Mision Cristiana Ecuatoriana Casilla 8347

Guayaquil, Ecuador, S.A. Forwarding Agent Mrs. Marilyn Price

1702 4th Ave.

Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Jim & Ethel Gaither

January 1977

WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

At the end of the year It Is always good to take stock and evaluate what you have done. This I would like to
report to you In this letter. First of all our year started with me returning to the States for three Faith Promise Rallies. All which exceeded their goals. We were also able to increase the support for the mission. In the conference at Englewood we were able to find also a young couple who desires to come and work with us here. They are now making plans to return with us in 1979 after our furlough. We had time to return to Oklahoma and meet with our forwarding agent, Marilyn Price, and discuss some future plans and direction for the mission.

We have also tried to stay active In the community working where we can. I am at present Vice President of the school board of the Coleglo Americano which has over 1,200 students. I am serving this year as President of the American Society of Guayaquil. There Is a Seaman's Center at the port and I have been asked to be a counselor there which I have accepted.
We are still working with our lawyer In Quito trying to establish a legal entity here in Ecuador. Plus trying to establish some kind of treaty with the Customs here so that things can be brought in for mission use at a reduced
rate.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

Upon my return to Guayaquil In February I found my wife very sick and the Doctor said in need of an operation. The final result was that she had a 30 pound
ovarian tumor which was cancerous. Thanks be to God it

As we stand now we are hoping to be home in 1978 for reporting and raising more support, but more about that
in another section. This does mean we will need to

prepare for that. We will need to find a place to house the

church as It meets In our home. We also will have to find

was removed and she was pronounced cured. She was in the hospital over one month and in the States two months. I spent about three weeks with her and then returned to Guayaquil. The children went back with me and then after Ethel's surgery they went to California for school at Pacific Christian College.

a place to store all our personal items. Before this can be

done we will have to take a complete inventory of all we
have. That will include about a thousand text books that

we received from the Coleglo Americano. We also have a closet full of different types of teaching material from the United States. I feel that if we could find a secretary

to come and help, that someof this work could be done by

After our return very significant things happened. One, we started a worship service in our home in spanlsh. This service has had an attendance high of 21. We also have at the same time a special class for children. We also found a Christian young couple from Chile to come and help us with the work. He was baptized at the age of 13 and learned to preach under the leadership of the missionaries in Chile. His name is Carlos Reyes and his wife Angelica also Is a Christian. They have two lovely
children. Then a Christian man from Jacksonville, Fla.

her (or him) and also give us some continuity during our absence. We will continue to push the legal work In Quito and try to get It all done by furlough time.

came to Guayaquil to construct an electric power plant and he Invited us to come out once a week to preach to his workers. From this we were able to baptize sixteen and also start another really small church In the south part of the city. In our church service in our home we were able to baptize two more people. A man and his wife.
Besides all this we have home Bible study Sunday
afternoons in the homes of some of the workers at the

We have a family coming to Guayaquil who also will help some with the work. Al and Roclo Williams are expected to arrive around the first of February. They both graduated from Ozark Bible College and Roclo was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. So they both want to come and help evangelize her people. Al and Roclo will not be supported by any churches but will work a regular job to earn their living and then spend their free time helping us. Al has a lot of knowledge concerning the Bible correspondence study used so successfully in Chile. We are hoping to use his knowledge to set that course up here in Guayaquil.
We will have a summer camp program during school vacation. This should be around the last of April. We have already spoken for an Episcopal Camp at Playas
Ecuador which is on the beach. We also have some

construction site and an english Bible study on Wed nesday evening In our home.

workers and children ready to go.

We have received several gifts of spanlsh bibles from

the States and have distributed over 300 of these in

various programs. We try to put Bibles in every home where we are having Bible study.

We will, of course, be making our plans to come back to the United States for furlough. Which will be the next
section.

FURLOUGH PLANS FOR 1978

nonetheless produced a good amount of tomatoes,

peppers and cucumbers. All of which had come from the

The Gaithers will be coming back to the States in January 1978 for the purpose of reporting and raising more funds to continue the worl< here. Our basic plans
States (seed). But now Ifs time to clean It out and let the

grass be cut. The tomato plants had gotten so big they

are to buy a pickup truck and pull a trailer. We will begin

in Fia. and end up in California for Christmas with ail the children. Our forwarding agent will be writing and booking dates as of now. We want to get started early and plan well. Our basic plan for visiting an area will be to be with one of our supporting churches on Sunday morning for Bible school and worship service. An area church that does not support us for evening church and then on the following Monday night to be back with our supporting

grew over Into the grass and I wouldn't let anyone In to

cut it for fear they would kill out my plants.

I think I will lust put out flowers next time with maybe

one or two plants of tomato and peppers each. This year I didn't have room for any flowers and I really missed
them.

church. We would like for them to have a fellowship

supper and then follow that with our slide program and report. Then during the remaining days we would be free to go to other area churches, rallies, camps or etc. We would really like to fill our time to where we would be busy every night. Remember that our Forwarding agent will do all scheduling and so any questions or possible dates should be cleared through her. Her address is at the top of this newsletter.

Many people think that because we do not have freezing weather here on the coast that we should be able to grow all year round. Well, that Is true of some things but for the most part there Is just too much rain for plants. Even our grass slows down In its growth. So we do have winter, only ours Is rain and It's that time again.
I think our lives are sometimes like my garden. Some places too dark for lack of the sunshine of Jesus and therefore unproductive, abundant growth sometimes without producing fruit or even at times producing a lot
of fruit for awhile and then ifs necessary to "pull" that particular plant and start on something else. Most of us are not "everbearing" In any one area and sometimes our "gardens" become chocked with weeds. So, here I

ETHEL'S ETCHINGS

Weil, my next-to-last garden for this tour at least, is just about finished. While very small and not really suited to gardening because of insufficient sunlight, it

go. Ifs clean up time. What about your "garden"? Until

next time, I love you.
Ethel

Ecuadorian Christian i\iews H. U Box 282

Noo-Pioflt Orgwiiittien

U. S. Postage

Scottsburg, IN 47170
Permit 2 Bulk RBte

Uttle York. IN 47139

LORD'S

'RAPEiiS

c/o OZARK BIBLE COLLEGE

n i l N. TVLfilN ST. JOrLIN. '"0 64801

Mision Cristiana Ecuatoriana

Casilla 8347

Guayaquil, Ecuador, S. A.

