Ecuador Preteens soon heading to Florida...

Ecuador Preteen soon heading to Florida

Ecuador Trip Reports, Mission Trip Reports

Both today and yesterday we woke up to the base being completely covered in mist/clouds.  The dampness put a chill in the uadorair (even more than usual) and required us to hold personal devos indoors for only the second time this summer.  As the morning progressed and the mist dispersed, it really was a beautiful sight as we find ourselves looking *down* on the clouds in the valley below.

Yesterday we got to stay here at the base for the Boot Camp church service which resulted in our most peaceful Sunday since coming to Ecuador.  (No shuttling of kids and leaders to church in the city starting two hours before service!)  Mr. Ben even included some worship songs in English for us!  A quick walk around camp Sunday afternoon found several relaxing scenes, including Abe, John, Berea and Matthew sitting on the ground playing a makeshift game of “volleyball” using a sawhorse as a net and a squishball for the volleyball; Joelle and Travis sitting at one of the outdoor tables playing a game of chess (with a Conquistador vs Indians chess set someone bought as a souvenir); and Alex and Elijah on the ukulele and Parker and Jeremy on the guitar as they practiced Spanish worship songs with Dario, one of the Boot Camp volunteers.  The Ecuadorian teens wanted Jeremy to join in on violin, but the only violin to be found was too small for him.  Sunday evening was Bible quizzing.  Second round was run by some of the kids who quizzed out first round (Cheese, Abe, Andrew, and Alex).

Bible Study every week night has included topics such as Fear, the Armor of God, Complaining, Controlling Your Temper, Creation/Evolution, King David, Queen Esther, Giving and Sharing, the Attributes of God, Salvation, the Holy Spirit, Jealousy, Jesus, Peer Pressure, Judging, the Power of Praise, and the Power of Prayer.

In the guys’ GG class, they’ve been covering the Fruits of the Spirit. In the girls’ GG class, we’ve covered topics such as self respect and acceptance, being content in Christ, where we set our affections, materialism, fear, worry, anger, reactions vs. responses, depression, and relationships (among others).

The team continues to get up at 5:30 and is ready to judge the OC by 5:45.  They are interacting more and more with the Ecuadorian teams and are making friends in spite of the language barrier.  Earlier in the week our team was invited to join them for their evening rally and to do a presentation.  During team cheer time, our team did their favorite cheer from our BC.  (“Oh no!  Not me!  Miss Piggy’s coming after me!”) Cheese and Darin also shared their testimonies, and Parker closed by thanking the Ecuadorians for being such kind hosts.

Saturday was a full day as the team visited a zoo (Eco Zoologico San Martin); went swimming in a pool filled with hot spring water from Tungurahua, Ecuador’s largest volcano; went hiking up a volcano and across a suspension bridge to a beautiful waterfall (Bella de la Novia); and finally headed back to Banos for dinner and an hour of souvenir shopping before climbing on the bus for our almost three-hour ride back to the base.  During our drive we stopped to watch a few brave souls zip line between cliffs (and had to keep Miss Kim from getting off the bus and joining them!)

The kids are starting to get excited about heading back to Florida for debrief, while at the same time knowing they’ll miss their new friends and the beauty of Ecuador.  After all the work the team put into getting the OC ready for the Ecuadorian teens, judging the OC, and spending free time getting to know the team members, they are happy that we’ll get to stay long enough for this Boot Camp’s Commissioning service on Wednesday night.  Following the service, we will bus to the airport in Quito where we will spend the night before boarding our early-morning flight back to the States.  Please pray that we will finish our time here well, continuing to press on toward the goal of completing everything the Lord has for us while we are here.  We’d also appreciate prayers for a peaceful pack-out day and uneventful travel.  Next report….Florida!  ~Celeste

“I’ve learned to be faithful and not to complain.” ~ Abraham

“God taught me to not fight back to people or get revenge.”  ~Matthew

“God taught me to be thankful for the food we get to eat three times a day.” ~Travis

“I’ve learned to trust God more, and if he wants you to have something, then He will give it to you.” ~ Darin

“We went shopping for souvenirs, and it was really fun.  I bought two knives.” ~Seth

“We went to Banos to see the rivers and waterfalls and other cool things!” ~Elijah

