Trifecta -- Experiencing God

To all of my friends and faithful supporters as we have closed out Mission: Ecuador,, closing news and parting comments:

I´d like to send thanks and praise to my Lord, who privileged me with the following recent experiences:

1- Sunday, 31 July, last day of Mission: Ecuador, at Iglesia República where I attend, a young missionary spoke and cast some very wonderful wonderful visions and plans... and at the end of the service, after many came forward to accept Jesus, he asked another question, if anyone there was feeling called to be a missionary... 15 people came forward.

2- In the midst of a humongous crowd of people waiting for the inauguration of the Soccer Championship in Carolina Park at Coliseo Rumiñahui on Saturday morning, God sent the one person from the Municipio that I had met 1 time, who saw me, recognized me, said he knew where "my kids" were and took me back into the tunnels where they were all forming up to parade in... he took my foto with them, I got to meet their sponsor, give her my email and she said she´d let me know how they´re doing in the tournament. From the floor of the stadium, they made eye contact with me in the crowd of people in the bleachers, right while I was in the middle of praying for them. I didn´t find them again after the event, but did see they were getting their picture taken with dignitaries from the city.

3- After the book launch, I found out that 5 local hospitals are interested in having the Dysphagia program in their hospital. May God give Paty and Karla the strength, desire, and courage to follow through. And may the work I completed in God´s name here be good enough to hold up and get all those who are interested, moving forward on the subject.

I´ll be signing off on the blog now. But as Mission: Ecuador ends, a whole new phase complete with challenges and amazing adventures awaits. If I weren´t so technilogically-challenged, you´d have a bunch of fotos to look at right now. As I get settled at my next post, I´ll see what I can do to find someone to help me out in that area.

May God be with you all, every step of the way, as our journies with Him continue.

M

Launch

To my friends and family in support of 7 years of Mission: Ecuador.

Looks like a new phase is launching, and it goes something like this:
* Jhon managed to sign up his whole gang (12 of them) for the city soccer tournament in the park. They invited me to see them practice, I got to meet the coach, and they all did incredibly well for a 2-hour intense work-out... but they ended up discouraged for having lost a scrimmage game, and haven´t gotten back to practice as of yet. Please keep them forever in your prayers,, that they would keep trying and never give up. They´ve made such huge gains and growth steps, to have been able to risk doing something like that. And for strong Christian men to "get in the game" and start backing these kids up... I´m still praying someone will come to follow through with them in their older teenage years.

* I have significant possibilities for continuing here in Quito next year, for doing some interim work with colleagues in the States, any time in the near future, and possibly even specialty recognition. We´ll see what God does there.

* UTalca has let me know (yesterday) that I´m on their payroll for August. I assume that means I should be going down there in the next week or so. It´s a good thing. And very certainly a God-thing.

* My family is doing incredibly well.

* I´m getting ready for a special meeting tonight at the Swissotel and complete with dinner,, sponsored by the Ecuadorian Academy of ORL... they´re formally presenting the Dysphagia book. I wish you could see how excited everybody who has participated on the team is about the whole deal. I hope we have a good turnout. Dr. Juan Carlos Vallejo is just about the most amazing person. He´s president of the Academy, and is the one who decided to take responsibility for us as we grew up in the hospital. He also sat beside me and edited the book line-by-line,, to make sure I was saying what I thought I was saying in Spanish! He has made sure this launch happened. For me, it´s a wonderful closure to this tremendous mission project.

I´m convinced it´s so much more fun to take God with me, in me, wherever I go -- then it can all be used according to His discretion. Staying empty and alert, ready to move as He leads. Nothing boring or even close to predictable that way! And forever seeking His face, because I have to admit constantly that I don´t already know.

Thank you all for trusting me to follow God´s lead and represent Him and you here in Quito. You set an incredible challenge for me, and with God´s provision we all made it a very long way, , with lots of collateral effects. I pray that everything we worked so hard to plant would bring God honor and glory,,, and restore our trust and confidence in Him,, no matter what.

m

Back to the beginning :)

It´s my privilege to share the following updates with my friends and family who have supported Mission: Ecuador for the past 7 years:

* the Dysphagia book is in my hands, and is being scheduled for a launch on the 28th of July, sponsored by the Ecuadorian Academy of Otorrhinolaryngology, and SEFAL (the SLP association).
* there is currently underway a small possibility that ASHA (my professional organization in the States) recognize my clinical skills and accomplishments here in Quito, and designate me a specialist in the area of dysphagia (this is good for program credibility and/or growth, and offers the team here access to some very accredited professionals stateside, as God sees fit.)
* the road ahead, as of 1 August, currently smacks of several different possibilities, still. I´m concentrating on keeping my eyes on my immediate next steps, and not getting ahead of God. I´m learning new ways to trust Him and step firmly in the meantime, while I still don´t know. I do know He won´t leave me stranded. And I do know, He will work it all out for my good and His glory.

I don´t know how many more blogs I should or will write, as Mission: Ecuador officially draws to a close on the 31st of this month. I realize that that date isn´t a magic one, and I may indeed have several more months (or even longer) of twisty turny roads and hops, skips, and jumps to make before I have any real idea of what´s coming next. So although I may not be able to tell you all how things have neatly finished and closed, and this-that-or the other thing is coming next, you can all count on the fact that God is still Lord of my life and He is still leading me. And wherever He takes me, I´ll still be in His service.

And I pray that you all have enough evidence, having passed through these things with me, to trust Him in new and amazing ways every single day -- maybe even especially in the most insignificant details and supposedly humdrum places of daily life... because I´ve seen God is willing to use it all,, whatever we give Him. Even the tiny details.

