ECUADOR !!!
I decided to choose 11 moments every month to summarize my month in that country. This is mostly so I can remember some details for the future, but it also gives you a good summary of my month and some lessons I learned, as well as what my favorite parts were!
1) Mila’s scrunchy face
We had an amazing host family. Pastor Percy and his wife Gema were so full of joy. Their 7 month old daughter Mila took a little while to warm up to us, but when she finally did, her scrunchy smile face was priceless!
2) Tonito and his driving
Our crazy driver for the month was a hilarious man! Everywhere we went we were in an open bed truck, enjoying the wind in our hair. Tonito always seemed to know everyone in town, and would be constantly honking at people and shouting greetings. He spoke no English, but loved to say “hasta la vista, baby!”
3) Percy’s “attack!”
Gema cooked almost every one of our meals this month, and we were so blessed by that! Full and satisfied bellies all month (including a lot of rice and plantains!) Before every meal, we would pray and Percy would say “okay, attack!” He only speaks a little bit of English, but that was my favorite phrase.
4) Carlos and everyone at youth group
My favorite part about ministry this month in Portoviejo was the amazing people we met. Youth group at our church, Templo Metropolitano Alianza, was filled with some of the most beautiful humans. Carlos was by my side every second at the hospital, translating and making sure I was comfortable (and not dying!) He is such a gem, and I know I have a lot of true friends in Ecuador!
5) Aaron at the nursing home
When we first arrived at the nursing home, I was met with a bit of hostility from an elderly man named Aaron. While I don’t speak Spanish fluently, I understand pretty well and can hold a basic conversation (if they speak slowly!) On day one, Aaron told me, “Why do you come here when you can’t speak Spanish?” The employees told us to stay away from him because he’s a grumpy troublemaker. However, over the next few weeks the Lord softened his heart and he started hanging out with us more and more. He would greet Jennie telling her she’s beautiful, and we shared a heartwarming goodbye knowing that he enjoyed the month with us. It was so cool to see the Lord move in his heart!
6) Paper airplanes
We weren’t able to communicate very well with the elderly. Some of them couldn’t speak at all, and the ones that could spoke VERY little English. One day, our communication barrier was broken through by making paper airplanes. There was so much joy sharing in this simple pleasure, and it was my favorite day with these friends!
7) Praying through the women’s dormitory
The nursing home contained a women’s dormitory, where a few of the handicapped and much older women were housed. Our first day, this was the hardest room to enter. I saw abandoned women withering away in a bed, forgetting what human connection was like. One day, the Lord moved Aubrey and I to spend the day praying over them. We felt such heaviness in the room, but as we asked the Lord to lift it, we felt His physical presence telling the women that He is their strength and peace. It was such a beautiful reminder that the Spirit is present!
8) Lessons on the mountain
That hike (see previous blog) was BRUTAL. I wouldn’t do it again, but I also wouldn’t trade my experience. That hike bonded us as a team more than anything else, and reminded me that my mental strength will continue when my physical strength wants to give out – praise God that we made it down!
9) Jipijapa
Gema’s dad is a pastor in this nearby town, and we spent a day visiting his church members. Aubrey, Josh and I went with him to encourage believers in his congregation. I was the translator for our group, and the speech that he would give every person we came in contact with really changed my perspective. We met with new believers, teenagers, and former pastors, and our pastor said the same thing everytime. He would introduce us as missionaries, and explain to them the great sacrifice we were making for the year. How God told us to go, and without hesitation we followed. We followed Jesus into the heat, with the bugs, strangers, and food we aren’t used to. We raised money on our own accord to tell the Good News all over the world. We decided to forget ourselves for the year, and simply take up the cross. This month was hard, and hearing how encouraged this pastor and his congregation were just by our decision to be there, changed my perspective. Ministry doesn’t always look like orphanages or manual labor. I loved this ministry of just reminding God’s sons and daughters that we have a God worth following!
10) Quito
Meeting up with the other teams in Quito for a day before debrief was such an adventure! It was hard not to compare our month to theirs, when most of our squad stayed together at the same hostel and fell in love with Ecuador together. But comparison is the thief of joy, and I am so thankful for where the Lord put my team this month. Quito seemed like a different country compared to Portoviejo! I loved exploring downtown and the Basilica, and the real & fake equator was so fun. Check that off the list of things to see before I die!
11) Debrief in Banos
Oh man, five days of debriefing our month as a team was hard. A lot of reflecting, talking to Jesus, working things out with my team, and adventure, of course! The Lord has been teaching me to take bigger leaps of faith and trust Him more. Instead of seeking answers, seek His face. I took a few physical leaps of faith (freefalling off a 150 foot waterall, the swing at the edge of the earth, and then bunjee jumping,) and they were a great physical representation of the freedom I feel through Christ!
I am currently in the beginning of a 30 hour or so journey to Peru! This first bus is taking us to Cuenca, where a few teams will spend the night before heading to Peru tomorrow. I’m excited to get to see one more Ecuadorian city before diving into ministry in Trujillo, Peru for all squad month! Please be praying for safe travels!
