Ecuador 2010

Homeward Bound

2010-07-31T21:20:00.000-07:00

We are home. We are safe. The journey went well with no real problems but one crazy sprint in Miami. Praise God for all He has done in and through us. I look forward to sharing a bit more later as we all begin to process the experience we had. Please continue to pray for the team as we deal with adjusting back to life here. For some it is a very difficult process. Most are back to work Tuesday and Hannah is off to camp for a month starting tomorrow. I get a bit of R&R for a week and then head off to Camp IAWAH for a week. Thank you for following. It has been a pleasure to share with all of you.

Blessings,

Jeremy (a.k.a. Rue_Meridian)

Homeward Bound

2010-07-31T03:26:00.000-07:00

Well we are sitting here in the Quito airport waiting for our flight to Miami. What an experience we have all had. We are tired and weary but so thankful for the opportunity we have all had to be here in Ecuador. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey with us. I think it will take us some time to process everything that we have seen, felt and experienced but it will be time well spent.

Yesterday we had an awesome day of relaxation at the Papallacta Hot Springs. It was a much needed rest after an extremely packed schedule. These springs are fed directly from a nearby volcano and they did wonders to relax our muscles and ease the tension. Saying goodbye to the kids and workers was difficult but I am glad we are on our way home.

It's a short one today because I am really tired and we are going to be boarding soon. Pray for our return flights. I have NEVER travelled home from Ecuador without a problem. The first time we were delayed 16 hours in the airport and the second time we we held over night but thankfully in a hotel. Our transfer time in Miami is extremely tight and I am a little concerned but God is in control and will see us through.

Oh...I forgot to mention one last thing that we did last night. Everyone, except the bald youth pastor (even Alicia...ha ha), got lice from the kids at the home. Most of yesterday was spent shampooing and picking and combing. I am glad, for once, that I was NOT part of the group. I think we got all of the little critters out.

Blessings everyone!

Jeremy

Get Comfy - - this is a long one

2010-07-28T16:54:00.000-07:00

Only a few more of these left before we begin our journey back to Canada. What a trip this has been. It seems that God is constantly doing things that just leaves me standing still thinking upon his greatness. Here is an example.

Last night we headed into San Lorenzo for our final kids program. While the games were going on a group of us wandered around the community and handed out maple syrup candies to everyone that we saw. It was a neat opportunity to just meet the people briefly and share a little of Canada with them. When we got back to the main square where everything was happening there were more kids than ever before. It was amazing to stand back and see the team engaged with this community in so many ways. The success of this program was certainly a surprise to most of us but also a huge lesson in trust. Trust that God can use us to change the world one life at a time even when we don’t think it is possible or do not feel prepared. After the games we headed up to the church for the songs and message. I had the privilege of sharing that evening and I talked a little bit about God’s love and how he demonstrated his love for us by sending his son.

Here’s the really cool part. After the chaos that is snack time I was approached by one of the local teenagers, Diego, and he began to ask me about God and faith and Christianity. Huge questions. Life changing questions. He explained, through Lili acting as translator, that he felt like he was at a junction in his life where he could turn one way, to evil, or the other way, to good. At the same time David was speaking with another young man who had approached him with tears in his eyes. His name was Jonathan and he told David that he could see that we were all beautiful people and we made him want to love God more. He was really upset that we were going to have to leave and that he would miss us tremendously. We talked a bit more with the guys and then decided that it would be good to talk some more. Most of the group went back to La Cueva to spend some time praying for us while Lili, David and I went in the church and spent the next 2 hours discussing God and his love for us and tackling some of the big questions that they had. Six teenage guys in total went upstairs to talk.

Afterwards we gave them hugs and wrote down their names. We have planned to meet them at La Cueva tonight to continue talking with them. As Lili, David and I walked back at 10:00 p.m. we were simply amazed at the opportunity that God has given us to share his love with those around us. We ask you once again for your prayers as we continue to talk with them. Pray that there eyes would be opened to see how much God loves them and how he desires a relationship with the. It is a challenge to share these things with them especially when we don’t have all of the answers but gratefully we know someone who does. Just so you know there names are: Diego, Jonathan, Joan, Klever, Flavio, and Pedro. We will be sad when it is time to say goodbye but are thankful for even this brief opportunity to share with them.

Today we spent the day at Pacoche finishing up the brick walls and other projects around the church. We are just getting set up for the kids club before heading back to La Cueva for dinner. It has been a blessing to do this physical work for the church here and help as they strive to reach out the the community around them. Only one more day until we head back to Quito for a little R&R and then we jump on a plane for Canada. We look forward to sharing with you our experiences here and some of the 5000 pictures that have been taken.

Oh and by the way. Today is sunny. What a blessing. Ocean waves...here we come!