Thank you all for the amazing difference you´ve made in my own life, and in the lives of I really don´t know how many others here in Ecuador. Thank you for stepping it through with me. I will continue to hold you all closely in my prayers.

M

Hungry

Do you believe, like I do, that everything God makes has His signature on it? Do you believe that by studying, or getting to know His creatures, His universe, and all those things that we get to know Him better? I remember the email a friend sent me once that talked about the "cross in our bodies". The white blood cells (infection control) that are shaped like a cross.

Well, as I´ve been studying to boost my dysphagia CV, I´ve gone over the respiratory system in a fair amount of detail. Basic life function, right? The study I was reviewing talked about the difference between normal respiratory function and the use of a ventilator. It described our normal system design as being based on differences in pressure between outside air and lungs --- that is to say, there is lower pressure in the lungs (an empty space, as it were), which sets up a flow that goes from higher to lower pressure. The "emptiness" inside, pulls the air in from the outside and inflates the lungs. Necessary for life. (For those who have an even better understanding of this system,, please forgive if I´ve over-simplified; and please correct if I´ve mis-interpreted.)

The contrast, in the man-made system (mechanical ventilation), is that it pushes the air into the lungs, and forces the lungs open and then sucks the air out according to the machine´s timing and strength.

It´s Biblical, isn´t it? An emptiness inside that actually pulls life-sustaining breath into us from above. Strength in weakness. A higher thinking that uses inequalities to create flow, instead of "forcing air in."

As I continue to wait on God´s timing, and feel that emptiness inside that comes from having breathed it all out, I guess I can choose to be "ventilator-dependent" or let Him fill my lungs. I guess, in that sense, it´s really good to be hungry. To not have everything I need at hand, right when I think I need it. To have to ask, to have to wait, to have to wonder -- and trust. To empty out and fill back up, according to God´s timing and design. Necessary for life.

Now, what do you think about when you sing "This is the air I breathe"?!!

Gonna run get some lunch now -- I´m hungry!!!
Wishing you all of God´s best, always.
M

Forks and knives

Thanx to friends who have been treating me to meals, I had some extra cash on hand to treat Jhon and his little brother Miguel to lunch yesterday. They got their own whole plates, which included soup, meat, rice, vegetables and a juice.

When the plates came, they asked my help in how to hold the forks and knives, and cut the meat. You see, at home they eat everything with a spoon. They ate broccoli and green beans on my "3 tries-challenge".

Over lunch, they told me that David ("Davicho") is getting confirmed this weekend and was planning to invite me (they were grinning when they told me). They thought they´d be interested in doing something like that (both had been baptized). Thanx for keeping us all in your prayers as I seek how best to participate.

I love being able to be with these guys in the details of their lives, so that when their big day comes, they´ll be ready for it and won´t be afraid!
M

As for me and my house...

It has come to my attention that many out there are apparently waiting on me to make a decision about what I´ll be doing as Mission: Ecuador closes here in Quito.

I can´t tell you how many times (in these past 2 years especially) that I´ve wanted to just launch from my own decisions and "readiness." And (even though I should have done it much sooner), I gave up my rights to do that as soon as I left for Ecuador. And faith-walking is a bit more complicated. It´s a process of surrendering my own will to God´s leading. It means deciding, and then re-deciding when outcomes aren´t what you thought they would be (or when deadlines hit). And it means not getting ahead of God, even when He shows you glimpses of the road ahead, assuming that you know what it´s all about. It means waiting on Him, til He gives the "go" signal. It´s what He was training the Israelites to do in the desert, with the cloud by day, and fire by night before they entered Canaan. "Go, go, go",,, "stay -- wait, wait, wait," now "go, go, go"... left ... okay ... now, right. now stop. you´re in a bind: what do we do when we´re in a bind? we look up and we pray, right now go, go, go...

I´m as curious as you are to know what God would be working on (probably actually even more curious). And I´m sure I´ll always be curious about what He´s working on, since I don´t quite know how to think like He does. But the curiosity you´re showing in your own questions let me know that you´re paying attention, and you´re also recognizing the incongruencies that I´m seeing. That´s a great signal, actually. Means that when God moves, you´ll recognize it --- and you´ll know it wasn´t me, but Him. Some of you have already been responding with even more faith (what a GREAT response) --- holding me up and egging me on because you "just know God is up to something good." Thank you for helping me to remember that.

I don´t know exactly what is coming or when. I don´t know if it will be difficult or fun, or how long it will last. I don´t know where I will be geographically located, or who will be around me. I don´t know what my responsibilities will be.

But having considered the evidence this far, I have made one single decision. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

M

God´s amazing plan for us all in Quito

In addition to establishing the Dysphagia Program, training therapists, seeing patients and working with the street kids here in Ecuador, I´ve had the privilege of working closely alongside many other missionaries (short- and long-term) to help advance their efforts, encourage them along the way, connect them here in Quito, and pray them through the many challenges of their own assignments. I consider that to be a privilege, and want to say "thank you" to them all for the opportunity to share the walk a bit. It´s fun to see what God is doing with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate with Childreach Ministries in hospitality and transport arrangements, Compassion visits, and translating in often very challenging situations. Nuevos Amigos has changed so much since we came down with that first team, and looks like it´s just going to keep on booming. Kudos to the Brinkley´s for the intricate groundwork they laid, and to Childreach as they keep it going and growing. I pray that the relationships with the Ecuatorian community continue to broaden and deepen through their frequent visits.

