From Richard & Raquel Shell, Ecuador - South America

Along with wishing you a Happy Holidays we want to say THANK YOU!
My hope is that in reading this newsletter you will be encouraged and feel happy about your contribution
to the ministries with which we partner. I have the privilege of working in ministries that are positively impacting peoples lives and in many cases I get to see those changes firsthand. The relationship between ministries and missionaries and donors is one that cannot be easily separated, each has its dependencies on another. I am thankful that you have entrusted me to represent you over the years and to allow me use my gift of serving others here in Ecuador. I pray that God provide you with much gratification in knowing that you are a part of helping the poor and underprivileged, the parentless, the sick, and the lost. You are helping spread Gods love and joy and I thank you for your participation!

ARE YOU FLEXIBLE?

In my high school wrestling days I could be bent up like a pretzel and not be in too much discomfort, nowadays it takes effort to bend over to tie my shoes. I am, though, thankful for the flexible spirit which God has blessed me with to pick up and move when He opens a new door. In May of this year I received a call from HCJBs VP of Healthcare asking if I would consider working in its Amazon hospital (in Shell). The hospital had lost substantial money the last couple years and they were in need of someone to help guide the ship back on course. I had spent three months as an interim hospital director back in 2009 so I had the background which would allow me to get a quick start. Through Gods guidance it came to be that Raquel and I made the decision to accept the offer and that same month we packed up all our belongings and moved. Like with many changes, you never know what you are going to end up with...but here are our stories.

Raquel and Johnny posing at the town entrance. In the background (right) is the Nate Saint Memorial School that HCJB operates. Recently I helped the school select new computer lab hardware and assisted in putting together the 2014 budget.

Mission Hospital in Ecuadorian Jungle Set to Close After 55 Years of Outreach

This was the headline news in September...not what we expected! This summer I worked with the administration for about 6 weeks on a plan to move the hospital back to a profitable status but then news came from the regional director that he was closing the hospital, firing half the staff on September 30 and the remaining staff on December 31. It was not at all what I had signed up for but, again, being flexible is the name of the game. Shell is famously known in Christian circles because of the 5 missionaries that were killed in 1956 in an attempt to make contact with the Waorani people (pictured at right is Nate Saint). HCJB has been a rich part of the local history for about as many years, particularly for its Hospital Vozandes del Oriente. The town was originally a base for the Shell Oil Company, made up of little more than some crude housing units and an airstrip. In 1958 the hospital was opened and served an enormous area east of the Andes, particularly tribal peoples living in the Amazon. Just a few weeks ago two brothers came in from deep in the Jungle for eye treatment. Both young men are receiving treatment for a disease that will eventually leave them blind. Despite these last four months being difficult as people were fired and shut down plans were put into place, God has shown through like a full moon. New life for the hospital has come about as a missionary doctor has felt lead to keep the hospital open and God has provided a donor to buy the hospital...just that quick!!! A group of five, including myself, is now working to establish a new nonprofit foundation so that the donation can be accepted. Red tape is red tape and now is the time to be patient as we prepare the governing documents and start the legal process of creating the foundation. It is easy to be anxious as we have one person holding millions of dollars and in knowing that not one thing can happen until we have the foundation created. This story reminds me of Pan de Vidas story. In 2006 the mission spun off PDV and it had to reestablish itself in the same way. As the PDV founder negotiated with HCJB to rent its facility or create a rent-to-own agreement, God provided a single donor to buy the facility from HCJB for $300,000. God is such a wonderful provider! And the PDV ministry has flourished since its separation. We hope the same for Hospital Vozandes del Oriente! MY DUTIES with Hospital Vozandes del Oriente: Managerial Assistance, Financial Oversight, Internal/External Auditing, and Assisting with the creation and planning of a new business entity
A group of nearly 500 people marched in support to keep the hospital open. There is wide support in the region to continue services.

