Our 1st Thanksgiving together
Happy 26th birthday Pablo!
Snorkling
At the beachSaturday, January 1, 2011
A Busy End of 2010
Pablo and I are loving being married! We are having a lot of fun together and learning more about each other each day. Pablo has been very busy studying. He took 9 classes this past semester and got all A's! He plays music at an Italian restaurant on Thursdays and Fridays and at any other gigs that he can do when he has free time.
I have 17 students this year in my 3rd grade class. They keep me very busy because I have many students with special needs. It has been a tough year so far, but I know God placed each one in my class for a reason. I am continuing to work on my masters through online classes by SPU. It keeps me busy and up late. Pablo and I spend the evenings studying- but at least we are together!
We have taken some time to rest and be with friends amidst studying. We had a 4 day weekend at the beginning of November and went to the beach with our friends Christy and Marcos. We drove 11 ours to the coast of Ecuador, and when we got there it was overcast the whole time. It was nice to get out of the city though and be with good friends.
November 11th was Pablo's birthday and I threw him a party with all of our friends. During the party I had a surprise show up- a mariachi band! It got the dance party started! Afterwards we went bowling. It was a great weekend celebrating Pablo.
We cooked our first Thanksgiving meal together and invited Pablo's family and some friends over. 15 people- what were we thinking?! It was an adventure cooking for that many for the first time, but we had a lot of fun making memories together.
The Lord blessed us with the opportunity to come home and be with my family for Christmas. It was a true gift because we needed to take time to rest and be refreshed. We were also able to go to a good friend's wedding on New Year's Eve with all of my friends. It was a beautiful wedding and so fun to be with old friends.
It is a new year and we are back to Quito tomorrow. Please pray that God prepares our hearts to return and gives us energy and wisdom to finish this school year. We love you all and are very thankful for your friendship and support. God bless you!
I have 17 students this year in my 3rd grade class. They keep me very busy because I have many students with special needs. It has been a tough year so far, but I know God placed each one in my class for a reason. I am continuing to work on my masters through online classes by SPU. It keeps me busy and up late. Pablo and I spend the evenings studying- but at least we are together!
We have taken some time to rest and be with friends amidst studying. We had a 4 day weekend at the beginning of November and went to the beach with our friends Christy and Marcos. We drove 11 ours to the coast of Ecuador, and when we got there it was overcast the whole time. It was nice to get out of the city though and be with good friends.
November 11th was Pablo's birthday and I threw him a party with all of our friends. During the party I had a surprise show up- a mariachi band! It got the dance party started! Afterwards we went bowling. It was a great weekend celebrating Pablo.
We cooked our first Thanksgiving meal together and invited Pablo's family and some friends over. 15 people- what were we thinking?! It was an adventure cooking for that many for the first time, but we had a lot of fun making memories together.
The Lord blessed us with the opportunity to come home and be with my family for Christmas. It was a true gift because we needed to take time to rest and be refreshed. We were also able to go to a good friend's wedding on New Year's Eve with all of my friends. It was a beautiful wedding and so fun to be with old friends.
It is a new year and we are back to Quito tomorrow. Please pray that God prepares our hearts to return and gives us energy and wisdom to finish this school year. We love you all and are very thankful for your friendship and support. God bless you!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
KIM FLORES!!!
Dear Friends,
So much has happened since my last official update in April! As you know, the most exciting thing that has happened was my marriage to Pablo on July 10th! Friends and my family came down to Quito the week before and we had a tourist week together. We went sightseeing in the city, shopping at the market, to the jungle, and to the middle of the earth equator museum. We had a lot of fun. The day before our wedding it was pouring down rain. Our wedding was outside. Many people prayed and God opened up the sky and blessed us with not only beautiful weather, but also a rainbow and sunset in the evening. For the ceremony, Pablo and I wrote our own vows. We both could not stop crying. It was a very blessed moment that I will never forget. At the reception, we had a lot of fun dancing with our friends and celebrating together. Our wedding was a dream come true. We are amazed at how God brought us together and has had His hand upon our lives. For our honeymoon, Pablo and I went to a resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. It was also a dream come true…all-inclusive, white sand, turquoise waters…beautiful. We had a wonderful time there.
On July 22nd we traveled to Gig Harbor and were there for 1 month. It was great to see many of you! We spent a lot of time on the water this summer. Pablo went swimming in a lake, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and tubing all for his first time this summer. We had a lot of fun building memories together. We went to a Mariners game with my family and spent time in Seattle with friends. We also celebrated our marriage with close friends and family. On August 15th Pablo and I spoke for our first time together at Fox Island Alliance Church. I was so happy to not have to be up there by myself anymore! We shared about Mount of Olives Christian School in Santos Pamba and how Pablo will be involved in the ministry now. Check out the Santos Pamba blog for more information: www.santospamba.blogspot.com This week we are meeting with Pastor Pedro Pablo to organize last minute details for this school year and plan together.
Our time in Gig Harbor went by way too fast! We returned to Quito on Saturday night. This week we have been busy setting up our house together. We bought a bed and have been moving Pablo’s things in (we are living in my apartment for now). Pablo began classes in the University today. He is a sophomore and studying Contemporary Music. Tomorrow I am going to go to my classroom and start getting ready for the year. It will be strange to have a new name- Mrs. Flores! The students come on September 2nd.
Please join us in prayer for the following:
Please pray that Pablo and I will adjust easily to married life, building routines together, and learning how to best love and serve each other. Pray that Christ will always be the center of our marriage.
Pray for my beginning of the school year- that God will help me be the best teacher for the students that are in my class this year and that they will learn to love Him.
For Pablo’s school year to go well.
Thank you so much for your love, prayers, and support! We are loving being married! May God bless you.
Love,
Kim and Pablo Flores
P.S. Praise God- my back does not hurt anymore! Thank you for praying. I am now in pilates class to strengthen the muscles.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
April Update
Dear Friends,
Anita’s baby was born on April 6th and is healthy. Thanks for praying for her. He is almost a month old now and growing more each day.
My mom was here for 3 weeks and we had a wonderful time together. One day we went with Pablo’s brother and his family to visit a crater lake named Quicocha and went on a boat ride. It was a beautiful day. My mom and I were able to celebrate Easter together for the first time in 5 years! Pablo and I invited some of our friends over and they were very excited to have an American Easter meal. My mom did a wonderful job and the food was delicious as always.
A couple of days we were able to visit Santos Pamba and spend time with the children. We observed how the Breakfast Program was going and saw how much the children appreciate the breakfast they get to eat each morning. Before they ate Pastor Pedro Pablo prayed with them and it was precious to hear them thank God for providing for them. I loved having my mom there and that she was able to spend time with the children that I love dearly.
As you know, while my mom was here, we got in another car accident. We were in a taxi and it went through a stop sign! Praise God we are both fine now. I am back to going to physical therapy every week, but do not have any more pain now. Thank you for praying! I have decided to walk everywhere now if it is possible! No more cars for me for a while. Please continue to pray for my recovery and that my fear of getting in cars will go away. Thank you.
My mom and I were also able to go visit her World Vision sponsored girl one day, which was a wonderful experience. This was my third time visiting her. She lives in a village, high up in the mountains, about 3 hours from Quito. We had a wonderful day with her and didn’t want to leave! (see picture above)
When we weren’t gone on outings, my mom spent time in my classroom at Alliance. My students loved having their teacher’s mom there. One day I was sick and she got to sub for me! They loved having her read aloud to them and receiving more 1-on-1 attention. I loved having her there too!
