Meet Alice Nyaromo

This interview is especially important if you support or would like to make a positive difference through Project SmartBox Uganda:

My name is Nyaromo Alice. I am a 32-year-old Ugandan woman. I am a passionate educator who holds a bachelor’s degree in Education with Arts. I am a born-again Christian who loves Jesus Christ. I love music, travel, and adventure. I am a strong believer in transformational leadership and desire to cause change in the community in which I live. I am a product of charity. A long time ago, an American by the name of Mr. Wayne Walker left the comfort of his home in America and came to Uganda, where he started an orphanage where a number of us lived and were given a chance to attain quality education and were practically shown and taught the love of Jesus Christ!

I, having come from northern Uganda at the time of the civil war that lasted over 20 years, know that God had hand-picked me for a reason. As a result of Mr Wayne’s obedience to God, a seed was planted in my heart, and today, I’m so passionate about helping other people to achieve their Dreams through education in all ways that I can!

WHAT IS THE GENERAL CONDITION OF EDUCATION IN UGANDA?

Generally, education in Uganda comes in many forms. We have government-aided, private mediocre, and very high-end private schools. Private schools are very expensive, and while government-aided primary and secondary education are supposedly free, there are still associated costs that households must cover, including uniforms, school supplies, and school lunches, among many others. Also, the products they bake most times leave a lot to be desired. Most parents who have a little more money opt for affordable private schools as a middle ground. While all these schools charge fees, they also solicit lists of compulsory requirements.

WHEN DOES IT GET VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET OR CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION?

Learners drop out of school at different points and for many reasons. It’s very difficult for most young people to get into or continue during secondary school. Most young people from impoverished backgrounds or families will struggle to at least finish primary education, which is for seven years, but joining the secondary level most times is a bigger challenge. The secondary schools are fewer and far apart. Also, the requirements are much more owing to more subjects to cover. Most learners, especially in rural Uganda, don't go beyond the ordinary level.

WHO ARE THE MOST AFFECTED BY LACK OF EDUCATION, OR WHO ARE THE LEAST HELPED?

Both girls and boys are affected by lack of education however, young girls are the most affected. Away from marriage, fewer options exist for uneducated girls

In most communities, most parents consider it a waste of resources to educate a girl child as they are soon married off! However, in reality, this is not true; instead, to educate a girl is to educate a nation! Through education, future mothers are empowered to take care of themselves and their families.

However, personally as an educator, both boys and girls need assistance to remain in school and achieve their dreams to have a society where each and everyone is carrying out their roles and responsibilities respectively. Therefore, assistance is vital to anyone willing to remain in school and attain their dreams.

HOW CAN ASSISTANCE WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND OTHER ITEMS HELP?

The assistance with school supplies and other items will help improve the wellness of the individuals in different ways. In cases where an individual was not able to access study materials like books and pens, then one would consider this as a problem solved through the assistance given and can now concentrate on achieving their academic goals. The assistance will help reduce school dropouts or reduce school absenteeism. For instance, it’s on record that many teen girls miss school monthly during their menstrual periods due to a lack of sanitary towels or pads. Emotionally, an individual will be more settled and happier with not having to worry about where the school supplies will come from!

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES THAT WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A GOOD PICTURE OF THE CONDITION THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR?

Families with several children. Due to the high cost of paying school fees for several children at once, households prioritize which of their children should attend school. In most cases, boys’ education is prioritized over girls’ education. For instance, a mother once told me, One of my sons finished senior four and shouldn’t be home right now. He wanted to train as a driver. But we have to wait for another son who is doing vocational skills training to finish his course. We can’t afford to have both of them in school at the same time. However, when I asked about the daughter, she reluctantly said she was waiting for a good man to marry her off. Assistance given to such a family can help keep all the children in school.

Furthermore, In the event of the death of one or both parents, the surviving parent (in most cases the mother) is unable to fill the earning gap created by the death, increasing the likelihood that children would have to drop out of school. In these cases, assistance will help to keep the children of the deceased in school or help the surviving parent to keep his or her children in school.

The long period of conflict or civil war in northern Uganda resulted in impoverishment (stripping of assets, land, and livestock) and social/cultural changes weakened the extended social networks that cared for its vulnerable members as in the past. Now, in the absence of any government assistance, when immediate needs are barely (or not at all) met, it is nearly impossible for families to prioritize the education of their children

The loss of one or both parents, coming from a single-parent household and large family size. Having a large family makes it harder for households to afford to send all their children. In some cases, parents withdrew their children from school during part of the year until they secured enough money to enable them to attend again. For instance, Ms. Adong Jennifer is a widow with a family of six children - four of whom had been enrolled in school. However, by the time I interacted with them, they had all dropped out because their mother, a widow, was unable to afford their school fees. As one of the children explained: I stopped attending school in primary five in the second term because there was no money to pay the fees. We are six children in the household, but two are still young, and four of us were going to school. But right now, none of us are going to school because there is no money.

The children had dropped out of school to perform chores and agricultural work in support of their household. In some cases, young girls marry at an early age, while young boys take over the head of their households – becoming responsible for bringing in the household’s income.