It is Wednesday, July 28th, 2010 at 6:00 a.m. and I sit here at La Cueva watching the sun rise and hearing the ocean surf pound the cliffs in the background. I have been awake for an hour. There is too much going on in my mind to allow me to sleep. Too many emotions that flood my heart on this, our last day, here in San Lorenzo. That may sound dramatic to some of you and maybe it is but I do know that each of us are leaving this place changed. How can you not be when you see the things we have seen or experienced the things we have experienced? I know many of us face our return with a mixture of happiness, fear and sadness. Happiness because we are tired. It has been a long road full of twists and turns with plenty of emotional days thrown in for good measure. Happy because of the family and friends we will once again be able to see. Happy because we will be able to share the amazing things that God has done on this trip with each of you. Fear because we are unsure of what is to come. How will we deal with being back? How will we cope with the mixture of abundance and dissatisfaction in Canada when we have seen those with so little smile? How will we be able to truly explain what God has done with us here? Sadness because we will miss so many that we have grown to love. Those beautiful children and teenagers that have touched our lives. Through hugs, kisses and smiles they have torn down the barriers that we often put in our heart and have so completely changed us as a result. Sadness because we will miss being together as a team. Of daily encouraging each other as we take each step in this life for our God. We desire, I know, to bring this intimacy home and somehow effect a change in those around us. Sadness because we will say goodbye to the missionaries and leaders that have so deeply impacted us as they serve the Lord here in Ecuador.

I am excited for what the future will hold for each person that has been a part of this. I am also excited to see the impact this trip has on the many, many people that have journeyed with us through this blog and in their thoughts and prayers. I don’t know who has been reading this. I don’t know where you stand with your belief in God. I trust that some of the things written here has caused you to think about the deeper things. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by those fleeting things that are like vapor. We have seen God work mightily on this trip and that would be our prayer for each one of you. That you would allow God to work in you.

I know this post is a long one but please bear with me. I have one further thing to share and it brings me such incredible joy to do so.

In Luke 15:8-10 Jesus says, “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Last night there was a lot of rejoicing in Heaven.

Three of the teenagers we had spoken with the night before, Diego, Klever and Jonathan and one new one (I forget his name) arrived at La Cueva last night at 7:00 p.m. to continue the discussion that was started the night before. We had also invited the Pastor from the church in Pacoche to meet the guys and share with them. Long story short. The Pastor open the Bible and walked them through a few verses (Romans 3:23; 6:23, John 14:6 and Acts 4:12) that talk about our condition and God’s provision. He asked them tough questions and was open and honest with them about his life and faith. He had them read the bible and share what they thought and if they had questions. In the end three of these guys received the gift of salvation that God offers to all who will accept. Last night we embraced Diego, Jonathan and Klever as brothers. Please pray for them. Please also pray for Jinjo. He left with more questions. Pray that he continues to search out the truth.

We started the San Lorenzo program two weeks ago with a step of faith. We didn’t know what we were doing and what kind of impact we would have. We trusted that God would allow us, in some way, to make a difference. We leave this place knowing that God is at work and that he delights in using people like us. We are in awe of this. There is so much more that can be done here in San Lorenzo. Pray for this town. Pray for these people. Pray, pray, pray.

A Challenging Day

2010-07-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

You know when you experience something so outside your comfort zone that you cannot begin to describe the experience? When you see something so profoundly moving that it leaves you breathless? That is how, in a few words, to describe what we saw and experienced today. How can I begin to describe it? I have barely begun to process it (and I know this is felt throughout the team). We are back at La Cueva enjoying some soup...tired...physically and emotionally. And we are just preparing to head to San Lorenzo for one last time. We appreciate your prayers. While these days and experiences are tough it is amazing to see God moving...to see him provide in even small ways for those who are his children. I am sure there will be a time when we will all be able to describe today's experiences but for now I will just share some pictures with you. A few of them are images of lighter times in the day and a few display the conditions some of "the least of these" work in. I will not comment on the photos as we have to get going. Thank you for your prayers and thank you for being an integral part of this journey.

La Playa

2010-07-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Thanks for following the blog and for your words of encouragement. This has been an amazing trip for all of us and while we will be glad to get home and once again see the sun I know it is going to be difficult these next few days as we start to say our goodbyes. Before I share a bunch of photos from today's festivities I thought I would share with you what a normal days schedule looks like. I know it's bit late in the game but I figured some of you might like to hear what our days have been like time wise. I'll be brief.

7:30 a.m. - Devotions: This has been a particularly encouraging time for all of us as we begin each day listening to what God has for us. Each member of the team has taken a turn leading devotions. After that we split off into pairs and spend about 45 minutes just sharing and praying for each other. We are with different pairs every day and, I believe, this has been a crucial element in maintaining team unity and building deep, encouraging relationships.

8:30 a.m. - Breakfast: Jorge, the owner of 'La Cueva' (www.la-cueva.com), and his wife prepare breakfast for us everyday. We have been treated to fresh juice and fruit every morning along with special treats like French Toast with Real Maple Syrup! Soe of the food in the morning has been...interesting...buns with Ecuadorian cheese. You either like it or hate it. Personally I think it is nasty. Jeff's favourite was the scrambled eggs with hot dogs! All in all, however, the food has been great.

9:30 a.m. - Work Projects and Time with the kids: Pretty self explanatory.

12:00 p.m. - Lunch: We eat lunch up at Montanita Verde. We have split up into two groups of five and switch back and forth between the houses. This is a really special time for us as we get to share meals with the kids and the house parents. The funds we provide lunch also goes to help feeding the kids and the families. The food has been really good and has always included rice and plantains!