My mom, Pablo, and I got a lot of wedding planning done while she was here. It was a productive time and we feel blessed that she was able to be here with us and help us. Please continue to pray for Pablo and I as we continue in premarital counseling and preparing for the most important decision of our lives. We are getting excited!
Thank you for your continued prayers and support. May God bless you all! Stay in touch!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Anita's Baby Shower
Playing a game to see who can guess how manycentimeters around is her baby belly using toilet paper!
Their son will be named Angel Gabriel Sevilla.March Update
Dear Friends,
Thank you for praying for back! I have been able to work full-time now for the past month. I do not have pain anymore, and only have to go to the doctor every 2 weeks! Now I am working on strengthening the muscles in my lower back by going to pilates twice a week. Thank you for praying for my recovery.
Pablo and I have been busy wedding planning. My mom will be here on Monday and I'm excited to be able to plan things with her. :)
On Monday Pablo and I are going to begin premarital counseling. Please pray that it will be a productive and helpful time for us. Please pray that we will be able to keep our focus on Him during this busy planning time. We are looking forward to it. We will be meeting with a pastor and his wife, who is a counselor.
Things at Santos Pamba are going well- check out my blog: www.santospamba.blogspot.com for more details and pictures :) Last Saturday I hosted a baby shower for Anita, the 2nd grade teacher. It was a true cultural experience. The shower was to begin at 4pm.....guest arrived at 6pm. They ate everything I had on the table and didn't leave until late! Anita's baby is due this week! See pictures above.
On Thursday night a group from Fox Island Alliance Church arrived. Tonight I will be spending time with them. It is so refreshing to have people from "home" here. On Wednesday they will be going to Santos Pamba with me and I'm very excited to show them what God's been doing!
Thank you for your continued prayers. I feel them! May God bless you. I will write more soon.
Thank you for praying for back! I have been able to work full-time now for the past month. I do not have pain anymore, and only have to go to the doctor every 2 weeks! Now I am working on strengthening the muscles in my lower back by going to pilates twice a week. Thank you for praying for my recovery.
Pablo and I have been busy wedding planning. My mom will be here on Monday and I'm excited to be able to plan things with her. :)
On Monday Pablo and I are going to begin premarital counseling. Please pray that it will be a productive and helpful time for us. Please pray that we will be able to keep our focus on Him during this busy planning time. We are looking forward to it. We will be meeting with a pastor and his wife, who is a counselor.
Things at Santos Pamba are going well- check out my blog: www.santospamba.blogspot.com for more details and pictures :) Last Saturday I hosted a baby shower for Anita, the 2nd grade teacher. It was a true cultural experience. The shower was to begin at 4pm.....guest arrived at 6pm. They ate everything I had on the table and didn't leave until late! Anita's baby is due this week! See pictures above.
On Thursday night a group from Fox Island Alliance Church arrived. Tonight I will be spending time with them. It is so refreshing to have people from "home" here. On Wednesday they will be going to Santos Pamba with me and I'm very excited to show them what God's been doing!
Thank you for your continued prayers. I feel them! May God bless you. I will write more soon.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Praising God!
First of all, thank you to everyone for praying for my back. I am getting better! My new physical therapist is wonderful. In 8 sessions my pain has decreased and my muscles have relaxed. Now I am just doing daily back exercises and going to physically therapy once or twice a week. My lower back is weak and starts to ache after standing for long periods of time, so I am working on strengthening it. The past two weeks I only worked half days. This week I am going to try going back to work full-time. I hope I can make it. I miss my students! Please continue to pray for my recovery.
Speaking of my students, I have a HUGE PRAISE! On Friday morning, 2 of my students accepted Christ with me during Bible class!! It brings tears to my eyes just writing this news. They are students who come from non-Christian families. We have been learning about Jesus and how He died on the cross for us and He wants to be our best friend. My class was very excited when these 2 boys shared that they asked Jesus into their hearts and one boy said to me, “Miss Hughes, God and the angels are having a big party right now because they have 2 new friends!”…. precious. What an honor to serve the Lord here and share His love to others. This is why I am here in Ecuador and why they Lord placed specific children in my classroom. May I be an example of Christ to them daily. Please pray for Fernando and Erik as they begin their new relationship with Jesus and that God will give me wisdom as how to guide them.
During my time at home, I have been working on things for Santos Pamba. We are almost finished with a new website for the school. We also worked on a budget for the rest of the year, and much more. See my Santos Pamba blog for more exciting updates: www.santospamba.blogspot.com
Pablo and I have been busy wedding planning. We found the place where we are going to get married and are now working on scheduling meetings with photographers, florists, musicians, etc. It’s a lot of work planning a wedding and even more when you combine two cultures. Please pray for us that we won’t get stressed and will remember to celebrate during this exciting time of our lives. Thank you! Also pray for us as we do premarital counseling, that God will bless our times together.
Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. I appreciate each of you! May God continue to bless you. Keep in touch!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Back in Ecuador
I had a wonderful time at home with family and friends. It was great to have Pablo at home with me again, and to celebrate our engagement with family and friends. I was able to do some wedding planning, and also fundraising for Santos Pamba Christian School. However, on December 26th we were in a car accident and taken to the ER! Pablo got whiplash and I sprained my neck and back. We stayed at home after that and recuperated. I started physical therapy, which I have continued here in Quito. I am still in pain and have not been able to work. My lower back has been too painful to go back to school and teach. I have been stuck at home and resting. I have been reading a lot and wedding planning, which is keeping me busy. I am also working on finishing up my online masters class. Pablo has been taking good care of me- even going grocery shopping for me! Friends have been visiting me everyday, which has been encouraging. It has been stressful leaving my class with a substitute for so long, but I know I need to focus on recovering.
Going to the doctor here has been quite a cultural experience for me. I was going to the hospital close to my house for physical therapy. My physical therapist was seeing 4 patients at the same time as me! It was very frustrating. I changed physical therapists this week because I felt she wasn't giving me quality care. I am very happy with my new physical therapist. She is encouraging and told me that in 10 sessions I should be feeling better! She is using different techniques and I can tell that my muscles are starting to relax more. I am hopeful! Please pray for me. I am hoping I can return to at least working half days next week. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your prayers!
Going to the doctor here has been quite a cultural experience for me. I was going to the hospital close to my house for physical therapy. My physical therapist was seeing 4 patients at the same time as me! It was very frustrating. I changed physical therapists this week because I felt she wasn't giving me quality care. I am very happy with my new physical therapist. She is encouraging and told me that in 10 sessions I should be feeling better! She is using different techniques and I can tell that my muscles are starting to relax more. I am hopeful! Please pray for me. I am hoping I can return to at least working half days next week. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your prayers!
Friday, December 4, 2009
October/November Pictures
Pastor Pedro Pablo and the Santa Maria choir
Santa Maria Church Inauguration
Pablo's 25th birthday!
Spirit Week Pajama Day with my class
Mark Shafer, Jon Sousley, and I in Otavalo
With students from Santos Pamba
Thanksgiving lunch on the roof of Laura and Jorge's houseExciting News!
Dear Friends,
Happy Belated Thanksgiving! I am very thankful for each of you. Thank you for your support, love, and encouragement to me. I spent Thanksgiving with Pablo, my old roommate Laura and her husband, plus 30 other people. We had a delicious lunch together. On Friday I spent the day at Santos Pamba Christian School with the kids. It was a wonderful day. See the pictures!