A Prince Among Men

A Tribute to Our Friend Jason

Our friend Jason, traveling through Columbia to Ecuador

The week before Thanksgiving, we received an unusual visit from a friend we met a couple of times in Arkansas and Tennessee. Freedom had been following his daring journey on Facebook through Central and South America on a motorcycle. His goal was to ride from Tennessee to Patagonia on his bike alone, but with a following on social media, he was bringing many people along with him. Freedom took this opportunity to reach out. Eventually, he thought Jason would pass through Ecuador so we invited him to stay.

The only connection I had personally was when we visited Franklin, Tennessee, to undergo training with Artists In Christian Testimony, which is our sending agency. I was struck by the level of care and attention Jason and his family gave us during a church visit and lunch. His son also survived cancer, as our daughter Kayla had. He and Freedom had both worked at Dayspring, but the level of attention they gave us struck me as special. With this knowledge, I was very glad to be able to welcome him during his journey. When he arrived, I saw so much joy as Freedom helped him settle his motorcycle in the driveway. I imagined them both as little boys getting ready for a play date. 

I went about the kitchen preparing dinner and, as is usual for me, became busy with extra things due to my shyness. But a gentle nudge from the Lord awakened me to something. It was this impression, “Go spend time with Jason.” I went to find him and Freedom touring the house. People love seeing the interesting architecture in old Ecuadorian homes, and visiting Freedom’s studio is a stopping point for all visitors. Jason expressed so much joy seeing Freedom’s art, and tears were common as he spoke of his journey or expressed the Lord’s care over him. 

I went on with my duties, wanting to give Freedom space and time with Jason. Again, the Lord moved in my heart, “Go listen to Jason.” I thought, “Wow, this guy is truly an honored guest.”

Jason with our friends at Gringos Cafe in Quito, Ecuador.

We spent the night eating soup and listening to Jason pour out his heart. He shared openly about his life, the ups and downs, the hard and the painful. But also the way that God was working through his experiences. He took the time to listen to us. We went to the living room and turned on the candles; it was almost time for the country-wide power outage. We prayed over him. As I prayed for him, I said, “Jason, you are a prince among men.” He smiled humbly, but I knew it was a word from the Lord. For God always sees us as we truly are. 

Jason at one of our ministry sites in Quito, Ecuador.

The following day, he visited our neighborhood friends at the Gringo’s Cafe. Jason made a great impression on our friend who was eager to see him again, and we went to our ministry site together. At our site, Jason helped us, spent time with one of the nonverbal autistic kids, and made magic tricks to wow the crowd, using a fake thumb that lit up. When we left, one of the girls wouldn’t let go of him and wanted him to adopt her. 

Before he left the next day, we seized the moment and lingered in prayer. I said again, “Jason, you are a prince among men.” There were so many tears as we blessed him. Some of the words we gave him were of victory, newness, finding God, and breakthrough.

As he left we were encouraged and excited to see him upon his return through Ecuador. But only a few days later Jason was in a motorcycle accident and shortly passed away. 

Stunned, we watched the news report from Peru. He went through a roadblock. The wonderful story of who Jason was unfolds, little by little, in his last posts, posts from dear friends, and the stories told by his children during his memorial service.

Certainly a prince among men.

A passionate father and lover of the least, a man who was a missionary kid and loved Spanish. A person who brought joy, wonder, and adventure to everyone around him. His emotional pain was big, but so was his heart. He was so talented and yet incredibly humble. His 6-foot-something frame was able to hold the humongous heart that he had. He had been forgiven much and so he loved much. And God healed his childhood trauma in the Amazon jungle right before he came to us. I thought, “he accomplished what he had to for Christ. Abba wanted him home.” 

It has taken me and Freedom a long time to process this. He left us a thank-you card with the words written, “May God repay you.” His cologne scent lingered in our guest room for a while and we couldn't think of him not returning for his visit on the way back. His children found countless notes hidden in books, telling them how proud he was of them and that he loved them. Stories still arise from people who were loved intensely by this servant of the Lord, even if just for a moment. What an impact.

Truly, what remains is how well we love. 

The greatest gift we can give people is to care about them, pay attention, and be gentle; the greatest gift we can give our children is unconditional love. If Jason had met you, he would say, “God has a calling on you and He loves you.”

With gratitude in our hearts for Jason and with gusto for the journey ahead,

Freedom and Nancy

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Prayer Requests:

• Traveling safety and provision. Freedom is going to the States for 17 days in January. He aims to fix a few things with our house, decide whether to keep renting it out and fly to Kentucky to help our son Jonathan drive up to his school in Ohio. 

• Rest and Restoration. Nancy will take a Sabbatical from ministry sites for a month starting next week and while Freedom is gone. Please pray for her eye condition to be healed. It is not serious, but very uncomfortable. 

• Sons’ wisdom and protection. Our sons are both working incredibly hard to be independent. Jonathan will start school full-time and will put in a big chunk of his earnings. It is an expensive option, for this school. But nothing is impossible for the Lord. We prayed and prayed over this decision. He is called to be creative and will pursue his education. 

• Our son Joshua is doing his best to juggle school and community college and it has not been easy. He can only take one class a semester but he is hopeful in this trajectory since he feels great being independent. 

