Country: Ecuador, South America
Dates: 3/15/24 – 4/22/24
Team: Yolinda (Raquel & Amy), Roca (Ana, Eutiva, Ellie, Kamryn, Darrell), Agape (Hannah, Jada, Sydney, Camille, Payton)
Local Currency: USD (1USD = 1USD)
Favorite Local Food: Anything Juilta made us!
Local Language: Spanish
Common Phrases: Mande (what, as in what did you say)
Ministry Partner: Dunamis Foundation
Ministry Location: Quito, Ecuador
Ministry Host: Diego Grijalva, Boris & Fernanda Salinas
Final Debrief Location: Gainesville, GA
What was difficult? Transferring loads of bricks in a wheelbarrow up and down a hill. The physical labor was a good change of pace and it was good to use my body but those pavers were heavy!
What broke my heart? The 15 year olds with babies and when the 11 year old showed up. This was heart wrenching. Interacting with the girls you forget what they have been through cause at the end of the day they are just little girls. The reality hit when you saw the little girls caring for their babies or when new girls showed up.
What am I thankful for? The porch on the roof where I spent a lot of my mornings with the Lord. I loved having tons of space and nature surrounding us. And this view… am I right?! Dunamis was a beautiful place and I treasured every minute.
What did I learn about myself? I still struggle with my identity in Christ. Am I showing up in friendships and leading from a place of security or from a place of fear and insecurity? I still haven’t fully fleshed this out so stay tuned for more revelations as I continue to dig in and grow.
What did I learn about God? He is calling us to love Everybody, Always. I read this book by Bob Goff many years ago with a small group but a few people were reading it on this trip so I snagged a copy and re-read it. I was reminded of how convicting it is. I highly recommend the book to challenge you to see people as treasures of God and not a chore.
Funniest Moment? Chasing the pig. Our last few weeks in Ecuador the foundation got a pig. The first day it was here a few of us were helping Julita in the kitchen and she told us to take the food scraps to the pig so we went to find it. Little did we know that she had gotten out of her pen and so we went on a wild goose chase on the foundations grounds to find where it could have gone. Ellie found it at the bottom of the hill in a corner and chased it back up the hill and then some of the workers were able to get her back in her pen.
Favorite Ministry Moment? When I prayed to pick yellow leaves in the greenhouse and then when I got into the greenhouse they were picking yellow leaves. I loved picking the yellow leaves cause it was simple but so satisfying and it was a beautiful depiction of one of my favorite scriptures: John 15. Picking the yellow leaves was a way to prune the dead off the plants so it didn’t waste energy on something that wasn’t going to produce fruit, and that will always preach! I also loved when I practiced the Spanish alphabet and then that week I helped some of the girls with a word search in their classwork. He does prepare you with what you need.
Favorite Travel Memory? Meeting the grandma in the hot springs, proof that we all smile in the same language. I didn’t speak enough Spanish to understand what she tried to tell me in the hot spring but I did understand her smile that was even in her eyes when she joined me. We had a connection and even with that small interaction she still has a place in my heart.
Favorite Final Debrief Moment? I couldn’t narrow it down to just one, so I’ll share two things. I loved meeting Hannah’s parents and getting to experience authentic Indian food. Being at their home was so comforting and made us all long to get to hug our moms and get some home cooking. I also loved getting Venezuela Arepas and hanging out at the park as a squad. It was a perfect way to end out time together just being in each other’s presence.
I was really sad to see this trip come to an end. But it wasn’t goodbye, it was see you later (in heaven if not before)!