Thank you to my friends at La Comuna/Nuevos Amigos who joined me in prayer as I was working my way through trip, ministry and relationship decisions last year. It was my privilege to lift them up in prayer as we shared personal challenges. We´ve kept up with each other over the years, and it´s fun to visit when teams come down. It´s challenging to find transportation to get up that way on a more regular basis!

Thank you for the opportunity to collaborate with Extreme Response in these last 2 years with their Zambiza mealtime ministry, translation for team trips, and to help them get started with a very special women´s ministry run by Teresa (Pastor Jose´s wife). I love their energy and sense of humor, and appreciate every chance I get to work with them. And I´m blown away by Teresa´s amazing example and faith-walk. If you guys thought I was daring, you should meet Teresa. I pray that Pastor José and Teresa will always have that same amazing stamina they´ve shown me time after time, as they´ve brought so much dignity and direction to those who work out at Zambiza. And I pray for the whole Extreme Team, their humility is contagious and I love sitting down to pray with them.

Thank you for the opportunity to lift up new missionaries at Republica´s Kids Missionary group. I didn´t get to participate there for more than a few months, for risk of abandoning my own street kids (and other ministry responsibilities!). But it was incredible to see the whole church lifting up their little ones and teaching them to reach out from early on. Wish you could see them all. I´m so glad God has gifted me that church family.

I´ve had the singular opportunity to assist Compassion in their tremendous challenge, by translating letters, visiting CSP sites, treating children with speech/language problems and developing treatment plans (this mostly in the first year of ministry). Since then, I´ve developed training materials, a children´s book (yet to be published), and provided them with several workshops to facilitate speech/language skills in the 0-3 and 3-5 age-groups. I had the privilege of helping out with countless tours in the area of translation and lunch/activity arrangement. Earlier this year, I was able to do another volunteer round posting statistics, and helping them process their annual reviews. The team is famous for it´s hospitality, and I really can´t believe they get through all those monthly reporting and letter-mailing challenges. It´s an incredible organization, and I´ve had the opportunity to pray with several individuals at different times there, seeking God´s face, unity, and wisdom. I know that they are committed to the kids, their safety, and excellent education and services for all served through them. I pray for God to continue providing Fernando with all the grace, wisdom and vision he´s shown. What a tremendous labor of love for the Lord!

I had the chance to learn from the Borman family about 2 generations worth of mission here in Ecuador, with a separate indigenous tribe up north in the country. What an incredible family!!

And the Holmes, who have worked with the Shuar and Achuar Indians out in the jungle (I haven´t gotten up the nerve to visit them out there yet, with the humongous tarantulas and such.) Wooowww,,, you want to be amazed -- try more than 20 years of walking trails with them to build confidence, trust and language skills. They´ve got about 5 indigenous couples who are leading worship there now. And Dwain has been working on a Shuar Bible! Thank you guys for every opportunity to share the goofy laughs, the scary moments, and the challenging, grueling parts of the walk.

And GMU/AVANT with Darryl and Mandy (I did get the chance to help wash dishes and clean up after meals and such from time to time.) Kudos to faithful service in the form of devotionals, meals, and clean sheets in an often very hectic pace. And thank you from the bottom of my heart for just sitting and having coffee with me in the last couple of years, and helping me to keep going. The guesthouse kept me meeting SO many people, just for being there here and there -- I even had the opportunity to meet Nate Saint´s family here.

For the Chappels (Don and Phyllis) and the rest of the GMU/AVAVT team -- I enjoyed the times I was able to participate with you in your fall gatherings/conferences to share experiences and laugh a lot. The GMU/AVANT team has been the closest thing to family here. What a privilege!

For the Ringenbergs and the Sunday night hymnsing. Boy THAT makes me feel like I´m back there with you guys at Mt. Calvary!! What fun,, and amazing to sit welcome, in a room full of tried and true missionaries.

Kudos as well, to Vista Para Todos and Most Ministries, who are giving incredible gifts all over the world as they do free eye screenings and exams. I can´t believe we saw so many people when you guys came down last June! (and it seems so much longer than 1 year ago!).

And to HCJB, for allowing me the privilege of building up this program and team inside their mission hospital. It´s my hope that this program bring them and Ecuador great blessing, and that it testify to God´s grace and mercy -- through excellence in care, teamwork, individual treatment plans, and ethical decision-making. Again, an incredible privilege to collaborate under or alongside of a tremendously long list of amazing Christian warriors.

Early on, I wondered a lot why in the world God would pull me up out of my happy home and circumstance to bring me to a place that was already full of mission, and ministry and missionaries. I couldn´t figure that I´d have anything important to add or contribute. And although I can say without hesitation that I gave my best for all of you and to God´s glory --- can you just imagine how immense the project is when you go over this whole list, and so much still undone? Everyone reaching, stretching, going and growing with all they´ve got --- to meet needs and lift up God´s name in Ecuador.

Thank you all for the privilege of walking along with each and every one of you. God grant us all the careful listening to KEEP hearing Him, TRUSTING Him and OBEYING Him in all the twists and turns. That one day, this world that we´ve been loving a little at a time every day, have the sweet smell of Jesus on it.

M

Praying with "Guillo" and "Pony"

More time with the little guys on Thursday morning.

Pony and Miguel were playing "Sorry" with me, when all of a sudden Miguel got up and, mumbling something, walked away, crossing the street. After sitting for a second, Pony decided he would go too -- (it has cost me SO much to try to figure out what anybody means when they do anything here,,, I´m not surprised at all anymore) -- so I just pulled out my Bible to read another chapter in Numbers (that´s what I´m studying this month along with Charles Stanley´s life principle about God´s Word being an anchor in storms).

