Unexpected pleasures

One facet of this trip that I really hadn't thought too much about is the amount of time I would be spending with my family. It's not like I travel a lot or anything, but through the week I leave early and get back at dinner time. And there is always work to be done around the house and such. Lots of things eating up my time, and keeping me from my family.

Ever since landing, we have been together almost 24/7. We get up together, eat together, work together, and play together. No home or car repairs needing my attention. And work is a few thousand miles away. We have experienced a lot as a family and I am certain we are creating memories that will last a lifetime.

The kids are usually wiped out by the end of the day and often just drop. Below are a few pictures when Jon and Ellie didn't make it all the way to bedtime. In one picture, Jon collapsed on Rachel. In what I believe was a unanimous decision, the kids decided she is the friendliest person they ever met. In the other picture, Jon is snoozing with Beanie..

God really is in control

I woke up today a little bummed because we really want to spend some time at the dump and orphanage but are having some transportation issues. The kids are getting restless and need to be out of the house a bit. So we decided to head to Carolina park for the afternoon to let the kids burn off some energy. Shortly after we got there I noticed a little boy watching the kids swing. He looked like he might be a street kid but I didn't see a shoe shine kit or anything else he might be selling. I said hello and asked his name but he quickly lowered his eyes to the ground. It is sad to witness how poverty tells people that they are worth nothing. He didn't answer but he didn't leave either. He stood watching and I waved ocassionally.

Eventually I went over and put my hand out and he put his in mine. I asked his name again and he said Eddie. He told me he was eight. A few minutes later and older boy riding a bike with a cooler and snow cone maker on it rode up. Eddie went over to him. His name was Jefferson and he was 13. I asked if they were brothers and he said yes. So they just sat by the bike for a while watching our kids play. Eventually Steve kicked a soccer ball to Jefferson and he kicked it back. We began kicking the ball around together. Eddie started teasing his brother when he had the ball and laughing. Soon Eddie, Jon, Mallory and Ellie were hanging upside down on a bar laughing. Jefferson never strayed too far from his bike but had a great time anyway.

At some point I noticed some well dressed Ecuadorians walking with their children near us. They looked at us and then at the street kids as though they were in disbelief that we were playing with them. It made me sad but also proud. Sad because they are treated this way all the time. Proud because I didn't care what they thought and neither did my kids. Sadly, this was not the only group to look at us this way.

We ended up playing with them for at least an hour and a half. We had so much fun. I enjoyed watching them open up to us as they began to trust us. We invited them back to play with us on Sunday afternoon. Our friend Michelle is at the park every Sunday at 2:00 to meet with her street kids. We have been joining her and having a blast. She just loves on these kids as Jesus would. What fun it would be if they come back to see us.

So.....what started out to be a grumpy, dissapointing day because my plans were not working out turned into an amazing God filled day. Sometimes I have to let go of my control and let Him lead me. He really is in control.

Michelle

The Park

Today we went to the park. Me, Matthew,Adam,Jon and ,Ellie where over on the slide and monkey bars. My mom and dad were over on the grass whatching us and this one little street boy came over and started whaching us play so my mom went over to him and said "Hola como te llamas which is whats your name . But he did not anwer so my mom tryed other times and he did anwser once when he got a little more use to us. His name was Eddie. My dad kicked the ball to him he let it roll by him . My mom asked him how old he was he said ocho which is 8.after a while his brother came along named Jefferson. He was 13 he road aound in a snow cone bike selling snow cones. We played soccer with then but i noticed he never left his cart. I glad we can be freinds with these kids that most people don't even pay any attention to them.

Mallory .

Ellie's blog

Hello everyone! I love you. Our house is super cool. Me and Mallory share a bed. It has been fun here. I like going to the park. The park is super cool and it's huge. We went to the dump and saw all the kids. We got to play with them on their playground. I liked playing at the school too. I got to play in the three year old class. I made lots of new friends. We hided some sheep for the kids to find at our VBS. We took lots of new pictures. We will show them to you guys when we get there.

Pat and Carla: How is Parker doing?
Mushe: How are your kids doing? Great or not good?
Gail: How are the horsies doing and Dakota?
Grammy and BobBob: I miss you and I love you!
Oma and Opa: I love you and miss you!
Uncle Net: How are your kids doing? I love them and I miss them being here. I loved them staying here.

