September Update

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! I’m so glad that you took the time to read about what God is doing here in Ambato, Ecuador! A lot has happened since my last update. I had classes for two weeks in the nearby community of San Pedro where I had the chance to share the Gospel with a dozen students as I helped them get ready for their English classes before school started. My regular classes have been going well with a few new students that have joined so that I now have classes from Monday-Friday in Ambato and a class on Saturdays in Pelileo. Many of my students who had signed up during vacation time have continued even after school has started and parents have been encouraged by how much their children have improved. After returning to classes many of them are testing at higher levels and getting much better grades on their work. Hopefully, this will encourage others to join the classes so that they can improve their English and, more importantly, hear from the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Please be in prayer for me, for Pastor Carlos and the church here in Huachi Chico. Also be in prayer for my students that God will touch their minds and their hearts through the hearing of His Word and that those who do not know Him will come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord of their lives.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog today! Thank you to everyone for your prayers and especially for your financial support which makes this ministry possible! If you would like to give to support this ministry you can give online at: https://globaloutreach.org/giving/missionary-details/jonathan-green

If you would like to give via check please make the check out to Global Outreach International and in the “For” write “Account 3764” that will make sure that the donation gets to this specific ministry. Please send all checks to P.O. Box One Tupelo, MS 38802. Also all gifts are tax-deductible and %100 of your gift goes to the mission field and to the work of furthering the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

May God bless you and lead you into a closer relationship with Him!

Blessings,

Jonathan Green

New Classes Update!

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! Sorry for the lack of updates but I have been really busy with the new classes! I've learned a lot about how to reach out to the community and spread the word and also on how to teach the many different age groups and backgrounds of the people that have joined my classes. We added another twenty students throughout the week in Huachi Chico and we are adding more each week. Over the next two weeks I will also be having classes 3 times a week at a mission point of Huachi Chico Baptist Church in the community of San Pedro. Classes are continuing in Pelileo and growing there also. The time of Bible study after class has really been impactful as we dig into God's Word. It is such a blessing to see how God is at work in the lives of my students. I've seen a man who refused to hear a single word of the Word of God eagerly copy down verses in English and read them aloud. I've seen a young man who was coming to church because his mom made him begin to use the gifts God gave him in service to the King of Kings.  I pray that God would continue to move in their lives and the lives of all my students and that you would join with me in those prayers. I pray that God would already be at work in the lives of those who will join my classes in the future. And I pray that God would continue to transform me so that I can be the man, the kind of servant, that can lead others closer to Him. Thank you for reading my blog and continue to seek God everyday! Take care and God bless you this day and every day after!

Blessings,

Jonathan Green

Grand Opening!

         Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog! This Friday, the 15th of June, I'm opening classes to the surrounding communities! On the 15th at 4pm I'm having an informative meeting where prospective students will hear about the course and will be able to sign up. In the past couple of weeks, we've been handing out flyers and letting people know about the free English classes at Huachi Chico Baptist Church. The most popular question has been: "Is it really free?!" What is more important, however, is that they hear about another gift. A gift so valuable that many of us asked the same question: "Is it really free?" That gift is salvation by grace through Jesus Christ. Before I share anything about the course, I will be sharing about myself and the One who sent me. The One who loved me enough to take my place in death so that I could share in His life for eternity. That One, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, loves all of us. In spite of our sin and our shame, in spite of the fact that He has every right to condemn us, He died in our place so that we could have a relationship with the Father forever. I will be sharing this message on Friday afternoon. Please be in prayer for me, that God would give me the words to communicate His Gospel and for the people that are coming that their hearts would be prepared to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ.

         Thank you for reading my blog today! Please pray for Pastor Carlos Paredes, the pastor of Huachi Chico Baptist, as he visits his daughter in the United States. Please pray that God would send more workers into His harvest that His name may be glorified in every language and every nation. Read God's Word and seek Him in prayer about how you can be involved in what He is doing where you are. Let us go out and join together in God's redemptive work! Let us remember that wherever we are, we are called to love God, to love our neighbors, and to teach them everything that Jesus has commanded us.