4:30 p.m. - Home & Dinner: Back to 'La Cueva' for supper. From this point we either stay here and do devotions or we head into San Lorenzo to do the kids club.

(Here are the alternative schedules)

6:00 p.m. - San Lorenzo: The nights we do the club we try and get into town for 6:00 p.m.

9:00 p.m. - Devotions: A crucial time for the group to spend time in God's Word and to talk with each other about the day and debrief.

10:00 p.m. - Bed: Need I say more?

With no San Lorenzo we are usually done around 8:30 p.m. This is just a general schedule. Some days are completely different but that at least gives you an idea of what our days are like.

Today was different. We went to church and then hung out with the kids the beach until around 3:00 p.m. This is an awesome time for us to be able to hang out with these beautiful children and just have fun. Waves, sand and soccer (the sun made a brief appearance although it's affects were felt even through the clouds).

I'm not going to say much about our time there but here are a bunch of pictures of our time there.

Blessings.

Our team leader Paul Fernane keeping a careful watch over the kids, most of whom cannot swim, playing in the ocean. Little Jose is grabbing some much needed warmth. I thought this was a beautiful picture.

We can hardly call this young man little anymore. Many of us were quite shocked at how much Luisito (who now prefers Luis) has grown over the past two years. Here he is enjoying some time on the body board.

The kids being driven back to the orphanage at the end of the day. I would like everyone to know that we have a strict no standing rule in our truck (although there are times when we drive slowly through town to get pictures and only one at a time). Just thought I would inform you all in case some get worried that's how we travel.

Jose enjoying the feeling of being buried. Some of us think his smile looks like the Cheshire cat from 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Hannah playing around with Brenda at the beach. Hannah played with the kids in the ocean for an epic hour and a half...she will sleep well tonight.

Not the beach. This was taken in San Lorenzo on Friday during the kids club. Amanda has grown very close to this little girl, Analise, who now comes running through the streets when we get there to give Amanda a hug. Amanda has shared with us that it will be hard to say good bye. Amazing that you can become so attached in such a short time. We are all so thankful we stepped out in faith and began the San Lorenzo kids club. It has blessed us immeasurably to be involved with the people there.

The ladies enjoying the day (Alicia, Amanda and Hannah).

Alicia keeps careful watch over two girls. These two cannot swim but LOVE the ocean. I think Alicia is part fish because every opportunity we have to be in the ocean she is there playing in the waves with a big smile on her face.

We have some good lifeguards watching over us. Here we see Miller keeping a careful eye on those playing in the surf.

Another pic of the fine group of lifeguards we take with us! ;)

What would a day at a South American beach be without a friendly game of football. Good times.

That's it! I hope you enjoyed the schedule and the photos. Please be praying for us as we finish our time here and wrestle with the emotions of saying goodbye to both the wonderful people here and to the team. We have all grown quite fond of each other and have been so thankful for the unity and friendship that we have enjoyed. Monday is going to be especially challenging as we head into Manta for a work project at the project in the dump. I think it will be difficult for us to see and experience this but also a blessing to bring, even a little, to people who have almost nothing.

Thanks for taking this journey with us. Your thoughts and prayers are a huge reason things have been going so well. We continue to be challenged and are excited to see what the future will hold for the people here and for us as God daily works to transform us into the kind of people that will change this world through His love.

J

Opportunities

2010-07-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Time plods on and as we begin to look towards the end of our trip approaching we reflect on all of the opportunities that we have had to serve God and have our eyes opened to the needs of those around us. We are all, each in our own way, so thankful for this opportunity to participate in this trip. I am not going to try and write a lot today but instead let some of the photos from these past few days share with you our experiences. We hope all of you continue to enjoy journeying with us and we thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers. Everyone is safe, albeit really wet, and relatively healthy (only a few sniffles and coughs here and there).

Work Projects

Alicia’s Interesting Technique

Alicia demonstrates how to creatively paint the ceiling of the boys room.

The Man

What more can I say? Christian demonstrates how to look tough and rugged with a kitten hanging off his shirt. These pictures are a result of a much needed ‘laughter break’ while moving dirt on a rainy day.

The Men

Christian and Joshua filling a hole to prepare to pour concrete next week.

The Team

Alicia, Dawna and José working hard (well José has taken up more of a supervisory role but they have really enjoyed hanging out with the beautiful and energetic little boy. José has been here for almost a year and a half and has come from a really difficult situation. His mom died when he was young and then several years ago his Father dies of aids and then a year and a half he was at the hospital with his aunt, his only remaining caretaker, when she died. He lived in the hospital for 6 days before people realized that there was no one looking after him. He was then brought to the Foundation by the police and has been here since. Those who have been working with him have said that it has been amazing to see the love of God break down barriers and give this little guy hope).

The Boy

David painting the ceiling in the kitchen.

San Lorenzo Project

Here are a few more pictures of the amazing opportunity we have had to work with the kids of San Lorenzo. I think out of everything that we have done this has been the most unique and challenging experience for the team.

Beauty and Poverty

Three children pose for their photo with the town of San Lorenzo in the background.

4 Square

Jeff playing 4 Square with a bunch of the guys in the streets of San Lorenzo. This has become a popular favorite with the kids.