Forwarding Agent
Mrs. Marilyn Price
1702 4th Ave.

Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Jim & Ethel Gaither

FATHER. SEND US WHERE THE WORK IS

The work in Guayq_uil is on the move and we thank God for every opportunity to preach for Him. Services are held every Sunday in our home and have had a high of 21 so far. We also have a Wednesday night Bible study in English and on another day in Spanish, The English study is done in our home while the Spanish study is held at the home of Carlos Reyes, a family in the congregation. As we reported before we have baptized one family into Christ and hoping in time to have them trained for leader ship, At the present time we have seven families involved in one way or another. Three weeks ago God opened another door for service, A business man fix)m Jacksonville, FL has come to Guayaquil to build a power plant here at Guayaquil and he is a Christian. He has invited us to come out a couple times a week to pireach to the workers. The first time we went out he called the workers together and I estimate that they numbered about 1^0, I clijnbed up on some cement pilings and preached
to them about Christ. The Rialto Church of Christ in California had

sent us some Bibles through the American Bible Society and we passed some of these out to the workers that expressed a desire to know more about God's word. In conclusion we also had a chance to preach in English

to the workers in the office.

After "^his meeting we had personal conferences

We had

with two secretaries that want to "find a real faith in Christ,

a meeting in one of the offices with one and had a chance to eat supper with the other. As we were leaving that first week the company presented

me with a check for near $150.00 to buy more Bibles,

We sent the order

off that same day. Isn't it wonderful the way God is- able to use us when we say alright here I am, help me find someone to talk to.

We have some paperwork in Quito which we are praying will make us a legal enity in Ecuador, With this legislation we can do many things we can't do now. So pray that our lawyer will be able to get this legalization done without further delay. Also, we are spending time with him and hi5 family in conversation about Christ and His Kingdom,
If we could win this man for the Lord it could mean much for God's

Kingdom here because of his influence and position in the government here,
SPECIAL GIFTS

Since Ethel has returned to Ecuador we have received news of many special

gifts of money and countless letters of thanks to God for His watchcare of Ethelc How much we appreciate these gifts, letters and prayers that have come our way. All we can say is, "thank you God for giving us
such a wonderful Christian family across the United States to help us in our work here." We pray that God will richly bless you each and every one. Thank you.
New items bought for the work

We recently acquired a desk, file cabinet and a set of Dewey Decimal System books. What an asset this is to our office work. We no longer have to remove the work off the dining room table every time we need to eat. It also makes the house look a little neater. Again we thank God for making these available. Now what we need for the office is someone

to come and "be the secretary. Maybe there is someone who would like to come and work with us and "be the secretary. If you can raise your financial need, we can give you a room in our home smd also you could take your meals with us. Is anyone interested?
SOME CHIT CHAT

As it stands now, we are planning to return for a fiirlough in Jajiuary of 1978, We want to visit all our supporting churches and let them know what we are doing for Jesus here in Ecuador. We will "be writing
you and asking for a speaking date and a fellowship dinner. that later as we begin to draw up our plans. More about

Our Spanish is improving every day and we thank God for it.

The only

time I am sorry that I understand Spanish is when the commercials come on while watching television. We are able to converse, but I still read

my daily paper with a dictionary in hand. So many words we must yet leam. It sure feels great though, to be able to preach in Spanish, The hard work and money spent is finally paying off.

Did you know that we recently completed two years in this country? Although
we spent a total of three months in the States so far this year,

I reoently received notice that I had a small package in the correo aduana and when I picked it up, it was the most wonderful gift. Someone sent us three of the Bill Gaither trio cassette tapes, I brought them home and we stopped everything as we listened and were filled by this beautiful musio. Thank you whoever you are. You truly made that
a day of Spirit filling. We have listened several times sinoe and eaoh

time have been blessed, especially by one I would like to recommend to youi It is "ALLELUIA", "A PRAISE GETHERING FOR BELIEVERS" by the Bill Gaither

trio (yes, I understand they are distantly related)

i ^ *

SOMETHINGS THAT ARE OR WILL BE AVAILABLE

Tape and slides of our work here in Guayaq,uil, A film from CAPSTAN also on our work. A VBS progreun or oould also be used in a Qhristian Servioe Qeunps A booklet explaining our work and the future work in Souader and Latin Amerioa. To obtain these, please write our FiAi who
will know when and what is available.
ETHEL'S ETCHINQ

^een a while sinoe I*ve written any "Itohings" si I guess

these will Ise tuite a few.

feaeli

Fisst of all I the ehildren and X were so vexy glad to have JIja

We new have many new friends in Floa^da due to these oonferenoes.

Psaise the Lord)

with se|d?ls of the wonderful oonferenoes and the l^lessings he received.

His Fl^da trip (January &Fe'^sewary). He was

fe\JS9tlBg

Eeusdoflan Christian News

Noi-pfit orginiutiofi

1,80X282

U. 8. Pottage

SQOttaburg, IN 47170

|B

Permit M2 Bulk Rate

Little York, IN 47139

LOip'S -EAPEUS
c/o OZARK 3I3LE COLLTilOE
1111 N. JOrLIN. MAIN ST. 64801

ETHEL'S ETCHING'S

But just a few days after Jim's return to Ecuador, he finally

realized that all was not fine in the Gaither house. Soon after he

haid left for Florida, I began having terrific pains up under my ribs on the right side. Our friends, and recently new brother and sister in Christ, Larry and Irene Wilson, took me to a doctor who began the long investigative process. Unfortunately, he was looking for an easy answer and when the X-rays showed that the hernia in my diaphragm had enlarged some, he very quickly said that this was the problem, although I kept

telling everyone that this didn't feel the same.

any other reason.