The end.
Ellie

Child Survival Project

Last week, we had the honor of visiting one of Compassion's Child Survival Projects. This was probably the most emotional day for me. Based out of a small church run by the Salvation Army, this project is reaching way out into their community. Their focus is children under the age of 3 and their mothers. I don't think the sanctury can hold 100 people, but they have like 75 women and children in their care (Not to mention the 50 or so kids in the Compassion project behind the church.)

They help the mothers with pre-natal care, well-baby checkups and everything they need during the early years. They also keep records of growth and development, giving these children the best start they can. In addition to the physical care, they also work to educate the mothers. They are impacting an entire generation in this community.

They introduced us to 2 of the 3 ladies that are the backbone of this ministry. They are the ones that travel from house to house, by whatever means possible, to build relationships and love on these women and children. It is great to talk about the programs, successes and all the numbers, but this is where the blood, sweat and tears are. The one-on-one interactions with the young women in this community are where it all happens.

While listening to all this, I was reminded of the Pregnancy Support Center back home. It is a great organization with lots of terrific programs, but it is in the counseling room and classroom where the rubber meets the road. It is in these trenches that the battle is won or lost.

To build on this thought, isn't this true for our churches too? We can have fancy buildings, rockin bands and mind-bending sermons, but in the end this is not what matters. Because church is really not about buildings and stuff. The church is really about me and you, representing Christ and penetrating our world. And it is in our relationships that God must be proclaimed.

Josselyn

Last week we were blessed to have a team from ChildReach here led by our friend Rick Royer. We made new friends and had an amazing time with them. (We miss you all so much!) I want to tell you about our visit with our Compassion child Josselyn.

We got on the bus in the morning and drove to the park. When we turned into the parking lot we could see a group of people looking at us with the same anticipation and excitement that we were looking at them with. Once parked we quickly got out and made our way to them. There were lots of people and on the way I told Steve that the most recent picture we had of Josselyn was probably three years old. I was worried that we would not know who she was. As we got closer I could see a beautiful girl with big brown eyes and long wavy black hair. She and I locked eyes and I knew it was her. When we were close enough I said "Josselyn?" She shook her head yes shyly. I embraced her tightly and began sobbing. I could hardly wrap my mind around the fact that she was here in my arms. We introduced ourselves to Josselyn, her mother Lillian, the director of her Compassion project, Rosio and our translator, Polly. We gave Josselyn a bookbag with some gifts and she gave us a letter and picture she had drawn. Then we were off to the paddle boats.

Josselyn is 11 years old. She was a little shy at first. It took Mallory about ten minutes to cure her of that. They were holding hands walking through the park in no time. We all went on the paddle boats. Polly, Josselyn, Mallory and I were on one. It was so fun to watch Josselyn open up on the ride. She and Mallory switched seats with Polly and I so that they could pedal. They both laughed as we carefully maneuvered over the seats. It was Josselyn's first time on a boat. We raced the other boats with our friends and families on them.

Then we went and played on the swings and slides. All of our kids had a ball and treated Josselyn like a part of our family. After that the ladies went to the flower gardens. Rosio and Lillian pointed out plants in the greenhouses and gardens that grow where they live in Santa Domingo. Mallory and Josselyn took some beautiful pictures there.

We ate KFC for lunch near the paddleboats with the rest of the group and their Compassion kids. Lillian and I were able to talk and ask each other questions. Finding out some of the details of their life was something I wanted to do for a long time. I'm glad that I did but it made me sad for them......I will keep praying for them but now I can be more specific. I asked Polly if Josselyn knew who from our family was coming. She said Josselyn thought it was only me. She said Josselyn saw me right away and told her, "that is her in the pink shirt!" When she saw Steve and the kids she said, "that is them - did she bring her whole family?" I love that she was surprised.

Then we all got on the bus to go to the Teleferico. This is the cable car that goes up Pichincha mountain. We went from about 9,500 feet in Quito to about 13,000 feet at the top. I am afraid of heights and didn't really want to go. Josselyn and her mom both wanted to go so I decided that I didn't want to miss out on it. It was amazing. I can't even do justice in describing the view. Looking over God's creation that way was very special. Josselyn, Mallory and Ellie had so much fun together.

