This is the last day and emotions are high - sadness at having to leave, tiredness from a busy week and little sleep some nights, and missing home. God has been at work in our lives. Lunch was highlighted by a national favorite - guinea pig.
Sam Campbell: Hey everyone! Well today is the last morning in beautiful Ecuador. I'm going to miss this place so much. I am determined to take what I have learned here back to the States. Yesterday we celebrated Easter at Gustavo's church and worship was really fun. After that we went to the mall to eat lunch. I shared lunch with Rebecca and Emily. We really bonded while eating our food and ice cream. I've made so many friends while on this trip, and I hope those friendships last outside of this trip. We are like a family here and we know a lot about each other than we started out. While on this trip I have seen a small amount of God's wonder and beauty. May God protect us on our way back and keep us company as we sleep on the plane tonight. Love you all. God bless you.
Emily Ha: Hi ya'll! Today's our last day, sadly. There has been a lot going on this entire week. Yesterday, Easter Sunday, was an awesome day. We sat through an almost 3 hour service, people were falling asleep, but it was an interesting time. At the mall, we ate pretty legit Ecuadorian food, and it was delicious!! I had mora (a type of berry here) ice cream and it was so yummilicious! Then we went over to the MARKET!! I bought so many souveniors for me (and for family/friends). I sucked at bargaining, so Matt A. and Sam helped to bargain a lot of stuff down. It was a lot of fun! Then it started storming and we saw lightning and heard a lot of thunder...it rained really really hard. So on our way to the bus, we were screaming and running through puddles. We had a great time and I'm sad that we have to leave. But I really miss friends and family and I can't wait to see you all! Anyways, today we got the chance to go to the Camp Hope school (because last time, we went during their break, so none of the kids were there except for a few of the orphans and the handicapped kids). Sam and I got the chance to hang out and work with the 6th and 7th graders. These kids were different from all the other kids we worked with because these kids talked...a lot more. It was also an interesting experience because they knew a little English, so they got to practice the little English they know. They asked me my name, my age, and where I was from, all in English! It was also really funny when the kids saw my Silly Bands and asked to see what they were. Then I took them one by one and showed them to them. And they knew all the characters I had! I had characters from Scooby Doo to Tinkerbell to Blue from Rio (and one of the boys, David, actually said it was Blue - and that movie just came out a week ago...I didn't even say anything about it too!) Even though I sat there most of the time...because I didn't really understand anything and they were a little too old to play with like the little kids we were used to playing with, I still became friends with them. We played Uno and it was really funny. I couldn't understand any of their school work, but I sat there and tried to soak in Spanish and tried to understand what they were doing. When we got home, we had lunch. We looked in the kitchen and sitting on the table was a bowl of granadeas, homemade empanadas...and then Gustavo empties a paper bag - to reveal...A GUINEA PIG - or Cuy (named for the squeaky noise they make). We had been waiting to try Cuy for the entire week, and they finally got us one. It was really interesting...it had a smoky meat and there wasn't a whole lot of it either. But it was really good. But I think I like Guinea Pig...alive...better than as food. :) This week has been an amazing experience and I'm so glad to have shared it with the amazing people here. I'll miss Ecuador a ton, but I've learned a ton on this trip. I've learned to trust God completely in this trip. I realized how glorious and amazing God was. I had some time alone last night because I wasn't feeling so well, but as I listened to everyone else downstairs and their worship songs. I cried at God's majesty and His love. I was feeling homesick already, but His presence made me cry even harder. The Lord was so good to me. I felt a peace as the night progressed. I am so thankful for friends. My roomies became some of best friends. I love them! This has been the best experince, I'm so thankful that I got the chance to come down here! God had a purpose for me to be here, and there are so many instances where I saw it. I have enjoyed almost every moment here. Thank you all for keeping us in your prayers, I'll see you all after our long flight back! :)
Monday, April 25, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Saturday Reflections
Emily Ha: Hi! Hope everyone is doing well back at home. Today is Saturday and we did some construction around Casablanca again and we also finished lunch. I'm going to summarize our super-wonderful-spectacular trip to Mindo yesterday! And it was amazing!! ~ We woke up earlier and started our 2 hour trip to Mindo. It was a windy road around the mountains, but that's the best for playing "Jello"! We were squishing each other with each turn and it was really funny. When we arrived, it was just a little town, and a road that headed up. Our bus took us as far as it was allowed to go, but then we had to walk the rest of the way up. It was a long and tedious trip up the rest of the way to the zipline place, but it was worth the sweat and the aching muscles. We suited up in helmets, harnesses, and big thick gloves (with a big rubber strip across where the palm is - so we don't get bad rope burn!!). Then we made our way to the first of 13 ziplines. When the guide let me go on the first zipline, I took one around and was in awe of the view. It was breathtaking. One can see the beautiful green mountains, the blue sky, and the area for hundreds of miles around. I honestly could not believe that we were in this place because it felt as if I was looking at a magazine picture, except for the fact that it was all around me - 360 degrees - and I could feel the wind and the sunshine - and the annoying bugs that bit my legs everywhere and made them bleed a little. How could anyone say that there is not a God? How could something so perfect be created if there was not a God? For miles all around, all you can see are hills, trees, creeks/rivers, the blue sky, and the warm sun. It was gorgeous. But this was only the start of the adventures in Mindo. Then, we headed back down the big hill to our bus and headed to eat homemade pizza! It was really funny how we were eating pizza...in Ecuador. But it was delicious! It was a thin crusted pizza, with mushrooms, ham, and cheese and we had some spicy Ecuadorean peppers, and lemonade to go with it. YUM. Then, we half of us changed into our swimsuits for another huge adventure! The other half went across the street to a chocolate shop and learned to make chocolate fondu and ate it with fruit. Apparently, it was really fun and delicious (I didn't find out for myself until they brought some home with them for the rest of us to try). While the other half of us paid only 6 dollars for the ride, in the back of a truck, to the top of the river, where our white river rafting/tubing experience began and also the river rafting itself! When we arrived, we saw our raft. It looked like a huge flower - of 6 tubes tied around one tube - and rope handholds between each one. We split into 2 groups (6 each - we had 12 from our group go exactly) and got in. We each sat with our butts on a side of a tube, and our feet on the other side, and the hole was right below our legs...and we held on the rope for dear life (even though we were wearing life vests, helmets, and gloves. We started down the river - in the freezing cold water. It was so exciting! The cold water splashed over us with every big rock and dip. I was pretty much screaming the ENTIRE time. Even though I was screaming everytime a huge dip or splash came, I was having the time of my life! The freezing cold water drenched us completely, but it was really fun! It honestly was better than Disneyland and Great America combined! Those little rides were nothing compared to the real thing in Mindo - the zipline adventure and the river rafting combined were only 16 dollars total! So incredibly fun, and so incredibly cheap! When we headed back to the little town, I changed out of my swimsuit and bought a brownie and chocolate pieces from the same chocolate shop as the others had been at. Then, went back across the street and bought a type of berry sherbet on a cone for only 50 cents! It was soooo good! When we returned back to Quito, we had more empanadas at the same place we ate at earlier in the week. It was delicious as always! I kinda half fell asleep in the bus on the way back cuz of exhaustion, but the day was worth the sweat and tried muscles. We walked so much on the trip, and in turn, I ate a lot...More than I ever do! I am writing way too much, but I love talking about the wonderful experiences here! I am going to miss Ecuador a ton when we leave, but this place will definitely never leave my heart. All the people here and all the experiences here are unforgetable. I've learned a ton about missions, people, culture, and my own life. I really hope I can apply everything I learned here, to back at home. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. We'll be seeing you all soon!
Carolyn Corstorphine (Mrs. C) - this has been a great week. The kids are wonderful and it is fun to have my daughter as one of our "post followers." Yes, Kirsten - I did all of the zip lines and only screamed on one when they were bouncing me.
Renee W
Hello again! Today has been a pretty mellow day. This morning we spent a few hours twisting wire and rebar together to make supports for concrete. Then, since lunch I have been talking with an 8-year-ol girl named Carmella. She is teaching me more Spanish and I am teaching her English. Because today isn't super exciting though, I'll talk about yesterday. I'm sure if you've been reading this blog you already know what we did yesterday, but we spent the day in the Ecuadorian jungle going on almost 2 miles of ziplines and then rafting down an intense river. It was a great day-super fun! I can't wait until I can come back down here again sometime!
P.S. writing this blog was very difficult because my mind is functioning in Spanish right now :)
Iona Brannon-Yesterday was one of the best days of my life. Flying across the Mindo jungles by a zipline, making legit Ecuadorian chocolate(and I mean roasting, shelling, and grinding the beans too), and having awesome conversations on the bus ride to and fro. It was amazing, but as I think about it, the day before was pretty awesome too. We visited different churches, and for some of us girls the top of the Basilica held a pleasant surprise. ;) We saw amazing things and bought a ton of souvenirs. It was so fun. Today was construction day and we had an amazing time cutting, pulling, and chopping trees. I'm totally pro at machetes and chainsaws now. :) I must admit, I do not want to leave Ecuador.
Carolyn Corstorphine (Mrs. C) - this has been a great week. The kids are wonderful and it is fun to have my daughter as one of our "post followers." Yes, Kirsten - I did all of the zip lines and only screamed on one when they were bouncing me.
