Ecuador Compassion- 10/25-11/1

Today is October 30th 2008 and I just spent the day with Sabina.  It was the first time I have been able to do this and I can tell it will not be the last.  I am already planning for the next trip.  The day was beyond my wildest belief.  I can not begin to tell you the love I have for Sabina.  Her smile is warmer than the sunshine and she has more laughter and joy than a little girl can hold.  We learned a lot about each other today.  We played and laughed and held hands.  The best parts were the bus ride from the park to the amusement park.  I got to sit with Sabina and we helped each other learn our language.  It is amazing how the language was not an issue.  Somehow God gave my old brain the ability to understand her much more than I thought I could.  I prayed specifically for that.  The best and worst part was when the day came to an abupt end.  I only had about 5 minutes on the bus with Sabina and it was the best 5 minutes of the whole week.  I help her in my arms and touched her face and understood how Jesus loves us no strings attached.  My heart was breaking and at the same time I was filled with an overwhelming joy.  We got off the bus and I cried and tried to say goodbye again or chao as Sabina said.  Told her I loved her and hugged her as tight as I could.  I did not want to let go.  She was probably wondering if I would ever let her go.  Her father then told me that he was glad that I was her sponser and thanked me for everything.  God is so good.  He is here in Ecuador.  If you want to see him face to face just come down here and do what we did this week.  If you are scare to do it just like I was call me.  I guarantee that you will not be the same when you leave this place.  We are created in the image of God.  His words not mine.  The problem is we get so wrapped up in our own self that we forget that.  Come down here and visit the villages and meet the people and children.  Let go of your fears and let God carry you to a new place.  In his presence.

On our fifth day in Ecuador we spent it with our Compassion kids under beautiful skys. The day could not have been more perfect, other than to have spent two days with them! We played wih them in a wonderful park followed by a picnic lunch and then it was off to Volcano Amusement Park for the afternoon. It was hard to say good-bye at the end of the day, but it was a day to remember just the same.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to visit with your Compassion child, don’t put it off any longer. They will never forget you, nor stop loving you.

What a week so far.  We have traveled to a remote area near the coast, Quininde, and visited two other locations, Sexta and Golandinas where we held Harvest parties.  In Sexta we had about 300 kids, Golandinas about 150.  Monday evening we went to a project in Quininde where Dr. Carlos (our host at El Refugio where we stayed) had set up a time for us to go interact with 80-100 kids.  We did face painting, played soccer and some carnival games.  What a wonderful time each team member had interacting with the kids everywhere we have been.  Last night we drove back to Quito by bus on an extremely hair-raising ride.  You drive through the mountains with one sharp turn after another, then we run into dense fog at the higher elevations.  Whew!!!  A lot of prayers went up for Nelson, our driver.  He sure knows how to drive that bus.  Today we visited a Compassion project about an hour from here.  We left there changed people.  We visited two families involved in the Child Survival Program.  At the church, they set up an open house showing us what all is involved with the Program.  We sampled food and had the opportunity to purchase things made by the women in the project that they have been taught to do to support themselves.  They so graciously gifted each member of the team with a beautiful hand made scarf.  After that, we were supposed to go to the Center of the World and shop, take pictures, etc.  Instead, we all decided to shop nearby the Project and get a refrigerator for the first family we had visited this morning that had none.  The husband works with lumber and the wife stays home with two children, 3 and 1 y/o.  He has to stop and get food on his way home from work every day because they have no means to store any.  We saw no food in the house.  Well, he was probably very surprised when he returned from work today.  Praise God we were listening to the Holy Spirit. Then this evening, we had the priviledge to host two college students thru Compassion’s Leadership Development Program, Jonathan and Alexandria.  Both of these young people grew up in the Compassion projects.  There are currently 111 young men and women in this program in Ecuador.  I daresay, Ecuador is going to change as these young people get there degrees and go into the field to help change their home projects.

Well, it’s hard to believe we are more than half through our trip.  Tomorrow we spend with the Compassion children we sponsor and we are all very excited about that.  Hopefully, we can get more on here tomorrow with pictures.