Dear family and friends,
I hope that this missions letter finds you well and I want to thank you for taking the time to read this and especially so if you are a non-believer. I ask that you would consider joining this team and supporting those who go. First and foremost, to God be the glory; who would have been able to think of all the ways that He is sovereignly orchestrating His kingdom to be built in Ecuador?! For those of you who don’t know, I attend the Korean Presbyterian Church of Orlando’s English ministry, which in turn is called Harvest; and attend the University of Central Florida. But enough about me; let’s get back to the reason for this letter.
This winter, a total of 8 members from Harvest, including me, and 7 others from the Korean speaking ministry will be going to Ecuador on a mission trip. “Why Ecuador?” some might ask. The way I see it is God’s heart is dead set for the people there and He wants to use our church to show them the love of Christ. Ever since 2009, our church has been sending a mission team to Ecuador every year and although this past 2011 summer trip was planned to be our last, God had other plans. During the trip, an incident in one of the Amazonian rivers, took the life of a dear brother and friend, Joshua Tico Kim. Though his sudden passing may be viewed as a tragedy, I don’t view that as such because I know that through Tico’s life and death, many people are being brought to Christ. Though saddened, I am joyful and hopeful of what God is doing and will do. Greater things are yet to come.
From December 19th to the 23rd, our team will be going through the towns of Quito, Sinangue, Cabeno, and Lumbaqui ministering through various practical methods including cutting hair, teaching Tae-Kwon-Do, loving on the kids through VBS, with a strong focus on building relationships and evangelizing. There will also be a memorial service for Tico in Cabeno on the 21st and it is expected that many of the natives will be coming to pay their respects.
In Matthew 28, Jesus gives the Great Commission as his last command and tells his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. In light of Christ’s sacrifice, love, and mercy, I have chosen to go to Ecuador and I pray that as you read this letter you would consider sending. The most important thing that one can do as a sender is to pray. When we pray, the gospel of Christ begins to have power and burns in the hearts of the people that hear. People on our mission team NEED to know that they aren’t alone on the front lines. Prayer is what will make the difference between the things God has called us to do falling flat in front of us or going forth and affecting lives. I ask that as a sender, you would pray specifically for God to move, that what is done in Ecuador wouldn’t just be works but would be tangible acts that bring people to Christ. For a detailed prayer list see below.
In addition to praying I ask that you would consider donating. Financially, the cost per person is approximately $1,400 which covers travel expenses and the logistics of the trip. Also certain items are needed in the churches of Ecuador such as instruments for worship (guitars in particular), clothing, laptops/projectors, and Spanish bibles. Donations can be done securely on this website or can be sent to Harvest Ministry at 16796 Davenport Road in Winter Garden, FL 34787. If mailing a check please put my name with Ecuador next to it.
Again I just want to thank you for taking the time to read this and want to say that I’m blessed to know each and every one of you. I greatly appreciate your thoughts, donations, and prayers. Some go, some send, but ALL are a part of the mission team. God’s got great things planned and greater things are yet to come!
Romans 10:13-15
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Pray...
- for unity in the team, for deep bonds to grow
- for the Holy Spirit to open up the hearts of the people of Ecuador
- for the churches in Ecuador to be strengthened and pastors to be raised up
- that people here would continue to grow a heart for Ecuador
- that Ecuador would become a nation fully given over to Christ
p.s. that's Tico to the left of me in the picture