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New Territory

"Please bless me and give me more territory."1 Chronicles 4:10

By Laurel Ellis

February 12^th, 2019

Making the most of every opportunity

The "Prayer of Jabez" has been on my lips for many years but over these past six months, since arriving in Cuenca, Ecuador, God has expanded my territory exponentially! These pictures tell just some of the story. (If you "hover" over the pictures there are captions explaining them.)

Praying for a lady at Centro Cristiano de Barabón

Speaking at Centro Cristiano de Sinincay

Centro Cristiano de Ricaurte is raising money to buy property for a permanent building. I've spoken several times there, this last time on giving!

I shared on JOY at a women's Christmas tea in Azogues

The missionaries met with the presbyters and executive leadership of the Sierra District for a day of fellowship and instruction

I was the guest speaker at a weekend ladies' retreat at Centro Cristiano de Sinincay.

Pastor Arturo and a leader are enjoying roasted guinea pig — Pastor Arturo and a leader are enjoying roasted guinea pig "cuy" at the Christmas picnic for pastors of the Centro Cristiano daughter churches.

Pictured here with the parrot mascots is the presbyter, Luis Ureña and his wife, Katy, celebrating the anniversary of Centro Cristiano de Cuenca.

I attend the interdenominational group of pastors each Monday for breakfast, fellowship, worship and the Word. Pictured here are Eduardo and Marta Carcamo, Assemblies of God pastors here in Cuenca.

Loja - 25 years later

With my new STL Kia Niro, I ventured out on a 3.5 hour road trip to Loja with Leah Diaz, an Assemblies of God missionary who is part of our team here in Cuenca. The Niro did great on the 10,000 foot mountain passes! Leah and I had time to visit the Marcotts, AofG missionaries who are building a training center for Ecuadorean missionaries, as well as the church Rick and I founded in Loja over 25 years ago. God has surpassed anything we could have ever dreamed!

Ron and Esther Marcott are building a four story center (pictured behind us) to train Ecuadorean missionaries before they head to the nations. This land was donated by the Loja church.

Leah Diaz is a missionary working in Cuenca with Unsion Plus, the outreach arm of the television station.

In front of the — In front of the "gate" to the city of Loja.

Pastors Pablo and Patricia Celi are doing a phenomenal work in Loja and are influencers for missions throughout Ecuador. Pablo came to the tent crusade in 1992 and found Jesus, the rest is history.

Giving a greeting at a women's conference at Centro Cristiano de Loja

Bachita and Gladys have been with the church from the very beginning and continue as leaders to this day.

Pablo Armijos and his family are being sent from the Loja church as missionaries to Syria. They are currently training with the Marcotts.

Tim tebow at Night to shine

Leah Diaz, the rest of the missionary team, Unsion Television, Unsion Plus and many volunteers organized our fourth Night to Shine at a convention center in Cuenca's largest mall. Hundreds of special needs children, youth and adults along with their families were blessed with a gala dinner and party put on just for them. The joy and tears of happiness were priceless! One teenage girl loved the experience of coming down the red carpet so much that she repeated it over and over, her joy radiating to all of us as we clapped and cheered her down the aisle. This year Tim Tebow, the founder of Night to Shine worldwide, his fiancé Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, along with others on his team, surprised us with their visit to the event!

Tim Tebow loved on as many of the special needs kids as he could.

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, Miss Universe 2017 and Tim Tebow's fiancé, shares Tim's love for those with special needs.

A bus load of special needs kids with their care givers came up from Loja.

Volunteers made the night special with make-up, shoe shine, and crowning stations as well as a carnival and of course the red carpet.

Night to Shine hosted an elegant sit down dinner for 1500 guests and volunteers.

A snapshot of missionary Becky Davis and I the night before the event as we finished up helping to decorate the venue.

All the guests were crowned kings and queens of the — All the guests were crowned kings and queens of the "prom"

Thom and Becky Davis, our missionary team leaders and directors of Unsion TV.

Celebrating mom's 90th

My mom, Joyce Devin, retired missionary to Indonesia, turned 90 in January. I was blessed to be there and see so many of the family. Christmas was spent in Phoenix with Rick's parents, Dick and Sharen Ellis, retired missionaries to Latin America, . On my way back to Ecuador I stopped through Costa Rica, once again sharing with the language school students at a boot camp on church planting.

New Territory

Footnotes

"Every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now." Phil.1:4,5

FootNotes

"Every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now." Phil.1:4,5

© 2026 Laurel Ellis

Her children arise and call her blessed.

Proverbs 31:28 NIV

"Here I am. Send me!"

Isaiah 6:8

"...you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ..." Phil 1:5 NLT

Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 1Corinthians 3:7

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.

He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23 NLT

The Goodness of God

Taste and see how good the Lord is! Psalm 34:8 CEB

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