After returning from GoWeek, it was time to start truly forming my support team. For the past two months since then, I’ve been having one-on-one meetings to share my story and invite people to join what God is doing in Quito with me. I’ve gotten to spend time with lots of different people in my life, and even more people I’ve been connected to through them! It’s been a huge blessing to receive their support, encouragement, and surprising generosity, and, in many cases, to simply meet them for the first time!
But to be honest, this process has challenged me a lot. I’ve run into my perfectionism, my desire to please people, my need to control more than I really can, and the feeling that what I’m doing isn’t enough. The highs and lows have been intense, and I’m still in the middle of dealing with all of this.
However, over and over again, the Lord—through Deuteronomy 1:29-33 and the patience, love, and wisdom of my parents—has reminded me that it is He Who is leading me, going before me, and in charge of all of this. It is He Who is doing the work and is simply inviting me to be part of it. As one of my favorite Spanish songs says, "I do not seek perfection, nor great execution. My eternal desire has been to have your heart” (translation from Abba, by Majo y Dan). (Click this link to listen to the song).
God has been gently and firmly pressing that lesson into my heart during this entire fundraising season, and I got to see the fruits of it when I visited San Antonio (where I went to college and the first place I found community) to reconnect with my sending church and friends there. I can’t express how beautiful that trip was. I didn’t realize how much I missed my community in San Antonio until I returned and saw them in person again. I wasn’t able to see everyone (I have a lot of friends who moved after graduation too), but I was able to see a lot of people, and I met so many more!
I am extremely grateful for everyone's support, prayers, encouragement, and incredible generosity! They made me feel so loved. Although this journey has been and will continue to be difficult, I know I’m not walking it alone.