From Spears to Tables: Ministry in Ecuador

By Kaylee Looney

Shell, Ecuador. Sound familiar? How about End of the Spear? You know, the popular 2005 movie that was based on Jim Elliot and four missionaries who lost their lives to Huaorani headhunters in 1955.

On March 2, Uncompahgre Baptist Association set off for Shell, Ecuador to minister to a local village. Eight People from 4 different Churches participated in the trip (Calvary, Delta; Church180, Montrose; Grand Mesa, Cedaredge; and Rosemont Baptist Church, Montrose).

“The country is more male dominated and desperately needs men to take a stand,” Steven Puls, Pastor of Grand Mesa SBC said. Puls and his wife Carolyn were two of the eight individuals that were able to travel to Ecuador.

The team showed the movie Courageous in Spanish to local families. After the movie, around 12 native men were taught how to discover God’s will for their lives. The hour long lesson coincided with the building of a simple table.

“The IMB missionaries working there were able to purchase the supplies for the tables and our team brought along power tools.” Pastor Puls said.

Each leg of the table represented a way to find God’s will. The first two: scripture and the Holy Spirit’s conviction were emphasized as the most authoritative. The third and forth legs represented Godly leadership and circumstances.

Each man that participated in the lesson was able to take his table home with him as a practical gift and a daily reminder of what holds up his life.

“There was encouragement from the missionaries and the community that these teachings are exactly what they needed,” said Pastor Puls.

The team worked with Russ & Kyleen Bare and James & Heather Tiemen, IMB Missionaries. They also worked with a multi-tribe church in Shell and an unreached village in the jungle of Ecuador. They did VBS, a family conference, Sunday Morning services, and shared about Christ in a jungle grade school, as well as a missionary grade school.