Love

Hannah and a bunch of the kids sharing hugs for a photo opportunity.

Worship

The team leading worship at the local church

Food...a universal language

After the message we provide some snacks for the kids. It usually consists of a couple of bottles of pop and some cookies. We have the kids line up and we hand them out. We are still getting upwards of 60 kids each night and have had some amazing opportunities to share the love of God with them.

Undivided Attention

Alicia listening to Lili share her testimony n Spanish with the kids.

Hanging with the Kids

Yesterday we were surprised by Paul when he came to pick us up in the morning. I guess all of the high schooler youth had the day off of school so he brought them down with him and we were able to spend the morning hanging out. We decided to hike up to the lighthouse overlooking the town of San Lorenzo and then spent the rest of the morning playing soccer on the beach and swimming in the ocean. It gave an awesome opportunity for us to connect with them and a few, that speak spanish, had some amazing chances to listen to the deep issues that these precious ones harbor within their hearts. In the afternoon we also had the opportunity to travel into Manta to visit kids from two families that used to live at the home but were subsequently placed with their families. It was a blessing to take a brief moment to reconnect and to tell them that we love them.

The Journey

Football

We decided to even out the teams to make it fair. 8 of us versus 4 of them. We lost.

Muy Guapo

David hanging out with Sirlendy and Jessenia during our walk up the tower.

San Lorenzo - a bird’s eye view

A picture of the town we have called home for the past 2 weeks and have grown to love.

Jorge Luis

One of the young men that has touched my heart deeply enjoying the surf.

Manta

Walking through Manta with Carlos and Eugenio two guys from a family of four that used to call Montanita Verde Home. It was good for us to reconnect with these kids and I know it meant a lot to them. We walked down the street and bought them all some ice cream. Continue to pray for them, and for their sisters Tanya and Tuti, that daily adjust to being back home.

Thanks everyone. There isn’t much to say about today. We are up at the home completing various work projects and hanging out with the kids. The ‘mist of death’ is crazy bad today so we are limited in what we can get done but we do what we are able. Tonight we will head back into San Lorenzo before supper and put on the kids club. Only one more after this on Monday. Thanks again for your prayers. A week left until we begin our journey home! Peace.

Exploration of Purpose

2010-07-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

So here I sit in Paul and Susan’s house watching the ‘mist of death’ roll through the property of the children’s home thinking about how I can best explain the work that we are doing here. Sure I can share more pictures (which, I assure you, I will be doing right after this entry) but that doesn’t really demonstrate the impact that this trip is having on our lives and on the lives of those we are working with. Sometimes seeds of self doubt creep in and we can begin to ask ourselves if this journey was really worth it. It is a blessing, I think, to have God gently remind us that it is, indeed, worth it. Yesterday Hannah, Alicia and I sat with Susan and we started talking about the impact the teams have on the ministry here. One thing stuck out and I thought I would share it with you. One of the ways that the funds we raise are used is to employ two local workers to labor alongside us and complete the various tasks that need to be done around San Lorenzo, Pacoche and the children’s home. The money that is given provides steady employment for these two men, Pablo and Flores, while the teams are here and for some time afterwards. Last year there was only two months that there was a lack of finances to employ them. These men work to provide for their families which, all together, number ten people. So in just this one small but profound way we are able to impact these families who would otherwise struggle to find employment. Thank you to everyone for their love, prayers and support. It is awesome for us to find out the ways in which God uses teams like ours to provide for the physical needs of the people we have come to serve. In meeting their physical needs there is then the opportunity for those here to provide for the spiritual needs. There are so many other stories like that one, so many ways, seen and unseen, that God has been using us and other teams. It is exciting to be a part of something like this even when, at times, we feel as if we are not accomplishing much. In times like these we must trust that God has a plan for us even when we can’t see it. There is comfort in that.

So with that said let me share some of the pictures from the last few days. There are not that many but the ones that I have chosen should hopefully demonstrate to you why we have labeled the weather here at the home, “the mist of death”. I have heard that many of you in Canada have been enjoying quite nice, sunny days. It is...ummm...less than that here. So far we have seen the sun three times. It is cold, wet and muddy. But you know, weather like this makes for some good pictures and, as my parent’s would say, it builds character. We will have lots when we come home. And in the end, though there are difficult days, we are having a blast here.

Let me Introduce you to the Mist of Death

Here we see Jeff and Joshua working hard laying bricks for the retaining walls. A necessary project in order to stop erosion from washing away the hills that the Childrens Home is sitting on. As you can see it is very wet and very muddy. These guys were troopers working out in this all day. Out here the mist hangs over the home for around 3 months. This is part of the reason the jungle that surrounds us is so vibrant and lush.

The Aftermath

The boys at the end of the day joined by Pablo. As you can see they were less than dry. I believe, when we returned home to San Lorenzo, they all just ran into the ocean fully clothed humming the Star Wars theme song. Good times.

Michelangelo has Nothing on this Guy

Some of us worked inside and were, for the most part, able to avoid “the mist of death”. Here David, along with me behind the camera, spent the day painting one of the boys rooms as well as the kitchen.

