We’re Not in Kansas Anymore.
It has been a wild ride these past few months. We are holding on to our Father each step of the way and counting on His strength and not our own. It should always be that way. Somehow our own strength likes to take the reins, but there’s nothing like feeling stretched and weak to make you seek the Lord in an almost minute by minute way.
This summer we enjoyed some time with my (Nancy) parents in Florida as they both are settling into their retirement life. Then we came home to make one of the biggest decisions of our lives as missionaries. Since selling our house in Georgia last January, we had considered buying a home in Quito in order to be good stewards of our calling and to help our monthly expenses go down. We didn’t realize it would be such a difficult task. It was something we talked, prayed, and made charts about over and over. We desperately waited before God and asked for direction.
In fact, we have been seeking God’s heart for Ecuador, for Quito ever since. One would think we already had a heart for Quito since this September, the 21st, is our fifth year anniversary serving here.
In front of what we’re calling The Rumi House. We are now located on the border of the Rumiñahui neighborhood in the city of Quito, Ecuador.
*Celebration pause*
But ever since we considered buying a home, it was like we began to hear an ancient cry. It was the cry of the city, the cry of the broken. We heard the cry of the missionaries that started long ago. We heard the rocks and stones in the historical district cry out for the life of Christ. It was unsettling to be sure. It’s incredible how much we actually walk by faith and not by sight, but when we tune in with our ears, we can still hear,
“who can we send, and who will go for us?”
We were a bit confused because in order for us to live there, it would take some extra strength and boldness. The streets have been revitalised in many ways, only to contrast with the sad reality. In a place full of architectural beauty, enough to draw in foreigners from all over the world, there are also, just a short walk away signs of legal prostitution as well as drug dealing and drug addicts.
In the end, we chose not to live there for safety reasons. We actually chose a home that is considered a gem to us and to those that see it. It is a gem because in the midst of the hustle and bustle, there is a quiet passageway facing a long park, the old airport site. A very busy intersection, might I add, but with the natural quietness of what was once a busy and loud international airport right in the middle of the city. To be sure, we still hear the cry of a city longing to be changed. We see that Christ wants fires of the Holy Spirit ablaze with fresh love from the North to the South of Quito.
Cumberland Community Church Team 2026
During the move, we received two small missionary teams from our home church in Atlanta. We experienced glorious times together. Alongside these wonderful people, we were able to provide great programs at a few of our ministry sites. We were able to share the Gospel in creative ways, and during our SmartBox distribution time, we led several kids, parents, and visitors to the Lord.
It’s true that the mountaintop can make the valley seem uncomfortable. We bask in His goodness with gratitude, and yet, moving to this beautiful house has not been easy. There are routes to figure out now that we are not walking distance from all the familiar things. And yet we feel that this new stewardship is the beginning of what may come. For years, we have traveled to our sites from the North to the South of the city.
Is He now calling us to have a site of our own within the communities of the Historical District?
Historical Center of Quito, Ecuador
We are praying about how to respond to the call of the Lord to help the vulnerable, oppressed, and the poor. We are seeking His will to be in places that most foreigners seldom go and settle, in order to rescue the children of the next generation before they follow the example of their surroundings. Will you please join us in prayer for wisdom, insight, and discernment?
For now, we will continue with our plans to teach at our sites weekly, and switch sites every six weeks as we can’t serve all of them each week. We will continue to disciple and grow with our various communities, and we will continue to seek God for ways to be obedient to the call to be watchmen in the Historical District.
We appreciate your support in prayer,
Please pray for:
Adjustment to our new neighborhood. It is very commercial and we aren’t in the safe “missionary neighborhood” anymore
Kayla to find new rhythms and friends and to learn more Spanish
That we would be wise in how to parent in a city that is considered unsafe
That we would serve our sites well, teach the Gospel everywhere, and see fruit and growth in our young people
Freedom will travel to the States for 8 weeks. Safety and provision for all of us during this very long separation.
Provision for the Big Dream of having our own ministry site: An art and discipleship center.
New Strength
Health and protection
