Howard and Mary Scholl in Ecuador
3210 Westfield Drive
Lancaster, Calif. 93536
661.722.8820
scholl7@adelphia.net
Summer 2006
We have spent a lifetime getting ready. While always active participants in our church family, we were also busy building a business and raising our five children. Now, with three children in college and Mary finishing college, we are responding to an opportunity that matches our life’s preparation. Howard has been asked to assume the responsibilities of Director of Operations at El Refugio Retreat Center near Quito, Ecuador.
Through numerous short term mission trips to Mexico and Ecuador, we have felt God’s leading to the mission field full time. During an Easter service in 2003 we publicly confessed our desire to be used by God in this way. Patiently we waited for the timing and the opportunity. God has been faithful.
The El Refugio Retreat Center is unique in Latin America. Located at 11,000 feet above sea level and ten miles east of Quito, its 350 acres sweep up from a country road, by the pasture and housing to the main lodge and horse corrals and then up to a high ridge. There are trails for the horses and a road for vehicles, but most of the camp is accessed by foot trails which lead to multiple sites featuring activities that are challenging mentally, physically and spiritually.
Begun in 2000 by Youth World Ministries on an abandoned ranch it has now grown into its own ministry. El Refugio (The Refuge) welcomes groups from Ecuadorian public and private schools, churches, businesses and North American ministry groups, hosting nearly 1,500 participants in 2005. Every year there are also hundreds of participants in short term missions and work teams. All guests are part of programs directed by the skilled and dedicated staff.
As other facilities are completed and staffing is increased, Ed Refugio will be able to double, and then triple, its capacity. In this beautiful mountain setting young people and adults from all walks of life and economic levels will hear about the God of Creation, who loves them personally.
Howard’s responsibilities as Director of Operations at El Refugio will be to oversee the construction of additional buildings, to complete the master plan, and to utilize the talents of visiting work teams to help El Refugio grow to its potential capacity. He will also direct the staff in the maintenance and preparation of the facilities. Keeping this large facility ready for ministry and preparing it to accommodate even more visitors will fully utilize his life’s preparation.
Located on the El Refugio grounds is a home where we are planning to live. Mary will home school Danielle, a sophomore in high school, and Jonathan who will be in the seventh grade. Our oldest three children, Nicole, Bridget and Kevin will stay stateside to complete their college educations.
If you would like to see more pictures of El Refugio, they can be found on the Youth World website at http://www.youthworld.org.ec/refugio.htm. There, you will be able to see more of the facilities, as well as some of the recent work projects which have been completed.
3210 Westfield Drive
Lancaster, Calif. 93536
661.722.8820
scholl7@adelphia.net
Summer 2006
We have spent a lifetime getting ready. While always active participants in our church family, we were also busy building a business and raising our five children. Now, with three children in college and Mary finishing college, we are responding to an opportunity that matches our life’s preparation. Howard has been asked to assume the responsibilities of Director of Operations at El Refugio Retreat Center near Quito, Ecuador.
Through numerous short term mission trips to Mexico and Ecuador, we have felt God’s leading to the mission field full time. During an Easter service in 2003 we publicly confessed our desire to be used by God in this way. Patiently we waited for the timing and the opportunity. God has been faithful.
The El Refugio Retreat Center is unique in Latin America. Located at 11,000 feet above sea level and ten miles east of Quito, its 350 acres sweep up from a country road, by the pasture and housing to the main lodge and horse corrals and then up to a high ridge. There are trails for the horses and a road for vehicles, but most of the camp is accessed by foot trails which lead to multiple sites featuring activities that are challenging mentally, physically and spiritually.
Begun in 2000 by Youth World Ministries on an abandoned ranch it has now grown into its own ministry. El Refugio (The Refuge) welcomes groups from Ecuadorian public and private schools, churches, businesses and North American ministry groups, hosting nearly 1,500 participants in 2005. Every year there are also hundreds of participants in short term missions and work teams. All guests are part of programs directed by the skilled and dedicated staff.
As other facilities are completed and staffing is increased, Ed Refugio will be able to double, and then triple, its capacity. In this beautiful mountain setting young people and adults from all walks of life and economic levels will hear about the God of Creation, who loves them personally.
Howard’s responsibilities as Director of Operations at El Refugio will be to oversee the construction of additional buildings, to complete the master plan, and to utilize the talents of visiting work teams to help El Refugio grow to its potential capacity. He will also direct the staff in the maintenance and preparation of the facilities. Keeping this large facility ready for ministry and preparing it to accommodate even more visitors will fully utilize his life’s preparation.
Located on the El Refugio grounds is a home where we are planning to live. Mary will home school Danielle, a sophomore in high school, and Jonathan who will be in the seventh grade. Our oldest three children, Nicole, Bridget and Kevin will stay stateside to complete their college educations.
If you would like to see more pictures of El Refugio, they can be found on the Youth World website at http://www.youthworld.org.ec/refugio.htm. There, you will be able to see more of the facilities, as well as some of the recent work projects which have been completed.
First, and foremost we would covet your prayers as we embark on this new direction in our lives. In Mark Chapter 14, a woman anointed Jesus with a very expensive perfume. There was discussion as to how the money could have been put to better use, and Jesus replied in vs. 8, “She did what she could.” NIV that is precisely what we are doing, we are saying, “Lord everything in our lives has prepared us to do this job for you at El Refugio.” We hope to hear from Him, “You did what you could, you were obedient.”
Secondly, if the Holy Spirit has put it within your heart to support us financially in this ministry the following information should help you expedite your gift. You can use the envelope and response card provided and mail to:
International Teams
411 W. River Road
Elgin, IL 60123-1570
c/o Howard and Mary Scholl
Our target date to move down to Quito, Ecuador is the fall of 2006. Once there Howard would immediately assume his responsibilities as Director of Operations. We will start language school concurrently. The whole family is excited about the different aspects of ministry available to us and cannot wait to get started.
As God is our Refuge,
Howard and Mary
