Bullet Point Ecuador

This past month in Kilometer 17, Ecuador, was a good month but a hard month at times. It seemed that God had so much to teach all of us on my team, whether that was individually or corporately, and so we were all processing a lot. We decided that this was a “Month of Yes” where we were choosing to say yes to trying new things, to pushing ourselves harder, and to being open to whatever God had for us. The people we served were Quichwa, an indigenous people group that has a unique culture separate from Ecuadorian culture. Our contact said that it would be more difficult for us because getting to know these people basically meant crossing two cultural divides because even other Ecuadorian people have a hard time connecting with them. We pushed through though, and by the end we had made many relationships and I already miss some of the brothers and sisters we were able to live life along side. Many of the Christians there are new Christians, and their stories of coming to Jesus are ridiculously cool. I was so encouraged by their testimonies, stories, and prayers.

Here is a bullet-point summary of all things important and not-so-important about our month in the jungle…

Ministry:

• Construction on the church we were serving

• Working on the Pastor’s family’s farm in the jungle

• Teaching children’s church every Sunday morning

• Singing and giving testimonies in every church service

• Visiting church families in the community to pray for them

• Playing soccer and volleyball as a way to build relationships

• Fasting with the church body

• Painting the house of the family with whom we were living

Daily Norms:

• Sleeping under a mosquito net in a little bed I shared with Renee

• Checking shoes, dishes, and food bags for cockroaches

• Sweating. A lot.

• Receiving big smiles and violent affection from Wimper, my 5-year-old “best friend,” every day

• Chasing “Nugget” the chicken out from under our beds, and the many dogs out of the kitchen

• Waiting for someone else to finish their food so you could wash their spoon and use it after them.

• Filling up every bucket in sight during the precious times the water was turned on.

• Practicing Spanish songs with my brother Maki almost every evening.

• Team worship every morning.

• Fasting once a week, each person fasting a different day of the week.

• Taking baby wipe showers when there wasn’t any water.

• Playing “Indoor” or “Volley” (outdoor soccer and volleyball) almost every day

• Rain. Almost every day. A welcome break from the heat.

• Paying $.25 to ride on top of a Ranchera (an open air bus of sorts) to get to a destination.

• Putting on rubber boots and walking (sometimes sloshing) 40 minutes through the jungle to plant corn on a farm.

• Crossing rivers and streams on a fallen log or two.

• Bathing in the river. Or bucket showering. Or just not bathing.

• Lots of bug bites.

• Sugar cane tastes best when it is cut down right there in the jungle and shared among friends.

• “Stuff” is not necessary and there’s no point in crying when it is lost.

• God cares more about us singing praises to Him than what we sound like.

• I get bus sick. Especially when crossing the Andes Mountains on 7 hour bus rides.

• A lot of times it is the effort put forth that counts more than the actual skill

• Choose your words wisely. Careless words can hurt.

• I kinda like the nickname “Elisa” …at least when spoken by Latinos in a Spanish accent.

• Sometimes God uses situations in our present to bring healing to situations in our past.

• Our God transforms lives! (another whole blog on that one)

• I have many faults and insecurites. God made me very aware of them this month, but also showed me how His strength can fill up the holes that my weaknesses create. (2 Cor. 12:9-10)

• On this trip, every month is going to be very different. And that’s ok.

Interesting Moments and Facts:

• Yes, I did hold a monkey. It was small, ugly, and rat-like, but it was still a monkey.

• I only used a fork once. They apparently believe in the superiority of spoons.

• There may soon be a tourist community center deep in the heart of the jungle named after Katie and I. That almost makes up for the spider bites I received while hiking there. Almost.

• While visiting a family from the church we were fed piranha. Looking at his teeth, I was glad to be eating him rather than the other way around.

• Peanut butter comes in a bag, not in a can. And it tastes gross without salt.

• We were able to visit the tallest waterfall in Ecuador. It was absolutely stunning.

Skills I Acquired:

• Make cream sauce for pasta. (Thanks, Shida!)

• Plant corn on a jungle farm.

• Sing a song in Quichwa.

• Memorize new Spanish songs in one night. (sometimes)

• Mad machete skills. Partly used for clearing around banana plants, but also just for looking hardcore while hiking through the jungle.

• Being able to look presentable even after not bathing for 7 days (hopefully this will not be a skill I need to use often!)

Thanks for the prayers! A blog about Peru is coming soon!