Abraham was given a promise by God (Genesis 12:1-3; 17:1-8), it was reaffirmed to Isaac (Genesis 26:3-5), and once again to Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15). The promise was more than land and people. It was more than expansion and blessing. At the heart of the promise, we see clearly the heart of God for the nations! What was promised in Genesis to Abraham and his descendants is also visible in the words of Psalm 67. The Psalmist clearly calls out for God to bless in order that God’s power to save will be made known to the nations. When Jesus finishes up His earthly ministry, He fulfilled that promise of Abraham and continued the mission by pointing His disciples to the nations (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). Now, we as the church are to be continuing that mission – to the ends of the world.
John Piper is exactly right as he writes, “I do not appeal to you to screw up your courage and sacrifice for Christ. I appeal to you to renounce all you have to obtain life that satisfies your deepest longings. I appeal to you to count all things as rubbish for the surpassing value of standing in the service of the King of kings. I appeal to you to take off your store-bought rags and put on the garments of God’s ambassadors. I promise you persecutions and privations, but ‘remember the joy!’ ’Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven‘ (Mt. 5:10)” (Desiring God, p. 210).
This past year, our church has been working with a friend that I first met several years ago who has a ministry centered upon church planting. Bill Williams is the President of a ministry based primarily in Ecuador and we have been able to work with his ministry to plant a church in a remote mountain village. While I would love to tell you the entire story about how God is blessing in that church plant, I would like to inform you of another clear example of how God is interested in the nations – even remote villages high in the mountains of Ecuador.
Bill and his ministry – International Church Planters (ICP), has been overseeing a water project to pipe water to a village that sits high in the mountains of Ecuador at an elevation of 14,000 ft. This extremely poor village of 
farmers has no source of water for their families, animals, or crops. They are forced to collect rain water that falls for a few weeks out of the year before the dry season arrives leaving them without any means of water. It was the Lord who placed a heavy burden upon Bill Williams’ heart about this village and he has since then undertaken a tremendous effort to get water piped to the people from a water source 17 miles away. When we were in Ecuador earlier this year, we visited this village and I witnessed Bill stand before the people in a small chapel and tell them that God had heard their prayers and that the system was in the process of being constructed. As we held hands and prayed together, many tears were shed as people prayed in their own indigenous language for God to answer their prayers and provide for their needs!
Bill is working hard to see this project completed, but he cannot do it alone. He still needs other Christians and church congregations to help with this effort. Bill and his wife Oneta are not members of a large megachurch. They are members of a small congregation in the rural area of Tumbling Shoals Arkansas – near Heber Springs. Their church has sacrificed greatly and others have contributed to see this project finished. However, a great development has recently been made known and I wanted to share it with you. If Bill can raise $80,000 before December 31st of 2011, it will save $160,000 off of the total project. The engineers have made this known to Bill recently, and he is trying to get the word out in order to raise the funds quickly. I have heard of well digging ministries that take as much as 50-90% of the money and use it for “administration” costs and it never reaches the mission field. What you can know about this project is that 100% of the money will go to reaching this goal. So, please pray and contact Bill and International Church Planters if you can help with this great effort.
As Bill spoke to the village earlier this year, he said to them that one day when water is piped into their village it will be a reminder of the God who provided it. However, he assured them that this will be a perpetual testimony of God’s power – not only to provide physical water but the living water (of Jesus Christ) that leads to everlasting life. To salvage $160,000 is a tremendous blessing, but it will also enable the project to be completed sooner rather than later. Please consider giving – it will be used for God’s glory in the mountains of Ecuador. One thing I don’t do on this blog is ask for money. However, I want you to pray about contacting this organization and giving money to them (not DBG) for the completion of this major water project.
Consider the following numbers:
Total Water Project Cost: $500-600,000
Total Raised: $215,000
- If 80 churches gave $1,000 the December 31st goal would be reached
- If 40 churches gave $2,000 the December 31st goal would be reached
- If 160 churches gave $500 the December 31st goal would be reached
What can you give?
You can reach ICP through the following:
PO Box 112
2314 Heber Springs Rd. N.
Tumbling Shoals, Arkansas 72581
Phone: 501-362-3339
Please spread this information through Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail! I would like to get this information out to as many people as possible since time is running out.
Thank you for praying and for assisting in this effort!
John 7:37-38 - On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
Pastor Josh Buice
