we have in Jesus.
As the director for the child development center, I see first hand the difference the new facilities are making. Children now have a kitchen and dining room for enjoying nutritious meals, classrooms for playing and learning the Bible, a large sanctuary for worshiping God and a patio for exercising, playing and making new friends. The participants love the new building and the caregivers trust us to care for their children.
An Answer to Prayers
Creekside Christian Church, for many years these two congregations have been praying for God to provide the funds to build a physical structure where people could come and experience God’s grace. Your gift is an answer to these prayers! Thank you for supporting Iglesia del Nazareno La Gloria de Dios and Iglesia del Nazareno Heredad de Dios as they build safe places for their communities to gather, meet physical needs and grow in love for God and his people.