Earning a Trip to the Pool!

May 19, 2014 By

They worked hard, sometimes walked in the rain to get to class and earned the points to go to the pool in Tena.

We took the ten children that earned the most points, it was around 40 hours in classes per child!

Filed Under: Eric and Amy

Fleeting moments, bathrooms, and Spanish sentences…

April 24, 2014 By

You guys see what gets posted. Schedules, pictures, just day to day ministry stuff.
But there are things that you just can’t catch on film. The giant blue morpho butterfly, the fleeting expression on a child’s face, the woman peeing in the front yard.
Um, did I just say the woman peeing in my front yard?
Why, yes, I did.
This is a different culture, lest we forget.
And my Spanish is improving.
How is my Spanish relevant to the previous information?
Because I yelled a complete sentence in Spanish (grammatically correct and without hesitation) at the woman peeing outside our bedroom window.
“This is not the bathroom!”
As a matter of fact, I shared that pertinent information with her twice, just in case she was confused about the ministry services we offer here….
Her response was a smile before jogging across the road so she could watch the rest of the soccer game.

Filed Under: Eric and Amy

Whirlwind

March 31, 2014 By

 

Three months have passed, in a whirlwind of ministry and life so entwined I cannot separate them.  My children are growing up.  We are growing older.  The silver in my hair will soon cover a third of my head and I can only pray that wisdom accompanies it.

And so?

We laugh.  Attempting to navigate a new language and culture is humbling, even after a year and a half. Best to laugh at ourselves and move forward.  He is our joy and we try to focus on the gifts He has given us. We are making a specific effort to spend time as a family and have more fun. He is Good, is He not?

We struggle.  If we have deceived ourselves about our spiritual state, serving full time in Ecuador has broken down that facade. We become impatient, irritable and plain old tired.  We sweat, itch and complain like spoiled children.  Sometimes we want to give up, pack up, and head home.

We grow.  As our weaknesses are front and center we are confronted with choices.  Daily.  Moment by moment we choose how we will respond.  Will we give our frailty to God and exchange it for His strength?  Or will we allow our flesh to master us and refuse to grow more like Christ?  Our choices can bring us closer to Him each day.

We serve. We have had schedule changes and been blessed with consistent growth. While our class attendance varies weekly, we average serving over 40 people per week, not including the children at the school.

Amy teaches 3 days at the school in Shiripuno. During the week we have a baseball ministry, men’s Bible study, girls Bible study, childrens English Bible class, Adult English Bible class, Friday night youth and a Learn to Earn program.  We serve snacks or light meals at each meeting.  We share God’s Word and His Love. We shop and cook and clean up.

On the weekends there isn’t anything on the schedule, but still they come.  For water, a snack, the bathroom, or just to play. Sunday rolls around and Eric gets out his guitar to play on the porch while the people play soccer in the field across from us all day. There isn’t anything on the schedule, but still they come, for water, the bathroom, or just to hang out.  They are hungry for so many things..

When we are  exhausted and ready to quit, we want to try and justify quitting.

It’s a struggle and a choice has to be made.  We are cramming over 20 kids in a tiny room.  We need more space, more chairs, more supplies. It isn’t slowing down -and the kids are still coming –and we have to grow.or.we.are.going.to.pop!

We have learned that we are losing a supporter.  This one family has been meeting 1/4 of our monthly needs.  We need wisdom.  Do we really need a dryer?  Yes or no? What about a car?  In an emergency?  What about purchasing this building we are in? What about… How will we… When will it…

And sometimes we feel very alone out here.

And we end up with a choice.

I could type it all out and use big words and try to make it sound so very difficult and  complicated.  But it isn’t really complex.  We must choose faith.  We must choose to submit in order to grow closer to Him.  No matter if He plants us in a beautiful garden or a roadside ditch, the fertilizer that gets piled on is good for our spiritual growth!

We must remember that when we are exhausted and ready to quit and we want to try and justify ourselves. We can’t.  Only He can justify us. He can provide.