• Ministry. We end the calendar year with joy having served youth, young adults, and the staff in our centers. We have shared creativity and our lives, along with the Gospel and we feel satisfied with our efforts. Our only challenge is that we are limited by time because we hope to bring the hope of Jesus to children and youth who have not heard the Gospel.

Power Outages: Limitations are challenges that bring about new ideas.

Since September, Ecuador has started limiting power for its residents in extreme ways. Initially, we would experience only two hours without power. It is common for cuts to last 10 hours daily, broken up into morning and night sessions. This has become our way of life as Ecuador’s electricity operates on 75% hydroelectricity, and there has been little rain. I was confused at first with how rain can affect electricity. Hydroelectricity relies on water turbines that use the flow of water to generate kinetic energy, which is then converted into electricity. When reservoir levels are low, it can create significant strain on the power supply, which has led to an energy crisis for the country.

We are generally well throughout the outages. The centers we visit continue to run as normal. Sunny days are bright, gray days are dim, but we carry on. At home, we can cook and shower without a problem, due to the gas tank set up. 

We can plan around the outage schedule, though it changes often, sometimes without sufficient warning. We use candles, flashlights, solar-powered garden lights, etc. to help us see where we are going. We laugh at times when we catch ourselves doing things in the dark, forgetting when we have power, and can just turn the switch on. We are gradually becoming less dependent on wifi, though we miss streaming music at home. It’s nice when we decide that we are tired enough to go to bed at 8 or 9 pm because our eyes get tired of straining. But we still wake up early before the cuts to check news and emails. We spend our nights reading out loud or drawing on the iPad. Kayla points a big flashlight toward the white wall to create enough light to work on her fabulous earring designs by the way. 

What is hard at times is not being able to have enough data on our phones to call our boys in the States. We have to schedule calls with our parents and stand by the front window in order to have a decent conversation without a bad connection. The one very difficult day was when we had about 16 hours straight of no power. It finally came on at midnight, when we didn’t need it. Gradually, though, we see things improving.

Overall, I would say that it has been a blessing to separate ourselves from the need to be plugged in. I encourage you to set aside some time to be completely unplugged and do something that will energize your spirit, old school. Or perhaps, you can join us in the outage for a few minutes each day, turning off lights and devices, turning on a candle, and praying for the light of Christ to reach more hearts. 

Even though many people have just adjusted to the ever-changing light schedules, we don’t want to forget that many people are experiencing hardship in their businesses due to this problem. We don’t want to underestimate the fact that driving, which was already chaotic, is all the more dangerous when traffic lights are out and officers aren’t directing. These limitations are very difficult for many. 

Did you know that limitations, however challenging, can also help create new ideas? In art, teachers will limit the students on purpose to refine a certain attribute of the creative process. For example, I might say, “We will draw without looking at our paper.” This causes the artist to feel the paper, sense the lines being made, accept the outcome, and observe the object of study more intently to train the brain to tell the hand what to do. 

Crazy, huh? It’s an interesting perspective since limitations are often seen as negative but they can also change the way we do things in positive strengthening ways.

Ministry and Life:

I heard that laughter in the next room. My group was bowing their heads to pray at the start of our study. Pretty soon, we were laughing and I’m sure the other group was in a more quiet moment. I marveled at the opportunity Freedom and I have to share scripture and disciple kids. We have several groups at a variety of levels spiritually. In some places, we know that we are reaching the kids to send the Gospel with them into their homes. But this particular night, as Freedom shared with the homeschool teens in English and I in Spanish, we just soaked it all in. These kids have grown up in homes where God is center. And so we forge ahead toward maturity and ownership in their relationship with Christ. 

We have seen such growth. I took a small moment to enjoy the sight of my group of about 15 teens, sitting on plastic chairs, knee to knee, just leaning in to listen. I don’t think they noticed it. It was glorious. I have had so many times where they could barely make a circle with the chairs because they didn’t want to be close to anyone. I also recall the days when they listened politely but there was not much life. Now I can say, that both of our groups genuinely love being a part of the study and, yes, they come for the food and games, but I think they also look forward to the Bible study. 

I have often heard kids say, “I love how Mr. Freedom listens to us and we can understand what it’s all about.” 

I have also had kids in my group be honest enough to say, “I am angry at everything, including God,” or “I just can’t forgive,” and also, “Miss Nancy, do you believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Because I have experienced them.” This means they feel safe to say what they’re thinking.

Times like this make other situations more manageable. In case you think I paint a pretty picture, and I like to paint pretty pictures, there are also very dry times. There are times when the Word feels like it floats out of us and onto the floor. There are times when we ask young adults about the meaning of a verse and we get nothing. When connections are missing, and the kids are just distracted. We also have times when we spend most of the time managing the class behavior and forget to share our devotional. We have times when we struggle to form relationships because there are so many of them. And yet, it makes it all worthwhile when we enter a ministry site, and the little kids who gave us such a trial the week before run up and hug us freely. 