Before I write more, I have exciting news…I’M ENGAGED! November 21st Pablo proposed in a very romantic way. We are very excited! We have decided to get married here in Quito on July 10, 2010. We will be coming to Seattle for Christmas on Dec. 19th- and are excited to see everyone.
Well, It’s about time that I did an update on what has been going on here in Quito.
SANTA MARIA CHURCH INAUGURATION
In October a team from Canada came, as well as Jon Sousley and Cy from Gig Harbor, came for Santa Maria Quichua Alliance Church's inauguration. For the past 2 years, the members of the church have been building their new church building, and other missionaries have been helping raise funds for the construction. It is a beautiful building and our prayer is that it will be filled with new members from the community. The inauguration celebration lasted 3 days. Pablo helped with the music. Pablo and I enjoyed spending time with the team from Canada, Jon, and Cy. It was very encouraging and refreshing to be with them.
SANTOS PAMBA FIELD TRIP
The first Santos Pamba Christian School Mission Trip with our 3rd graders went very well. Thank you for praying for us. We had 35 third graders and 55 students from Santos Pamba! Our third graders each got assigned two buddies who they spent the whole day with. I was very proud of this group. They didn’t complain or make faces because of different smells or sights for the first time. They loved their buddies just like they were their own little brothers and sisters. We sang songs with them, and then read them the story of “The Pumpkin Parable”. Afterwards the kids did a pumpkin art project with their buddies and played outside. We then all had lunch together and said our goodbyes. The day went by very fast! We had 8 mothers go with us on this trip. When we returned back to the Alliance Academy to talk about their experience. Many of the kids wrote in their journal about the new things that they saw (people making bricks, pigs and sheep everywhere, many kids without socks, how some dressed in indigenous clothing, etc. They begged for us to take them back again. That’s my desire. We are going to Santos Pamba on December 11th to have a Christmas party with our buddies! They students are going to act out the Nativity story and we are going to decorate Christmas cookies with them!
ELECTRICITY RATIONIONING AND GRADUATE CLASSES
I am almost finished with my first two graduate classes. They have been very difficult and time consuming, more than I thought it would be. It has been hard to balance school, working full time, ministry, and have a life. On top of finding time to do work, the government has been rationing the electricity for the past month. There has been no rain for a long time; therefore the hydroelectric plants can’t produce the electricity for the country. The government turns off the electricity for a period of time everyday in different parts of the city. My school has a generator, but it has been hard to do homework at home when there is no light. Many farmer’s crops and livestock have died due to this drought. Please pray for more rain for Ecuador!
I wanted to share with you that I do not have a roommate now. It did not work out with Hannah. I have decided to live on my own until I get married in July. Please pray that Lord will continue to provide what I need to pay bills, etc. He has been faithful and I know he will continue to be.
I look forward to seeing many of you SOON! Love you all and hope you are doing well. God bless you!
Happy Belated Thanksgiving! I am very thankful for each of you. Thank you for your support, love, and encouragement to me. I spent Thanksgiving with Pablo, my old roommate Laura and her husband, plus 30 other people. We had a delicious lunch together. On Friday I spent the day at Santos Pamba Christian School with the kids. It was a wonderful day. See the pictures!
Before I write more, I have exciting news…I’M ENGAGED! November 21st Pablo proposed in a very romantic way. We are very excited! We have decided to get married here in Quito on July 10, 2010. We will be coming to Seattle for Christmas on Dec. 19th- and are excited to see everyone.
Well, It’s about time that I did an update on what has been going on here in Quito.
SANTA MARIA CHURCH INAUGURATION
In October a team from Canada came, as well as Jon Sousley and Cy from Gig Harbor, came for Santa Maria Quichua Alliance Church's inauguration. For the past 2 years, the members of the church have been building their new church building, and other missionaries have been helping raise funds for the construction. It is a beautiful building and our prayer is that it will be filled with new members from the community. The inauguration celebration lasted 3 days. Pablo helped with the music. Pablo and I enjoyed spending time with the team from Canada, Jon, and Cy. It was very encouraging and refreshing to be with them.
SANTOS PAMBA FIELD TRIP
The first Santos Pamba Christian School Mission Trip with our 3rd graders went very well. Thank you for praying for us. We had 35 third graders and 55 students from Santos Pamba! Our third graders each got assigned two buddies who they spent the whole day with. I was very proud of this group. They didn’t complain or make faces because of different smells or sights for the first time. They loved their buddies just like they were their own little brothers and sisters. We sang songs with them, and then read them the story of “The Pumpkin Parable”. Afterwards the kids did a pumpkin art project with their buddies and played outside. We then all had lunch together and said our goodbyes. The day went by very fast! We had 8 mothers go with us on this trip. When we returned back to the Alliance Academy to talk about their experience. Many of the kids wrote in their journal about the new things that they saw (people making bricks, pigs and sheep everywhere, many kids without socks, how some dressed in indigenous clothing, etc. They begged for us to take them back again. That’s my desire. We are going to Santos Pamba on December 11th to have a Christmas party with our buddies! They students are going to act out the Nativity story and we are going to decorate Christmas cookies with them!
ELECTRICITY RATIONIONING AND GRADUATE CLASSES
I am almost finished with my first two graduate classes. They have been very difficult and time consuming, more than I thought it would be. It has been hard to balance school, working full time, ministry, and have a life. On top of finding time to do work, the government has been rationing the electricity for the past month. There has been no rain for a long time; therefore the hydroelectric plants can’t produce the electricity for the country. The government turns off the electricity for a period of time everyday in different parts of the city. My school has a generator, but it has been hard to do homework at home when there is no light. Many farmer’s crops and livestock have died due to this drought. Please pray for more rain for Ecuador!
I wanted to share with you that I do not have a roommate now. It did not work out with Hannah. I have decided to live on my own until I get married in July. Please pray that Lord will continue to provide what I need to pay bills, etc. He has been faithful and I know he will continue to be.
I look forward to seeing many of you SOON! Love you all and hope you are doing well. God bless you!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
September update
Dear Friends,
The school year started a month ago, and life has been busy! I have 16 students in my class this year and they are wonderful. I’m thanking God for them. I have 2 girls who don’t know very much English, but they are bright girls and are learning quickly. This group is much easier than my challenging group last year that had many special needs students. My friend Courtney is the other 3rd grade teacher and this is her first year. We are having a great time collaborating together and are working well together. We decided to try something new this year for 3rd grade- I would teach science to both classes and she would teach social studies. It is going very well. I’m loving being able to focus on my science lessons. We are planning to go to Santos Pamba every other month this year- our first trip with these new 3rd graders will be in a couple weeks and they are very excited about it. Courtney is too, which is a blessing. Every day at least one student asks me if it is time to go to Santos Pamba yet. I’m excited to be able to expose a new group of students to Santos Pamba and what it means to minister to others.
Besides teaching, I too have started back to school- GRADUATE SCHOOL! I decided to pursue a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. I am doing an online program through Seattle Pacific University. I am only taking two classes, but wow, it has been a hard adjustment. My whole schedule has changed. It is hard to be working full time, be in ministry, have a boyfriend, and be studying at the same time. Please pray that I will be able to balance my time wisely, and be able to handle my stress. I really need prayer right now.
