While ministering in Cuenca, Ecuador in June, Doug met a young man who recently started a homeless outreach in the city. The ministry mirrors the early days of Somebody Cares, when Doug went out many nights to care for the homeless in Houston, so it touched him deeply. We were able to sow into this ministry in Ecuador thanks to your partnership!
Read below for a first hand account of how you are reaching those who thought they were forgotten in Cuenca!
Hello Dr. Doug,
It was a blessing to meet you! The day we met you preached about miracles and we were really hoping 
for one, and the book you wrote “UNA VIDA DE FE ES UNA VIDA DE ACCION” (Somebody Cares in Spanish) sounds like our story! We started December 19th, 2011 bringing food to homeless in different parts of the city. One of our goals was to bring 20 blankets, food bread and candy to teenagers at the bus station by the Airport. Unfortunately when we got there we only found one as police officers had told them to leave that area. We did not know what to do with all the food at that time, and somehow God guided us to the Feria Libre, a market square. When we got there we found homeless people gathered around a fire by the dumpsters. It was a cold night, it had rained, and they were wet and hungry
At first we were scared because La Feria is considered dangerous. But we talked to them about God, telling them that God had sent us and that He has never forgotten about them. Soon they opened up their hearts and told us their stories. As we gave them the food and the blankets, their face expressions were priceless. That was the beginning of something beautiful! We now bring them food every Thursday, along with clothing occasionally, and if it’s a special day we bring them something else (for example 3 weeks ago we celebrated Children’s Day and we brought toys and clothes).
People need clothes, shoes, food, and medicine. With the help of God we recently helped get two brothers into drug and alcohol rehab after they individually decided they wanted to go. 33 and 24 years old, homeless and without proper ID or birth certificates, these two brothers faced a lot of obstacles to even finding a facility that would take them. But God walked with us the whole way in opening doors, and they are now clean and sober and doing well! We are so happy about this.
A lot of the women who are alcoholics now beg us to place them in rehab, but there is no center for women. It’s sad to tell them that we don’t have anywhere to take them because they really want to change their lives.
We help about 40 homeless and impoverished people: boys, girls, teenagers, men and women. They all thought that they were forgotten but we showed them the light at the end of the Tunnel. We love what we do, and have grown from 4 volunteers to 12. God has been helping us through this journey and I believe that he put you on your path. Thank you for your support and God bless you!
Sincerely,
Andres Quispe
Somebody Cares’ ministry reaches out to the “forgotten” across the US and around the globe. Please pray for this ministry in Cuenca and the work of Somebody Cares in other cities. Your continued partnership is critical in meeting the mounting needs facing us each day. Thank you for your support! Help now!