Necesito mas de Ti

It was a cool, wet, rainy, and unusually windy day in Shell. The wind seems rather minuscule compared to the raging winds of Fargo/Moorhead, but for here they were blowing. My day started with some great singing in church. "Necesito mas de Ti" (I need more of You) were the lyrics to one of the songs and it is so true of my life. My only need is more of God, don't get me wrong there are plenty of other things that I want or think I need, but they cannot satisfy. Colossians 3:1-4, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." I will seek the Lord's kingdom, everything I try and chase after in this world will leave me dissatisfied, because my true need is more of Christ! God fills my heart and meet desires in ways far beyond my understanding. I pray my hope is deeply rooted in God's promises even when I cannot see or feel exactly how He is working. I picked up a few groceries to make waffles for lunch on my way home from church, then spent the rest of the morning cooking. Cheralyn and I had Dwight, Tandy, and Johnathan over of a waffle brunch! They were yummy, but they would have been even better if they would have been a bit more crisp. I like spending time with the Martin's a lot, they are such a lovely kind family that is encouraging to be around. Instead of cleaning up right after lunch I thought it would be a better idea to nap and that is just what I did, the dishes could wait! When Cheralyn and I went out to find some iced tea at Alexander's the rain was just stopping for the first time today and the sky was spectacular. It was still a bit hazy, but you could see the mountains and some of the clouds were just illuminated! It was incredible, in fact, as we walked over to Patti Sue's for supper there were some clouds that looked like halos. The clouds were solid, but the outer edges were so bright and beautiful! We baked mini beef empanadas and has them with vegetable stir fry for supper. It was very kind of her to have us over for supper, it was a good meal and fun to just be at her house with Juan Paul and the four girls. We finished eating just in time for Casa de Fe staff prayer. It was a peaceful time of fellowship, prayer, and worship!

Great worth

Am I valued? This question often creeps in to my thoughts and I have asked myself over again throughout my life at times when I feel lonely. The Lord is constantly faithful to remind me of my value in Him, because my life is precious. However, all too often there are things in this world that make me feel otherwise. According to google, the definition of value is "the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance or preciousness of something." I know we all have different passions, put value in different places, and find some things more valuable than others, but to make it simple we all value something. God and the life He has given me through Jesus is where I place my hope. The good news of the gospel is my value does not come from anything I have done, will do, haven't done, or should have done. My value was given to me by what Christ has already accomplished! 1 Peter 3:3&4, "Your beauty should not come

At a park in Banos!

from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." I am a beloved daughter of God and when I need to know if I am really, truly, deeply loved I will turn to Him for the answer. It was a relaxing morning of eating breakfast and reading with the sun shinning through the window. I took my time getting ready, then was off to Banos with Cheralyn for the day. There were a bunch of pretty waterfalls and sights to see along the road to Banos and I enjoyed them in between drifting in and out of sleep. The bus pulled in around noon, so we hit the ground running by visiting a jewelry store with beautiful necklaces made

Pretty church in Banos!

from Tagua nut. Tagua is incredibly similar to ivory, but is made from seeds. Tagua grows in the rainforests of South American and Ecuador provides most of the world’s demand. On the way to the market we got to sample some delicious taffy, heard a lot about how delicious it was and now I finally know. There was a cute park along the way too, I love parks! This one had beautiful trees of all shapes and sizes, bright teal benches, and different statues. We spent some time in the artisan market before eating lunch at Casa Hood. This restaurant had a very European feel to it and was filled with people from all over, it was almost like we were in Europe for a little bit! Then we walked down to a historic church, it caught my eye from a distance and I was excited to check it out! Banos is know for their Holy waters and inside the church was a painting and story about them, it was very interesting. We continued shopping at various stores for a while before calling it a day and heading back to the bus terminal. I slept pretty much the whole way back, I really can't seem to stay awake on the bus. Later in the evening Cheralyn and I walked around town and ended up at Johnny's for supper. It was a nice way to end a busy day of being a tourist in Banos!

Reap a harvest

Eating my first crisp, crunchy apple and reading at the table was a great way to start my Friday! Galatians 6:9-10, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Wow, this is such a good verse. Sometimes when I don't see instantaneous results from my hard work I become weary, but in the Lords timing the good outcome will be revealed. I must be persistent and focused on His promises for great things, because at the very moment something is intended for me to know it will be made clear. I walked most of the way to school today, but as I was about to start walking up the hill to Casa de Fe the truck was coming down and I got a ride up to the school. We did the Brain Gym exercises outside right when I arrived at school this morning. I had a while to get some work done and ended up helping move the new book shelves in to the teacher area. Jason finished constructing them and was ready to get them all set up for us. The 2nd and 3rd grade physical education class was a bit chaotic since they were working on their jumping tests, but since Martin didn't do those tests we played soccer again. He always wants to play soccer and if it gets him moving around I am more than happy to assist. I really love working with him, it has been cool to see how my relationship with him has grown and how responsive to instructions he has become. I feel like he is starting to trust me more and know how much I care! For all of the kids in 4th grade and above we had a meeting about healthy life styles, followed by the 4th graders soccer skills test. At lunch today Rebekah made me a birthday cake since her and

Simply beautiful!

