Hard Soil, Guarded Heart, and Discouragement
This country is a dry place. The ground is rocky and dusty. There is little rain, and the brief green of the spring is ushered out by the summer sun. It’s hard not to draw spiritual parallels between the physical land and the hearts of people. For our team, reaching and connecting with women has been especially challenging and discouraging. Although Arab women are highly relational, they often have a small inner circle and high walls. I’ve been told by girls that “the honor of the family rests on the women.” Their reputations are everything. Who they hang out with, where they go, how late… Read more
First Time Working With Women in a Situation of Prostitution
I went to my first outreach. Every week, our team goes to the historic center to visit our amadas (beloved women), talk with them, pray with them, and write down their needs so we can help meet them if possible. It was very hard to see so many precious women in a situation of prostitution due to the difficult economic situation and the machismo that are present in Ecuador. But at the same time, I felt very strongly from the Lord that this is exactly what He wants me to be doing and this is exactly where He wants me to be. Drawing near to the amadas, sitting with them, listening to them, and… Read more
God's Majlis (Living Room)
My country in the Middle East is known as one of the most hospitable and friendly in the region. The local people are known to welcome foreigners into their home and invite them to participate in their culture. A common way to do this here is to invite someone into your home, but specifically the front living room known in Arabic as the majlis. In a typical majlis, there are cushions on the floor that line the walls of the room. There might be a small table or ottoman in the middle for serving food. Guests take their shoes off before entering the majlis and make themselves… Read moreFebruary means…1 year in Ecuador!!
A Newsletter of Reflection over the Past Year Wow! I can’t believe I’ve already been her for a whole year! I can still remember the first weeks being here with such clarity. It’s crazy to look back on the first days that I arrived when I couldn’t even order food, and now I can hold entire conversations in Spanish! I definitely think language is where I’ve seen the most change over the last twelve months. But outside of language, I’ve seen other growth and stretching too. I’ve seen people come and go from Ecuador. I’ve learned how to make friends, even when I know it’s short term. I’ve also… Read moreRamadan Kareem (رمضان كريم), Eid Mubarak (عيد موبرك), Happy Easter!
Since my last update, Ramadan started and ended, concluding with Eid al Fitr. Most of the country fasted from sunrise to sundown for all of March, abstaining from all food, drink, and other activities and practices to devote themselves to God. My second Ramadan was similar to the first: slow, quiet days; closed businesses and later starts; intense afternoon traffic; and active nightlife. In Islam, the good deeds (called Hasanat) that will be weighed against the bad at the end of your life are considered weightier or worth more during the holy month, so people are extra-mindful of the commands… Read more
Fasting For His Return
After a year and a half of preparation, I made it to my placement! I arrived in the Middle East almost two weeks ago and since then, I’ve been acclimating to my new home. I spent most of my first week here sleeping to help my body adjust to the new time zone. But now that my sleep schedule is in order, I’ve been itching to get out and explore. I’ve been able to explore some since being here, but most of it will have to be put on hold until the month of Ramadan is over. I arrived in the Middle East during Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, and during this month… Read more
Please, read this book.
As part of cross-cultural training before leaving for the field, I had to read “When Helping Hurts” by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. It’s an incredible book that provides a true definition of poverty, explains why many of our attempts to alleviate poverty end up making the situation worse, and shows how poverty can truly be alleviated without causing so much harm. It was special for me to read it because I had the opportunity to hear Brian Fikkert introduce all these ideas at my church's Culture Conference last year. What I learned most from this book was the following: 1)… Read more