Pablo has also started to study. He is studying Contemporary Music at the Universidad de San Francisco here in Quito. He is also adjusting to studying. His schedule is full time at school so he isn’t working at my school anymore as a guitar teacher. We hardly see each other now. It’s hard, but we are trying to take advantages of the few moments even if they are short. Please pray for us during this transition time.
I have a new roommate! Thank you for praying with me because God answered prayers. Her name is Hannah, and she is a study abroad student at the same university that Pablo is studying at. She is a Christian and is from Canada.
The rainy season is about to begin here in Quito, and many people are getting sick at school. Please pray that God protects my health…I’m starting to feel that I’m getting a cold.
Thank you for your faithful prayers, support and encouragement. God bless you!
The school year started a month ago, and life has been busy! I have 16 students in my class this year and they are wonderful. I’m thanking God for them. I have 2 girls who don’t know very much English, but they are bright girls and are learning quickly. This group is much easier than my challenging group last year that had many special needs students. My friend Courtney is the other 3rd grade teacher and this is her first year. We are having a great time collaborating together and are working well together. We decided to try something new this year for 3rd grade- I would teach science to both classes and she would teach social studies. It is going very well. I’m loving being able to focus on my science lessons. We are planning to go to Santos Pamba every other month this year- our first trip with these new 3rd graders will be in a couple weeks and they are very excited about it. Courtney is too, which is a blessing. Every day at least one student asks me if it is time to go to Santos Pamba yet. I’m excited to be able to expose a new group of students to Santos Pamba and what it means to minister to others.
Besides teaching, I too have started back to school- GRADUATE SCHOOL! I decided to pursue a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. I am doing an online program through Seattle Pacific University. I am only taking two classes, but wow, it has been a hard adjustment. My whole schedule has changed. It is hard to be working full time, be in ministry, have a boyfriend, and be studying at the same time. Please pray that I will be able to balance my time wisely, and be able to handle my stress. I really need prayer right now.
Pablo has also started to study. He is studying Contemporary Music at the Universidad de San Francisco here in Quito. He is also adjusting to studying. His schedule is full time at school so he isn’t working at my school anymore as a guitar teacher. We hardly see each other now. It’s hard, but we are trying to take advantages of the few moments even if they are short. Please pray for us during this transition time.
I have a new roommate! Thank you for praying with me because God answered prayers. Her name is Hannah, and she is a study abroad student at the same university that Pablo is studying at. She is a Christian and is from Canada.
The rainy season is about to begin here in Quito, and many people are getting sick at school. Please pray that God protects my health…I’m starting to feel that I’m getting a cold.
Thank you for your faithful prayers, support and encouragement. God bless you!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Back to school soon
Dear Friends and Family,
Thank you so much for your prayers for my health. My cold is now gone and I have adjusted back to having to take allergy medicine and use eye drops often. My body does not like Quito, but I know God wants me here!
The past two weeks have gone by very fast. I have been catching up with friends here in Quito, and spending time with my friend from home, Lindsay Harkson, who has been here visiting. I have been able to invest a lot of time at Santos Pamba since I’ve been back, which I love. It has been nice to be back early before the school year starts. This summer I made a lot of ministry goals for the year, and I have already been working on them. I have been meeting with the new Santos Pamba teachers and helping prepare for the new school year. I now have a separate blog just for information and pictures of Santos Pamba. (www.santospamba.blogspot.com) I will now be posting information about Santos Pamba on that blog and this blog will be my personal blog.
Please continue to pray that God provides a roommate for me. It’s lonely living alone! I’m trusting His faithfulness and that He will provide someone soon.
On Friday I started work again at Alliance Academy. It was great to see colleagues again and meet the new staff. This whole next week we have a conference about Biblical Integration in Education. I’m looking forward to learning new things and applying what I learn to my teaching. I found out that I will be having 16 or 17 3rd graders in my class this year. This week I’m working on getting my classroom set up and planning for the year. The first day of school is September 7th. Please be praying that God prepares me for this school year and equips me to be the best teacher I can be for my students. Thank you very much!
The Lord has been reminding me about how I need to fall more in love with Him so that He is the one who overflows from me. I cannot do anything without Him. I am going to be starting a new Beth Moore Bible study soon with some women from school and am looking forward to it.
Thank you for your prayers and faithful support. Make sure to check out my Santos Pamba blog for more updates and pictures of my ministry. God bless you all!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Back in Ecuador
I arrived back safely to Quito last Monday night. I loved seeing many of you when I was home. This summer went by too fast! I was able to relax, enjoy time with my family and friends, show Pablo more of the beautiful northwest, and be refreshed to return to Quito. I am excited for what God has in store for me this school year and for what He is going to do. Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement, and support. You are each very special to me. Please pray for me right now because on Tuesday morning when I woke up, I had a bad cold and my eyes are hurting. I'm back to the pollution and altitude...my body doesn't like Ecuador :( Please pray that the Lord heals my body quickly. Thank you. This week I will be spending time at Santos Pamba helping get the classrooms ready and planning for this school year. I will write again soon and send updated pictures. Blessings to you all!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Last Santos Pamba Trip Pictures
This is what the school looks like now- we have windows!We are hoping to raise money to paint the second level green
and also to make a sign for the school.
Singing songs with our buddies
Pablo led our worship time. My girls helped him.Thursday, June 18, 2009
Summer is here!
Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for praying for me. I have felt your support. Here's an update about what has been going on...
MY HEALTH
My eye infection is finally gone! Thank you for praying. I still have UV damage though that will never go away. I have to continue to use eye drops many times throughout the day. I have a cold right now that I got last week. Please pray that my cold will go away quickly and that I will be able to get needed rest.
VISA UPDATE
Last Monday I met with the visa lawyer and he said that I should get my visa back TOMORROW! Please pray that the process will go quickly and the authorities will give me 2 years.
ALLIANCE ACADEMY UPDATE
Two weeks ago I finished our school year- my third year of teaching at Alliance! Time has gone by fast. We had a fun last week together as a class. On Monday I took my class for the last time to say goodbye to their amiguitos at Santos Pamba. We had a wonderful time together. We sang songs- I told them to sing as loud as they could so Jesus could hear them in heaven- it was precious to watch them all sing their hearts out to God together. We then turned the cafeteria into a movie theater and watched a Veggie Tales movie about loving your neighbor. The Santos Pamba kids loved the Veggie Tales movie. Afterwards we made puppets and then played games outside. The mothers from Santos Pamba made a special cake for my students to thank them for being amiguitos. My kids ate every bite and were very thankful to them- I've trained them well :) We then ended by having lunch together and then my students prayed for their amiguitos. I love how my student's hearts have fallen in love with their little buddies and how they desire to help them know that Jesus loves them. It is what makes my heart beat- my passion and reason for being here. I am so glad that the Alliance Academy lets me be a bridge between the rich and the poor and allows me to take my students to Santos Pamba. It is a life learning experience that I hope they will never forget. Many of the parents have thanked me for the experience and said that it is their child's favorite thing about 3rd grade!
On Friday I had my students over to my house for a pancake breakfast together and a time of closure. I will miss them, but I'm glad summer is here! Next year I will have a new partner teacher in the other 3rd grade class. Her name is Courtney and it will be her first year as a classroom teacher. This year she taught ESL and we became good friends. We are excited to work together next year.
