Bringing The Hope Of The Gospel To The People Of Ecuador

Recognizing an opportunity for reaching the people of Ecuador with God’s Word, an international team of 23 members of The Gideons International arrived in Quito to conduct a two-week International Scripture Blitz in June. The men came from the U.S., Finland, British Isles, Germany, Australia, and South Africa with a goal of providing 300,000 Scriptures.

The team was impressed with the level of preparation that had gone into organizing this blitz over the past several months. The local Gideons had thoroughly planned out the transportation arrangements and routes for the Scripture distributions. They even covered all of the transportation expenses.

Gideons and Auxiliary were prepared to share God’s Word at schools, hospitals, prisons, universities and a number of other locations. The two weeks would be filled with opportunities for personal witnessing and winning others to Christ.

How Do I Get To God?

The desperation in the voice of Santos Amores was obvious when he approached the Gideons during one of the distributions in Ecuador.

“I can’t get to God… How do I get to God?” he pleaded. “I’ve been seeking Him but I do not know how to pray.”

Santos was raised atheist. In his search for meaning, he had even tried Communism and Socialism. Nothing had fulfilled him.

Speaking through a translator, one of the team members began to share the Gospel with Santos. “It’s not about you getting to God… it’s about God coming to you,” he said.

The Gideon continued sharing from the Scriptures. When he finished, Santos said that for the first time in his life, he was certain Christ had now come to him. He prayed to receive Christ, confessed Him as his Lord and Savior, and signed the decision page in his New Testament.

Where there had earlier been desperation in Santos’ voice, now there was peace.

A Fist Reaches From The Pit Of Darkness For God’s Word

One team member described the Guayaquil prison as “the most shocking and disturbing place in Ecuador we have visited… beyond anything you can imagine.” A place devoid of light, life and hope.

As a team of Gideons walked down the prison corridors to place copies of God’s Word into the hands of inmates, they approached an area in the block wall that was filled with very thick and heavy steel wire mesh. The wire was so thick that no light could penetrate through. There was a small hole in the bottom corner.

Suddenly, a prisoner’s fist popped through from the other side of the opening, reaching out as the Gideons approached. The fist unfolded and the hand reached into the box of Scriptures the Gideons were carrying. It clutched one of the New Testaments and immediately pulled it into the cell. Perhaps now, light will penetrate into some of the hearts inside that prison in the form of God’s Word.

A Young Boy’s First Day With His New Testament

One morning around 6:30, a boy was selling sandwiches in front of one of the schools where distributions were taking place. A Gideon gave the young street vendor a New Testament. The boy immediately began reading it. The Gideon then approached the boy and began to share the Gospel. After about ten minutes, he led the boy in a prayer to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The team of Gideons left the location to continue their distributions at other schools. That evening the Gideons returned for another distribution at that school. When they left at 7:30 p.m. the boy was still there reading his New Testament.

Divine Delays

After distributing over 2,300 Scriptures at an all-girls school one morning, Gideons returned in the evening to share copies of God’s Word with the evening class. However, there were delays in getting the distribution started.

Three girls who had received New Testaments during the morning distributions were standing near the Gideons. One of the girls began to ask questions about the Bible. The Gideon began to answer their questions. He took the opportunity to explain the Gospel with them and the need for a personal relationship with Jesus.

A short time later, with tears in their eyes, all three girls prayed to receive Jesus.

“If we had not been delayed, which disappointed us at the time, we likely would not have gotten to share the Gospel with those three girls,” said team member Kevin Keck.

A Pastor Sends His Thanks

At the Gideons Pastor Appreciation Banquet, a local pastor sat at the table with one of the Gideons. With tears in his eyes, the pastor asked, “Tell me, how did you get a half million Scriptures into our country? That is amazing.”

The pastor expressed his joy that every student in his youth group now had his very own New Testament.

The Gideon replied, “We are simply a part of the extended missionary arm of the church… winning men and women, boys and girls to Jesus Christ.”

“I can see that,” the pastor said. “When you get back home, please say ‘thank you’ for me.”

 

Please Sign Me Up Again

At the conclusion of the blitz, the Gideons and Auxiliary had distributed 488,221 copies of God’s Word to the people of Ecuador. The total exceeded the original goal by 62%.

Most important, 98 individuals prayed to receive Christ after the personal witness of Gideons and Auxiliary. And only heaven knows how many more will receive Christ in the weeks, months and years to come as a result of those Scriptures.

“If this is what an International Scripture Blitz is like, please sign me up again,” said Nevan Janetzki, a Gideon from Australia. “I will have lasting memories of what was achieved in God’s name.”

Thank You For Helping To Make This Blitz A Success

To all of our members, donors and other supporters including pastors and their churches, thank you. Every one of the nearly one-half million Scriptures placed during this Scripture blitz was made possible through the faithful giving of your time, money, and prayer support.

Of course, we give all the glory for the success of this blitz to the Lord. We are confident many more lives will be changed and souls won as a result of these new copies of God’s Word now in Ecuador. Please pray that more people there will give their lives to Christ as they encounter His Word.