What’s been your favorite experience with those you’ve been serving so far?
I’ve had a few favorite experiences! Overall my favorite is serving our hosts through construction & finalizing their new home on Fridays. I also love playing uno with the kids at the after school program. Another favorite was a day of evangelizing in Baños where we met the sweetest woman who talked with us about who she believes Jesus is & she gave us hot cocoa and fried plantains as we prayed for her and explained to her what we believe about Jesus.
What’s your a new food you’ve loved, a new food you’ve hated, and the weirdest food you’ve eaten?
I love love love this fried rice that our hosts make with mayo on top, I love empanadas, and I love popcorn in my vegetable soup. I also ordered a plate at a market which had fried mashed potato balls and they were amazzzzing. I haven’t hated anything but my least favorite was a bread roll type of pastry thingy which has fruitcake-like-fruit chunks in it. I really am not a fan of fruit that has been processed & sweetened. Weirdest food… probably just putting mayo on a lot of things we don’t eat it on in the US.
What’s been your favorite day so far?
I have a few! One of my favorite days was at debrief when we evangelized & had one on ones with our leadership team. I learned a lot about myself & Jesus & taking risks. Another favorite was painting a mural at the senior home & then going home to spend time with our hosts. Also the next day we washed rugs for a few hours (actually so fun when you have a positive attitude) and went home good shopping with our hosts for their new home!
Have you gotten any new tattoos?
No! I thought I would in each country but I don’t think I’m going to afterall. The tattoos I have in mind need to be thought out more and I am scared to go to a tattoo shop that I can’t confidently communicate at.
Have there been any miracles?
Yeah! God has answered very tangible prayers & it’s been super cool to see. At debrief a squadmate hurt her arm & she was healed when our mentor prayed over it. Another team got a vision from God to pray for a man in a certain shop so they set out looking for a shop they’d never seen & found it, prayed for him and his back was healed. My friend & I prayed for a spotlight to be over someone’s head so that we would know who God wants us to evangelize to, and in the midst of a dark room there was a spotlight over one specific person hanging from the ceiling which we never noticed before. All the other lights in the room were up way higher while this one was just a few inches or maybe a foot above her head. Other prayers have been answered that aren’t mine to share but I promise there’s many 🙂
What does a typical day look like?
Monday-Wednesday we wake up and have devo/quiet time until breakfast. after breakfast we go to ministry which is an after school program. the first half of the day we help around the facility by gardening, painting, organizing, or whatever they ask us to. we serve lunch and then after lunch we either help with homework or play with the kids. after ministry we go home and do chores. after chores we rest until dinner. after dinner we have team time, and by the time it’s over it’s time for bed. thursday is all the same except we go to a senior home instead of the after school program. friday is the same except we stay home & usually work on construction for our hosts. saturday and sunday are our off days. saturday we usually try to get wifi to blog and call home, sunday we usually rest to be energized on monday.
What’s the biggest thing the Lord has been teaching you?
He’s teaching me so much about vulnerability & communication. so much freedom comes when we speak things out. I’m learning that a lot of times when I think I’m the only one, if I decide to let people into it I find out I’m not alone & my team is always willing to help me through hard things. part of that also includes giving/receiving feedback and having hard conversations with people because it’s always worth it.
What’s the number one thing you want your supporters to know about the race, ministry, and living as a missionary?
This ones hard. One thing is that I’m learning that the race is real life. I’m not just on a trip. this is my life for almost a year. That means all the things I experienced at home I’m most likely experiencing here. I still struggle with things i struggled with at home. I still have FOMO. i still get bored. i still get to do fun things. I am clean. I don’t go hungry. I feel like another thing is how hard it is to accurately update people & let people into life on the race. Especially through blogging. for me, no matter how wonderful a story is, if I can’t find the right words to say to do the story justice, I have a hard time sharing it. I know pride is holding me back because I want to be a good writer and storyteller, but it’s tough. It’s also hard to update people through social media because the majority of my pictures are from adventure days just because I don’t have my phone out at ministry to take pictures, so then I feel like I’m not portraying the race correctly if I’m only showing the exciting parts & not the everyday life.
What’s something that you’ve been humbled by?
The entire beginning of the race was a big eye opener and very humbling for me. I was bummed that 4/5 days of the first two weeks we were weeding & not spending relational time with people. I was jealous of people who got to build relationships & pray for people. it took me a few weeks to realize that all ministry is important. sometimes ministry is weeding and that’s fine. that means the people I’m serving have less time required weeding and more time pouring into people and relationships. at the senior home we’re more helpful out of their way than mingling with them. so I was reminded I didn’t come to do what sounds nice to me. I came to do whatever the Lord calls me to and if He called me here it’s in His will for me to be serving through whatever He calls me to.
What have been the most unexpected joys & challenges?
Unexpected challenges: I knew I was an introvert but I did not expect how challenging it would be to alllways be with people. When I need alone & cant have alone time I become extremely homesick & anxious, so that’s been super hard to get used to. Feedback is challenging, it’s hard to say things you know might hurt someone, but it’s been rewarding every time so far.
Unexpected joy: not really unexpected but building relationships with my team, hosts, and ministry partners. I’m in a community unlike i’ve ever been in before and I’m learning so much. I expected to like my team but I really love them so much more than I expected after only a month and a half. we have a small team compared to the others & I was sorta bummed at first but now I’m so grateful for a small, close team. we get along & call each other higher and it’s really amazing to experience new friendships with people I haven’t known long.
How is the language barrier?
It’s really not too bad! there was a bit of time where I didn’t really try to do anything about it but I promised myself I’d always try to say what I want to even if it’s hard. I feel like my spanish has improved so much since I’ve been here & I am usually able to effectively communicate. my team leader also speaks very well so that’s helpful.
