By providing a place for students to hang out, Bob Collins is building relationships where he can share Christ's love.

The sounds of laughter, conversations, and the clinking together of dishes drift through the door and to the streets of Loja, Ecuador. At El Sendero (The Path) many young people are hanging out and enjoying a snack, talking, and playing games. It is becoming a popular place for the hundreds of university students that populate this small college town.

El Sendero is a unique place in Loja. Although the city has a large population of students, there are very few safe places for them to hang out, and even fewer resources for them to be cared for, counseled, and introduced to a living relationship with Christ

After months of planning and work, Bob and Millie Collins opened the café in December 2005. God has blessed the ministry tremendously. In their first two months, they have served the average monthly number of people they expected after one year! They have had numerous opportunities to share Christ. Most have been initiated by the students themselves who ask questions about faith, love, marriage, drinking, dating, and other issues faced by youth.

The vision for the cafe is two-fold: to provide a place for non-believing students to hear about Christ and for Christian students to have a place to be discipled and mentored as they participate in the ministry as a volunteer. Both of these things are already beginning to take place:

A friend brought Gabby, a young, divorced, single mom to the café so that she could hear about God. After many conversations, she has come to church, but she feels unforgivable and is not ready to give up her alcohol.

Josiah, a friend of the Collins, walked into the café and says, "I want to change my life." He started coming two to three times a week to talk to Bob about Christ. He has decided to receive the love of God, and a few weeks ago, he was baptized.

Claudia is a Christian who first learned about Jesus through the SIM radio ministry. She is volunteering at the café, and there have been many opportunities for discipleship.

Praise God for the great start that He has given to this ministry! While the long-term goal is for the café to be self-sustaining within two years, it is still getting off the ground. You can have a part in this ministry through your giving and prayer support. Consider a financial gift to El Sendero so that the coffee and life-giving conversations can keep flowing.