Happy New Year to all of you! We are just a day from 2019 and due to start a new decade in just a year if the Lord tarries. Strange how time seems to go so fast when looking back and, sometimes, relatively slow in the moment. Soon we could be saying “remember such and such in the 20’s!” 2020’s that is!!! Interestingly, we received a greater response to our last letter than we had in years and most of it was positive. A few people, however, seemed to either misunderstand us or just misunderstand the Bible and the reality of life this side of heaven. I just really wanted to pour my heart out to all of you and I am so glad I did, but I think it is also wise to clarify what is going on here.

We have been in the province (equivalent to a State in the U.S.) of Loja for about 3 years now and it has not been easy for sure. Although, it really hasn’t been easy since day 1 in Ecuador and in a lot of ways isn’t any harder than it was in the province of Pastaza (where we were for about 6 years); it is difficult in a different way. Our last letter was more a plea for prayer for the ministry here and for fellow workers, than it was about our own personal emotional state. We need help; we need God to do the work in the hearts and minds of the locals, and we need people who are willing to sacrifice everything for the advance of the Gospel. I think part of the reason for the strong reaction to our letter is that in some of our North American cultures, we like to swoop in and fix things quickly, avoid suffering at all costs (almost any cost anyway), and we like to believe if we just work smarter and harder we WILL get the results we desire. Please don’t get me wrong! I said “part of the reason” and “some of our American cultures.” I also want to say that some of these things are not altogether bad depending on how far we are willing to go with them. No one likes to suffer, helping others fix problems can be a good thing, and working smarter and harder are usually good ideas, but many take it too far. Suffering IS part of the normal Christian life and we can’t avoid it if we are going to follow the Lord (see Romans 8:18-25)! Honestly, Paul would have been pulled off the mission field as having gone too far by most mission boards if they would have received his letters to the churches he served in. Look at what he said to the Corinthians: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you (2 Cor 4:7-12, ESV).”

Latest progress on the house

Do we even believe this anymore? Are we really afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down, and always carrying in the body the death of Jesus in our attempt to take the gospel to the lost? Do we really think this is for all of us or only for a select few super Christians? Can we just stop trying to fix everything for a moment? Can we stop trying to avoid suffering to the point that we fail to follow Christ’s words because we know it will mean suffering, going without luxuries, and mean we will lose out in this world (see Mathew 10:34-39)? Can we stop trying to use smarts to get results instead of depending on the Holy Spirit to manifest in our lives and in the lives around us (See I Cor 1:18-27)?!?!?!!! I really don’t mean to preach down to anyone here and I pray it doesn’t come off that I am, or as prideful (because when you are as poor in spirit as I have been pride is NOT driving this), but can’t we stop the madness and seek God like never before, admit we don’t have all the answers, and depend wholly on the Lord Jesus to do the work that we clearly can’t do ourselves!?!!! Who else can cause revival, salvation, changed people, hunger, and thirst for righteousness? I don’t know about you, but I am thankful I am currently poor in spirit, broken, desperate, and needy. Everyone will know it was God alone when victory comes and souls are being saved by the hundreds here. Everyone will know you, your pastor, and I couldn’t do it; we are nothing, but JESUS is Almighty! I want all of you to know that here we are “afflicted in every way, BUT NOT crushed; perplexed, BUT NOT driven to despair; 9 persecuted, BUT NOT forsaken; struck down, BUT NOT destroyed!”

The kids wanted to wish everyone a "Feliz Navidad"

I need to tell you, I certainly am NOT a super Christian and I honestly have no idea why the Lord called me here instead of another, but I am thankful, hopeful, and expectant. He has a great plan and I just want to hear His voice and follow wherever He leads! Honestly our lives in the flesh are probably not much harder than most of yours at this point in our lives. All this is very spiritual and comes from a longing to see the bondage of sin broken off a people enslaved for more generations than I can believe. We have never been aware of any leading from God that we should give up here, thus we have never considered doing such a thing. Please just keep praying with us and don’t give up! We had our biggest attendance yesterday at church in San Pedro since we began! Please just stand with us and know that you can be (and many of you already are) a HUGE part of the plan of God for this area of the world! He is moving, hearing our prayers, and He will save! He has a body and when it works together in love NOTHING can stop HIM!!!!!!!!

In Christ,

Andy, Priscilla, and Kids

Note this is a NEW ADDRESS!!!

Please send all monetary contributions to: Acts 1:8 Mission Society PO Box 212. Harrison, OH 45030. You can continue to make all checks payable to: “Acts 1:8 Mission Society” with“DVarga” in the memo section (All funds donated in this way will continue to go entirely to the DVarga family AND our mission work in Ecuador and are tax-deductible). You can also write checks to Priscilla or Andy DVarga with "gift" in the memo section, but you will NOT receive a tax-deductible receipt at the end of the year for funds given this way. If you need a quarterly tax statement or just want to contact us, please just write to the address above or call. Our phone #:(513) 334-8281

To donate through PayPal electronically please scroll to the top of the page and click the "Donate" tab. Phone: Magicjack#: 513-334-8281 Our local Cincinnati phone number that we are able to receive in Ecuador. It works through the Internet and is just like calling any Cincinnati phone number.