He just couldn't find

Be that as it may, he suggested strongly that for

this type of surgery (he thought repair was immediately called for) I
return to the States since, sometimes, the q.uality of health care here

is not q.uite up to date as in the States,

I was on my way 36 hours after

the doctor said "go," I am convinced that God still has a job for me to do.here because when I arrived at the hospital in Oklahoma City, and the doctors there began their examinations, it soon became very evident that the hemia was not the problem. They soon found a huge mass in the entire right side of my abdomen. After many, many tests to ascertain if any other

problems existed, surgery was done and a (at least) 25 pound tumor was
removed.

As soon as they told me there was a mass there, I was aware that it could be cancer. For the first fe^^ hours, I felt terribly alone

although two of our sons, Robert and William, managed to obtain emergency leave from the Air Force to be with me for a few days. For a short time,
my faith was sorely tested.

When I finally got myself together and "got my dander up" at the Devil, who will stop at nothing if he thinks he can stop you from doing the Lord's work, I turned everything over to Jesus as He told us to do, and He kept His promise. After that, I had complete peace. God used

this marvelous peace to show those, arouijd me there in the hospital what
it means to be a Christian and to know that you are safe in His arms, I was no longer alone. Thank you, God, for giving me this chance to
witness for You,

As most of you are by this time aware, the tumor was cancerous. But, the doctors told us that they were certain that they had been
able to remove all of it. Since it was ovarian in origin and had

been producing estrogen, they could, by a simple blood test determine if there were any more of the same- thing any other place in my body.

A month after I went home (to Jim's sister and brother-in-law's house)
I ha^ another blood test to see what was going on. When I talked to the doctor, he told me "You're cured, go on home." Why do I love my Lord? Read the above story again.

Balance of mission fund tjansferred

from California was $8,000.00.

1976 Annual Financial Report
Janxiary
Jul-v

This

was then transferred to Ecuador for

purchase of vehicle.
.11.90

Salary. Mission Expenses

-600.00
August

(Field)
Mailing Permit, supplies
and postage

.300.00

-9^.55
-300.00 -11.50

Salary. Mission Expenses

_600.00 .1,000.00

Expenses and Supplies

while in States

(Field)
1,600.00
September

Beink Charges

1306.55
February

Salary Mission Expenses

_600,00
JOO.OO

(Field)
Bank Charges

On Field Emergency Fund 500.00 Mission Furniture and Supplies-2,000.00 Salary ^600.00 Mission Expenses -300.00

(August and September)

25.98
925.98

(Field)

Bank Charges

-21.67
3^21.67

October

Salary _ Mission Expenses

_600.00
.300.00

(Field)_
Bank Charges

March

.12.84
912.84

Spanish Dictfcnary.
Mission Expenses
while home.

_3.39

.3^2,00
.500.00

Replace Emergency Fund

November

^^7.39
April

SalaryACT Filing Fee

.600.00
.15.00 -11.53 .32.26

(Sharon and Bimbo).

Bank Charges. Supplies and Postage
for mission

Postage and Supplies

Mission Expenses
while home

-60.67

Mission Expenses

.300.00

Salary Mission Expenses

-766.27
-600.00 -300.00
2.00 -100.00
December

958.79

(FieldX_
Bank Charges
Sharon and Bimbo

0(50.00)

Salary. Mission Expenses

.^00.00
-608.00 -21.93

(Field)Bank Chaxges

1828.9'1'
May

1.229.93
8.09 -425.00
1975
July

Medication for Ethel. Plane fare for Ethel.

Supplies for Mission. Bank Chaxges Salary. Mission Expenses

-^5.65
38.15 -600.00
-300.00

433.18 -1257.24

August SeptemberOctober November _ December _

(Field)
"Home"

-1548.90
-1048.22 -1252.10

-132.65
1529.54

-1145.40

J\me

Bank Chaxges Postage ajid Supplies

for mission

_ 1.50

.86.04
_1,000.00 600.00
JOO.OO 101.41

1976
January _

-2403.65 -1504.03

University Hospital Salary. Mission Expenses

Febraury
March

-1466.39
.2310.00

(Field) "Home"

April May
June

.2430.96
.I98O.&

2088.95

These figures are for total support payments plus special designated gifts
for hospital, plane fare, etc. ,

Income Disbursements

18,780.69 16,662.48
2,118.21

Balance-June I976
Indebtedness

1,244.00

Englewood Christian Church

On hand for furlough

.874.21

I. >1 J

ly io

j .1.1C:",.

n'oVi

I;Ij3 i

rec'i

Sc'IV^"
February 28:

"

SPECIAL BULLETIN
to see

Ethel went to our doctor here for a routine examintaion,

if more cancer was growing.

March 2:

Our doctor here, based on the results of that test, declared a medical emergency. Upon her recommendation, we flew to the University Hospital in Oklahoma City for further tests. The con clusion reached was that the estrogen level had doubled but that it was still in a non-operative or non-chemical therpy level. After many consultations, it was decided to let her return to Cruayaquil, with more tests planned when we return for furlough in

197.

Wr) thank Gd for His watch care and answered prayer.

Our work

Horo is at a critical ppint and she is needed desperately.

Please thenk Him for i t a l l .

If she hai^ n#t ben permittesd to return, the work would have been hindered greatly. As it turned out, she was returned and we praise God.