After that it was time to part ways. We had to get on one bus and Josselyn on the other. It was so incredibly hard to say goodbye. I so wanted to take her with us. Josselyn and her mother thanked us. We all hugged for a long time. Then Josselyn told me that now she has a second mother. So I cried - okay I was already crying - so I cried harder! Their gratitude was so apparent. It made my heart happy. So we parted ways and I was wondering if we would ever see her face to face again. I was filled with hope for her future. Her mother seemed loving and caring and full of faith. She is in a project where she has some of her basic needs met but more importantly her relationship with Jesus is nurtured. Simply amazing.

Michelle

Open letter to our CRM team

Guys,
We experienced some great stuff last week. But now that you have returned to "normal" life, what do you do with those images and emotions that are fresh in your memories? Before the busyness of life and the priorities of our culture seek to wipe them out, I want to share the following with you:

"Will we stay where we are, do what we've done, and continue to repeat the mistakes of our past? Will we emerge in rebellion, recklessly abandoning the historic moors of our faith in our obstinate determination to drain freedom's cup to its last? Or will we emerge from stagnant religious routine to embrace, in living color and vibrant love, the Holy God of Scripture, and His ancient, eternal truth?" (from The Bravehearted Gospel by Eric Ludy)

Romans 12:9-16 reads like this:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

We were very privileged to see God at work like we did. That was an incredible opportunity and we must capitalize on it. Don't let yourself fall back into any negative habits or routines. "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." Eradicate the junk in your life. Seek out that which is good and cling to it like a shipwreck survivor to a lifeboat. That whole section from Romans is full of commands. Directives that we need to internalize and build our lives around. Actions that we must take.

Verse 11 really jumped out at me: Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. God showed us some amazing things, but now it is up to us to keep the zeal and spiritual fervor that He stirred up in us.

Sad Goodbyes

We had a great week, but had to say goodbye to the team last night. We weren't officially part of the team, but they welcomed us and included us all week. We are truly grateful for the time we spent with them and the experiences we shared.

This week was pretty crazy with all the activities and we are looking forward to a couple slower days so we can get caught up. We will be posting more stories and pictures from the week, but for now I will just share our group shot with some of the school staff at the end of the parenting workshop.

The Dump and Compassion Day

The Dump was awesome and terrible at the same time.First off we played at the day care with the dump workers kids. It was a blast Miguel and I were having so much fun. We were having so much fun and then we went to the dump. Debrief that night, Rick read read us a passage out of the Bible:

1 Samuel 2:7-8

7 The Lord makes some poor and others rich; he brings some down and lifts others up. 8 He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.

As we walked over to the dump I was amazed and ready to meet some people that needed help. We walked up some stairs and stood on a raised platform and watched them like they were entertainment. We just sat there and watched them like a tour of the place. I thought in my head when I was in Harry London Chocolate Factory we did the exact same thing. I thought in my head that the man that worked there was saying "and here is our garbage dump and these are our hard workers." I wanted sooooo badly to go down and just shake one of there hands. But sadly we weren't allowed to take pictures. But it's okay cause you have to actually be there to really experience it.

Compassion Day was also awesome we got to meet our compassion child, Josselyn. We played at the park in the middle of town. We got ice cream, went paddle boating and the girls went to the flower garden. After we went to Teleferico, the cable car in Quito.We got some awesome pics and had a blast. There's an amusement park at the bottom with some rides and games. But the hardest part of the day was saying good bye:( It was so hard. And yes, that day, I really, I truly, I promise you, I ATE GUINEA PIG!

God is Everywhere

Yesterday, it seemed like everywhere I went I saw things that reminded me that God is everywhere. Most of the people in our group met their Compassion kids yesterday. At first, I felt a little out of place because I don't have a sponsor child here. My sponsor child is in Haiti. I didn't want to go up to anyone because I didn't want to interfere on their one-on-one time with their kids. As the day went on, I watched everyone with their kids. It was such a beautiful sight. The kids were attached to them. Almost all of them ran up to us when we first got there. They were so loving towards our group and were so grateful we were there. I saw God in all of them. So, it didn't matter that I didn't have a child here. God still showed me His love through everyone else.

We took the kids to the Teleforico, which is the place where you can take cable cars up the hill (or should I say, mountain) and there's also an amusement park there. The ride in the cable car was a ton of fun and a little nerve racking. When we got to the top, the view was incredible. We were so close to the clouds I could almost touch them. As I was walking around, I looked down a little ravine and saw a church. It was very small and had very intricate stained glass windows. I saw a sign that said there was a mass held every Saturday. A little church up in the mountains of Ecuador. Another example of how God is everywhere. Today is our VBS. Pray that everything goes well.
Kathleen

Chinese Food In Ecuador?