THE SANTOS PAMBA SCHOOL UPDATE
I was great to be with the Santos Pamba kids last week. I love every time that I can spend with them. They have grown so much this year and every one of them can read now! Parents are already lining up to register their children for next year! How exciting! Thank you for your prayers and support for our little school.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote up a project proposal for the Ministry of Education for Ecuador about our school becoming legalized, which we turned in on Monday. Right now Santos Pamba is still not an approved school by the government. They have so much paperwork and requirements to meet that it is a long process. This was one of their requirements and now we are working on the next requirements. Please pray for this process and that it will go quickly. Pray that God leads us to the right connections and that they will fall in love with Santos Pamba and help us be approved quickly.
Right now we are in need of 3 new teachers for next year (1 preschool, 1 kindergarten, and 1 1st grade!) Please pray that God provides 3 wonderful Godly, qualified teachers for next year. He has been faithful in the past, and I know He will continue to be, however I get worried often and just need to rest in Him and trust Him. A couple of weeks ago I interviewed a possible teacher for the preschool class next year. She has her degree in Early Childhood and was very professional, friendly, etc., however when I asked her about her faith she said she didn't know what she believed. I asked her more questions and she was very open. I told her that the main priority of our school is that the students learn about the Lord and receive Bible class daily. She told me that she would be open to do anything we wanted her to do, and would love to learn along with the students. I was impressed with her openness and honestly. I left feeling burdened for her and have been praying for her- her name is Esperanza, which means hope. My prayer is that she will come to know the only True One that can give her the hope she is looking for. Please join me in praying for her. I need prayer that God will give me wisdom about whether or not to have her be a teacher in our school. Is the Lord leading her to Santos Pamba so that she comes to know Him? Do I need to present the Gospel to her? Pray that the Lord gives me wisdom about Esperanza. Also, please pray for Pastor Pedro Pablo and I as we meet with Mari to tell her that we are not hiring her back next year. Pray that she receives the news well.
Pastor Pedro Pablo, the Pastor of Santos Pamba and Director of the school was hopitalized last week. He almost had a heart attack due to high blood pressure and stress. Please pray for him as he is at home recovering now, that he will rest and that I will know how to best support him.
I am very excited to share with you that this summer's VBS at Fox Island Alliance Church has chosen to help fundraise for The Santos Pamba Schoool! I will be sharing with the kids about the school on July 20th and hope to get them excited about helping other kids in Ecuador.
OTHER THINGS...
My roommate Laura got married on Saturday! Our home was wedding crazy the past month, but very exciting. Pablo and I helped entertain her guests from out of town this past week. Their wedding was like a dream wedding- it was beautiful. I was an honorary bridesmaid. I will post pictures soon.
Please pray that God will connect me with a new roommate by September. I am trusting His faithfulness because I really don't want to live alone.
I am coming back to Gig Harbor on THURSDAY and will be there until August 10th. I hope to see many of you! Please give me a call if you would like to get together (253-853-3829) Thank you for your constant support, prayers, and encouraging emails. I appreciate each of you!
God bless you!
Thank you so much for praying for me. I have felt your support. Here's an update about what has been going on...
MY HEALTH
My eye infection is finally gone! Thank you for praying. I still have UV damage though that will never go away. I have to continue to use eye drops many times throughout the day. I have a cold right now that I got last week. Please pray that my cold will go away quickly and that I will be able to get needed rest.
VISA UPDATE
Last Monday I met with the visa lawyer and he said that I should get my visa back TOMORROW! Please pray that the process will go quickly and the authorities will give me 2 years.
ALLIANCE ACADEMY UPDATE
Two weeks ago I finished our school year- my third year of teaching at Alliance! Time has gone by fast. We had a fun last week together as a class. On Monday I took my class for the last time to say goodbye to their amiguitos at Santos Pamba. We had a wonderful time together. We sang songs- I told them to sing as loud as they could so Jesus could hear them in heaven- it was precious to watch them all sing their hearts out to God together. We then turned the cafeteria into a movie theater and watched a Veggie Tales movie about loving your neighbor. The Santos Pamba kids loved the Veggie Tales movie. Afterwards we made puppets and then played games outside. The mothers from Santos Pamba made a special cake for my students to thank them for being amiguitos. My kids ate every bite and were very thankful to them- I've trained them well :) We then ended by having lunch together and then my students prayed for their amiguitos. I love how my student's hearts have fallen in love with their little buddies and how they desire to help them know that Jesus loves them. It is what makes my heart beat- my passion and reason for being here. I am so glad that the Alliance Academy lets me be a bridge between the rich and the poor and allows me to take my students to Santos Pamba. It is a life learning experience that I hope they will never forget. Many of the parents have thanked me for the experience and said that it is their child's favorite thing about 3rd grade!
On Friday I had my students over to my house for a pancake breakfast together and a time of closure. I will miss them, but I'm glad summer is here! Next year I will have a new partner teacher in the other 3rd grade class. Her name is Courtney and it will be her first year as a classroom teacher. This year she taught ESL and we became good friends. We are excited to work together next year.
THE SANTOS PAMBA SCHOOL UPDATE
I was great to be with the Santos Pamba kids last week. I love every time that I can spend with them. They have grown so much this year and every one of them can read now! Parents are already lining up to register their children for next year! How exciting! Thank you for your prayers and support for our little school.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote up a project proposal for the Ministry of Education for Ecuador about our school becoming legalized, which we turned in on Monday. Right now Santos Pamba is still not an approved school by the government. They have so much paperwork and requirements to meet that it is a long process. This was one of their requirements and now we are working on the next requirements. Please pray for this process and that it will go quickly. Pray that God leads us to the right connections and that they will fall in love with Santos Pamba and help us be approved quickly.
Right now we are in need of 3 new teachers for next year (1 preschool, 1 kindergarten, and 1 1st grade!) Please pray that God provides 3 wonderful Godly, qualified teachers for next year. He has been faithful in the past, and I know He will continue to be, however I get worried often and just need to rest in Him and trust Him. A couple of weeks ago I interviewed a possible teacher for the preschool class next year. She has her degree in Early Childhood and was very professional, friendly, etc., however when I asked her about her faith she said she didn't know what she believed. I asked her more questions and she was very open. I told her that the main priority of our school is that the students learn about the Lord and receive Bible class daily. She told me that she would be open to do anything we wanted her to do, and would love to learn along with the students. I was impressed with her openness and honestly. I left feeling burdened for her and have been praying for her- her name is Esperanza, which means hope. My prayer is that she will come to know the only True One that can give her the hope she is looking for. Please join me in praying for her. I need prayer that God will give me wisdom about whether or not to have her be a teacher in our school. Is the Lord leading her to Santos Pamba so that she comes to know Him? Do I need to present the Gospel to her? Pray that the Lord gives me wisdom about Esperanza. Also, please pray for Pastor Pedro Pablo and I as we meet with Mari to tell her that we are not hiring her back next year. Pray that she receives the news well.
Pastor Pedro Pablo, the Pastor of Santos Pamba and Director of the school was hopitalized last week. He almost had a heart attack due to high blood pressure and stress. Please pray for him as he is at home recovering now, that he will rest and that I will know how to best support him.
I am very excited to share with you that this summer's VBS at Fox Island Alliance Church has chosen to help fundraise for The Santos Pamba Schoool! I will be sharing with the kids about the school on July 20th and hope to get them excited about helping other kids in Ecuador.
OTHER THINGS...
My roommate Laura got married on Saturday! Our home was wedding crazy the past month, but very exciting. Pablo and I helped entertain her guests from out of town this past week. Their wedding was like a dream wedding- it was beautiful. I was an honorary bridesmaid. I will post pictures soon.
