Focus

Ecuador is still among the least evangelized nations in the Western Hemisphere,
but it is showing unprecedented responsiveness to the gospel as church leaders
are trained and mobilized.

Ministry

The basic goal of the World Partners USA team in Ecuador, working with national
believers, is to help get the church to the point that it is presenting the gospel to
everyone in an understandable way.

The team's focus is in two main areas. The first area is the planting of indigenous
churches. The second area is the training of church leaders. Dave's main job is to
help develop pastors, missionaries, and Christian education workers that are
spiritually mature, doctrinally sound, and effective in ministry: He does this in
conjunction with two Bible colleges: the Seminario Bfblico Alianza (SBA), which
provides full-time training for those preparing for ministry, and the Seminario
Bfblico del Pacffico, which offers part-time training to those already in ministry.

Spiritual values are transmitted best by personal example in the context of close
relationships, so we share our lives and our home with the students. Theological
knowledge is acquired mostly in the classroom and through reading, so Dave
teaches four to six courses and several tutorials each trimester. He also directs
the seminary library as well as operates a small bookstore. Ministerial skills are
learned by doing, so Dave maintains a mentoring relationship with about a dozen
students engaged in pastoral ministries. Dave also serves on five faculty
committees and as the Student Council advisor as well as counsels those who
come to him with personal or ministerial needs.

Lolly is the director of the women's dorm and campus nurse at the SBA.
The veteran staff in Ecuador needs relatively little direction, but as team leader
Dave relates to the World Partners USA Administrative team and works closely
with national church leaders, especially on committees that oversee church
planting and leadership training. Lolly serves as field bookkeeper.

Prayer Concerns

•Our lives will evidence spiritual vitality, cultural sensitivity, loving compassion,
and balanced values as we go about our main ministries of serving, teaching,
encouraging, giving leadership, sharing with God's people in need, and practicing hospitality;
• God will keep our children safe from evil;
• Our aged parents, Paul & Ruth Erdel and Frank & Marie Drown, will be able to
continue to be active in ministry and missions and be a great encouragement to us;
• God will provide for and protect our team of gifted and committed colleagues at
the seminary, in the national church, and in the mission field.

Background

David Erdel was born and raised in a Christian home in Ecuador where his parents, Paul and Chloetta, were serving as missionaries. He attended the Alliance Academy in Quito during elementary school days. Dave was in Fort Wayne, IN for junior and senior high school while his father was Overseas Director of the Missionary Church. He accepted Christ as his Savior when he was a young boy. As he read the Bible and reflected on God's providence in his life, missionary service seemed to him an appropriate response to the missionary mandate.

Preparation for service continued at Fort Wayne Bible College, Fort Wayne, IN (now Taylor University) and at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, IL. Dave continues to study at Trinity when in the United States on furloughs. His theological training was balanced by pastoral experience and a variety of secular jobs.

Laura (Lolly) Drown, also a child of missionaries, was born and raised in Ecuador. She graduated from the missions program at Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL and was studying nursing with a view to overseas service when Dave looked up his former classmate. Lolly and Dave were married in 1978.

Dave and Lolly have had a varied ministry since going to Ecuador in 1981. They have worked in churches without pastors and helped plant a new congregation. Lolly has worked with children, youth and women, coordinated an extensive DVBS program, served as mission bookkeeper, and provided hospitality for many guests. Dave has kept a regular schedule of preaching and Bible studies, helped manage the mission bookstore and campground, and been involved in field administration. He has coordinated the leadership training program co-sponsored by the mission and national church. He has developed a seminary curriculum and format suited to the needs of northwest Ecuador and taught Bible and theology in six of the seminary's extension centers.

In March 1994 the Erdels moved to Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city, to work at the Seminario Biblico Alianza.

