The lame will walk!

I would like to share with you three short stories of what God is doing in one of our ministries. 

OM has been working with Santay Island for over three years now.  There has been many attempts at discipleship but little response in these years. Many on the minstry team were begining to get discouraged from the lack of response that we saw in the people, until about two weeks ago.  On the 12th of September once again the weekly ministry team went to Santay for a small bible study and program with the children and youth.  I was walking along one stretch of island together with a visitor, Deborah who was going to share with the adults that day.  We managed the trails and the creaking 2x4  raised walkways and at the very end of our route Señora Elsa called out to us from her little house.  She invited us to come up as she had a story to share with us. 

When we walked in, we saw that one of the other teams of two, Riana and Steve were already inside.  But we sat down on the few chairs that she owed as she began to share her story.  About two months ago, She was going from one side of the island to the other but because there was so much mud she went by canoe.  In this little canoe Eva (a very young mother, also a resident of the island) and her little baby girl of about 1 and a half years were also going with her.   As they were rowing, they noticed that the waves were very strong that day.  [The island of Santay is located between two rivers, as the rivers are connected to the ocean the river also has a tide and certain seasons the river is a bit rougher than others].  At the moment Elsa paused her story to explain that in her 59 years she had lived on the island for over 30 of those.  When she got married she moved to the island, but she had never during that time learned how to swim.  Because of this she had a great fear of the water, that only got worse when her husband suffered from a heart attack and they found him dead in the river about a year ago.  Back to the story, at that point a large wave hit the canoe just right and turned it over.  Señora Elsa went over one side (towards the center of the river) and Eva and the baby girl on the other side.  Elsa told me "Even though I couldn't swim, I couldn't think about me.  There was that little baby who needed help.  So I began to yell, 'save the baby' as I struggled to stay above the water."  The young mother was frozen with indecision, save her baby or save Elsa.  However, the baby was not visable as the sinking canoe trapped her under the water.  Elsa went under several time and was taking in water, though still shouting for someone to save the baby.  The nearest neighbor, Veronica, wanted to help but she had a little 2 year old clinging to her leg and for fear of her child following her into the water could not help.  At this critical moment another large wave came and pushed the canoe just enough for the baby to come loose and she popped up to the surface of the water.  Eva grabbed her baby and swam to the shore.  But Elsa had gone down and said that she wasn't going up anymore.  "I figured that it was the end for me" She said.  She had been struggling with feelings of uselessness and loneliness since her husband died.  But as she was preparing herself for her final moments, a miracle happened.  She doesn't know how but the next thing she knew she was at the surface of the water and swimming!  Her neighbor, Veronica confirmed that later saying "We were sure that she was lost for goodk, yet there she was dog-paddling to the shore."  Elsa told us when she made it to the shore there was not a doubt in her mind that God saved her, Eva and little baby.  "Tabita," she said, "I knew, I KNEW at that very moment that God had a plan for me."  She decided that going to the bible meetings and just listening was not enough for her.  She began to pray, and not just in her house but out in the community.  This is almost something completely unheard of for the Santay people.  Right then she prayed with us as well.  God has great plans for Elsa and Santay!

Just when I thought this one story was amazing enough, we went to the next house to invite Veronica to the meeting.  Veronica greeted us from her porch and asked me "Tabita, did your co-workers tell you about what has happened recently with my family?"  I didn't know what she meant, so I asked her to tell me.  She told me that her husband was working on Santay so their family moved to the island about six months ago.  She has two little girls.  But things were not going so well between the two of them and as her husband began to hang out more and more with the men from Santay he was falling into some bad influences.  They began to think about seperating.  They were sure that there was no way to work it out.  Then some guys from our team challenged the Santay men to a soccer game, and surprisingly they won!  After the game, they invited the men to come to watch a movie, the movie was Fireproof.  After watching the movie, Veronica's husband, approached one of our workers, Darren.  He told him that he needed to talk to him.  Veronica didn't tell me what they talked about, I am not even sure she knows.  But he came back a changed man.  He quit hanging out with the bad influences.  He began to work on his marriage and things rapidly improved between him and his wife.  He began to read his bible in the morning and evenings and he prayed.  Veronica was astounded by the change in her husband and grateful that God made a way to keep them together.

My heart was overflowing at this point!  There is no way that things could get better that day!  Or so I thought.  Deborah and I walked back to the place were we were going to eat lunch together and Riana came up to me extremely excited.  "Tabitha!  You will never guess what happened!!" And the third story of the day began.  Riana explained to me that she along with Steve had been visiting an elderly man for the past three weeks.  Like Veronica and her family they were new to the island because of the recient construction.  However, this man was in a wheel chair.  This situation has a greater impact when you realize that everyone lives in houses 10 feet off the ground with basically a ladder to get to the house.  The paths are in the dirt and the majority of time it is mid-calf mud because of the constantly rising tide.  The places were the mud is too deep you have to walk on narrow, rotting planks that are raised up about three feet off the ground.  It isn't exactly handicapp friendly.  The first visit that Riana and Steve made together to this man, Modesto, was exactly three weeks before.  It was in this visit that they realized that he was handicapped as before those who visited him just thought he was sitting on the porch.  Riana urged Steve to share the whole bible study with Modesto as he was not able to go to the meetings.  So Steve shared everything.  Then they both felt strongly to pray for healing for him and his legs as he had a lot of pain in his legs for the last 13 years.  He cried as they prayed for him.  Then they left him with the instructions to get up everyday thanking God for healing him even if he felt pain.  They returned the next week but they were not thinking that he would actually be healed.  When they got to Modesto's house, he was waiting for them.  He was so excited.  He shared with them that for the first time in 13 years the pain had left and he had stood up.  He was not walking yet but this was the first time he had not had pain.  They prayed with him again for complete healing.  It was here that Riana got really excited!  That day when Steve went to visit Modesto, once again he was waiting for Steve to show up.  This time he greeted Steve with "I want to know your Jesus, please tell me how!"  They prayed together and he gave his life to Christ.  He was still afraid to try to walk but was very excited to show Steve all the things that he could now do without any pain.  We are trusting that complete healing will come to Modesto!

