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