4 Years of Missionary Work in Cuenca – Ecuador
Introduction
In San Joaquín, a community in the heart of Cuenca, Ecuador, a new endeavor began to take shape four years ago. Committed to God’s mission and with a strong desire to serve the Lord, our family joined forces with four other families with the purpose of planting a seed of hope in this community. Today, in retrospect, we reflect on the challenges faced, the blessings received, and the calling that continues to motivate us to surrender our lives to Christ.
The Vision and Mission of Baptist Church “La Luz” (The Light):
From the outset, our values defined the vision and mission of what we were to become:
“A Biblical Church, forming mature disciples, strengthened in the faith of Christ,
committed to the Gospel and the mission of representing and teaching the
Gospel as a natural response to God’s love, until reaching complete unity with
the body of Christ.”
This has been the focus that has driven every step we have taken as a church.
The Call to Serve
The motivation to initiate this work arises from the call, an echo of God’s love for us, which propelled us to bring the truth of the Gospel of Christ to those in need, all with the purpose of honoring and glorifying God with our lives. Amidst the initial challenges and daily responsibilities, we found strength in the purpose entrusted to us.
Challenges and Blessings
As a family, we face daily challenges that have helped us grow in dependence on the Lord; such as balancing and allocating time among different pastoral, family, academic, and work responsibilities. Although some challenges persist, we can joyfully say that we have experienced God’s faithfulness in each of these aspects, especially in seeing His hand and provision in all our needs, through the love of committed families and churches that invest in us for the expansion of the kingdom.
Among the challenges of planting the Church in the locality, the worldview of people regarding the Christian religion has been the strongest. People see all religion as just another tradition among many that already exist. Thus, the community does not view the local church as a family that reflects Christ here on earth and Jesus as a personal need, but as a habit. This has led to disinterest and a lack of real commitment from the community to be part of a local church. However, our strategic focus involves breaking paradigms and challenging this entrenched mindset, cultivating authentic relationships that reflect the love of Christ and our genuine interest in people’s issues.
What has aided us in this process has been being part of “Servants Leaders International.” We have felt and seen the love that God has given us over these 4 years through the ongoing support of the SLI team, who have been a family and strong pillar in these early stages. Their love and concern for those of us involved in missions have allowed us to feel supported in this church-planting work. Likewise, the love of the brothers and sisters from the churches that visit and are attentive to our family and the growing church has been invaluable.
The DNA of “La Luz”
Baptist Church “La Luz” stands out among others for its focus on biblical values when forming committed disciples empowered to expand the Kingdom of God. We know that strong families make strong churches. We are not focused on increasing the number of attendees, but on mentoring, multiplying, and mobilizing new disciples with knowledge, character, and ability to help them put their gifts in service to God for the edification of the body of Christ, starting with their own lives and families.
We have learned that diversity is a manifestation of God’s grace, and in these 4 years, the Lord has brought Christian families to join our work. Our community has grown in number and identity. To date, we are 25 committed members and approximately another 25 faithful congregants who see Church “La Luz” as a family where they can grow in knowledge and love for Christ.
Current Projects
Our internal work within the church focuses on strengthening and equipping existing families before reaching out to the external community.
Weekly activities such as Bible studies, prayer meetings, and fellowship events foster unity and spiritual growth. As part of our outreach strategy, we are implementing Bible studies in local homes, encouraging members to invite unbelieving friends and neighbors. Additionally, we regularly train our congregation in local evangelism and missions.
Future Plans
In the short term, we seek to formalize our local church and eventually acquire our own land for the construction of a permanent building. We aspire to shared leadership and are investing in the development of local leaders through training programs; we want to be a sending church.
Ministered by the Church
In these four years, we have witnessed God’s power amidst difficulties and challenges. Our faith has been tested repeatedly, but in every challenge, we have found strength and peace in the presence of the Lord.
We have understood that we are not the ones who will build the church; we are merely instruments in the hands of the Redeemer. By recognizing our daily dependence on Him, we have seen how the church has been built as we focus on making disciples by emulating Jesus, showing love to others.
We are aware that God’s work transcends our abilities and knowledge, and we humble ourselves before His greatness and inexhaustible love.
Our Commitment
We want you to know that as a family, we are committed to continuing to be faithful in following Christ as He walks before us. We cannot change people’s hearts, but we can bring hope to a spiritually dormant city, seduced by worldly desires and vanity. We trust in the Lord’s promise to accompany us every step of the way. We are grateful to those who have invested in us and our missionary work, and we hope to continue being a beacon of light in the midst of darkness.
With gratitude and humility, we acknowledge that our testimony is only a reflection of God’s love and faithfulness. We entrust ourselves to His care and direction, trusting that, for His glory, He will continue to work wonders through us in this city.
Join Us
We invite you to be an active part of this mission to expand the kingdom of God. Your support will serve to bring Christ into the lives of many people. Whether through volunteering, financial donations to our family or the church, praying for guidance and wisdom, or participating in events, every action counts. Together, we can continue to reflect the love of God and the light of the Gospel.
Join us in this mission of faith and service!
With love, gratitude, and hope in Christ,