Guillo (Guillermo) came along maybe 10 minutes later, and Pony told him to "go play with Michelle" (hee hee) ... which WAS nice, because I was just sitting there with a game board all set up in the middle of play, not knowing if they had any intention of coming back and playing or not. (Hard not to make some sort of joking reference about the rapture here.)

I had been keeping glances at Pony here and there to see how he was doing ... boy was he ever putting his best into shining that guy´s shoes. And his whole posture was soft,,, the gentleman was a bit coarse with him,, but Pony just kept looking him right in the face and asking him was this or that okay. From what I could see, he did a good job. Then I saw the gentleman get up and hand Pony a 50cent piece ,,, and Pony looked up into his face again (the kid who tends to have a temper, remember) and simply said in a quiet tone "vale más señor" ("it´s worth more, sir"). I couldn´t see or hear the rest of what happened, as the gentleman had his back to me at the time. But he left, and Pony came over, sat down, and was getting ready to start up the game again. He didn´t say anything, and he didn´t even look upset or angry.

So I asked him if the gentleman had been fair to him, and he said "no". So I suggested we stop and wait right then and there and pray ,,, to forgive the man the injustice, and to confess that we knew God was watching all the time, and would take responsibility for Pony´s justice. They bowed their heads immediately, and let me say that short prayer, and then we went on with things.

Later, Pony had promised to teach me to play chess -- which I found out meant that he´s really good at wiping out the pieces (which is actually an incredible feat if you could see just how fast he does it). I suppose he´ll figure out the whole "protecting the king"-thing as time goes on. Come to think of it --- maybe we do the same things as Christians sometimes, learn to wipe-out the enemy and forget to protect the King ---

Anyways,,, after I failed miserable against Pony´s aggressive strategy,, Guillo decided he´d be the one to teach me. (He heard me tell Pony I didn´t really understand anything of what he´d just done,, although I was really impressed with his authority on the board.) When Guillo started moving the pawns sideways, diagonal and even a few steps backwards, I realized we may have a ways to go. Sometime later I noticed that BOTH the kings were off the board, and both boys were left with just their towers (what are they really called?). They were making sound effects as they slid back and forth trying to corner each other to take the last piece. Although I asked how on earth they could keep playing with both their kings gone,, they were really much too engrossed in getting all the pieces off the board to even really hear me --- and just kept going.

I´m telling you all this much because you´d have to know the back-story to really get the effect of the outcome. They were closing up the game and were just getting into the discussion about who won, and (thankfully) asked my opinion. I told them I didn´t think either one of them had won, since neither one had protected his king -- and had lost him about halfway through the slaughter. Then the amazing thing. They looked at each other and giggled and said they thought that was probably true, come to think of it. They walked away happy.

Please keep someone named Rafael in your prayers -- he´s offering to help with the kids and we´re supposed to meet up on Monday.

m

From me to you... AND getting ready to come and/or go AGAIN!!!

My heartfelt thanks goes out to all of you again, and again, and in so many ways in my prayers for all you´ve done to keep Mission:Ecuador going. And to all who have helped to keep me going. And to all who have prayed for my family, and provided for my family through this amazing adventure. And to all who have taken my phone calls and emails, and sent your own to let me know you were thinking about me. And to the hugs you´ve given when I´ve been present, and the candies and licorice and gum and coffee you´ve sent. And for the financing and extra-funding in recent pinches.

For the opportunity to know Willian, Edison, and Jesseña --- and the at least 30-40 kids who followed them over the years. For the opportunity to work with Carmen, Paty and Karla and Dr. Vallejo side-by-side for 5 years,, sharing a vision, a hope and a future planted with so much prayer and determination by all -- and continue to support them for 2 more with seeking out professional support and relationships in neighboring countries,,, with workshops and continuing ed. courses for them.

For the opportunity to collaborate with Compassion, HCJB, Extreme Response, and Childreach Ministries for the success and advancement of their own mission goals and ministries.

For GMU/AVANT missionaries, who became my family here. For Darryl and Mandy Klassen, the Ringenbergs, and Pat Dille, for Dra. Laurie Nelson, Dra. Mercedes Silva, and Mayra for offering me their personal friendship and encouragement. For Mike and Carol Bishop, and for Dan and Cindy Malloy --- for taking on the challenge to pray with me through my transitions, which had nothing to do with their ministry. For Alex and Alfredo León, who always check in on me when they´re in Quito and take me to family gatherings as often as able. For Ron & Esther Borman, who gave water to this thirsty soul by including me in family events and taking me out with the horses when we all could.

For the amazing support over the years from Fernando Puga at Compassion in Ecuador, and Terry´s visits/trips, and nice dinners.

For the chance to share my faith, my journey and the newfound peace in my soul that God has brought me (by letting me get scared almost out of my wits with robberies, then assaults, then insults and accusations) first -- especially with Irma, Heather, and Marina in the last two years. May God continue to draw them close to Him as they find out day-by-day just how much we all need Him. May they continue growing as wonderful young women, and receive God into their families. And please forgive me, there are so many more I´m leaving out,, Kelly Schratz, Kelly Wester, and Debbie my faithful friends in Ohio and North Carolina. Sones,,, am already running out of words. Harry and Lorraine Gibbs. Lynn and all the secretaries at RiverTree. May God give you each individually His wonderfull wonderful rewards! I want so much to thank you all the way.