Raquel serving patients in a local community

Dr. Raquel Covea Blair started serving in a governmental clinic when we moved to Shell. This is her last step to become a licensed physician, a one year obligatory stint working for the Minister of Health. The program is called the Rural Year and places med school graduates in rural communities to provide the needed coverage for the countries free socialized medical services. Along with working in the town clinic, she also visits schools, child daycare facilities, senior citizen facilities, travels each week to nearby communities, and also, from time to time, is called in to work at the provinces 125 bed hospital which was just opened in February of this year. She recently was given the task to start a club for patients with diabetes so has been busy with that too. Many of her patients are of indigenous background, especially Shuar and Kichwa, which she had always wanted to work with the people of the Amazon so it is a long time desire being fulfilled.

HIT SQUADS - GANGSTER OR GOOD?

Well, of course it is good! I am not a superhero kind of guy but apparently this term comes
from a superhero movie that some of our staff members like. The Hit Squad program is our mini-version of Extreme Home Makeover. We go into the homes of our beneficiaries to improve their living conditions, not only helping them live in more humane conditions but also giving us the opportunity to invest more in their lives and share more about Christ. As I mentioned, I have seen the PDV ministry flourish in the last seven years. Part of the reason is for the great short-term volunteers who have delivered on some truly wonderful ideas. In the last two years we have started two new teen programs, a baking program, had our attic artistically remodeled, and started the Hit Squad program. Michael, a 50something volunteer from Scotland, started the Hit Squads. He was so moved by seeing firsthand how some of our beneficiaries live that he went out and MY DUTIES with Pan de Vida: raised $8,000. Since then we have helped 8 families make dramatic improve- Financial Statements ments to their living conditions. Below are pictures of the Aucatoma family and Donor Reports the team that went in to bless the family. The families oldest daughter is Donor Database Maintenance disabled and cannot walk so we built a new bathroom that is wheelchair acces- Social Media Sites Maintenance sible. Our actions reflect what we are teaching at PDV, a faith builder for all! Assist Interns & Missionaries The Aucatoma Family Home - a simple one room house
Hit Squad in newly painted kitchen

Oldest daughter in her wheelchair

New wheelchair accessible bathroom Kids enjoying Freshly stocked pantry our visit!

Pan de Vida also provides

***Prayer request: In the 2nd and 3rd quarters this year we had over 100 new believers and have seen even more during our Christmas events. We are seeking a pastor to help better serve the spiritual needs of our beneficiaries and to help them find churches to attend. Please pray with us for this need.

Nutritious Meals - Approximately 1600 meals served each month Bulk grocery supplies - Distributed to 65 families each month Bible Teaching - Regular programs include a Bible study or sermon Health Care - Health and dental fairs, preventive care, emergency care Micro-business program - Sewing and baking programs School Supply Program - 143 children received school supplies this year Kids & Teens Programs - Weekly & monthly programs, VBS, field trips, etc. Christmas shoe program - 170 pairs of shoes planned to be distributed this week

REAL COMMUNITY IS DITCH DIGGING!

HCJBs Community Development ministry has two main areas of focus, clean water projects and medical caravans. The water projects are not just missionaries going in and digging wells, it includes 100% community participation. Can you imagine you and your neighbors burying thousands of feet of pipe? Of course we are talking about indigenous communities that do not have indoor plumbing or clean water sources, clearly years behind our standards. When I was called in to assist at the hospital I was also asked if I could assist the director of Community Development, Alex Weir. Alex is from New Zealand, a hard working person who I enjoy working alongside. My biggest project for Alex has been preparing the 2014 budgets but I also have sat in many meetings to work through issues related to the closing of the hospital and logistics of how accounting and purchasing will be handled starting in January. Missionaries from six different countries make up the department, some having worked for more than 30 years in Ecuador. This past weekend I attended the departmental retreat, part work, part spiritual. The theme was the faithfulness of God. The pastor did a good job of reminding us to question how faithful we are. It is easy to track down Gods faithfulness, historically and in our own lives, but am I faithful to Him? As we discussed ministry challenges we were reminded that our job is to be faithful to what God has called us to do and to be. Only He can change a person. These missionaries work in difficult situations, some in areas of physical danger near Columbia, others in communities with great strongholds to Catholicism and animism. be serious and be sensible enough to pray. Most important of all, you must sincerely love each other, because love wipes away many sins. Welcome people into your home and dont grumble about it. Each of you has been blessed with one of Gods many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. 1 Peter 4:7-10 MY DUTIES with HCJB Community Development:

Accounting Assistance & Monthly Reporting Budget Preparation & Maintenance Administrative Assistance Outreach Programs Nate Saint Memorial School Projects

From left to right: 1. Medical caravan team arriving in the jungle via Mission Aviation Fellowship flights 2. Clean water in another jungle community 3. Alex evangelizing during a medical caravan in the highlands

...And Orphans Too!

