We were set to work the next day to tie rebar for the multi purpose building. That was hard but we did a good job with it. The other hard labor type job was to move stones to make a foundation for a church in the jungle. That was equally tough but was cool because we made a train to move the rocks. The congregation and our team worked together as one.

It wasn't all hard labor. We did a powerful pantomime called The Decision and during one performance we passed out hot soup to the needy. Saying good bye was the hardest part. Everybody had tears in their eyes. Nobody wanted to say good bye to the sweet faces of the kids from Montebello.

To this day I still miss their love and kindness. Ecuador was one of the greatest things I've done and one of the greatest things I hope to do again.

Amos Thibault, youth group visitor
Desert Springs Church, Palm Desert, CA

We had the amazing opportunity to once again visit "It's About Kids" this year. Ron, Sharon and the kids overwhelmed us with their hospitality. Sharon's gourmet cooking sent us all home unexpectedly fat and happy!

Ron's heart for those without Jesus gave us a new perspective on what "evangelism" means. He gave us a new outlook on relationships and the value of sharing Jesus. We had the amazing opportunity to help Ron and the native Ecuadorians in building a Christian school in the jungle.

We shoveled concrete and hauled buckets for hours! It was such an honor to work alongside one another for one reason: Jesus!

We also took advantage of several opportunities to share "The Decision," a wordless dramatic presentation of Creation and salvation. The response was overwhelming every time and it was beautiful to see the people hungry for God, anxiously reading the literature Ron presented to them about how to accept Jesus into their lives.

Vacation Bible school was also a big highlight of the trip. Many children came and we so enjoyed sharing the love of Jesus with them. They were absolutely precious!

We planned to go to Ecuador and be a blessing. But the blessings received far outweigh our abilities to measure them or put them into words. We are eternally grateful to everyone for their imprints on the rest of our lives.

Bonnie Cole, trip facilitator
Desert Springs Church, Palm Desert, CA

This year I had the privilege of traveling to Ecuador to observe and participate in God's ministry through Ron and Sharon Stiff. What impacted me most was the holistic vision of the ministry. Most ministries I have seen are targeted primarily at education and evangelization or at improving living conditions and humanitarian needs. What I saw in Ecuador, however, was beautifully balanced.

The ministry was aimed at the whole person.They were feeding the stomachs, healing the bodies, and proclaiming the fullness of God's Word. I was blessed to witness and participate in God's ministry. It is my prayer that no matter where I am, I will have a healthier view of what it looks like to serve God and people. This is one of my prayers following my trip: "Father, in Ecuador you have graciously allowed me to see a ministry that exemplifies Your love, Your compassion, Your truth, Your holiness, Your care, Your forgiveness and Your strength. You have shown me these things through the blessing of family, serving, teaching, evangelizing, praying, healing, feeding, holding, loving, and everyday living."

Eric Riddle, Youth Pastor
Family Heritage Church, La Quinta, CA

The trip was a life changing experience for me. I realized first hand how God works in other parts of the world as well as home. The love I recieved from Ron, Sharon, and the kids really made me notice how everyone has the ability to love and show kindness. The chances to witness were some of the best moments of my life. Although they spoke a different language, God still placed a common ground for us to use to witness to the people of Ecuador. The sport clinics were awesome and the participants really responded. I was blessed by God as much as they were by experiencing Gods work. This trip was by far the best trip of my life. The family, food, and view was all above my expectations.

Devin Cooper, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS

I learned many things about myself from this trip. I was amazed, humbled, and BLESSED! I was amazed at the servant's hearts of the children...always doing things without being asked...made me realize that I need to have their servant's heart not just in my spiritual life, but also life in general. When the children at the camps showed their love for us as a team and to me personally - I was humbled. They live in a world of poverty and distress yet they had the time and the desire to love on us. The children, Ron & Sharon...all made me realize how blessed I am to have what I have. I have tried my best to put how I feel about this trip into words, but words don't do this trip justice! You have to experience it all for yourself!

Bethany Harris, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS

What a blessing our trip to Ecuador was! We arrived at beautiful Montebello and very quickly our 8 year old son, Sam, was welcomed by his new "brothers and sisters" - all 13 of them. Sam was fast friends with Lenny, Franco and Mauricio. He spent every possible moment with those boys and misses them now that we are back in California. The time we spent in Ecuador made a huge impact on us. When we arrived in Ecuador we were first impressed by the natural beauty of the region and the people. We admired the pace of life and the sense of community. As we visited plazas, markets, churches, etc. we were made aware of the contrast between their simplistic lifestyles and the rat race that predominates our Southern California culture. What a fantastic place, this Ecuador, we thought.

Then we started hearing the stories, many of them stories of compassionless abandonment. We were introduced to a man who had suffered leg / ankle fractures that, with routine management in the U.S., would have him walking without crutches in 4 months maximum (Herb is a physical therapist and Wanda is an RN). Instead, because he couldn't pay for treatment he was pretty much given a death sentence. It turns out that the government, institutions and families will routinely abandon those that are sick or crippled. How absolutely horrific in a time where so many of their medical problems can easily be managed with resources and compassion! We also heard the stories of broken families and abandonment / neglect of the children that have been blessed with the opportunities afforded them at Montebello.

As we were overwhelmed by the great need in the communities we visited we were equally impressed by the quality of the people that are there ministering to those needs. We have known all along that the Stiffs and the Youngrens are gifted and compassionate leaders. What we have become aware of, though, is the excellence of the staff that God has given these leaders. The educators, both for the children and for the Potters Wheel program, are absolutely top notch. It moves my spirit to see that they've submitted to this humble path as their skills could surely command more "prestigious" assignments. In conclusion, I came away from Ecuador with a sense of responsibility but also of excitement. These communities have such a sense of physical and spiritual need. At the same time God has faithfully placed It's About Kids and Compassion Connection there to bring Jesus to these people… to address their every need. God has put an obvious blessing on these ministries with the resources He has provided. There is an unmistakable sense that good things are going to happen and that He is growing His Kingdom there. It is a privilege for those of us that are called to be a part of this.

Herb Neufeld, President
Compassion Connection Board, Indio, CA

I DIDN'T KNOW

• How easy and life-changing it would be to accept Ron and Sharon's open invitation to "come and see"
• What the "yes" of one family would mean to so many for the kingdom of God
• What lengths the enemy would go to in order to strike at my very soul with fear, distraction, frustration (on a mission trip…how dare him!)
• The tug on my heartstrings moment-by-moment that became a symphony of angelic chorus
• That I would no longer innocently order my favorite $4 chai-frost-no-whip at Just Java without thinking about what that $4 would mean to an entire indigenous family
• That less really is more
• That "giving up my life in order to find it" would feel so good
• That my small gifts benefit so many
• That Jesus' command "to go" is for me

Janet Nevins
Bermuda Dunes, CA
March 2005