“Got an awesome knife.  Got a ring.  Fell in the slough.”  ~Cheese

“I love all the opportunities for evangelism we have had.  It’s really fun to judge the OC.  I can’t wait to get home.  I also got an ostrich burger.”  ~Andrew

“I’ve learned to be patient and not to complain about English.” ~ Kymberly

“We went to Banos and ate sugar cane.  I got three knives.” ~ Parker Hayes

“I played my ukulele and sang with one of the Boot Camp teams in English and Spanish.” ~Alex

“They have the best hot dogs over here!  The souvenir shopping was fun, as was evangelizing.” ~Faith

“God taught me to be thankful for three meals a day, and to pray for my grandma that has breast cancer.” ~Garrett

Ecuador shares with children...

Friday several members of the team finally got to use the skills they learned in the cement class at Boot Camp as they mixed and poured cement for part of the Obstacle Course.  Elijah was excited to get pulled from a job to help Mr. Chris with welding some beams for another part of the OC.  By Saturday, all the work on the OC was done except for filling the slough with water….one bucket at a time…which they did today (Monday).

Saturday was our sightseeing day, but we spent the morning visiting Compassion International’s base in Quito and learning about their ministry there.  We came during the last day of a soccer tournament they were hosting, so following an outdoor puppet presentation, the team kept busy making balloons for the lines of kids, passing out Gospel coloring books, and having balloon “sword” fights with the kids.  PQ, Garrett, Joelle, Rachel, Cheese (Josh), Payton, Jeremy, Bada, Abraham, and Payton made balloon “sculptures” for the very first time.  Faith learned how to make dogs, Berea figured out how to make teddy bears, and Rachel figured out how to make flowers.  (Miss Tisha was dubbed the “balloon doctor”, as she tried to fix partially deflated balloons!)  Balloon swords were definitely the hottest item of the day!  Matthew and Darin were recruited by Compassion staff to pass out food and cold drinks to visitors.  John showed his generosity by using his own money at the snack shop there to buy candy to pass out to the kids.  Kymberly, Joelle, Alex, Elijah, Payton, Silas, Darin, and Abraham were chosen to play a pick-up soccer game with some of the Compassion kids.  (They were divided up so North Americans and Ecuadorians made up both teams.)  Silas, Darin and Payton all scored goals!

Saturday after lunch we headed to Mitad del Mundo (the equator) and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon souvenir shopping at the many shops and posing for pictures with one foot in the northern hemisphere and one foot in the southern hemisphere!  We noticed “vegetarian platter” on the sign at one of the first restaurants we passed, so Berea’s travel group made sure to take her there for dinner.  (Berea is the lone vegetarian on the team.)  Bada was the only team member to order guinea pig for dinner, and he says it was great!  Almost everyone else chose to order cheeseburgers and fries from the place next door.  (Speaking of burgers, the kids wanted me to mention something we should have shared in our first update from the field:  When we stopped to eat on our way from the airport to the base, Garrett, Seth, Travis, Silas, Andrew, Abraham, Rachel and Payton enjoyed their first ever ostrich burger!)  Knives seemed to be the most popular souvenir bought (all of which were promptly handed in until after Debrief) though some of the team also discovered a music shop at Mitad del Mundo.  Matthew has been “serenading” his dorm with his new recorder, though he hasn’t been persuaded to play for the rest of us…yet!

Sunday we did a presentation at another church in Latacunga which was very well received.  The woman who arranged for us to come the church is the host of a Christian TV program in Ecuador which airs every Sunday.  She also happens to be a Former Team Member and BMW student, having gone through Boot Camp here at the base in Ecuador.  She is bringing her TV crew here tomorrow to film the Ecuadorian teens who just arrived for Boot Camp Sunday evening.  Our kids are very excited about getting to serve as judges and encouragers as the teams start running the OC this afternoon. It’s been fun for the kids to see their Ecuadorian counterparts going through the Boot Camp classes today that they themselves went through only a few short weeks ago.

