So now, as I sit here on the bus heading to the hot springs, my heart is overwhelmed with sadness knowing that I'm leaving these precious children behind. I think of how hard it will be to go back home and live my normal life. Although I will miss Ecuador and the people here dearly, I'm so ready to bring the compassion and love I have experienced here to the ones at home. God is working in each and every one of our lives. Not just here in Carmen Bajo or in Mishawaka, but all around this beautiful earth. All the praise be given to our Creator! For he has given us eternal life and has never ever stopped loving us.
I'm praying that these people in Ecuador continue holding close to God and what he has planned for their lives. I will never forget the precious memories of this adventure. I can't wait for the next TeamEcuador!! :)
For His glory,
Suzie
Hey guys it's Kelly Brooks!
As this amazing trip and experience winds down, I am brought to sadness as I must say goodbye to Ecuador and all of the beautiful people in this country. The men and women in this place were just amazing and such hard workers, it's unbelievable! And the children were so precious and loving. Today I struggled with trying to figure out how exactly to say goodbye to the kids. How do you tell someone so young, someone who means the world to you, that you have to leave, and that you may never see them again. Just thinking of how much they have impacted my life and how long it may be before I see or have any contact with them, brings tears to my eyes.
I am so thankful for the opportunity that God has given me, to reach out to these people, and have them impact my life as well. I have so many things I could share with you and tell you, but I will leave it as this, if I had not listened to God and not have gone on this trip, I would not be the person I am today. I cannot wait until we come back!!:)
Love and miss you all!!
Kelly
Hey everyone it's Louis Cutrona
Rejoice rejoice Emanuel has come! God is truly with with us on this glorious day! The day was once and a lifetime. The day started out as usual. The work crew and I continued to get work done around Pastor Fabian's church which for me consisted of a lot of painting. I may never see the peoples' reaction to the work we have done, but I know they will be amazed and grateful and that alone makes me smile. God's work though was only just beginning. After we were all done with our work and the rest of the team said their last good-byes to the children, which had to have been tough because even I had built a bond with them and didn't work with them, we all went to the hot springs.
The trip to the hot springs was about three hours, but on the way there we got some awesome pizza and stopped at an amazing view point of a snow capped mountain. Through out the whole trip I and the rest of the team have been surrounded by God's majesty and we have all had our breath taken away by it. Anyway, back to the main point. We arrived at the hot springs and we all got in the hot steaming pools of water. It felt incredible after a long week of rock lines, manual labor, and long games of soccer against the Ecuadorian people. Nothing better! Jeff had us all part take in this challenge where you dunk yourself full body into a freezing cold stream and then run and stand back in the hot springs. It was an absolutely exhilarating experience! But God had a greater plan for this trip to the hot springs. He wanted to change peoples lives today and boy did He ever! Three people from our team got baptized while we were there! The people that took this tremendous step of faith were Laura Roinila, Jacob Hambruch, and Erin Steele. I was simply in awe and my whole being just felt joyful! God was truly with us and I can't say how happy I am for all of those kids! After all those baptisms we sang worship songs together and it was absolutely beautiful. I and everyone else were completely overcome with the Holy Spirit! How can you describe seeing three spontaneous baptisms!? God's love is just that powerful and for me that what this whole trip has been about. Whether it is seeing a little kid's big beaming smile or seeing God use this great team of 39 for His glory through our serving, it has all been about doing that in love. I can't think of a better way to show His great and powerful love than through three baptisms that weren't even planned. This trip before all that was awesome to me, but now I can't even completely comprehend what has just happened! All I can say is thank you God for your amazing grace and never ending love. And thank you all back home for your continued prayer and support! I can't wait to come back home tell all of you how unique this trip has been.
God bless all of you,
Louis
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