Renee W
Hello again! Today has been a pretty mellow day. This morning we spent a few hours twisting wire and rebar together to make supports for concrete. Then, since lunch I have been talking with an 8-year-ol girl named Carmella. She is teaching me more Spanish and I am teaching her English. Because today isn't super exciting though, I'll talk about yesterday. I'm sure if you've been reading this blog you already know what we did yesterday, but we spent the day in the Ecuadorian jungle going on almost 2 miles of ziplines and then rafting down an intense river. It was a great day-super fun! I can't wait until I can come back down here again sometime!
P.S. writing this blog was very difficult because my mind is functioning in Spanish right now :)
Iona Brannon-Yesterday was one of the best days of my life. Flying across the Mindo jungles by a zipline, making legit Ecuadorian chocolate(and I mean roasting, shelling, and grinding the beans too), and having awesome conversations on the bus ride to and fro. It was amazing, but as I think about it, the day before was pretty awesome too. We visited different churches, and for some of us girls the top of the Basilica held a pleasant surprise. ;) We saw amazing things and bought a ton of souvenirs. It was so fun. Today was construction day and we had an amazing time cutting, pulling, and chopping trees. I'm totally pro at machetes and chainsaws now. :) I must admit, I do not want to leave Ecuador.
Saturday work day pictures
The Birthday Girl - Sweet 16
Rebar squares - Who knew we would learn this trade?
Concentration while working with a power saw - good instruction and encouragement.
Even the student showing a leader how the project is done.
Many hands made a great day of work.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday - a Day of Respite (not exactly restful)
Hannah: hellllooooo (: Today we took a bus to Mindo. The zipline was so funnnnn! I loved looking down 900 feet while sliding down the wire. I talked to the trees and the cows and the sky. We also went to this chocolate shop. This guy named Victor gave us a tour of the shop and its cool how he makes chocolate, sells chocolate, and lives in the same 3-story hut. Eating chocolate fondue with
bananas&pinaeapple&strawberries was yummyful.
Maria Beth Kadle:
I finally got on this blog!!! Everyone was always on here and I never got a chance to tell everyone what I am feeling. This has really been nice for me and I have really seen God working in the lives of these great kids. They are so willing to help and play with the children who we are ministering to. I have so much enjoyed seeing Ecuador through their eyes. Thank you so much for trusting me to bring your children to this beautiful country. They will have many great stories to tell you when they get home. Thank you so much for sending you children!!!!!!
Grant Chang:
When we went to visit the zipline, all of us had to conquer a huge uphill. I was not feeling my greatest, but when I reached the top, I felt a great deal of accomplishment. The zipline was worth the time and effort of the climb because it was extraordinary. There are 13 stations that consisted of different slopes and angles, all moving at fast speeds. It was equivalent to me flying in the sky when I imitated superman. It was one of the best experiences I ever had. After the zipline, several of us went to hang out and talk while drinking coffee. The server was an American woman so our team got to talk and know her better and for her to know us as well. Her husband makes homemade chocolate which was very delicious. Then we went exploring around the markets and bought many goods. I will share that with you all very soon!
bananas&pinaeapple&strawberries was yummyful.
Maria Beth Kadle:
I finally got on this blog!!! Everyone was always on here and I never got a chance to tell everyone what I am feeling. This has really been nice for me and I have really seen God working in the lives of these great kids. They are so willing to help and play with the children who we are ministering to. I have so much enjoyed seeing Ecuador through their eyes. Thank you so much for trusting me to bring your children to this beautiful country. They will have many great stories to tell you when they get home. Thank you so much for sending you children!!!!!!
Grant Chang:
When we went to visit the zipline, all of us had to conquer a huge uphill. I was not feeling my greatest, but when I reached the top, I felt a great deal of accomplishment. The zipline was worth the time and effort of the climb because it was extraordinary. There are 13 stations that consisted of different slopes and angles, all moving at fast speeds. It was equivalent to me flying in the sky when I imitated superman. It was one of the best experiences I ever had. After the zipline, several of us went to hang out and talk while drinking coffee. The server was an American woman so our team got to talk and know her better and for her to know us as well. Her husband makes homemade chocolate which was very delicious. Then we went exploring around the markets and bought many goods. I will share that with you all very soon!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
More fun with kids on Thursday
Abbey Middleton: This Ecuador experience has been like none other! There are so many things I could write, but it would take a few hours! Today, we headed to see some kids whose parents were in prison. The ride up there was quite interesting, because we were in the heart of downtown Quito. We had a lot of fun playing games with the kids in the outside basketball court. Then we went inside and did some music, drama, and puppets. We drove back to Casa Blanca to eat lunch. And a hot shower really helped, too! We were all excited to go site seeing, even though it was raining. It took a while by bus, but we finally got to downtown Quito again. Oh man! We saw some GORGEOUS cathedrals. One had taken 40 years to build and had been there since the year 1500! The last one we went to was super tall, and we went up to the top. The view was absolutely incredible! We could see all of Quito, which went for miles and miles and miles. It was the same layout as San Fransico, but so much bigger! We then went up to the top of a huge hill to see an enourmous statue, and the view there was amazing, as well. Then we drove back to Casa Blanca for a wonderful dinner. I'm so sad that we have to leave in four days!
Wesley Friesen: Many people from the United States when they see Ecuador would probably talk about how much poverty there is and how dirty it is compared to the United States. But the more time I spend here, the more I realize just how much beauty there is in this country. Several days ago, we went to an orphanage and hung out with all of the kids there, and they were just a blast to be around. I met a girl named Estephania, and the entire evening she would not let me leave her side. At first I was concerned that my poor spanish would make things very difficult to communicate, but I quickly learned that there was a far more effective way to talk to her. Actions and smiles go so far with all of these kids, that it doesn't really matter what you actually are saying with your mouth. The hardest part for me this entire trip, was having to say goodbye. I spent yesterday working with kids with disabilities, and it's incredible to see just how much they are able to do here despite their handicap. They are able to attend school with non-handicapped kids, and they are able to really enjoy their lives here. Finally, today we got to see some of the churches in Quito that were built 500 years ago. They are absolutely stunning! They remind me of something that might be in Indiana Jones are something, but it was really cool to think that 500 years ago, in these same buildings, people were worshipping the very same God that we worship today! Mom and Dad, I miss you tons! I can't wait to see you, but that also means that I have to leave Quito... something I am not looking forward to.
Nicki Vereschagin: Hola mis amigos en las Estados Unidos! This experience has been completely life changing, and every day I see how God is working in me and all the other kids here. The first few days were a little bumpy, not gonna lie. Just with every activity we do, the start is always the hardest. For instance, walking into the camp Hope special needs home was a little awkward, just because the sight of kids and young adults randomly screaming, walking with seemingly dislocated body parts, and rocking uncontrollably in wheel chairs was something new. But 15 minutes into it, everyone was loving the kids with special needs. We danced with them, played hide and seek (their favorite), fed them dinner, and the girls helped put them to bed. Today though, we visited kids whose parents are in jail, and they were SO CUTE! They automatically loved us, and we found so many ways to play with them. When we go to visit orphanages, we do the following: lead them all in a dance ("na na na" and "Christo es mi superhero"), do a puppet show about a story from the bible, do a skit, and then arts and crafts. I'm in the drama group, and today we acted out the "road to Emmaus" story. I was the narrator, and unfortunately one of the words in the script wasn't translated into spanish, so i had to make a funny face, look at Grant, and say it in english, which thankfully all the kids thought was hilarious! God sure has a way of making your efforts work out in the end. As you can probably tell, my focus on this trip is the kids, but there are so many other great things about it! We visited downtown today, and I am convinced that Quito is THE most gorgeous place ever. Plus, the people on our team are terrific, and I'm getting to know a lot of TKA people on a whole new level. :) Alrighty, time to get some sleep and get ready for zip-lining tomorrow! Buenas noches!
Joanne Yeh: Hi to everyone in the States (thats how they refer to the US here)! This experience has been absolutely amazing so far and I am so glad that God gave me this opportunity to come serve. I came here expecting to change the lives of these children, but instead the children I have encountered left a great impact on me as well. Today we visited another orphanage, but this one was different from the others. These children were in a sense orphans since thier parents were in jail, yet they also had the experience of family before and you could see the happiness in their eyes. When we first arrived, it was a bit awkward, which was expected. However a couple minutes later this girl skips up to me and says, "We have the same name! :)" and from then on the uneasiness was gone. These children also responded well to any conversation we made with them, and even though I could understand less than half of what they said, it was nice to hear a response. It was disappointing that we only got to spend two hours with them, but we made new friends and had lots of fun in those two hours. After spending a great morning with the kids, we also spent a relaxing afternoon sightseeing in the center of Quito. We visited a government building and three beautiful cathedrals. The last cathedral was absolutely amazing and we climbed the towers so we could look down and see the whole city. The people here in Ecuador are also very nice and friendly, and our TKA team has bonded really well even though we all came in barely knowing each other :) I've been having so much fun experiencing new things, but I still miss you everyone! I love you Mommy, Daddy, Janice, and Jessica!
