This month in Ecuador has already been off to an amazing start. My team and I rolled in and just driving through the country was something out of a movie. The mountains are so beautiful and it’s unlike anything I’ve seen before. I’ve seen mountains in Tennessee but the mountains here are the kind I have only seen in movies like Tarzan or Indiana Jones. Every country I have been to just keeps getting better and better. I’m so use to living near the beach so seeing mountains is like a huge plus for me and I love it.
The ministry this month that my team and I am working at is called Camp Hope. It’s a school for people with special needs. The ages can range anywhere from 5-42. There is only one lady there who is 42. These people can be very severe cases or some more moderate. I am working with the boys group which is a class of 5 boys around the teen to early 20s. I am there to assist them and to help them when they need it. To be honest I first thought this sounds really good. At the same time this sounds like it could be really exhausting. Dealing with people with special needs in the US is hard enough, but to come to another country and not really know the language makes things a little more difficult. So it was kinda mixed emotions. When I got there I was thinking I would be a little terrified because I wouldn’t know how to help the kids in my class or know what they need, but it was as if I was calm and all I did was love on them. One of the boys named Jefferson really loves to dance. One day when I got there the boys were in the music room and Jefferson is going to town with his dance moves. It turned into a dance party listening to The Backstreet Boys, Ricky Martin, and Enrique Igleseis We were dancing all over the room. I can’t dance but they seemed to love my jellyfish move.
After a day of dancing and making Christmas cards(the boys paint christmas cards and the organization sells them) I went home that night feeling so excited and so tired at the same time. One of my teammates Ash was working the kitchen and I knew she really wanted to work with the kids so I had told her the next day she could take my class over and I would work in the kitchen for her. It ended up she couldn’t go because she was working through some things The Lord was working through her so I was going to go back to the classroom with the boys the next day. I’m gonna be very honest here. I was thinking at the end of the first day that Ash was going to take over and I was gonna have a break and work in the kitchen. When that thought came in my head I immediately was convicted. I was like why in the world am I wanting to get in the kitchen after a great day of ministry? Why did I even have that thought cross my mind? I felt like God was telling me yes you had a good day but you didn’t really fully appreciate what I was trying to show you with these boys. You need to get back in there and experience something spectacular and be in the ministry I have called you to come to. You need to love on these kids. It may be tough but I have something I want to show you through this.
So the next day I go to the class because Ash couldn’t make it and can I say it was the best day I have had in a long time. We had a dance party again. We painted, played soccer, and just laughed together. One of the boys, Orlando, is a joy to be around. He can’t talk but he knows what you are saying and he is a very smart person. He was eating at lunch and I lean over like I’m gonna take his food and eat it and he shoves my face away and smiles and waves his hand at me and then takes a big bite. His smile can light up a room. He started laughing every time I did that and it was so cool to see I didn’t need to communicate with him verbally, if I just showed him love that was all that was needed. God showed me through these past couple of days just how much love can make a difference. Loving on these kids is a great experience. When I’m feeling a little tired I just look to those smiling faces and just keep on loving on them. They love to hold hands so we hold hands and when I grab Daniels hand his face lights up.
When you take the time to go out of your way to show God’s love, great things are gonna happen. I was too blind at first to see the impact I was making and I almost missed out because I wasn’t paying attention. Everyday with these boys is another adventure and every day has its up and downs but through it all God is being glorified through it and lives are being changed. Everyday Carlos will try and find me and he waves at me when he sees me and just the excitement he shows just from me being there is enough to make my day. I am loving this month so far and am blown away by what God is doing here in Quito.
I want to thank all my supporters because without you guys I wouldn’t be here. You guys have been so generous in your giving and prayers. I am so blessed to have such an amazing support system of people who believe in what I’m doing and are willing to be apart of this with me. I am $4,000 away from being fully funded which blows my mind. God has provided for me when I was so unsure of how I was going to get fully funded. If you feel you want to help me out that would be awesome and you can do so in the support me tab on my blog. God has done so many great things in my race so far and I can’t wait to share more with you guys about what He is doing through the rest of the race.