As the title states, last night we went to a Chinese resturant for dinner. During my "culinary" experience on this trip, I have discovered a couple of things. First, I have a new love for Ecuadorian food. I've been able to try so many new things here and they have all been delicious. Except for the cuy. For those of you that don't know, cuy is otherwise known as ginuea pig. We ordered one for our group to try yesterday at lunch. It tasted sweet and fishy. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. But now I can say I ate it and gross out all my friends when I get back!

Anyway, back to my discoveries. Second, almost every resturant we've gone to has homemade hot sauce. I think they call it ahi. It's probably not spelled right but that's what it sounds like. Well, this hot sauce is amazing. I've been putting it on everything. Third, Chinese food tastes kind of strange in Ecuador. It was very weird listening to Asians talking in Spanish to us. It wasn't bad food, I just felt like it was kind of out of place.

For my final food discovery, I would like to dedicate the next few lines to Arenas, the bakery next to our apartment. Ecuador has some of the best bread I've ever had. It's always fresh and hot. The rolls are fluffy pillows of goodness and the arapes, which are a type of pastry are amazing. When I go up on the roof in the morning I can smell the bread baking. I'm still trying to figure out how I can get some bread past cutsoms when we leave...

All in all, the food here is great. I think what I'm most grateful about is that I haven't gotten sick from any of it! Trust me, the first day we were here I ate some questionable meat products. I literally didn't know what the some of things on my plate were. But they were good! Anyway, I hope I've been able to educate you on the foodie ways of Ecuador. Keep eating!
Kathleen

New Experiences

Today we went to the dump. Extreme Response has a ministry down there that helps keep the the workers' kids out of the dump and safe. First we met Jose, the leader of the ministry and he told us more about it. Then we got to meet all the kids and play with them. They have 35-40 kids Monday through Friday at the daycare they run. One particular little girl captured my heart. Her name is Tatianna and she's 2 years old. We went out to the playground to play with the kids. I was standing near the slide when I felt a tug on the pocket of my jeans. Tatianna was looking at me with big brown eyes. She motioned for me to pick her up and then pointed to the swing set. I pushed her on the swings for a while ans then she went off on her own. A while later I was sitting on a hill fixing my camera when I felt someone climb up on my shoulders. Sure enough, it was Tatianna. She held my hands as I walked around and nestled her head on mine. Elizabeth saw us and came over to take a picture. After she took it, she came over to me and said, "Do you know that everytime she puts her head down she's kissing you?" I squeezed her feet and knew that God had led her to me for a reason. It was very hard saying goodbye to her.

After we played with the kids we went to see the dump itself. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it still was really bad, if that makes sense. Dump trucks would bring loads of trash into this big area. It looked like a big warehouse without walls, just a roof. They would dump pile after pile and workers would sort through them. Plastic, carboard and metal would go into different piles and would be then be carried away to be compacted. Everyone's demeanor changed when we got there. None of the workers had any expression. They just did their jobs and didn't acknowledge us. I saw one man pick up a pair of jeans from one of the piles and see if they fit him. I still can't get over it. Nobody really said anything as we left. It seemed like we were all in a daze from what we had just seen. I'm really glad I went. I feel like for the first time I know why I went on this trip. It's not about me. It's all for them.
Kathleen

Child Survival Project

Yesterday we went to see the Child Survival Project. This is a program for kids who aren't old enough to be sponored through Compassion but still need help with medical care, food, things like that. We got to meet some of the mothers whose children are in this program. They all have very little kids, about 1-3 years old. We also got to visit two of the mother's houses with them. The first house we went to was in a alley way, it was basically a hole in the wall. Dirt floor, a tarp for a roof, one bed. It was maybe half the size of my bedroom at home, but that was her whole house. I couldn't get over it. And the craziest part is, she rents that home. For 20 dollars a month and that doesn't include electricity. Her husband works as a mason earning 55 dollars a week. I am the same age as this girl, but we couldn't be more different. She is already married and has a little boy. She is raising a family and trying to support her husband and finish her high school studies on the weekends. She is doing things beyond her maturity level and yet she seems happy, grateful. I don't think I could be happy in her situation, I think I would be angry, scared. Overall a very humbling experience. Everyone is so welcoming here. I only met these women for a few hours, but they gave everyone in our group a hug and kiss goodbye, as if we were old family friends coming for a visit. I love it. Can't wait to see what else is in store!
Thanks for praying,
Elizabeth

