108 Degrees of Change

As we mentioned in our last prayer letter, in November we made the decision and were approved to take a medical leave of six months to take care of some health issues that Michele has been having. We did not want to leave Ecuador, but it was necessary and important that we take care of these things in order that we be able to stay on the field for the long haul, as well as be able to function as a family. We arrived in the US on Christmas Eve late at night, and enjoyed celebrating Christmas with snow in the US! On the day that we left Ecuador the temperature hit 90 degrees, and the following week after arriving in the US the temperature where we live in Ohio hit 18 degrees! Thats a 108 degree difference. That drastic difference is very typical of the change that weve experienced in many other areas. So many areas of life are so dramatically different in either place, and we had forgotten how many things work here in the US. It took me a few seconds to figure out how to use the credit card swipe machine again at Walmart as well as the gas pump, where I got to pump my own gas for the first time in a couple years. The grocery store was a bit overwhelming with all of the choices and new ways that companies have come up with to market products. Weve enjoyed a few foods that we have missedmilk tastes so wonderful in the US! Many of you were praying about a car and housing while we are in the States, and the Lord answered both of those needs. Some friends in PA who loaned us an extra car that they have last time we were here called and said The car is still going strong, would you like to use it again? Its a Subaru Outback, and incredibly reliable and good in snow, so of course we said YES! Thank the Lord for their kindness and generosity. Also, at the beginning of November our family had to put Grandma Lenz into an assisted living facility, and while that has been very hard, it opened up the apartment at Jasons parents house for us to stay in. Joey is very happy to be able to see Nana and Boppa, and also to be able to run and play with their dogs outside. Mom & Dad have been a big blessing to us with caring for Joey while we go to doctors appointments. One of the biggest changes our family is going through right now is actually a very big blessingsince we will be in the US till the end of June or beginning of July we decided to put Joey back into the Christian school that our church has, Willo-Hill Christian School. He last attended there in Kindergarten, and now is in Fourth Grade. The school faculty and staff have been amazing, and have really helped us to make this transition possible for him. Going from homeschool to a formal classroom setting is difficultno trampoline breaks, snacks whenever he wants, and doing school in his pajamas. But at the same time he is so happy to be with his friends and speaking English, and it looks like he will be able to merge right in to the subjects that they are studying with a little help and extra work at home. When we return to Ecuador we are planning to try to put Joey in an Ecuadorian private school in order to be able to make friends and continue to grow in his mastery of Spanish. (He is not aware of this yet!) This step of being able to get readjusted to a classroom setting is very valuable in helping us make that change when we go back. Also, it has helped him greatly to see that his friends did not forget him, and to be able to be a part of something and identify with a group of people here in the US. Please pray for him in this transition, as we have had a few heartbreaking sob sessions with him as he makes these changes.

Update on Micheles Health

First of all, we want to thank so many of you who have sent well-wishes and donations to help with the unexpected airfare for the trip to the US. It really means a lot to know that so many people are praying for us and encouraging us as we walk through this. We had a doctors appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Womens Health Center the Monday after we arrived in the US, and it was very profitable. The doctor that we saw is the head of the Womens Health department at the Clinic, and she was able to identify several areas to address and referred us to another series of appointments with various specialists. Through meeting with them over the past couple of weeks it has been determined that the best course of action would be surgery. We had thought that this was going to take a while to schedule, but this past Monday they called and said that they had a cancellation and would like to get her in for surgery this coming Thursday, January 16. So we immediately went downtown to the main campus of the Clinic and went through a series of five pre-op appointments, and are preparing for the surgery on Thursday. The surgery is extensive but fairly routine, but Michele will not be up to having visitors afterwards. The recovery period is six to eight weeks or longer, so please be praying for her during that time. We will continue to have some doctors appointments to address some of the other medical needs and we are very pleased with the outlook and timetable for returning to Ecuador. Please be praying for strength, good recovery, and wisdom for the doctors, surgeons, and other staff as they perform the surgery. Thank you so much for upholding us in prayer during this time.