Eugenia Phan: Wussssssssssssssssssssssup y'all. Well, it is 21:02 right now and I am sitting comfortably in my basketball shorts on a brown couch. Today, we visited a place for kids whose parentals are in prison. Right as we arrived there & entered the room with all the muchachos, this one kid started tickling me, so unlike most people, I definitely felt that connection with everyone right away. Also, this one kid named Steven beat me in a game of duck duck goose (tingo tingo tango? not paco paco ganzo). It was pretty embarassing. "Embarasado" means "pregnant" in Spanish, by the way. My friend Chancho told me. Anyway, this place was one of my favorite places on the entire planet. All of the kids were super duper friendly. Like even if I met them five minutes before we had to departure, we still left with ='(s. I miss all of them dearly. Okay bye <3
Wesley Friesen: Many people from the United States when they see Ecuador would probably talk about how much poverty there is and how dirty it is compared to the United States. But the more time I spend here, the more I realize just how much beauty there is in this country. Several days ago, we went to an orphanage and hung out with all of the kids there, and they were just a blast to be around. I met a girl named Estephania, and the entire evening she would not let me leave her side. At first I was concerned that my poor spanish would make things very difficult to communicate, but I quickly learned that there was a far more effective way to talk to her. Actions and smiles go so far with all of these kids, that it doesn't really matter what you actually are saying with your mouth. The hardest part for me this entire trip, was having to say goodbye. I spent yesterday working with kids with disabilities, and it's incredible to see just how much they are able to do here despite their handicap. They are able to attend school with non-handicapped kids, and they are able to really enjoy their lives here. Finally, today we got to see some of the churches in Quito that were built 500 years ago. They are absolutely stunning! They remind me of something that might be in Indiana Jones are something, but it was really cool to think that 500 years ago, in these same buildings, people were worshipping the very same God that we worship today! Mom and Dad, I miss you tons! I can't wait to see you, but that also means that I have to leave Quito... something I am not looking forward to.
Nicki Vereschagin: Hola mis amigos en las Estados Unidos! This experience has been completely life changing, and every day I see how God is working in me and all the other kids here. The first few days were a little bumpy, not gonna lie. Just with every activity we do, the start is always the hardest. For instance, walking into the camp Hope special needs home was a little awkward, just because the sight of kids and young adults randomly screaming, walking with seemingly dislocated body parts, and rocking uncontrollably in wheel chairs was something new. But 15 minutes into it, everyone was loving the kids with special needs. We danced with them, played hide and seek (their favorite), fed them dinner, and the girls helped put them to bed. Today though, we visited kids whose parents are in jail, and they were SO CUTE! They automatically loved us, and we found so many ways to play with them. When we go to visit orphanages, we do the following: lead them all in a dance ("na na na" and "Christo es mi superhero"), do a puppet show about a story from the bible, do a skit, and then arts and crafts. I'm in the drama group, and today we acted out the "road to Emmaus" story. I was the narrator, and unfortunately one of the words in the script wasn't translated into spanish, so i had to make a funny face, look at Grant, and say it in english, which thankfully all the kids thought was hilarious! God sure has a way of making your efforts work out in the end. As you can probably tell, my focus on this trip is the kids, but there are so many other great things about it! We visited downtown today, and I am convinced that Quito is THE most gorgeous place ever. Plus, the people on our team are terrific, and I'm getting to know a lot of TKA people on a whole new level. :) Alrighty, time to get some sleep and get ready for zip-lining tomorrow! Buenas noches!
Joanne Yeh: Hi to everyone in the States (thats how they refer to the US here)! This experience has been absolutely amazing so far and I am so glad that God gave me this opportunity to come serve. I came here expecting to change the lives of these children, but instead the children I have encountered left a great impact on me as well. Today we visited another orphanage, but this one was different from the others. These children were in a sense orphans since thier parents were in jail, yet they also had the experience of family before and you could see the happiness in their eyes. When we first arrived, it was a bit awkward, which was expected. However a couple minutes later this girl skips up to me and says, "We have the same name! :)" and from then on the uneasiness was gone. These children also responded well to any conversation we made with them, and even though I could understand less than half of what they said, it was nice to hear a response. It was disappointing that we only got to spend two hours with them, but we made new friends and had lots of fun in those two hours. After spending a great morning with the kids, we also spent a relaxing afternoon sightseeing in the center of Quito. We visited a government building and three beautiful cathedrals. The last cathedral was absolutely amazing and we climbed the towers so we could look down and see the whole city. The people here in Ecuador are also very nice and friendly, and our TKA team has bonded really well even though we all came in barely knowing each other :) I've been having so much fun experiencing new things, but I still miss you everyone! I love you Mommy, Daddy, Janice, and Jessica!
Eugenia Phan: Wussssssssssssssssssssssup y'all. Well, it is 21:02 right now and I am sitting comfortably in my basketball shorts on a brown couch. Today, we visited a place for kids whose parentals are in prison. Right as we arrived there & entered the room with all the muchachos, this one kid started tickling me, so unlike most people, I definitely felt that connection with everyone right away. Also, this one kid named Steven beat me in a game of duck duck goose (tingo tingo tango? not paco paco ganzo). It was pretty embarassing. "Embarasado" means "pregnant" in Spanish, by the way. My friend Chancho told me. Anyway, this place was one of my favorite places on the entire planet. All of the kids were super duper friendly. Like even if I met them five minutes before we had to departure, we still left with ='(s. I miss all of them dearly. Okay bye <3
Vision for the Future
Rick Palm: We are currently in day 6 of our adventure (Thursday). I am staying at Casablanca with the other three who are running fevers. We decided that a fever is the measure of too sick to interact with the kids. Several others are fighting coughs, sore throats, and fatigue, but they all piled into the bus this morning to go to a home for children of prison inmates. As one girl said, "I'm not going to miss a minute of this!" It is wonderful to see how the team has come together, becoming the body of Christ. Students are caring for one another, learning from one another, and surmounting obstacles to serve. Last night at Camp Hope, we had a good visit playing hide-and-seek, dancing and singing. Then it was time for supper, and our students were invited to help. They jumped in, quickly learning how much help to give, and how to honor the efforts of their charges. Then it was time for bed. It was amazing to see our students get past the awkwardness of helping a handicapped teenager go through bed-time preparations.
After dinner, Rich Brown, director of Inca-Link, outlined the five stages that many people experience after a short-term missions trip. First is FUN, returning to familiar things, such as a favorite restaurant or their own beds. Second is FLEE, as the people they come in contact with lose interest in hearing about the trip. Third is FIGHT, as the short-term missionaries strive to change their environment based on their experiences. Fourth is FIT-IN, a dead-end where people give up and go back to the way they were before the trip. Fifth, and most important, is FRUIT, where the missionaries implement the lessons they have learned, and bear fruit for the kingdom. Rich challenged all of us to recognize that this trip is a beginning of what God will do through us, and look for the fruit that will result. Our students agreed that this has been a life-changing experience, and are eagerly looking forward to how they will serve God in the future.
After dinner, Rich Brown, director of Inca-Link, outlined the five stages that many people experience after a short-term missions trip. First is FUN, returning to familiar things, such as a favorite restaurant or their own beds. Second is FLEE, as the people they come in contact with lose interest in hearing about the trip. Third is FIGHT, as the short-term missionaries strive to change their environment based on their experiences. Fourth is FIT-IN, a dead-end where people give up and go back to the way they were before the trip. Fifth, and most important, is FRUIT, where the missionaries implement the lessons they have learned, and bear fruit for the kingdom. Rich challenged all of us to recognize that this trip is a beginning of what God will do through us, and look for the fruit that will result. Our students agreed that this has been a life-changing experience, and are eagerly looking forward to how they will serve God in the future.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Camp Hope for Handicapped kids
Emily Ha: So today was the day we got to work with the handicapped. We started off walking all the way to the Camp Hope school where there were handicapped kids that were intergrated with normal kids. It was a long half an hour walk, but it was fun. Then when we got to the school, it turned out the kids were on break because of Passover, and only the handicapped kids were there. So we seperated into groups and went into classrooms with the kids. All these kids are all different, but so amazing special in every way. At first, I didn't really know what to do or say. But as the day progressed, I got more comfortable. At the school, when the kids were eating bananas and milk (platanos y leche!), one of the handicapped boys turned me around and totally checked out my backside (sorry Matt!)...It was the funniest thing I had ever experienced and I and the other people around could not stop laughing. It was the most unexpected experience ever, but it really made me laugh really hard. We got to do our program after the pastor there kept preaching for about an hour (no joke)...and when we did our songs, we got to dance alongside the kids and it was fun! We got to go to the supermarket again, and we bought more exotic fruits to try, and we still have yet more to try. Then after lunch and our 3 hour break, we got to go the the Camp Hope home, where most of the handicapped kids stayed. At first, again, it was kinda awkward, we played hide and seek for a bit, and the kids enjoyed it. But once Gustavo brought a radio and blasted some upbeat songs, we ALL had a great time dancing around. We turned the radio station a whole bunch of times, so we had a huge variety of songs...from Spanish gangsta music to Spanish mambo type music to American pop songs (Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, JB etc.). But we had so much fun dancing with the kids! 3 girls really warmed up to Sammy and I and we danced for like 2 hours straight! They really liked to hold our hands and jump, dance, and scream! One of the girls, Jessica, saw my hair ties on my wrist and made me kneel down, then using her one capable hand and her chin and teeth, she tied my hair into 2 pigtails! It was really cool how she could tie it and tighten it with only one hand! This trip to the home, made me really realize that we are privileged with so much and that our purpose here is to keep giving love to those that may not have so much. Everything here is a totally new experience for me, and I'm enjoying every moment. As much as I am reminded of home, I really enjoy everything here and what Ecuador has to offer. I thank all that have been praying for us, and I encourage you all still to keep praying. I also ask for you all to pray for the sickness that is going around the team right now. We have a few girls down with fevers, and others with sore throats and a cough. So pray that everyone will heal quickly, get a lot more sleep, and that no one else will fall ill. Thank you! :)
Sam Campbell: Hi there. Well today I went through a lot...When I first woke up I could not move any part of my body,because we had spent 4 hours yesterday digging a 3 1/2 ft hole. My body is paying for it....But not only that, I couldn't talk. It seems I caught what's been going around for the past few days. Right now I am drinking lots of tea and praying that I get better soon. On a happier note, today at the offanage was a lot of fun I bonded with 3 little handicapped girls(one specifically,Maricol). They really touched my heart and my attitude on life. I am so thankful that God put me on this trip. I love everyone I meet and everything I see. Love you all. THANKS FOR READING! :)
Renee W
This trip has far exceeded all my expetations and hopes. I have so clearly seen God's love and what He is doing both in Ecuador and in my life. God has given me strength and love that I know is not from myself, but can only be from His power. Yesterday was probably the day that has made the most impact on me, with today's experiences being a close second. Yesterday, after a sleepless might and an exhausting morning of working, the team headed off to an orphanage. I was holding a very young boy who was pointing me around and exploring the campus with me, when I was directed into an empty room. As we walked in, a girl (probably 8ish years old) came into the room crying. As I squatted down to her level, I tried to talk to her and encourage her, but I couldn't get her to answer me or even look at me. Finally, I just moved a little closer and gave her a hug and from that moment on, she wouldn't leave my side. I was incredibly touched to watch her as she walked over to her younger sister (she held onto my jeans and guided me to where her sister was) and gave her the most selfless love I have ever seen. She and her sister had the cutest bond and, although they have next to nothing down here, I found myself envying that relationship. But anyways, then the girl, who I learned was named Kiara, asked me to pick her up and spent the next few hours on my shoulders. It was so fun to be able to invest my time and energy and get paid back with such joyful smiles. Whenever I have found myself in Spanish-speaking countries in the past, I have been able to realize how cool it is to be able to communicate to the people there in their own language, and yesterday it was such a blessing to be able to talk without difficulty to this little girl and understand all her responses. Finally, after a night of running around with "mi arana" (I called her my spider because she climbed all over me, and also because she thought it was funny :) ), parting was pretty difficult. She gave me one of the longest and tightest hugs I have ever received and several kisses. I told her that Jesus loves her and so do I as she reached her arms out the gate to wave goodbye. I hope I was able to make as much of an impact in her life as she did in mine.