The kids were excited when Miss Celeste and Miss Tisha opened up a camp store where they can buy treats like cookies, crackers, and juice boxes, as well as necessities like toothbrushes, toothpaste, chapstick and water bottles.  We continue to enjoy lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs from the local market.  So far the team’s favorite meals have been spaghetti with salad and garlic bread, tacos, and taco soup.  And bacon!  Bacon for breakfast, bacon in BLTs and leftover bacon in pretty much anything!  The team is in for a treat when they find out Miss Tisha, Kymberly and John are making cinnamon rolls to go with our hot chocolate tonight.  :-)  Our kitchen is a large one-room building with windows stretching all the way across all four walls (which are wonderful both for the amazing view and for keeping an eye on kids!).  Last night the lady leaders and KP kids had an amusing sight while making dinner.  Bada, Matthew and Silas stood outside peering in the window just beyond our stove, holding up signs such as “SOS” and “Save Our Stomachs” as they waited for dinner to be ready.  They were quite entertaining!

Mr. Chris, Mr. Erik, and some of the team have been working to put in a hot water heater today so we might finally be able to start taking showers!  (If the drains cooperate.) Or, at the very least, we’ll be able to get hot water directly from the bathroom for our bucket baths instead of having every burner in the kitchen being used to heat water all day every day!

Our bikes came back from the repair shop today so the team is looking forward to getting back to pedaling instead of hiking!

Please pray that we will not grow weary but will finish well the race that’s before us.  One of our Bible studies last week was on Esther.  The kids participated really well and seemed to grasp the importance of our being here for “such a time as this”, just as Queen Esther was.  We don’t want to miss out on anything the Lord wants to do in us or through us while we’re here.  Thank you for your continued prayers!  ~Celeste

QUOTES:

“Wednesday was my favorite day because I got to translate and several kids accepted Christ.  And we got to play basketball with them!”  ~ John

“Going to church and doing the presentations are fun.  Standing on either side of the equator was too!”  ~Kymberly

“I’m learning patience ‘cuz I’m normally really scheduled, and here every day can be different.  But then I realize it’s not in my hands, so I just put it in God’s hands.  I’ve learned that you can share anywhere.  Our mission isn’t only here.  Our mission can be our friends back home.” ~Rachel

“I think it’s interesting that you can be driving and be in a poor area and then a few minutes later, you’re in a wealthier area.  But it seems like the poor have more than the rich in a way.” ~Andrew

“I’ve learned that I can do things even though they might be hard.  God has taught me that I don’t need to be homesick, because if I’m a believer I don’t have to be afraid.  He’ll take care of my family and me and everyone else’s families.  That’s how I got over homesickness.” ~Dean

“I enjoy the view and going to villages.  I’m excited that we’re going to run (judge) the obstacle course.”  (Did you like the OC at Boot Camp?)  “Yeah….but I fell in the slough a lot!” ~Matthew

“I enjoyed my cheeseburger and fries!” ~Garrett

“I’m learning that we have it a lot easier in America–in pretty much every way.” ~Seth

“The Lord has taught me it’s a lot more work here.  In America, it’s pretty much easier to get work done because we have more money to buy machinery to do work.  It’s fun here.  I liked the sightseeing day and I like all the BMW students here.  And I like evangelizing the kids, seeing all the kids with smiles on their faces.  Even if we’re making fools of ourselves and they’re just laughing at us, it’s nice to see smiles on their faces!”  ~Darin

“God’s spoken to me because I’ve been thinking about that sermon from Boot Camp where he talked about ending relationships that have a negative influence on us.  I thought about the fact that, like being a missionary overseas, I can be a missionary at home.  You don’t have to go far to change people’s lives.” ~ Cheese

“One of my favorite things was building the OC.  I’m looking forward to getting to judge it.  Mr. Ben said I might be able to judge the slough or the 5 D’s, which will be the funniest parts!” ~Spark Plug (Travis)

“I’ve learned that basically, we’re helpless.  We’re sinners and we can’t do anything on our own.  In the comfort of our houses in America, we don’t realize we need Him because of all the luxuries we have.  We’re very ‘gourmet’ at home, but here we’re ‘spartan’.  Here we realize that even with our luxuries at home, we still need Jesus.” ~Faith

As kids were discussing the difference between life at home and life here:  “We rely more on technology than the Holy Spirit.” ~Cheese

Ecuador Update!!

