40,000 sandwiches

Remember when Jesus preformed an incredible miracle for a hungry crowd?  He took  two fish and 5 loaves of bread, blessed them and broke them into pieces.  It not only feed the 5,000+ crowd but there were also baskets full of left overs!  Sounds like a lot of fish sandwiches to me.  But let me explain what has started me off on the 40,000 sandwiches spin... 

It started over a year ago as I began to pray about my future and where that would lead me.  Not the next year or two, but in life where was I headed.  That's a big question and for someone whose biggest commitment has been studying in university... it felt even heavier.  I had many options but no peace about taking any.  My initial two years of commitment ended with OM a year and a half ago and yet I continue without a plan.  I love working with OM and God has taught me so much in my time here.  The needs are enormous, but I feel so unprepared for the work that I am doing.  So I began to look for opportunities to study, but nothing seemed to fit.  I passed the deadline to make a decision and the pressure just increased.  Some told me to just decide and it would all work out.  But things have never worked that way in my life.  God has always shown me the next step since the time I started making decisions for myself.  I have never doubted my place and what I do because of that.    

After much searching and almost giving up on the idea, I came across the Masters of Science in Social Work at Abilene Christian University.  After talking with the director of the program and praying some more I began to put into action the idea of taking a 2 year study leave from OM to continue my studies.  I applied, they accepted me.  I am now in the process of applying for financial aid because here is where the 40,000 sandwiches come in... per year.   I am ready and willing to work for what I need to study but with this amount there is no way.  I also cannot go to school on loans as that would majorly delay my return to the mission field and Latin America.  So I am praying for a miracle!  I am praying that the fish and bread turns into an abundance shows God's glory!  And I want all of you to be in on this as well because God does amazing things!  


Already God has provided housing through my aunt and uncle who live in Abilene.  I am praying about transportation, medical insurance, classes and books.  It is an exciting experience trusting God for something so much bigger than I could reach myself.  Also just this week they informed me that there is one full scholarship available to someone applicable who is bilingual in English and Spanish.  It blows me away...  I will find out in May if I receive it for the Fall semester.  

Please pray for OM Ecuador and the Andean Region as there is still a large hole to fill in the area of Personnel.   I also help out with the logistics for our yearly Missions school, teaching classes, lead the hospital ministry and work with the youth on Santay.  It will not be easy leaving them even if for just a time. 

Its my birthday and I'll ...

Every year my birthday comes, as all birthdays do.  But for me my birthday marks the almost half year mark of being in Ecuador.  This year on the 19th of February I not only turn 28, but I also officially have been in Ecuador for 3 years, 5 months and 4 days.  It is hard to imagine that so much of my life has gone by and people still tell me how young I am.  Yes I am young, but I have also lived.  So I thought I would celebrate some of those things that I have lived in this birthday and on this sort-of anniversary of my time in Ecuador.

1. Having over 18 roommates/housemates from more than 9 countries.  That should be enough said.  There are countless ways of doing things and I think we have tried all of them.  We have broken countless cups until now we have gotten wise and have plastic cups.

2. Learning a new language - Spanish.  It was not easy and it did not come fast.  But after reading almost the whole new testament out loud in Spanish.  Taking countless hours of classes, making mountains of mistakes and talking incessantly - here I am.

3. Preaching.  Over the years I have taught children and youth hundreds of times, I have given testimonies, reports, presentations, dramas, and workshops.  But I have not preached, until recently.  In January, while I was in Colombia I was asked to preach in a church, not once but twice - in Spanish.  So I did, I preached over missions and helping the poor.  I think it must have gone ok as the pastor asked me to preach again the next time I came to Colombia.   Thanks mom for making me take all those public speaking classes... though I hated them at the time.


4. Traveling alone. Though it sounds a little scary it really isn't.  Mostly I have traveled alone when going to another country, like Colombia, Costa Rica, South Africa, Holland and Peru among others.  I have become an expert at spotting people who are looking for me though I had never seen them before.  As I have the annoying habit of forgetting to ask for contact information, I arrive to the country wondering who will pick me up and how I will get where I need to go.  Germany was quite the experience but I learned how the public announcement system works in the Hamburg train station!

5. Organizing Medical Mission Trips.   There are a lot of things to consider when bringing a team of doctors and nurses to your field.  The first one that I organized with the help of my team was in April 2010, then again in March 2011 and how we are in the middle of planning the March 2012 Mission trip.  


6. Drawing Cartoons.  I don't really have a great talent to draw but I love drawing with black ink pens.  There is are several comics that  have drawn about our time in Ecuador.  They are stick figures but pretty funny ones.  


7. Interesting foods.  I have eaten tripe, intestines, blood sausage, heart, guinea pig, chicken feet, and hoof soup.  Just about any fruit you can think of I have had in a juice - they love juices here.  Plantains in about any form that you can think of, they are yummy!  And rice, lots of rice.  