Freedom Goes To The Coast

This month Freedom had a happy thing happen. He was invited to join a team heading to Guayaquil. It was a nice time for him to reconnect with the church of our origins, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale. They were a small team that went to a variety of sectors. We’ve seen nice pictures of Guayaquil, but Freedom didn’t even glimpse those places. Guayaquil is one of the most dangerous places in Ecuador at this time. Thankfully, all went well, though there was one scary and dangerous moment.  It’s just great to note that even though in the streets, you feel the roughness in people's glances and gait, within the church you experience love, joy, peace, and prayer. The two elderly sisters that hosted Freedom seemed to “pray without ceasing” as part of their common conversation. 

They washed the feet of those who served them, distributed medical supplies, shared dramas, prayed with people, baptized people, and testified to God's faithfulness. It was nice to go a little further in Ecuador, and we look forward to making further connections with this vibrant community of believers. 

Prayer Requests

• … for rain in Ecuador and in the regions that need it the most, like the Amazon

• … for the 100+ kids, teens, and young adults we serve weekly to hear the Word, desire it more, and grow in their relationship with Christ.

• … for connections and favor at our new site, La Comuna

• … for the holidays. It can be a little sad and feel homesick.

• … for our boys Joshua and Jonathan, that they continue putting God first as they trust Him in new places.

Your Story Matters.

If God is the Author of your life and Christ is the Author of your faith, then that means that your personal story is saying something. If you begin to write down your timeline with its defining events and ponder where God was in that timeline, you may discover a wonderful story and message. So often we remember the hard stuff because those really can form deep caverns of pain in our soul. Or perhaps we think about the labels we have received by those in authority over us. But let us ask God to show us His light in and throughout our lives so that we may receive insight, purpose, meaning, and direction. We will begin to see a Mastermind at work in our very lives.

One day as I followed a prompt to savor a fond memory in which I was free and creative, I realized that I had so many beautiful memories that are still an active part of who I am today. And those parts are the gift that I can keep sowing into the lives of those around me. Do not take your unique personality lightly for it can be the vessel, a humble vessel, with which Christ can do His most marvelous work for the kingdom of God. Here are some verses to meditate on:

“looking unto Jesus, the originator and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7

“..being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Freedom’s Story

This year as we were gearing up for our SmartBox season, we felt led to give our stories away. It dawned upon me that we usually don’t lead into relationships and discipleship with our testimony. Perhaps it comes from years of being in circles where our friends were graced with “growing up in Christian households,” and respecting many who had stories of learning to trust Christ for themselves after growing up going to church. Sometimes our “once I was blind and now I see” testimonies seem a bit dramatic. 

But we felt called back into sharing openly about our past and how Christ redeemed it. One particular story had to be told. It is the very reason and driving force for SmartBox. It is Freedom’s story. A troubled teen, angry, resentful, and depressed. A visiting substitute teacher (or an angel, since he was never seen again) saw more in this withdrawn and disinterested youngster who was vandalizing the desk with a fantastic drawing instead of doing his work or participating in actual learning. 

What this teacher did, his act of kindness, literally changed the course of Freedom’s life, which was on the verge of joining a street gang. He purchased him an art kit, filled with everything that wasn’t available at home for creativity. Things that were sometimes stolen and mostly out of reach. 

The message was simple:

“You can.” The words he gave to a thirsty soul were tremendous and watered well, with a ripple effect. He spoke into existence the idea of traveling with this gift of art, he spoke of “going far,” and for Freedom going far meant the hope of leaving the government housing projects of Lower East Side Manhattan, of leaving the poverty within his heart and home. 

I know that SmartBox isn’t primarily an art kit, but we hope to let the kids know that we are thinking of them, that they can dream, and give their effort, and that we are interested in their educational and spiritual well-being. 

This year, we celebrate that we have gifted 150 boxes. In our first year, we did 70 and 100 in our second year. This year, our third year, we celebrate that we found great mom-and-pop shops that give us great deals and the SmartBoxes were twice the size of our first box, enabling us to fit more supplies. We thank the Lord for leading us, along with the help of friends, to create handmade cards and personalize each box by name. We couldn’t do this without our faithful SmartBox sponsors. Whether you support us in prayer, stuffing boxes with us, partnering with our family, or donating to SmartBox directly, we did it! We did it together!

Praise:

• For providing strength and people to help us carry out summer outreach, along with SmartBox events.

• For new connections with ministry sites and deeper connections with our existing sites.

• For the safety of our short-term visitors and our family.

• For renewed hope to continue our time of service in Ecuador.

• For help for our sons living in the States. Joshua found a management job and is continuing to go to school slowly. He has also found a church home and community. Jonathan was able to move into an affordable room and buy a used car while continuing to work at the Ark Encounter.

Join us in Prayer:

• We pray for wisdom in discipleship relationships, and that we would be effective in helping young adults and adults grow in their love and life in Christ.

• We pray for deeper connections with the kids that we teach. 

• We pray for wisdom for the repair and sale of our home in Georgia.

• We pray for continued financial provision, as we have had unforeseen expenditures.

• We pray for favor as we are “tent-making,” that is, attempting to use our artwork and freelance to help provide for us financially.

Give A Child Some Water

Quilotoa Lake

The view was exhilarating.

We had been a little weary from all the recent activities at our ministry sites, but this day was meant for rest and a little hiking. We had a family with us on short-term missions and something about them being with us that week just really activated so many things at our sites. Their daughter had heard the Lord months before, “Pray for the Rodriguez family.” Then one day, her mom said, “What if we visit the Rodriguez family in Ecuador and help their ministry?” 