The Day After

The next day, after finishing up at the home, we traveled to Pacoche to complete some more work projects and prepare for the kids club. Here David demonstrates his incredible skill at cutting bricks with his trowel. Six of us spent the day building three separate walls in the church. Some may disagree but Hannah and I were very efficient and effective wall builders.

The Chain

Unloading bricks at the church in Pacoche in preparation for the wall building epicness.

Team Work

Everybody getting involved in building the first wall. In the foreground Alica sits soaking the bricks in water. This helps the cement adhere to them when we lay the lines of the wall.

Christian and Luis

My brother and Luis, one of the kids we met two years ago, sitting listening to the story presentation at the kids club.

The Kids Club

The awesome ministry to the children at Pacoche. This club was started just over a year ago and there have been some incredible things come out of it at the church strives to reach out to the local community. It has been a blessing to be able to help out where we can with this ministry.

Music Team

David, Lili, Joshua, Jeff and Hannah have been a real blessing as we have sought to minister in different areas providing musical ministry sometimes with little or no preparation or warning. Here they lead the singing time, in Spanish, at the kids club.

God Bless Everyone...

Rain and Shine (Monday and Tuesday)

2010-07-20T16:55:00.001-07:00

This post was difficult. Move along, there is nothing to see here.

Pool Side Ministry

2010-07-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

We had an awesome day with the kids today at a local pool in Manta. After church we packed up the whole children's home into three separate vehicles and headed into town. It's a really special time for the kids as they don't get that many chances to swim in a pool. It's funny, something we take completely for granted becomes something so special when the normal becomes the special. So that's what we did...played and played and played. Oh, and we also ate some cow hoof soup for lunch. The broth was awesome but the giant chunk of cow hoof was less than yummy (the skin and hair did NOT look appetizing). So here's some pictures of the day. I am a big believer in using the photos because it means less typing for me. Enjoy.

Thoughts from David

2010-07-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

The past couple of days have been fairly relaxing. We’ve had the chance to spend a lot of time with the kids which has been awesome. Yesterday (Friday) the guys went to Pacoche for an hour or so to move some lumber while the girls prepared some crafts to be use at Sunday school and for VBS (vacation bible school). It was fairly easy and didn’t take long and before we knew it we were back at the orphanage hanging out with the kids. It was good bonding time with the kids. House 1 is pretty empty right now as 6 of the kids are at home with their parents until tomorrow (sunday) and Anita, one of the oldest girls is on a missions trip in Quito which is really cool to see. It’s awesome to see one of the people we came to serve two years ago going out to serve others. I spent some time getting to know some of the older kids yesterday and today which was cool as I wasn’t able to connect with them as much last trip. After spending the afternoon just hanging out with the kids yesterday we came back to La Cueva for dinner. It wasn’t long after we were done dinner before we went back to the orphanage and got to spend the evening with the kids. Jeremy and Christian got a bonfire going (with the help of a little gasoline...yes we are all alive and ok) and we made hot chocolate for the kids, sang some worship songs, and I shared a little bit with the kids about why we’re here. After a good night of bonding with the kids we were all pretty wiped so we went to bed.

Today was the jungle hike with the kids which was a lot of fun. Dayana and Leo, two of the kids who were at the orphanage last trip but who moved when Peter and Juanita (the old house parents) left came with us, along with Alexis (Peter and Juanita’s son). It was kind of hard to see them for such a short period of time but it was really good to see them and to get to hear how they’re doing. It was a bit emotional for some people to get to see the kids they bonded so closely with. Alexis led one tour through the jungle, as he studied to be a tour guide in school, and a local led another group. We saw lots of cool plants, some monkeys and a tarantula that Alexis picked up and Christian posed with for a photo. After the hike we went to the beach with the kids and played for a couple hours. It’s been amazing reconnecting with the kids that some of us got to know and love (as some of the kids are actually the same age as people on the team) and building relationships with the kids who are new here.

Productivity (Part 2)

2010-07-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

The other ministry that we have been involved with here in Ecuador is one that we felt burdened to start in the town we are staying in, San Lorenzo (Please note that in yesterdays blog I mentioned the kids club. This was in the town of Pacoche NOT San Lorenzo). This time in San Lorenzo has been such a blessing for the team to be involved in. Since I last mentioned it we have gone two more times with about 60 kids and teens participating. This is especially encouraging to us as before the snack time we have a small gospel presentation. The first time it was Lili, then David shared why he was in Ecuador and last night it was Christian. The night runs like this: we arrive by about 6:00 p.m. and the kids come running from all over the place. It is quite the sight. Once they all gather we start a bunch of activities. Some people do skip rope, Josh teaches some of the kids guitar, others play soccer in the street with a bunch of the teen guys (who are stupid good and make us look silly), Hannah has the kids line up and gives them an opportunity to try her violin (the smiles on their faces are worth more than gold) and last night Jeff taught a bunch of the younger boys how to play four square. After the games we gather everyone together and walk to a nearby church and have a brief message followed by a time of snacks. What is awesome about this is that it wasn’t planned for us by anyone. Some in the group felt we needed to use the time we had in San Lorenzo better and we got together and created this program. Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Preacher Man

This is a photo of David sharing his testimony at the San Lorenzo outreach we have been doing. It was an awesome opportunity for David to share why he was here in Ecuador and to tell everyone about the love that God has for them.

