August Breakthroughs
It’s been a long month and this is a long newsletter, but it’s worth the read! I hope you find time to sit down and catch up on what the Lord is doing here in Quito, Ecuador!
Take Two: Cuicocha Edition
In November of last year, my best friend and coworker, Anastasia, and I attempted to hike Cuicocha. Key word: attempted. The trail is a 12 km (about 7.5 mile) loop around a crater lake. We hiked for about two hours and only made it to kilometer marker three before a storm rolled in. Honestly, I was relieved—it felt like an excuse to stop, because at that point I thought I was about to collapse. It was one of the most difficult hikes I had ever done. We debated whether to push forward or turn back, but then lightning struck and God made the decision for us. I felt both disappointed and relieved. I had never not finished a hike before, but deep down, I wasn’t sure I even had the strength to finish it.
Fast forward to this August: we decided to try again, this time with a group of friends. From the start, I noticed a difference. The hike was still tough, but I didn’t need nearly as many breaks. In just over an hour, we reached kilometer marker three—about half the time it had taken us the year before! Not only did we move faster, but we finished the entire loop! Crossing that finish point felt incredible, like finally beating something that had once defeated me.
As I hiked, I couldn’t help but reflect on my first attempt at Cuicocha and the past year and a half in general. When I first arrived, everything felt impossibly hard. I couldn’t even order my own lunch for the first two months! Every aspect of daily life felt insurmountable by myself. But God. Looking back, I can see how He has carried me. By His grace, I’ve learned enough Spanish not only to order food but also to have meaningful gospel conversations. I’ve figured out how to read bus maps and barter at markets (though I still get overcharged more often than not, haha).
Sometimes I get so caught up in what God is doing around me that I forget what He’s doing in me. This hike was a reminder of that—of His faithfulness, His strength in my weakness, and His ability to carry me beyond what I think I can do. Cuicocha, for me, has become more than a hike. It’s a physical example I can look back on to see God’s grace displayed in my life.
“I’m Scared of Dying”
This month, during one of our weekly outreaches, I experienced one of my first breakthroughs. For months I’ve been working to build relationships with the women we serve. Most of my conversations have been simple—asking about their day, their children, their work—as my Spanish slowly improves and my vocabulary expands. It hasn’t always felt like much, but it’s been the foundation.
On this particular day, I was with my coworker Vero. Her job is to focus on meeting urgent needs, and when we can’t meet them ourselves, she connects the women with other resources. Whenever I’m paired with her, the women usually flock to us, eager to see what she can do to help. My role often shifts into listening, praying alongside her, and learning from her example.
But there’s one group—about four women—who never want to talk to us. No matter how many times we visit or meet their needs, they remain distant. Sometimes, they’ll even walk away when they see us coming! My heart has been especially burdened for them. I’ve spent hours praying specifically for this group, asking God to open a door. Because how could we ever share the gospel if they wouldn’t even give us the time of day?
So on this day, Vero and I approached them as usual, starting with the basics: “How are you? How’s work? How are your children?” We shared our verse of the week. And then, something unexpected happened. One of the quieter women suddenly spoke up: “I’m scared of dying.”
Her words stunned me. Before I could even respond, another woman added, “I’m not scared of dying, but I’m scared of what comes after. I’ve been working in prostitution and living a life of sin for years. When I stand before God, He’s going to throw* me into hell.”
*The Spanish word she used for “throw” was “echar” which has a stronger connotation than our English version. In Spanish “echar” is a word usually associated with trash being “thrown out”. Her image of God was one of rejection, of her being cast away as worthless.
In that moment, I realized: this was the breakthrough I had been praying for. Normally, Vero leads our conversations, but this time I was able to step in. I led the discussion and answered their questions—entirely in Spanish—for nearly an hour as we talked about sin and shame, conviction and repentance, and most importantly, Jesus’ heart for them.
Surprisingly, through this conversation, I also came to realize that one of these women already knows Christ. Her soul is safe, though she’s still struggling with the flesh. I’ve been praying specifically for her— Amada C*. I pray God would not only provide her the resources to leave prostitution but empower her to be a witness to other women in prostitution until that moment comes.
Since that day, I’ve noticed a shift. This group that once actively avoided us is beginning to engage, often with challenging and difficult questions. Please continue to pray—that the Lord would speak through me to answer these questions, that He would soften their hearts to hear his truth, and that these women would come to know his love that does not cast away, but welcomes in.
Sorry this was such a long newsletter, but God has really been doing a lot recently and I wanted to share the blessing of August with you all. Our God is one who listens and answers prayers. So on that note, I’ll wrap it up with answered prayers and ongoing prayer requests!
Answered Prayers
• The blessing of the Emergency Relief Grocery Cards and those who continue to donate to provide for these cards
• Being able to host people in my new apartment
• A new alliance with an organization who can offer additional training and programs to our women
• Seeing response in our women to God and what He is doing through us
• The breakthrough with Amada C* and her coworkers
• Continuing to improve in Spanish
• Our School Supply Distribution event (more on this in the next newsletter!)
Prayer Requests
• For all of our Amadas searching for new jobs and opportunities
• For God to continue strengthening the faith of Amada C* so that she can be a light to the women who work with her
• For our women to see their need for Jesus and his love
• For the Lord to use me and speak through me, especially during hard questions that I may not know the answer to
• For God’s strength for the team as we pursue his will for our ministry
• For financial support and sustainability so I can stay in Ecuador!