Shell #1: Evangelism Weekend

Last weekend our family went to Shell for a weekend of special events. Shell is named for the famous oil company that has operations in this eastern town of Ecuador. It is also the headquarters for Mission Aviation Fellowship, a mission that flies people into the jungle where no other airplanes fly. This is also the home of the 5 missionaries who were brutally killed back in 1956 by the Aucas tribe (as portrayed in the recent move, “The End of the Spear”).

We were joined by the Howards (another Nazarene missionary family) and the family of Felix Vargas. Friday night Felix spoke on how to win people. Saturday in the park there was an exposition of several ministries in Shell including other mission groups. Saturday night there was a youth evangelistic service. Before the service several of us invited people to the evangelistic service, several of which came to the service.

I took Felix’s DVD to a neighbor’s shop where they sold pirated DVDs. I asked, “Do you have this DVD?” Of course they didn’t have Felix’s DVD, but the guy told me he’d try to get it for me. I started telling him about Felix’s life. After he was hooked, I said, “Hey, he’s preaching in five minutes and is going to tell his story.” He still wasn’t ready to go, so I told him that God was so powerful in Felix’s life that this guy, who could torture people without feelings, now wasn’t able to talk about his God or his wife without crying. Then I said, “I’ll give you $10 if he doesn’t cry during his sermon.” That got him. He and his wife shut down the shop and went next door.

Also during the day a youth from the church, Jorge, was our guide showing us some sites around Shell. His father is in the military and isn’t a Christian. I asked Jorge if his father was going to attend that night. He said he was working on him. Jorge, Sr. showed up during the worship time, so I introduced him to Felix. The church was packed with people standing in the back and outside. Several times I motioned for Felix to speak louder so that people outside could here. At the end of the service he gave the invitation in his unique way, and over 60 people accepted Christ including the neighbors, Christian and Vanessa, and Jorge, Sr.

Shell #2

Sunday morning Felix preached on the ingredients of a healthy family. One of the issues was forgiveness. He then said, “Right now, look around, if there are people you need to seek their forgiveness, go to them now.” The youth leader got up from the front row and went back to a lady in the church and on his knees asked for her forgiveness. In the row behind me, there was commotion. A lady got up and went two seats over and got down on her knees and with a bowed head asked for forgiveness of her husband. They were loudly talking and crying. At the end of the service Felix gave an invitation to accept Christ. Around 10 or 12 people went forward including the people behind me.

After this invitation, Pastor Angel briefly spoke on God’s role in healing a family and again gave an invitation. This time, the husband behind us went to his wife and got down on his knees with a bowed head and asked for her forgiveness. There was an even bigger commotion this time with tears and laughter.