CREATIVITY AT WORK
from sketches to masterpieces
Eyes to see and ears to hear…
We have been teaching teens and young adults about having spiritual senses. During a recent bible study, I shared about spiritual insight, discernment, and having “eyes to see.” My primary reference was Matthew 13, where Jesus taught the crowds through parables. After the parable of the sower, the disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” To which Jesus replied,
“Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them."
My question was, why would the Lord give to some and not others? The answer is reasonably simple yet profound. God gives to everyone, and abundantly so. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...," For an earthly king, the kingdom is everything. It's his world. And the king's son is the hope and glory of that kingdom. So, how much more did God give when he gave Jesus to us? Jesus is God's ultimate personal gift to mankind. But what we do with that gift will determine our experience with the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. When Jesus said that "the knowledge of the secrets" was given, he was referring to the revelation of who he is to the people of his kingdom. This is huge! Many attend church for many reasons. Yet if it's not to partake in the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, the gift of Jesus will not be received fully. In other words, Jesus is partly taken and not partaken. When the Lord gives us knowledge of himself, it must be eagerly absorbed and consumed, empowering us for abundant living. His disciples followed him closely, surrounding him with their devotion, serving and partaking not just of his teachings but of the essence of his life. He is our source and sustenance. We know we have life abundantly when we are overflowing with his life and his gifts. And to those who have eyes to see will see beyond the gift to the giver of the gift, and for those who have ears to hear will hear not only the words of God being preached but the voice of God in the Spirit. And those who have the heart to understand will not only understand but also overcome the world and will also inherit all things of the kingdom of God.
Read 1 John 5:4-5; Revelation 21:7
In conclusion, what does this mean for us as believers and followers of our King, Jesus? It means that we are citizens of heaven and ought to be identified with heavenly things and the fruits of the Spirit. It means we are ambassadors under his authority, to represent him and his kingdom. It's not only about following principles and precepts. We have the blessed honor of glorifying the Lord and his kingdom.
I have so much more to share on this, but I will leave you with Paul's prayer in Ephesians, "...that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." Ephesians 1:18
Entering In.
I was listening to the song “Most Beautiful” sung by Maverick City for my devotional time this morning. At some point, the song refers to the gaze of Jesus whilst on the Cross. It really hit me. His “yes” came at a heavy price. This is one way we know that joy and happiness are two distinct things. Happiness may have joy in it, but joy goes deeper. Joy suffers well. Joy digs deep. Joy looks forward, calling things that are not as though they were, and then waiting for them with unrelenting faith. The joy of Jesus saw your face at Calvary. I don’t know how else to express it, but mothers know, it’s the satisfaction of enduring love, so you can one day gaze into your child’s eyes. The expectant mother must “see” her child and imagine her or him in her arms. Joy from the womb, one may say, awaits and prepares for the greater joy of the tangible and carnate child. Beholding turns into holding.
I believe the Joy of Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit is still waiting to hold you, tangibly, at His table where the place is set for you, by name. We can enter it, past the veil that was torn, which is Jesus' body, into an intimate place with the God of the Universe. It’s a beautiful thing. Why stay afar? Why only touch the hem of his robe? Why not lean on his breast like John (I’m so jealous of him), and listen to the heartbeat of your Maker?
Imagine yourself entering in. The barefoot steps each have a name. Like grass beneath your feet, or sand, breathe in, breathe out. Prayer, Forgiveness, Faith, Acceptance, Love, Desire, Sacrifice…
I don’t know what your steps are. The essentials, I think, are forgiveness and faith. But the point is, enter in. Enter in.
One day, corruptible will be replaced with incorruptible, and he promises a new way to be with Him. Face to face. Beheld, beloved, eyes wide open. Will there be steps to enter in, at that point? Because I think I will rather stay there and never leave. I love the fact that the resurrected Christ ate food, had scars, lingered, taught, and invited Thomas to touch his wounds.
What joy was fulfilled! And yet, He still waits for more guests to come. He is still growing His family. The names are waiting to be written at His table. He said, “Yes.” Won’t you also say “yes”? It cost Him more than we can know. But in just one breath, you can enter deeper still into His love.
Oh, the riches of knowing Him!
Verses that inspired this post:
The veil and the body of Jesus: Hebrews 10:20
John resting on Jesus: John 13:23
Corruptible and Incorruptible: 1 Corinthians 15:53-55
Heavenly Feast: Revelation 19:9
Thomas sees and touches Jesus’ wounds: John 20:27-31
Enduring Joy: Isaiah 51:11; John 15:11; Romans 15:13
Hosting
Papa Wilson (El Maestro) working on the guest room floor.