Sacrifices

This whole week I've been reading the book of Acts. Paul has been spreading the word of Jesus throughout the world and is helping start the first century church. During his visit to Ephesus, he tells his followers that he is going to go to Jerusalem and that most of them aren't going to see him again after he leaves. They are all afraid because they don't want Paul to get hurt or killed. When Paul sees this, he says something very profound. "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." This verse really spoke to me. Paul gave up everything to follow God's will. He made sacrifices that, even though most of us may not have to do in this day and age, were very impactful towards people. So my question is this. What are we willing to give up for God? Paul was willing to go to Jerusalem and be arrested and put on trial. Will we face challenges in the name of Jesus? I believe that this trip is my way of giving my all for God. While the trip will only last a week, the memories and experiences I have will impact people for years to come. I want to know that I'm doing God's will no matter what. Can you follow Paul's example? Only you can answer that, but I think it's pretty easy to come up with one. Just thought this would be a good way to start the morning.
Kathleen

Compassion Project

Today we visited one of the Compassion projects in a small town. Their main ministry is helping young mothers care for their children until they are old enough to be sponsored in the actual Compassion program. We met with a bunch of the mothers at a Spanish Salvation Army that is Compassion's home base. They told us their testimonies and sang songs. After some of the mothers spoke, our translator asked if anybody wanted to say some words of encouragment to the mothers. Kim, one of the ladies in the group stood up and talked. She almost made me cry, it was so touching. Then Rick asked Aunt Michelle if she would say something. She told the mothers that she ahd five children and they all got really excited and wanted to see them. If anybody could offer words of encouragment, it was Aunt Michelle. Afterwards Uncle Steve prayed for everyone and we started walking around to all the mothers and talking to them and their children. One mother had a 10 month old baby girl named Abgail. When Abgail was born she had hip problems, so she's had to wear a brace pretty much since that time. She was the most adorable and beautiful girl. Aunt Michelle asked me if I wanted to hold her and she came right into my arms. She lights up the entire room. Everyone stopped to look at her. Her mother was glowing watching everyone take turns holding and playing with her. I wanted to take her home with me. It was such a great day.

Tonight we went back to Extreme Response and had dinner with two kids from LDP. LDP is for kids who have outgrown the Compassion program. They get sponsored and the money is used to help them go to college. I talked with Jonathan who is studying Mathematics and wants to be a teacher. He could speak English pretty well. It was so refreshing to be able to hear English for a bit. He talked about being in the Compassion program and it really helped me understand it better. I had no idea how much of an impact it makes on them. He said that two of his sponsors never wrote to him. When he said that, his entire expression changed. It made me realize how important it is to write to your sponsor child. He said that when he was younger and would get letters, he would go and show all his friends and they would read it together. If you have a sponsor child, please, please write to them regularly. You have no idea how much it means to them. It will change their lives. Well, that's all for now. Write comments and pray for the rest of the trip!

Kathleen

LDP,CSP, HIL

So, today we visited everywhere in Quito that was three letters long. I'll tell about each.

1> LDP is a program that Compassion Kids go into as they get older to get stronger education and things like that. We got to meet a few kids over dinner from LPD. We went to Extreme Response and had some Dominos Pizza. And I will tell you one thing that when you stay here for 4 weeks with not a slice of American food, it tastes really good to have some good ol' Domino's.

2>CSP is the Child Survival Project. This is for young kids. So basically kids can't get into Compassion until they are about 4 years old, and people we figuring out that a lot of kids weren't making it until they were old enough. So those "people" started Child Survival Project.

3>HIL is my version of HILL because I needed some more three letters to make the title sound good. I put hill because we went to a hill with a very awkward statue on top. When we got there I noticed what it was. It was a statue of Mary stepping on the devil's head. It was very awkward and I needed more stuff to write about. So there it is hope you like. If you read this please comment so I know how many people are actually reading. Thanks!


Matt

A recap of the first few days in Ecuador

The first few days down here have flown by! The travel day was long, and I have never been so happy to see my Aunt and Uncle and Cousins in my life! When the bus pulled up to the apartment the kids came running out to see us, it was great!

