Hi from Ecuador! This month is all squad month, so 57 people are living together and it’s amazing. I think over time I’ve become more and more extroverted but it might just be because I’m obsessed with everyone on my squad and always want to hang out with them. Teams go to different ministries, and my team has been working with a foundation called Camp Hope- kind of like a day care for kids and teens with mental and physical disabilities. My team specifically has a few people with extensive experience working with special needs kids and adults, but it’s been great to watch every one of us step into this ministry with confidence and a willingness to learn and just love on these kids.
Some of the kids go home to families at the end of the day, but some will go to the orphanage in conjunction with the foundation. When we first arrived, we were told that some of the “orphans” aren’t orphans; they were abandoned at birth because they were disabled. Some were found in the garbage. One had parents who left the hospital during an operation and were never heard from again. It absolutely breaks my heart that these kids would be seen as worthless. They are so precious to God and were created in His image! The days are sometimes long, sometimes you can’t get one to stop crying, and sometimes you get bodily fluids on you, but I feel very full working with this foundation. Jesus is there. The staff love these kids so much and do such a good job taking care of them and really utilizing us for whatever we have to give. Some days, I’m a “music teacher” but sometimes that just means I get to sing to them. The girl in the picture above, Omalia, loves when people sing to her and is a great listener, and if you sing something enough times over she’ll start to sing along. Those moments are such a blessing to me.
Quito is beautiful and we’ve gotten to see some of it since we’ve been here. The people are friendly, food is amazing, and I love that we’re in the mountains. Next weekend some of us will be heading to Baños for some adventuring and I’m stoked for that.
This month has been a great opportunity to get to know a lot of my squadmates better and it’s just been amazing seeing the work that God is doing in their lives and getting to share what He’s been doing in mine, too. He’s showing me a lot of what it looks like to trust Him with my plans, how to be confident in Him, and how deeply loved I am (read Psalm 139!!).
I was feeling a little down just missing home over Galentines Day and Valentines Day but the guys on the squad (there’s 12 of them, so they call themselves the Brosciples) wrote all the girls letters and got us roses and made us feel so, so loved. I love the people I get to do life with. I miss my family and friends back home but I am so lucky to get to be on a squad that loves so well and walks so closely to Jesus.
Overall, I am one happy girl here in Ecuador. Some days are harder than others, but that’s just normal life. I love this crazy life I get to live and I’m so thankful that Jesus goes before me and is with me for every second of it. Until next time!
