Ecuador: ZOEgirl, Michael Passons, Big World Ventures, and Positive 89.3

When people and organizations get together in partnership, amazing things can happen! Because of a partnership between Big World Ventures and ZOEgirl, about 80 people from the US and Canada were able to go on a missions trip to Quito, Ecuador this summer. Because of partnerships with EMI/CMG and local radio stations, 5 radio DJ's were able to attend in order to provide media coverage for the trip. Because of my partnership with Positive 89.3, I was able to be one of those "radio guys" for this "Missions Trip of a Lifetime."

I suppose that every missions trip is a "missions trip of a lifetime," for every trip has the potential to radically change your life. As you see God's hand at work in another country, you become more attuned to seeing His hand at work where you live. As you see how other people live, you realize how blessed you are. As you see people come to Christ in droves, you recognize the ineffectiveness of our own North American evangelistic efforts.

During our time in Ecuador, teams performed street drama, painted churches, and visited orphanages, retirement homes, and a compassion project. The focal point of the trip was the free concert in the park featuring ZOEgirl, Michael Passons (formerly of Avalon), and local singer Tony Tomayu. At every ministry opportunity, the Gospel message was presented, an invitation was offered, and several people made a profession of faith in Christ. Contact information was received on 3x5 cards so that local churches could provide follow-up and discipleship.

I was very impressed with Big World Ventures. They have worked hard to network with a variety of ministry opportunities in Quito, giving participants a wide range of experiences. They have also thought carefully about how to nurture the spiritual growth of participants while on the trip. Daily devotions are emphasized, as are evening worship services. Not only do members participate in the ministry, they also are given the opportunity to learn about the culture. Not only did team members generously contribute to purchase food for people who live in the dump, they were able to go to the market and see how much food they could buy for their contributions.

I was also very impressed with ZOEgirl and Michael Passons. You might think that they just put their name on the trip and showed up to do a concert on Saturday, but you'd be mistaken. They were always in the midst of the projects, shoveling gravel, painting buildings, handing out food, and giving children shampoos and haircuts. Their servant hearts were very obvious as they participated in the trip just like any other member. When we weren't doing ministry projects, they were available and personable with the trip participants. It was a great experience for the team members to get to know a musician at a deeper level than an autograph line!

One of the most incredible experiences of the week was our visit to the dump in Quito. About 300 people live out at the dump, many are children or young teens. It would appear as though some children have been there for generations, and I would guess that some of their parents are children/teenagers themselves. Residents of the dump live in shacks which are probably rat infested. They scavenge for food and clothes in the dump, and look for items which can be recycled or sold for money. Running water is not available, and food is not what you and I would eat. Our group brought in $780 worth of food and distributed it, along with clothes and toys. We also washed childrens' hair and provided hair cuts.

As I stood under the hot sun and felt the stinging dirt blowing against my face, I thought to myself, "This is truly an evil place." The smell, heat, and wind all combined to create a sense of despair and hopelessness. It wasn't until a couple of days later that I remembered that some of the initial images of hell used in Scripture was that of Gehenna (Gai Ben Hinnom), the city dump just outside of Jerusalem. In this dump, fires were always burning in order to consume the garbage and reduce the stench. This was also the place where the bodies of executed criminals were thrown to be consumed.

Are these children in Hell? Are they considered "throw away people" by their culture? What role do we have to rescue them from the gates of Hell? How can Christians help them escape the cycle of poverty and escape this evil place?

Short term trips, while beneficial, are not the complete answer to the problem. The answer may lie with people like the "Dump Pastor" who have committed their lives to ministry and service in the dump. Only with long term education and ministry can their lives "be redeemed from the pit." (see Psalm 103:4) It is the responsibility of the church, not just to help them avoid an eternal Hell, but to escape the temporary Hell in which they find themselves.

You can read more of my writing about this trip at www.bigworldecuador2005.com/id10.html. There are also other writers who have shared their thoughts as well, and you can find our photo album at www.bigworldecuador2005.com/photos/. Special thanks must be given to Positive 89.3 (www.positive.fm), Big World Ventures (www.bigworld.org), ZOEgirl (www.zoegirlonline.com) and EMI/CMG (www.emicmg.com).

Grace and Peace,

PastorJon

PS: One of the great side benefits of the trip was getting to meet the other "radio guys" on the trip. Steve, Scott, Bill, Rob, Tower, (along with Grace and Mary (who weren't radio guys (or gals))) made the best travelling companions you could ask for. They were a lot of fun to hang out with, and were gracious enough to allow me (a radio imposter) to spend time with them. I only wish that I'd had more time to play CatchPhrase in the evenings!