Yesterday we went to the middle of the world..literally! We stood across the equator with one foot on the north and one foot on the south. We learned the history of the indigenous cultures and other unique aspects of Ecuador.
       On our way to Mindo to go zip-lining we found out the road was blocked by a landslide because of all the rain so we ventured downtown to the Basilica and some of the group climbed to the top tower (and others got coffee...). Before we went back to Casa Blanca we stopped by the Indigenous Market for a lil' souvenir shopping :)  

Idols?

Imagine putting away your Iphone for 10 days, leaving the TV turned off, having no access to your computer, or bookshelf.  How much more time would you have to spend with God and ministering with others?  During this past week I have realized that the electronic devices in my life have taken over and pushed God and others aside.  This past week I have spend much more time in prayer and reading God's word as well as talking with students and teachers.  My relationship with God has become deeper and I have seen him give me the words and scripture to minister to others on the trip because I have spend more time with Him and put the "idols" away.  Now is the real challenge - go back to the US and keep the idols in the closet and continue to spend time in prayer and his Word.  All of us are a bit afraid that we will forget about how God have used us here and that we will lapse back into our old ways of comfort and self-centered lifestyles.  Please pray for the Holy Spirit to keep the fire alive in us as we come home.  Mrs. Hahn

Mixed feelings.

Happy Easter! The Lord has risen from the dead, He is alive!
As I think about the beauty of today and the happiness believers can experience from this special occasion, my heart breaks for those who do not know the true meaning. So many people in the world, including those in the deepest parts of the jungle, have no idea of what we are truly celebrating. Many think of today as the day to dress up and celebrate with Easter bunnies and colored eggs. But our Lord has risen, and brought us hope, joy, and life through Him! How much greater is that than anything else this world can offer?
Heading into our last full day here is Quito, I have sentimental feelings. Feelings of joy that I have been able to return and see how God has continued working in the lives of the Ecuadorian people through the courageous missionaries here. Yet so very broken and sad all the more. Last year, when I left Ecuador, I went away with the idea of becoming a missionary here is Ecuador on my heart. I saw being a missionary as something joyful, full of fun times and pleasure in Christ. This year's trip has opened my eyes to the spiritual warfare and hardships one experiences of the mission field. There is just so much more work to do here, and seeing the people and the need makes me feel melancholy about leaving. I wish I could stay here always and serve the people here. They need to hear the Gospel so badly and do not even know of their need. However, amiss these sad feelings, I know I am leaving having planted seeds in the hearts of many. More children responded to the call for salvation than I could have imagined. Although this trip is definitely what I came into it expecting, I am so grateful for how it turned out. I have seen God work in mysterious ways and have been changed because of it. The people in Huaticocha, the leaders, the interns, Mr. & Mrs. Shaffer, Jim, Ulysses, our team-I will treasure these memories in my heart always.

Please continue to pray for the team and me as we head out for this last day. Pray that we can make an impact of the lives of others even though not necessarily doing any "missionary work." Pray for us tonight as we say our goodbyes to Gustavo, to the interns Abby and Annie, and to Ecuador. Pray for the continuation of the work done here in Ecuador. I wish everyone a happy Easter, and may you all truly experience the hope and renewal found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. See you all tomorrow night!
Much love to all, Joanne

Last day in Ecuador

We have one more day in Ecuador. Yesterday we could not go zip lining due to the heavy rain and land slides, the road was closed. No one complained and we turned around and did some sightseeing in the center of Quito. We then went to an open market where lots of money was spent! Today we have an Easter service at one of the local churches and then last minute preparations for the trip home tomorrow morning. Thanks again for your continued prayers! Mrs. Kadle

The Aftermath of La Slava!

The Jungle.. one word: indescribable. Living in Huaticocha for the week was one of the best experiences i have ever lived in my life. What i expected from these past 5 days have been so much more than i ever could have imagined. Everyday had its own amazing moments and incredible impacts. I think we saw over 50 different smiles each day and i think that's what helped us to keep going. Living in the jungle wasn't easy. It wasn't always a pleasure but it was so worth it! Sometimes the living part wasn't enjoyable but I still kept on craving every moment in Huaticocho. Every person we met was incredible. I love and miss them so much! There were so many great memories made in the jungle and God worked his mighty hand in everyone. He changed us in away that he can only do, which is so amazing! God was so evident this week in Huaticocha and in our lives. I wouldn't change this trip for the world! God's plan is so mysterious and unknown, but it is so promising and worth it. Sometimes while in the jungle, unexpected things would happen and at the moment we would be a little let down, yet in the next moment to come God had something in store. He turned our midexpectations into something better! With God our days were transformed into beauty and I think that's exactly what he's doing in all of our lives. He has stired our hearts soooooooo much! We are broken with arms open wide for anything God has in store, and it is so evident. Just listening to each and every thought we have during our debriefs, change is evident. THE JUNGLE WAS THE BEST THING EVER! and i hope that encourages anyone reading :) we wish you were all here to experience His beautiful heart in Ecuador. So we send our love <3. Goodnight!
-Veronica Coverson

