Thank you Jesus we have internet access! Here are some final thoughts from each team member. Thanks again for your prayers and continue to pray for our safety as we travel home. See you soon!
Angel- I came to Ecuador not knowing what to expect. I believed that it would be a positive experience, but I had no idea that my life would be forever changed by this trip. I wish I could stay longer and continue to learn and grow with the rest of the team. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to build relationships with my brothers and sisters here in Ecuador. God has broadened my perspective and allowed me to see the world through His eyes and it is beautiful. I am encouraged by the faith of all of the people I have met here. I am amazed by the way the people of El Carmen worship God without reservation. I hope to take all that I have learned here and apply it to my life when I return home.
Melody-I was truly impacted by the children that we have met in the Orphanages & small communities. When they see us their eyes light up & they have huge grins. They come running & want to be hugged & kissed. I have been privileged to be able to interact with them & show them love & the love of Jesus. I also enjoyed meeting the church in El Carmen. The joy that they have even though the struggles they have is truly humbling to me. The challenge I face when I get back is that I don’t go back to what I did but strive to change my life to be more receptive to what God wants from me & how I should accomplish it.
Chris – Ecuador is amazing! God is good, he is faithful and I have been blessed to see him working in Ecuador and in our lives. Growing while you are on a missions trip is easy, you just have to step out there and God will carry you through. I am amazed at everything we have learned about our brothers & sisters in Ecuador, our brothers & sisters from Daybreak & ourselves. I look forward to seeing how God shapes our lives going forward. I miss all of you and I wish you could be here working alongside of us. Our God is great and he is alive in Ecuador!
Pam – I cannot find the words to fully express how thankful I am for the honor and privilege for being a part of God’s plan for starting a new church in El Carmen. To be able to prepare the land for a foundation for a church is truly an amazing feeling!! How many chances in a lifetime will there be for an opportunity such as this. It was truly a joy to work with my brothers and sisters, knowing that God will use us to further his Kingdom. The hardest part for me was to say good-bye to the brothers and sisters in El Carmen. Their kindness, hospitality, and genuine love for God was truly amazing – what an example of Christ’s love they were – cooking for us, caring for us, and just welcoming us in their arms. I hope to visit them again.
Pat H. – I have seen some pretty amazing things this week and have been amazed by the hospitality and spirit of the people we are serving along side. God is doing some wonderful things! There are simply not enough words to describe it!
John – What a beautiful country Ecuador is! And what beautiful, loving people we worked with this week! So hard to say goodbye and hope that I can see them again before Heaven. God showed me some good things about His care the day I was weak and achy but now I’m back to 100%. It’s amazing what 50oz. of water and a good night’s sleep (with earplugs) can do for you God’s challenge for me is to look at all of life with hope – not a glass half empty, but a life overflowing with hope. Why? Because His grace covers all that I do and all that happens to me. Such a deep-seated change (for me) is bound to affect the way I am with others. Deb, Caitlyn, Rebekah – I love and miss each of you. I treasure your cards/letters to me.
Kelly – It has been an amazing week! I have especially enjoyed playing with the kids at VBS. The children are so easy to love. They just want you to hug them and play with them. I enjoyed making new friends and visiting some friends I met last year too. I wish I could stay longer.
Sarah- After having a major moment of nervousness in the Miami airport, I have been blown away by the love and community of the Ecuadorian people. Praise God that my Spanish has come back to its original state of two year old talk and word blunders. It has been such a blessing to meet more of my brothers and sisters here but also to get to know the interns and my team more deeply. I love Ecuadorian culture and the relaxed pace of life. Mom, Caitlyn, and Bex- I so wish you all could be here to sing (and dance Bex) with the kids, ride in the back of a cattle truck or motor cycle, and have amazing coconut-vanilla ice cream(You all would love it). I love you!!!
Jeff-Buenos Dias! Mis Hermanos de otras Madres! (Brothers from another mother! and sisters…). It has been amazing to see how God is already here doing work way long before we arrived. Building relationships with the people of El Carmen in just four days was really inspiring. It’s so awesome that when you are a part of God’s family we have one important thing in common that truly makes us brothers and sisters. I learned and it was reinforced that we came to build relationships not just a building. The people here are so special and I’m excited to see what God has in store for the church that is being built and for all the people that we prayed for. About to go shop and head home soon. Asta Manana Bebbinos!
Patrick L- Ecuador was everything I had prayed for and more. Being able to share the daily lives of our Ecuadorian brothers and sister was both an honor and a blessing. The journey with God is incredible, at every turn He challenges you and rewards you, all you have to do is trust him. On this our last day in Quito, my heart is filled with sadness and joy; the sadness of parting and the joy of having been a part of this journey. Via con Cristo hermanos y hermanas.
Deb – God is sooooooooo good! His faithfulness to our team has been something I will never be able to wrap words around. But what I can say is that I am very proud of this team. Every single one of them allowed God to stretch them beyond what was comfortable and they fully accepted the challenge…NO they embraced the challenge because they all agree on one thing… they don’t want to come home the same as the left. Questions to ask: What was it like swimming in the river? Did you dig up a tarantula? How were the bananas?
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