Please pray that God will connect me with a new roommate by September. I am trusting His faithfulness because I really don't want to live alone.
I am coming back to Gig Harbor on THURSDAY and will be there until August 10th. I hope to see many of you! Please give me a call if you would like to get together (253-853-3829) Thank you for your constant support, prayers, and encouraging emails. I appreciate each of you!
God bless you!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
May Update
Sorry that I haven't written sooner! Life has been very busy the past month, and it is getting even busier now with the school year coming to an end. Here is a recap of what has been going on lately:
Trip to the coast with Mark and Cheryl:
The beginning of May, I drove with Mark and Cheryl to Portoviejo, which is on the coast of Ecuador. We left at 6 am on Friday and arrived there around 1pm. It was a long, bumpy ride, but Mark did a great job driving. It was a beautiful drive through the mountains, then flat farmland, and then into the humid coastal jungle. We stayed in the home of a family that is good friends with Mark and Cheryl.
On Saturday morning the phone rang to say that their grandmother had passed away. The rest of the weekend the family was at the memorial and funeral service. Our trips purpose quickly changed. We spent time comforting them and spending time with them at the memorial. On Sunday we went to visit a small church in the outskirts of town. Cheryl and I helped with Sunday School and I taught the kids some songs. Sunday night we went to an amazing church service at a church named El Shaddai. Meylin (the Nicaraguan missionary living/working with the Shafers) preached and did an incredible job. At the end of her sermon she asked youth who want to serve the Lord to come forward and many came! We had a time of special pray for them. On Monday morning we drove back to Quito.
Santos Pamba School/Bank Update:
Praise God! The money transfer finally arrived to Quito. Thank you for praying! I had to have a check sent to the US Embassy here, which took a long time. The block on Ecuadorian banks is still on, so this summer I have to work on another way to get donations to Ecuador besides wiring it. Any ideas??
Today I had the teachers over for lunch and we had a nice time together. Many of the kids are doing very well and are still loving school. Their school year will end the end of June. There are only 5 kids who are struggling and still not reading, but that has to do with not having support at home. The teachers shared with me today that in the Santos Pamba neighboorhood the level of physical abuse (men to women, and parents to children- beating, hitting with belts/cords) is increasing. 3 of the students at school come from abusive homes and there is nothing you can do in Ecuador to intervene. Please pray that God's protects the precious children in Santos Pamba from harm. Mari's heart is still hardened against Christianity (the teacher who became a Mormon). Please pray that her heart will be softened and she will return to Jesus. Please also pray for Pastor Pedro Pablo and I as we plan for next year. On Tuesday, I am interviewing a possible teacher for next year. We need 2 or 3 new teachers. We are not going to renew Mari's contract because she is not a Christian, and also does not have an University degree, which the government is requiring now. Please pray for wisdom for when to talk to Mari and that she will respond well and not be angry. I am taking my 3rd grade class to Santos Pamba on June 8th for our last time this year, and a time to say goodbye to their buddies. I will be sure to post pictures!
Health Update:
I went to the eye doctor again a week ago because my eyes are still red and infected. I was prescribed the strongest antibiotic eye drops to use 3 times a day, plus having to wash out my eyes every night. My vision has not been affected, thank God. I have an appointment again this Wednesday to see if the infection is better. I think they are less red now. Please continue to pray that they heal completely! I'll let you know what the doc says on Wednesday.
My roommate, Laura, is getting married to an Ecuadorian on June 20th. Wedding craziness will begin soon. Her first guest arrives next Saturday! I am helping her entertian/translate for her guests from the U.S. I am sad that Laura will be leaving me, but am very happy for her and Jorge. Please pray that God will provide a new roommate for me by September. It is difficult right now because there are not very many new missionaries coming to Ecuador now, and Ecuadorian girls live with their parents until they get married. I am trusting that God will be faithful.
Thank you for your support and prayers! May God bless all of you. I am coming back to Gig Harbor on June 25th and hope to see many of you!! Muchos abrazos.
Trip to the coast with Mark and Cheryl:
The beginning of May, I drove with Mark and Cheryl to Portoviejo, which is on the coast of Ecuador. We left at 6 am on Friday and arrived there around 1pm. It was a long, bumpy ride, but Mark did a great job driving. It was a beautiful drive through the mountains, then flat farmland, and then into the humid coastal jungle. We stayed in the home of a family that is good friends with Mark and Cheryl.
On Saturday morning the phone rang to say that their grandmother had passed away. The rest of the weekend the family was at the memorial and funeral service. Our trips purpose quickly changed. We spent time comforting them and spending time with them at the memorial. On Sunday we went to visit a small church in the outskirts of town. Cheryl and I helped with Sunday School and I taught the kids some songs. Sunday night we went to an amazing church service at a church named El Shaddai. Meylin (the Nicaraguan missionary living/working with the Shafers) preached and did an incredible job. At the end of her sermon she asked youth who want to serve the Lord to come forward and many came! We had a time of special pray for them. On Monday morning we drove back to Quito.
Santos Pamba School/Bank Update:
Praise God! The money transfer finally arrived to Quito. Thank you for praying! I had to have a check sent to the US Embassy here, which took a long time. The block on Ecuadorian banks is still on, so this summer I have to work on another way to get donations to Ecuador besides wiring it. Any ideas??
Today I had the teachers over for lunch and we had a nice time together. Many of the kids are doing very well and are still loving school. Their school year will end the end of June. There are only 5 kids who are struggling and still not reading, but that has to do with not having support at home. The teachers shared with me today that in the Santos Pamba neighboorhood the level of physical abuse (men to women, and parents to children- beating, hitting with belts/cords) is increasing. 3 of the students at school come from abusive homes and there is nothing you can do in Ecuador to intervene. Please pray that God's protects the precious children in Santos Pamba from harm. Mari's heart is still hardened against Christianity (the teacher who became a Mormon). Please pray that her heart will be softened and she will return to Jesus. Please also pray for Pastor Pedro Pablo and I as we plan for next year. On Tuesday, I am interviewing a possible teacher for next year. We need 2 or 3 new teachers. We are not going to renew Mari's contract because she is not a Christian, and also does not have an University degree, which the government is requiring now. Please pray for wisdom for when to talk to Mari and that she will respond well and not be angry. I am taking my 3rd grade class to Santos Pamba on June 8th for our last time this year, and a time to say goodbye to their buddies. I will be sure to post pictures!
Health Update:
I went to the eye doctor again a week ago because my eyes are still red and infected. I was prescribed the strongest antibiotic eye drops to use 3 times a day, plus having to wash out my eyes every night. My vision has not been affected, thank God. I have an appointment again this Wednesday to see if the infection is better. I think they are less red now. Please continue to pray that they heal completely! I'll let you know what the doc says on Wednesday.
My roommate, Laura, is getting married to an Ecuadorian on June 20th. Wedding craziness will begin soon. Her first guest arrives next Saturday! I am helping her entertian/translate for her guests from the U.S. I am sad that Laura will be leaving me, but am very happy for her and Jorge. Please pray that God will provide a new roommate for me by September. It is difficult right now because there are not very many new missionaries coming to Ecuador now, and Ecuadorian girls live with their parents until they get married. I am trusting that God will be faithful.
