January 9, 2019 – Faith

Ukulele club!

Muscles ache, the brain is tired from trying to speak in a different language, and the belly is hungry – but it feels so good to have done a good days work.  We carried 400 blocks from the truck to the second floor.  We finished weeding 3 sides of the building. We built walls.  We taught English.  We conducted afternoon clubs for the students at Amor y Esperanza. And a few of us were (mostly) successful at plastering a wall.  

The ladder that leads to a beautiful view.

In the midst of it all, we partook of God’s beautiful creation.  The ladder to the third floor was a little shaky, but it held each of us as we went up one by one to look together at the views of the volcano and the mountains in the distance from the top of the building. 

I suppose we put our faith in things all the time – we have faith that the car will start and get us where we need to go, that the chair will hold when we sit down, or that our alarm clock will sound to wake us up in the morning.  Today, we put our faith in that ladder.  And looking back, it can serve as a metaphor for our faith in Jesus.

At first, the ladder felt steady.  But about half way up, the ladder would start to shake with each step.  It certainly did not look like a ladder that you would really want to put your faith in.  But one by one, as I watched others ascend and the ladder held secure – my faith grew. 

We can inspire faith in one another by walking out that faith – that trust – in our own lives. Even when my hands could feel the tremble of the wood and my eyes could see the ladder bending under each step, I had faith that it would hold.

When our walk with Jesus is a little shaky – when others see that – it is okay.  In fact, it is good.  When your faith wavers, yet you continue in pursuit of Jesus, not only will your own faith grow – but so will the faith of those around you.  And when you reach the place that the Lord is taking you, there just may be a beautiful view and a time of rest for you there.  

Trust in Him.  Trust in your experience of the Lord.  He will hold fast. 

The volcano Cayambe as seen from the top of the new school

Drama club!

Random things I noticed today:

Mr. Unsicker can fall asleep very quickly on the bus.  (Lots of experience from all the DC trips maybe?)

Chris hates spiders.

The children in Carmen Bajo are so very joyful!

January 8, 2019 – Taste and See

Tuesday.  Carmen Bajo.  

It is very humbling to work alongside a master craftsman and try to imitate his craft.  Today, we attempted to put cement plaster onto cement block walls which were built by teams that came before us.  We worked alongside three maestros.  After watching the process, we donned our gloves, mixed our cement plaster, and made one giant mess after another.  The men would take a trowel or shovel full of cement, throw it at the wall, and quickly smooth it up the surface.  Maybe a little would end up on the floor, but most of the cement stayed nicely where it was put.  One team member after another – students and chaperones alike – would attempt to replicate this process.  For some, the cement would slide off the back of the trowel.  For others, it would hit the wall but fall on the floor.  We were wearing cement, wiping it from our hair, our faces, and blinking it out of our eyes!  We had cement everywhere!  Unfortunately, only a few of us became even slightly proficient with the skill by the end of the day.  It was a frustrating process.

We did eventually find some other helpful tasks with which we are more adept.  I have never been so happy to whack weeds!  Tomorrow, we hope to play to our strengths by breaking up into groups.  A few will continue the plastering alongside the master craftsmen, while others will build walls, whack more weeds, or teach English at the school.  

The children met us in the patio and shared songs.

Before construction time today, we were able to visit the school to meet the children and to learn some of the history of Amor y Esperanza.  It was wonderful to see the smiling faces of the students and to hear their praises to the Lord.  When Cole, one of the returning team members, entered the patio, the faces of his students from last year lit up with joy!  I was able to greet Laura, Noemi, Jesus, and others whom I have known in past years.  There is such joy to see their faces and to know that the Lord continues to watch over their lives.  And it is good to taste of the Lord and see that He is good.  He is kind to His children.  He gives us His spirit.  His love for us is everlasting.