Ecuador Update
Ecuador Trip Reports, Mission Trip Reports
Hello to our family & friends,
Today the sun is shining & the wind is blowing off & on.  It is a little cool, but hoping it will warm up by the afternoon.
Tuesday was a work day at the base for the team.  The team has been working on finishing up the new obstacle “5 D’s of the Devil”, getting the tent site ready for boot camp tents, painting & fixing the fence around the tent sites for Boot camp.  Alex & Andrew served KP on Tuesday.  We had a lot of fun especially when Alex made a funny comment while Miss Kim was drinking her tea.  Yes, tea came spraying out of her mouth.  The boys love it so much they decided to try it again, but Miss Kim was on her guard.
Wednesday was a work day in the morning & presentation time in the afternoon.  The bikes are still under repair, so the team along with Mr. Chris, Mr. Eric & Miss Celeste walked down the road to a village one & a half miles from the base to share the gospel.  Around 40 kids showed up for the presentation.  Dean & Seth loved being able to interact with the kids & share Christ with them.  The hike back up to the base from the village was all up hill.  Bada commented on changing the name of the team from Ecuador Bike to Ecuador Backpack. Matt & Berea learned from the trip to the village, that we are so fortunate to live in America, with all the stuff we have, that we really don’t need.  We are very blessed.  KP today was Garrett & Darin.  Even thought they didn’t get to go to the village this time, they enjoyed the quietness of the team being gone.
Thursday is another work day for the team.  Jeremy & Faith have KP today & have been a great help with breakfast this morning.  Joelle, Rachel, John & Kym are setting up tents for the upcoming boot camp.  Abraham, Elijah, PQ & Travis have said they are learning patience as they work on various jobs & learning their memory verses.
The team’s health has been wonderful, just a few sniffles, but nothing major.  We have been blessed with great health & wonderful weather.  It is hard to believe we only have 13 days left here at the base.
Please continue to keep our team in your prayers.  Below are some testimonies from the team members.
Team testimonies: What has God shown you since you have been in Ecuador?
Josh (aka Cheese): When I was at home I didn’t really care about my family, but now I have been gone, God has shown me how important they are to me.  I’m going to appreciate them more when I get home.
Silas: I know God has sent me here for a purpose, not sure exactly what that purpose is, but I know He will show me before we leave.
Payton: God has shown me devotion time is very important.  I’m learning a lot of things to help me with my walk from the “Keys for Kids” devotional I read every morning.

Another Update from PQ's team in Ecuador!

Since our last update, the team has kept very busy working on the OC and evangelizing.  They dug out post holes and a trench for the 5 D’s of the Devil; expanded the Red Sea; cleared out the Slough of Despond; cleared a large field to prepare the tent site for the Ecuadorian teens who will be arriving for Boot Camp; and washed, prepped, and painted the front wall and railing of the veranda.  They’ve also hiked further up the mountain twice and done several presentations plus door-to-door evangelism with Benjamin, the coordinator of the base here.  Everyone wants John to be with them, since he is fluent in Spanish!  But even without a translator, the kids are learning that smiling and friendliness are universal languages.

A local family brought a truck load of alpaca blankets, sweaters, hats, scarves, etc. to the base over the weekend.  The team enjoyed shopping for warm things to wear, and in the evenings, I think we now look like we could be on an Alaska team!

On Sunday, the team alternated between riding bikes and riding in the truck into Latacunga where we spent the day between two different churches.  One leader (Mr. Chris or Miss Celeste) always rode with the kids and/or on a motorcycle next to them, and the cyclists were led and escorted by Ben and BMW students on motorcycles.  The whole group was followed by the rest of the leaders in the truck taking up the rear.  Riding bikes has proved a challenge here, and the kids were very happy that they could trade places with someone in the truck and take a breather whenever needed.  The team got to experience the difference between an urban church and a Quechua Indian church in a more rural area of Latacunga.  Their presentations at both churches included music, testimonies, and puppets, and were well-received in both congregations.