Today was a very different experience caring for disabled people. I spent most of my time today with two young women. One, named Monica, was 36 years old and although she was confined to a wheelchair and could hardly speak, she was very intelligent, helpful, and conscientious. The other, who was 17 years old, was named Marisol, and she was also able to understand everything that was said to her. I received quite beautiful hairstyles (like I had the day before from Kiara) and I exhausted myself with tons of dancing, so it's a very good thing these kids don't care what I look like, they just want to be loved. Today I was really able to see God's power in me, because I was able to continue to love these people even when I usually wouldn't have been able to. This evening I was challenged to be very much of a servant, and although the work may have been gross, I have been rewarded and blessed so much by it. I hope that this trip will continue to impact my life and I will come home a changed person. God is amazing, I know that very well :) Thank you all for your continued prayer!
Sam Campbell: Hi there. Well today I went through a lot...When I first woke up I could not move any part of my body,because we had spent 4 hours yesterday digging a 3 1/2 ft hole. My body is paying for it....But not only that, I couldn't talk. It seems I caught what's been going around for the past few days. Right now I am drinking lots of tea and praying that I get better soon. On a happier note, today at the offanage was a lot of fun I bonded with 3 little handicapped girls(one specifically,Maricol). They really touched my heart and my attitude on life. I am so thankful that God put me on this trip. I love everyone I meet and everything I see. Love you all. THANKS FOR READING! :)
Renee W
This trip has far exceeded all my expetations and hopes. I have so clearly seen God's love and what He is doing both in Ecuador and in my life. God has given me strength and love that I know is not from myself, but can only be from His power. Yesterday was probably the day that has made the most impact on me, with today's experiences being a close second. Yesterday, after a sleepless might and an exhausting morning of working, the team headed off to an orphanage. I was holding a very young boy who was pointing me around and exploring the campus with me, when I was directed into an empty room. As we walked in, a girl (probably 8ish years old) came into the room crying. As I squatted down to her level, I tried to talk to her and encourage her, but I couldn't get her to answer me or even look at me. Finally, I just moved a little closer and gave her a hug and from that moment on, she wouldn't leave my side. I was incredibly touched to watch her as she walked over to her younger sister (she held onto my jeans and guided me to where her sister was) and gave her the most selfless love I have ever seen. She and her sister had the cutest bond and, although they have next to nothing down here, I found myself envying that relationship. But anyways, then the girl, who I learned was named Kiara, asked me to pick her up and spent the next few hours on my shoulders. It was so fun to be able to invest my time and energy and get paid back with such joyful smiles. Whenever I have found myself in Spanish-speaking countries in the past, I have been able to realize how cool it is to be able to communicate to the people there in their own language, and yesterday it was such a blessing to be able to talk without difficulty to this little girl and understand all her responses. Finally, after a night of running around with "mi arana" (I called her my spider because she climbed all over me, and also because she thought it was funny :) ), parting was pretty difficult. She gave me one of the longest and tightest hugs I have ever received and several kisses. I told her that Jesus loves her and so do I as she reached her arms out the gate to wave goodbye. I hope I was able to make as much of an impact in her life as she did in mine.
Today was a very different experience caring for disabled people. I spent most of my time today with two young women. One, named Monica, was 36 years old and although she was confined to a wheelchair and could hardly speak, she was very intelligent, helpful, and conscientious. The other, who was 17 years old, was named Marisol, and she was also able to understand everything that was said to her. I received quite beautiful hairstyles (like I had the day before from Kiara) and I exhausted myself with tons of dancing, so it's a very good thing these kids don't care what I look like, they just want to be loved. Today I was really able to see God's power in me, because I was able to continue to love these people even when I usually wouldn't have been able to. This evening I was challenged to be very much of a servant, and although the work may have been gross, I have been rewarded and blessed so much by it. I hope that this trip will continue to impact my life and I will come home a changed person. God is amazing, I know that very well :) Thank you all for your continued prayer!
Wednesday - Handicapped kids today, but no pictures allowed
Katie Jensen
I am so glad that we made it safely to Ecuador! It's such a blessing to be here! It has been so great to bond with the team and get to know everyone better. There are some amazing people here that I probably wouldn't have known if it wasn't for this trip! When we went to the orphenage for the first time on monday, there was a boy named Pablo. When we put on the music and started dancing, he was just sitting by the window looking sad. I went up to him asking if he was ok, and he wouldn't respond to anything I asked him. Eventually, someone gave him a camera, and he went crazy with it! We ended up having alot of fun together too. When we went back the next day, he was so happy for us to come back! And when were doing the music for VBS, he started to dance with me and he had so much fun that when the music stopped he started the song all over again, and for the rest of the day was so joyful and happy! It just warmed my heart so much to see him smile! Also, we went to "camp hope" today, the place with the handicapped kids, and it was great! We walked into a room, and all of the kids' faces just lit up, and started jumping up and down and hugging us! There was one girl in particular, that gave me such joy. She would constantly grab me and hug me, and take my hand and hold it, as she gave me a beautiful, huge smile. We had lots of fun together, and I can't wait to see her again! Be sure to keep all of these kids in your prayers! I have had such a great time here in Ecuador, and such an amazing experience, I dont want to leave! I miss you and love you all so much!
Hannah Li
Ecuador is super amazingg! A lot of us don't get much sleep so we get really tired during the afternoon but it's cool how we give in 110% effort for the kids at the orphange and Camp Hope. Today was our first visit to Camp Hope. At first, it was honestly heartbreaking and scary seeing the disabled kids in a bunch of wheelchairs and stuff. Eventually, we warmed up to them and yeahh. I loved feeding this little girl named Gloria and I got to change her diaper. Today was so cool.. I will never forget this experience (:
Grant Chang:
Ecuador is the best experience I ever had so far with The King's Academy. This trip gets me out of my comfort zone which makes it much more meaningful in many ways. Bonding with everyone on the team and getting more familiar with each individual is quite amazing. God designed this group for His purpose and it's cool to see how amazing it has been working out. Yesterday our team went to the orphanage to spend time with the kids. The kids admire us greatly and it was great spending time with them. Just a few hours can make a huge impact on them. Being loved is the most important thing any individual needs, so that gave us the motivation to work 110% and love and value the kids even further. Today we went to go visit an orphanage that involved disabled children. It was very meaningful because we got to feed them and perform drama and music in front of them. I could see God's love working in them through us. We have a great team and I can't wait to see what other good things God has already planned for us to accomplish. Being here is such a blessing and I can't wait to tell my loved ones about it!
