by Bob and Millie Collins
10 November 2006
God is touching lives through El Sendero student café in Loja, Ecuador. In its first year of existence, we've had countless opportunities to befriend students and to tell them about the love of Christ.

This is just a sampling of the people we've met:

• A lonely German exchange student
• Three Ecuadorian students wanting to practice English
• A new Christian with virtually no family support

"Bernadine" The week before we opened the café in October 2005, a team member met "Bernadine" in an internet café. He told her about El Sendero, and a few days, later she came in and volunteered to help. From the former East Germany, she comes from an atheistic background. She insists that there is no god. However, she worked at the café nearly every day until she returned to Germany this summer, and we had many opportunities to speak about our faith in Christ.

Help in Exchange for English

Just after Bernadine left, two students came to El Sendero asking if they could volunteer in exchange for help with English. We agreed. Soon we found out that they had learned about the café from Bernadine! They are a great help, and they are all open and interested in spiritual things.

A Growing New Life in Christ

"Claudia" is another worker in the café. She is new to the Christian faith. She bears many emotional scars from a difficult childhood, but it is a joy to see her finding strength and comfort from God. Many of her friends now come to the café. Some volunteer to help, and one has joined the weekly Bible study.

Pray

We've seen how touching one life touches many more, and the greatest challenge is balancing the work of the café with the new relationships that God is giving us. Please pray for God to bring more local believers to be involved in this ministry, and pray that many more students will know new life in Jesus Christ through El Sendero.

Go

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