Thank you for your support and prayers! May God bless all of you. I am coming back to Gig Harbor on June 25th and hope to see many of you!! Muchos abrazos.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Easter Pictures
Santos Pamba Easter Mission Trip with my 3rd graders
Egg Hunt!
The Resurrection Egg Story
Pablo and his student Ignacio
Hiking in Mindo at the Cloud RainforestTuesday, April 14, 2009
Happy Belated Easter!
Dear Friends,
Happy belated Easter! He is risen, praise the Lord! I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family on Sunday. You won't believe what I did- I sang at my church in the Easter choir. We had to sing for 3 services and finished at 2:30pm. After church we had lunch with Pablo's family. Here at Easter time they make a special soup called Fanesca. It is a soup made with 12 grains (1 for each disciple), milk, and fish. It is delicious! Thank you so much for your prayers and continued support. I thank God for each of you. Here is an update of what has been going on for the past month:
School:
My student teacher has finished her time in my classroom. We had a goodbye party for her last week. I'm excited to have my classroom back and be able to teach again. I missed teaching! Things are going well at school. We just had our spring break vacation, which was very relaxing. Pablo and I went to the cloud rainforest and went hiking to 5 different waterfalls. They were beautiful! We had a wonderful day together, but it rained on the way back and we got soaking wet!
Santos Pamba Mission Trip:
On April 8th my class went to Santos Pamba to celebrate Easter with the students at the Santos Pamba School. It was a precious day. We arrived and they reunited with their little buddies. Smiles were on everyone's faces. We then had a time of worship led by Pablo, and 2 of his guitar students who are from my class (see the pictures). We then broke into small groups and my students used the Resurection Eggs to teach the Easter story to the Santos Pamba kids. The Resurrection Eggs is a kit of 12 plastic eggs, and inside each egg is small toy to symbolize the Easter story. The first egg is a donkey and then the last egg is empty because Jesus rose from the tomb! The Santos Pamba kids loved opening the eggs. My students explained each egg and did such a great job. I was very proud of them! Afterwards, we had a chocolate Easter egg hunt outside! The Santos Pamba kids loved this American tradition and went home with baskets of eggs.
Please continue to pray for the Santos Pamba teacher, Mari, that her heart will be soften and she will come back to Jesus.
Ministry Update:
Thank you for praying for my talk with the Bible study girls. It was one of the hardest things I have had to do. The Holy Spirit gave me the words to say. Thank you for your prayers! I had to speak the harsh truth and confront them, and now I am trusting that God's will will be done in them. They have heard the truth, and now they have to choose to respond.
Health Update:
Thank you for your prayers for my eyes. I went to the eye doctor yesterday. Ahhh! So many things are wrong with my eyes. He said that I have very sensitive eyes and that the yellow spots are damage from the high UV rays here. Also, my eyes have been very red and watery, which is due to a viral infection in my eyes, and clogged tear ducts, as well as small growths in the bottom of my eyes due to pollution! I have medicine for the infection, and he had to numb my eyes and open my tear ducts. Please pray that my eyes heal quickly.
Please continue to pray for the bank issue with RCE. There is still a block and no money in our account. Thank you for joining me in prayer about this issue. I hope that it will be resolved soon!
Thank you very much for your continuous support, encouragement, and friendship. I miss you all and hope you are doing well. Let me know how YOU are doing! God bless you all!
Happy belated Easter! He is risen, praise the Lord! I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family on Sunday. You won't believe what I did- I sang at my church in the Easter choir. We had to sing for 3 services and finished at 2:30pm. After church we had lunch with Pablo's family. Here at Easter time they make a special soup called Fanesca. It is a soup made with 12 grains (1 for each disciple), milk, and fish. It is delicious! Thank you so much for your prayers and continued support. I thank God for each of you. Here is an update of what has been going on for the past month:
School:
My student teacher has finished her time in my classroom. We had a goodbye party for her last week. I'm excited to have my classroom back and be able to teach again. I missed teaching! Things are going well at school. We just had our spring break vacation, which was very relaxing. Pablo and I went to the cloud rainforest and went hiking to 5 different waterfalls. They were beautiful! We had a wonderful day together, but it rained on the way back and we got soaking wet!
Santos Pamba Mission Trip:
On April 8th my class went to Santos Pamba to celebrate Easter with the students at the Santos Pamba School. It was a precious day. We arrived and they reunited with their little buddies. Smiles were on everyone's faces. We then had a time of worship led by Pablo, and 2 of his guitar students who are from my class (see the pictures). We then broke into small groups and my students used the Resurection Eggs to teach the Easter story to the Santos Pamba kids. The Resurrection Eggs is a kit of 12 plastic eggs, and inside each egg is small toy to symbolize the Easter story. The first egg is a donkey and then the last egg is empty because Jesus rose from the tomb! The Santos Pamba kids loved opening the eggs. My students explained each egg and did such a great job. I was very proud of them! Afterwards, we had a chocolate Easter egg hunt outside! The Santos Pamba kids loved this American tradition and went home with baskets of eggs.
Please continue to pray for the Santos Pamba teacher, Mari, that her heart will be soften and she will come back to Jesus.
Ministry Update:
Thank you for praying for my talk with the Bible study girls. It was one of the hardest things I have had to do. The Holy Spirit gave me the words to say. Thank you for your prayers! I had to speak the harsh truth and confront them, and now I am trusting that God's will will be done in them. They have heard the truth, and now they have to choose to respond.
Health Update:
Thank you for your prayers for my eyes. I went to the eye doctor yesterday. Ahhh! So many things are wrong with my eyes. He said that I have very sensitive eyes and that the yellow spots are damage from the high UV rays here. Also, my eyes have been very red and watery, which is due to a viral infection in my eyes, and clogged tear ducts, as well as small growths in the bottom of my eyes due to pollution! I have medicine for the infection, and he had to numb my eyes and open my tear ducts. Please pray that my eyes heal quickly.
Please continue to pray for the bank issue with RCE. There is still a block and no money in our account. Thank you for joining me in prayer about this issue. I hope that it will be resolved soon!
Thank you very much for your continuous support, encouragement, and friendship. I miss you all and hope you are doing well. Let me know how YOU are doing! God bless you all!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
God is Good
Santos Pamba Update:
Last Thursday all of the students at the Santos Pamba School went to the doctor and dentist. A team from the United States was here and they saw every student! They each received parasite medicine and lots of vitamins, as well as any other medicine they needed. No one cried, yeah!
The windows are now all installed! The classrooms are much warmer now. I will post a picture soon of the windows.
Please continue to pray for Mari. Please pray that the Holy Spirit works in her heart and that she comes back to the Lord.
BIG PRAYER REQUEST-
The bank that my organization (RCE) works with has put a block on wiring money to Ecuadorian banks. This means that the donations in my RCE account for the Santos Pamba School cannot be wired to the bank account here. Please pray for this situation to be resolved quickly! RCE is working on a solution. This affects me being able to pay the final payment to the window man, as well as purchasing the desks, and paying the teachers. Thank you for praying!
School Update:
My student teacher has 2 weeks left. I get to start teaching again full-time next week! I’m very excited. I have missed teaching and am looking forward to having my class back. We are planning an Easter trip to visit our amiguitos at Santos Pamba on April 8th!
My Health:
Thank you for praying for me. My cold is gone now, but I am having problems with my eyes. I have yellow spots in the whites of my eyes and they are constantly watering. I am going to make an appointment with the eye doctor. I am hoping it is just allergies. Please pray for healing for my eyes. Thank you.