I am so glad that we made it safely to Ecuador! It's such a blessing to be here! It has been so great to bond with the team and get to know everyone better. There are some amazing people here that I probably wouldn't have known if it wasn't for this trip! When we went to the orphenage for the first time on monday, there was a boy named Pablo. When we put on the music and started dancing, he was just sitting by the window looking sad. I went up to him asking if he was ok, and he wouldn't respond to anything I asked him. Eventually, someone gave him a camera, and he went crazy with it! We ended up having alot of fun together too. When we went back the next day, he was so happy for us to come back! And when were doing the music for VBS, he started to dance with me and he had so much fun that when the music stopped he started the song all over again, and for the rest of the day was so joyful and happy! It just warmed my heart so much to see him smile! Also, we went to "camp hope" today, the place with the handicapped kids, and it was great! We walked into a room, and all of the kids' faces just lit up, and started jumping up and down and hugging us! There was one girl in particular, that gave me such joy. She would constantly grab me and hug me, and take my hand and hold it, as she gave me a beautiful, huge smile. We had lots of fun together, and I can't wait to see her again! Be sure to keep all of these kids in your prayers! I have had such a great time here in Ecuador, and such an amazing experience, I dont want to leave! I miss you and love you all so much!
Hannah Li
Ecuador is super amazingg! A lot of us don't get much sleep so we get really tired during the afternoon but it's cool how we give in 110% effort for the kids at the orphange and Camp Hope. Today was our first visit to Camp Hope. At first, it was honestly heartbreaking and scary seeing the disabled kids in a bunch of wheelchairs and stuff. Eventually, we warmed up to them and yeahh. I loved feeding this little girl named Gloria and I got to change her diaper. Today was so cool.. I will never forget this experience (:
Grant Chang:
Ecuador is the best experience I ever had so far with The King's Academy. This trip gets me out of my comfort zone which makes it much more meaningful in many ways. Bonding with everyone on the team and getting more familiar with each individual is quite amazing. God designed this group for His purpose and it's cool to see how amazing it has been working out. Yesterday our team went to the orphanage to spend time with the kids. The kids admire us greatly and it was great spending time with them. Just a few hours can make a huge impact on them. Being loved is the most important thing any individual needs, so that gave us the motivation to work 110% and love and value the kids even further. Today we went to go visit an orphanage that involved disabled children. It was very meaningful because we got to feed them and perform drama and music in front of them. I could see God's love working in them through us. We have a great team and I can't wait to see what other good things God has already planned for us to accomplish. Being here is such a blessing and I can't wait to tell my loved ones about it!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Faithfulness of God in the Middle of the World
Mary Jane Klope - "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:1-3) This beautiful plea of Paul has quickly become a reality for our amazing team in Ecuador! At this very moment, I'm sitting in the living room of Casablanca, watching a team diverse in age, interests, personality, race, and gender work with one mind and one heart to serve God to His glory. We spent the morning hard at work digging ditches, cutting up trees, and accesorizing a new guest room ceiling. We will soon be returning to the Maria Yoder de Campi orphanage where we'll fall even more in love with 28 children from <1 year to 10 years old. We'll continue our "VBS" style ministry and support the staff in any way possible to care for and love the children. A number of these children are slow to trust newcomers, but the students approached them with such compassion and gentleness that it didn't take long for them to warm up. Parents - You can be so proud of each of your students. I am SO proud of every one of them! Our four-fold challenge for this week, given to us by our IncaLink staff member, is: Choose Joy, Give 110%, Be Here Now, and Be Challenged by Choice. Every team member has taken this challenge to heart. The resulting mutual love, unity, heartfelt service and hard work has been beyond miraculous. We have truly come to love each other - without exception - and the sense of unity is felt deeply and palpably by all. Thank you for taking part in this ministry by sending your child to the middle of the world to serve God in the beautiful country of Ecuador. I assure you: They will never be the same. Nor will I.
Eugenia Phan - Howdy y'all! Mrs. Klope didn't let me start my own post, but I suppose the title of this post can relate to whatever I'm about to write.
Our stay in Ecuador has been a pretty gosh darn amaingly delightful buttload of fun. I really do not know what to write except that I love everything (except for this spider we found while cleaning the other day) & everyone here.
I love trying to talk to people in Spanish because I speak it well enough for people to kind of understand what I'm trying to say, but bad enough for them to laugh at me. It's kind of a nice icebreaker-type of thing. Also, everyone greets eachother with a hug & a kiss on the cheek in Ecuador. I like hugs.
Emily Ha - Hello, it's Tuesday night here in Ecuador and we just finished one epic day! Our work around Casablanca today was digging holes...3 by 3 feet holes. Plus, there were all sort of roots, tree stumps, and even barbed wire at the bottom of our dirt holes. In our group's hole, we even saw a scorpion!! I was digging in the hole, and when I came out, I looked down and saw something moving...it turned out to be a scorpion, and it was right where I had been standing! But, God protected me from the scorpion and I didn't get stung or anything! Then during break time, half of our team got the chance to go to the market, so we all went to a store a few minutes away...then we decided to take a bus to a supermarket that was 15 min away. So that all was an experience on its own! We had to walk back, so we got to see Quito for what it was. It was really cool. We got to buy some ice cream and snacks so it was good. Then we bought back some native fruit - called Granadea, or something. It has a shell, and when you open it up, it looks like frog eggs in snot or something. But it tasted so delicious! Then at the orphanage, we played with the kids a ton more. I got attached to one of the little girls and she pretty much hung onto me for the rest of the day. She cried when I had to go do the puppet show, so I took her behind the stage and she sat on my lap while I held my puppet. And later, she gave me little kisses on the lips and she always had a cute little smile on her face. She was the most adorable thing ever! I got the chance to give her my book I had made in Spanish class and when I finished reading it to her, she hugged it and ran off reading it. And we had to leave, everyone was so sad to be leaving all the kids. They clumb on to the gate and they kept waving to us as we pulled away. I almost cried...but instead, I felt a calm peace, knowing that they have a very good home with all the food that they were eating and all those toys they had. I also knew that some of these kids would be adopted into very good homes. Even though we may never see them again, we had brought a lot of joy into their lives. And for us, we will never forget their faces and the experience that we had here. I am looking foward to going to Camp Hope and working with the kids with special needs. It's gonna be a good week!
Sydney Sanchez- DUDE. I'm having so much fun. There have definitely been obstacles for our group as a whole, as well as for me personally. But in the short 3 days we've been here, I've grown tremendously. I had some serious trepidations about this trip even though I've been to Ecuador before, but God has really come through for me and while things are still tough, He's still with me so I'm okay. While we've been here, we've done some serious hard labor and played with beautiful children from an orphanage. Tonight, I had the blessing of hanging out with a 15 month year old girl who changed my perspective on everything. To see her smile made my heart smile in a way it hasn't in a very long time. Overall, I'm having a great time and I'm looking forward to the opprotunities and challenges to come. Please keep the whole team in your prayers, we love you all! (PS..I probably made a bunch of spelling mistakes but I got like...45 minutes of sleep last night...so I hope it makes sense anyway!)
Rebecca Schulenburg-hey hey people! We have been having an absolute blast here in Ecuador!! I have loved every minute of it, and I feel that we have grown so close as a group already. I have also decided that I wanted to live this trip by a mantra from a past missions trip: "Just Say Yes!" Translation: Say yes to everything (within reason) because you might not ever get a chance to do it again. So far i have said yes to sweeping leaves off of a roof, digging three feet holes and prying out tree trunks, and playing with babies at the orphanage for hours even when it seems that my mental and physical abilities have given out. Today, my joy was definitely found in the quality time I spent with a 1 1/2 yr old boy, Juan-Pablo. At first he absolutely refused to be taken out of his crib, but after about 45 minutes and lots of pick-a-boo games he finally trusted to me to take him outside where we spent most of our time together until dinner. I hope I will never forget his surprising laughter or beautiful smile, even as we move onto another orphanage tomorrow where more kids await! Thank you for all of your prayers and support, we have faced a few challenges but it has truly grown us as individuals and as a team. Love and Blessings from Ecuador!
Eugenia Phan - Howdy y'all! Mrs. Klope didn't let me start my own post, but I suppose the title of this post can relate to whatever I'm about to write.
Our stay in Ecuador has been a pretty gosh darn amaingly delightful buttload of fun. I really do not know what to write except that I love everything (except for this spider we found while cleaning the other day) & everyone here.
I love trying to talk to people in Spanish because I speak it well enough for people to kind of understand what I'm trying to say, but bad enough for them to laugh at me. It's kind of a nice icebreaker-type of thing. Also, everyone greets eachother with a hug & a kiss on the cheek in Ecuador. I like hugs.
Emily Ha - Hello, it's Tuesday night here in Ecuador and we just finished one epic day! Our work around Casablanca today was digging holes...3 by 3 feet holes. Plus, there were all sort of roots, tree stumps, and even barbed wire at the bottom of our dirt holes. In our group's hole, we even saw a scorpion!! I was digging in the hole, and when I came out, I looked down and saw something moving...it turned out to be a scorpion, and it was right where I had been standing! But, God protected me from the scorpion and I didn't get stung or anything! Then during break time, half of our team got the chance to go to the market, so we all went to a store a few minutes away...then we decided to take a bus to a supermarket that was 15 min away. So that all was an experience on its own! We had to walk back, so we got to see Quito for what it was. It was really cool. We got to buy some ice cream and snacks so it was good. Then we bought back some native fruit - called Granadea, or something. It has a shell, and when you open it up, it looks like frog eggs in snot or something. But it tasted so delicious! Then at the orphanage, we played with the kids a ton more. I got attached to one of the little girls and she pretty much hung onto me for the rest of the day. She cried when I had to go do the puppet show, so I took her behind the stage and she sat on my lap while I held my puppet. And later, she gave me little kisses on the lips and she always had a cute little smile on her face. She was the most adorable thing ever! I got the chance to give her my book I had made in Spanish class and when I finished reading it to her, she hugged it and ran off reading it. And we had to leave, everyone was so sad to be leaving all the kids. They clumb on to the gate and they kept waving to us as we pulled away. I almost cried...but instead, I felt a calm peace, knowing that they have a very good home with all the food that they were eating and all those toys they had. I also knew that some of these kids would be adopted into very good homes. Even though we may never see them again, we had brought a lot of joy into their lives. And for us, we will never forget their faces and the experience that we had here. I am looking foward to going to Camp Hope and working with the kids with special needs. It's gonna be a good week!