Things here are progressing repidly and we are sure that God
has His hadn on the work.

the congregation carried on under local leadership. Praise God for this too. We have much yet to do, prior to our reporting time
in the States but we are sure God will provide. Thank you for mak ing this letter possible by your support and prayers.
Jim & Ethel

During the three Sundays we were gone,

Mision Cristiana Ecuatoriana Casilla 8347

Guayaquil, Ecuador, S.A. Forwarding Agent Mrs. Marilyn Price

1702 4th Ave.

Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Jim & Ethel Gaither

March 1977

FURLOUGH TIME IS CLOSE

In January of 1978 the Gaither family will be back in the States for their first furlough, or should I say, their time of reporting to the Churches. The only time we have
really planned for us, is a ten day vacation in the summer
and a beautiful Christmas with all the children. We are

help. We dropped what we were dol'tig and drove to her home. There we found out that Rudy, her brother-in-law had just died and her husband was alone at the hospital. We drove her to the hospital where the family was gathering. How sad it Is when a person dies without
Christ. As I stood there in the hall I realized how Im

hoping that everyone will cooperate as we fix out our itinerary. We want to save time, gas and money so are trying to plan it so that we will not have to make any backtracks or extended trips for just one speaking date.
Here Is what we are proposing.

portant it was for me to be in Ecuador. Rudy needed to

know Jesus. As far as I know and can tell he died without

Him. I had a conversation with Rudy concerning Jesus but at the time he felt like there were other things more

We will start In Jacksonville, Florida and buy there from a man in the Englewood Christian Church a travel trailer In which to live for the year. We will also purchase

a pick-up truck with which to pull the trailer. (The truck

will also come back to Ecuador with us in 1979.) We are

Important, besides that he had plenty of time. I stood in the hall and thought of Luke 12:21 where God told the rich farmer that that night his soul would be required. How this represented Rudy and his pre-occupation with this world. Later he thought I will take care of my need for God. Perhaps in time Rudy might have given his life to
Christ, no one will ever know. It only impressed on me

planning our first speaking date for January 8, 1978. We will then go to the Florida churches first. From there to Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and this should put us in Oklahoma City for the North American C.C., Nebraska, California, Arizona, New Mexico and finally to New Orleans for the trip back to Ecuador.
We would also like to arrange the date with the chur ches In the following way. To all of our NOW supporting churches we would like to be with you for your Sunday morning Sunday school and worship service. At this time we would like to each teach a Sunday school class. During the worship service Jim would bring the morning message. This message would not be about our work In Ecuador but a Gospel sermon. Then we would go to a neighboring Church that does not now support us for the evening service. There we could present our work to them. Then on Monday we would request that our sup porting Church have a fellowship supper for us and during thattime we would like togive our report to them. We feel that in this way we could give our report in more detail and without the pressure of regulated time. It Is our Idea to close with a time of questions and answers
and also a time for leisure conversation. What do you

the need for my being here and how I needed to be ever faithful to the preaching of the word everytlme 1 could.
You never are sure of tomorrow.

"SOME TIDBITS FROM THE WORK"

Whata real joy I had the first of February. I went down to the Datsun car dealer and made the last payment on
the Nissan Patrol that belongs to the mission. It cost the
Mission a little over $7,000.00. Please thank God for this

being paid off. Also, I want to thank all of you that sup port this work for making this all possible. May God bless you richly.

Last Sunday we also had another milestone. Our largest Church attendance. We had 22 with us that day and only three gringoes (Americans). Ethel, Larry
Wilson and I. Praise God for this, too. This also brings about a real great need. It seems that this coming Sun day there will be even more coming. Where will we put them all? Our home at the very best will accommodate about 25 people. This Sunday we are expecting up\\ards into the thirties. We need a building very desperately but have two great problems, money and available buildings. We must be careful if we pay rent for when we leave to come home on furlough the local people must then support it, so therefore, it cannot be too expensive and that kind of place is hard to find. Please pray about
this too.

think? If we do it this way we will need the cooperation of all our Churches. One other real Important point is that ALL scheduling will be done through our Forwarding Agent, Mrs. Marilyn Price, 1702 4th Ave., Scottsbluff, Ne. 69361. Please answer her letters promptly and this will be a big helptoall.
DEATH IN ECUADOR

When 1 started this newsletter the first time, I was

interrupted by a phone call from our Spanish teacher. Her husband's brother had just died and she needed our

Watch the June and July issues of Horizons for news on South America. They have asked us to submit some things for those Issues which we will do. Your family in Christ In Ecuador
Jim and Ethel Gaither

ETHEL'S ETCHINGS

It seemed almost

like old times around the Gaither

"mansion" this past week. There were children in the house again.

They are all lovely children and there is a special bond of love between them and their "gringos", the Gaithers.
We are looking for this trend to continue as all of those

Last Sunday for church services we had 15 children

(plus the adults) then on Wednesday the young man (2V2

yrs. old) upstairs came to visit just at lunch time so he
had a bowl of soup and a sandwich with us.

who were here before said they would be coming back

again for church and bringing others with them. Oh, for a larger place in which to house services. Our little apartment is full to overflowing now. We are sure we could fill a place four times the size of ours with no effort.

Later that same day we received a phone call telling us

that the brother of one of our Ecuadorian friends here

had died (mentioned In another part of this newsletter).

We Immediately went to see if we could help the family.

Thank God for the Spanish we have been able to learn.

Jim puts the "Neslan Patrol" to good use as he goes to pick up some of those children. He Is now enlisting the aid of Larry Wilson (a member of the congregation here) In doing this. Without Larry, Jim would have to make

The dead man was to lie In state (everyone must be burled within 24 hours here. It's a real blessing In the
absence of mortuaries as we know them) In the home of our friends. We brought their four children to our house

several trips to get everyone. Again, I say... Thank you.

Lord. This Is why we are In Ecuador.
Until next time I Love You.
Ethel

overnight and all the next day. What a joy It was for us.

