Lovingkindness:

So I've been reading through the Psalms and I noticed a few things. In Psalm 107 there was four different scenarios (hunger and thirst, difficult work, death, fright/shipwreck). In each of those scenarios, the Lord delivers them and then it says (each time): Oh, that these men would praise the Lord for his lovingkindness and for all His wonderful deeds.

Then at the beginning of Psalm 118 it says, let them praise the Lord with these words: His lovingkindness is forever.

And in Psalm 136 at the end of each of the 26 verses, it says: for His lovingkindness continues forever.

The Amazing Race

So I am in Peru and for the summer, and more interns come down to help out with all the teams that we have. This year, 12 interns came down for the summer. 6 for Peru and 6 for Ecuador. And for ‘initiation’ we have this thing called “The Amazing Race” [which is not to be confused with “The World Race,” which I just went on last year]

Here is out team -> 

The Amazing Race was 10 days long and each day we were with different interns, so that we could get to know each other. So the race was based on individual points, added up at the end of the day, according on what place you can in that day.

We were in Peru for the first two day and did all types of activities and then went all around Ecuador to do crazy amounts of activities.

we surfed: 

on water AND sand ;) 

we did a lot of crazy activities that were so amazing! ate silly things, like chicken feet, cow stomach, chicha (everyone chews a mouthful of yucca and then spits it into a bowl and then drinks it), wild boar, palm beetles, and so many other things! we harvested and packaged bananas (that might be at your local supermarket right now! haha) like, we did SO MANY things :) 

 this was the "Leap of Faith" which was so LEGIT! loved it!!!

 and it all comes back to prayer and thanking God for allowing us to do such an amazing job and for keeping us all safe! what a great experience and time to bond with my newest family :D

Missions School

Jungle village #4 – Huaticocha

This was the place where I spent the majority of my time in Ecuador. We built this structure! (starting in the top left and going clockwise). This is the boys dorm building. There is going to be a girls dorm, directors home, school, and church, and prayer hut built in the future, so there is still a lot of work going to be done! This is a Missions Training School, which is for the people in the jungle to attend for two years. Then, once they graduate, they will be sent BACK into the jungle (to unreached people groups and tribes) and start churches!! This is such an amazing dream that is happening here!

In the back part of the property is a place where they will have a HUGE garden, which will provide food for the students. We took machetes through the whole area to chop down the high grass. You need to do it about every month and a half and SNAP, it was a LOT of work, but so much fun! I love chopping down huge things in the jungle!  

 Here is a video about the Missions School: http://vimeo.com/37534308

mud and white socks

Jungle village #3: Peas (sounds like Paos)

What a legit place! It was so great to be here! An hour canoe ride in and the village was about 30 or 40 people. It was a small place. The kids! I LOVED THEM! Swam in the river [scary at first, b/c I’m in the jungles, so anacondas and boas are common], but I did it and had a BLAST! We played in the mud too! and so much soccer! Oh I want to go back there SO BAD! 

(the one girl behind me washed one of my socks and I washed the other...guess which one is which...haha!)

They are meeting at one family’s house for church and it is great to see all the people coming out! In a month they are going to have 8 people baptized and 3 wedding ceremonies! These people are hungry for Jesus Christ and for His Love! It is so great and I love it!

They are meeting at one family’s house for church and it is great to see all the people coming out! In a month they are going to have 8 people baptized and 3 wedding ceremonies! These people are hungry for Jesus Christ and for His Love! It is so great and I love it!

There are so many unreached people groups here in Amazon. Pray that the Lord would send out more workers. [Luke10:2]

local's paint

So a typical missionary is known to paint. You know what I’m talking about: whenever you go on a missions trip, whether international or national...you ALWAYS paint, like the whole time. Well, I am here to inform you that if the missionaries don’t paint, then the locals do. haha! Who would have thought?!

And I sorta understand why: it’s the easiest thing to do and you can’t really mess up. And when there is a whole group of missionaries, it goes quickly. But when the locals do it, it takes forever because there isn’t a HUGE group, sometimes it’s just 2 to 5 locals painting and it TAKES FOREVER. does this look very fun --->

So the next time you go on a missions/volunteer trip and have to paint, don’t complain. Know that if you DON’T paint, then the locals have to do it. 

Reunion

Jungle community #2: El Reten

So a year and two months ago, I was in a little village in the jungles of Ecuador called El Reten when i was on the World Race.

Well, it just so worked out that I was able to SURPRISE visit them! It was only for a day and night, but it was legit and worth it! I’ll for sure be visiting them again in the future, for a longer amount of time!

Here are some of the people in the community, (the first picture on the left is a very important family)

If you followed my blog last year for the world race, you might remember them, well this picture may help, remember her?

Her name is Betsy, if you don’t remember her, refresh yourself with this blog “Tio Bryan” http://brentfrederick.theworldrace.org/?filename=im-an-uncle

This is her brother, Michel Jordan:

And this is their new baby sister, who is named Kenya. OUR TEAM was in Kenya when they had their baby and they wanted to name their baby after our team, because we had so much of an impact on them! Wowzers! 

This reunion was so legit!! Definitely orchestrated by God :)

we go to church in rain-boots

My first jungle visit: Higuerones

This was a cool village! It was a 2 hours mule ride in, during the rainy season. I’ve never trusted mules so much in my life! snap they are smart, and mine didn’t fall over, so I was counted fortunate :)

It was a small community. Each of the house are about a five to fifteen  minute walk through the muddy path, but praise the Lord for rain boots! We picked beans, peas, watermelon , peanuts (and just so you know, peanuts are the ROOTS!) and so much of the other stuff is growing in the huge farm (in the jungle). Also, milked cows by hand, bathed in the river, normal jungle stuff ;)

then we had a chance to speak to their church, which was legit! They are also building another church, which is so cool! It’s amazing how God is working in the jungles here in Ecuador!