Ecuador is legend what for it... Dary

lots of things happend in the jungle the first day we went to a church survice that wiill always be a memorable time in my life this is because that was when i gave my testimony. it was hard for me to talk about the things that happend in my life with my fellow piers because it was all about times i leaned on god. and that was the  very first time i ever talked about the death of my cousin who was like a brother to me. that was an especially hard time because for a small amount of time i denied god all together. but through this expirience of sharing my testimony a huge weight was lifted from me. i think of that as my baggage and everyone has some and through this time of sharing my testimony my fellow piers were able to help me with my baggage. the work was very had but at the end i was told i was diging a trentch for the sewer line. andv i thoght for a minnute and saw that if i did not do the work that i did they would not even have a flushing toilet. there was something really funny that happend on the bus. it fell into a trentch of mud it was really fun falling when we wee on the bus all of usv are safe and thankfully it was not a cliff.Tonight we had devotions as well and i told everyone about how they helped me lift my baggage and that it helped me so much and i also told them about the first ecuador meeting and how i thought this would be a boring service trip because all these people who are comming to ecuador i have no clue who they are at all and through this expirience i hqave made so many friendships that i will always keep and now i see the people here as really good friends .so i had a fun time and eveything and for my brither and cousins the jungle was legond wait for it best wishes to all my familly...Dairy.
                                                                              sincerly,
                                                                            enrique falk
  P.S. if my parents are reading this blog i love all of you guys and tell the familly that i miss them all ad that i was so thankful for the devotions that they wrote me. and tell lil Angelica that i read her devotional and i thought about it alot and i fell that me and her need to hang out more so we can restore the closness that we had with each other. i am very sad that i do not get to spend easter sunday but my spirit will be there just remember that. be sure to giuve the familly my love.
                                                                              Love,

                                                   your son that is your favorite( Enrique Falk)

Im a survivor!

Hey everyone! I have just had one of the best experiences of my life. I lived in a jungle house in Huatichocha, 6 hours outside of Quito, which was really really great. Living in the jungle was hard but I loved it and it made me truly grateful for everything I have in my life- especially running water. We worked every morning building a missionary school close to the houses where we were staying. I got to shovel more dirt,  digging a trench for the sewer line! yay! I was so blessed to be a part of making this school where missionaries will be sent to remote villages in Ecuador and eventually all over the world. We also visited different villages everyday doing a vacation bible school, where I worked with my puppet team, and had a church service most night. Each night different students would share their testiminies and it was so awesome to see God work directly throught them each time. God has been so evident to me on this trip- whether it be through our bus going in a ditch or not being able to zipline, everything that has happened has been for a reason and God has shown me to trust Him. I am so sad that my trip is almost over and wish I could stay longer, but I'm glad to come home to you all. Keep praying for the church service tomorrow and our supposed ziplining trip. Happy Easter and I'll see you soon!!!  LOVE YOU- Ana  P.S. the food is great... and I havent eaten guinea pig yet haha

AH Ecuador!

Well.... the trip is practically over.  I am really really really sad.  I have connected so well with the people in the three villages or something we visited.  It makes me realize how great we have it.  But anyways, as Mrs. Haugen would say, today we went "SHOPPING!" Dude(s), shopping in Ecuador is so amazing.  There are so many markets, and there is so much stuff to buy.  But on top of all that, you can BARGAIN.  It kind of reminded me of Mexico with the vendors.  But seriously, in all honestness <-- probably not a word (sorry Miss Doyle), the stores have so much variety and stuff.  It makes you want to buy everything, and it makes you realize how much money you wish you could have.  Another weird thing that happened today were the children on the streets offering gum.  They would come up and ask if we wanted some, and some kids even started crying.  I almost succumbed, but people told me the kids would run off laughing and shouting after you would buy from them.  So I didn't.  And I had the greatest empanadas ever! SO GOOD! That accounts my thoughts from the day.  So much more I could write, but other people are in line to tell even greater stories.   So Peace, Love, and Happiness.

-Daniel Lee

 

Our bus adventures! Our bus got stuck and started to turn on its side and was miraculously stopped! God was truly watching out for us. The bus that picked us up had rooftop seating so we had a mini jungle-safari :)

 

Some from our VBS in Huaticocha!

Sorry our internet is not allowing us to put up an album so I'm loading a few that show the church, soccer, and construction in Huaticocha and a couple other locations we went to during the week!