Ministry Update:
Last Sunday, Pablo and I went with the Shafer's to visit Santa Maria Alliance Church. We had a wonderful visit. Pablo played the guitar for worship, while the Quichua women led (the music was on key thanks to Pablo!) Cheryl sang a beautiful song for the special. Mark didn't know it, but he was going to preach that morning! He did a wonderful job. I led Sunday School for the children. I taught about Joseph- they had never heard the story of Joseph and the colorful coat!
I continue to lead a Bible study for the new teachers. We just started a new Beth Moore study called Believing God. Please pray for our group. Many of the women are dealing with baggage and Satan is attacking hard. The issues have begun to affect our study time. This Sunday I am going to address the issues and challenge each one to examine their hearts with God. Please pray that the Lord will give me the right words to say. I'm learning that being a leader isn't always easy!
Thank you for your constant support and prayers. May God bless you!
Last Thursday all of the students at the Santos Pamba School went to the doctor and dentist. A team from the United States was here and they saw every student! They each received parasite medicine and lots of vitamins, as well as any other medicine they needed. No one cried, yeah!
The windows are now all installed! The classrooms are much warmer now. I will post a picture soon of the windows.
Please continue to pray for Mari. Please pray that the Holy Spirit works in her heart and that she comes back to the Lord.
BIG PRAYER REQUEST-
The bank that my organization (RCE) works with has put a block on wiring money to Ecuadorian banks. This means that the donations in my RCE account for the Santos Pamba School cannot be wired to the bank account here. Please pray for this situation to be resolved quickly! RCE is working on a solution. This affects me being able to pay the final payment to the window man, as well as purchasing the desks, and paying the teachers. Thank you for praying!
School Update:
My student teacher has 2 weeks left. I get to start teaching again full-time next week! I’m very excited. I have missed teaching and am looking forward to having my class back. We are planning an Easter trip to visit our amiguitos at Santos Pamba on April 8th!
My Health:
Thank you for praying for me. My cold is gone now, but I am having problems with my eyes. I have yellow spots in the whites of my eyes and they are constantly watering. I am going to make an appointment with the eye doctor. I am hoping it is just allergies. Please pray for healing for my eyes. Thank you.
Ministry Update:
Last Sunday, Pablo and I went with the Shafer's to visit Santa Maria Alliance Church. We had a wonderful visit. Pablo played the guitar for worship, while the Quichua women led (the music was on key thanks to Pablo!) Cheryl sang a beautiful song for the special. Mark didn't know it, but he was going to preach that morning! He did a wonderful job. I led Sunday School for the children. I taught about Joseph- they had never heard the story of Joseph and the colorful coat!
I continue to lead a Bible study for the new teachers. We just started a new Beth Moore study called Believing God. Please pray for our group. Many of the women are dealing with baggage and Satan is attacking hard. The issues have begun to affect our study time. This Sunday I am going to address the issues and challenge each one to examine their hearts with God. Please pray that the Lord will give me the right words to say. I'm learning that being a leader isn't always easy!
Thank you for your constant support and prayers. May God bless you!
Monday, March 16, 2009
God' Faithfulness
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your continued prayer and support. I praise God because the exact amount of money was donated from a faithful sponsor to purchase the desks and chairs! Praise God! God continues to surprise me with His faithfulness. We are now in the process of getting the desks made. Yeah! The windows are almost done being put in also! I will send pictures when they are finished.
Last Thursday I took the day off of school and spent the day at the Santos Pamba School. I had a wonderful day. I was able to spend one-on-one time with each student, which was very special. Many of the kindergarteners are reading now, which was exciting to see and hear. Everyone can write their names and are advancing well. I am impressed. I played with all of the kids at recess and read a book to each class, which was special. The day went by very fast. At the end of the day when I was saying goodbye to each student, a group of them came and hugged me and told me to stay and be their teacher and never leave. That touched my heart :) Above are many pictures from my day at the Santos Pamba School.
When I was there, I observed a child who the teachers have been concerned about. He is new this year and is in kindergarten. This little guy is very aggresive and unwilling to work. He refuses hugs and never makes eye contact. He comes from an abusive household. Please pray for Diego Querido. I am going to talk to the psychologist at my school to see if he can talk with him sometime.
After school I took the three teachers out for lunch and we began to talk about how their families are doing, what God is teaching them, etc. It was then that something very unexpected happened. Mari told me that she had become a Mormon. She was very defensive and told me not to say anything about it to her and that she was proud of her decision. My heart broke. The only thing I did tell her was that I still loved her. My heart is burdened for her. Please join me in praying for Mari, that the Holy Spirit will convict her and show her the truth. Please pray that God gives me wisdom for my next conversation with her. Prayer is powerful. Help me surround her in prayer!
Please also continue to pray for the legalization of the school and that the process will go quickly. It is taking longer than we expected. We continue to be in prayer for the personnel for running the Compassion International project. Thank you for joining us in prayer also.
Please pray for my health because I continue to get sick. Thank you for your constant support, friendship, and prayers. May God bless each one of you.
Thank you for your continued prayer and support. I praise God because the exact amount of money was donated from a faithful sponsor to purchase the desks and chairs! Praise God! God continues to surprise me with His faithfulness. We are now in the process of getting the desks made. Yeah! The windows are almost done being put in also! I will send pictures when they are finished.
Last Thursday I took the day off of school and spent the day at the Santos Pamba School. I had a wonderful day. I was able to spend one-on-one time with each student, which was very special. Many of the kindergarteners are reading now, which was exciting to see and hear. Everyone can write their names and are advancing well. I am impressed. I played with all of the kids at recess and read a book to each class, which was special. The day went by very fast. At the end of the day when I was saying goodbye to each student, a group of them came and hugged me and told me to stay and be their teacher and never leave. That touched my heart :) Above are many pictures from my day at the Santos Pamba School.
When I was there, I observed a child who the teachers have been concerned about. He is new this year and is in kindergarten. This little guy is very aggresive and unwilling to work. He refuses hugs and never makes eye contact. He comes from an abusive household. Please pray for Diego Querido. I am going to talk to the psychologist at my school to see if he can talk with him sometime.
After school I took the three teachers out for lunch and we began to talk about how their families are doing, what God is teaching them, etc. It was then that something very unexpected happened. Mari told me that she had become a Mormon. She was very defensive and told me not to say anything about it to her and that she was proud of her decision. My heart broke. The only thing I did tell her was that I still loved her. My heart is burdened for her. Please join me in praying for Mari, that the Holy Spirit will convict her and show her the truth. Please pray that God gives me wisdom for my next conversation with her. Prayer is powerful. Help me surround her in prayer!
Please also continue to pray for the legalization of the school and that the process will go quickly. It is taking longer than we expected. We continue to be in prayer for the personnel for running the Compassion International project. Thank you for joining us in prayer also.
Please pray for my health because I continue to get sick. Thank you for your constant support, friendship, and prayers. May God bless each one of you.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
February Pictures
My students with their Santos Pamba buddies.
Singing songs
Journal entry from a student. CLICK on it to enlargeand read. Remember they are learning English :)
Journal entry from a student. CLICK on it to enlargeand read. Remember they are learning English :)
Sunday School class at Rancho de los Pinos Church
Hugo, Solomon, Anita, Daniel, and Noemifrom Quitocucho
Quitocucho friends with their new wool hats
Pablo wants a guinea pig to eat!
Pablo leading worship for the church service
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