As I write, we are in the process of helping a fellow missionary named Grace. She is originally from the jungle, and her sister, Ruth, needs a safe place to stay while she starts her college journey. With their budget being only $130 per month, you could imagine that most places within that range are sketchy at best, and dangerous at worst. Our landlord allowed us to use an extra room for storage (Freedom’s woodworking man cave), so we are now working with the family (Ruth’s dad, Wilson) to turn it into a usable bedroom. What a blessing to provide a room for a college student. We know firsthand how it feels to be looking for something good and affordable for our adult sons, and we are eager to serve this way.
Although we are taking a small break this month, we have still been very busy hosting a missionary couple from the jungle for a couple of days, and an intern from the Quito House of Prayer for a month. I remember us offering our space to the Lord and I think that is a prayer He loves to answer.
Beach Retreat: The theme was Holy.
Our team: The Yellow-Spotted Lizards, from the book/movie Holes.
This past weekend, Freedom and I spent 4 days with homeschooled teens at the coast, about 6 hours away. It was an amazing time! We connected with the teens, and some of them dedicated their hearts to Christ, and our relationship with them deepened. Freedom and I were co-leaders for our team of 10 kids (there were 40 kids in total, each team had two leaders). A few of us on our team ended the time in tears because of the love we felt from each other. I know that not all of them truly comprehend yet what their relationship with God is supposed to be, but they surely felt agape love within the group. I would call this time with the homeschoolers a very joyful time in ministry, a sort of mountaintop experience, sharing with them something so precious. We read over the story of the Prodigal Son. When he returned to the Father, he found that he was still a son. His position and what his father called him had not changed. We prayed fervently that the kids would understand what it means to abide, truly abide with Christ. One of the girls who was on my team last year was baptized on the beach and she read her testimony to us. I had no idea that she was in an intense spiritual battle in last year’s retreat. I only felt the battle through extreme anxiety, trials, and emotional ups and downs, and eventually, a couple of us joined in intense prayer over this situation. It turns out that she wanted to kill herself during that retreat. But Jesus… Instead, she died to herself and made Christ her Lord and came back this year to publicly declare that she is a Christian. She credits her team’s extreme love and the patience of the leaders who finally broke through her walls and gave her a reason to desire Christ.
Please pray for Samantha’s walk with Jesus.
Samantha was baptized at the beach.
Ministry Site News
Entrance mural at Carmen Bajo “Regalo de Dios.”
As this is the season for short-term teams, we have been able to help out with some visiting teams at one of our sites. Freedom designed a mural that we accomplished within 5 hours at the Carmen Bajo Center. The Pastor, Fabian, was thankful because he realized that it makes a difference when you have beauty all around you.
Miller working on structure.
We were also invited to join in a home visit that was so sweet, and yet broke our hearts. It was the house (it was just a room, really) of Miller and his mom, plus 3 siblings. We hadn’t seen Miller in several months but did learn that his father had left them to fend for themselves. To survive, the mom told us how she is now a recycler. As she nursed her baby, she said that the kids have to come to work with her. They take turns holding the baby and finding recyclables, and 9-year-old Miller simply must go to work before going to school each day. Miller is a very intelligent boy, who loved coming to art class and church. Last year Miller was using his hands to build a toothpick structure and this year he is picking through trash. The most they can look forward to making on a good day is $10. All we could do was pray and tell him to do his best, that we love him, and that we pray for him by name.
Please pray for Miller and his family.
Jeremiah and Freedom arm wrestling.
There have been many sad things happening as well since January. There have been a couple of robberies in our neighborhood recently and we continue to ask for prayers for safety. Thankfully, most people come and go without a problem. One of the dear ladies from one of our sites was looking for an opportunity to further her studies. She found herself in a bad part of town and was robbed and assaulted. In our furthest site, Gualsaqui, the pastor’s son, lost his girlfriend to a bus accident. And finally, one of the longtime missionaries that we work with, Ron Borman, lost his brother, Randy, to cancer. Randy Borman believed so strongly in the rights of the Cofan tribe and served for decades with them. He even became one of the chiefs when he started his own Cofan community. He is well known for his TED talk about the Cofan people and culture. Pray for his family and especially for his adopted son, a Cofan teen named Jeremiah, who is in a rebellious stage and grieving the loss of his dad. Freedom had a chance to challenge Jeremiah’s jungle strength in an arm wrestling match that he barely won and also spent some time with him.
Be a Night Light.
The screams were heard from our friend’s bagel shop. Our friend, the owner of the shop, went to investigate. He called me over to translate. I hesitated, but then I realized perhaps it was someone who needed a doctor or an ambulance. When I reached the figure slumped on some stairs, I could hear him mumbling. His face had tattoos, and his tattered look showed a rough lifestyle. He was in pain and mentioned someone giving him something - drugs? I couldn’t understand what.
“How can we help? Water? Hospital?” I said.
Then he said, “I’m just going to take my life.”
