Report on Ecuador by Wilma Bell

The Latin American brand of Catholicism is somewhat different from its counterpart in the USA, basically because it has a lot more influence. Nothing happens here without the "imprimatur" of the local bishop/clergy, who are ever-present at any kind of government or state function. I have always felt that they should string a huge banner across the southern border of the USA reading "Welcome to Roman Catholicism".

As the Lord himself said, "By their fruits you shall know them." Five Hundred years of Roman Catholicism has left us a legacy of ignorance, poverty and superstition. We have been working here for fifteen years. When we arrived in Ecuador, the evangelical part of the population was three percent. It has officially grown some since then, but it is a true saying that the evangelical church in Ecuador is "three miles wide and three inches deep". This is mainly thanks to "Christian" television and certain US missionaries who have sown a brand of easy-believism that is now reaping a bitter harvest of backsliding, politicking and corruption in the local churches.

The RC Priest has been replaced with the Protestant Pastor, and the altar has become the pulpit. (For example, the pastor of our local evangelical church, who is a true Christian man and a good friend of ours, went to visit the local priest who had just had open heart surgery. When the pastor told him he wasn't sure how he would be received, the priest said, "Oh, no problem, you evangelicals aren't all that much different from us. It's the Jehovah's Witnesses that I can't stand." This pastor related that story to me with a great deal of pride, thinking that he had just been paid a compliment.)

And so thousands flock to Sunday morning "worship" services but few lives are changed and there is little or no commitment to the Lord or to one another. People are confused as to how one is saved and what one is saved from. Legalism is rampant, and consequently there is very little joy evident in those who call themselves Christian. On the other hand, we have seen the Lord do some marvelous things here over the years. When someone is truly saved from Roman Catholicism, and when they understand what the grace of God is, then there is a radically changed life and a total commitment to all that being a Christian entails.

Such a change usually brings with it persecution by family and friends, and it has been a real joy and privilege for us to see some of our new Christian brethren standing up to such hardships and growing in grace by leaps and bounds. A notable example of this is a small evangelical community in a nearby village called El Quinche, which is the most holy place in Ecuador, having received in the past an apparition of the Virgin. The Catholic church built a huge basilica in her honour and do a roaring trade in medallions, petitions, car blessings, etcetera. People make a yearly pilgrimage to her shrine, walking for two days (some on their knees) to obtain whatever they request, or to get an unspecified remission of time in purgatory.

This, of course, is accompanied by public drunkenness and all that comes with it. When a new RC church is being dedicated, or for whatever other grand occasion, the Virgin is driven to the site in the Popemobile so that she can bless the event. The El Quinche evangelicals used to meet in different houses, and were often harassed and threatened by the RC population. A couple of years ago they decided to build a small building on some land that they had come by. They had it almost finished and were actually meeting in it when almost all of the population of El Quinche, incited by the local priest, marched on them and torched the whole place, tearing up hymn books and Bibles, and smashing out windows and light fixtures.

Interestingly, at the head of the procession led by the priest, were the local constabulary (2) in their one police vehicle. The head nun of the El Quinche convent marched around waving a crucifix, chanting that they were doing this in the name of Mary. What was outstanding in all of this was the faith, love and patience of the Christians, who betook themselves to prayer, asking the Lord to forgive the perpetrators. Their loving attitude won a great deal of respect for them in the village. They have since rebuilt and are so far surviving. This incident only highlights the ongoing personal tragedies as individual Christians, while being persecuted for their faith, maintain an excellent witness and bring honour to the cause of Christ. We feel privileged to be called to have a small part in this great work.