"Come As You Are ... Leave Better!"

May 2008

Dear Pastor and Church Family,

It is our joy and privilege to report to you on the ministry God has
allowed us to be a part of here in Ecuador. We have been so
encouraged since our return from furlough in January with the
willingness of God's people to see the ministry go forward. Some of
the highlights of the last two months are:

Santo Domingo. The changes that we wrote about in our March 2008
letter have been implemented. Pastor Eduardo Mosquera has concluded
that he needs help in administering the church. I am now very
actively involved in helping him. We are in the process of setting up
a new organizational system that will include three to four co-pastors
who will help the pastor stay on top of things. They are training two
new co-pastors now. Both are working in the church in a leadership
capacity.

The church has grown to where it is going to hire the first co-pastor
and a full-time secretary. It is now averaging about 250 to 300 on
Sundays and close to $3,000.00 offerings every month. The pastor
wants to set up a ministry in the church to start ten new churches in
Santo Domingo in the future.

Quince. Since camp director Guillermo Zaruma has taken over as pastor
of this church they are experiencing a revival among the members and
souls are being saved. Members are gettings things right with God and
with other members. The last few meetings they have had there was
standing room only in the small chapel.

El Carmen. Ramón Zambrano will become pastor of this church the last
of June. Raúl Quijije, who is pastor there now, will be the co-pastor
in the church in Santo Domingo. The church in El Carmen will be
paying the new pastor's salary. It's a blessing to know that the
members have assumed the full responsability of the ministry in their
church.

Bible Institute. One of our main goals this year has been to get the
institute ready to be affiliated with Louisiana Baptist University.
We are about through with all the preliminary work. By the end of
2009 or before we should have some students enrolled with LBU to start
work toward their Bachelor degree.

Special prayer request. The Andy Ragsdale family came to visit us in
March in view of coming to work with us in the ministry. Andy told a
group of pastors who were meeting here in our home that "yes", God
willing, they would be back to work along side of us and eventually
take over the ministry that God has begun through us. Please pray for
Andy, Amy, Justin, Madison and Brady.

Thank you for your faithful support in prayer and finances to this ministry.

Your missionaries in Ecuador,

Joe & Sylvia
 

Joe & Sylvia Wells

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