Ecuadorian Christian News fl 1, Box 282

Non-Piofit OrgwiizMioii

U. & Pottao*

Scottsburg, IN 47170
Peimit #2 Bulk Rate

gttle York, IN 47139

LOF^'S "EAPE'-iS

c/o OZARK 3I3LR COLLEGE

1111 N, MAIN ST. JO^LIN. "fQ 64801

Mision Cristiana Ecuatoriana Casilla8347

Guayaquil, Ecuador, S.A. Forwarding Agent Mrs. Marilyn Price

1702 4th Ave.

Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Jim & Ethel Gaither

MAY 1977

AGROWINGCHURCH

The congregation at Guayaquil Is really making great strides in Its spiritual growth. As you know we had to make an emergency trip back to the States and were gone three Sundays. What a blessing to return and find that the congregation under local leadership was able to function. We feel that this is one of the greatest blessings we have received here. Before I left I gave the keys to our house, which is where the church meets to Larry Wilson and he and the other members came over early and set It

camper at the end of the year it will be sold to recuperate part of the money and the pickup will return to Ecuador
with us.

Another aspect of our furlough that is really important

is that of speaking dates. Remember that all dates will be made and confirmed by our Forwarding agent. Please do not make any to us here In the field. As we would have to send them to our Forwarding agent and this would cost a lot of time and postage. When she writes and askes for a

up for worship service. Then Carlos Reyes and his wife

Angelica provided the preaching and teaching. Angelica

date please help her by responding as soon as possible. Also If anyone wants a particular date please make your
request early. Right now is not too soon.

does a fantastic job with teaching the children. Larry and Carlos served the Lord's table and everyone else par ticipated in different ways. During this time the church kept up its attendance and again shows this congregation Is built on Christ and not the missionary. Praise God for this. I assume that every missionary has as his goal a
congregation that can function without him, well we have

OTHER INFORMATION

Two families have made commitments to work with

the mission. The Allen and Rocio Williams and Wayne

and Gail Fenner families have made this decision. Al and

one in Guayaquil in just a little over two and one-half

years. All this because God has blessed with that which we have needed. Never say that the Gaithers did a fine

|ob but that God Is doing a great work through his people
here.

Rocio intend to work secular work to earn their living and then will use their free time to help spread the Gospel here In Ecuador. They are due on the field at any time now. The Fenners plan to come In 1979 and are now preaching at St. Augustine, Fla. Wayne and Gall will need to raise their support as they will be working full
time for the mission.

FURLOUGHTIMESOON

We are making many plans for our first reporting time

In the United States. We feel that this time should be well

Also to help promote and tell about our work here, a booklet Is now being printed. This should be available

planned so that we can make the greatest use of our time. For this reason we will be publishing from time to time different things concerning that time back home. We will be asking your help to make it a well planned time. We have seen many times when the Mlssionary has spent a lot of extra time and money because others were not willing to make the effort to help. Please don't let this
happen to the Gaithers.

within the next few weeks. If you would like a copy please write our Forwarding agent to reserve your copy. Also
you might send the names of anyone you feel would be Interested In receiving it.

Our legal work is moving at a typical Latin American pace-SLGW. We do hope to have it, though, in a couple
more months. We would appreciate your prayers as this is very important to have it all ready before we leave.

If our present plans work out, we will buy our pickup

truck in the Tampa area and then drive it to Jacksonville

where we will buy the travel trailer and begin our reporting to the churches. The date set is to begin on January 8, 1978. Needless to say we will come back |ust a

FLASH

little ahead of that date to get everything ready to go. Some may ask where the money will come from to buy
the truck and trailer. A big share will come from the sale of the Nissan Patrol we have in Guayaquil. This should bring in around $7,000.00. That will be a good start. Also it is our hope that some of our supporters might see the

As I was writing this newsletter a girl who has been attending services regularly came in and asked to be baptized TODAY. I called Carlos Reyes and we made
arrangements to meet him at an Inlet where there was

water enough to baptize her. Six attended and at 5:00 P.M., Wednesday, April 5, we baptized her Into Christ. As
we sang many stood by to watch. As she came out of the water she was all smiles as she met her new brothers and

need and will send extra help to finish the payments. Remembering that when we are through with the

sisters In Christ. She also belongs to your family there in the States. Please pray for her as she begins her new
walk with Christ.

ETHEL'S ETCHINGS

Being on the field as a full time missionary certainly brings many blessings Into one's life. At the same time, it can bring heartaches. Sometimes I really envy you grandmothers who are able to share in the happiness brought about by the birth of a grandchild or in the ex
pected ones.

with his wife, Sandy. They gave us the good news that they, too, will be parents in August. Theirs will make six grandchildren for us, three of which I will not have seen and four that Jim has not seen. Bill's girls, Jorjia Mae and Cindi Lee being the other two. So, grandparents, when you get to feeling sorry for yourselves when the grandchildren leave your house a mess after a visit, remember the blessings they left and not the messes. And please don't feel too sorry for the Gaithers. They will get tp see theirs at Christmas, 1979 If

We recently had news of a new granddaughter being

born to our oldest son, Robert and his lovely wife, Lori. She was born on February 14 and appropriately named Emily Valentine. (She is Robert and Lorl's second child.) Lor! wrote a beautiful long letter telling us all about little Emily.

the Lord tarries that long. Just be grateful for yours as

we are for ours. God bless you. .. .Until next time ... I love you.
Ethel

A few days later Michal, our number three son, called us from Germany where he is stationed (Army),

Ecuadorian Christian News

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Guayaquil, Ecuador, S. A.

Mrs. Marilyn Price

125- 13th Street S. E.