Partnership in the Gospel

Over the years that we have been on the road to Ecuadorthrough prefield ministry, language school, and then finally arriving on the field in Ecuadorwe have come to realize that this ministry truly is a partnership. As we have stepped out on faith one of the biggest things that the Lord has used to encourage and motivate us has been the many people who support us in prayer, financially, and through acts of service like sending cards or small gifts or notes on Facebook. There have been countless times where we have faced situations where there was nothing to do but pray, and so together with you all we have prayed, and the Lord has miraculously provided. This truly is a partnership in the Gospel. One of the hesitations that we have in the support raising process is that sometimes, mentioning financial needs in our prayer letter seems a bit like preaching to the choir. Many of you already support us through your local churchs missions program, and several of you support us individually or as a family on a monthly basis or as the Lord provides. This is truly humbling, and we realize that this is done sacrificially in most cases. What we have come to realize is that those who give to the Lord through our ministry also understand the idea of partnering in the Gospel, and for them it is a blessing to see the fruits of their eternal investment. That is why we try to provide frequent updates of what God is doing, so that our partners will be aware of how He is blessing. In order for us to continue to serve in Ecuador we need to raise some additional funds while we are home. Partly due to the economy and partly due to increased costs of healthcare and living, we are short $538 per month in support. We plan to travel as we can and visit some new churches while we are home, but we also want to make the opportunity known to many of you. We believe that the Lord can provide this amount quickly, and we have found in our own personal life that when we have given sacrificially the Lord has always met our needs. On the following page is a series of outline drawings of Ecuador which represent the monthly support shortfall, breaking down the $538 into smaller amounts. We are asking you and your family to consider choosing one of those numbers, as the Lord lays it on your heart, and to join our ministry team as a monthly financial partner. Gifts can be given on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Remember we know many of you already support us through your local church or individually. We are very thankful for that, and arent trying to take away from that in any way. If you would like to begin supporting us for one of the amounts on the sheet, just send us an email at: maynards@abwe.cc and we will send you the form that you can send in to ABWE to get that process started. You will receive a tax-deductible receipt for all donations as well. If you are not able to support us financially, please support us in prayer, which is something even MORE valuable and something that we need much more. As support commitments come in we will send out an updated chart with the outlines colored in, and will also post updates on Facebook. Thank you so much!

Praises and Prayer Requests

Praises Jasons dads is still receiving good reports about his cancer being in remission The addition of a new family, the Campbells, to our team! A safe trip to the US from Ecuador Christmas with family in the US! The provision for Joey to be able to attend Willo-Hill Christian School while we are in the US A wonderful vehicle has been loaned to us while we are honmethe same Subaru Outback that we used last time we were here! A place to stay with Jasons parents Provision of all of the funds that were needed for airfare! Prayer Requests Pray for the various Bible Studies to continue and for people to be saved while we are gone For our co-workers in Ecuador, who were busy BEFORE we

left, and are now carrying extra responsibilities For the growth of the youth ministry at the church Please pray for needed additional funds$538 per month Please continue to pray for La Conexin as they seek to reach out to the community and the country. Please pray for continued spiritual growth and godly leadership Provision of workers for childrens ministries Pray that the doctors would have wisdom as they operate and continue to help Michele in the treatment process over the next few months. Pray for quick healing from surgery. For the Bible study that we are seeking to start in our neighborhood when we return to Ecuador That people would be saved as a result of the Bible studies in Guapulo, La Morita, and our own neighborhood Please pray that the Campbell family would receive their support soon so they can join us on the field Please pray for Joey as he adjusts to school and being in a formal classroom again

Donations can be sent to: ABWE Donor Services, PO Box 8585, Harrisburg, PA 17105 Account #0133391

Our Mailing Address while we are in the US Jason & Michele Maynard 11940 Claridon Troy Rd, Chardon, OH 44024 Home phone: (440) 357-1385 Jason Cell (440) 214-0655

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Join the Maynards Monthly Support Team

If you would like to support our ministry on a monthly basis for one of the above amounts, please contact us via email at maynards@abwe.cc