For the hope I have for us all,,, that this is really just the beginning of everything we could all grow to be and do together. I just know it. And as I see my relationships deepening and calming here in Ecuador, and with my own family in the States, and with new friends in Chile, I open myself up again, and surrender it all, just to know that God is the one in charge. That this tremendous investment would have not been in vain, and that His name would be restored and renewed, and lifted up and praised and honored once again.

I´m looking forward to His fulfilling the really wonderful and beautiful promises He has given me personally, here lately. The only clue I can give you is that they have nothing to do with dysphagia ;) hee hee M

A STRONG HEART

This blog is a prayer request, going out to those who have been personally involved with me in my walk and mission here in Quito.

I had the chance to catch up with the Pastor at HVQ last week. He has been a great anchor for me, especially through the transition out of the hospital,, and even after. I´m grateful God made him available. As we parted, having talked about the current possibilities, he wished for me a "power rangers"-type strong heart and chuckled (...he´s got a weird sense of humor ;)

And I visited with another missionary yesterday, who is also in the "red light/green light" fase of transitions with our Lord (you´ll recognize God´s way of doing things with the cloud by day, and fire by night that led the Israelites through a "go,go, go", "stop", "wait, wait, wait", "go",, etc. training period that you can find in Numbers.),,, and I noticed I can´t even really identify what I should conceivably "want" out of the process. Just to be where I´m supposed to be I suppose.

And then I realized, that if I had to name anything that I could really want or need right now, it would be a strong heart. I suppose that being so bold as to ask for something like that is begging a bit of trouble... but after 7 years in Ecuador, I´ve got the tools all in place, believe me. What I need is a strong heart, in order to be able to use them all. And there´s some places I´m still showing up weak.

To those who have walked and grown with me through these challenges; to those who have asked about the program, my work, the kids and have sought to know more about how God is moving in my own life while He uses me in amazing ways for Ecuador and Ecuatorians; to those who have lifted their gaze to remember one little missionary in a city of many, I am forever grateful.

M

"Pony"

a.k.a Paul. He´s the tiniest one of the group of kids from Iñaquito market... I think he must be at least 8 or 9,, but he´s tiny. He´s also got a temper (makes up for his size, right?)... which I´m happy to say he seems to be managing a bit better all the time. He´s got really good logic, too -- a really good "strategy man" for the Sorry game.

We had finished playing the other day, and all the kids were particularly hungry, and Pony (in particular) was pressing for something to eat. I asked him to walk with me 1 block up to the bakery. He thought I should go get the bread and bring it back. Then I told him I thought if they should want the bread, he ought to come with me. So he decided he´d tag along.

We had crossed the street, and that´s when the "wincha" (towtruck) came. You see,,, they´ve rezoned the area and are enforcing parking laws anyways. If you park over the "zebra" (pedestrian crossing), they´ll tow your car. They take fotos, leave a sticker on the curb to tell you where you can find your car, and you have to pay a hundred or so (can´t remember exact price) to get your car back. At that intersection, they´re taking about 4-5 cars a day...

Of course, Pony froze to watch the misfortune. I just stood back and waited for him to be done. I was surprise he didn´t stay the whole time til the towtruck pulled away. So we started walkinga again the rest of the way up to the bakery. That´s when he told me in his gruff, angry voice that those were bad men,,, taking those cars away like that. I told him it might look that way,,, but that actually those people weren´t obeying the law, and that there are some logical consequences for disobedience... and that when they park there, they block traffic and walkways and create more problems. That was the end of the conversation,, and we got to the bakery, and he picked out chocolate bread after stressing himself out trying to think how many he had to choose for.

On the way back (we didn´t take more than 5 minutes at the bakery), as we got to the corner, another guy had already parked his car in the exact spot where the one that had been towed was. As soon as Pony saw the car there, he crossed the street, found the guy who owned it, and told him he couldn´t park there or his car would be towed. The gentleman thanked him, and went looking for another space further down the road.

I think we have a potential little evangelist on our hands :) I hope, like Pony, we come to the same conclusion... when we see people behaving in ways that will bring them unpleasant consequences, we´d be so kind as to warn them of the danger they´re in. Some of them might actually say "thank you" some day.

M

Jhon

Well, that´s the way I´ve seen him write it anyways. Since we all met up yesterday to play "Sorry", there were some very poignant instances during our 2-hour play that I thought you´d like to know about.

Jhon, Guillermo, and Miguel all showed up to play. A quite, calm Thursday morning --- just a few people here and there on the sidewalk. Well, until the camaramen and reporters from 2 main TV stations, and entourage of policemen and family members started showing up as a particular ambulance arrived to HVQ emergency. Within about 15 min. we were surrounded by all the buzz, but the boys and me, we just kept our heads down and in the game. But that still ended up drawing its own attention (since we were obviously absorbed, laughing and giggle-screaming here and there for all kinds of those unexpected plays you get in that game),,, and one of the camaramen between takes couldn´t resist coming over and asking how and what we were doing, etc. etc.

So I had the chance to tell him that we were all age-old friends :) and when I asked Miguel (the youngest of the 3), to tell the gentleman about how long we´d been "knowing each other",, after thinking really hard and rolling his eyes, he figured it had to have been round about 30 years. Then Guillermo piped up as the voice of reason and said he thought it´d really been about 2 years. That´s when Jhon, the oldest of these 3, spoke with all authority (and a huge grin) --- I met you when I was 9, and I´ll be 14 on the 24th of May... They were proud of that.