Altoona, Iowa 50009

PRAISE GOD ANOTHER BAPTISM!

took her confession and then the whole congregation drove to the Salado {Like a river but is salt water.) where we baptized her into Christ. We gathered on the bank, sang songs, prayed and then buried her with the Lord. What awitness it was as the crowd gathered to watch. Even young people in boats stopped to watch and listen.

sixteen years ofage, came forward. She is staying with her uncle, Carlos Reyes, and attends every Sunday with him. I

Last Sunday at the close ofthe service the invitation was extended and ayoung lady called Gerda Diaz, who is about

When she came up out of her watery grave tears ofjoy were seen to flow down her cheeks. Carlos told me that every day she is studying God's word to see if these things are so. When she was convinced she came. Carlos also

told me that he did not know she was coming. We ask you to pray for her as she begins her new life in Christ. She will face many problems that we do not know in the United States. She will be excluded from many things
now that she is a "Christian" and not a Catholic.

Lord as they do now. Many wonder sometimes ifsupporting missions is really worthwhile. My answer is that this is our goal as followers ofChrist, "to go to the uttermost parts ofthe world preaching, teaching and baptizing."

you not supported us and had we not come, there is a strong possibility that they would have never known the

This makes a total oftwenty that have been led to the Lord in the last eight months and baptized into Christ. Had

support ofEcuadorian Christian Mission, though it needs it, I am crying out for God's work wherever it may be.

In fact we must be doing more and more as we see the day of Christ's return approaching. I am not crying out for

ries of countries or races. Our work is wherever the person is that is not now following Christ."

In the sermon that Carlos Reyes preached Sunday morning he said, "ourwork for Christ must not know bounda

The work ofEcuadorian Christian Mission is not confined to Ecuador. We are willing and are planning to take the Gospel ofChrist anywhere and everywhere that it can be preached in Spanish. Or English too ifit is needed where we are at. We never want to place any kind of border around this work but to be always ready to preach the Gospel wherever we might be led. We are planning to make Ecuador the headquarters for the task ofpresenting the Gospel to the Latin world. As God provides through his people we will endeavor to be prepared to GO.

When we come home we want to share our exciting plans with you and the brotherhood at large. We feel they are far reaching and large. We will implement them as we have the money and resources of personnel.
MORE FURLOUGH PLANS

We have been reporting about our coming furlough and some ofour plans so that you can be aware ofwhat we will
living, working and some of our coming needs.

be doing during this very important time. This month we would like to share with you our plans about traveling,

leave the trailer in one spot while we visit the churches in that section. This will save us from driving back and forth across the country therefore serving to save money and fuel. You can see how very important it is for every one to
help us as we begin to schedule our speaking dates.

We are looking to buy a travel trailer and pick-up truck for our housing and travel. The trailer will serve as our home and office and a base from which to work. We have divided our trip up into different legs or sections where we will

sell the Nissan Patrol here in Guayaquil and hopefully raise S6,000.00 from it. The rest will have to come from the general fund and (hopefully) special contributions. The money will not be wasted as the truck will return to Ecua

These two units will cost a large sum ofmoney and many might ask how we intend to pay for it all. First we will

dor with us to serve as our vehicle here and the trailer will be sold. The man who will be selling us the trailer has

This system will also give us very needed mobility.

one of the supporting churches. The truck can also be bought at adiscount which will also help. So that the only real loss will be the devaluation ofthe trailer which we feel will be offset by not paying rent except for camper fees.

promised to make us a very attractive deal plus he will resell it for us when we leave. He is a Christian man out of

send for our stay in the United States. Their address is: Wayne Fenner, Minister, 15 Riberia Street, St. Augustine, Fla. 32084. At this time Iam not suggesting anything that you might send, I am only trying to tell you ofour
plans and needs.

When we arrive we will need to furnib, the trailer as we do not intend to bring back anything from Ecuador. Trans portation costs both ways would prohibit it. Here again we will need your help and support. Wayne and Gail Fenner (who will be returning with us in 1979) have agreed to act as areceiving agent for anything we or you might

VISITORS IN OUR HOME

Last week we were very happy to have Phil Banta, missionary from Columbia, and a friend who is visiting him, Eric Duggans, in our home. They were headed for Peru and some other countries tovisit. On their way back they will stop for two pr three days. Hopefully, Phil will be able to preach for us on the Sunday they are here.

In July we are expecting the Fenners to be with us for a couple ofweeks. They are coming to get a firsthand look
at the field so they can better prepare for their coming to work in 1979.

i^other family is also coming this summer by the name ofDan and Jackie Burson from New Orleans. Dan and his wife taught in the American school here so will be coming to help in the Bennedict school ofEnglish and renew

old friendships. They are the family that gave a^ft ofapipe organ to the Mid-South Christian College at our sug

gestion.

Having visitors in yourhome is one of the real pleasures we enjoy here. We hear news from our homeland as well
as beingable to share news of our work with them.
ETHEL'S ETCHINGS

I think I finally solved our exercise problem. Move and sort between 1200 and 1500 books.

Jim had an appointment that would keep him out most ofthe day and my other work was caught up (at least at that point) so I thought it would be agood time to tackle that mountain ofbooks. They were all mixed up in the moving process from Coligio to the house so the first order of business was to put them in stacks according to title and subject, text or workbook. At this point I wasn't even ready to think about putting aside those for our use.
Istarted this project about 9:30 in the morning and when Jim returned about 6:00 that evening I had books all over the living room, scattered along the wall in the hallway, the bed was full and there was just room to put a foot down between stacks in the bedroom. Jim complained (only alittle) that the bathroom door was blocked.
He had to step overbooks.

just "bitten off more than I could chew"alone and had to have help to set things right again. My "exercise" pro
gram had gotten out of hand.

By the time Jim got home, needless to say, I was exhausted. And only 3 small stacks put back where we wanted them. Bless his loving heart Jim jumped in and together we got all ofthem put in place within an hour. I had

In reflecting on this experience I thought how like some ofour Christian "exercise programs" this was. We start out doing things "for the church", "for Jesus", or "for God" and find that we are so caught up in doing "things" that we don't have-the^time-or-energy to do the job-Christ gave us4o-do. To seek those outside-His4>ody^and teach them about Him. Many times we need someone to come in and help us set our spiritual houses back in
and exhausted? Or the one coming in fresh to help?
IMPORTANT NOTICE

order as Jim helped me with the books. Stop for a moment and see where you are. In the confusion of the work

CHANGE

OF

ADDRESS

Our forwarding agent, Marilyn Price has moved to Iowa. Her new address is:
125 - 13th Street S. E. Altoona, Iowa 50009

Please start sending all correspondence and support to this new address. Altoona isa suburb of Des Moines.

