This month we were encouraged to spend some time reflecting every day. Not just thinking of the things that happened that day but reflecting on when we experienced the presence of Jesus. So here is my reflection of my month in Ecuador.
2/10
- In the little girl who picked me to hold her
- Meeting missionaries who have been in for Ecuador over 1 year
- In the Uber driver named Patrick that I had the opportunity to talk to
2/11
- That it is okay to all be different in a community, we just need to figure out how to get along within the differences and understand where everyone is coming from.
- Pan De Vida – a Christian organizations who has one mission as a staff, worships together, fellowships together, and prays together
- The comment, “Please interrupt me” – the first day we arrived at Pan de Vida, one of the staff members made this comment and it blew me away. I definitely want to be more open to interruptions so that I can be more relational and experience more of the Lord’s blessings.
2/12
- Public transportation can be fun. I have never spent a lot of time in a big city, let alone a city of 3+ million and public transportation is a big deal in cities this size. I have definitely enjoyed riding the bus and finding out which bus to take and the times.
- 10 minute devotionals are soooooo good. Every day when we arrive to Pan de Vida, one of the staff members has prepared a small devotion. They are so encouraging and uplifting. Every devotion has applied to my life right now.
- Organizing an entire attic can be entertaining
2/13
- Praying with Kristen – one morning during team worship we were told to pair up with someone from the other team and talk about prayer requests and then pray. It was encouraging because we agreed on the same thing to pray about.
- Watching a sermon, as a team, titled “Timing is Everything”
- Cutting vegetables as a team
- Meeting new missionaries at Pan De Vida
2/14
- Slow days at ministry are great for conversations with teammates
- A Christian organization is encouraging
- The power of words for someone is huge whether it is uplifting or not, all words have an effect on everyone
- Janella, a staff member of Pan De Vida, made such an impact and I only knew her for a week
- Today was a breath of fresh air in the fact that we were able to serve but also relax and enjoy a celebratory lunch
2/15
- It is encouraging to share the good in others and to hear what others see in me
2/16
- Resting in the Lord’s presence is calming
2/17
- One English worship song is better than none at a church Ecuador
- Videography/photography is noticed by all
- Meeting new Americans is still my favorite, especially talking to them and hearing their story on how they came to Ecuador
- A dance party can be fun in a small apartment
2/18
- Listening to the staff at Pan De Vida
- Reading on the bus is a great way to utilize time
- Lynna and Fabi praying over my headache
2/19
- Late night adventures in the rain are worth it
- Pausing and taking time for conversations can bring quality time
2/20
- Quality time can come when you least expect it
2/21
- God is alive and actively doing miracles (feeding the 5000) – this month I experienced a time at Pan De Vida when God literally provided for over 100 more people than we had cooked for.
2/22
- Off days are days for fun team time
2/23
- There is joy in the drenching rain
- The best adventures are the wild ones
2/24
- Surrender in worship
- Old cities hold my heart – I just love the character of all the buildings and the designs
2/25
- The Spirit was speaking today, things just worked out today, from my book to the devotion to a conversation – today I was reading a book on the bus that was talking about sometimes satan will tempt us in thinking we have so much we need to get done and then we arrived at Pan De Vida and the morning devotion was about resting and dwelling in the Lord. Already my mind was like, “Okay, I get it. Thanks God.” Well, then I go downstairs and meet one of the ladies in charge of the microbusiness and she begins to share with me that she had a God moment this morning too with her friend. They were talking outside the gate about how her friend needs to start writing out her dreams and/or desires so that God can begin to work through those dreams and desires. Then they come into the devotion for the ladies and the devotion was about writing out your dreams. At this point, I could not even fathom what was going on. My mind was blown by the moving of the Spirit.
- God puts people and stories in your path as a blessing
2/26
- Voicing vulnerability at the right time is relieving
- Sharing and not even realizing it was vulnerability was a blessing in disguise
- Hearing an old worship song that speaks to me today was so good
2/27
- Relationships in the ministry are good and hard to leave
- Painting is relaxing and I never realized it until today
- Children can be a rewarding time
2/28
- Teaching English can be fun, especially when all the kids do is ask questions about you and the others with you
3/1
- Exhaustion is okay, it is just important to learn how to handle it
- What a joy it is to celebrate with the people my team served with for a month
3/2
- Creation was made in one day, WOW – I mean, exploring this world and seeing so many different things that were created and then realizing that God created everything either in one day or a couple of days is crazy
- Tiring adventures are worth it, especially when you see some amazing views at the top of a mountain
This month in Ecuador was so good but even better because I spent time reflecting and being grateful for all the times that the Lord was showing his presence to me.
