Ecuador 2016

I wake up trying to focus, wondering were I am,

for a moment confused, then realizing I am back home.

Hard to imagine that a week a go I woke up in another country

working on another project

and being surrounded by other people.

Ecuador

So much happened in one week.

A team of six ended up being a mighty team

that were not afraid to be challenged or stretched.

We worked on two different work projects,

facilitated a 2 day vacation bible school that had over

130 kids participate in.

We ate and drank fresh fruit.

We shared our testimonies of what God is doing in our life and

we took care of each other.

We worked along side our Ecuadorian Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Sharing laughter and stories about our lives. Realizing we have so much in common.

We worked along side Missionaries who have dedicated their lives to serve in Ecuador, bringing them enouragment, praying for them and sharing life with them, even for a short while, helping them to see that they are not alone in this.

We worked along side partners in ministry helping us with translating Spanish and providing care for us.

A great week indeed.

There are two things that I am taking away from this trip.

First, people want to be heard.

Most of the time we do not listen to hear and understand, we listen to respond.

I once again participated in doing pastoral care for

women and men up in San Antonio church.

It was life giving for me.

What I realized at the end of the day is that we all want to be heard.

We want our stories to matter, WE want to matter.

We want to be remembered.

I heard over and over again

"please do not forget me"

My heart ached as I left them. "I wont forget you", I whispered.

One lady in particular left with me a picture of her daughter and son in law,

"please pray for them and do not to forget them", she whispered to me.

I won't, I can't.

We need to take the time to really listen to each other. To sit and just listen and care.

No one should be dismissed.

Second, the only one you can depend on is God.

We had some crazy flight problems, missing connections and being delayed.

Some didn't arrive on time, some went home later.

Through that, I just realized that you can plan all you want, 

but in the end nothing in this world is stable.

No job, income, career, material thing,

relationship,

nothing.

Nothing is permenant or guaranteed in this world.

The only thing that is stable and you can depend on, is your relationship with God.

So I guess

(as someone once said)

"know where you sit with Him"

Mission trips can change you if you let them.

There will never be a perfect time to go and I guess you can always come up

with an excuse not to go.

You think you are going to 'help'

But in reality, It's really about you and God and being challenged.

 

This experience is more than just about yourself and your environment.

Because sometimes you have to get out of your comfortable place and go somewhere new and unknown to find yourself and what you really care about.

It will stretch you and challenge you. It will help you to understand what you are passionate about and what story you want to be a part of. Because only then, will you realize what makes you come alive.

These experiences can change you and then through that,

you can change the world you come back to.

I am a completely different person today because of all my missional experiences. 

And it was because I was stretched and SO uncomfortable that I can say I have changed.

I would have never changed if I stayed somewhere cozy.

So, I encourage you today as you sit still with God, ask Him...

What is He calling you to?