Because, it’s not really our ministry.  It’s His.

Thank you for serving with us as we struggle and grow.  Thank you for laughing with us as we share our lives with you.  Thank you for being a part of this ministry.

If you want to know more, ask.  If you want to help more, thank you. If you want to visit, welcome.

Filed Under: Eric and Amy

Elijah’s Voice

November 21, 2013 By
Elijah’s Voice
 
We’ve been waiting hours in the visa office.  Watching people come and go.  And then, a big family, speaking English comes in!

Elijah wastes no time making friends.  As Eric and I head to the cubicle for our turn, Elijah and his sisters are busy getting to know this new missionary family fresh off the plane from the States.

“Don’t touch my head….No, it’s not red, or black.  It’s green.”

The missionary mom turns her head and looks quizically at Madeline. 

“He was bit by a spider, or something, before we left the jungle” Madeline explains.

“Mmmm-hmmm” is the reponse.

It’s just a guess, but I doubt we will be getting together with them for dinner any time soon.
 

 
Filed Under: Eric and Amy

White and Clammy

September 18, 2013 By

My hands are white and clammy.

My arms are like jello and my feet feel like I have run a marathon.
At first she laughed at me.
Olivia.
 When I asked her to teach me.
How could a grown woman not know?
After four hours standing at the cistern and drawing water to wash our clothes by hand I have a new respect for washing machines.
And an even greater respect for women who keep their families fed and clothed without all these machines that I am learning to do without.
When I am tempted to complain about the blessings I have been given, let me remember to be thankful.
As my new friend and teacher pointed out, we had water in the cistern that day.  I didn’t have to carry the clothes to the river and back.
The sun shone all day and the clothes dried on the line.
The birds sang and I have happy, healthy children that chased chickens in the yard.
My husband  loves us and loves God, and works hard.
We serve a God that loves us and wants us to love Him in return.
My hands may be clammy, but my heart is oh so warm.
Blessings to you and yours.
Filed Under: Eric and Amy

Something Special About Babies…

May 10, 2013 By
There’s something special about babies.
That special something carries over to expecting momma’s.
When we first arrived in Ecuador one of the first tummies that I rubbed belonged to a woman named Jessica.
We’ve been back to her village several times and always check in on her.
Bigger and bigger this last time she waddled to me stating, ” Six more days” .
We waited ten days and arrived with a bag of diapers, onesies, and baby wash.
With a smile she led us up the ladder to see her yet un-named 3 day old daughter.
The five older children followed, staring at us.
It’s a platform house, the only walls enclose the bedroom.  There is no electricity and no bathroom.
The wood floor is clean.  The children smile.  Jessica’s new baby kicks chubby legs and has a head full of hair.
Still, they are poor spiritually.  You see, they don’t know much about my Jesus.
We’ll be back in a few weeks with another bag for the  baby.   We will learn her name and take more pictures.
We will pray for them again and tell them more about our Jesus.
The things we bring them are good.  They are a way to help and to build relationships.
The Jesus we tell them about is priceless.
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Please pray for us as we reach out to families and share the Good News!
Filed Under: Eric and Amy

Shuk, Ishka, Kimsa

May 7, 2013 By

Shuk, Ishka, Kimsa

Uno, Dos, Tres

One, Two, Three   

 

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I know they were thinking, “Come on you fat gringo”, as we trekked through the jungle, down one muddy hill and up another.  Crossing a shallow ravine on a slick, fallen tree was quite intimidating as Cecilia and Ramiro waited on the other side, encouraging me all along the way.   We were making our way deeper and deeper into the jungle with a crew of about ten indigenous Kichwa.  I’m sure they reached the destination fifteen minutes or so before we did. They move extremely fast, and unlike me, they were not covered with mud.  What were Cecilia and Ramiro thinking…inviting me to go with them on this excursion? Oh yeah, they needed my driving skills and my manly strength.  Yea, right….