What incredible testimonies, all in one day!  It was about a work that has been going on for years and finally we are seeing fruit.  God is so good!  It is through His awesome work that will draw the people of Santay to Him!  We serve a mighty, powerful and living God!

¿Hablas Español?

I decided that I was not busy enough so it was time to add something new.  SPANISH CLASSES!!  I have only taken one class in literature since finishing my basics in February 2009.. Most people who hear me speak spanish say that I speak well, that is until they begin to listen to the grammar!  Anyone that knows me realizes that I like to speak, and if I am quiet there is something wrong.  This has helped my language skills immensely.  But is also means that I have picked up the local accent after speaking for so long without correction.  Some might say that is it great but when I tell you that the local accent here sounds a bit like innercity slang in the states, you might change your mind.

The obvious thing to do after deciding that you want more classes is to go and take the test to see which class you will end up in.  Ok, I have to admit that the perfectionist in me was thinking, "oh great,  even after 3 years of speaking spanish they are going to put in the basic class because of my grammar.." I was on pins and needles to find out what really is my Spanish level!  Then came the email, "We are inviting you to join in the Spanish for Forigners Program in the Intermediate II class."  YAY!!  I don't speak like a kindergartener!!  This class includes a lot of studies in the subjunctive form and contiditional, which is good cause I avoid using them (we don't really have subjunctive in English).

I am taking the class every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3:30pm to 6:30pm.  Becuase of this I have to rearrange my work schedule a bit.  For my first day, yesterday, I left my office at 3pm on the dot.  First, I took the city bus #12 and then the Metrovia.  The Metrovia is a innercity bus a bit like a subway but in bus form.  In my three year in Ecuador I have not had much reason to take the metrovia.  There are several reasons to avoid it if you can.  #1 it is always packed.  When I say packed, I mean you are touching at least five people at all times on all sides unless you are blessed and get to stand next to the wall, then it is only three people pressing into you.  #2 at 3:30pm it is hot, bright sun, and no airconditioning.... a hundred people packed in... you get the picture.  #3 it has the highest percentage of pick pocketing than any other place, as everyone is always touching someone. #4 when I get on alone, I am the only natural blonde in the whole bus..  Thankfully my stop is the second one after I get on the metrovia! 

I was greeted to the university by a little iguana on the wall.  I meet my teacher, Janett and my fellow student, Iris from the Netherlands. It feels a little strange to be back in classes, it reminds me of my time at Dallas Baptist University.  I even start to put my clothes out the night before as I did in University, as I am going in to work earlier thus getting up earlier.  And anyone who has seen me in the morning would know why I shouldnt trust my judgment directly after waking up.  In my class, we had a mini-debate in spanish.  Iris and I had to choose a profession and then debate which of two would have to jump off of the balloon so it wouldn't pop.  Instead of choosing typical profession she decided to be the Queen of Holland and I was a Helecopter Pilot bringing aid to the hungry and needing in Somalia.  We both had some good points but eventually I bit the bullet and jumped.. but only because as a pilot I had a parachute! 

I hope that this new time of studies will be a blessing to my other areas of work and that I will have opportunites to share God's love with my teacher and classmate. 

Seeds Sown & Planes Flown.

From the 30th of May until the 30th of July we held the 2011 Transcultural Communication and Mission School in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Fourteen student participated from three different countries. It was an incredible time. I was highly involved in the logistical details and the classroom side of the school. This school was such an encouragement and blessing to me as I had been praying for the students by name since March. Truly lives were changed during the school, and not just the students! There were four weeks of outreaches throughout Ecuador. They ministered to churches, schools and a children's foundation. Some of the fruit is already showing from this school as we sent out one of the fourteen this morning for the OM Ship.  There are three more scheduled to go out in January, plus several others who are still working on the details on where to go.  It is days like these that I LOVE my job!  

On the other side of the coin we have had a lot of goodbyes lately.  First we had to say goodbye to the fourteen students who are wrapped firmly around our hearts.  Next the three short-term helpers who were here in June and July: Kyndall from the USA, Niklas from Germany, and Marcel from Switzerland.  I had the privilege to lead the team of short-termers and they not only helped to fill in the gaps that were left by our staff needing to teach and mentor in the school but they also added greatly to the ministries themselves.  We were able to do a special empowerment program in the Children's hospital during those two months.  Also our dear friend and co-worker Seth Rikard, has finished his two year commitment and is heading for Oxford to study apologetics.  We are so excited for him but yet sad for the gaping hole that is left here in Ecuador.

                               Our dear friends, Seth and Wendy