Sydney Sanchez- DUDE. I'm having so much fun. There have definitely been obstacles for our group as a whole, as well as for me personally. But in the short 3 days we've been here, I've grown tremendously. I had some serious trepidations about this trip even though I've been to Ecuador before, but God has really come through for me and while things are still tough, He's still with me so I'm okay. While we've been here, we've done some serious hard labor and played with beautiful children from an orphanage. Tonight, I had the blessing of hanging out with a 15 month year old girl who changed my perspective on everything. To see her smile made my heart smile in a way it hasn't in a very long time. Overall, I'm having a great time and I'm looking forward to the opprotunities and challenges to come. Please keep the whole team in your prayers, we love you all! (PS..I probably made a bunch of spelling mistakes but I got like...45 minutes of sleep last night...so I hope it makes sense anyway!)
Rebecca Schulenburg-hey hey people! We have been having an absolute blast here in Ecuador!! I have loved every minute of it, and I feel that we have grown so close as a group already. I have also decided that I wanted to live this trip by a mantra from a past missions trip: "Just Say Yes!" Translation: Say yes to everything (within reason) because you might not ever get a chance to do it again. So far i have said yes to sweeping leaves off of a roof, digging three feet holes and prying out tree trunks, and playing with babies at the orphanage for hours even when it seems that my mental and physical abilities have given out. Today, my joy was definitely found in the quality time I spent with a 1 1/2 yr old boy, Juan-Pablo. At first he absolutely refused to be taken out of his crib, but after about 45 minutes and lots of pick-a-boo games he finally trusted to me to take him outside where we spent most of our time together until dinner. I hope I will never forget his surprising laughter or beautiful smile, even as we move onto another orphanage tomorrow where more kids await! Thank you for all of your prayers and support, we have faced a few challenges but it has truly grown us as individuals and as a team. Love and Blessings from Ecuador!
Tuesday - work day and later a reward - the orphanage
And now, a word from our students.
Here are some of our highs and lows for the day: {Please put name first}
Vania
High: Being able to serve God in Ecuador and having an awesome first day
Low: Being really tired and not being able to enjoy everything to its full extent
Vania
High: Being able to serve God in Ecuador and having an awesome first day
Low: Being really tired and not being able to enjoy everything to its full extent
Monday, April 18, 2011
And even more from day two...
Iona Brannon: So today was a ton of work, but it was awesome. I got to work the chainsaw and 'jump' wood(break it by jumping on it). Then we had fun chillin' with the mk kids. After a yummy hamburger lunch we went to the orphanage and played with the kids. They were super cute and most of them warmed up immediately. All of them were sad to see us leave by the end. Those little chicos were crazy, climbing up and down Mr.Palm and Matt and running around with our cameras. I thought it was pretty funny when a little kid ran off with a camera, locking the door behind her(but then again, it wasn't my camera :P). Debriefing was pretty fun too as everyone encouraged each other. I'm tired now, but it's a good worn out kind of tired...
Hannah Li: hellloooooo! Life in ecuador is amazing. Living in Casa Blanca really feels like i'm at home.Today was full of experiences. In the morning we did construction work and I got to split wood with a giant axe. The time I spent at the orphange was awesome and I got close to a lot of little kids (: We took a ton of pictures. I french braided this girl named Carla's hair and she looked super happy while I was brushing her hair. I hope that we can eat guinea pig soon.
Hannah Li: hellloooooo! Life in ecuador is amazing. Living in Casa Blanca really feels like i'm at home.Today was full of experiences. In the morning we did construction work and I got to split wood with a giant axe. The time I spent at the orphange was awesome and I got close to a lot of little kids (: We took a ton of pictures. I french braided this girl named Carla's hair and she looked super happy while I was brushing her hair. I hope that we can eat guinea pig soon.
More from our team
Victoria Yu: Hola Papacito y Mamacita!!! :) I love Ecuador soo much. I don't think I've been filled with so much joy in such a long time. It's been great being able to serve far away from home, but I'm hoping that I can bring this experience back home with me and continue to live it out in my everyday life. Thank you, Dad, for all the lovely devotionals! The verses are great and they are very applicable. This morning my roommates and I cleaned the house and cleared out all the dust. It was a lot of fun and I am so glad that God used my love for cleaning to help this family out. Later in the day we went to the orphanage and we got to play with kids! They were soooooo cute and fun-loving. Our group has been bonding quite well, and I am excited for what's in store for the rest of the week. Hope you all are safe at home and thanks for the prayers!
Pictures of Day Two
Queens of the rock pile!
Yes, that is a power saw.
A skit for the orphans - we had the most fun.
Enjoying the time with the kids.
Fun with cameras.
Smiles while working hard.
Monday in Ecuador was projects and orphans
Comments from our team: {please put name first}
Wesley Friesen: Today was our second full day in Ecuador, and the first day where we have actually started our service work. We spent all morning doing misc. projects around casablanca, such as tree trimming and rock moving. I got to sweep the leaves off of the roof, which was really a lot of fun, and it was great to bond with all my team members. We spent the afternoon at an orphanage, which was really an eye opening experience. The kids are so sweet, and despite not knowing the language, they absolutely love being around you. Hearing them laugh and scream of happiness gives me such a great feeling, because you know that it's because of you that they are so happy. We do so little, but a little goes such a long way with these kids. Ecuador is everything that I expected, and so more. It's my first time outside the continent in a completely different culture, and I am having so much fun. Mom, I'm alive... no need to worry! Dad, I sure hope the Sharks are doing well. They better be playing when I come back!
Joanne Yeh: Hi Daddy, Mommy, Janice, Jessica :) I'm having a great time in Ecuador and today was our first day in missions. First we did misc. construction projects around Casablana. My team of girls helped clean up Casa Elizabeth and I think we did a very good j ob. First we organized the living room and mopped and swept the floor over and over since people kept walking over it...then we moved to the kitchen and helped mop and wash lots and lots of dishes. After this was completed, we went to the dining room and made usable again! We also oganized the other living room and vacuumed the carpet. Once we finished lunch, we went to a orpanage and played with the children. They were SO cute, and I held two babies, Valeska and Sofia for like two hours. I wish we could have stayed longer...well anyways, I am having a great time but I miss you all. Love you everyone, have a fun time in LA! I can't wait to come back and tell you everything that I have and will experience!
Grant Chang: Hey Mom and Dad! :)I miss you guys soo much. I hope you guys are having a great time in Suzhou without your nagging son :) having to hear about me talking about college all the time! hahah. Ecuador is soo much fun and very exciting. Yesterday we went to an Ecuadorian church and observed the smiliarities and differences between Ecuadorian and American churches. The sermon was spoken in Spanish and I understood the basics of it and many sayings were very familiar to me! After the service, we went to eat Empanadas, which was very delicious! In the afternoon, we went to visit the equator near the nothern part of Quito. I always thought it was an imaginary line, but there's so much more to it. I'll tell you more about that when I come back. Today, I worked on the roof with the rest of the team and cleaned the whole roof that was piled with leaves. It was great! I took many pictures. Then, we went to the orphanage which was the best experience of the day. The kids smiles were ineffable and they liked us a lot. Well, I hope you guys are having a greattt and relaxing time and I will talk and see you sooonn!!! Love you guys very much!
P.S I love the devotions! Thank you so much for them. They are greatly appreciated. I showed the pictures to Senora Kadle and she loved them and thinks we're the coolest family ever! :) hahah
Emily Ha: Hi all! It's been one wonderful day!! We started the day, after devotions and french toast for breakfast, with some work around Casablanca. One group shoveled and moved rocks, one group chopped wood, while my group cleaned 4 rooms of Casa Elizabeth - we dusted, swept, mopped, reorganized, vacuumed, and made the rooms look so much cleaner and fresher. It was loads of fun - even though I hate cleaning my own house, cleaning other people's house was really fun. After lunch, we headed to the orphanage. At the orphanage, we sang songs, did a drama and a puppet show, and also crafts. While we were there, we also played a lot with these kids. We went to their little playground and everyone had a lot of fun! Since a lot of us had cameras and we were using them, the kids wanted to play with them...and they took some really good pictures! They kids were really attached to every one on the team. When they came up to one of us, they woould not let us go for a really long time! I also felt my heart go out to them. Most of them were there because their parents aren't able to take care of them. It was so sad to see some of them. And I saw one of the little girl's mother outsid the locked gate. She reached her arm in, and her daughter was reaching up saying "mama, mama." then when she was let in, the little girl ran to her mom and said "Mama!" and her mother hugged her and carried her all the way up to their visiting room. It was sad to see the poverty that some people have to go through. I really didn't want to leave the orphanage, but I'm glad we get to go back tomorrow!! Keep praying for us and God Bless!
