Hello from Southern Ecuador!

First, we want to start off with a quick praise report about our last newsletter that went out in June. We had mentioned that I (Andy) had been shut out of the jail along with all other individuals doing chaplain work. Two days after we sent out our letter in June asking for prayer to get me back into the jail, and all of you began praying, I got special approval from the administration at the jail and I am finally back serving in the jail ministry! Thank the Lord! The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective! Being able to preach to over 1,000 lost men every week is a huge responsibility, and the seriousness of this is very real to me. Thank you for your continued prayers for this specific ministry.

No cameras or cellphones allowed inside, but here is a view of Loja's prison. Pray for these men!

The cell group in our home in San Pedro is still going great! I had been praying for the Lord to send new people to us (rather than us needing to go find them) and the Lord sent Ana, Luis, and their three children knocking on our door one afternoon. After talking a bit we found out they are christians who moved here to San Pedro several years ago from the other side of the province, and have come from a very scary cult-like group, but have a hunger to know more of God. They’ve been rejected by the locals for friendship since they’re not Catholic, and it seems they’ve been badly scarred by their previous church experience. Please pray for them, that they grow, keep coming, and find rest in Jesus! We are still fervently praying for open doors here in San Pedro where we live, and that people would see something in us that they want for themselves. Pray that we can be salt and light!

It seems like we’re starting to get into a rhythm of life and ministry, with new opportunities being added daily. There is now a full schedule of work visiting homes, leading bible studies, witnessing while in the streets, on buses, and while running errands, preaching in the churches, and visiting the sick. It is so hard to communicate through a letter all that the Lord is doing here or what it is like. Can you imagine with me for a minute being told your whole life, (seeing millions of people, pictures, statues, songs and NO one questioning it) that a certain statue was the only way to ask God for a need or desire? Then imagine some “gringo” or white guy (who are VERY rare here) shows up in your life and reads the Bible to you. He reads that God hates us talking to, bowing down to, or adoring ANY image. You realize the world that has been presented to you your entire life is a lie; that you’ve always been told your culture and church follow the Bible, but that very Bible is exposing these lies! Your whole life has been people telling you that worshipping a statue is the only thing that does please God! This is my (almost) daily experience and just like the apostle Paul I hear similar responses…. “he is mad,” “I want to hear more of this God,” “how can we get rid of him?!” Such has been the case with Sandra. We showed up to her house (being brought there by her son whom we met in the streets) and started sharing the word with her. Basically a single mother (because her husband is gone months at a time working on the road), she grew up with strictly Catholic parents and neighbors and in the midst of Catholic communities, but she heard the Word through us, and had a hunger to know the truth. She seems so close to surrendering to Jesus, as so many others have. Please pray for Sandra, an ex-Mormon named Francisco, Miriam and Julia (sisters), and SOOO many just like them that we are meeting with on a weekly basis. Pray they will know Christ and grow in Him!

The "Virgen Del Cisne" Photo Source

In August (beginning on the 15th), we will see the big festival of the Virgin of Cisne. Approximately 500,000 people will descend on our tiny little town (about 1 square mile in area) for three days as they take part in the pilgrimage of the statue of the “virgin” (some on their hands and knees, many barefoot, some even whipping themselves as they walk) from the town of El Cisne (about 15 miles from our town) to the city of Loja (a 46 mile walk in total). The statue will be in our town for three days and 2 nights, and all those people who are making the pilgrimage will be sleeping on every sidewalk and street in San Pedro as they pass through, so imagine half a million people in a space that small! Please pray for these people (and us!!!)… They make this journey usually because of one of three reasons: to make penance for sins, to show the Virgin their devotion in order that she would provide healing or prosperity, or because they’re scared of eternal punishment if they do not do it. Just to be clear, the VAST majority of these people don't know who Jesus is and/or they don't believe he is the one who saves them, but that salvation comes through worshipping this particular apparition of Mary. This statue has a major hold on the people here; please pray that we can use this opportunity to reach people for the Lord in a loving way!

(Here's a youtube video that shows a little glimpse of the pilgrimage, it's all in Spanish but you'll get the idea.)

Participants in the pilgrimage from 2015, this is just a fraction of the crowd. photo source

One more time we want to mention that we live in a town with running water, paved streets, internet, and electricity and yet there has NEVER been an evangelical church here; there are thousands of towns and villages just like it all around us (this not some distant, difficult jungle). It is a place you can drive to in a normal car and yet VERY few are here trying to reach the lost with the gospel! We aren't just talking about short term trips (though, those are great and helpful!), but people willing to give their lives to spread the good news that Jesus came to save us. If you feel God calling you to be that person, please write, call, or email.

Our little buddy Jude, and his brother Sam, in Loja for his 6th birthday.

Finally, our little miracle boy Jude just turned 6 years old on July 12th. It has officially been one year and four months since his last known seizure. Doctors told us that when he goes 2 full years without seizing, that we can consider weaning him off his anti-epilepsy medication (which is VERY serious and dangerous medicine) that he’s been on since he turned two. Please pray with us that he continues to be seizure free and that the Lord heals his brain completely of life-threatening seizures! We thank you for your continued prayers for our family, for our ministry, and for the people of Southern Ecuador!!!

Love, Andy, Priscilla, and children

- Please send all monetary contributions to: Acts 1:8 Mission Society 123 Burk Ln. Harrison, OH 45030. And 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). 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

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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.