Jungle adventure with Jim bow!!

Just came back from jungle:) Seriously the best experience ever. First time I was worried about the bugs and the humid weather but the experience I had with the kids, family and people in church was amazing. I loved the kids so much. Among the kids my best friend was Faul. He had a sick mohawk and he was really good in soccer. If I have to describe the jungle, I would describe as the place where I dreamed in my dream. Like the perfect jungle I could think of was actually existed. The jungle was amazing and it seemed like the fantasy world. I would never forget the view of the jungle.

Greater is He That is Within Us

What an amazing experience ministering in the jungle!  We saw God work in many ways.  I want to share one of these ways because I know the kids will not be bloggin about this one.
One of the places that we did VBS at  was at a school in the villiage of Diez de Augusto.  There are very few Christians in that comunity yet 90 children showed up for the VBS.  (They had been waiting for 1 1/2 hours for us since we were a bit late with the bus incident.)  Though the teachers there were not believers, they asked us to come and pray for them.  Four of them showed up for prayer and five us us also were there with them. This last year two of the teachers had died unexpectedly.  It had been rumored that the witchdoctor in the town had put a curse on the school and these teachers were very fearful.  Mark Shaefer (the missionary we worked with) explained to them how the the Creator sent his son to die for us to take the punishment for our sin and that they needed to trust in him for protection against the evil spirits.  Each of us prayed for one of the teachers.  Jim (a new missionary there) prayed for one of the men and showed him Steps to Peace with God book and the teacher prayed to receive Christ.  What a blessing!  (I wish I could speak Spanish!!)  Pray that he would read the Bible that Jim gives him and that he would be able to share Christ with the other teachers there.  - Mrs. Hahn

I WILL SURVIVE

Holy cow! What an amazing week in the jungles of  Ecuador! So many things happened throughout this entire week. It was the fastest and yet shortest week of my life. Although the days seemed long; the week went by so fast! I could have stayed there another month before I would have wanted to come back. The construction that we did was hard and tedious, but we ultimately helped the start of a building that will bless many in the future. Us boys slept in what looked like a treehouse the entire week and we had many visitors throughout the week, like chickens, dogs, and bats. This week, a couple people were saved by Jesus. We ran a Vacation Bible School for a couple different villages throughout the jungle. I met many cool and amazing kids that I will remember forever. This trip was an amazing experience and one of the best trips I have ever been on. Thank you for all your prayers and support! More pictures and details to come!
Thanks so much,
Alex

YES, we are alive!

Words cannot express the awesome work we experienced and took part of during our time in Huaticocha. People came to know the Lord, people were healed, people opened up, people bonded, and many children heard about Jesus. (We also experienced our bus tipping into a ditch, but PTL He protected us!) The time in Huaticocha was truly amazing. Everyday our general schedule consisted of breakfast and devotions to start the day, and construction until work. The construction of the mission school included digging a long, long trench, moving a huge pile of dirt, and leveling a mountain of red clay. Lunch was always carefully prepared and delicious. The VBS that we ran through 3 times, went not quite as planned. We encountered spiritual warfare through out the week, especially on Wednesday. The bus tipped over and needed to be towed, the wind blew the pictures off the flanograph, and many distractions piled together. But as we prayed and trusted in God's sovereign plan, He provided and many children responded to the call for response and repeated the believer's prayer after me. PTL He is good. We were all warmly welcomed and slept well, waking up every morning to the tens of roosters crowing, dogs barking, and trucks' horns :). We have now we returned to Casablanca and feel that we have arrived at a palace of the King. Thank you for all your prayers! More details, stories, and pictures to come. Much love to all, Joanne.

Back in Quito!

Hey everyone we are back in Quito. We had an amazing time in the jungle. I will let the kids tell you about it and soon we will have pictures. Thank you for praying. We really needed it.
Mrs. Kadle

We will be out of touch till Friday night since we are heading to the jungle, so you won't be hearing from us for a while! Don't worry we will take care of all your kiddos! This is Ecuador team 2012 over and out :)

p.s. love you mom, noelle, dad and ryan : )

-Reb

Hi from Erika

Hi mom and dad,
Ecuador has been really fun so far! I got really sunburnt working outside in the garden with a bunch of grub worms, so I'm putting more sunscreen on now. :) I also carried tiles and rocks which will be used for the rooms and walls. I've actually been eating pretty well too, and I'm super excited for the jungle today. It's supposed to be much more humid and raining than it is here in Quito, but don't worry because I'll wear a jacket and warm clothes everyday. I've been taking all my medicine and my ankle hasn't been hurting, so I have been able to do all the work. I hope you are having a great time at home and I'll see you both soon. I love you!
Love,
Erika