Our good friends Titus and Stephanie, working with street kids in Guayaquil, are living through some CRAZY and FRUSTRATING experiences in Ecuador. (And to think I can get upset when someone steals my parking spot).

I'd encourage you to check out their blog here (http://tsfolden.blogspot.com/) I'd also encourage you to send them money here... then pray (Matt 6:21).

Can you remember the last time you were REALLY frustrated? I mean, really, REALLY frustrated?? Join us in the following (condensed) dialogue:
T: (opens car door)
<<>>
S: What was that?
T: I don't know
S: (walks to side of car) Someone hit us! Ugh, that's the second time this month! Now we have a dented door, a cracked bumper and a cracked winshield. (keep in mind we've had the car a total of 6mo)
T: What?? The alarm didn't go off! I can't open the door.
S: Just pull off the plastic. Ask the guard what happened.
T: (moments later) He said he didn't see anything.
S: What? He's right there!
(an hour later, leaving a foundation)
T: It really smelled in there today
S: I know, it's because the kids were eating rotten bananas.
T: Really?
S: Yes. AND. . . Do you know there were three adults sitting in the office while the kids were locked inside there beating on each other? I feel helpless.
(another hour later)
T: How much was our electric bill last month?
S: $30, why?
T: Because this month's bill is $135.
S: $135??? That's impossible.
T: I think someone is stealing our electricity.
S: Great.
T: And our water bill doubled.
S: What?
T: I think the workers are using our water to make their cement while we're gone.
<<>>

We shared these stories with some friends of ours who have been missionaries here for 17 years. They laughed. Amazingly enough, we laughed too. This is our life. The frustration will never go away. Sometimes it's better, sometimes its worse, but it's always there. The big question is what we will do with the frustration. Will it make us bitter? Angry? Depressed? Or will we chalk it up to living in a country that's not our own, in a language that's not our own, in a corrupt system, where survival is the key to life, and laugh at our "misfourtunes" knowing we're where we're God has called us?

We'll begin exploring community centers in Guayaquil in the next two months. We'll be spending time talking with the directors, community members and children; as well as visiting possible sites for a new center. We'll also be talking with a couple of potential ministry parnters. Please be in prayer for the Lord's continual guidance and wisdom in these matters!

By His Grace,
Titus, Steph & Sofia

This Sunday's message: "Jesus the Revolutionary" -Did Jesus really make a difference? We will look at everything from human rights, to women's rights, to the abolition of slavery, to child-labor laws, to the most significant; our justification before a just God.

You may remember this theme from "le Lounge". I decided to re-use part of my notes from that discussion, expand on them, and present them Sunday morning.

It will be great to partake of the Lord's Supper together for the first time since June.

Please pray that many, many first-time visitors would come and see how Christ has radically impacted history.

This Sunday will be a blast. Jean-Louis will share his testimony and be baptized.  Many visitors have already confirmed their attendance. Noël, a hard-hitting, construction-worker-type evangelist will preach. Zac will lead us in singing.

Here is the flyer for this Sunday's sermon. Again, we passed out about 3,000 of them in several different neighborhoods.

Please pray!!!

TRANSLATION:  "A meeting... Is it possible to meet Jesus in 2008?"

Last Sunday we had over 100 people in attendance, with several first-time visitors, and even a couple of regular families missing. We sang. Sam recounted how Christ radically transformed his life a couple of years ago. We looked at "The Secret Message of Jesus" (which is NOT a secret by the way). Then we ate and sang until 2pm.

Here's the catch: we had about 15 visitors from our mother church (that's how we cheated). The majority were part of a percussion worship-group that led us as we chowed down on hot dogs and ketchup chips (yes, you read right. They are easily the most popular flavor of chip in Quebec). Here are a few photos from last Sunday:

ABOVE PHOTO: 10am... as people wander in

ABOVE PHOTO: Rob (left) talking with Matthieu (right) our guest-speaker for the morning

ABOVE PHOTO: L-R: Mahi-Li, Constance Karch, Caleb Karch

ABOVE PHOTO: Bernard and Fred using their spiritual gifts of grilling

ABOVE PHOTO: Singing after the kids have left

ABOVE PHOTO: Rob relegated to announcements for a Sunday

Click here to see many more photos 

This summer, each Sunday has a theme and a custum invitation for that theme. This week we distributed invitations to 1,500 houses in two communities (each house received the same invitation twice=3000 invitations). One community has been around for 50+ years, the other is brand-spanking new. We will distribute invitations most weeks for the entire summer (along with many community service projects, door-to-door invitations, and a dozen other events we can't fit into one phrase). This week's theme:

TRANSLATION: "Jesus: the secret revealed. God's message to humanity" 

You can check out the church's website here (www.ecclesia-sj.com)

TRANSLATION OF BACK INVITATION ABOVE:

 You are invited!

• "A Meeting -Is it possible to meet Jesus in 2008?" (Doesn't translate well into English)
  
• "Jesus the Revolutionary -Did Jesus really make a difference?" 
• "The Scandale that is Grace -Radical love for the unworthy"
• "God in Hell -If God is good, why does suffering exist?"
  
• "Why did Jesus have to Die? -The tragedy of an innocent man?"

Where are we? 712 St-Georges St. (Ici par les arts=the name of the building we rent)

(Sideways) Who are we? We are a baptist church, established in St-Jérôme in 2007. Our desire is to find our satisfaction in Jesus Christ as we experience His love together... both in small and large gatherings. Whether you are curious, skeptical, athiest, or believer, you are welcome to discover Jesus Christ with us.

I'll post the new graphic each week throughout the summer.

Please pray for us as we hand out thousands of invitations in St Jérôme throughout the summer!