    One way that you can be involved is by supporting this ministry. If you would like to make a donation follow this link: https://globaloutreach.org/giving/missionary-details/jonathan-green All of your donations are tax-deductible and 100% of your gift will go to supporting me here as I serve the Lord here in Ecuador. To all who have donated and will donate, thank you for allowing me to serve my Lord and my God!

May God bless you and keep you this day and every day after!

Blessings,

Jonathan Green

May Update

   Hello everyone and welcome once again to my blog! It's been a good month of getting back in the swing of things here in Ambato. My classes have started back with a few new students but I've decided that it's time to open classes to the community Huachi Chico and to the city of Ambato. This ministry's purpose has been and continues to be the forming of relationships through English instruction which, in turn, provides an opportunity to share the Gospel. I will be working alongside church members to make promotional material to distribute to Huachi Chico and surrounding areas in the coming weeks. Be in prayer as we reach out with the Gospel that the Holy Spirit will convict those who are lost of their need for a Savior.

  This past Saturday, the 26th, I attended a worship service that included churches from all over the central mountain region of Ecuador. It was a great time of fellowship and celebration as PESCA Baptist Theological Seminary, the seminary founded by Steve and Carol Thompson, took another significant step in improving the theological education here in Ecuador with the signing of an agreement of mutual support with the Guatemala Baptist Theological Seminary (GBTS). PESCA will be the beneficiaries of the over 70 years of experience in theological training of GBTS and students of PESCA will also get the opportunity to continue their studies at GBTS. May God bless this relationship that it will help further His kingdom work both in Guatemala and in Ecuador.

Thank you for reading my blog today! Please continue to be in prayer for my ministry here in Huachi Chico and Ambato. Also pray that God would send more workers into His harvest that His name may be glorified in every language and every nation. Read God's Word and seek Him in prayer about how you can be involved in what He is doing where you are. Let us go out and join together in God's redemptive work! Let us remember that wherever we are, we are called to love God, to love our neighbors, and to teach them everything that Jesus has commanded us.

    One way that you can be involved is by supporting this ministry. If you would like to make a donation follow this link: https://globaloutreach.org/giving/missionary-details/jonathan-green All of your donations are tax-deductible and 100% of your gift will go to supporting me here as I serve the Lord here in Ecuador. To all who have donated and will donate, thank you for allowing me to serve my Lord and my God!

   Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today! I pray that as you have read this that God has been speaking to you and drawing you closer to Himself. May He bless you this day and every day after!

Blessings,

Jonathan Green

Back in Ecuador!

          Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! Let me fill you in on what's been going on! The month of March ended well with both Huachi Chico Baptist and Pelileo Baptist taking the time to thank me for what I had done so far. What I didn't know was that these celebrations would be on the same day and would involve a lot of food! By the end of the day I had eaten so much I thought I would burst! It was a great time of fellowship with them as I prepared for my trip back to the US. On March 24th, I took an overnight flight back to Atlanta and arrived early Sunday morning on the 25th. My trip was filled with visits with supporters, friends and quality time with my family. My grandmother, Anne, kindly offered to host two dessert socials to give me the opportunity to share, with church members and supporters, what God was doing through me here in Ecuador. It was such an encouragement to see everyone and to know of the love and support of fellow believers! I returned to Ecuador on April 27th, and I'm getting started back with classes and looking forward to what God has in store for me next!

           Please be in prayer for me as I seek God's direction for ministry going forward. Also pray for the students, those already attending and the ones to come, that those who are coming to learn English will learn that they have a savior in Jesus Christ and that they will put their faith and trust in Him. Please pray for Pastor Carlos and Huachi Chico Baptist Church, that the Lord would continue to work through them to reach their community.

           Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today! If you would like to make a donation follow this link: https://globaloutreach.org/giving/missionary-details/jonathan-green All of your donations are tax-deductible and 100% of your gift will go to supporting me here as I serve the Lord here in Ecuador. To all who have donated and will donate, thank you for allowing me to serve my Lord and my God!

May God bless you and keep you this day and every day after! 