There was a LOT more that went on yesterday in that short period of time. Jhon had shined one of the reporters´shoes, but there was a quick turn of events and the reporter hadn´t paid him the $2.50 he had earned yet. Thanx to the confidence and trust of a 5-year friendship, I was able to calm him with just a few words (I didn´t even have to budge from my spot; he came over and got back in the game...), and encourage him to wait to see what God would do.

I wish you could have seen Jhon´s calm face,,, and the reporter´s soft, apologetic one when he realized he´d been gently reminded by the boys that he hadn´t paid. I wish you could have heard his apology, and seen his interaction with Jhon when Jhon came back with his change. I don´t really know what was said, or what happened at that moment --- but Jhon didn´t stop grinning afterwards (and he´s still smiling this morning, as I just passed him on the sidewalk on my way here.).

And when the subject came up about saving up our funds to buy a game together, so they´d have it at home to play... it was Jhon who thought maybe we´d better not. I thought it was for the price of the game, so told him but they´d have it for years and years later... but he said, "no" he thought it´d be better to just keep it the way it was, so they could come play with me.

I pray that when Jesus comes to speak to each one of them (if he hasn´t already), that they would accept Him eagerly and confidently, that they would know they can trust Him and enjoy time spent with Him... that the "30 years" we´ve spent together would convince them that Jesus is the Way and He can really be trusted. I pray that they would become leaders in this community over the next "30 years". Thank you for watching over them in your own prayers.

M

Of course, God answers prayer...

I´d like to officially join the list of thousands who´ve been struggling through, praying, hoping, watching and waiting --- and still deep down wonder if they´re on the right track, because all you seem to hear afterwards is just the wind blowing... And through a series of interesting events, I became aware that maybe sometimes I was missing out on certain messages from people, because they weren´t sending the kind I was looking for --- so it occurred to me that I should ask for God´s help to see those "invisible" messages. What a surprise to find out that God Himself was answering my prayers, and I just about missed it. I saw all kinds of missionaries everywhere in Quito in big and little teams going all over the place doing all kinds of incredible jobs in His service. So I asked God to send help for me, too -- in the things He had asked me to do. And 7 years later, noone came... ...to help me with the street kids. But the city of Quito set up a program to attend to all the street kids according to sector, giving them food, education, and individual attention and follow-up. You hardly see as many on the sidewalks and at intersections anymore. And all of "mine" have grown up quite a bit. One by one, they chose to stay home. ...to help with the Dysphagia Program. But the team I trained is carrying on the work, and plans to meet with hospital administration to insist they get some type of certification to distinguish them from the rest of the therapists who are currently practicing ad hoc throughout Quito... without the benefit of the whole medical team and protocols. As a matter of fact, potential organizational links are forming. I believe that God is going to see these transitions through,,, just as He had planned before He got me involved in it all. And as Mission: Ecuador comes to a close this year, each of you can know that you made a lasting impact on this community,,, on this one little missionary´s life, and on the eternity of more hearts than I´m probably even aware of. I´ll continue this blog, with updates on people, places, events in these next couple of months. As facts fall into place, I´ll be sending out a closing newsletter for the mission --- shooting for June. I´m working on putting together the pictures I have from this stretch of the journey. It´s an incredible privilege to be in His service, and my favorite place to be is behind the scenes, investing in people one at a time. I´m so very grateful, that one-by-one, God has been answering your prayers for me and for this mission. And I pray you have the opportunity to see His blessings in your own lives through your participation in this mission. I´m so glad that God answers prayer, because that means He´s taking good care of all of you. M

Available

I´m ready to raise an altar here in Quito, in joy for what I´ve been learning about God in the process of Mission: Ecuador --- like Moses, and Abraham, and Jacob did once they passed through a tremendous learning experience with God...

My altar names God as Available. Free and rapid access 24-7. No inquiry too little or stupid. No cause too distant or far-fetched. No busy signals. Available.

And because this walk is training to be like Him,,, well then, I´ve been learning all this time to be available too. So when I got the pop-quiz from the taxi driver last night,, I was ready :)

What is God to you? (when I asked for clarification of that question, he asked,, well ,, is He your boss?? What is He to you?)
Did God come to earth?
Is there an eternity?
When does it start?
Why is there so much violence in the world and disasters?

I had about 8 minutes total to respond to all of those questions. And when I got out of the cab, and I asked him what he had to say about it, he said he thought it was good. And he accepted my offer to pray for him on my own time. His name is Fausto.

I´ll be looking for Ximena tomorrow (as long as it´s not pouring down rain) to review her Bible workbooks with her. They´re part of a gift someone sent with me a while back to give out here,, and Ximena was just the perfect time and place --- we´ve agreed to sit and review her studies when we meet.

I´m glad I could be available in these two instances. I pray for the strength to continue being available, even when I feel I´m getting smushed. Or maybe better, that I´d remember to dump those things on God´s big shoulders,,, and keep being available.

God´s best to you all,
M

Disappointing

The Mission really IS Ecuador

Hello to my friends in different parts who continue to follow their investment (on all levels) of Mission: Ecuador.

I have some country updates that I think you´d be interested in knowing,, whether you´re supporting Compassion children, participating in medical missions trips, or maintaining a prayer or economic ministry here.

1. I saw yesterday on the news that the Ecuadorian government is planning on handing out contraceptives free, to control the alarming teen pregnancy rate in the country.

