Short-term team
Our first short term mission team came to Ecuador, and it was a blessing on several levels. Thanks to Eric Malave, founder of “A Generous Life” in Arizona, and Chris Holohan from United Christian Youth Camp in Prescott, AZ, for their generous donations. With these funds we are able to build a house on the farm, buy pigs to help feed the people and help kids stay in school.
We also want to thank the people they brought with them. There were many relationships formed and the love of Christ was evident. We had a variety of activities that filled the whole week. We started the week by going down to the river and baptizing 14 people after the church service. Each one of these new Christians has been going through the Peace Treaty (how to have peace with God) and is involved with different church ministries. This was a very exciting and encouraging experience for the church. |
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| We also spent time with the elderly. We visited and delivered lunch to them and also held a workshop at the church where they painted and fellowshiped together.
The youth group prepared and practiced for several months to put on a show at the local school, which included dancing and singing, games and a puppet show. It was great to see these young adults commit to one another and to these kids that they spent time with and showed Christ’s love. We also held several activities with the kids in the barrio. |
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Games at the river. |
Kids’ program at local school. |
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Visiting the elderly. |
Walking to school. |
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| During our women’s groups we did different activities, including crafts, manicures and Bible teaching. We worked on the farm a couple of days to start building a fence and house. The pre-teen group held a talent show that the North American missionaries participated in. A highlight for all was the pig feast that we had with the church. |
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Pig feast. |
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| Thank you to our new North American friends for partnering with us! You all are loved and will be missed! |
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Farm. |
Women’s group. |
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| Here some words from Chris Holohan and Eric Malave about their mission trip experiences: |
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Another great trip to South America! Since July 2006, when I first met the Buktas in Trujillo, Peru, I knew I had to come back. At the time I didn’t realize it was going to mean 19 trips. This trip I had the opportunity to lead a group of 10 as the first mission team to visit them in Santo Domingo, Ecuador.
As usual when working with them and their team, everything was scheduled and laid out perfectly to allow the team to step into the mission. Our team had the opportunity to create new relationships and to serve alongside the missionaries and the people of the church. We got to play with the children, visited the elderly, and helped with the beginning stages of building a house on the land the missionaries had purchased for their future farm.
It was great for us to see firsthand the effect they and their team have on one of the poorest communities in the world. It was also a blessing to hear about their plans for the future in Santo Domingo and beyond into other cities in Ecuador. In such a short time they have achieved so much. It was a true view into what the Church is supposed to be. –Eric Malave
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I had the privilege of serving in Ecuador with Mike, Danell, and our team from Arizona. We worked in Santo Domingo taking food to the elderly, laying down a foundation for the farm house, building a fence for the farm, digging a trench for the sewer system, and spending quality time with the local people. It is always so humbling to see the dedication and hard work that Mike, Danell, and the whole team pours into the people they minister to. I have worked with many different missions organizations over the years, but they are some of the hardest-working, most committed missionaries I’ve met. I am excited to see how their work blesses the people of Santo Domingo as they lay the groundwork now for a brighter, exciting future for the people they are there to serve. –Chris Holohan
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| We met Elizabeth some time ago when we were doing Adopt-a-Block, getting to know our neighbors. She would invite us in her home to visit with her. She developed a love and desire to know more about Jesus. One day her partner beat her with a belt and he told her that he didn’t want us visiting her anymore. Elizabeth has three sons Jonathan, 12; Aron, 7; and 3-year-old Jonathan, who is the son of Moises, the man she lives with. They live in bad conditions; they have to use recyclable cups to drink out of so we decided to donate a dozen cups. Elizabeth suffers from obesity and heart problems and has endured a lot of physical and emotional abuse from the hands of Moises. She wanted to go though the Peace Treaty (how to have peace with God) lessons, and now she has accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and made the decision to be baptized and become a disciple of Christ. Elizabeth is very happy when we visit and spend time with her, teaching her about Jesus and His Kingdom. She is struggling with her situation and asked us to pray for Moises, that God will touch his heart so that he can love and know the real Jesus! Please pray for Elizabeth and her family and the work in Peru. |
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 Eliabeth and the Peace Treaty. |
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| Thank you for all your prayers and support!
Mike, Dani, and Nicole Butka
Team Expansion missionaries to Peru and Ecuador |
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Praises:
- 14 baptisms
- Successful mission trip
- Farm work started
- Leadership group in the Santa Martha Church
- Roger and Kelly’s baby, Valentina
- Elizabeth’s decision to follow Christ
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Prayer Requests
- Farm – raising funds for micro-business
- Disciple new believers
- Health of the team
- Micro-business workshops
- For Elizabeth and her family – and the salvation of Moises
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Project New Hope + CMF
CMF and Project New Hope are part of an exciting partnership with Team Expansion missionaries Mike and Dani Bukta and their work in Peru and Ecuador. Through this partnership we will work together toward holistic mission where disciples are made, individual lives are transformed, and nationals are empowered to lead. U.S. churches will be challenged to actively partner in this ministry with the goal of creating dynamic Christ-centered communities (churches) that can transform the world. |
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