Important Dates

Birthdays

• Dave - July 17
• Lolly - August 8
• John-Paul- November 5, 1981
• David - November 22, 1984
• Mary- May 12,1987
• Stephen - November 26, 1991

Anniversary

• July 1,1978

Family

Tim has four ZEBS (one each weekend of the month), a weekly Bible Study, church visits and administration work related to ZEF A and the Field Director. We laugh that he needs one of those phone headsets because his ear seems to be glued to the phone lately ... from the before sunrise calls from our amaZioni pastors, the administration calls during the day to the evening/late night calls from the USA.

Luann, in adjusting to Tim's new job as Field Director, has had to find new ministries closer to home. She's taken on a weekly Bible club for children in our area and a children's talk each week during Tim's Firm Foundations Bible Study. Office work has increased and just the daily routine of cooking, cleaning and driving to and from school (+/- 3 hours a day) fill her time.

Marie is enjoying her first year in the working world teaching first grade at a Christian school in Indianapolis. Her stories make us laugh - like the children at recess having to teach the teacher in charge how to play kick ball or the little six year old boy who has a crush on her.

We are pleased to announce Marie's engagement, to Jonathan Morrison. Marie was nine years old when we moved to Sunbury. The pastor who had developed Sunbury into a campground had also planted a church in the nearby town of Mandini. ZEMA acquired Sunbury and the new church called a pastor, Gary Morrison, who happened to have a ten year old son. The Morrisons were family friends and fellow members of our home-school support group. Between our eldest, crushes developed ... they used to each read a book and then give it to the other with a note, when they were too shy to even speak to each other ...and lasting friendship followed. Friendship that survived Jonathan's move to England when he was fifteen. Letters over the years and UK visits during stopovers in London, led to romance in 2007 and wedding plans for 2008.

Matthew has been in South Africa since January and is pursuing his academics through MEI correspondence. He will return to the USA in May and hopes to earn some bucks so he can return to full-time studies in the future.

Rachel is a sophomore and doing very well. She is busy, busy as class Prefect (dass President), Worship Team member, Junior Youth Leader (grades 1-7) and taking an advanced computer class after school.

Important Dates

Birthdays:

• Tim: October 27
• Luann: August 13
• Marie: December 20, 1985
• Matthew: December 15, 1987
• Rachel: March 29, 1992

Anniversary: August 28, 1982

Introducing the Paul Mbandi Family...

My name is Paul Mbandi. My wife's name is Rodah. God has blessed us with
three boys: Joshua, 15; John, 11; and Alexander, 7.

I worked as a pastor with African Inland Church (AlC) for five years. The need
for well-trained ministers for the church in Africa led me to Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary, where I earned an M.A. in theology. By God's grace,
I graduated with a Ph.D. in Theological Studies in May of 2004, from Trinity
International University. Given the current dramatic growth and spiritual thirst
of the church in Africa, I answered God's call to be involved in training African
church leaders (pastors and teachers) in accordance with II Timothy 2:2
and Ephesians 4:7-16.

Rodah was involved in various church ministries and has a diploma in Christian
Studies. She graduated from Columbia College of Missouri in 2004 with a B.S.
in Business Administration. She believes that a proper management of finances
and resources can assist in improving lives of many African families and
consequently the ability of churches to advance the gospel. We returned to Kenya
in August 2004.

I am the head of Biblical and Theological Studies at Scott Theological College and
director of African Leaders Development International (ALDI), a ministry of
Missions Afield. I am mainly involved in facilitating development and provision of
continuous theological education for church ministers, a majority of which have
only a basic level of theological training.

Rodah is an assistant accountant at Scott Theological College and is also involved
in facilitating seminars on family and financial management.

Jon Emanuelson was born and raised in Zion, and met Lauren at Trinity International University. Both felt God's call to minister among the amaZioni people in South Africa while studying for a Master's in Intercultural Studies at Trinity. They were married on January 5, 2008 and became appointees on January 10, 2008.

They are currently raising support and hope to leave for ministry in South Africa as soon as their support needs are met.

Lakeview Church has recently included Jon and Lauren as one of the missionary families that we will be supporting. It's an exciting time to be involved at the outset of their mission work. Please pray for this young couple as they continue to follow God's leading.