They Love Photos

Here Amanda is swarmed by a bunch of the kids. They absolutely love getting their pictures taken and as soon as the camera comes out they run over and ask.

Guitar Lessons

As soon as Joshua gets to San Lorenzo he sits down and is flooded by tons of kids wanting to listen and to learn how to play the guitar.

San Lorenzo

Just one of many photo’s of the children of San Lorenzo.

They Love Photos (Part 2)

Here Lili gets swarmed for a photo opportunity.

Music is the Universal Language

One of the huge attractions with our group is Hannah and her violin. Often times she will have a huge line of kids queued up for an opportunity to play her violin. She has demonstrated a huge amount of trust and patience and to see the looks on the kids faces as they ‘make music’ is a beautiful thing.

Pacoche Church

A group shot at the church in Pacoche that we have been using for our program.

The Group

More photos of some of the boys from San Lorenzo.

Mi Esposa

My wife, Amanda, getting in some snuggle time with one of the boys from San Lorenzo. It is amazing to see how we have been received in this community. There has been some tough things and a few struggles but ultimately we have been embraced with open arms as we try and reach out to San Lorenzo. Please pray for this ministry as we will have a few more opportunities next week.

And finally here is a picture of our whole group (excluding me as someone needed to take the photo) in one of the ocean coves we explored yesterday during some much needed down time.

Thank you once again, everyone, for your thoughts and prayers as we endeavor to do God’s work here in Ecuador. We are being challenged tremendously by the things that we are seeing and experiencing and we have only been here for a little over a week.

Productivity

2010-07-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

It has been two days since the last update and I will do my best to fill all of you in on the stuff that we have been doing. I have decided that instead of writing a HUGE post about everything that has happened I will post a bunch of pictures and briefly comment about each one of them. That way you will get to SEE the amazing things that we have been a part of. The pictures have been mixed up a bit so they will NOT be in chronological order. I hope you enjoy the journey.

There have been two main places we have been involved in the last few days. A town called ‘Pacoche’ where we were engaged in various work projects to help out the local school and church and ‘San Lorenzo’ where we continued with the street program we started last Monday.

‘Pacoche’

Hannah’s Benches

A very proud Hannah holding up the two benches she fixed on her own. They were busted apart and she figured out how to reinforce the legs and proceeded to complete the project with just a little help cutting the wood!

Rebar

Jeremy and Alicia wearing the appropriate safety equipment cutting pieces of rebar for one for the windows being built at the local school. The team was at the school and church for two days completing several projects. At the school some were giving the task of building windows and doors to help secure a building that is being used. It is not an easy task but the community is extremely grateful for both our help and the funds to complete these tasks.

Sanding

The other project the rest of us did was sand down many, many tables and benches in order to prepare them to be lacquered. This was a huge blessing to the church who uses these table for both the Sunday School program and a Tuesday afternoon kids club that draws out 60 - 70 kids and moms. Here David, Amanda and Alicia show off their mad sanding skills and demonstrate the always fashionable dust mask.

Independence Day

After careful instruction, a safety briefing, monitoring and assistance Alicia tried her hand at using a skill saw for the first time. (Please note: this picture was for demonstration purposes only. Proper safety equipment was used during the actual cutting process).

A Blessing

At the church one of the projects some completed was to paint one of the rooms in the pastors house. This was an incredible blessing to the pastors wife who had no idea that we were going to do this. For the rest of the day she kept thanking us and had a huge smile on her face. Here we see Dawna applying her significant artistic skills to what was a nasty looking white wall. What a difference some color makes!

Sanding...and sanding...and sanding

Here David and Amanda sand down old pieces of reclaimed wood to use as bars in some of the windows. The people here use whatever material is available to complete some of the most amazing tasks. Things that we would just throw on the curb to be wasted in a land fill they use to the greatest effectiveness.

Kids Club (San Lorenzo)

Here Hannah, Joshua, David, Lili and Susan Fernane (one of the missionaries working here with Extreme Response) provide music leadership at the kids club in San Lorenzo. What looks simple is not. Trying to sing spanish worship songs that you barely know takes patience and skill.

Kids Club (San Lorenzo)

Here we see one table of kids at the club. It is an awesome outreach opportunity for the church that provides, once a week, a musical program, a message, a snack, and a craft. What started out as a grassroots project has blossomed into a full fledged ministry.

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW...

Photos - Third Time is the Charm! PART 2

2010-07-13T17:07:00.001-07:00

Photos - Third Time is the Charm!

2010-07-13T17:00:00.001-07:00

Additional Photos from today

2010-07-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

The Beginning

2010-07-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

What an awesome opportunity it is to be a part of the work here at Montanita Verde Children’s Home. This is my third time here and each time I come back I find myself falling deeper in love with the people and the place. I can honestly say that after only 4 days here many of the team have developed lasting feelings for the beautiful children that call this place home.

Today we awoke with the anticipation of being able to do two things: spend time with the kids and begin some of the work projects we will be engaged in this trip.