Rick were gone for my actual birthday, she is so sweet! I love celebrating birthday's and it is even better when it happens multiple times, your birthday isn't really over until the last celebration! They sang and although there were no matches to light the candles it was great. English went well, they all like learning about the weather and it is fun to hear them begin to understand how to communicate it. After school cleaning was easy, then I hung out with the kids at the house for a while. The Tia's that holds a special place in my heart and on my way out she gave me a homemade chocolate Popsicle for the road. Cheralyn and I had to pick up a few treats for the movie night with some of the missionaries before heading over to Shari's. There was a small group of us that got together for a good movie, yummy food, and great fellowship!

Called me heavenward

I sat by the window eating my cereal and watching people walk by for quite a while. I figured since I had the morning off I should take my time and enjoy the day. When I finished eating I got ready for the day, organized some stuff, and read before heading up to school! Philippians 3:10-14, "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Every day I strive to be more like Christ in all that I do. I am not perfect, nowhere near it in fact, but I know that I am not where I used to be either, because God is constantly working in my life. My prize when my time here on Earth is done is an eternity in the presence of my Creator! Although what I accomplish or don't accomplish in this life does not affect where I will spend eternity, I hope that my whole life points to Jesus Christ, because I know He has saved me. When I arrived at Casa de Fe it was time for second and third grade gym class which consisted of soccer with Martin and Carlos. We played in the school hallway and they both thought it was pretty cool when I kicked the ball and it got stuck in the railings, goal for Miss Erica! The next class

Dance, dance!

was working on a dance routine with the oldest girls, they really enjoy dancing and it was a fun day with them. English went alright, they were all kind of late getting to class after lunch and weren't in the school mood, so it was tough to get them excited. In after school enrichment we watched a frog video about mathematics, the older group of kids like watching movies a lot. I hung out with the littlest kids for a while before heading home. On the walk back there was a clear view of all the mountains, which was awesome since they are usually hidden in the clouds. I got to see Sangay, the volcano, plain and clear too! When it came time for supper Cheralyn and I had french fries at the fried chicken place know as "KFC", they have a really good green dipping sauce! I went to Alexander's afterwards to get a strawberry ice cream treat and a little while later I went to market street to buy some apples for a treat tomorrow! I'm heading to bed early tonight, so I can keep getting better.

Reflects the heart

I woke up sick in the middle of the night a few times, yucky. I haven't been sick like that since right after my knee surgery from the anesthesia, but I am glad to say I'm feeling a bit better. I took the morning off to stay home sleep and eat some toast. I feel more like an adult, because this is the first time I have been sick and had to take care of myself. It was not very fun, but it is a part of growing up, I am incredibly grateful for my health. The walk to school was pretty brutal this afternoon since all I had eaten was two pieces of toast. Dwight and Tandy picked me up after I crossed the main bridge, so I didn't have to walk all the way up the hill. I was very thankful for this and Tandy gave me a pack of Saltine crackers! I made it to school just in time for my English class and my girls were awesome. I facilitated their group work, but thought it would be more productive for them to do activities in partners. As soon as school was over I got a ride home from Patti Sue, then napped for a few hours. I slept really well from 3:30 to 7:00pm, I felt good when I woke up just a little weak. I definately like my food so it was rough not being able to eat much. When I'm sick I am reminded to appreciate every moment, especially when I am healthy. Sickness is time to thank God for the His constant presence and perfect plan. If I didn't know what it felt like to be sick, I would not be able to appreciate being healthy as much as I do. The ability to walk, run, jump, play, laugh, and eat are gifts that can easily be taken for granted. May I learn to embrace these abilities more fully when I have them. Proverbs 27:19, "As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” I want every aspect of my life to reflect the heart God has given me. In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, in joy as well as in sorrow, God has promised to love and care for me unconditionally. I know the Lord is faithful at all times and I trust all He does, so it is my prayer that my heart and life reflect more of who He is. I got to Skype my parents and as always they know how to make me feel better even when we are thousands of miles apart! I thank God for technology and the ability to keep in such close contact with them. I also recieved some exciting baby news from the Mavis family. I had the pleasure of Skyping with them and was informed they are expecting a baby boy! For the record book, I was right!

Refresh your memory

Taking my girls out for an ice cream treat!