Sunday morning we went to church, it was an amazing time of worship, the message was a little hard to understand due to translation, but the music brought tears to my eyes, it was so genuine and different from anything in the States. We went to the mall for lunch, all i can say is that pizza hut never tasted better, sometimes little reminders of home are what you need! We then went to the park and played with some street kids, went to the market and then went to dinner. Once we got back to the house and the kids were asleep, Kathleen Elizabeth Aunt Michelle and I stayed up and talked for 3 hours!

Today we painted at the school and played soccer with the kids. It was great to get to meet some of the neighborhood kids and play with them. Let me just say that these kids are AMAZING at soccer and their young too!

Below is a picture of me with a little boy named Jimmy who I met at the school!

Much Love
Hannah

Soccer, Eric, and Pick Axes

We spent today working at Neuvos Amigos (that is probably spelled wrong). I helped paint railings with black aluminum paint, which I discovered you can't get off unless you use turpentine(again, probably spelled wrong). I also helped break up rocks in this little lot that they are going to put concrete in. Pick axes make you feel very empowered. During lunch we were planning what we wanted to do at the vbs we are holding on Friday. While we were talking, Aunt Michelle suddenly stood up and called "Eric!" in a very happy and surprised voice. I looked up and saw this little boy with an orange soccer jersey on standing on the top of the hill staring at us. When he saw Michelle he stretched out his arms and started coming down the hill. He instanly went over to us and started giving us hugs and high fives, not even knowing who we were. I noticed that he had his shoes on the wrong feet and his pinky finger on his left hand was deformed. This was Eric. I had been told about him before. He's mentally impaired and can't talk very well. This little kid changed my life. He is so loving and curious and wants to be around you all the time. Everything makes him laugh and when he does it makes you laugh too. I was taking a picture when I felt a little head next to mine. Eric's eyes boggled at my camera as his little hands reached towards it. I took it off my neck and placed it over Eric's, guiding his hands to the buttons. I was out of film, but he just loved looking through the lens and directing people to stand together for a shot. We played soccer with him and some other kids from the school. First off, kids in Ecuador are crazy good at soccer, and second, I've never had that much fun playing soccer in my life. This experience has blown me away, and it's only my third day here!
Kathleen

Playing with Street Kids

Wow, so many things have happened already on our second day here. Yesterday morning we went to a Spanish church service. What a huge difference from American church! The pastor waited outside the door and greeted everyone with a handshake and a kiss on the cheek if you were a girl. They love music. They sang with such a passion, I felt like crying the whole time. After that we went to a local park with Michelle Von Debshitz. Michelle is sort of acting as a translator and tourism guide for our group. Every Sunday from 2 til 3 she goes to the park and talks to street children. I met David and Guiermo. They shine shoes to earn money. They loved our cameras and loved taking pictures of us and themselves. They are very curious. At one point our group started a touch football game with some of the other kids in the park. We tried to get David and Guiermo to play but they refused. Michelle said it was because none of the kids playing with us were street kids, and they were embarrassed. That's when I noticed how serious they were for their age. They have to have street smarts or risk getting robbed. They carried their shoe shine kits as if they were buried treasure. When they go home at night, their parents don't pat them on the back and say good work today, they say how much did you earn? Seeing young children out working on the streets by themselves is so.......unreal. There are no parents around to help them. It's so different here. I had a special moment with David. I was sitting on the ground and he ran over and sat down next to me and pointed at my camera. Un photo? i asked him, Si Si! he responed with a big grin. He took pictures of me, Mallory, and him and I. He loved it! It was my first time trying to talk in Spanish to a local, and I think it went pretty well. After he took a picture of me I told him good job in Spanish and he smiled and giggled. Well Just wanted to keep everyone posted on the events that are happening here, it's been great so far! Thanks for all your prayers! Elizabeth

First Night!

Yesterday was my first night in Ecuador. The plane ride took about four hours and was pretty smooth for the most part. I didn't get uneasy until we were starting to descend. First off, we hit turbulence that was really bumpy, which kind of was unsettling. Second, we had to wear face masks when we got off the plane and couldn't take them off until we were out of the airport. Something about swine flu precautions. I also had to sign a paper that stated that I hadn't been sick in the past ten days. When we got out to the bus, Uncle Steve and Matt were waiting for us. I still couldn't comprehend that I was in a foreign country, over 2000 miles away from home. The bus was, interesting, to say the least. I kid you not, we were driving down the middle of a two lane road at very high speeds. It was so different looking out the window. One minute I was seeing stray dogs and run down buildings with grafitti, the next I was seeing a high rise apartment complex. We got to Aunt Michelle and Uncle Steve's apartment and all the kids came peeking out from behind the gate. Jonny ran full sprint toward me and jumped into my arms. I don't think I've ever been so grateful and happy to see them then that night. It was the best way to be welcomed to Ecuador. Now, this morning, I'm getting used to the altitude, taking pictures (because it's absolutely beautiful here), and getting ready for church. Viva Ecuador!
Kathleen