Yesterday (Monday), a team of North American physicians and nurses came and used the base to set up a clinic for the local people.  They offered to see any members of our team before patients arrived, and we were happy to make use of their services!  A few cases of chapped lips, sunburn, and one sprained knee were looked at, and we were told to continue with our current treatment (chapstick, vaseline, sunscreen, and an Ace wrap).  (The sore knee has not stopped anyone from playing soccer with the locals or slowed down hiking to the village above us!)  It’s hard to convince some of the kids that even though it’s cold here, they need to apply sunscreen (even to their lips!) several times a day!  Praise the Lord that are kids with asthma have had NO issues with the high elevation!

As promised, here is some information about your kids’ leaders:

Christopher Chadwick (Head Leader):  Chris grew up as a missionary kid.  He lived in Papua New Guinea for six years and China for one.  He’s also lived in Florida, California and Colorado.  He is a two-time former team member (Belize and Zambia Orphan Angels) and has previously led teen teams to China and Peru.  Chris is also a graduate of Teen Missions’ BMW school.  If you watched the rallies at Boot Camp, you would have seen Chris on stage with the Circuit Riders playing his banjo or violin.  Chris speaks Portuguese, which helps him get by pretty well with the Spanish here.  He is incredibly organized and is wonderful with the team.  He’s great at keeping the team (and leaders!) on task.  Stress seems to have no affect on him and he never loses his cool!  After Ecuador, he plans to return to Colorado to spend time with family.  “Pre-teens are different than teens, but definitely incredible.  They grow on your heart!”

Celeste Kraft (Head Lady Leader):  Celeste is originally from Michigan, but also lived in Iowa and Indiana before returning to Michigan.  She and her husband, Jim, are the parents of four sons. She is a former team member (England Canal II in 1985) and, with Jim, has previously led two TMI evangelism teams (Gibraltar and Australia Drama).  Trained as a nurse, she currently runs a busy birth doula practice.  In addition, she helps Jim (Manager of Pastoral Care and Outreach at a Detroit-area hospital) organize and lead medical mission trips through The Bridge Group.  She is looking forward to leading a medical team to Guatemala in the fall.  They’ve been on mission trips with various groups to about 20 different countries.  Celeste is thrilled to be back on a Teen Missions team and is excited to share this experience with her youngest son, Elijah.  “Ever since I went through Boot Camp as a team member, I’ve said that BC should be a requirement for everyone before they’re allowed to pass on into adulthood.  It’s that good…and hard!  We’ve used our TMI training on every missions trip we’ve taken with other groups.  I was a little nervous about leading a pre-teen team since I’m used to working with teens and adults, but by the end of registration day I was reminded of how much I enjoyed this age group when I was a camp nurse!  I love these kids!”

Kim Marshall (Back-up Lady Leader):  Kim lives in Gilman City, Missouri and is another former team member.  She went to Germany in 1983 at the age of 15.  Kim has led six Peanut teams at Boot Camp and went on a TMI adult team to Cameroon.  This is her first time leading a preteen team.  She has also been on mission trips to Mexico and Haiti with other groups.  Kim was raised in a military family, and her husband was in the military for 19 years.  She loves to travel.  She and her husband have two boys, Wood and Josh.  Both boys have been on teen teams and have each led a teen team.  Miss Kim is a whiz with paperwork and is enjoying the opportunities she’s had of driving on the “fun” roads here!  “I love showing kids how they can share the love of Jesus no matter how old they are or where they are. Ecuador is a beautiful place and the people are very loving.

Erik Shores (Assistant Male Leader):  Erik is 20 years old and hails from Slocumb, Alabama.  He has always wanted to go on a missions trip, but wanted to go for longer than one or two weeks.  Then a friend told him about Teen Missions!  Erik has a beautiful heart for God and for young people.  He excels at setting up systems to get things done efficiently, whether it’s cleaning, packing, or on the work site.  He’s incredibly patient, and you can always find him in the  middle of the kids during team game time.  Back at home, he works part-time in retail and helps his parents out with childcare of his 4-year-old brother, Jimmy.  “It’s awesome getting to be here and lead these kids.  It’s a blessing.  As I told them, 10- to 13-year-olds, I think, can bless God more than teens can sometimes, because you don’t often see young people doing this kind of work.”

