It's 7:15, Sunday night.  I was in the middle of watching the football game when it dawned on me that I had not written a blog lately.  Last Sunday, our blog entry got forgotten in the excitement of the arrival of our daughter, Courtney.  Tonight, we are awaiting the arrival of Michael and Shawnee Tallman, who have graciously offered their counseling services to us over this next week, while Courtney is here.  But, this week, we know that we are in desperate need of prayer, so I am not about to let another week pass without a blog entry!

We have been faced with a very difficult situation with our daughter.  She has made a life decision that we don't agree with, and we need help in knowing how to move on as a family.  Thus...Michael and Shawnee's visit.  We don't feel at liberty to share the specifics, but please know that we need your prayers for wisdom, patience and God's guidance this week. 

For the next couple of blog entries, one of our guests has offered to write about our ministry from his viewpoint.  It was a trade-off for me playing a game of Apples to Apples one night instead of writing my blog.  I definitely got the better end of that deal!

I will continue to add our praise updates and prayer requests, but I thought you might enjoy hearing about what we do from someone else besides us!

Guest Blogger….part 1

Merry Christmas and ‘Hola!’ from someone who has recently left our friends at the OMS Guest House in Quito. I, along with a team from our church in north Indianapolis, have just completed a short-term mission trip to Quito and we experienced the extreme blessing of enjoying Kelly & Darryl’s hospitality. While talking with Kelly one evening, I told her she probably needed a break from writing her blog entries and perhaps her readers might like to hear of the ministry from the viewpoint of someone who has benefited from it.

Our team from Harvest Bible Chapel North Indianapolis (www.harvestnorthindy.org) stayed with Kelly and Darryl for a week while we served with Extreme Response International (www.extremeresponse.org) in their Christmas Outreach. This was a return visit for part of our team as many of us have previously been to Quito with ER. Since Extreme Response books rooms at the OMS House every year, we requested for our team to stay with the Chambers.

In order to give them a break from writing their blog posts, we’re sharing some of our thoughts and observations along with the experiences of our trip and our stay with them. Thanks for indulging us - and keep praying for Kelly & Darryl. More to follow…


Guest Blogger….part 2
As you know, Darryl and Kelly organize work teams for OMS. Even though we were in Quito with another ministry, their experience made for a very gracious and welcoming place for us because they anticipated our needs and cared for them. When we arrived, handshakes quickly turned to hugs as old friendships were renewed and new ones were made. They gave us an initial briefing in the living room with a decorated Christmas tree in the corner and we soon felt right at home. We heard about the intricacies of getting the maximum amount of hot water in the showers, where to find snacks and coffee supplies and the joys of fully functioning toilets (which are in short supply in Quito). We all agreed that it was as though the Chambers had opened their home to us – and in fact, they had. This wasn’t just about hospitality however, they were extending God’s kingdom in Quito to visitors from the states.

In the next few posts we want to share with you part of the ministry that is being accomplished in Quito and how the ministry of Kelly and Darryl Chambers at the OMS Guest House greatly facilitates it. If you are supporting or praying for them, it is your ministry, too! Check back soon for an update.


Praise Updates:

• Praise the Lord for Courtney's safe arrival.
• We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas celebration service at our OMS church in South Quito.  We praise the Lord for the wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ at Betel.
• Praise God for good health.  We have been surrounded by several "sicklies" this week.  We thank God for protection against the illnesses that have been being passed around.
• Praise God for a good November support account.  For the first time in several months our support account didn't go down.  What a blessing!

Prayer Updates:

• We have already asked for prayer for us as a family this week, but that is our most pressing request.
• Continue to pray for our support account.
• Pray for my brother Jeremiah and his wife Kate as they prepare to come to Ecuador on the 25th.  It will be great to have more family here with us for the holiday.
• On the 25th, we are going (along with my parents and the Tallmans) to a local park to give out food to families who are needy.  We did it last year, and it was such a blessing that we have decided to make it a yearly event.  Please pray that we will be able to show God's love to each family we feed.  Pray also for opportunities to share the true message of Christmas with all who attend.

We pray that you have a great week and that you experience the Lord's blessings in incredible ways this week!

Serving the King,
Kelly, for the Chambers

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

This is my favorite Christmas verse.  I never really thought of it as a Christmas verse until a couple of years ago.  However, isn't that the reason we celebrate Christmas--because God sent his Son to the world to take on the punishment that we deserve?  It is our prayer for you that your Christmas season will be centered on God and all that the gift of his son means to you and to the world; that you will focus on relishing the awesomeness of his unearned favor.  Then, you can find yourself joyfully declaring with the apostle Paul, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (2 Cor.9:15--thoughts taken from devotional by Kay Arthur)

This week we have had a house full of guests.  It has been a wonderful group of people who have been down here hosting Christmas parties for several thousand people from various poor areas around Quito.  We have been extremely blessed as we have listened to their stories each evening.  All of those who attended the parties heard the gospel, and there were several decisions for Christ.  We rejoice with our new brothers and sisters in Christ!

Tomorrow Darryl and I will be traveling with my parents and our field leader and his wife, Tom and Susan Stiles, to Santo Domingo to check out a site for a future medical team.  We will get the chance to work with the Tsachila Indians, which will be a first for us.  We always enjoy getting to work with new people, so we are exited about the trip. 

Praise Reports:

• Praise the Lord for the people who accepted the Lord this week during the EXtreme Response Christmas parties.  
• As always, we give God the praise for the strength to make it through a week with a full guest house!
• Praise God for answered prayer.  A wonderful Christian counselor has volunteered to come down and do some family counseling for us while Courtney is here.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for us as we travel tomorrow.  We are going to be on one of the more dangerous roads in Ecuador.
• Pray that things will go smoothly as we attempt to make arrangements for the medical team.
• Pray for our guests as they return to the states on Tuesday morning.
• Please continue to pray for our support account.
• Continue to pray for our children and their walk with the Lord.

Have a great week!

Serving the King,

Kelly, for the Chambers