Where the Heck are the Swensons?

After some time not hearing from us this is surely a valid question. To say the least, it's been a very busy time of transition for both or us. Joey mentioned in his last post that he was going to be transitioning out of Ecuador to attend Seminary in Chicago. I am proud to say that not only has he been accepted but has been granted a full ride Presidential Scholarship. This comes as an incredible blessing and answer to prayer.

After my one year internship which ended in May I was slated to return to the states where my plan has been to go through the process of becoming a full time missionary with The Evangelical Covenant Church. While I was processing what my timing for all this was going to look like, one of my good friends here in Ecuador approached me and asked if I would be willing to help him leading summer short term teams (Still with Youth World). Chet (my friend) is in charge of a department within Youth World called Adventure Missions. I jumped at the opportunity to both work with Chet as well as delay my next phase of fund raising.

In May I did return and go through training with the Covenant after which I returned to Ecuador to get to watch what the Lord is doing in the Jungles of Ecuador. Our first adventure was to go into a set of three river villages just off the Northern coast of Ecuador. The three villages are mostly comprised of descendants of slaves who escaped off of ships. During the time of the slave trades, boats full of slaves would pull into rivers to kill barnacles that could then more easily be scraped off the ship's hull. The process took about a week to ten days and was the opportunity that the slaves took to escape from the boats.

It was an incredible blessing to be able to witness God's work in these three villages through the commitment and passion of Sixto and Libio. Sixto and Libio are native to these villages but have been trained by the Biblical Institute in Argentina and despite desiring to be missionaries and teachers to Africa and beyond have really felt that the Lord was calling them back to their own homes to be salt and light among a people that don't really know the Lord. I was thoroughly inspired and humbled by these men's desire to serve the Lord and their spiritual depth. Please pray for Libio and Sixto as the continue to seek the Lord's strength and will.

On Sunday I will be leaving to go to Ñuneno with another team from a church in CA. During our time there we will be a part of a large conference for the Waorani (The tribe that killed the 5 missionary martyrs [Jim Elliot]). The team is already here and I've been getting to know them as we prepare for the seven hour bus ride and 4 hour canoe ride into the village where the conference will take place. Please pray for the conference, we know the Lord is already at work so we ask that we will be wise stewards of our gifts as we seek to join in with what is being done.

PRAYER REQUESTS 1. Please Pray for Joey as he enters into a new phase in life. We are confident that he is doing what the Lord has asked him to do but he is going to face some new and difficult challenges.

2. As you know I've been dealing with some serious, daily, hourly back pain. Last week I had a free day so I went in to see the doctor, got and MRI and found out that I have another herniated disc. The Doctor prescribed some medicine that he says will help the nerve but I will at some point in the near future need to deal with my herniated disc. Please keep me in your prayers as I deal with the daily pain as well as the vast amounts of travel (sitting) that I have to do this summer.

Thank you for your continued prayer and support. The Lord's work in Ecuador is an extension of your own generosity and commitment to prayer.

Joshua