Paul and Susan
Fernane
Paul and Susan Fernane wear many hats. They are devoted parents to four grown daughters, grandparents to 14, and great grandparents to two. After visiting Ecuador on a couple short-term trips with their church, Paul and Susan Fernane felt called to come and serve in Ecuador. They moved from Fishers, Indiana, to Quito in November 2005.
Jose and Teresa
Jimenez
The Jimenez family have dedicated more than 20 years to serving the poor and sharing the love and hope of Christ with the people in their community. They have faithfully served hundreds of workers from the Quito city dump. They lead Bible studies, care for their children, teach life skills, provide job training opportunities, lead retreats, and more. Many people consider these workers outcasts, but Jose and Teresa consider them family.
They have three children: Fernando, Timothy, and Jamileth. They also pastor a church of approximately 120 people that is located about 10 minutes from the Quito airport. The name of the church is Iglesia Buen Pastor San Carlos.
Much like the people in the Quito city dump, their church members also earn very meager wages and live very difficult lives. The church not only teaches them the sustaining Word of God, but also serves the community with ministries for all ages and an after-school enrichment program. The church partners with many groups from North America who help to provide volunteers and financial resources to keep these ministries operating.
Despite two decades of successful ministry, Jose and Teresa feel like they are just getting started and have great dreams for furthering the Kingdom of God in Ecuador..
Fabian and Graciela
Buenaventura
Pastor Víctor Fabián Buenaventura García is married to María Graciela Palma Macías. They have two children, the eldest is Elías Emanuel Buenaventura Palma and Benjamín Fabián Buenaventura Palma. They also care for a young boy named Moses who was adopted by Fabian’s family. He lives with them due to psychological issues.
Fabian worked on a tuna boat as a machinist and Graciela was an elementary school teacher before coming to Pacoche. When they felt the Lord calling them to serve, they left their jobs and decided to come to Pacoche to serve as national missionaries in the rural parts of Manta, Ecuador.
The Buenaventuras started serving the Lord in the year 2000. They went to Pacoche once a week to establish and cultivate relationships with the people in the community. One of the families there opened their house to them and allowed them to sleep there until the land was purchased to build the church/house. The first services as a church were held on February 2, 2001.
The church and ministries have grown, and they now have outreach ministries in three other nearby communities.