Ecuadorian Christian News R. 1. Box282

Scottsburg, IN 47170

Non-Profit Organization U. S. Postage

Permit #2 Bulk Rate

Little York, IN 4 7139

LORD'S -E/lPEiiS
JOPLIN. ''^0

c/o OZARK BIBLE COLLEGE

64801

n i l N. MAIN ST.

Casilla 8347

Guayaquil, Ecuador, S. A.

Mrs. Marilyn Price

125- 13th Street S. E.

Altoona, Iowa 50009

HUESPEDES AT THE GAITHER'S

Mr. Daniel W. Burson from New Orleans, La. and Stephen Beaty from Birmingham, Ala. have arrived to bless our home for awhile. They were both teachers at the Colegio Americano when Sharon and Bimbo were with us. Mrs. Burson will arrive the 16th of July and then all will stay two more weeks. Mr. Burson is here to apply for the job of Director of the Colegio Americano.

The 25th of July will see the arrival of Wayne and Gail Fenner who plan to stay till the 8th of August. As you know Wayne and Gail plan to work with the Ecuadorian Christian Mission and will arrive on the field for work in 1979. How we are looking forward to their coming.
GAITHERS COMING HOME EARLY

It was the decision of our forwarding agent and ourselves that it would be best if we came home a few months early to help with the getting some things done State side. With this in mind we will try to arrive home some time in September. We will still start our regular tour Jan. 8th as planned, but hope to get the other things done first. We will, however, be looking for some speaking dates during our stay with our Forwarding agent. .Our ad dress will be the same as our Forwarding agent, Ecuadorian Christian Mission, 125 - 13th Street S. E., Altoona,
Iowa 50009.

As we make our plans to come back, please pray for the congregation here as it continues to serve Christ in Guayaquil. It will be under the leadership of Carlos Reyes and he will appreciate your prayers on liis behalf. As of this date, Al and Rocio Williams have not arrived due to some visas problems. We are hoping they will arrive real soon so they can also help during this time we're gone.
CHURCH ACTIVITIES

Our congregation is touching more and more lives as it continues to work for Christ. We are thrilled at the growth

of some of our new Christians. Maria, a young lady we baptized about four months ago thrilled our hearts the other day and 1would like to share that story with you. She called us on Saturday night to tell us that she had to go home to Vinces over Sunday as her mother wanted to see her. This meant that the children we normally
picked up at her house would not be coming either. In about an hour we received another call from Maria, saying that she would come after all. She said she had got to thinking about how the children would miss the teaching and how she would not be with her church family that Sunday and so she decided that to attend was more important for everyone. What a witness to her faith and her desire to worship God. This kind of growth in about four short months. As it turned out she had sixteen ready to load in the Jeep when we went to pick her up. Just think how great it would be if next Sunday every one brought sixteen people with them. She is
an inspiration to all who are around her.
"COMINGS AND GOINGS"

The first part of this week I found out that the Consulate General, Robert Bishton and I are both very special peo^er~We have"Hofh coiTtacted~a'very rare"parasite. We were told^tHaf^oiTnormally contract it by ^tmg pofS that was not well cooked. He nor I remember eating any pork that was not well cooked so we assume we got them when we were on a hacienda together about three weeks ago. They can be dangerous but we caught them in plenty of time so there is no problem. I have to take pills every six hours but that is all. Oh well, such is the life in the tropics. As of now Ethel has not had any parasites, amoebas, or worms. We thank God for his
watchcare over her.

Since I am President of the American Society this year I had to help plan the July 4th picnic which turned out to be a huge success. Many said that it was the best ever. We had hotdogs, hamburgers, soda pop, and all the
trimmings, games prepared and supervised by the Peace Corp young people, the Air Force Band from Panama, and closed with a fifty minute presentation. We really enjoyed our day.

The mission has some booklets prepared that explain how we got to this great country, what happened those

first couple of years and the direction we hope and pray the mission will go. If you would like a copy please
write our forwarding agent in Des Moincs, Iowa and she will be glad to send you a copy. We would recom mend it for anyone wanting to know more about our work here.

ETHEL'S ETCHINGS

do are still waiting to be done.

Now that our time in Ecuador is growing short (before furlough) I find that many of the things I planned to

'

Like the trip to San Antonio de Ibarra where they have some of the most fantastic wood carvings ever made. We were there once, a little over a year ago, with Ximena Carrera, the daughter of our lawyer and determined to return with more money to buy some of the magnificient work produced there. One in particular, "The Last Supper," took my eye. Mainly for the minute detail of the faces, hands and feet. It was indescribably
beautiful. (Maybe in July when Wayne and Gail Fenner come to visit).

Then, there are the archaeological digs on the coast between Playas and Salinas where, recently, the oldest known remains of man in this hemisphere have been found. Some of these digs are still open to amatuer archaeologists. Bimbo has a stone axe head from this area which was presented to him by the finder as a graduation gift. It is believed to be more than 2,000 years old.

And the beautiful, mysterious Oriente (Amazon jungle region). Much has been written about this area of Ecuador and yet so little is/eally known. Deep, nearly impenatrable forest filled with exotic flora and fauna. People as yet relatively untouched by "civilization." The Galapagos Islands, too, should be included here but these last two places, I'm afraid, will just have to wait. It's just too expensive to gc for enough time to make
it worthwhile.