Cecilia and Ramiro are a sweet couple from the Andes mountains near Otavalo, Ecuador, about seven hours north of Misahualli.  They are indigenous missionaries in their own country. Cecilia teaches with me at the school, and Ramiro is a gentle man strong in the Word.  Their mission is to take the gospel to a village called Bella Vista.  It is nearly five hours away by truck, but only two by boat.  It only makes sense to build a motor canoe that can hold more people and make the trip in less time.

Over the river (actually crossing the river) and through the woods (the  jungle, that is) and finally, the hike in to the construction site was behind us. I couldn’t believe my eyes. This canoe was huge, a few meters longer than the ones in Misahualli (approximately 45 ft). They had drug in tools, a few materials, and cut the timber right there on site…how awesome!

After a few nails and some pitch to seal her up, we were ready to launch the vessel. This is the part where my manly strength comes in.  Wait a minute.  These people may be small, but they are extremely powerful and made for balance.  I dare not wrestle with one…not even the women!  We worked together with much talking and many smiles.  Rolling the canoe on logs to the edge of a steep 25 foot drop off down into the river was exciting to say the least.  Shuk, ishka, kimsa or uno, dos, tres or one, two, three…whatever you please!  Little by little.  Inch by inch.  Grunt by grunt.  We managed with God’s help.  Thirteen people,  three languages, one mission!

We loaded the extra supplies on the wooden barge (nothing goes to waste here).  The men boarded the cruise liner, and off she floats down the small shallow river.  The ladies and I made the journey back out to the truck. By this time I am thoroughly WHIPPED, drenched in sweat and wheezing like I was having a childhood asthma attack. This is where my rusty driving skills come in to play. The ladies and I drove to meet the men down river with the 40 horse outboard motor and huge tank of gas. Thirty minutes or so passed and there was no sign of the massive ship.  We sat on the rocky bank of the small river and hung our feet down into the cool brisk current for relief from the relentless sun.

What’s that noise?!  Here they come!  The men made their way around the bend.  Cheering and high-fiving…laughing and smiling.  Finally! They made it to the deep water.  We loaded the gas and put the kicker in place. The ladies boarded the vessel with the men. They were off to Misahualli to dock and paint the boat.  Cecilia and I drove back to Mishualli…an hour or so…great conversation…great adventure…great day…Thank You, Lord…

Now where’s my bed? I’m beat!

Filed Under: Eric and Amy

Not Really Seeing in the Cacoa Tree…

April 9, 2013 By
Placidly smiling , Julio is blocking my well-worn trail to the bodega.
Julio has been harvesting cacoa this morning and I am doing laundry.
As I say good morning and begin to pass him on the trail, he points to the cacoa tree.
“Harvesting cacoa?”  I ask.
“Si!”  Again, he points.
“What is it?”  I ask.
He points again.
“Serpiente (snake)”- is his calm response.
“Where?”  I edge closer, looking and seeing but not really seeing.
There in the tree I have been walking under all morning sits a boa constrictor.
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What other things am I looking at and seeing but not really seeing?
So I am praying that God will allow me to see what I ought to.
 Gifts
Temptations
Sins
Opportunities
Are you really seeing?
Filed Under: Eric and Amy

I’m not scared….

April 7, 2013 By

 

 

 

The thunderstorms here in the jungle can be a little disconcerting at times.

I am often summoned to sleep in the kids room when at big one rolls in during the night.

Elijah got up the other morning and proudly announced that he wasn’t scared during the storm the previous night.

Really?  I asked.

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Yeah, I just remembered that God is taking care of me and then I went back to sleep.

Filed Under: Eric and Amy

Slimy Undersides

March 25, 2013 By

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I opened the kitchen cabinet to get something out, and this little fellow jumped out and onto my neck!  I couldn’t get him to hold still long enough to capture a picture of his bright orange underarms. Sometimes it seems like life throws a bunch of slimy things at us… but I encourage you to ask God to help you hold still and look closely. Maybe your slimy surprise has a beautiful underside as well.  Many Blessings ♥

Filed Under: Eric and Amy
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