We began our day by splitting our team up into two separate groups. Then each group went to one of the homes, Casa Jerusalem or Casa Shalom, to spend some time just hanging out with the kids. It is an awesome opportunity to just be with them and try, with the little spanish most of us have, to connect with these precious little ones. My group taught some of the kids how to play a card game called, “Gang of Four” and “Yahtzee”. It was a great time of laughter and friendly competition.

One of the young women on our trip, Hannah Jonker, also had an opportunity to take out her violin and play for the kids. Several of the girls really enjoyed this. Afterwards she had the opportunity to assist them in playing the violin. Seeing the smiles on their faces as they made music was an extremely amazing moment. One young woman, Anita, has always wanted to learn how to play but has never had the opportunity. She said her heart was beating so fast when she saw the instrument.

After that time we broke up into other groups and began our work projects. There were three main projects we engaged in today. The first was scrapping off old lacquer from bamboo railings around the home and re-lacquering them. It was a hot and difficult job but it was great to see the results at the end of the day. A special thanks to Dawna Harris, Alicia Hofland, David Hill and Joshua Smith who were troupers in getting this job partially done. The next job was painting a tin roof with special paint that will help keep it durable and fight against rust. Christian Sauvé and Lili Mejia took this job under their wings and got it half done as well as an unimaginable amount of green paint on the arms. We are assured it should rub off in a few weeks. Finally a group consisting of Hannah Jonker, Amanda Sauvé, Jeff Cavill, Joshua Smith and late game ringer David Hill received a lesson from the local workers (whose names I dare not spell) on how to lay bricks. With this newfound knowledge they worked hard all day in building a crucial retaining wall that will greatly assist in fighting erosion around the home.

We are now sitting here at La Cueva tired, hungry and preparing to head back into San Lorenzo for a group planned kids club. We felt a burden, as a group, to use our time more wisely and looked for an opportunity to reach out to the local community. We met and devised a plan. So in a little under an hour we will walk into San Lorenzo call in the streets for the kids to come out and play some games, sing some songs, give a brief bible lesson about the crucifixion and then provide some snacks. We are told it could be upwards of 100 kids so we are not really sure what to expect. This is an exciting opportunity for us because it is being done in conjunction with a new church in San Lorenzo and we were told that this has never been done before. We hope to do this several more times before we leave.

For all of the parents and friends: we are all safe and most of us are all getting healthy again. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers as we journey together.

Worship & Waves

2010-07-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

Everyone made it to breakfast today despite some rough starts from Jeremy's cold that has been passed along, although Jeremy is feeling much better! He is now known as the carrier monkey. After breakfast we left for the church in Pacoche around 8:15 on the back of Paul's truck and arrived to see all the kids running about happily. Church was a really great experience for those who had been there before, and for the newbies. One particularly interesting thing was a guest guitarist with his son on the keyboard, compared our usual A Capella services. Even though most of us didn't know the words that we were singing, we could still feel God in the voices of the group and the children, "Tu Estas Aqui" (You are here). The service also had a guest speaker, a missionary from Mexico with his wife and child. He spoke on 2 Kings 4:1-9 about how we are like oil, serving other peoples needs (As explained by Lili after the sermon to those who couldn't understand).

After the service we headed over San Lorenzo to go to the beach, singing a familiar chant "Vamos a la playa, a comer papaya". This means, "We're going to the beach to eat papaya", a fun song that the kids like to sing. At the beach we swam in the waves, but only for a short time, while our lunch was being prepared at a nearby restaurant. We all had a fun time at the restaurant hanging out with the kids before heading out to hit the waves again. When we returned the waves were much larger than before, but that didn't slow the kids! What it meant was that we had to be more watchful since many couldn't swim. One favourite game of one particular child, Jacqueline, was hold on to David and Joshua's hand and let the waves crash into her. She seemed never to tire while David and Josh had to switch out with Christian and Jeremy for a break. Since many got tired of the ocean, they decided to instead bury Jeremy, Jorgé, Alicia! And then adorning with leaves and feathers.

After making a final five minute call, the kids headed back to Montanita Verde while most of us walked along the beach home. The weather has been gorgeous, it was sunny all day yesterday! Today was overcast but that didn't stop it from giving us some burns. When we returned to La Cueva, we had a group meeting to make plans to reach out to the kids in the community of San Lorenzo, and schedule things so that we would have time to rest but be able to get many things done.

That's about all for today, other then having some chicken noodle soup to settle some upset stomachs!

All The Best,

~_~_~_~David & Joshua

Additional Photos from today

2010-07-10T17:38:00.001-07:00

Stark Reality and New Experiences

2010-07-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

What a couple of days we have had in Ecuador. Where do I start? Thursday morning we woke up well rested but still feeling the effects of the altitude. The plan for the day was for us to have breakfast and then pack up and head to the Zambiza Child Care Center. This is a ministry run by a local pastor supported by Extreme Response serving the needs of those who work in the Zambiza dump. It is a stark contrast to the opulence we are used to in North America but such a blessing to see. Workers can drop their children off for the day and they will receive two meals, diapers and partake in activities and lessons. All of this is offered free to the families. In all of it Christ is preached. Meeting their physical needs gives them the opportunity to present the answer to their spiritual needs. This was my third time to this place and it still resonates within my heart as deeply as the first time. As soon as we entered the building we were surrounded by a group of children shouting, “Hola! Hola! Hola!” We stayed for an hour and did some crafts with the children. It was an awesome experience for the whole team and one that I am sure will be imprinted on their hearts and minds for a long, long time. We then headed to the airport and boarded a plane to Manta to finish the remaining part of our journey to San Lorenzo. After an uneventful trip we finally arrived at La Cueva, our home for the next 3 weeks; excited and exhausted.

