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Mission Fields
 Chile
 Ecuador
 Middle East
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 Spain

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 Lautaro Center - Chile
 Lautaro Clinic - Chile
 San Luís School - Chile
 Ecuador Church - Ecuador
 Bible Center - Spain



El Recreo - Ecuador
Church Construction

Serving a barrio with hope and the gospel   El Recreo is the newest church plant of the IberoAmerican Ministries team. It is located about 20 minutes from Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, in a low-income barrio. It is a community with tremendous economic difficulties and social problems such as juvenile delinquency, gangs and drug addiction. Among other infrastructure problems.

El Recreo has inadequate sewage and sanitation facilities. The IAM missionary couple serving El Recreo since 2003 has developed relationships and built trust among neighbors. They began working with children and teens and
sharing the Gospel with their parents. In July 2003 Chilean and North American mission teams completed a two-week evangelistic outreach. The fruit of that outreach included 18 baptisms and the beginning of El Recreo as a functioning church.

Purchasing property to expand church   Regular weekly church attendance is around 30-35, not including the 50-60 children who attend activities on Saturdays. The church building also serves as the missionaries' home; however, the house is now too small to satisfy the needs of the church and limits overall growth. At a crucial point of growth, the church plans to purchase property and begin construction of a building that can be used to reach many for Christ. In November 2003 IAM found property to suit future growth close to the current location. IAM's plan is to purchase six connected lots totaling 432 square meters, allowing for up to three stories in the future.

Financing the vision: $30,000   In order to purchase the property, IAM must raise $15,000. Each lot costs $2,500. IAM's goal is to purchase these properties during 2004 for three reasons: (1) the price of these properties is relatively low at this time; (2) IAM could utilize teams from sister churches in Chile and the States to help with construction; and (3) a Chilean church youth team has offered to help develop an innovative youth ministry called culto.com. This ministry will require space to hold youth activities. The goal is to raise an additional $15,000 to cover building materials. Part of El Recreo's plan to generate funds for the church and ministries is to open a cyber café. IAM is seeking donations of at least three computers in order to get it up and running. The café is an ideal business since there is a tremendous need among students for access to computers and the Internet, yet very few in El Recreo have computers.



PROJECT DONATIONS

IAM's capital projects are grateful for your prayers and financial support. If you would like to make a donation to this project, please specify the PROJECT NAME (El Recreo - Ecuador Church Construction) on your check, made payable to IberoAmerican Ministries:

Thank you for your support and partnership in the work of extending the Kingdom throughout IberoAmerica and beyond! God bless you.