Rick Palm: Hi family, and extended TKA family! We had a great day - exhausting but wonderful. We did several projects at Casablanca in the morning. I helped cut up branches cut from their Eucalyptus trees. Our women did a great job running the chain saw, using axes, and cutting small limbs with a machete! After lunch we went to the orphanage. We did songs, a play, a puppet show, and a craft. As always, I had a rough time understanding all the kids were telling me, but I had fun with Jonathan. He loves riding on my shoulders, enjoys games and his yoyo, and mostly enjoyed trying out a digital camera. I'm sure there are LOTS of interesting photos on some of the team's cameras! Dinner was a delicious, thick potato soup with a wonderful fruit juice and toast. It was a great day, and I will definitely look forward to a long visit with my pillow tonight! (PS to family: THANKS for your devos. They mean the world to me!)
Sam Campbell: HEYYYO! This is probably the best experience I have ever encountered! It has been amazing and every moment I have learned something new about myself or something else. I tried empanadas yesterday and I have to say-I wish they were more common in America cause they are the bomb. Today I got to help clean Casa Elizabeth. I also got to play Jesus in our puppet show and that was a lot of fun also. Today was an adventure I will never forget. I am looking foward to the rest of this trip and getting to know my Ecuador Team aka mi familia. TE QUIERO(I love you).
May God bless you.
Wesley Friesen: Today was our second full day in Ecuador, and the first day where we have actually started our service work. We spent all morning doing misc. projects around casablanca, such as tree trimming and rock moving. I got to sweep the leaves off of the roof, which was really a lot of fun, and it was great to bond with all my team members. We spent the afternoon at an orphanage, which was really an eye opening experience. The kids are so sweet, and despite not knowing the language, they absolutely love being around you. Hearing them laugh and scream of happiness gives me such a great feeling, because you know that it's because of you that they are so happy. We do so little, but a little goes such a long way with these kids. Ecuador is everything that I expected, and so more. It's my first time outside the continent in a completely different culture, and I am having so much fun. Mom, I'm alive... no need to worry! Dad, I sure hope the Sharks are doing well. They better be playing when I come back!
Joanne Yeh: Hi Daddy, Mommy, Janice, Jessica :) I'm having a great time in Ecuador and today was our first day in missions. First we did misc. construction projects around Casablana. My team of girls helped clean up Casa Elizabeth and I think we did a very good j ob. First we organized the living room and mopped and swept the floor over and over since people kept walking over it...then we moved to the kitchen and helped mop and wash lots and lots of dishes. After this was completed, we went to the dining room and made usable again! We also oganized the other living room and vacuumed the carpet. Once we finished lunch, we went to a orpanage and played with the children. They were SO cute, and I held two babies, Valeska and Sofia for like two hours. I wish we could have stayed longer...well anyways, I am having a great time but I miss you all. Love you everyone, have a fun time in LA! I can't wait to come back and tell you everything that I have and will experience!
Grant Chang: Hey Mom and Dad! :)I miss you guys soo much. I hope you guys are having a great time in Suzhou without your nagging son :) having to hear about me talking about college all the time! hahah. Ecuador is soo much fun and very exciting. Yesterday we went to an Ecuadorian church and observed the smiliarities and differences between Ecuadorian and American churches. The sermon was spoken in Spanish and I understood the basics of it and many sayings were very familiar to me! After the service, we went to eat Empanadas, which was very delicious! In the afternoon, we went to visit the equator near the nothern part of Quito. I always thought it was an imaginary line, but there's so much more to it. I'll tell you more about that when I come back. Today, I worked on the roof with the rest of the team and cleaned the whole roof that was piled with leaves. It was great! I took many pictures. Then, we went to the orphanage which was the best experience of the day. The kids smiles were ineffable and they liked us a lot. Well, I hope you guys are having a greattt and relaxing time and I will talk and see you sooonn!!! Love you guys very much!
P.S I love the devotions! Thank you so much for them. They are greatly appreciated. I showed the pictures to Senora Kadle and she loved them and thinks we're the coolest family ever! :) hahah
Emily Ha: Hi all! It's been one wonderful day!! We started the day, after devotions and french toast for breakfast, with some work around Casablanca. One group shoveled and moved rocks, one group chopped wood, while my group cleaned 4 rooms of Casa Elizabeth - we dusted, swept, mopped, reorganized, vacuumed, and made the rooms look so much cleaner and fresher. It was loads of fun - even though I hate cleaning my own house, cleaning other people's house was really fun. After lunch, we headed to the orphanage. At the orphanage, we sang songs, did a drama and a puppet show, and also crafts. While we were there, we also played a lot with these kids. We went to their little playground and everyone had a lot of fun! Since a lot of us had cameras and we were using them, the kids wanted to play with them...and they took some really good pictures! They kids were really attached to every one on the team. When they came up to one of us, they woould not let us go for a really long time! I also felt my heart go out to them. Most of them were there because their parents aren't able to take care of them. It was so sad to see some of them. And I saw one of the little girl's mother outsid the locked gate. She reached her arm in, and her daughter was reaching up saying "mama, mama." then when she was let in, the little girl ran to her mom and said "Mama!" and her mother hugged her and carried her all the way up to their visiting room. It was sad to see the poverty that some people have to go through. I really didn't want to leave the orphanage, but I'm glad we get to go back tomorrow!! Keep praying for us and God Bless!
Rick Palm: Hi family, and extended TKA family! We had a great day - exhausting but wonderful. We did several projects at Casablanca in the morning. I helped cut up branches cut from their Eucalyptus trees. Our women did a great job running the chain saw, using axes, and cutting small limbs with a machete! After lunch we went to the orphanage. We did songs, a play, a puppet show, and a craft. As always, I had a rough time understanding all the kids were telling me, but I had fun with Jonathan. He loves riding on my shoulders, enjoys games and his yoyo, and mostly enjoyed trying out a digital camera. I'm sure there are LOTS of interesting photos on some of the team's cameras! Dinner was a delicious, thick potato soup with a wonderful fruit juice and toast. It was a great day, and I will definitely look forward to a long visit with my pillow tonight! (PS to family: THANKS for your devos. They mean the world to me!)
Sam Campbell: HEYYYO! This is probably the best experience I have ever encountered! It has been amazing and every moment I have learned something new about myself or something else. I tried empanadas yesterday and I have to say-I wish they were more common in America cause they are the bomb. Today I got to help clean Casa Elizabeth. I also got to play Jesus in our puppet show and that was a lot of fun also. Today was an adventure I will never forget. I am looking foward to the rest of this trip and getting to know my Ecuador Team aka mi familia. TE QUIERO(I love you).
May God bless you.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
And now a word from our team
Highs and lows of our first day: {Please put name first}
Rick Palm: The whole day was a high! Worship with our brothers and sisters in Ecuador, seeing their devotion to our Lord, sharing their faith. Then empanadas! Yum! Then the Ecuator Museum! Facinating notes on phenomena related to the equator, facts about the indiginous people, and the history.
Low: Not feeling 100%. Physically tired, and a bit of an upset stomach. Some rest and the outstanding food (and your prayers!) will deal with that. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers--your are very much a part of this team!
Erin Braddi: Today was an all time high for me. The worship at church today was amazing because no one was ashamed to praise God openly in their own way. The church made our team feel comfortable dancing and praising God just like they did. These people were strangers to us but they made us feel so welcome that by the end of the service we felt like brothers and sisters. Also the two other highs of the day were lunch and going to the equator. Empanadas are my new favorite food. Also while at the equator I was able to balance an egg on a nail (pretty impressive, huh?). The low point of today was getting in and out of the bunk. Nikki and I are even having trouble getting in the bunks with a step stool (I know really pathetic, huh?) Well over all today was amazing and I'm excited about what God has in store for us the rest of the week.
Iona Brannon: Wow, today was... indescribable. Highs? I could go on forever... I guess I should just name a few. I loved the church service (besides almost falling asleep during the sermon cuz I didn't understand it. At all.). We had an amazing time jaywalking to our wonderful lunch, empanadas. Then we crossed from the southern hemisphere to the northern and went to the middle of the world (not something you do everyday, yeah?). I saw a creepy/cool shrunken century old human head. Okay, now I really know that I could go on forever, but I gotta stop. My day was mostly sweet, but there were a couple of bitter splats thrown in too. I had cramps in my shoulder but that wasn't too bad as it was only every once in a while. My sandals broke on the equator, but that's kinda cool too... So yeah, first day in Ecuador was not bad... not bad at all.
Abbey Middleton: This whole South America business is so new to me! I've never been out of North America, and I've never flown to a different country before, so today and yesterday have been two of the most interesting days of my life! Let's see, highs and lows. Well, a high for me is the beauty of this country! Is has rolling green hills and breathtaking cliffs, and I have an amazing view of all of it from my bunk! Another high is how close this team is getting. When we had our first meeting, it was a little awkward. But now, we all feel like a big family. Also, meeting our team members who were waiting for us in Ecuador already was a great surprise! We are working with a wonderful ministry called Inca Link, and we have a few people who have joined us in our journey! A low for me was probably how much the elevation change disoriented me. I felt like I was on a rocking boat when I stepped off the plane. Another is the fact that I don't speak a lick of Spanish, since I study French in school, so it is very hard to communicate with the Ecuadorians. But I don't want to end on a bad note! I am exrememly happy that I made the decision to go on this trip, and I am so looking forward to what lies ahead!