Tires

Today was our trip to climb the largest volcano in Quito, Cotopaxi. It was about an hour and a half drive to the park and a 45 minute drive through the mountains to get to the parking area. It was gorgeous. We saw wild horses, dogs and cows. By the time we got to the volcano, we knew that we didn't have enough clothing. We got out of the car made it about 20 feet, and Jon decided to look back and see how high we were. We could see nothing because we are literally in the clouds. It was raining and snowing and the wind was blowing like crazy. Jon got a bit scared and wanted to go back to the van. My mom Ellie and of course Jon went to the car. The rest of us went on another 20 feet and we all got knocked over by a gigantic wind gust. My smart dad (Mushe you are gonna love this if you are reading) didn't bring any warm clothes to the volcano except a long sleeve shirt, no hood, no hat NOTHING! So of course when that wind gust hit he started hollering like a little girl and went sprinting back to the car. We all lauhged and wisely followed. We decided it was too much and headed for the lake in the mountains. It was awesome. Then we came back home I noticed much more than on the way up. We drove through a poor little town that obviously had an addiction to TIRES. There were people selling tires and playing on them but what astonished me was the final site on the end of town. There was a tiny little shack on the end of town made completely out of tires. And the hardest part was that there was a poor old man sitting outside reading what looked like a newspaper from 400 years ago. Even though we didn't get to go tothe top of Cotopaxi it was still one of the saddest and funnest (if that's a word) weekend ever.

Unrest

In preparing for this trip, our finances were a major concern. Money was getting pretty tight when I remembered a debt from many years ago that I had never made right. So there we sat, ready to jeopardize our financial future to follow God's leading while I have this clear issue that I needed to address. I tried to argue with God that this was not the time to make amends. We really needed the money for this trip and, after all, 15 years had passed so what difference could another year make?

Well, I could not get any peace with that line of thinking and the time was drawing near, so we decided to pay it right away. If this trip was His will, He would work out the finances. But instead of being assured that we made the right decision, my unrest got worse. Whenever I tried to sort this out in my head, it was absolutely unbearable. It was as intense as getting too close to a roaring bonfire. I thought I might actually burst into flames. One day I was driving on the highway and I had to stop thinking about it because I thought I would crash. It was downright terrifying.

Finally, I cried out (more like yelled) "What is it, God? What am I missing here? I am trying to do the right thing, but things are getting worse!" Then it came to me. As a direct result of my actions, the amount of my debt was exactly double what I had originally remembered. This was really great. We are already planning on exhausting our entire savings account and suddenly this thing just doubled. But I now had great clarity. I called on Him and He answered. So I said "OK. Double it is." At that very moment I got a sense of peace like I have never known. Like a wave, it came over me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. It was one of the most powerful things I have ever felt in my life.

Right after this, I received the list of donations from our supporters and we were blown away. The financial issues were gone.

Extol Him

I have been studying Psalm 34 this week. It starts out like this:

I will extol the LORD at all times;
His praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

The way I read this, when God is moving in my world I need to tell somebody. My very core must be proclaiming His name and bragging about what He has done. And, yes, many may think I am nuts because they don't understand. But when my words reach the person that has lost all hope, it will be exactly what they need. And they will be blessed, simply because I have shared what God is doing in my life.

It continues in verse 3:

Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt His name together.

To me that is a clear call to grab a brother or sister and make sure the folks in your world know how you roll. Will you join me?

Things are looking up...

It has been a long week for us. Adam woke up sick last Saturday. I think he had the flu. You don't really need the details but after a few days I was beginning to get very concerned. The other night I asked Steve if it was bad that I wanted to go home. As a mom I just wanted to take Adam to HIS doctor and get OUR medicine from home and let him be in OUR house where he is comfortable. I really had to pray and let God be in control of the situation. That is one of those things that could put me over the edge if I let it. I am not a big worrier - unless it involves my children. So.....I prayed alot. The more I prayed the more at peace I was. This morning he woke up and was himself again. He is taking it easy - but feeling much better. Psalm 9:10-11 says "The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.." The Message says it this way: "God's a safe house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked." I am so glad that He is with me through the good and the bad. I could not have gotten through the issues with my mom's health or Adam's illness on my own, but with Him I am strong. Thank you Jesus.

