Surprising fruit revealed through outreach in rural Ecuador

Ecuador (OMI/MNN) — An evangelism
project in Ecuador is starting to see results, but not the ones the ministry team
expected.

Darren van Rensburg, team member of Operation Mobilization
Ecuador–together with other OM workers and members of a local church in Ecuador's
biggest city Guayaquil–has been ministering for several years to the people
living on Santay Island. For many years, this poverty-stricken community has
been ignored by local society and government.

Until recently,
the team was discouraged by the lack of response from the inhabitants. OM workers are
focused on evangelism, literature distribution, equipping and training,
mobilization and community development in most of the areas where they work.

However, until recently, the team was
discouraged by the lack of response from the inhabitants. Now, they are
noticing God's hand in the people's lives. "When we visited the island last
Monday, [first] we had the unexpected surprise that three men came to our
service," shares Darren. "Mostly it's only women attending our program."

Even more
unexpectedly, at the end of the service, all three men came to the front, in
front of all the women. "They publicly professed Christ!" says Darren, smiling.
"This can only be the work of the Lord! It goes completely against the cultural
grain on Santay for men to admit weakness and need in front of all these women.
This is a real breakthrough!"

The team asks
your prayer for these 3 men: Timoteo, Jacinto, and Vicente. "Please pray that
they will become strong disciples of Christ, priests in their homes, and
leaders in the community," shares Darren. "This is a key moment for Santay, and
also makes it easier for other men to take a similar decision."

The ministry approaches the national
church as a local resource for ministering locally and challenging/training
people to serve on the mission field. OM
began its work in the Andean Region Field in 2003 as an OM Latin American
initiative with the purpose of pulling together the resources and potential of
four small countries in the northwest corner of South America. 

OM Andean Region is looking to partner
with churches and organizations in order to expand its scope of ministry to
reach the most unreached & needy people in their communities with a holistic
gospel.