Hi everyone! I wanted to thank everyone for the blessings and well wishes during launch and my long travel day to Ecuador. We made it to our home in Ecuador on Wednesday night/Thursday morning at 1 am. I wanted to give you all a logistical update on how things are going and what life is like so far here in Quito!
Living
I live with my whole squad here in Ecuador. Our hosts are Mabe and Fabi, the sweetest souls on earth. We love them. We are very fortunate when it comes to living situations here. All 48 of us live in a super cute, secure house in Quito. We have gates & automatic locks and I haven’t worried for my safety once. We live inside so we aren’t tenting while in Ecuador, which is nice because it’s pretty chilly here.
Ministry
We do ministry in our teams, so my team of 7 works together Monday-Friday. Monday-Wednesday our ministry is working at a school. We will be doing feedings during lunch hour, gardening and cleaning during school, and after-school programs when school is out. On Thursdays we will be working in a senior home, where we’ll have a lot of freedom to do things how we feel lead. We are envisioning painting a mural because their home is very bland, all white walls. We want to do something that will brighten up the place and bring some life and excitement. We will also be praying for creative ways to serve them. On Fridays we will be staying home to do ministry in our home. Our hosts are currently building their new home so that their current home can be used to host more people, so during our time at the house we will be doing construction, cleaning, cooking, and overall just working around the home.
Communication
I do not have my phone during the day on weekdays. I also only have wifi during the weekends when I am at the mall, coffee shop, or anywhere else that offers wifi. Due to the limited wifi, communication will be limited with people from home. I also decided to stay off social media for the entire first month of my race. I will be blogging once a week and I’ll post the link to Instagram and Facebook, but I will solely be using it for that. My teammate Selina agreed to hold me accountable so that I don’t spend time scrolling or interacting. I am excited to spend time being present rather than focusing on what I’m missing at home. If you want to contact me, please use iMessage, WhatsApp, or email. After the first month I’ll have my phone every day but again, only have wifi when I’m at a place that provides it.
Fundraising
Honestly, I have no idea where I am at with fundraising since I don’t have wifi. But, I think I have about $3,000 left to raise. I would love to chat with anyone who is interested in donating if you have questions.
Prayer Requests
Health for Gap V– Long travel days, new foods, change in altitude, can all take a big toll on physical health.
Ministry – That we see fruit in our ministry. That we can build deep relationships with our ministry hosts and the kids/seniors we are serving. That we can be Jesus to them.
Comfort – Homesickness is alive & active. Pray for a grateful & present spirit.
Also, there are thousands of Venezuelans seeking refuge in Ecuador. There are tons and tons escaping their country each day. We want to think of ways to serve them since they are going through so much.
That’s all for now – I will update again soon 🙂
