We are so thankful to have successfully completed our first semester with NILI! A couple of weeks ago, our NILI students completed their final projects, took their final exams, took their last trip (to the Galapagos Islands!), and then headed home. The semester ended very well and all our students made it home safely. Thanks again to all of our friends and family for your continued prayer and financial support! These first few months have been full of highs and lows as we transitioned into living in another country/culture and as we've settled into our roles here with NILI. God has been incredibly faithful to us each day in our ministry here, though, and we know we wouldn't be here without His grace and without your encouragement and support! Now it's one semester down, two more to go.
In addition to performing our NILI responsibilities this semester, because of the small number of NILI students and the relatively large number of volunteers, Ian and I have been serving in an on-campus ministry called CENIC. CENIC is really a sister ministry to NILI, since the monies raised by both go directly to support the missions work on the North Andean Field (Venezuela, Columbia, and Ecuador). But while NILI is a Spanish/ministry immersion program for North American college students, CENIC is a center for conventions. CENIC hosts camps, retreats, conferences, and other special events on campus, serving the Church of the Nazarene as well as other churches, organizations such as World Vision and Compassion International, and for-profit businesses.
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| CENIC's main tabernacle/convention center on the Nazarene seminary campus. |
We have really enjoyed serving in CENIC because the work has been so versatile. I (Hillary) have primarily been helping out in the CENIC office Tuesday through Friday in the afternoons. I answer phone calls, check emails, update calendars, and complete financial reports, summarizing CENIC's weekly and monthly income and expenses. But when needed, I have also done laundry, made beds, tidied dorm rooms, re-stocked toiletries, and gone grocery shopping in preparation for the groups CENIC hosts. (Our largest grocery run included buying 50 raw chickens, 12 bags of potatoes,15 three liters of pop, 2 carts full of fruits and vegetables, and much much more. It was quite the adventure!)
When CENIC has had large groups this semester (the facilities can hold a maximum of about 230 individuals), Ian has helped several seminary students prepare for them by moving platforms and benches, setting up tables and chairs, and cleaning dorm rooms. But Ian has also helped paint and do odd jobs when CENIC was renovating several of its dorm rooms.
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| Inside the tabernacle after CENIC helped set up chairs for the graduation ceremony. |
It truly has been a blessing to be able to work with CENIC this semester. Since NILI didn't have quite enough work to occupy us fully, we were very thankful to have this other opportunity to serve a great ministry. Through the conferences and retreats CENIC has held, individuals have experienced Christ and the power of His Holy Spirit. We have heard wonderful testimonies of people being saved, sanctified, and healed of very serious illnesses. Please join with us in praying for CENIC as it continues to grow, serving the people of Ecuador and bringing in funds for the North Andean Field.
