Raul & Jessenia Espinoza - Ecuador
Dear Wallenstein family,
“I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.” Isaiah 43:11
We are so thankful for this Savior and God who, knowing that He is the only savior, took the initiative to save us and let us know about it. At the end of April a few of our youth got baptized, showing their friends and family that they accept God’s salvation. Two of them have since stood out as they intentionally invite their friends to the youth group and help out in the kids' ministry.
The youth group is still a source of encouragement for us. The youth continue enjoying spending time together and are constantly asking us when the next event will be. In May our church had a family day and a church picnic and a few of the youth were able to convince their moms (who don’t normally show up at church) to join them. Please pray for these young people, that they will continue to feel at home at church, that their friendships would stay strong and healthy and, most of all, that they would grow in their walk with Jesus.
We would also like to share an opportunity to get more involved with the school here. You may remember Ana and Lis, two Salvadoran women who were a big help to the school board the last few years as changes were made in school organization. They unfortunately had to move back to El Salvador last fall due to economic constraints, but since have been working on fundraising for more monthly support because they dream of returning to continue investing in the school. We have missed their godly wisdom and friendship and would love to have them come back. It is difficult for Latin American missionaries to raise support in their home countries due to financial constraints and so we would like to spread the word about this need. If you feel led to support Ana and Lis and help them return to Ecuador, you can find information as well as their newsletter at the bottom of this email.
(Liss and Anna are bookending the picture)
We have some news! It has been on our minds for a while to go back to Ontario for an extended stay (home assignment). After talking with family and leaders and receiving positive feedback, we have made plans to travel to Ontario in August to stay for roughly a year. We then plan to head back to Ecuador to continue serving. Jessenia has been in Ecuador for 11 years now and as a family we feel it would be good to strengthen our Canadian roots and reconnect at Wallenstein. We also think it would be good for our boys to feel comfortable in Canadian culture and spend more time with their Canadian family. So far it seems God has been opening doors and things have been falling into place! If you have any questions about our time back home, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to being back with you all!
Would you pray for us as we prepare for this upcoming change? We are nervous about uprooting ourselves for a while, but excited to reunite with friends and family in Ontario. Pray we would leave things well organized here in Ecuador and that things would continue to fall into place as we adjust to life in Canada.
Thank you all for your prayers and support,
The Espinozas
Raul, Jessenia, Tiago and Danilo
To get to know Anna and Liss better, follow this link: Liss and Anna's Newsletter
Financial gifts Ana and Liss can be sent to MSC Canada:
101 Amber St., Suite 16,
Markham, ON L3R 3B2
Online: MSC Canada
Designated to: Bastion Ministries (Mission
Project - Valencia & Gonzalez)