Blessings,

Jonathan Green

A New Year Begins and So Much More

Hello everyone! There is so much to catch up on so let's get started! The New Year started off great after meeting with my students and going over the classes with them.  They shared their opinions and gave me some feedback on how to improve the classes going forward. January went by in a flash! My classes continued in Huachi Chico and Pelileo. I also was able to spend time in fellowship with members of Huachi Chico Baptist, travelling to other communities, celebrating birthdays, and sharing fun times and forming bonds with my brothers and sisters in Christ. February began with a medical team from Kentucky that came to serve in the community of Apatug, high above the city of Ambato. They came as part of the ministry of Steve and Carol Thompson, and I was invited to serve alongside them as a translator. It was a busy time. I would translate during the day and return to Huachi for my English classes in the evening. But, we were able to see to the needs of hundreds of people, both their medical needs and, through the sharing of God's Word, their spiritual needs also. After a great week with the team, it was time for Carnaval. This is the time just before Lent that is a time of celebration for Catholic countries the world over. In Ambato, they combine it with a celebration of the city called "La Fiesta de la Fruta y las Flores" or "The Festival of Fruit and Flowers." During this time the entire city decorates their shops and sometimes their homes with flowers. It culminates on the Sunday before Lent, with a parade with floats made of flowers with some groups from other countries taking part as well. That night they also have a fireworks display like the 4th of July. This is also a family time for many Ecuadorians so my classes were canceled which allowed to rest some from the previous week. Now as February comes to a close, I look ahead to what's next. In less than a month's time I will be back in Dahlonega! I look back over these first months and I see God's faithfulness. I have seen how He has provided for my visa, He has provided an apartment near the church in Huachi, and how my relationship with Him has grown during this time. I look forward to the big plans God has for me here in Ecuador in the coming year. I am so thankful for all of you who have supported me in this journey so far! I look forward to being able to tell you in person the impact you have had on my life and on the lives of the people here in Ecuador. Until then, continue to pray that God would multiply His Kingdom here in Ecuador. That I would remain faithful in the pursuit of His will in His way and that many would come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Blessings to all of you!

Jonathan Green

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Seasons greetings from Ambato, Ecuador! Because Ecuador is on the equator we don't have the four seasons here. The weather and the temperatures have been almost constant so it's hard to believe that it's the Christmas season! If you were wondering about the title, that's how to say 'Merry Christmas' and 'Happy New Year' in Spanish. My classes have been going well and I am also learning more and more about how to improve things for next year. This past week was the last week of classes until the New Year, so my students can enjoy this special season with their families. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone has supported me during these first 6 months here in Ecuador. Whether it was a kind word on Facebook or in person, or prayer lifted up to our God, or through financial support. You have encouraged me to keep going in spite of trials and difficulties along the way. Those of you who have supported me financially have allowed me to get started and there is still room for more to join us in changing the lives of the people here in Ambato. The relationships that God has allowed me to build during these 6 months has given me a firm foundation on which to build for the future. As I pray and plan for the future, I would ask that you would join with me in seeking God's will for this ministry. Pray for the people that God will bring in to hear His word and find their hope in Jesus Christ. Pray for Huachi Chico Baptist Church, and for pastor Carlos Paredes, that they would continue to be a blessing to their community and that they would continue to reach out to those who are lost. Thank you so much for being part of the journey so far, and I look forward to what God has prepared for me next! I'll end this post by quoting from the book of Numbers chapter 6 verses 24-26:

24 “‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace

Blessings,

Jonathan Green

A Long Overdue Update

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! A lot has happened in the past six weeks so, to be brief, I will try to stick to the highlights as much as possible.  After a long and drawn out process, I finally received my visa in early November. With it, I was also able to apply for and receive an Ecuadorian ID card which is necessary to do all sorts of things. From opening a bank account, to paying your electric bill. All of it is dependent on having this ID so I am very thankful to have it! I have moved in to my apartment here in Ambato but, it wasn't ready when I thought it was going to be, so the start of my classes was pushed back until the 14th. My classes have started well, with 40 students signed up and 5 classes total with each class meeting twice a week. I have the opportunity to pray with them and to teach them a Bible verse in English while also teaching them the meaning behind each verse. On Saturdays, I am also teaching at the baptist church in the town of Pelileo. We are averaging around 10 students each week with an hour long class and a half hour Bible study afterwards. All in all, things have started pretty well. I am still getting settled in to my apartment and getting accustomed to the neighborhood and life in general here in Ambato. I ask that you would continue to pray that I might share boldly from the Word and that the people I come in contact with would draw closer to Christ. Whether that is a believer being encouraged or a non-believer putting their faith in Jesus Christ for the first time. Please be in prayer for me that I might stay healthy and safe so that I can continue to reach others for Christ. Also be in prayer for Huachi Chico Baptist Church and Pelileo Baptist Church that they might continue to reach out and serve their communities with the love of Jesus. 

