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Lisa Merritt was our first official intern. She came in the November of 2005 to come and find out if God wanted her to pursue missions. After being here a full year God made it clear that she should continue in the missions path with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. She has now led Short Term Missions Experiences in El Salvador, Ecuador, Peru and Taiwan.

Lisa Merritt This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

After spending 10 months in Ecuador, my view of missions has totally changed. I never imagined what a variety of things missions included, but now feel like I have a better grasp of what all it can include--which is anything that is on God's agenda!! Looking back at the summer as a whole, I am able to see God as a God of the world, rather than of the U.S. Inca Link has not only positively impacted my view of missions and God's beautiful character, but so many of the youth and adults that came down to Ecuador through Inca Link. It's so exciting to see how God has already worked in so many lives, and I can't wait to see what He's going to be doing this summer and thereafter.

Candace Hall was the brave lone female that arrived in the summer of 2006 to be an intern. She had a miracle story of needing so much more money to raise that she was ready to give up and not come. But in one moment, she opened an envelope and everything she needed, down to the last cent was in there, from someone who had no idea! Because Candace was less verbose than the other interns, we didn’t know what kind of leader she would be. When we were doing intern training however, and had several puzzles and things to work out as a team, her organization skills, and her capabilities came out! She could see a problem and know how to solve it. She wasn’t shy at all at telling us what we needed to do. We are so grateful for her summer with us. She had some really trying times, but was a tough woman who stuck to her job and made us all proud! Her sense of humor and ability to put up with all that junk from the guys, puts her high up in our list of great people! Thanks Ace for all you did. You were a great group leader and we miss you!

Christian Jacobs came to Ecuador in 2006 after his junior year at Toccoa Falls College. We really appreciated this man of many talents. He first wowed us with his Spanish, and then later cooked us all a southern comfort meal, that could easily have won an award somewhere! As he served in the Cristo Vive project here in Quito, he was a magnate to the kids there, and really took the burden of this church to heart. He developed a tight bond with the pastor there, and together they dreamed. Once back in the States, Christian took it upon himself to go from church to church raising money for the Cristo Vive project.
We loved the way Christian got in with the groups and played games with them… no matter how crazy (who can forget “big booty”). Although homesickness overwhelmed Christian in the first few weeks here, he dealt with it, and moved on to really engage in every ministry area. Even now he talks of coming back to Quito to help us again. Please come back Christian…even if it is just to cook in my kitchen again!

Here’s a quote from him about his time as an intern: Christian Jacobs This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
"When I got off the plane in Quito, Ecuador, I had no idea what I was getting myself in to. I have been asking God for months to simply help me love those I came in contact with. After about three weeks in Ecuador, I was extremely homesick. I began regretting going on the mission trip; I did not feel like I belonged there. However, after persevering through the hard times and fighting all of my doubts, I began to fall in love with the “Ecuatorianos”. I taught English to children, translated, and led short teams at a construction site in the city. I WAS TERRIFIED WHEN I HEARD THAT I WOULD MOSTLY BE DOING CONSTRUCTION. I was no Bob the builder, you see. Nevertheless, Christ worked through my weakness, and I believe that the hearts of the people were blessed because of many people's sacrifice. Months after this trip, I realized that I am not called into doing full-time missions. However, I do believe I have been called to promote awareness of missions in the States, and that's exactly what I plan to do. Just because you aren't a pastor, counselor, or missionary doesn't mean that you can't do ministry. I am a business major, and I look at everyday of my life as an opportunity to reach out to others in the same way that Christ did 2000 years ago. It's all a matter of perspective."

Dan Kasnick - was a great intern this past summer 2006. He had a rough start as his former Youth Pastor died shortly before coming down here. However, God was good and Dan recovered and believed God for a great summer. He ended up leading a team in the deep jungle of Pano. His encouraging attitude and relationship with our kids was great. He was very funny too. His hope is to come back in another year to partner with Inca Link and further the Kingdom of God.
My summer with Inca-Link in Ecuador was the best summer of my life. I could not ask for anything more than to be working with the Brown family. The organization they started, Inca-Link, has changed my view on missions and has made me realize the importance of it. They have changed short-term missions from just a trip full of working and giving money, to a real connection between the states and Latin America. Through Inca-Link, short term missions becomes more that just a “trip” but a whole life changing experience where North Americans learn from South Americans and South Americans learn from North Americans, and both learning from God. Even today I am learning more and more about all the important things I learned this summer from working with Inca-Link. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Greg Anderson – was one of our awesome interns for the summer of 2006. He was here from the Chicago area and fit in right away. His beard grew the best of all the other interns that had made a commitment not to shave their beards. His was the bushiest ?. He took a group by himself to the interior Jungle of Archidona and did a fantastic job of leading the team and does a great job with music too.
Greg Anderson, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
"I can honestly say that my summer spent in Ecuador as an intern for Inca Link has forever changed my life. The way Rich and Lisa ran their ministry was exactly how it should be done. Short-term missions is a widely debated topic these days, and I must admit that in the past i have been a part of missions trips that support the negative side of this debate. However, Inca Link truly shows how effective and powerful short-term missions can be when they are run the right way. Not only are the groups coming down blessed, but they sites the work at, the community surrounding the work project, and the sending church are blessed as well. I cannot wait to see how God uses and expands this ministry in the years to come." -Greg Anderson

