This month our ministry is with T.W. Anderson Christian school. At first, I had a very difficult time understanding why we were not serving the “least of these” but instead we were serving the capable and equipped. My heart was not in a good place for the first few days of ministry. My position is serving in a first-grade class Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then serving in a second-grade class Tuesday and Thursday.

I sit in the back and when the teacher needs help I will cut papers, hand copy their worksheets into the journals, teach the kids a song, and run errands for the teachers. I didn’t understand why they would need help. But I decided to be fully present and to obey God in this season of a new discipline.

 I felt extremely useless because I have had a lot of free time to sit while the teacher teaches the children. So, I fill this time with reading my bible or writing in my journal. I kept asking God why- and I feel this is a time where I am not only serving students but I, myself am becoming a student of the Lord. I am diving into the word and really learning from it. I am learning about patience, prudence, and gentleness and how I can possess these characteristics.

 One night for team time we came together to intercede in prayer for the school. During this time I realized exactly why I was serving how I was. I think the Lord is using my team as a tool to reach the teachers. While it is a Christian school, there are some unbelievers or some tense spirits. I think we are being used as examples of Christ’s love and selflessness as we continue to choose others before ourselves. Some of my team is teaching high school classes, and some of us teach gym, ethics, elementary school, etc. So, each of us has a unique ministry.

But altogether we are exemplifying what it looks like to choose to walk out our faith and what it practically looks like to apply to bible to your life.

 Over the few weeks my heart has grown so much, I love serving at the school and connecting with the staff and students. It will be hard to leave the kids I spend 8 am-3 pm with Monday- Friday, and to say goodbye to the school bus that we ride on from 6:55-8 am and 3-4:20 pm Monday- Friday. My heart will miss all the hugs, cheek kisses, the broken English and Spanglish, learning about their personalities and the conversations. I ask that you pray for the next week or so as we wrap up our ministry, that we can plant strong seeds in those we teach, serve, and talk with. Maybe we won’t see the harvest, but hopefully we can plant or water some seeds.

 

Also, if you are interested in how I have spent my off days I wanted to add in a section for that. I have off days on Saturdays and Sundays, but Sundays are primarily rest days. 

Off days:

-explored Quito, Ecuador & attended an International church -1st Weekend

-explored Banos, Ecuador- Canyoning- 2nd Weekend

-Hiked Rucu Pichincha – 3rd Weekend

-Rested/blogged – at our host home or at coffee shops, we do not have wifi at our host home- Every weekend

Also a fun fact: our host home in Quito rests at 10,000 ft elevation. My teammate Bella and I run during the week and at first we were hit with altitude sickness= not fun. But we drank lots of water and rested for a little while and eventually our bodies acclimated. Every day is quite the adventure and so much fun alongside being challenging.