Almost before I could process, out of my mouth came, “No. In the name of Jesus, you still have life and purpose.”
The mumbling continued but with restraint, trying to hold back rage, until he began to curse God. Calling him a bad Father. He cursed the Holy Spirit, saying that would ensure his damnation because that is the unforgivable sin.
“So, he knows something about scripture,” I thought. An unanchored fragment that brought him little hope and even more determination to pull away from a new beginning.
He said other things toward God that I shouldn’t repeat, and by this time, Freedom came and stood with me. If soundwaves can be felt and seen, I felt and saw them flowing from his mouth. Yet all I could do was remain still and smile. I smiled at the boy within the man—the boy who was abandoned and taken advantage of, all the while he blamed God for all the evil done to him. He walked away.
There was no fear, only compassion. It was surprising. Have you ever felt surprised by the amount of compassion you have felt over a situation? When all reason would tell you to back away, to give up on someone, to save yourself. Yet you keep on believing, hoping, and loving. Perhaps this is what these verses are talking about:
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:6-7
I think it is the life and light of Jesus that abides in us, causing us to feel the heartbeat of a loving and good God. He is still becoming flesh in this world through his people. May we allow his love to overcome fear and let us be a night light for those who are wrestling and groping around in darkness.
Ministry News
Thankfully we are getting all the rain needed and the reservoirs are at capacity with the electricity back to normal.
Ecuador recently had elections and although there was not a definitive decision made, and voting takes place again in April, everything was peaceful. Being an Ecuadorian citizen, I had to travel to the South of Quito where my family used to live and vote there. It was quite an experience. The streets were filled with the smells of food, and entire roasted pigs were on display for the people in the neighborhood who came out to vote, early in the morning.
Since late September, Freedom and I have been traveling to three ministry sites each week to teach Art and English classes. We also have been assisting with the teens on Fridays and Sundays. We have also had the opportunity to bless missionaries in our home. We recently hosted a baby shower for a fellow missionary, with about 40 guests! We were also able to host the staff of End Slavery with a Sabbath time of pottery making.
As we near Spring, Freedom and I are realizing that, thanks to the Lord, SmartBox is growing. Each year I remind our recipient sites that we are only able to provide our educational kits as the Lord provides. And the Lord has provided! This is in large part due to a campaign called Spend Less to Give More, from our sending church, Cumberland Community Church, that runs each November and through the holiday season.
Starting in April, we will be scaling back from visiting sites to start initiating Project SmartBox effectively. We see something interesting happening. Our calendar year is naturally being split in half with about 6 months of visiting sites weekly and 6 months prepping SmartBox hosting events and missionaries. We think this is great. It gives us a connection to our sites but also allows us to serve them in other ways, like murals, art events with visiting teams, and SmartBox distribution.
Ministry Site Updates
Hugs! Hugs! Hugs!
I think by now the kids at our sites know that we are there to love and encourage them. It is very common for kids to run to us and fling themselves into the air to hug us. Thankfully, the ones that do this are small and easily caught! But even the older kids are starting to come for a hug. We have even noticed some teenagers lingering after classes just to talk. We know that our time is limited. Summer is quickly approaching and we don’t shy away from sharing the Gospel and scripture each time we are with our groups. There have been several people we know this year who have lost loved ones. How meaningful are the final words and actions of an eternal soul? We want to take every opportunity to share eternal truths and be very diligent in showcasing the love of God with urgency because time is so very short and precious.
Praise
In January, Freedom was able to travel to the States to take care of our house in Georgia and visit with our sons.
We have been kept safe in all our travels throughout Quito.
We have had some great connections with kids, teens, and staff at our sites.
SmartBox funding has grown and we can serve more kids this summer.
In addition to Spend Less to Give More, we have received generous financial support from the Larson Foundation and The Stonehaven School.
Prayer
It seems that the sale of our house is on pause for now as we look to move Freedom’s mother into our basement apartment. Pray for a blessed transition and that God will continue to provide for us to be able to keep the house.
Our son, Jonathan, decided to stay in Kentucky and continue working for now. He has applied to the University of Cincinnati and we are hoping that he gets into the Fashion program. Please pray that he will feel encouragement and peace in this waiting season.
Our son Joshua is working hard and maintaining himself amidst such a high cost of living. Please pray for safety and continued provision.
Kayla is surrounded by English speakers. We are very thankful for her group of friends but would like for her to learn a little more Spanish. Please pray that she will branch out to make connections when we are at the sites, as those are great opportunities for her. In short, we pray for Spanish-speaking friends for Kayla.
Imago Dei: Freedom is called to do street painting. He would like to sit with people in the street and paint their portraits. We have labored in prayer over this for years and we continue to do so, waiting on the Holy Spirit to put the pieces of this initiative together.
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
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,