I have witnessed lives changed, heard testimonies on the greatness of God, seen miracles, held the hands of dying children and felt the presence of God.  I am not an amazing person.  I belong to an amazing God.  This was not my plan, this was not what I had wanted to do with my life as seven years ago I flatly told God that I would never be a missionary.  This is His plan, this is why I can keep going even on the tough days.  He is the keeper of my soul.  He directs my path.  

Not to us, LORD, not to us 

but to your name be the glory,

because of your love and faithfulness. 

Psalm 115:1

the fear of colombia

Colombia is mostly known outside the Latin world for three thinngs: the FARC, drugs and coffee.  So when I told my family that I was going to be in Colombia for three weeks, naturally it scared them.  I arrived in Cartagena, Colombia on the 19th of January to this sight

Needless to say it didn't strike fear into my heart.  The purpose of my trip was to help Martha Ardila get started with the work in OM Colombia.  We began a long two weeks of visits with pastors, churches, missions groups and ministries.  I was impressed and awed with the local church's desire to get involved in missions and saddened by the fact that the majority of pastors were wary of missions organizations because they believed that we are only out to steal their best sheep from them.  It became obvious to me that the first focus for OM Colombia needed to be on one of the nine core values of OM - Esteem the Church.  So we have set a course for OM Colombia to seek ways to better involve the church in the mission process so that they will realize that it is the church that sends the missionary, not the organization.  During our time in Cartagena I was also given the chance to preach in Spanish about missions

Martha and I

In my two weeks in Cartagena, I also had the opportunity to visit several ministry sites.  We went to the women's prison where I met a woman named Wanda, arrested for being a drug mule.  She has a powerful and sad testimony.  We also visited a girls house were 25 girls live with a family and are treated like family.  They had me translate the songs to a Disney movie (in dubbed musicals the music stays in the original language).  We also visited a very poor neighborhood on the 'wrong' side of town.  It has a lot of problems with gangs.  Mabel the missionary who has a preschool foundation there showed us around the neighborhood and it was obvious that she is loved by all.  As we were leaving we had to go by a different route as there were gangs fighting on the corner where we had arrived a couple of hours before.  Yet nothing that you will not find if you went on the dangerous side of any big city in the world.  It strikes me as odd sometimes that we are will to serve God as long as it is safe.  Yet the funny thing is that the most needs are where it is not 'safe', because everyone is scared to go, no one helps.  

Preteens in the 'bad' neighborhood

The famous coffee on the coast comes in a dwarf cup.

 We also visited a nearby town where HIV is very prevalent and gave a Church's Channels of Hope workshop.

Centro Cristian Betel Church is a channel of HOPE

My last week was spent in Bogota, Colombia a huge city full of people.  I stayed with the Echeverri family as Hugo, a local pastor is going to take the role of representative for OM in Bogota.  We also had a very full week of pastor and church visits.  I am happy to say though by the end of my time in Colombia I am so excited about the direction that OM Colombia is taking! I also had a chance to speak in a youth group and to teach a group of 30 pastors, of which only three present were women.  It was an exciting trip, I want to go back!

Hugo, me and Martha - GO OM COLOMBIA!!

Teaching the pastors

Evidently I didn't do so bad

Speaking at Juanse's youth group - forgot to take the picture while speaking

 

A Day in December

Maybe you have heard about missionaries and subscribe to their updates, maybe you have gone on mission trips or been a missionary.  I wanted to unravel some of questions of what does a missionary do with a look at a day in the life of Tabitha.   This is not what every missionary´s life looks like and it is of course only one day, Tuesday December 6th 2011.  

8:00am  Drag myself out of bed and to the coffee maker wondering why I'm so tired yet again.  Soon the rich frangrance of only the best coffee in the world comes wafting through the house, yes that is right - ecuadorian coffee, the day is already looking better. 

9:00am  At the office for our morning prayer time. 

9:15- 10:15  Frantically answer and send messages to people asking why I have not written them and why I have not completed projects that they have asked for.  Also lets not forget about the email saying that that there is still room to send one of our ecuadorians to the OM Ships in Jan!!  YES!!  Also the summary of all the things that I do in OM for the lawyer who is preparing my visa renewal papers.  

10:15am Leave for the Children's Hospital where I go every tuesday for ministry.  This time Marcy, Mafer and Yessi went with me, it is nice to have a team.  We walked in the hot ecuadorian sun to the first bus stop to catch the #12.  There are no seats so we squash ourselves into the already overcrowded standing room.  A little grandmother gets in after us and starts her speech on why we need to give her money.   We slide between the people to get off at our next stop for the #42.  Thankfully less people.

10:45am Upon arriving to the hospital I put on my light purple smock that the volunteers use, explained to the guard that the three ladies following me were also volunteers though they didn't have the purple smock.  We waited for the only working elevator to take us to the fifth floor.  A little lady about the size of a tall gnome stared up at me the whole way, I think she was trying to figure out what a gringa was doing in the hospital.  We arrived to the newly painted wing for children with Infectious Diseases.  