Little Andreas smile is contagious. Andrea is a Christmas baby and
turns 5 years old this year. She is one of 42 children currently being cared for by For His Children. Andreas mom could not care for her so she was given to the State, placed in one home and then later transferred to FHC in 2012. Andrea has been diagnosed with moderate mental delay and is receiving therapy to develop her language skills and she is attending preschool. It was 12 years ago that I first visited For His Children, tagging along with Lorie Eby. It was my first visit to an orphanage. At the time I had not been in Ecuador for all that long and this was one more new experience that impacted my perspective of the world. So many children to care for 24 hours a day. So many little creatures longing for attention and love. I have always had a great respect for the way the children are cared for and how the orphanage is managed.

Andrea
Favorite foods: Chocolate, arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) and green beans

In June of 2012 I was contacted by the orphanage co-founder, Melinda

Vaughn, to see if I would be interested in helping with the financial side of the ministry. At the time they were paying someone to help oversee accounting, budgeting, and finance but were looking for a change. I said yes and in July we started working together to see how I could best fit in the organization. My normal responsibilities now are to prepare financial statements, help manage budget variances, and to assist the directors and bookkeeper with guidance on accounting related issues. I also have helped tweak the responsibilities of the Board Treasurer to be more hands on. This ministry is a favorite of mine and I am pleased that I can be a part of the administrative team. The freedom to work with multiple ministries has been a true blessing and this is one is a personal bonus for me. A bonus for all of us is that you, my donors, have helped save the ministry over $10,000 since I joined the team. The person before me was being paid for his services.

Michael (5)
and

Alondra (23 months)

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James1:27
MY DUTIES with For His Children:

Co-director Vernica Rodrguez Bookkeeper Marlene Bracho

Monthly financial Statements Quarterly Board Reports Budget Preparation & Maintenance Administrative Assistance Special Projects

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
I will end in the same way I started, hoping that you have found this letter uplifting. Your support is greatly appreciated and is what keeps us on the mission field. The ministries we are working with are doing some great things and even though this is just a snapshot of what goes on, I hope it is enough to provide a gratification in knowing that you are part of this team evangelizing to the lost, providing material resources to the poor and orphaned, and sharing many other resources with people much less fortunate than ourselves. We want these stories to help you be a cheerful giver! You are part of these ministries making a difference for Gods kingdom.
I frequently am being told Dios le pague which interprets may God repay you. Most of the poor we serve are grateful for what we give them and this is their way of saying thank you. We do not live in poverty like many of our beneficiaries but we are grateful for what you provide, Dios le paque! Raquel and I are enjoying our new home, a nice change from the big city life of Quito, but we both made one year commitments to work here so it is already time for us to be thinking of change again next summer. We would appreciate your prayers as we seeks Gods direction. Currently at the top of our list is to go to the U.S. for a 5-6 month furlough. Pan de Vida has asked me to consider taking over for the current director, with the new hospital foundation there will be opportunity for me here, Raquel would like to enter a post-graduate program, and we also are hoping to start a familyso, what do we do? Thank you for taking the time to remember us. We ask that you pray as well for our safety, The suspended bridge that runs between the Community Development office and our house. health, and for wisdom in all that we do.

Would like to support us or give to any of the ministries we are working with? Like to visit us?
Donate Online: www.WorldOutreach.org Donate toll free: 1-800-832-9673 Donate by mail: (memo my name on check)

Email: Richard_Blair_98@yahoo.com Skype: BlairQuito Phone: 011-593-99-486-4483 Mail: Casilla 17-17-197 Quito, Ecuador S.A. Web page: blairsa.weebly.com

World Outreach Ministries Account #82, Blair PO Box B Marietta, GA 30061