Let's Get This Party Started

Welcome to the official blog of the Quito Team 2010. This blog has been a little boring so far, but it's about to heat up. First, let me introduce the Quito Team for 2010. They are:

Amy Russell, Asha Kilmer, Barbara Tutone, Cindy Griswold, Debbie Guinn, Debby Jones, Jane Moughon, Janet Johnson, Jennifer Lipp, Johanna Calderon, Kelly Karr, Kim Cosgrove, Mary Alice Brumley, Michele Meador, and Sharon Reeves.

God has gathered a great team of 15 women, 14 of which are leaving for Quito, Ecuador in less than two weeks!! Who's not going, you ask? =) Unfortunately for the team, one of the leaders, Jen Lipp, is staying behind this time. Jen believes God has called her to stay home, and that this is not her time for overseas ministry. The team has definitely been blessed by her extensive missions experience, and we are thankful she has been a part of this whole process. She'll be with us in every way except bodily.

The planning for this mission has been happening since the last team returned in August 2009. (See their blog, lasmujeres09.blogspot.com, for what God did last year.) The impact that going to Quito had on that team of women has been nothing short of amazing. We've definitely witnessed how God bonded that team together and we desire that for our team as well. They have definitely set the bar high, and this team is anxious to pick up where they left off.

The mission for the 2010 team is to display to the world that Jesus was sent to reconcile us to the Father Who loves us. We get our mission statement directly from John 17:22-23, which says,

"The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me."

Like last year's team, we will be joining Ben and Mari Tuten and their family in Quito. The Tutens serve at the Alliance Academy International, which offers Christian education to more than 400 children in grades K-12. Almost half the students come from Hispanic or Asian families, and many of these come from non-Christian homes. There are three groups of people in Quito our team is specifically targeting to bless. We want to bless the community, bless the missionaries, and bless the street kids. This team will bless the community by running a VBS program at Amor Y Esperanza in the projects of Quito. The VBS will probably have 50-65 kids attend. The team will bless the missionaries by coming alongside the Tuten's in their work and giving a facelift to the teacher's lounge at the Alliance Academy. Finally, we will bless the street kids by passing out lunches through "Operation Brown Bag".

We are anxious to get started, but these last two weeks will be vital as we prepare to go. Please pray for us as you can imagine that there are many details to be finalized and distractions to try to steal our joy. There have been evidences of spiritual battle as our enemy seeks to disrupt things. No big surprise there, and it only makes us more excited to see what God's going to do. If you are reading this, you are probably supporting this mission through your gifts and your prayers. I know I speak for the entire team when I say thank you SO much! We appreciate all the support and we are representing you as well in Quito!