Harbor Covenant Church, Gig Harbor WA

After hearing Marco speak in church several weeks ago, I became intrigued by a young man who clearly possessed a very deep faith and was obviously dedicated to serving God. I wanted to know him better and believed that others would also. In November’s “Highlights” I was privileged to share the account of Marco Toctaquiza’s early years. What follows is the “Marco meets Kacey” part of the story and their life together. This saga will continue and I look forward to sharing their ongoing adventures at Hope House after they return to Macas in the summer of 2009.

Kacey Olsen’s HCC youth group made a summer trip to Macas Ecuador, in June 1993, to help with construction projects at the local evangelical church. She met Marco Toctaquiza during the second week of their stay. When they said their goodbyes after two weeks, it was with hopes of one day meeting again; although those hopes seemed very far away. Kacey returned to Washington and started school, while Marco went to live in a nearby town, Sucua, working to install cable TV. About a year after returning to Gig Harbor, Kacey went back to Ecuador to work at the church and lived with the new pastor and his wife. While helping out with the youth group she met Marco again and they became a "couple" about a month later. After several trips to Ecuador over the next year, Kacey and Marco decided to marry when Marco proposed to her with a small ring after a youth meeting. Kacey’s parents both agreed to the marriage but with the condition that they would marry in Gig Harbor. Marco and Kacey got papers together for his visa and travel to Washington and six painful months later, Marco arrived in Seattle. Their marriage took place May 1996.

The couple lived in Gig Harbor for four years and Marco became an American citizen in May of 2000. During those first years, they prayerfully put together a plan to create a home for abandoned and troubled teens. It was to be a home where kids could live, work, study and most importantly know Christ. Two weeks after Marco's citizenship ceremony, they left to live permanently in Ecuador and began the Hope House ministry in Macas, Marco’s hometown. In the following eight years, approximately 20 youth have come and gone, many of them now married with their own children. Hope House is still strong with many projects and "hopes" for the future. Marco and Kacey, along with their own two children Diego and Isabela, have been richly blessed and challenged by the Hope House ministry.

Marco looks back on those sad days of his childhood with happiness. Shortly before leaving for the United States, in 1996, he was able to share Christ with his father who made a commitment to God. His half brothers and sisters also became believers and serve in the local church today. Even though Marco has memories of a lonely childhood with no family photos or childhood toys, he is happy for the opportunity to struggle and then live abundantly. He is grateful for the opportunity to help other kids who have been through much of the same. Marco feels blessed to have had a wonderful father and family and although his father wasn’t perfect, he knows that his heavenly father is perfect and had a perfect plan for him all along. He concludes, “God is great and good. He is able to take our afflictions and hurts and turn them into wonderful blessings for ourselves and others.”

Guest Column

* * *

Each month, the members and friends of Harbor Covenant have the opportunity to share thoughts and experiences from their life of faith.

Our guest contributor for this month is: Marco Toctaquiza with MaryLee Powell.

~ ~ ~

Harbor Covenant Church

5601 Gustafson Drive NW

Gig Harbor Washington 98335

253 851 8858

info@harborcovenant.org