That was all they needed for confirmation. So many things, complicated things, got in the way of staying committed to the plan to travel. However, they just knew that the Lord had already given the call and made it possible. 

We had so many great times, playing with kids, praying with women, and learning dance routines. It truly seemed that God was setting captives free in so many ways. Now we found ourselves in a place called Quilotoa for rest. It is a gorgeous place, a crater with a fabulous view of a lagoon. Some people like to hike down to the lagoon, others like to stay on top in the small town. We all split up in different directions, Freedom, Kayla, and I opted to go on a small hike around the perimeter ridge overlooking the view of the water.

As we came upon a big rocky area, we decided to sit for a while. We were actually in an area where you could see one side of the ridge overlooking the water and on the other side were vast, beautiful landscapes going for miles and miles. We decided to turn our back to the lagoon for a while and enjoy all the mountain ranges visible on this clear, blue day. Off in the distance, we began to see specks moving together in a group. Squinting and shielding our faces from the sun, we realized that this was a group of sheep coming up on a trail in the distance. For a little while it was difficult to make out where the shepherd was until we spotted what looked like a child tromping around, leading the sheep. 

So many beautiful things came to mind. We remembered so many verses about The Good Shepherd. As the herd got closer, we confirmed that a little boy was leading the sheep, making sure to go after the one that strayed. It appeared that he made his way to the right where we could no longer see them, so we decided to turn and face the water again. A few short minutes later we got the feeling of movement behind us. As we turned around, we were pleasantly surprised to see the little boy right there in front of us, in arm’s reach. How did he get here so fast and so quietly? 

The Shepherd Boy

He asked us if we could give him some money. Sadly, we didn’t have any change at all but started asking him questions about the sheep. He stayed there with us, leaning on a stick, his staff. We were enthralled, looking into his deep black eyes, and his ruddy, sun-baked beautiful face. He said, “Yes, I have to leave the others to get the sheep that went away. No, I’ve never heard that God is a Shepherd, and I’ve never heard of Jesus.” I decided to go deeper. I told him about God’s Son, and how we can be a part of His flock. (side note: I thought flock was only used for a group of birds)

“Would you like to know God and His Son?” 

So there, where the desire of God meets the desire of a shepherd boy, as we sat on a rock in a picturesque site, we prayed. I held his little hand while he repeated words asking God to fill his heart, and he didn’t let go when we were done praying. I told him to ask Jesus every day to show him more things. 

Ok. Spanish lesson! The word shepherd in Spanish is pastor. It just gives me chills. I said, “Maybe one day Jesus will ask you to shepherd (pastor) His people instead of sheep.” He nodded his head. The hard-working shepherd boy seemed tired. That’s when I remembered the bottle of water in my backpack. I offered and he took a sip. “Drink it all,” I said.

“Regale?” he asked. It means “to give.” It comes from the word regalo, meaning gift. Our hearts swelled with so much love for this little boy. This hard worker who had come to beg. 

“Claro que si!” (Of course, yes!) I said with a smile, holding back tears. Please pray for him and also pray for the opportunity to make our way to Quilotoa again to find him. We earnestly desire to bring him a Bible, and SmartBox, and bless his family with God’s love.

The Lord has said, “Ask…seek…knock.” There is so much in that. For almost all our needs, ask, seek, and knock. How thankful we are to be able to be here, giving our time, energy, and presence to those we are called to in Ecuador. And we feel that we are still called to be here. And so, we continue to ask, seek, and knock as well. 

We ask you to continue your partnership with us. We wouldn’t be here without the Lord providing through your prayer, care, and financial support.

We ask that you seek out other friends and families who are called to support missions and to share about us serving in Ecuador.

We also knock on doors that seem too big for us, to keep SmartBox going year after year. If you think a local business or your church would be interested in getting involved in bringing the Gospel and school supplies to kids in need, please reach out to us. If you don’t already financially partner with us you can do so through Project SmartBox. <—- Learn more by clicking the link or simply start your SmartBox sponsorship today.

Thank you so much for your partnership,

Marriage Counseling?

I was on the phone with my son Joshua the other day. I said, “You know, the Lord has us doing some marriage counseling. Who knew?” 

“You guys have reached that level, at your age, Mom,” was his reply. 

We had a good laugh. But let me tell you about a sweet couple that we have met at one of our ministry sites. It all started as a temporary request by the directors of Luz en Tinieblas (Light in the Darkness). They were going to be out of town for the summer and asked us as an urgent request to sit with this couple, Pablo and Camila (not their real names). Pablo works in maintenance and Camila volunteers. Their son is a recipient of resources at the center. 

When they opened this center, it pretty much still looked like it was trying to overcome the abandoned look. Miraculously, the directors Dan and Gina, got the rights to use this huge site, an old school, rent-free via the Ecuadorian government. This is no small feat. They work hard to raise funding to have paid qualified staff, including teachers, psychologists, and learning specialists. But they also have a paid cook and maintenance workers. It’s such a blessing all around. And now, thanks to Pablo and the other workers, it looks beautiful! 

