The beginning of a chapter...

Well here it is! After planning this for almost a year and a half I have finally arrived in Ecuador again! For those of you who do not know, this is my third time in Ecuador. The first time was back in 2005 when I came with my church for a two week missions trip. That was when I felt that maybe God was going to bring me back here. After returning home I was encouraged to go back and so planned another trip for 2007. By March of 2007 I knew that God was calling me into a life of cross-cultural ministry and I went to Ecuador the second time with the hope of exploring the country, the culture, and the different ministries that are going on down here.

Upon returning to Canada after 6 months in South America I enrolled at Columbia Bible College with the intention of learning more about the Bible and drawing closer to God. I am just beginning my third year of the intercultural studies program, and boy has it been an adventure getting here.

I applied to come to Ecuador with Action International. They have an emphasis on children and youth in crisis and I was certain that this was what I wanted to do. I was told that I was going to also be teaching English which I thought would be fun. So to get some practice I began to volunteer at Christian Life Assembly as an English teacher for three hours a week. Every class was a highlight of the week and I fell in love with teaching. The main draw for me is the quick connections I can make with people from all over the world just by discussing the use of my native language. It is an amazing tool for ministry that should never be overlooked.

So the time came for me to leave for Ecuador and it was amazing what emotions I experienced through the whole thing. After getting back from my last trip to Ecuador I mostly focused on the things I missed. I thought about the weather, the friendly people, the amazing biodiversity, and the cultural heritage of a place that, in many areas, has gone almost completely untouched for centuries. When I finally got my hands on a ticket my attitude changed entirely. I was remembering all the uncomfortable parts of being down here. The food is different, Spanish is not even close to being a language that I would call myself fluent in, there is crime everywhere, people drive however they please, and let's not get started on pollution. I was scared. Actually scared. I was sitting in the airport and I found myself shaking with the knowledge that soon I was going to be thrust into a situation over which I had little control. I was going to have to meet all new people, live in a brand new place, and get used to a whole new routine (and I love my routine!).

            I got to the airport and walked through customs without being asked a single question. What a blessing! But then I got over to the baggage claim. It was crazy! The plane we came in on was huge and there seemed to be no limit to how many bags one could check (I checked three and never paid a fee). Eventually everyone was gathering their bags and walking away, but I was left there with only one of the three bags I was waiting for. After nearly 45 minutes of waiting for my bags and watching the same 10 bags go round and round, my bags appeared out of nowhere. I was so thankful!
            Mark Summers, the director of Action Ecuador was waiting for me and we went right over to his house where his wife, Nancy had just cooked a delicious dinner. Then it was off to my apartment to settle in. The apartment is beautiful. You come in to a living area that is fully furnished. To the left is the kitchen with a small alcove with a working area, ideal for homework. To the right of the living room is a hall with a bathroom, a storage room, and my bedroom. I unpacked and tried to make the place feel like home. After a long shower I hit the hay and got some needed rest.

This morning I got up and headed to the Alliance Academy with Mark to drop off his kids. Then we went over to the Action Ecuador office and I sat in on a Bible class and then an English class that is being taught by a man named Samuel who is here from Kenya.

By the time lunch rolled around my attitude had done a full 180 degree turn around. I haven't thought about the things that were making me shake with fear in the airport even once. In fact, it has felt like coming home. Like Ecuador was put on hold while I was away and I am picking up where I left off. I can't help but realize how much of my experience weighs on my attitude. Am I going to choose to adopt an attitude of fear and let Satan get the best of me? Or am I going to put on an attitude of love and joy and let God use me in whatever situation I encounter? I choose the latter. This is the beginning of a chapter, and I want it to be a good one.