Here I asked the nurses about Melissa.  I had talked with and prayed for Melissa several times before.  She was so thin and the last time was hooked up to many machines.  They told me that she passed away just a few days after we lasted visited her.  The last thing she asked me was to bring her coloring pages of butterflies the next time I visited.  

11:00 - 12:00  We divided up and began to talk with the children and their care givers.  I got to talk with Michelle.  She is 13 and was there with her uncle.  She also was very thin and her face was very swollen.  She seemed to be in pain.  Every time I visit I bring a picture children's bible to read stories to the children.  I asked her if I could read to her about the story of Christmas and she gave me a small smile and moved her head slightly on the pillow to indicate yes.  We read about Mary and the angel, Jesus' birth and the shepherds, then I asked her if she knew why it was so important and joyous that Jesus was born.  When she said she didn't know why, I read to her the story of Jesus' death and resurrection.  She told me she wanted to know God too and we prayed together, she could barely breath out the prayer after me but I assured her it is what is in her heart that counts.  After praying she had a beautiful smile and a small tear in her eye.  I hope to visit her again before I go home on the 15th.

12:00 -12:30The head doctor calls me into a surprise meeting with her and two other foreigners.  They want to do summer camps for children with illnesses in Ecuador and are looking for an organization to partner with.  They are not religiously affiliated but are not against working with groups that are.  Interesting possibilities.  The return home was uneventful in #13 bus.

1-2pm  LUNCH! only I haven't had time to go shopping lately so it was peanut butter and crackers, good thing I like peanut butter! 

2-6pm  Back in the office.  emails about the OM Ship, training, insurance, people interested in our mission school, other interested in the volunteer program, a couple of error messages from my computer, freezing screen, unfreezes, more error messages, screen freezes, stays frozen, hard shut down and go home.  

6-9pm  Turn on my laptop.  Open my email, 2 minutes later it opens. For the next 2 hours I try to respond to personal emails and catch up on current news in the world.  Got the fan on high as there is no airconditioning and the computer overheats easily.  It wouldn't be such a problem but as it is dying a slow and dramatic death, well it is only slightly frustrating after realizing what it would be like without a computer all together!  Went out to a yummy little hole-in-the-wall empanada shop two blocks away to get supper for me and my roommate, still need to get groceries.  Get frustrated with the computer, turn it off, there's more to life than internet. 


9-10:30  Draw a picture of a little boy from another orphanage where we used to work while listening to Jars of Clay Oh My God.  I wonder where he is now?  He was so little then and already so hard hearted.  Why are there so many injustices in the world?  I read three chapters in a book loaned to me by a friend called Note to Self.  It tells me to keep singing, I like that.  Look out all you who get sick of me singing the parts of Christmas songs that I know, over and over again!  Time in prayer.  Ok I think its better to go to sleep now.  Tomorrow it starts all over again. 

The song stuck in my head:  Joy to the World

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

Going to Baños

19 youth, 10 leader, 4 days, 13 hours of traveling... 1 incredible trip.

We went to Baños (it means baths not toilet!!!) for the second annual Santay Youth Retreat.  This little town full of waterfalls nestled in the andes mountains approximately 6.5 hours from Guayaquil was officially the furthest that these 19 youth had ever traveled in their lives.  Thats a little hard for this Texas girl to understand considering that with 6 hours of travel you haven´t even gotten halfway across my state. 
This weekend retreat had the theme of Freedom.  They heard maybe for the first time about what it means to be free in Christ.  We also got to see some awesome waterfalls, a huge volcano and natural hot water springs.  I absolutly love nature and seeing the raw beauty that God created.

On Saturday night we went up to a lookout point, it was dark so I am still not sure of the point but it was fun!  We made a fire and cooked hot dogs while trying to stay warm, keep in mind that the coldest that Santay gets is the low 70´s and it was in the 40´s that night.  At least 10 of the youth came up to me super excited at different points saying ¨Tabita, tabita, LOOK¨  Then they exhaled very deeply, ¨Look!  SMOKE!!!!!¨  It was the first time that they had ever seen their breath visibly. 

The good news is that we arrived back to Guayaquil and Santay Island with all 19, I kept counting in the bus everytime we had a bathroom break.  Scary realizing that you are in charge of the well-being of so many, not just physically but also spiritually, a bit sobering.  I loved the time that we spent together but left the weekend with a stronger burden for these young people to truely encounter the Living God.  Though we had several good sessions, there was not much outward response from the youth.  However, we did see some pretty neat things happening with one of the girls.  She had struggled with gastritis for years, during the weekend several of the leaders prayed for her and for healing.  The next week when we went back to the island, Mafer was so excited to share with us that she was healed, she was no longer taking the medicines and had no pain at all!!  Little by little they are seeing the hand of God at work in their lives!  Keep praying for the youth of Santay!

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.