An important side note for me is that this site is located on an interesting little mound, called El Panecillo (pronounced pan-eh-see-joe). It is a sweet full circle because as a child, right before migrating to the US, my mother and I lived in a neighborhood on this mound. It is a tourist attraction at the top, but make no mistake, the neighborhoods represented there can be rough. And side note to a side note, the police have said, that since opening this center, there have been no reports of crime in the surrounding neighborhood.

Pretty cool!

We agreed to sit with Pablo and Camila but made sure to let them know we struggle too at times, we are here by the grace of God, and we aren’t professional counselors. During our first meeting, we learned that Pablo had given his life to Christ at 16 and Camila was not a Christian. They were already married over 20 years and she was ready to be done! We listened to their story which included alcoholism and domestic violence and asked the Holy Spirit to counsel them. 

To be honest, we went into a discipling session with Pablo, encouraged Camila to forgive him, and prayed for them both

Camila was against Bible reading or Christian activity because she was convinced it taught that women were not important to God. 

Honestly, as I prayed for them that week, I was convinced there wasn’t anything we could do for them. I doubted that they would make it. Also, our ministry in marriage counseling was over. But when we returned the next week, they eagerly wanted to meet. They had smiles on their faces and now wanted to talk about more topics. By the third week, as we ended the session, I looked at Camila and said,

“I’m here for you if you ever want to pray…” 

The look in her eyes…I could only describe them as longing. I should know. When I came to Christ, I missed my chance to respond to the altar call the first time I visited a Christian church. The second time I visited, I cried because there was no altar call. The third time I visited, as the pastor began his invitation, I ran to the front. Longing.

Deep calling to Deep. The roar of His waterfalls. (Psalm 42:7)

So in the span of a few seconds, looking into Camila’s eyes, I said, “Would you like to receive Christ for yourself?” Tears, smiles, and “yes!”

So began Camila’s walk from death to life. They still have issues, they come to us with new scenarios that they are puzzled about. We continue to ask the Holy Spirit to help us know what to say. And they look forward to this time together weekly. Community. Fellowship. Being heard, seen, and feeling important. Isn’t this what we all need?

A family from our visiting short-term team got a chance to pray for this couple. As we laid hands on them and blessed them, one of them, a young gal, with a gift of intercession, was allowed to feel the weight and pressure that Pablo carries as the head of his home. “It was so heavy,” she said. But something broke that day in prayer and we know God was in the process of delivering him in some new way.

The New Creation.

That is what we are each day receiving his faithful love.

Thank you for supporting us to do this great work,

Enter Into Rest

As in entering a room? 

Perhaps. What does one do as they prepare to go somewhere? They get ready, they anticipate the time it will take, and they set other things aside in order to get there, be present, and be relatively uninterrupted. 

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:9-12

It is an interesting use of words, labor to enter into rest. Other versions, like the NLT, say it this way “Let us do our best to enter,” NKJ says, “Let us be diligent to enter.” 

Let’s think about how God prepared Himself to enter into rest. He created, spoke tangible things into existence, set time into motion, and was pleased with all that He did. 

Then He set apart the seventh day as a Holy Sabbath and rested. 

It’s a beautiful picture for us to think about if we follow the example of God. Creating, communicating, doing, and validating all that we have done. Then we must carve out time to just be, restfully contemplating, setting our bodies and minds on a foundation of love. But I think that in recent times, it has become more difficult for us to rest. Sometimes we bring our worries into our Sabbath, our fears are unceasing, our phones beckon, and we continue to labor in our “own works.” 

These verses seem to say that unrest has a root of unbelief. Ultimately, our daily and moment-by-moment rest comes from being known, loved, and redeemed by our precious Savior. This is good news because it means that our truest identity comes from this union with the Father, Son, and Spirit. We wear Christ as a garment of praise. We no longer have to earn His approval. We have an anchor to our souls. Our life comes forth from His delight in us. And He does delight in us. 

“For we who have believed do enter that rest.” Hebrews 4:3

Yet, when we take up the burdens that only He can carry when this world demands more than we can give, and when hardships threaten our joy, then we live in fear, in our works, and the foundation we begin to stand on is unbelief. I suppose this is the part that we have to labor and be diligent. I sometimes wish I had an “off” button. Wouldn’t that be useful? 

I recently started a small essential oil ritual during rest and sleep times. It has helped me enter into a restful state. I have a special Sunday nap couch, where the sun is just right. I listen to the Abide podcast. I close the door. Figuratively and physically, some doors just need to close for us to allow rest. I don’t know if Jesus had to labor to enter into rest since He was always with the Father and did the things He saw the Father doing. But perhaps his flesh needed rejuvenating prayer and contemplation and so he sought solitary places, away from his disciples, away from the crowd. We know he prayed, perhaps he cried, and maybe he even napped. 

“Despite Jesus’ plea that his miracles be kept secret, the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:15-16

Often, when He returned from the lonely places, he had the plan for the day. Humanly speaking, sometimes we just try so hard to make things happen and figure out our next steps. It’s counterintuitive to stop, pray, listen, and rest. But we have been warned. It is something to be diligent about. It takes some preparation. We must say “no” to some things to enter in. 

