So it’s almost been two weeks here in the Amazon rainforest. My team is ridin’ solo in Huaticocha, Ecuador. It’s such a different experience/atmosphere from what we’ve been used to. That’s the World Race for you. First month, we were all scattered throughout El Alto/La Paz, matched with another team, worked more at a business (9-5) style job, and lived in pairs with host families. Second month, all of the squad was together and we worked where we lived. This month, it is just my team and we are living in a house (more like a treehouse) with the pastor of the community and everyone he invites in, which right now is about 17 people, which includes us and his family. Inca Link has a branch down here (Ninawachi, a missionary training center) but our primary purpose this month is assisting the pastor (Ivan) as needed and helping with whatever he has planned. Our main job is to prepare a kids/teen program four days a week. We usually sing songs, have a Bible story drama prepared, some form of arts and crafts, teach English, and play games with them. The main point though is to share God’s love and to pour out love on the kids who don’t get to experience that often. We do this in several communities. Sidenote: the transportation system is charter buses that usually go from major city to major city so when they are passing through Huaticocha we hop on them to get to our destination. They don’t come very often so lots and lots and lots of sitting and waiting for these buses happens. I’m learning quite a bit about patience this month. One of these communities, Sumacho, is known for witchcraft and having shamans. They have been pretty resistant to the Christian faith, so Ivan desperately wanted us to be able to get involved with that community to share the Gospel. We went up on a Monday with our children’s program prepared and ended up having a meeting with the school and being able to “get in” to teach to the kids for five hours on Mondays and Thursdays. Apparently they are usually not open to “outsiders’’, so that is a true blessing that we are able to reach them. We aren’t able to talk about Jesus while teaching, but we are able to invite them to our after school kids program which is where we are able to share about God. There is also a community called Nueva Esperanza which is up on a mountain, super secluded from civilization. Only about 12 families live there. Their church had disagreements and a falling out so people stopped going altogether, and it caused a lot of tensions throughout the community. We go up there on Wednesdays to work (paint the church, etc…) and then at night we lead the church service, which usually consists of singing (we sing everywhere) and one of us sharing our testimony. We are able to pour out love on the community as much as we can. Their faces when we are there are priceless.
Our schedule:
Monday: Go to Sumacho to teach English from 7-12:30 to various ages, lunch with the pastor in that community, have our kids program from 3-5 pm.
Tuesday: 7am-9am prayer and breakfast at Ninawachi, work various jobs (i.e. painting) until noon. 2-5pm: kids program in Huaticocha
Wednesday: Leave around 10 am for Nueva Esperanza. Usually about a 45 minute car ride (the bed of a truck filled with about 12+ people) and a thirty minute hike up the mountain. We work until about three, hike down the mountain to swim and cool off in the river (jump off the bridge!), then hike back up in time for church at 6:30.
Thursday: 7 am-12:30 Sumacho English classes. 3-6 pm we go to another community called Pasohurcofor our children’s program (here the ages range from 4-21 years old.
Friday: FREE DAY! (The first week we went on this amazing hike to some canyons and a waterfall)
Saturday: 9-11:30am children’s program in Huaticocha. The afternoon consists of planning the next week’s children’s programs or doing house visits. 6pm church at Ninawachi. We love our time at Ninawachi because we are able to connect with the students and staff there.
Sunday: Sunday varies, but generally it is going with the missionary students from Ninawachi on community visits and preparing dinner for our host family. The first week we made pizza for all of the people here, plus all of the people at Ninawachi. Quite a task! Luckily we have Bethany and Molly B. who love to cook and know their ways around a kitchen.
The week stays pretty busy, especially because you never know how long it will actually take to get home or to get somewhere, and if there is free time, we usually fill it up with home visits or planning for the week ahead. The jungle is beautiful and it’s been a real blessing being here. I’ve lived in big cities for so long, so coming somewhere where life is so simple and there isn’t much to distract you has been such a new experience for me, but it allows me to really connect with God, my team, and to really focus on our ministry.
Prayer requests:
Ivan and his family. They are so gracious to take in people, especially with their financial situation, and their hearts are so strong for Jesus. Pray that God keeps working wonders for them.
The folks at Nueva Esperanza. Some of them are sick or going through trials and it is really difficult for them to get help. Also, that their community can reconnect with each other and God.
The people of Sumacho. It is said that almost every house has a shaman in it, which makes it difficult for them to learn about Christ. Pray for the pastor there and that miracles can be done and that we can touch at least a few of the kids there.
The missionaries at Ninawachi- that they continue to learn and grow as they prepare to go out into the world to share the Good News
And of course, I always request prayer for the homeless pups, that they can easily find food, water, and a home. I’ve seen a lot of animal abuse, so just that the hearts of the people to be softened for the animals. The kids don’t seem to know any better, so that they learn the difference between right and wrong.
Thanks for your support and checking out my blog!
