Slow Down, Love People

Last Wednesday I taught my last day of school. This week the kids have exams. I’m a little nervous about their English exam! I can’t believe it is over. I have had an incredible experience teaching here. I have gained so much hands-on experience as I prepared my own curriculum and planned for school each day. Teaching has been an awesome way for the kids here to get comfortable with me and with Karen. This has opened doors for us to invite more and more children into the church. The kids have also been excited to show off their English to short-term teams that come here.

Every single day here I am reminded that life is all about people! Jeanette, the missionary I live with, and I were waiting at the bus stop having a conversation when we were interrupted by Maricela, one of our church members. My American mindset says “wave and keep having my conversation,” but I quickly remembered that Jesus would have stopped and talked to her. I have learned that God presents us with opportunities to love on people, we just have to recognize them when they happen! Even if that means missing the bus and having to change our plans a little bit! Today when I was in Montanita, 2 towns over, for lunch and a waiter I recognized stopped me in the streets and talked to me. The waiter, Darwin, has served Ben, Garrett, and I multiple times and he started asking me about where I live and why I am here. I invited him to church and he asked about learning English. I have always taken my language for granted, but I feel so blessed to know something, in this case English, that can be used to minister to people. If I had been insistent on rushing to lunch I would have missed out on the opportunity to show a little compassion to Darwin. We have discussed starting an English class at the church soon. Hopefully, Darwin can get connected to Christ by learning English.


Prayers!!

Karen, the pastor’s wife, is expecting! We are overjoyed, but also anxious because of two recent miscarriages. Please pray for peace for Karen and Luis, good health, and also for the ministry as their family grows.

Ben, a year long missionary here from Savannah Christian Church, has returned to the states after receiving news that his grandfather passed away. Please keep his family in your prayers!

I am preparing to return home on Monday, excited to see all of you, but sad to leave the friends I have made this summer.

Thank you so much for supporting me and giving me the opportunity to invest in the people here!

Here’s a video about Ecuador and my first two weeks here with Georgia Tech! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWn5WrASpQc&feature=youtu.be

Life with Jesus

Dave Stewart, the missions pastor at Savannah Christian, has been here with us for the last week. Twice he has told me it is more important to live life with Jesus, than live life for Jesus. I want to encourage you to live life with Jesus as I try to do the same. It's so easy for me to get sucked into working, working, working all the time and forgetting to focus on my relationship with Jesus. When you are living with Jesus, life for Jesus is second nature.

Here it is all about people. There aren't specified days of the week where we minister to people and talk about Jesus. I'm learning how important it is to use every opportunity to engage in people's lives and show them what life with Jesus is all about.

Life Change in Ecuador!!

How else do you get home from school?

I am continuing to teach school everyday in the school in San Jose with Karen, the pastor's wife and my best friend here, and Allyson, one of the teenage sisters from church. School is going great. We are so blessed to be able to start class with prayer and sing Christian songs to teach English vocabulary.

My friends Allyson, Johanna, and Andrea! The youth group at church here :)

Allyson and Johanna's friends have noticed a difference in their lives and have started asking questions about why they no longer party and why they are always so happy!! Please pray with me for these girls as they continue to learn and strengthen their faith. Please pray that I am the friend and example they need as they get to know Jesus.

This past week the short term team here from Savannah Christian taught in the school in Curia, a huge milestone for us. The school has two teachers, the principal and one other teacher. The other teacher graciously opened his classroom to us, but the principal would not let us into her classroom until 10 minutes before school got out. Then she only allowed us to teach a few of her students. Unfortunately, we are not able to go back this week. BUT the kids learned so much in 5 days and impressed me all week with their English colors and numbers! Please pray as God continues to soften the principal's heart.

This week a group of middle schoolers from Savannah Christian are here. They are leading a sports camp every afternoon in San Jose. Yesterday we took 20 kids over to Curia for camp. The little kids drew pictures of the story that the middle schoolers acted out, David and Goliath, while the big kids played soccer.
When I served in the Children's Ministry at Savannah Christian I had a bunch of these middle schoolers in my small group. It is such a blessing to now watch them lead kids!

Thanks for your prayers and support!!!