You work hard, I know you do. We do as well. Our lives are continually pouring out and are relationship-oriented. The needs of others, the preparation for events, and the time it takes to travel to different ministry sites can be tiresome. But if we don’t set ourselves aside in the Father’s presence, we can do stuff from the wrong place. At the heart of it all is a call to trust Him more. Sabbath is calling, cease from your works, and find a solitary place with the Lord of the Sabbath.

From a restful place,

The Occasional Inconvenience of Faith

Elizebeth & Valerie Elliot

If one is a disciple, one knows that he or she is under command. Do you get specifics on what’s next? I don’t always know what God wants me to do in the specific, but in general, I think we know full well His will, and on occasion, we get specifics. 

What we must always apply is faith. I marvel to think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednigo. When facing trouble and possible death, their response was a ready one. A response built on a lifetime of trust and obedience, for they had written it on the tablet of their hearts. In essence they entrusted or gave their lives to their Commander. Here’s what they said:

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

How often we order our lives by convenience and logistics, using our wisdom and problem solving skills. This is a good thing and yields great results. There are times, however, when God is specific with your life but it doesn’t always seem to make sense. When it does make sense we affirm that God is wise because our own wisdom agrees. Yet what about the times when it seems foolish? Well, God is still wise but his wisdom goes higher than ours. If you surrender your life, he can do much in the mundane or the seemingly crazy. And the crazy is often unnatural, inconvenient, and it makes people wonder. Like forgiving a murderer, accepting that person into your family, and living in his neighborhood on purpose. How crazy!

Or moving your family in order to serve, just serve. Letting go of job, predictability, and title to be known as simply Servant. Makes no sense. Very inconvenient. Would God call us to inconvenience and loss? If so, why?

Recently, I read the book, Through Gates of Splendor, by Elisabeth Elliot which is about the five missionaries who gave their lives in the jungle of Ecuador at the hands of the Aucas, known today as the Waorani.

Left to right: Roger Youderian, Peter Flemming, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully.

It is still spoken of to this day. Actually, recently I had a conversation with a young christian man who lives in a jungle town. He retold the story, along with the exciting fact that he is learning to build airplanes, which seems to be one of the many stories  born from this tragedy. 

Of the massacre, Elisabeth writes:

“It was interpreted according to the measure of one’s faith or faithlessness—full of meaning or empty. A triumph or a tragedy. An example of brave obedience or a case of fathomless foolishness.” 

The young widows’ amazing response to the death of their husbands, fathers of their young children, was one of quiet peace. How stunning. It’s peace beyond understanding. She writes: 

“The prayers of the widows themselves are for the Aucas. We look forward to the day when [the Aucas] will join us in Christian praise.”

Elisabeth Elliot did move into the “neighborhood” of the men who killed her husband and many of them came to know the Lord. We just can’t underestimate the power of forgiveness, obedience, and faith. But the Lord’s will doesn’t always come in a neat little package. She goes on to say:

“It is not the level of our spirituality that we can depend on. It is God and nothing less than God, for the work is God’s and the call is God’s and everything is summoned by Him and to His purposes, the whole scene, the whole mess, the whole package—our bravery and our cowardice, our love and our selfishness, our strengths and our weaknesses.”

So if you followed God and it looks messy, or you made a mess of it, you’re not in bad company. Just remember Moses, David, Paul, and Peter. Some days all we can ask of God is, “Oh Lord, bless this mess.”

Trusting God with Every Step: A Survival Tip for the Servant of the Lord.

Our small country made international news this month. There was unrest in several areas of the country due to gang violence, particularly within the jails, in certain cities, and also (what made headlines) young men storming into a live news broadcast station with large guns. The president, thankfully, came down hard on the gang members and leaders calling them terrorists and implementing an internal armed conflict enabling him to use military force to neutralize them. Major stores and malls closed the day this happened and it seemed transportation came to a halt. Many people walked home. 

I was at one of the malls at this time running an errand. I was one of those people having to walk home, thankfully a short distance. It was very sad to see so many people in fear and distress, understandably so. Yet for whatever reason, I felt an overwhelming wave of peace. I can’t explain it, nor can I say that I generated it myself.

I suppose that when we began this journey, living in Ecuador and giving up what had been normal and comfortable, we had to deal with many questions and feelings. I, for one, desired to know exactly how things would happen. I wanted to be assured that we would be ok. I did experience a level of understanding that God would be with us and that it would be awesome. And it is awesome! But I was never assured it would be easy and that nothing bad would ever happen. We are called to walk with our Shepherd and to listen to his voice each step of the way, trusting. 

It seems crazy that the Apostle Paul writing to the Philippians, in an uncertain time, in jail, and not knowing if he would be released said, (and here’s the tip for survival) 

“For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21

What else can you do? If you have followed Christ to the best of your abilities, wisdom,  and understanding, you begin to leave certain things in His hands, like your life, your story, your future, and your family. Don’t get me wrong. I have to lay these down almost daily. I have to confess my faith and doubts often to the Lord. But you know what? When you are truly in a pickle and you have to navigate through that pickle, He is there providing peace and giving you the next step. Even if we start sinking in fear, He can pull us up. 