Joseph Fisher arrived in Ecuador in March of 2006 as a member of a short term missions team from Boone, NC. After spending his spring break serving with us, he asked if he could come back as an intern. He gave us the impression that he was shy, so we told him to fill out the applications, assuming he would drop it when the enthusiasm of the trip wore off.
We were wrong! He filled everything out, listing one of his main talents as being “tall, so I can reach things that are high on a shelf”. He came and served with us all summer of 2006 and we loved his always ready to serve attitude. He was very observant, and whenever anyone needed anything, he was ready to help. He went out to Bramadora several times and led groups, organizing the construction tasks and interpreting what the workers wanted the teams to do. Joseph is a born leader.
Thankfully, he came back again this summer (2007) and has helped us organize the other interns and lead three teams already. His experience has allowed us to totally trust in him, and turn over much of the Inca Link responsibilities. As a business major his gifts in the whole economic realm is a special help to us. Joseph was quoted in an article we wrote for alife. Here it is: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

As an intern, I was able to directly see God use Inca Link to affect local communities and individuals, the youth groups and missions’ teams and the interns themselves.

Before I became an intern, I had had the opportunity to be a part of a short-term team during spring break with Inca Link. My experience that week greatly influenced how I thought about God, how I viewed foreign countries and people, how I viewed Christianity and missions and how I personally related to God and His plan. When I returned as an intern in the summer, I was able to see these same changes take place in the individuals who came. And this kind of change isn’t temporary—it has a lasting effect on youths’ lives as they return home. It did on me.

It gave others and me a heart for missions—not necessarily a heart to become a full-time missionary, but a heart that is open to the idea of missions and God’s personal call and a heart that supports missions in whatever manner He has intended. It’s the kind of heart that comes from being drawn closer to God and His desires. When a young person witnesses the Lord’s work in missions, even for one week, it has an influence that doesn’t fade. Youth are open and searching, and Inca Link allows them to find God by showing them His community from a different perspective than they get at home.

Any change in a teenager’s heart is true and lasting and will shape the outcome of his or her entire life. This is only one aspect of Inca Link’s effects. It has no limits!

Kelly Garren came to us in the spring of 2006 with a group from Boone, NC. I don’t believe there is a better storyteller than Kelly! He had a hilarious twist on every event experienced, and we were always entertained when he was around. When he filled out his application to come as an intern, we were not sure if he would help us or if we would end up having to take care of him! We worried for no good reason. Kelly is funny and has a way with words, yet he is also a hard worker, who despite sickness would go anywhere at any time. His love for adventure was contagious, and we all did things we would have never done, had Kelly not been with us encouraging us. His enigmatic ways were a magnet to people everywhere we went. Through broken Spanish, he could make a best friend. Everyone loved Kelly. He is now working with physically and mentally challenged kids, and he is the perfect person for that type of job. He can make everyone and anyone feel good to be alive. We love you Kelly. Come back anytime!

Nathan Leung – was an intern for the summer 2006. He was a HUGE help for us as he was our official accountant for all of our teams. He had to manage over 100,000 dollars through the summer and he did a fantastic job. Nathan was also one of our most responsible interns. We trusted him not only with money but with trips to the hospital, and all over the city. He is a fantastic team worker and leader. Now he is helping us with coordinating all of the Waiver forms and insurance forms for all teams and interns.

Nathan Leung This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

One of the many amazing parts of serving with Rich and Lisa's organization Inca Link was that I was able to meet many of our missionaries in Ecuador. It was humbling to see how God has given them a purpose in sharing his love to the Ecuadorian communities and to us expatriates. It was exciting to be able to join with them in witness to the nationals through our support of North American groups in their construction, English lessons, and soccer games. It was also astonishing to see how God worked in the lives of the youth that came, in their physical protection, their bonding over manual labor, or their maturing in the realization of the power of the gospel.