Today we awoke with the anticipation born from the reality that we were going to travel to Montanita Verde Children’s Home to meet the many children that live there. We approached this time with a bit of apprehension but also a lot of excitement. These were the people that we had been preparing to meet and serve for the past year and a half! We rode up to the home, down the lane way and finally arrived. We spent the whole morning and afternoon just ‘chilling’ with the kids, getting to know them, playing games to help us learn their names, sharing a meal with both the houses and presenting some gift to the house parents (two 12L pressure cookers) which were received with much love and thanks. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so below I have included a few pictures of the amazing things that we have experienced over the last two days. Thank you again to all of those who are praying for us. Tomorrow we will head to church with the kids and then we face the ‘difficult task’ (insert sarcasm here) of taking the kids to the beach! Please pray specifically for several people on our team as they battle the cold that I brought with me to Ecuador (Alicia is not affected - Please take note David Hofland).

Quote of the Day - “I have never been hugged so much in my entire life. It felt overwhelming.”

Swinging Like Monkey's

2010-07-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

What an awesome first day in Ecuador we experienced. Nothing really ministry related, simply an opportunity for us to get out as a team and settle into being with each other for the next 3 1/2 weeks. After a good sleep, for most of us, we awoke to a beautifully sunny, clear day that afforded us with an amazing view of several of the areas active, snow capped volcanos. What an awesome example of the beauty and creativity of our God. Once devotions and breakfast were finished we headed out on an hour and a half drive to Mindo Canopy Adventures which is a series of ziplines through and over the jungle. It was an awesome, but tiring experience. Between several of the lines were a few long and steep hikes which, normally, wouldn't be a problem for a team as fit as ours BUT take away our oxygen and we become useless, wheezing, and whiney. Needless to say at the end of it all we were exhausted but VERY happy about our experience. We then headed back to Quito to check out a museum located right on the equator. We learned a lot about traditional Ecuador and saw some really amazing examples of the effects of being on the equator. Now we are just relaxing back at headquarters enjoying some rest, ready to head to bed unbelievably early. We are all very excited for tomorrow when we will visit and spend time at the Zambiza dump ministry that reaches out to the families who work in the dumps collecting recyclable material to sell in order to feed their families. I have been there twice and it is a very sobering experience. After that we will fly to Manta and head to Montanita Verde Children's Home to visit with the children for a little bit before moving on to La Cueva which will be our home for the next few weeks. That is when the reality of our mission will truly begin to sink in. Once again we want to thank you for your prayers and support as we make this jounrey. We know that God has a plan for each one of us and we are so thankful that we can be used by him to spread the message of love and hope in this world. I will leave you with one final quote.

"I can fly like a butterfly." - Alicia Hofland

Safe, Sound and Exhausted

2010-07-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

It's about 9:30 p.m. Ecuador time (10:30 for you Canadians) and we have finally arrived at our destination in Quito. Everyone is settling in fine. We are exhausted after such a long journey but are so excited to be here. We would appreciate some prayers for the health of the team. The altitude is affecting a few people (headaches and a few sick stomachs). Quito sits at 9600 feet above sea-level...Quite a change from Miami, Florida! That's it for tonight. I'm exhausted and feeling quite ill. We are looking forward to tomorrows activities (a bit of a touristy day) and then off to Manta. Thanks for following and God Bless!

In Transit

2010-07-07T12:24:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update for all of those following our blog! Things have gone smoothly so far with no delays and we now sit in Miami enjoying the ambience of the MIA. Many of you will be glad to know that David Hill, our suspected terrorist team member, made it through US customs with no problems at all (last time we went with him they questioned and held him until about 5 minutes before our flight). We will be sitting here for another two hours before boarding a plan and heading off to Quito where will enjoy some food and some much needed rest. The team is in good spirits although we are all, as Alicia says, “pooped”. We appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers and we look forward to what God has in store for us during this trip. I’ll write a bit more when we safely arrive in Quito.

Just for curiosity sake here are the members of the Ecuador 2010 team and quotes from them after many hours of wakefulness:

Christian Sauvé - “There are no toads in toad pool.”
David Hill - “Alicia’s ab’s are rock solid!”
Lili Mejia - “ummmmmm”
Jeff Cavill - “I’m really tired. Duhhhhh.”
Joshua Smith - “Give me moments, not hours or days.”
Hannah Jonker - “I hate planes.”
Amanda Sauvé - “I already puked so I am good to go.”
Alicia Hofland - “I’m pooped.”
Dawna Sauvé - “Mumble. Mumble. Sigh. Snort. Snooze.”
Jeremy Sauvé - “I’m sick and hurt everywhere. Me need sleepies.”