Karina

Karina is one of our teachers of “Los Pequeños” (The Little Ones) in our church in Puyupungo. She loves to sing songs with them, teach them to make art projects, and hear them shout “Gloria a Dios” (Glory to God).

It’s the only time Karina can be herself, can laugh, can enjoy the children, instead of feeling like she must care for them. Why? Because Karina is 16 and the oldest of 6 children. Karina’s responsibilities include cooking meals, washing the laundry (this means, taking a mountain of clothes, walking 15 minutes to the river, washing them in the river, carrying that wet heavy, mountain of laundry back to her house and hanging them out to dry on anything and anywhere she can) and she is always in charge of her younger siblings, especially her baby brother. She even must bring him to church with her for services (She assists in both children and adults). And all of this is not acknowledged with the smallest “Thank you”, but instead is expected of her.

Sometimes she thinks she’s hiding behind her smile, but we can clearly see the sadness in Karina’s eyes for the hard life she lives. But she knows that her tears roar like thunder in the ears of an Almighty God and she knows that He hears every time she calls out His name. She rejoices in the church, her place of solace, of comfort, of joy and she never misses a Monday or a Thursday. Jesus said, “Suffer the children to come unto me…..”

Santiago

I think many of you know this young man’s name. He has been in our Puyupungo church since we started. He’s the young boy who came when no one else did from his community. And we’d hear him sing, “Though none go with me, still I will follow, No turning back, no turning back.” But through his following Jesus and his desire to always be in church, he invited his cousins, his neighbors, his friends. And soon, a few started coming with him, then a few more, then more. Now, the community of Encañada knows about Jesus because of a 10 year old boy. Although his parents still do not faithfully come, Santiago is determined to serve God.

Santiago is the oldest of 5 siblings. In his family, he must help his dad to work in the gardens, which provide all their food. He also must help care for his younger siblings when asked to. There’s no time for hugs, not much time for play, and if there were, there aren’t many toys anyway; only the few we have blessed them with.

At 10, he is more of a man than a boy. So, each chance Charles gets on Monday service, he gives Santiago some special time. And you should see the face of that little man smile and laugh like a little boy should!

Elisabet

In our Puyupungo church, every Monday is Children's Church. When we arrive to the community of Encañada, the children are always ready and waiting. They literally burst into screams of excitement as the truck pulls up so they can get in and go to the church!

One of the older children, Elisabet, 13, also gets in the truck there and since she does, we assumed she lived in the community, too. But after getting to know her more, she told us she does not live there. She walks there to meet the truck, so she can have the opportunity to go to church. I still had no idea the sacrifice she was making until just a few weeks ago.

She told me she was going to have to quit coming to church because her dad was complaining that she shouldn’t be walking home in the dark (it’s about 7:15 or so when she arrives home). We usually finish church between 5:30 and 6, so we asked what the delay was. She said, “Hermana (Sister), I have to walk one hour to get to my house”. My heart sank!!!! A child, who so much wants to know love, that she walks one hour to meet our truck to go to church, then walks one hour to get back to her house after service. Where she lives, there is no road, only a small path, so our truck cannot drive to pick her up. And no one in her family comes to church with her. She does this on her own. How many adults reading this would make the kind of sacrifice Elisabet does every week and sometimes on our Thursday service too??? “….for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.”

(And FYI, we prayed for her and Jesus took care of the situation and her dad permits her to still come to church).

Puyo Kids Party

Having some fun with the kids here in Puyo. Playing jump rope, bike riding (none of them have a bike),
apple bobbing (they had never done that) and Bible questions. Then finish it all off with cake! It was a
great day. They all had a blast!