Michelle

Cars

Ecuador is awkward when it comes to cars. There's are some very old some very new but here is a list of all the things that I've noticed that are different:
1>Half of them aren't even cars. There are more dirtbikes than there are cars. No motorcycles just dirtbikes.We saw a whole family once on A dirtbike. Here's how the order went from front to back. BABY son, Dad, Baby daughter, Mom. It was awsome.
2>The law doesn't state that you have to buckle. Since I've been in Ecuador I haven't touched a seat belt.
3>Seats can be backwards in a car. In one of Cesar's vans he has backwards seats.
4> People are allowed to pile in the back of pick-up trucks. There was a garbage truck, no bigger nor smaller than any of ours at home, had a guy on top of it holding down a tarp becuase it was raining. It was one of thase automatic trucks that are made to pick up dumpsters with the arms that lift it into the top. That's where the guy was holding it just flying down the road like he was surfing.
5>EVERY SINGLE CAR IS STICK SHIFT.

In conclusion to Ecuadorian cars I believe that these people are better driver's than my dad. These dudes could drive Nascar in their sleep. We all really feel safe not buclking in taxis becuase they are such good drivers.


P.S. Adam is felling better after being sick for a week. Also If any of my cousins are reading this, The Finley girls, I have finally figured out where you are going to sleep but you'll have to wait 'til you get here to find out where!?!?!?!?!? HA!

Ministering to street kids

We spent some time on Sunday afternoon with Michelle von Debschitz and a couple of her friends. She has been our local lifeline from the instant we landed, literally. Michelle is from Ohio and has been in Quito for like 5 years. She is truly a remarkable lady and has been called to serve the street children of Quito. But I am not talking about joining ranks with some established ministry and the security that comes with it. No, Michelle came here completely on her own and she is flying solo, building relationships in very challenging circumstances.

On the surface it may look like playing with kids in the park, but it is way more complicated than that. Michelle doesn't believe in playing it safe. She is out there on her own in some rough areas, making sure these precious children know that Jesus loves them. If you would like to get behind some street-level ministry to children that may have no other chance to know the Love of Christ, it would be my privilege to make the introduction. She is the real deal.

Holy Hill

This morning I was sitting on the roof reading Psalm 15:

Lord, who may dwell in your sanctury?
Who may live on your holy hill?

The rest of the Psalm lists the characteristics of such a man, then finishes:

He who does these things will never be shaken.

So I am reading that and saying "Yeah, that's what I want. Not to simply visit ocassionally, but to dwell in the presence of God, on His Holy Hill." Then I looked up to see this. Wow. Ever since I set foot in Quito I have longed to climb to the top, but this put a whole new perspective on it.

But then I noticed something else. On the left side there is a cable car known as the Teleferico. This contraption takes you to the top in about 8 minutes. It would probably take me all day to climb to the top, but this thing will wisk me there in minutes. Is this what my faith looks like sometimes? Do I want to take shortcuts and expect results, instead of spending the time that I know I should in prayer and study? Am I willing to do the hard work of growing my relationship with Him or am I looking for the easy way?

TreeHouse Kidz touching lives in Ecuador

The kids from TreeHouse Kidz (the children's ministry at RiverTree) have been collecting money to help the kids at Nuevos Amigos. We were able to use this money to purchase some books and puzzles that will go into the classrooms. The kids absolutely love books and they were very excited to receive them. Here is a short video of the occasion.

Way to go TreeHouse Kidz! Because of the money you earned and collected, these kids have some great new books to enjoy. Awesome job!

Moving Day

We moved into our "permanent" residence today. Packing, moving and unpacking 7 people makes for a long day. Once we got settled in, I went up to the roof to check out the surroundings. Its an Ecuador thing, but most buildings here have a roof that is more like a porch. The sun was setting, the clouds cleared and we were treated to some amazing sights. Truly breathtaking. Thank you God.

Another room done

We finished painting another room this week. Then we cleaned up and moved desks, shelves and computers. We enlisted some local help (Byron, Joel and Eric) and made some time for a little love too.