I wrote this blog a week ago but it wouldn't post on the internet cafe computers. Now we're a week into ministry so I know much more, but read anyway?! In the mindset of… a week ago! Love. 🙂
Yo blogging is not my thing, it's wiggin' me out. Last month my team and another team (Reckless Pursuit) were in the jungle together. We only had internet access twice, for a short time, and had to pay for it. I'd sit in the rain forest and write blogs on word…..so many blogs… I have them saved on my computer: “Top Elevens of Ecuador”, “Amazon Creatures”, “Cultural Norms”, “Hygiene in Huaticocha”, “Meals in Ecuador”, etc. After not having internet then arriving somewhere with internet, but with 60 people trying to use it, I ended up not being able to post anything and I'm glad I didn't. Those blogs don't really matter. I have never experienced the Holy Spirit so uniquely as I have last month and that is what matters…not all the cool photos, videos, food, ladeda.
To give a brief idea of what the month looked like: My team stayed at an in progress mission school. It's still being built and the goal is to be a school for missions, to train missionaries to be compelled and go out and speak the Gospel. Most mornings we'd work construction on the school then in the afternoons we'd go to communities. We either played SO MUCH SOCCER and gave a message via a mini play, or we'd go on home visits…walking from house to house telling people about the Gospel and praying over them (uh.mah.zing.). We also led church services, gave testimonies, led worship, etc…. church is on random days of the week so this varied night by night amongst 3 different churches.
I didn't see any snakes (just a few dead ones on the road) but did see more than enough tarantulas and creatures I've never seen. We lived indoors but the roof wasn't connected to the walls so it was outside at the same time. We had to walk a bit to get to our bathroom and manually flush it with water from the stream, we used that same stream to bath, wash clothes, and our cooks used it to pluck chickens for dinner…
We lived with devoted and determined people who I learned SO much from and their passion will always be imprinted on my life. MMMMmmmgood. The communities around us were very very poor but the simplicity and joy found in having close to nothing gave me a more abundant life. These people blow me away.
Ecuador memories…
This boy's name is Daniel. A few months ago he was helping his family with a chore and got severely burnt. He lost half his body weight and was dying. A pastor from his community came to the mission school we stayed at and asked the director, Mark, if he could do anything. Mark went to Daniel's house as he was dying and begged the parents to take him to the hospital. Daniel's parents had nothing to give the hospital or Mark, they are very poor. They wouldn't let Mark take Daniel at first and just accepted the death of their child. Mark pleaded with Daniel's parents and they finally believed that Mark would take care of everything (i.e. the hospital bills). I had the honor of praying for healing over Daniel in his home. He's smiling and active and lovely. The left side of his body is tender and he cannot lift his arm all the way. His skin doesn't look recognizable but Hallelujah he is ALIVE! His brain has been totally unaffected, and someday his skin will be brand new because prayer is happening all over the place. He's getting surgery at the beginning of February.
This is Fernando, our cook. I was home sick one day trying to sleep in my bed until I saw a taratula above me. I ran downstairs and tried to explain to Fernando….he speaks Spanish and Schwar. I don't. No English for him. As I tried to explain tarantula with my hands, he thought I wanted to listen to music (I guess it looked like I was playing piano)…so I got on the ground and pretended to be one. Somehow that explanation worked and he exclaimed, “Vamos!” Fernan, the man with a plan, got rid of the ugly hairball. EEW!
This month I've learned that going to the Lord, while being available to empty my mind, isn't as hard as I thought it was. He is right there, He doesn't have to come to meet me, He's just there, ready, always present. Hallelujah. Being in a state of constant worship and endless prayer isn't too complicated. He DELIGHTS in us! He wants to see us smile and laugh. He isn't confusing or overly complicated. He just is. I've learned loads more about God's NEVER ending grace. We went on some home visits and I got to learn about people's terrible pasts to see them accept the Lord. God has reminded me to talk with Him when I enter a building. I asked Him to tell me what needs to be said and He always burdened my heart, gave the words, and especially gave the articulation. He has shown me how being selfish with who I spend my time with is a waste of time. I love my team, I love our ministry contacts – all people I originally thought were nearly impossible to connect with. We're all His children. He made us to love Him and spread that love. Unity in the Body of Christ is beautiful.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand.” – John 10:27-29
This month we're in the desert in Peru…with our whole squad! Reckless Pursuit and Luminous left the jungle Thursday at 2pm and arrived here at 6am Sunday morning: two 12 hour bus rides, one 6 hour bus ride, three 1 hour bus rides, a couple taxis, a 10 hour layover at the bus station, and now we're here. We live in a compound with big walls around us – outside the walls are pretty dangerous. Today we had to travel to the internet with a local male connected with our ministry or we couldn't go. Murders and crime is normal and beyond these walls is a whole lot of that. Unless we're out doing ministry, we're never to leave, and always have to be back before the sun goes down. We heard that over a hill next to where we live is where a man teaches youth how to kill people. Oi. Our Sabbath is Mondays so we haven't started ministry yet. What I know thus far: our squad of 60 was split up into groups of 5. These groups are doing door to door ministry tomorrow morning and we're all to have 5 minute testimonies prepared to share with people who don't know Jesus. Each week we're rotating ministries. This week my team and another team are sand-boarding with youth. That's literally all I know…. I've never sand-boarded, I don't know how it's a ministry, but I'm pumped to find out.
Here's the view from the upstairs (where we sleep). The building on the right is where we eat, worship, and there are 2 bathrooms. Behind it there is some concrete with nets to play soccer or whatevz… I've done the Insanity and Jillian Michaels workouts there, it's a saweet place. Not sure about the white building on the left. If you continue to walk to the right that's the entrance/exit. The brick you see on the left has 2 outdoor showers and a place where some of us have hammocks set up. This is a poor illustration but it works for now :).
No internet again. Or mirrors. Or washers… or dryers…again. Smellin' fiiiine, let me tell ya. Nomnoms. 🙂
Holy Spirit, COME!
Love you all!
