It’s been my prayer all race not to be a “month 8 team”, “month 9 team”, “month 10 team”…
I bet you can imagine that as the race goes on, racers fall into exhaustion, get into the habit of scraping by, becoming complacent and slipping into a pattern of doing the bare minimum then seeking refuge in wifi, or tv, or talking with family. These last months are where racers can decide to seek comfort and rest instead of seeking the will of the Lord.
Hosts know the difference between the bright-eyed eager, excited month 3 teams, and the droopy-eyed, indifferent, feet-dragging, (sometimes grumpy) month 10 teams. I have resolved since India not to be on a team like that.
I’m proud to say that I think as tired as my teammates and I have been over the last three months, every host I’ve had has praised the work and the energy we bring to our ministries.
As much as I’d like you to believe it’s because we are such an amazing unusual group of God-loving individuals who never run out of our flame or passion, I like honesty even better, hahaha.
The Lord has been providing me time and time again with people who take care of me, and a place to rest that is truly my own. He’s given me teammates filled with joy, beds with mattresses, hosts that love us like parents…
Ecuador was no exception.
Last month we lived in the house of our host family, the Leeks.
Left to right- back row: Carol (their Ecuadorean daughter), Javi (Carol’s finace), Myself, Jolee, Katie, Dad (Bob Leek). Front row: Lauren (their intern), Kim, Kam, Tate, Kayla, Bekah Leek, Mom (Lori Leek). And of course I can’t forget Lydia, their dog.
It was very clear from day one that we were not just seven strangers sharing their home for three weeks. Immediately, we were their sisters and their daughters. And that made all the difference in the world.
For those three weeks, we felt at home. We ate home cooked meals around the dining room table and laughed ’til our sides hurt, watched family movies late into the night, played cards, shared our testimonies, celebrated two birthdays, and traded who would sleep with the dog in their bed for that night.
The first week we were there, we helped them move out of their old church building into their new beautiful facility. We painted the walls, tables, chairs, shelves, decorated the nursery, and made sure everything was ready to go by the next Sunday. During the first service in the new building, we prayed over the space, and anointed it with oil.
The following week we painted the office floor of a Ecuadorean Christian television station called Unsion. Bob is on the board, and knows the staff there really well. I worked along the janitor, Carlos, whose passion for his job and love for Jesus taught me that no matter what I do in the future, I can display the image of Christ through the joy and excitement I reflect while I do my work.
For our last week in Cuenca, we visited two orphanages. The first was a special needs orphanage, where we painted the walls of some bedrooms, and two classrooms. At the second orphanage, we were each assigned a kiddo and helped them sort through which clothes were too small, just right, or too big.
Through it all, we laughed and loved deeply. To me, it felt natural to be there- like the Lord couldn’t have brought us all together at any better time. We were just what the Leeks needed, and they were just what we needed.
Rest. Relaxation. Love. Home-cooked meals. A family. All the Jesus.
I’ve been away from Cuenca for about a week now, and I miss it with all my heart.
I miss the Leeks with all my heart.They are relentlessly working to bring the heart of Jesus to Ecuador. Because they are the heart of Cuenca.
My incredible teammate Kayla, aka Captain America, made this video to sum up the Leeks ministry “Kingdom Life”, and the work we did there:
God is moving through the Leeks and their ministry.
And I am incredibly thankful to have been a part of His movement.
