Enchanted

While on my whirlwind of a trip to Ecuador, I think I fell in love. Not with a person per se, but with the country, the people, and the culture. (Walking the streets by myself, and not being harassed by countless men, also felt liberating.) The country enchanted me and has a place in my heart as the Philippines does.

It made my heart so happy to see our projects and partner projects thriving. However, I wished I had more than one day at each project to visit more with the staff and the women & children, which make up our ministries.

Here are some snippets of some encounters that I had…

Upon my arrival at our After School Program, he ran up to me—without knowing who I was—and greeted me with the biggest bear hug. I recognized him from a photo, as he had just recently made a profession of faith. He was so joyous, running around and gladly participating in activities. His back-story is different, though. He seems like a young boy who is “put together” but lives in extreme poverty. It’s more than that--his parents did not want him, and he lost his father at a young age. He was seen as an “extra mouth to feed,” which can be expected in many poverty-stricken countries. He was sent away to a family member who wanted him even less—if that’s even possible. His time there was short-lived. He now lives with another family member. His situation may be a little better than his first “family move,” but not by much. He is behind in his studies and struggles in many areas, but his heart captured mine. Despite his odds, he has “considered it all joy.” As I got ready to leave the project, he ran up to me again and gave me another long hug. He looked up at me and asked if I was to return tomorrow. My heart dropped as I had to explain to him that I was only there for the day but hoped to return soon. I would call him a diamond in the rough, and I genuinely believe he can rise from the ashes.

They formed a line outside. It was their mid-week outreach. They knew the routine. Hand washing first and then inside for a time of worship and Bible study as well as a hot meal. I had the pleasure of visiting several partner projects, and this was one—Pan de Vida. They work with 40 families who are a part of their beneficiary program and serve 280 individuals on Wednesdays and Sundays. They are involved in hunger relief, education, healthcare, and evangelism. Mostly women and children stood in the line. Some men, a few, were elderly. The kid’s hands were dirt stand. The women’s hair was either braided or “kept nice” as it is custom to have long hair here. I loved seeing the women in the traditional dress and men in their hats. They love bright and vivid colors. The majority collects recyclables for a living, and then they sell them. (They are very protective over their “collection” and sometimes hide their day’s work in the bushes when they come into the center.) Some sell candies on the streets; others are now a part of a new micro-business. In my book, they are all survivors. I could not help but smile--even more--as a few women became excited over my “blonde” hair and greeted me with a kiss on the cheek, and commented on how “precious” I was. (A kiss on the cheek is very common in some Latin-American countries once a relationship has been formed.) How could you not smile as they came in grinning from ear to ear, chatting and laughing? It always puts things into perspective for me—seeing someone with so little find such joy and truly count their blessings.

She was about 12 years old. She had become pregnant by a family member—possibly her father, uncle, or brother. She had lost her baby because her own body was still developing. She is in a safe place now and is slowly finding her ground. The program that she is a part of is a possible future partner project. They house teenage girls and their precious babies, who have become pregnant through sexual family abuse or trafficking situations. As I sat on the couch with our Regional Director, she shyly presented us with oranges. Quite a special treat if I do say so myself. My heart went out to her and the other three girls in their care because I was aware of the trauma they were healing from. Seeing this project brought tears to my eyes, as I said to myself, “Yes, this is how recovery should be done!” (In saying that, I know that no project is perfect because we are imperfect, but I do know that if God is kept at the center, it will thrive, and that’s what I saw.) In the eight years that they have been in operation, only a handful of baby girls have been born. The majority have been boys. To me, that is a powerful “silent” statement of our Abba Father’s hand at work, that a new generation of men will rise and be trained and birthed in His ways. Each of these girls has a story to tell, but they don’t let it define them. Some have stumbled and made mistakes along the road to recovery and healing, but I take comfort in the fact that there is a program (and our Abba Father) that helps them along the way.

By partnering with me, turning ashes (lives) into beauty is possible! I am so grateful for you all that continue to support me financially and through prayer.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please pray for me as I travel:

• I will be heading out on the road shortly to mix work with pleasure, meeting with my director and his wife, visiting two close friends whom I almost haven't seen in two years, and visiting my aunt and uncle.

• I leave for the Philippines the day after Thanksgiving! I am so excited about going back, visiting the boys at the Home, and meeting with staff and other projects. Please pray for my time there! The days will be busy as we will be hosting several Christmas parties the first week.

• Please pray for my health. Traveling through multiple time zones, long workdays, etc., can cause fatigue and bring down your immune system. Pray against those things.

• Please hold our staff and projects in Ecuador up in prayer! They are an amazing group of people. I love their hearts and how they are pouring into their ministries. Please pray for the people that they minister to as well. It can be tiring. Pray for hearts to be open, for safety, and health, and wisdom when decisions need be made.

• I am still praying for a few more people to partner with me monthly! I have had to consider lovely California taxes and therefore increase my support base to cover this area. (No matter where I live, whether overseas or Stateside, California taxes will always "be there" due to my residency.) A few weeks ago, I started to get anxious about this but had to remind myself that God is in control. He has provided for me countless times in the past, and I know that "He is in all things." Please pray with me in this area. Click on the "Donate" tab at the top of my page to find out how you can join me on this amazing journey!

*To read Extreme Response's latest update, click here: November ER News.