Amid rising flood waters, the message of a relationship with Jesus Christ accompanies delivery of food and medical assistance to people in Ecuador as HCJB Global Hands dovetails efforts with local churches, other agencies, and with the government's Ministry of Health.

"The collaboration with the churches works almost perfect," said HCJB Global's Herman Schirmacher at San Vicente, near Babahoyo in Ecuador's Los Rios province.

"They organized two busses to bring patients along the road to this place, to the doctors." Schirmacher is accompanying a second team of physicians that travelled to the flood zone from Ecuador's capital city, Quito. They work in tandem with efforts by Mission Aviation Fellowship, Extreme Response International, Youth World, Pan de Vida and Samaritan's Purse in coordination with Centro Cristiano in Babahoyo.

Another church, Maranatha Christian Church, coordinated health efforts in Catarama that saw physicians Francisco Mejía and Galo Nuáez attending more than 230 patients, with the Health Ministry supplying tetanus vaccines.

"They had spread the word that a medical team had arrived from Hospital Vozandes-Quito," said Nuáez, who led the first medical team. "And they began bringing in people from outside Babahoyo - the outlying areas that are more affected. We also had an opportunity to provide medical attention to handicapped people." People then stayed for evangelistic campaigns at the church.

Additionally, team members were dispatched by Ecuador's health authorities, with Dr. Vladimir Melo attending about 120 patients at Recinto Las Caáitas and Nuáez helping patients at Recinto San José.

"We have volunteer teams coming to wrap food packages all week," said Oscar Aguirre of Pan de Vida, a Quito ministry. "We are expecting some other monetary donations to come through that will allow us to purchase more food." He said the effort has identified over 2,000 families that have not received any aid at all.

Two truckloads of supplies (about six tons) have already arrived, after broadcasts on Radio Station HCJB made the need known and listeners brought donations. Aguirre says each packet provides enough food for a family of five for one week.

Another ministry, Operation Blessing International (OBI) is working in cooperation with the Ecuadorian government and international freight forwarder, DHL, to provide two portable water purification systems.

These systems will join the two previously installed by Samaritan's Purse in the flood zone. The systems are from Water Missions International (WMI). HCJB Global Hands engineers Bruce Rydbeck and Martin Harrison are working on installation with WMI engineer Walter Torres. The systems can provide a combined 40,000 gallons of clean drinking water daily in four needy communities.

While the first team consisted largely of medical staff, the second team's make-up reflects the multi-national, inter-disciplinary relief and ministry being offered. The second team is composed of US and Ecuadorian physicians and a US nurse. Rydbeck and Harrison are American and British respectively. Schirmacher, who serves as HCJB Global's Associate Director for Latin America, is German.

He says of Ecuadorian pastor, Edgar Benalcazar, "He doesn't just entertain and evangelize the children and parents waiting to see the doctors. He also trains the pastors and youth, showing them ideas and tricks from teaching materials. Many people have accepted the Lord."

"A woman came, very appreciative of the medical help, even to the point of crying," Schirmacher recounts. "She shared about her wrecked marriage and Edgar's words encouraged her."

The efforts at meeting needs haven't escaped officials' notice, according to Judd Johnson of Samaritan's Purse, who said the Housing Minister had congratulated the missions on combining efforts. The government official also passed on greetings and thanks from President Rafael Correa, according to Johnson. The missions' efforts are coordinated with the local government Disaster Committee and the UN by Samaritan's Purse program managers.

With rains expected to continue through March and April, preparations are underway for a third Quito team to go to Babahoyo early next week.

"It was fascinating to see the faces of hundreds of people who received foodstuffs from the donations of radio listeners, HCJB employees, missionaries and others," Schirmacher said. "Before we delivered the food, Edgar shared the gospel."