But perhaps there are other things that have been put off, too. Did I miss a chance to smile at some pne be cause I was preoccupied with my own problems? Did I pass by a chance to say something for Christ ? I think these are questions we must all face up to. Do we in our hurry-up, going-nowhere-fast world miss the truly delightful experience of having a child look up at you and say, in whatever language, "I love you"? Orsee pain-dulled eyes light up when the person behind them realizes that you are not going to pass them by hke everyone else? Everyone needs to know that, regardless of their situation here on earth, some day they will be released from this plane to a higher one, where hopefully, they will live forever with Jesus. Have we done our part to help those with whom we come in contact to have this chance for happiness and eternal life? Or have we been too busy working m the Lord's Kingdom to do the Lord's work? "To seek and to save that
which was lost."

I love you,
Ethel

Ecuadorian Christian News

R. 1. Box 282

Non-Profit Organization
U. S. Postage

Scottsburg, IN 47170

LOflD'S ' TilAP^ijtiS

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Little York IN471J9

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uttievork. in4 7J9

1111 N. MAIN ST, JO ".-LIN. ^0 64801

Mision Cristiana Ecuatoriana

Casilla 8347

'

Guayaquil. Ecuador, S. A.

Mrs. Marilyn Price

125- 13th Street S. E.

Altoona, Iowa 50009

GAITHERS HOME ON FURLOUGH

August 29th the Gaithcrs left Guayaquil to begin reporting to the supporting churches and for fund raising. We will be living in Des Moincs, Iowa until December, at which time we will leave for the great state of Florida. We speak for the first time there on Jan the first and will stay till the last ofMarch. Then to Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico, California, Arizona and finally Texas and then back to Guaya quil. We hope to stay real busy during all this time. Wc have already scheduled six Faith Promise Rallies, one
DVBS and one camp.
THE WORK IN GUAYAQUIL

As wc left Simon Bolivar Airport, wc left with a song ofpraise for what God can do. We left the work in very good hands in the persons ofthe Carlos Reyes family. He will be preaching, calling, and all the other things you need to do to make a congregation grow. For the last six months Carlos has done all the preaching and docs a wonderful job. He was trained by some ofour missionaries in Chile and is a man who loves God's word and preachcs it faith fully. Wo arc also hoping that by January the Al Williams family will be in Guayaquil to help too. (Remember that Rocio Williams, Al swife, is anative ofGuayaquil. The hope and prayer ofevery missionary is to be able to leave
behind a congregation that can operate on it's own and this wc did. Remember that it is God who receives the praise. He was the one who provided and made it possible.

Let me share a thought with you. Many years ago God placed on some men's hearts the desire to go to Chile and start a work. He blessed their lives, provided funds and workers through the congregations and finally was able to teachings, the Churches continued to provide the funds and Carlos Reyes grew in the truth and knowledge ofChrist. Finally he left for Guayaquil, Ecuador to becomc aschool teacher. Seven years later he meets a man by the name ofJim Gaithcr who desired to start a work in Guayaquil. Just think, over twenty years ago, God started planning for the congregation in Guayaquil in another country thousands of miles away. At the same time, he was prepar ing a new preacher, Jim Gaithcr, for the prcaching ministry. Istarted my preaching ministry about the same time
Carlos becajnc a Christian. What a thrill to be a tool in the hand of God. IS YOUR LIFE OPEN TO HIS LEADING?
IS GOD NOW PREPARING FOR ANOTHER MINISTRY YET TWENTY YEARS IN THE FUTURE?
A TRUCK FOR TRAVELING

reach a young man by the name of Carlos Reyes. Through the years the missionaries remained faithful in their

just exactly what wc need. It is very comfortable and at the same time very serviceable. How we thank God for
this blessing.

wc were able to buy a pick-up truck for a very good price. This truck is especially equipped to pull a trailer and is

I never ceasc to stand amazed in God's presence. Through an elder in the Rising Sun Church of Christ, Dcs Moincs.

Now all we lack is the trailer and that we need your prayers for. We have a family in the Englewood Church, Jack sonville, Florida who sells trailers and has offered to sell us one at cost. Our problem at the present is that we have not been able to sell our Jeep in Ecuador, which would have provided the funds for the trailer. We will need to pur chase this vehicle by January 1, 1978. Just three more months. We are praying, and asking for your prayers that
this Jeep might sell very soon.

SPEAKING DATES

We are already watching our datebook fill rapidly and praising God for it. I might suggest that if you know of some congregation or group that would like to have us come, that you have them write very soon. We are trying to sched ule our trip by areas so they will need to contact our forwarding agent to find out when we will be in their area. We
want to avoid the problem and expense of traveling back and forth across the United States.
ETHEL'S ETCHINGS

Leaving friends and family is always a traumatic experience even for a short time. But knowing that it will be for a year, at least, makes leaving even more difficult. Such was our experience in having our dear ones in Ecuador to come "home on furlough."
Going away parties are the custom in Latin America and our folks were not to be outdone. Irene Wilson hosted an

afternoon tea for me with many of my friends in the community. Then, a few days later, a dinner party was given for the Gaithers by our dear friends. Bob &Jane Bishton. He is Consul General (State Department) in Guayaquil. On Sunday, after services, came a big surprise. Our church family had planned and executed a going away dinner in our honor. The Reyes family, the Burson family, and our Maria and the group which comes to church with her (about 18) had "conspired" to prepare this dinner. I didn't have to do a thing but eat all those lovely things.
But the tears which flowed as goodbyes were^said-made-all the loneliness, homesickness, hard work and tears-oLth^ past three years worthwhile. Thank you, Lord, for giving us the opportunityof receiving such love as this. Amen,
Ethel.

Ecuadorian Christian News

R. 1. Box 282

Non-Profit Organization
U. S. Postage

Scottsburg, IN 47170
Permit #2 Bulk Rate

Little York, IN4 739

LOfp'S -EAPE^^S
JO'.XIN. -O

c/o OZARK 3I3LE COLLEGE

64801

1111 N. mm ST.