Tisha Branstatter (Assistant Lady Leader):  Miss Tisha is from St. Joseph, Missouri, and is the youngest of six kids.  Her twin sister is a former team member and current BMW student.  Tisha is considering the BMW training herself, so decided to lead a team this summer to learn more about Teen Missions.  She is very involved in her church at home and also in a para-church youth outreach organization that evangelizes and disciples unchurched kids.  She is self-less during her long days in the kitchen here, and needs to be “forced” to take breaks to care for herself.  She’s got a great sense of humor and is wonderful with the the KP kids each day, helping them make desserts and other dishes that they pick out.  She makes KP fun!  “This is harder than I thought because of the long hours in the kitchen.  But then I remember that the kids on our team are my mission field!  I want to make the most of the time I have with them on KP each day.”

Update from Ecuador

Another update from Ecuador...thanks for the heads up, Twirly. The update brought tears to our eyes, as we read the testimonies of these brave, young kids. I'm continuously being challenged by these kids, who ultimately trust that everything is good when He is at the center. Even as an adult, I often struggle with trusting...so to hear 10, 11, 12, and 13 year olds share these testimonies is extremely humbling. Way to go, Team Ecuador!! Xoxo

Ecuador Trip Reports, Mission Trip Reports

Hello from beautiful, sunny, cool Ecuador,

Since our last update we have had some great weather to get a lot of work done.  The entire team has been doing well & adjusted to the altitude change with no problems.

Tuesday started out rainy & damp.  The team spent the morning getting settled into their dorms & helping get the kitchen set up.  In the afternoon the sun came out, so the base coordinator, Benjamin showed the team the OC.  Abraham, Matt & Silas said this has been their favorite part of the trip so far.  SB’s were also served by chopping down small trees & making fence post for a pig pen for the base.  Joelle & John served on KP. Alex led evening devotions.  The team also practiced their first presentation for tomorrow.

Wednesday was sunny & clear.  Berea, Bada & Seth enjoyed being able to see Cotopaxi & the beautiful scenery that makes the base a wonderful place to be.  In the morning, the team’s work project was to help get the OC & camp ready for the upcoming Boot Camp.  The jobs were making the red sea bigger, building the 5 D’s of Devil, & cleaning up the area where the Boot Camp team members will be putting their tents.  In the afternoon, the team along with leaders, Mr. Chris, Mr. Eric & Miss Kim, hiked to a local village to give their presentation.  Alex, Dean & Joelle, loved the one-mile hike that consisted of a 200 feet decent down the mountain, crossing the river on a man-made bridge, & a 200 feet climb back up the other side of the hill to the village.  Payton, Josh & Elijah loved playing soccer with the local kids & TMI Ecuador staff.  Andrew felt that the teams first presentation went very well, & the kids enjoyed it.  Jeremy loved that John was willing to be an interpreter for him so he could interact with the kids.  Travis & Kymberly served on KP.  Faith led evening devotions.

Thursday, another beautiful sunny day.  Payton & PQ are serving on KP, & Silas will lead the evening devotions.  The morning was spent with finishing up the work projects from yesterday.  This afternoon, the kids will get out the bikes & practice riding up & down the roads here near the base.

Here are some testimonies from some of the team members.  The questioned asked was – “What has God taught you these past couple of days?”

Rachel – God has taught me to be patient.  I love being in control of my time, but I need to let God be in control of my plans & have patience if I don’t know exactly what lies ahead for me.

Darin – God has taught me work better as a team, not get frustrated when things don’t go the way I think they should & keep calm.  He is in control of everything.

Faith – God has taught me to make the best of everything because He has a plan.  You need to have faith that He will come through with what He knows is best for you.

Garrett – God has taught me that you have to push through the hard things, & work together as a team.  If you don’t work together, nothing will work at all.

Team Ecuador is in Ecuador!

Team Ecuador has made it Ecuador!  If you're not on Facebook and you haven't been up to speed on the updates, please let me know.  Updates from each of the teams can also be found at the Teen Missions International website via http://www.teenmissions.org .

PQ is doing great.  We saw him in Florida before he left for Ecuador and what a difference a week makes!  He was having a great time, meeting new friends, and looking forward to the trip overseas.  My mama heart is missing him but I know that he will be back soon.  He is right in the center of God's will for him and I couldn't ask for a better place to be. I am SO proud of him for meeting his fears head on and persevering through it all.  I'm learning a lot from him and I can't wait to share stories with him when he gets back home!