Hello everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! It’s been nearly three months since the last update so there’s a lot to catch up on! The month of October was a very difficult month here in Ecuador, there was a nationwide protest that was primarily in response to the removal of a fuel subsidy. For an entire week the country was shut down. The highways between the cities were closed off by the protesters and no food was coming into the cities or leaving the farms. After a week, the government lifted the order to remove the fuel subsidy and began to negotiate with the leaders of the groups that had organized the protests. Here in Ambato , the protests were mostly peaceful, but there was some looting going on and the neighborhoods had to organize to defend themselves as the police had their hands full with the protesters. Thankfully, things returned to normal fairly quickly. Within a day or two it was as if nothing had happened. I was unable to have my classes during the, “Paro,” which translates, roughly, to stoppage. The next week was affected as well as my students took care of the needs that they were unable to take care of the week before. But by the following week, my classes had returned to normal also. In November, I celebrated my birthday on the 7th. I would like to thank everyone who sent emails or made comments on Facebook for their kind words of encouragement! Classes continued with a few new students having joined, including a kid who is a nephew of one of the members of Huachi Chico Baptist. He isn’t a Christian and neither is his family, so please join me in prayer that he and his family may receive the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. December has just begun, but attendance has become irregular. The Christmas season is a busy time as those in school are taking exams before their Christmas break. While the adults in my classes have additional obligations that keep them from attending on a more regular basis. In one of my classes, I am teaching them how to sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Last week, I received them in my home and we practiced singing together.
My hope and prayer for all who read this is that you can truly focus on Christ. Not only during this Christmas season, but throughout the year. We often live such distracted lives that we forget what is truly important. We forget what the Lord has done for us. Christmas is a chance for us to slow down to focus on the miracle of Christ’s birth and the sacrifice He made so that we might become children of God. So take a moment, each day, especially during this Christmas season, to reflect on what God has done for you. Reflect on the depth of His love for you and how He was willing to step down from Heaven to live among us and to sacrifice Himself for us. The Lord made Him who had no sin, to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. So let us demonstrate the love and grace that He has shown us to others.
May God bless you and keep you this Christmas and may the coming year be filled with blessings for you and your loved ones. Not only for you to enjoy them, but so that you may share the blessings the Lord has given you with others.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
Blessings,
Jonathan Green