The city of Quito sits in a narrow valley in the Andes Mountains at an elevation of about 9,000 feet. For a Midwesterner like me, the air is alarmingly thin, especially after climbing a flight of stairs. In fact, if you take a short trip up one of the nearby mountains, you won’t have to drive very far to reach the tree line. The mountains are covered in thick, scrubby grass, often obscured by clouds. But when the clouds clear and the sun begins to shine, you’ll quickly notice that the city of Quito itself is home to many colorful buildings and a never-ending stream of traffic.
Yet if you happen to stumble upon Quito Mennonite Church, the pace is noticeably slower. You may find a family of Colombian refugees waiting patiently just inside the front door for a visit with a Refugee Project employee. In the kitchen, hot water is heating up for some coffee and tea. Upstairs, a group of kids do their homework while a volunteer looks after them.
I had the great pleasure of spending a week in Ecuador last month, and I was in awe of the ways that God’s hand is moving in the lives of everyone that comes into contact with the Mennonite Church. Most of the trip was spent in meetings with a group of 15 to 20 representatives from the newly formed Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Ecuador (Ecuador Mennonite Church), Mennonite Mission Network, Central Plains Mennonite Conference, and the Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia (Colombia Mennonite Church). These last three bodies have been working together in one way or another for close to 15 years in what is simply called “the Ecuador Partnership.” The Ecuador church is a fruit of that partnership.
From the moment the meetings began, it was clear to me that a deep respect and trust has formed over the years between each partner involved. Everyone at the table had a voice to share their thoughts. No questions were off-limits. Nobody was belittled for their opinion. Even I, as a newcomer to the meeting, was given a chance to share my thoughts and questions without fear of judgment.
After a few days of meetings, we had a special time to honor our friends, César Moya and Patricia Urueña. César and Patricia were sent by the Colombian church and have been workers with Mission Network and coordinators of the Partnership for the past 14 years; they completed their term last April. Linda Shelly, Mission Network director for Latin America, distributed slips of paper at the end of the meal, and we all wrote words of encouragement for César and Patricia that we shared with the group. Laughter echoed off the walls and a few tears were shed as the couple took a moment to thank the group for their support and encouragement.
Though César and Patricia leave some very big shoes to fill, the work in Ecuador is in very capable hands, a few of which belong to Mission Network workers. Caleb Yoder and David Shenk are currently working in Ecuador, and will be joined next year by Jane and Jerrell Ross Richer and their family, as well as Delicia Bravo and Peter Wigginton and their young daughter.
The Ecuador church also now has a board of directors that gives direction to the churches and ministries. The Quito Mennonite Church received Pastor Luis Tapia, and the Colombian church sent María Helena López.
On our last day together in Quito, we all stood together, held hands, and prayed. We gave thanks for the past 15 years of deepening relationships. We gave thanks for the bonds that held the partners together. We gave thanks for the sacrifices that mission workers have put into expanding the kingdom of God. Finally, we gave thanks for the future, though it is unknown, and we prayed that God would water and grow the seeds that are being planted in Quito.