2. Ecuador has now been listed the second most dangerous country on the continent according to El Barómetro de las Américas, cited by Vistazo Jan 5, 2011. Assaults, kidnappings, and murder-for-hire have been increasing at an alarming rate (which I have alluded to in previous blogs), to the point that Ecuatorian citizens have demanded government action. In response, the government has gathered statistics and one gentleman has offered a 10-point plan to keep from becoming a "narcosociety".
I also saw on the news last night that a (particularly white-looking) couple was kidnapped in the province of Pichincha (the city of Quito) and taken to Santo Domingo de los Áchilas,,, with demand of $100,00.00 ransom. The Ecuatorian Police, Kidnap Unit apparently did an outstanding job of finding the couple and capturing their kidnappers.
There are lots of reports of murders at the ATM´s at all hours.

3. Although the list of signatures that was being collected early this year apparently has been abandoned, there is evidence of growing dissent related to the current govt.

4. Healthcare is in apparent crisis, with many reports of overtaxed hospitals, unqualified workers, inadequate supplies --- and just announced last week by the govt., 24-hour care for all hospitals and clinics. Medical professionals are being pressed on all sides. There are reports this weekend about the death of 10 babies in one single hospital.

M

If anyone wondered

Having passed through a series of medical appts. (taking advantage of a very good health insurance policy I have here in Ecuador), all vascular problems have been ruled out behind the swelling issues. That´s good news, and since I had mentioned something briefly earlier, thought I´d update the post. There´s still question about other issues, but at least this one was cleared out.
M

Davicho

Well, the group today was David, Paul, Miguel, his little brother, and the 2 Otovalo brothers. 6 little guys between 10-12 years old from the Iñaquito market group... this is I think the 4th group (or 5th) of kids I´ve worked with over the years, and they´re the ones that have shown the hardest hearts and most inconsistency.

David (a.k.a. Davicho) is the one from this group that I´ve known the longest,,, I think I mentioned the portrait I did of him years ago that I still have in my sketchbook. He seems to be the authority in this bunch of kids. And I think he really does get this God-thing. (A bunch of little tiny but important interactions happened during this whole game give me hints about it.) His little brother Paul was there (for Michelle & Steve Schario,,, you guys will remember he´s the one that was so little he could run through players legs, playing soccer down in the park --- and who also got angriest fastest.) ... they call him "Pony" or "Ratón" .. today it was Pony; 2 days ago it was Ratón. He was actually looking at me and winking when he had to give up a turn for some dumb reason. For the Otovalan brothers, it was the first time really to sit down and play as a whole group. They blended well. (I haven´t learned their names yet.)

I wasn´t sure how it was going to work out, for all the rules, and patience, and sharing, and turn-taking the game requires,,, but 2 days ago I decided to take Sorry! down to them on the sidewalk and see if they could do it. They loved it. And that´s an understatement. Today they sat with me for 2 hours straight to play. I actually didn´t get to play any,, taking a supervisory role as referee should emotions get out of hand. I think the most amazing thing was that they were actually getting along with each other and helping each other out (actually giving good advice to their opponents on how to use his turn...). It was my job to take kids out of the game who let a hand fly to hit another one (that´s a typical thing they do, even when they´re happy), or when "bad words" came out. I only had to pull one out for hitting,,, and since the rest of the group decided forgiveness was an option, they let him come back in the game after missing 2-3 turns... with hugs (you-know, the "boy kind" that looks more like a wrestler´s hold around the neck). Actually, that was Paul/Pony/Ratón --- and he was the one who had been hit...

But something else happened today while we were playing. After 6-1/2 years of working with these kids, and praying, and offering and asking for help with these guys and getting not much more than lukewarm responses, a chef came over today while we were playing and gave us a 2 liter bottle of Coke. He looked like his heart was breaking. He apologized for not having cups, and I said not to worry we´d find some. Then the 2 friends who were with him started scrambling around, and before I knew it, they had brought proper tall glasses over for the kids to drink from. The chef wanted to know was I taking them to Church, and I let him know I had my Bible with me ... and he suggested I look them up in case we could do a kind of Thanksgiving Dinner for them somehow. He said he was from Cuba and there was so much poverty... and he just looked like his heart was breaking the whole time he was talking and watching them.

Apparently these guys were a catering service who had finished some function at Hospital Vozandes (we were playing out front), and while they were waiting with their mirror-topped table, Cokes, and glasses for the catering van to come pick them up, they saw us playing and came over to help.

Who´d of thought --- a chef?
M

Marcelo

Thought I´d give you a little update on Marcelo and his family. He and his whole family works different shifts parking and guarding cars out in front of my apartment all week. Marcelo, himself generally does construction during the day, then shows up for late afternoon and weekend shift. He and José (his son) and his daughter-in-law María usually work my street,,, his wife Blanca and the 2 daughters work Veracruz, the cross-street.

Marcelo has been out of construction work for quite some time. You should have seen the smile on his face all last week as he told me that he had a job starting on Monday (yesterday).

Then the city (finally) decided to prohibit parking on Veracruz last week. So technically, Blanca and the 2 girls are now out of work. Then Marcelo showed up for his job yesterday, and he was told to come back in 2 weeks,,, because the work was being given to family members for now.

It´s not all sad, though,,, I do believe God is working something out. Jesseña is José and María´s daughter (she´s a little over 2 now),, whose only real options have been to either be in daycare (expensive for the family, and not so great health-wise for Jesse) or on the sidewalk with her mom. Now Blanca and María are rotating weeks on my side of the street,,, which means Jesse gets quality time at home now. And perhaps gives Marcelo more opportunity to look for work. Easier for me to find the bright side, though.

They´ve been sure to watch out for me and my place over the years, and help me take groceries up from time to time. And I´ve helped here and there with different gifts to help keep them going over the years. I´d like to give them an extra, more purposeful hand in the food/grocery area in the next 2 weeks, and increase my purposeful prayer support for them -- for work and for faith, hope and complete trust in God in the meantime.