It was a fast walk to school since I was a little behind schedule, and I must have been moving quick because I made it with time to spare. I taught two art classes and both of them went very well, the kids seemed to like the activities I selected which is always reassuring. When Jhulissa was finished with her project she drew me a beautiful little picture, I was so thankful! After I was done with the art classes I had a bit of a break to read and take care of some office work before English with the little guys. Third grade English was awesome, they were happy, focused, attentive, and really excited about the stars they earned. They are quick to pick up on patterns and correct what they said wrong. My English girls were great too. They did an exceptional job following directions and listening to one another. I wanted to get my girls a little treat for my birthday and since it was rainy on my birthday today was the day for ice cream! When school was finished I walked them down to the house confirmed with a Tia that we were going in to town for a treat and we were off. Before getting ice cream they wanted to see where I lived so we walked by my house. I got them each a glass of water, which they chugged since they were so thirsty, and asked for more. Culturally they do not drink very much water here, so when they start having water sometimes they drink it in excess. While they had their second glass of water we danced to a couple of songs from chapel and I grabbed them some chocolate for the go. We picked up ice cream from Alexander's, then took it over to the park to eat. They loved their ice cream treat! I think they were a little overwhelmed by the selection, because they all ended up getting the same kind. Then it was time to play tag at the park, they played an intense game on the park and were enjoying every second of it. They were running, laughing, and hollering, it was so fun to watch. They long for quality time so much and I was thrilled I got to take my girls on this little excursion, I know I was blessed by this  time with them! I took them back up to the orphanage around 5:30 and got to walk home with Dwight & Freddy. I've really begun to understand a lot of Spanish, but sometimes when I speak it comes out all wrong. For example on the way home I noticed Freddy's backpack was open, tried to tell him, but what I said made no sense. Somehow he ended up understanding what I was getting at, but when I realized what I said I couldn't help but laugh because it came out something like, "Do you want that above", what I was actually trying to say was, "Do you want that zipped up". Learning a new language is a hard, humbling, yet very rewarding experience! I read more from 2 Peter 1:12-15, " So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things." I like this scripture because it clearly states the importance of refreshing of memories while we are here on Earth. Even when we are walking in God's truth it is important to look at His ways and be refreshed in them. As I strolled around town this evening I was extremely thankful for who God created me to be. It is too easy for us as people who desire to be in relationship to compromise who you are and what we believe to please somebody else. It is my prayer that I may stay true to who I am in Christ in all situation and for others do the same. This may mean I will have different opinions than friends and might disagree sometimes, but we are not meant to be exactly the same. I am as unique as each stars configuration in the sky, can you imagine how boring it would be to look up at the majestic night sky if every there was no variation in the size, shape, brightness, and formation of the stars?

Gift of God

Nayeli stealing a birthday kiss!

I am another year older and a little wiser too. In the past year I have been blessed with family, friends, and new adventures! It has been a season in life of transition and trusting where God leads me. It's been a time of learning more about my gifts, passions, and dreams in life. I have been overwhelmed by the love and support from everyone scattered around the world, I am thankful and truly touched. Ephesians 2:4-10, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." I thank the Lord for the greatest gift of  all, His son Jesus, on my birthday and every day! I had "Happy birthday" sung to me in English & Spanish and was prayed for in chapel. Then it was a busy day of teaching art classes, because I am subbing for Rebekah while they are out of town. I had all of my art classes weave paper hearts, but the level of difficulty varied. The 4th, 6th, and 7th graders all really like it and did a great job catching on, but the younger ones had trouble getting the pattern concept. When it came time for English class with the little guys that I am subbing it was a learning experience. As they were cleaning up the room before class I saw Ruby lifting up Martin to help him erase the board, it was cute to see them work together and have a fun time doing it. They did a good job in class for most of the time too. When I took Martin down to the house for lunch Estefania Held a big umbrella over us, which was hilarious because I am so much taller than her and I was carrying Martin. I can't say it kept me really dry, but it did help a little and it was sweet of her to do! I had a chili with rice and vegetable salad with the teachers for lunch today. It was a quiet birthday meal and they gave me a beautiful Ecuadorian bag as a gift! Caila, Ana, and Diana gave me a little gift with the hearts they made in my art class, and I told them how much I appreciated them for thinking of me. Also, my English girls spontaneously started singing to me during class! I heard them trying to plan when to start singing in between the activities I was leading, they are adorable. Then after school Paola was blowing bubbles, so some of the kids and I started jumping around to pop them. It was a lot of fun, but it had to stop when they tried to start throwing things to pop the bubbles.

A birthday box of love from home!

Before running a few errands I hung out at the house for a while to visit the babies and kids with special needs, the toddlers, and all the school age kids. It was a gift to spend time with each and every one of them on my birthday! For supper I went to "El Abuelos" with Dwight, Tandy, Johnathan, and Cheralyn. I was incredibly blessed by their prayers for my life, the conversation, and a delicious mini parallada meal! To wrap up my special day we watched "I am Legend" and ate cookie bowl ice cream sundays for dessert. I had oreo ice cream with whipped cream, strawberries, chocolate chunks, chocolate syrup, and almonds! I cried this evening as I opened birthday cards from my awesome family, I received SO much birthday love. A box filled with encouraging cards and some of my favorite treats was a gift the Lord knew I needed. When I woke up this morning I wished my my family was here to celebrate with me,  and although they weren't physically here they were very present in a different way because of this small shoebox package.