Thank you for reading my blog today! I hope that it has been an encouragement to you! If you would like to support this ministry financially there are a couple of ways that you can do so. You can follow this link: https://globaloutreach.org/giving/missionary-details/jonathan-green and give online. Or if you prefer to give via check you can make checks out to "Global Outreach International" and be sure to include on the "For" line "Account #3764" to make sure that the funds make it to this ministry. Then you can mail checks to: Global Outreach International P.O. Box One, Tupelo, MS 38802. Thanks again for reading and I hope you have a blessed day!

Blessings,

Jonathan Green

English Class Coming Soon!

Hello everyone! As you can tell by the title, I have some exciting news! My English classes will start on November 7! Pastor Carlos and I are looking forward to the opportunities that God will provide through this ministry! We are starting with 3 classes per week at first to measure interest and we will expand as needed. I will also be giving a class every Saturday starting November 11 at Pelileo Baptist Church (PBC). PBC is a new church plant that has recently celebrated its first anniversary and is starting it's youth ministry on Saturday afternoons. My English lessons will take place after the youth meeting to draw young people to hear God's Word.  I am in the final stretch of my visa process with the final document arriving, hopefully, this week. My apartment will also be ready in the next few days, so a lot of things are coming together! Please be in prayer for my visa, that I clear this final hurdle. Please pray also that I find everything I need to move in to my apartment and as I transition from life at the camp to life in Ambato. And most of all, please pray that God would prepare me to boldly share the Gospel and to teach English to the best of my ability. 

 Thank you for visiting my blog today! If the Lord is leading you to support this ministry financially, please visit https://www.globaloutreach.org/giving/missionary-details/jonathan-green or if you prefer to give via check, make the check out to Global Outreach International and write "Account #3764" in the For line. Please send checks to the following address:

Global Outreach International P.O. Box 1 Tupelo, MS 38802

Late, Late Post

Hello everyone! Here is an even later post than usual because a lot has been happening! My visa process was a lot more complicated than we were told and we have been back and forth to Ambato and we are still in process so please be in prayer that all will go well and there will be no more surprises! While we have been working on the visa we have also been searching for an apartment near the church in Huachi Chico. It turns out a member of Huachi Chico Baptist was renting an apartment nearby and the tenants are leaving at the end of this month. So I went with Byron Almendariz along with Pastor Carlos Paredes of Huachi Chico Baptist to tour the apartment. Not only is the apartment close to the church but it is also a nice apartment at a good price too! Although the tenants are leaving at the end of September, the apartment won't be ready until the middle of October. In the meantime, I will continue to work with Camp Chacauco as I plan out my class schedule with Pastor Carlos and other churches. Here at camp, we have been preparing for a very special event at the Technical University of Ambato. We have a Christian music concert and time of evangelism with all of the students of the university! Over 1,000 students are expected! We are very excited but also realize the size of this event is tremendous. So if you would pray that all of the logistical details would be taken care of so that there would be no distractions from what God has prepared for these students. We are also holding a camp here at Camp Chacauco to train worship leaders in several key areas including the theology of worship. Please be in prayer that these worship leaders would be encouraged and equipped to lead God's people in worship of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today! Your prayers and support mean so much to me! I have faced many struggles and trials and knowing that I have all of you supporting me in prayer encourages me to keep going! While it has not been easy, God has been with me every step of the way, leading me to an even deeper relationship with my Savior! May God bless you and lead you into that deeper relationship wherever He has called you to live and serve! We are blessed so that we might bless others! May God bless you this day and every day after!

Jonathan Green