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

Someone recently asked us if this is it for us in Ecuador. But the political climate has never been a deciding factor. Do governments of any country experience peace and tranquility at all times? Is there no violence in the United States? The Shepherd of our souls, the One who promised that if we have courage we can step into his promises, the One who has called us here - He is faithful to let us know when our work here is finished. 

Until then, we will continue. We continue to work with kids in hard situations, we continue to work with women who have limited choices. We continue to look for communities where we can provide educational supplies. We continue to meet with teenagers who want to grow in their faith. We continue to follow our Shepherd. For now, I won’t go into the amazing details and miraculous ways that Christ has led us toward or away from certain situations. But what we can say is, that He is faithful. 

A note on the situation here in Ecuador: The following day after the sudden shutdown, stores opened as normal, people came in and out of the country normally, and commuters continued commuting to and from work. It has been peaceful and slow. The government continues its fight against gang and drug activity with daily success. It’s important to note that not all of Ecuador experienced unrest. Ecuador is very small and so, while it may seem the whole country is in a state of unrest, it is only in certain areas, particularly the coast where drugs are smuggled to North America and Europe. However, many schools are still meeting online and most of the ministry outreaches we work with have decided to hit the pause button for a few weeks, as an extra precaution. This is very difficult for some people, kids especially, who rely on encouragement, a safe place to enjoy, and even the food that these outreaches regularly provide. (We have not seen our Carmen Bajo kids since before Christmas!)

In our house and our church, we have had more activity with young people coming to youth group, Bible study, or to see our kids - and just lingering and even spending the night. We are very grateful for this house that can accommodate guests and visitors on short notice. We are praying about how we can continue to host youth ages 16 to 20 on different occasions with meals and fellowship to build a Bible study group of that age.  

We praise God:

• Kayla found a new best friend, who is also here from Cobb County Georgia! God is so amazing to bless both girls with company. 

• Our oldest son Joshua was able to fix the car himself when it broke down. Who taught him that?? Only God. 

• Freedom was able to visit his mom in Puerto Rico and meet other believers and missionaries there. 

• Provision during a difficult time and provision for next year’s SmartBox events.

We are praying for:

•  Some paperwork to come quickly in the States for us to finalize Freedom’s permanent status here. We’ve had delays and he is currently on a limited time here so this is a big prayer request.

• Our son Jonathan to be guided on his next steps as an adult as it pertains to work and study. 

• Our small group at home for young adults to begin and flourish.

• That our artwork would become a source of income for our family.

Eager Expectation

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been meditating on two words, Eager Expectation. I noticed these two words when I was studying the book of 1 John. 

“And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3

The words themselves produced such a deep longing in me that I probably took an audible inhalation when I first noticed them. Truth be told, I take very loud deep breaths. There’s a reason for that. 

I suffered for many years trying to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder and its effect on my body. My main complaint was, “I can’t breathe!” Many people would kindly encourage me to, “just breathe.” I can’t explain why I just would choke on my own breath. It went on and off like this for over 15 years. 

The only thing that finally helped was talking. A circle of women committed to meeting together weekly for a time. It took 2 years. I called this group The Boo-Hoo Club because our main goal was to listen to each other's stories but there were always tears. And we all promised each other that we would just listen and care. We allowed emotions to come up and we gave them a name, a very important thing when you are healing. This was when I learned that phrases like, “I felt like they didn’t care,” aren’t feelings, but “I felt insignificant,” are. 

It was a revelation. I discovered a little more about me, about these women. And as we uncovered caves of trapped emotions, we named them and let some light into them. Gave them a new name. It was a very creative process. We could begin to see ourselves and God’s hand more clearly. We were revealed to ourselves and to each other. I’ve heard it said that we are wounded in community and therefore must heal in community. 

Here’s the context to that verse I shared:

“Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. All who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:2-3

It seems common to me that when you find these words, eager expectation in the Bible, it is referring to understanding more of who we are to him, and what he really is like. A deep revelation that all creation is waiting for. 

“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” Romans 8:19

During the Apostle Paul’s most trying times, while he was in prison awaiting a trial that might lead to death, he penned a letter to the believers in Philippi. Ironically, the book of Philippians is also known as “The Epistle of Joy.” This is what he had to say about it all:

“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” Philippians 1:20 

So now also. How I wish I would have learned this sooner. There were days, anxiety sufferers know this, that I felt as though I was going to die just trying so hard to breathe. The simplest and essential of all human acts felt so hard for me.  So also now. Even in the moments we are held prisoner. So. Also. Now. He is in that tough moment. 

You can confidently trust him. He has a plan that death cannot destroy. You can handle those dark caves in your soul. Name them, let light in, and recreate them. Let God reveal to you who you truly are, what you really feel if you are honest, what makes you afraid and why, and that he wants you to belong deeply. 

“As always…” There are things that will not change but only get better. Or at least will get resolved one day. And he will get the glory because he is good, kind, and trustworthy. I no longer struggle to breathe. At least not like I used to. The Lord, through The Boo-Hoo Club and art making, has truly helped me heal. I can spot an emotion trying to turn into a cave and stop it in its tracks. My advice to anyone who feels stuck in any way isn’t “just breathe.” My advice is, to let light shine on it.  

Many blessings,

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