This evening we shared time together. We remembered Mr. Holland’s encouragement from last night, to taste and see that the Lord is good. We built upon that foundation – the Lord is good, AND He is in control.  It is good to have a solid foundation – postulates on which to build your faith, your worldview.   We also invited the presence of the Lord, and we prayed for one another.  Tomorrow will hold more experience of Jesus – and more togetherness as we pursue His grace for us here, and open the eyes of our hearts. 

Random facts for today:

There are a lot of dogs that live in Carmen Bajo.

Mr. Holland has just recently learned to pronounce certain words correctly – like egg and sweater.

Hudson is fascinated by scorpions.

Claire takes great joy in smashing old toilets with a yard tool.

January 7, 2019 – Open your heart

Please pray for our team: Mr. Holland, Camden, Chris, Jason, KJ, Isabelle, 

Gabe, Everett, Mr. Unsicker

Maria Victoria Zola, Claire, Alden, Joseph, Sophia

Pitty Zola, Kayleigh, Kennedy, Lexi, Meghan, Abbie, Hudson, Mrs. Justice, 

BJ, Sydney, Cole

Not pictured:  Pancho, Danny and Mateo Zola

It is a new year, and with it a new beginning.  This is a first – a Whitefield team sent to Amor y Esperanza in January!  The Lord loves to create; He is in the business of creating.  And here, today, he is beginning a new work.  This new work is on a familiar and solid foundation – the relationship between Amor y Esperanza and Whitefield Academy.  The students have come both to give, and to receive:  sharing their lives with the body of Christ in Ecuador while receiving God’s grace and love from the believers here.  

Following a long day of travel on Sunday, the students finally found their beds about 1:15 am. Each bed held a verse of scripture – an encouragement for the week.  Some were already feeling the effects of the altitude soon after arriving, some were hungry, others feeling down from illness or sadness brought from home, but in our weakness, Jesus is strong!  He gave to each strength for the journey, and we were glad to rest our heads for a few hours.  

Some of the many beautiful colors of the market

Day one brought a breakfast of pan, juevos, y panqueques con jugo de naranja o leche chocolate, and following that, a time of worship together.  Pancho and Pitty exhorted the students to open their hearts to Jesus – to His powerful name and His presence in their lives, to the new beginning to which He is calling us this day.  We then loaded the bus and headed to Otovallo to the market.  Everyone had the chance to bargain for local handicrafts and many purchased the llama jackets which are the distinguishing apparel of the EMT.  Diving into local culture, we then ate lunch at a local Ecuadorian restaurant.  Everett and Mr. Unsicker ordered the cuy (fried guinea-pig) and many were brave enough to try it (not me!) Mr. Unsicker did say that he didn’t expect the cuy to be looking at him (the head was still on)! 

It has been a day of reunions as well – those who have travelled here before were excited to return and see the Zola family, and Kayleigh was able to reunite with her Au Pair, Sandra, from when she was much younger.  Sandra brought Ecuadorian candy for the students to share, and we also stopped at a roadside shop for biscocho con manjar de leche.  

Back at the Seminario Teologico where we are staying, the rain lessened enough for an afternoon soccer match which drew some of the guys, while others took advantage of some much needed down time.  The evening will bring dinner and another devotional time.  Tomorrow, we visit the school and then begin construction.  May the Lord grant us the energy to work hard, play hard, and honor Him during our time here.  

Joseph sporting his new llama jacket

Alden poses for the camera - photo credit for the beautiful
pictures of the market goes to Alden

Cuy - fried guinea pig - traditional Ecuadorian cuisine

View from the bus

Random things I have learned so far:

When there is sunshine in Quito, it gets hot quickly; when it starts to rain, it is suddenly cold

BJ almost never takes off his hoodie

Ecuadorian drivers don’t give a second thought to passing on a two-lane road when there is oncoming traffic

Some of the girls need an hour to wake up and get ready in the morning, and others need only 10 minutes

Gabe travels light, but his pockets don’t secure his passport very well

Kennedy likes to try new things – she was brave enough to try the fried guinea pig

It is possible to download 8 hours of Netflix videos to your mobile device from the free airport Wi-Fi while sitting at the gate for 30 minutes