I think there are times when all of that can get pretty shaky, even though you know inside that God really loves you and is working out His best for you ... in ALL things.

I´m grateful for Marcelo and his family in my life. Thank you to all who can collaborate with me in prayer for him and his family.

Sincerely,
m

Ximena

I needed to take just a minute to tell you about Ximena. She´s 10 and sells candy/nuts at one of those portable carts out in front of CCI,,, on my way to Carolina Park. That´s how I met her.

I´ve greeted and visited and prayed with her Mom on occasion as I passed by with the gang of other kids either from the Iñaquito market, or Joaquin´s kids on our way to have some fun. I had the chance to gift them a Bible once,, according to God´s leading.

Ximena was working the cart alone yesterday. Haven´t seen her Mom in quite some time (as I´ve been traveling a fair amount, too). So instead of going to the park to play,, I sat to talk with her about whatever was on her mind, figure out how Psalm 124 last verse (she picked it) had to do with any of it, and pretty much just keep her company. She ended up teaching me about GRACE and PRAISE.

You see, I´m a bit of a clutz on occasion,, and managed to knock over a whole tray of dried lima beans that she was selling. Yep,,, all over the sidewalk. I gave her the $5 I had in my pocket, but I think they were worth at least $8. She told me I shouldn´t worry one bit, that moreover she should be the one so grateful to me for having gifted her that Bible that has just saved her life. And that was GRACE. (A TON of folks stopped at her stand after that, and more than made up the loss on that tray, by the way --- she was grinning at me as she pointed that out.)

And as we talked about her parents going back and forth about wanting to know Christ, and some of her beloved family members maybe leaving the house, and that helpless and worried feeling you get when you think that maybe we´re not all ready just yet for Jesus to come... and as she traveled an hour with a portable cart and all that food and set it up on the sidewalk for sales all on her own, and even though her supposed friend had managed to dump a whole tray, all of a sudden, in the middle of it all she started talking about how wonderful God was, and she didn´t know what she´d do without Him, and she loved to go to Church and hadn´t gone for a while but she was going to try harder again now, and her face softened and she was beautiful inside and out ... that I saw PRAISE.

Did I tell you she´s 10?

Michelle

Happy New Year :)

It´s my good pleasure to greet you all again from Quito, Ecuador - after a rewarding time with my family this Christmas AND New Year´s Eve!

Somebody sent me an email once (I´m SO sorry I can´t remember exactly who it was!), that showed foto after foto of an incredibly perilous (but at the same time beautiful) climb. Then the last slide was a view that would take your breath away... you could see for miles, all kinds of mountains that you were over the TOP of, trees, rivers, waterfalls, etc. And the statement at the end had something to do with asking if you´d be willing to make such a climb in order to have such a view. I feel as if I´m taking huge gasps of deep deep breaths way down into my heart as I take in this new view of what 2011 is offering up. Knowing my path continues, and God continues leading the way...

1- I got word that the Dysphagia book will be coming out on the 15th of this month, while I was in Georgia for Christmas.
2- I got word before I knew for sure it was getting printed that SEFAL (the Ecuatorian SLP organization) wants to launch the book sometime between Jan-March this year.
3- And our Dysphagia Clinic in Quito is already communicating (mutually, I might add) with the therapists I met there in Talca, Chile.
4- I was verbally invited to be a guest lecturer for a class of about 2-3 months at the University of Talca in Talca, Chile ... as God provides, would most likely be arranged for sometime this fall.

Of course with all of these hopeful opportunities arising,,, there are many challenges in between here and there --- and I recognize that some things I think I see may shape-shift or fall out of scope even along the way. I´ll ask for your continued prayer support as I seek God´s provision for the things He´s asking me to do,,, as He continues to clarify what He´s asking me to do:

1- Some type of income that will give me access to cash here in Quito,,, and support the program´s transition into a professional, qualified, and (hopefully) reproducible program.
2- Good and steady communication among Quito professionals for this transition,,, and with our Chilean colleagues as we start to form a sort of professional family.
3- Wisdom to know what to hold on to and what to let go of,,,, for all of us involved.
4- Personal strength to hold up in the face of constant complaints and criticism from a myriad of sources,,, which could grow as we attempt to transfer this program into the hands of Ecuatorian professionals.
5- For hugs.

And I´m amazed by God´s incredible persistence and perseverance on my behalf on so many levels. In trying times, I´m humbled by the many individuals who continue to faithfully support this work and incredible adventure --- even through their own troubled finances and uncertainty in this coming year. I´m grateful to Pastor Gary Dolan and RiverTree for continued support through June, and to Pastor Brighton and Mt. Calvary for another year´s support. I´m so curious to know what God is up to --- and continue humbled to see so many who want to find out along with me!!! I´m so grateful for His word that reminds me His plans for us are good,,,, to give us hope and a future... (Jeremiah 29:11 paraphrased) ... because sometimes what I see directly in front of me makes my knees shake and my heart almost sink to my feet. I´m so grateful that God is there anyway.

I´ve already hooked up with "my" kids again,,, looking to get them into some board games with me. Might be a fun challenge... and continue to look for ways to help them know that it´s a good thing that God loves them,, and it can really help them overcome their own doubts and fears.

Please let me know if there is some way I can be praying for you,,, as I´m aware that we are all God´s kids working on cleaning our hearts out, knowing Him more, and giving others a reason to love and trust Him, too ... I´m happy to remember you in my prayers... for ALL the saints.

Wishing you all a wonderful view in 2011!!
m