Rebecca Wade: I have been on an emotional high since I've been in Ecuador. It reminds me of Mexico but not because the culture is different. The highs of this trip so far have been driving around Ecuador and seeing the different people and places. Another high is the food here in Ecuador. It is kind of like Mexican food but better. :) We went to church this morning, and it was kind of hard to understand because it was all in Spanish, Spanish class helps, but I had a good translater next to me(Thanks Matt) After church we went to had lunch, than went to the Equator museum, which was very neat to see how on different sides of the equator, it is effected so much. I'm looking forward a lot to the upcoming days, and give my 110% to everything I do, and everyone I come in contact with.
Vania Tso: I am so glad that God has given us such an oppurtunity to serve Him in Ecuador. So far the highs for this trip is being able to experience going to a different church. Another high is being able to connect with all the team members and having a fun time and also going to the equator. A low for this trip is that I was really tired and I felt that I couldn't be able to experience everything to its full extent.
Emily Ha: So yesterday, April 16th was my birthday - my 17th birthday. And it was spent all day on an airplane. It was quite an interesting experience having to be at the airport at 4am and getting here in Quito at 10pm. Even though I didn't have total fun for my birthday, it's one birthday to remember!! So just celebrating my birthday with everyone on this team was a high for me. They all signed a birthday card...while I was sleeping. So that was sweet :) anyways, another high so far are going to a Spanish-speaking church. We sang worship songs in Spanish, some that we knew English, others that we didn't know, but could easily catch onto. Another high was LUNCH :D It was supppperrrrr yummy. Empanadas and Coca-Cola! Then we got to go to the equator museum. Lat 00' 00''. That was a super cool experience! We learned a lot about the culture and also a little bit of the science of the forces. Did you know that in the Northern Hemisphere, water will turn in the Counter-clock wise, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it goes in the clockwise direction. And right on the equator, it goes straight down...So cool. Anyways, my only low has been the sleepiness and tiredness. But other than that, I've had a super time, and it's only been 2 days!! I can't wait for what God has in store for us!
Grant Chang: For my highs today, a lot of factors contributed greatly. When I woke up this morning, I knew God was going to do great things. I woke up to rain and seeming cloudy day, but as we were doing our devotions in the morning, the sun peaked out and it gave us all a motivation to do the things God planned for us to do. First, I really appreciated worship and the church service. Seeing people sing and jump for joy for the Lord makes my heart shine with happiness. I liked the empanadas that we had for lunch today! They were delicious! Visiting the equator was also very exciting to me. I always think of the equator as an imaginary line, but there is so much more to do! Seeing the splits and differences between the northern and southern hemispheres really fascinate me. But what I really appreciate through this entire day, is the bond between all of us and every single thing we contribute to this team. The mingling is ineffable and makes me happy inside and out. For my low, going back to the sermon we had this morning, I was trying to understand what the speaker was saying. I knew the fundamentals and many phrases he was saying, but I kept on trying to catch up with him through his sermon. I wish I practiced more spanish so that communication would be easier and that there would be no language barrier.
Rick Palm: The whole day was a high! Worship with our brothers and sisters in Ecuador, seeing their devotion to our Lord, sharing their faith. Then empanadas! Yum! Then the Ecuator Museum! Facinating notes on phenomena related to the equator, facts about the indiginous people, and the history.
Low: Not feeling 100%. Physically tired, and a bit of an upset stomach. Some rest and the outstanding food (and your prayers!) will deal with that. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers--your are very much a part of this team!
Erin Braddi: Today was an all time high for me. The worship at church today was amazing because no one was ashamed to praise God openly in their own way. The church made our team feel comfortable dancing and praising God just like they did. These people were strangers to us but they made us feel so welcome that by the end of the service we felt like brothers and sisters. Also the two other highs of the day were lunch and going to the equator. Empanadas are my new favorite food. Also while at the equator I was able to balance an egg on a nail (pretty impressive, huh?). The low point of today was getting in and out of the bunk. Nikki and I are even having trouble getting in the bunks with a step stool (I know really pathetic, huh?) Well over all today was amazing and I'm excited about what God has in store for us the rest of the week.
Iona Brannon: Wow, today was... indescribable. Highs? I could go on forever... I guess I should just name a few. I loved the church service (besides almost falling asleep during the sermon cuz I didn't understand it. At all.). We had an amazing time jaywalking to our wonderful lunch, empanadas. Then we crossed from the southern hemisphere to the northern and went to the middle of the world (not something you do everyday, yeah?). I saw a creepy/cool shrunken century old human head. Okay, now I really know that I could go on forever, but I gotta stop. My day was mostly sweet, but there were a couple of bitter splats thrown in too. I had cramps in my shoulder but that wasn't too bad as it was only every once in a while. My sandals broke on the equator, but that's kinda cool too... So yeah, first day in Ecuador was not bad... not bad at all.
Abbey Middleton: This whole South America business is so new to me! I've never been out of North America, and I've never flown to a different country before, so today and yesterday have been two of the most interesting days of my life! Let's see, highs and lows. Well, a high for me is the beauty of this country! Is has rolling green hills and breathtaking cliffs, and I have an amazing view of all of it from my bunk! Another high is how close this team is getting. When we had our first meeting, it was a little awkward. But now, we all feel like a big family. Also, meeting our team members who were waiting for us in Ecuador already was a great surprise! We are working with a wonderful ministry called Inca Link, and we have a few people who have joined us in our journey! A low for me was probably how much the elevation change disoriented me. I felt like I was on a rocking boat when I stepped off the plane. Another is the fact that I don't speak a lick of Spanish, since I study French in school, so it is very hard to communicate with the Ecuadorians. But I don't want to end on a bad note! I am exrememly happy that I made the decision to go on this trip, and I am so looking forward to what lies ahead!
Rebecca Wade: I have been on an emotional high since I've been in Ecuador. It reminds me of Mexico but not because the culture is different. The highs of this trip so far have been driving around Ecuador and seeing the different people and places. Another high is the food here in Ecuador. It is kind of like Mexican food but better. :) We went to church this morning, and it was kind of hard to understand because it was all in Spanish, Spanish class helps, but I had a good translater next to me(Thanks Matt) After church we went to had lunch, than went to the Equator museum, which was very neat to see how on different sides of the equator, it is effected so much. I'm looking forward a lot to the upcoming days, and give my 110% to everything I do, and everyone I come in contact with.
Vania Tso: I am so glad that God has given us such an oppurtunity to serve Him in Ecuador. So far the highs for this trip is being able to experience going to a different church. Another high is being able to connect with all the team members and having a fun time and also going to the equator. A low for this trip is that I was really tired and I felt that I couldn't be able to experience everything to its full extent.
Emily Ha: So yesterday, April 16th was my birthday - my 17th birthday. And it was spent all day on an airplane. It was quite an interesting experience having to be at the airport at 4am and getting here in Quito at 10pm. Even though I didn't have total fun for my birthday, it's one birthday to remember!! So just celebrating my birthday with everyone on this team was a high for me. They all signed a birthday card...while I was sleeping. So that was sweet :) anyways, another high so far are going to a Spanish-speaking church. We sang worship songs in Spanish, some that we knew English, others that we didn't know, but could easily catch onto. Another high was LUNCH :D It was supppperrrrr yummy. Empanadas and Coca-Cola! Then we got to go to the equator museum. Lat 00' 00''. That was a super cool experience! We learned a lot about the culture and also a little bit of the science of the forces. Did you know that in the Northern Hemisphere, water will turn in the Counter-clock wise, and in the Southern Hemisphere, it goes in the clockwise direction. And right on the equator, it goes straight down...So cool. Anyways, my only low has been the sleepiness and tiredness. But other than that, I've had a super time, and it's only been 2 days!! I can't wait for what God has in store for us!
Grant Chang: For my highs today, a lot of factors contributed greatly. When I woke up this morning, I knew God was going to do great things. I woke up to rain and seeming cloudy day, but as we were doing our devotions in the morning, the sun peaked out and it gave us all a motivation to do the things God planned for us to do. First, I really appreciated worship and the church service. Seeing people sing and jump for joy for the Lord makes my heart shine with happiness. I liked the empanadas that we had for lunch today! They were delicious! Visiting the equator was also very exciting to me. I always think of the equator as an imaginary line, but there is so much more to do! Seeing the splits and differences between the northern and southern hemispheres really fascinate me. But what I really appreciate through this entire day, is the bond between all of us and every single thing we contribute to this team. The mingling is ineffable and makes me happy inside and out. For my low, going back to the sermon we had this morning, I was trying to understand what the speaker was saying. I knew the fundamentals and many phrases he was saying, but I kept on trying to catch up with him through his sermon. I wish I practiced more spanish so that communication would be easier and that there would be no language barrier.
Sunday at the middle of the world
Our day started with a team piture before we left for church.
After a special time worshipping with the Ecuadorian people, lunch was empanadas in the rain.
The sun shown again as we visited the Museum at the Middle of the World.
Here is half of our team with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern hemisphere.
Renee balanced the egg on end. This museum was actually educational!
Concentration and success.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
At home at Casablanca!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Sunday BBQ
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