Sunday 20 May 2012

When God closes one door he opens another

Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I've written on my blog. I thought I'd give you guys all an update. So here I go!

On Friday of last week I received an email ACCI missions. In this email they began to tell me that they had a Skype meeting with Casa de Fe and have decided that that was not a good fit for me. Lemme just tell you that was extremely hard for me to read. I was actually working at the time and I was in the 'new' library in Sherwood Park. So I went to the washroom and the years came. I instantly felt like I had failed you all, myself and God, and a lot so confused and rejected. Because of my confusion I instantly started doubting whether I had actually heard God. It was VERY hard to handle to say the least.

I didn't know what to do so I messages Wade the youth pastor at my home church and he gave me some words of encouragement, and I also talked to Bev Otto and my parents. Everyone that I talked to told me that I hadn't failed anyone. I listened their words but really honestly didn't believe them. I was pretty upset.

I also messaged my parents and mom and dad every so supportive! My dad even sent me a verse found in Ps 40:1 for encouragement!

And then a really cool God story happened that I feel like I need to share! Ok so as I said before I had been texting with Wade. And he told me stuff like God has other plans, and tried to use humour to help me feel better. And then a little while later I had received a picture message from Wade. I opened it up and it was super cute picture of Gracie his one year old daughter which as most of you know me of course it made me smile!!!! So I texted Wade back and said thanks Wade I defiantly needed that to smile! And he was like I am not sure what you are talking about and then he looked and told me that Logan his other one year old had actually texted me that, not him. And then I heard a voice saying 'you are welcome my daughter!' it was a little gift from God! God never ceases to amaze me!

Then Wade suggested I email Argailia Alta one of the minister that the youth and young adults team served last summer. So I did and to my shock they emailed me back in like 20 mins wanting to talk to me more! It just blew me away cuz normally it takes awhile to hear back from people. And if this isn't the path I am suppose to be the door I'm to go thru, I'll see it as a little glimpse of hope that God has my back!

However even after all of this I still felt like I had failed and felt VERY rejected, it sucked to say the least. I then went on with the rest of my 48 hr shift at Robinhood and then church and youth. Church and youth were a good way to distract me and make me forget about the way I was feeling.

But... After youth I was challenged to go back to my feelings instead of pushing them deep inside which I am VERY use to doing. I had a deep God conversation with Joanne one of my best friends! And she challenged me to bring back those feelings and to deal with them. We talked for along time like 3 or 4 hours, which made it 2:30-2:45 till we were done!

Joanne just has a way of helping me process things and asks me questions that I wouldn't have thought to ask or think about. Thru our conversation she asked me 'Carla where did you see God and His Power the most, where did you have to rely on God the most?' The answer to that question is when I was with Jo in Quito with his youth and joining him in his ministries there. Not so much at CDF. CDF was a very comfortable place where I knew what I was doing, and as a result I didn't have to rely on God as much or ever some times I felt like I didn't need Him as much. I was in constant communication with God is Quito. And I heard Him and felt His presence.

And now that I look back at it was almost like CDF was a job and what I did in Quito was the minister. And I know that God wants me in a place where I am in constant contact with Him and constant reliance on Him. To grow stronger in our relationship.

Another thing that was really cool was since being back in Canada I still have been able to minister to the youth in Quito thru Facebook! And the language barrier was not a factor!

I know with out a shadow of a doubt that God is in control of it all. And it is His desire for me to be closer to Him and to fully rely on Him in EVERYTHING! And I am not super excited to see what the next door He has for me to walk thru! Even if it's not Argailia Alta I know God has a plan for me!

So I am asking you to please partner with me in prayer that I would continue to live in God confidence and know that His plan is ultimately better then mine!

I just wanna thank you all in advance for partnering with me in this journey! It's a long journey and not the easiest, but God never said the a relationship with Him would be easy, but He did say that He will never ever leave me or forsake me!

Excitedly waiting for God
Carlita

Friday 4 May 2012

First full day back in Canada

Hey! Ok so I am not gonna lie I've enjoyed blogging!!! It's actually fun to tell you all about what is going on in my life! I want to thank everyone for following my blog! And for all your prayers, support and words of encouragement. It was all of you that made my 3 weeks in Ecuador so enjoyable and manageable, I realized I am not alone and that I have a huge team of supporters, and prayer warriors rooting for me! Cheering me on! I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!!

My first day back in Canada was very relaxing! I did laundry this morning! As well as catch up on survivor on PVR!!! I'm all caught up! And I hung out with Joanne in the afternoon!!! It was nice just to do running around with her! I even drove! And got a Pepsi slurpee, which I was craving!!!

And I went to the Keg with my parent and my brother Curtis!!! I have steak and lobster!!! So yummy!!!

Then came back and watched warhorse with the dillons!!! I love relaxing days!!!

Please pray for me...tomorrow I am doing an interview at the gate about my time in Ecuador! Pray that God gives me the words to say and that I don't studder and mess up. Pray for clarity! If anyone of you wanna come please feel free! It starts at 6:30pm at victory church across from the Tim Hortons and the flying J!

I will keep you all posted on what I hear God telling me to do! And when! Please keep praying I listen carefully!
Thanks!!! Muchas gracias!!!
Carlita

Alberta bound!!!

What a crazy busy day of traveling! It began at 4:15 this morning...wow that feels like forever ago! Before we left the house Rachel, Jo's mom prayed a blessing over me, in Spanish and my personal translator translated it for me!

Then we were on the road. That was the quietest I'd ever seen Quito, there was like no one on the road! So the drive was very quick!

We got to the airport and I said the goodbyes, well not goodbyes but see you soon!

In the airport My check-in bag was chosen to be randomly searched, so I had to go down to where the airplanes were to watch them search my bag. After that I went on the airplane and headed to Houston!

On that flight I faced a fear!!! I know it sounds like a very silly fear but I am afraid to go to the washroom on an airplane. So all of my traveling I have never gone, until this flight. It was rather scary, small, and I felt very claustrophobic. But I can now say I have gone pee on an airplane lol!

In Houston I was chosen to go into the X-ray spiny machine, to see if I was carrying anything 'bad'. I was clean!

Then I got to spend 5 hours in the Houston airport, it was so boring. For lunch I had orange chicken and walnut shrimp, which was very yummy!

At 5:45pm I boarded the plane to head home. The plane didn't take off on time, we had to wait for like almost an hour on the plane for other passengers that we on my flight that were coming from somewhere else. Because we had to wait the airline gave us complementary tv. Which was nice but my tv didn't work, and I was in the very back of the plane. So the flight attendant moved me to the front of the economy class! So I could watch tv! Which made the flight go by faster!

I landed in Edmonton at 10pm, and boy was it cold! I have become a wimp to our weather here! Joanne picked me up and we went out for wings and steak bites and cactus fries. And just talked and caught up! It was sooo nice to sit down with Joanne and talk!!! I've missed that!

We got home at 12:45am. And my stomach was like what the heck man did you put into me, that's not chicken and rice lol it was/is not happy right now. And my throat is not happy right now either:-(

Tomorrow is a day of laundry, going to the health store and preparing for my interview at the Gate service! The gate service for those of you who don't know, it's a youth and young adults service. It's at victory church, but it's thru heartland alliance!

Well it's 1:34am technically 2:34am cuz my body is still on Ecuador time. So I better go to bed!! Good night everyone
Carlita

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Last day in Ecuador

Hey! Its my last day in Ecuador, soon I'll be able to see all of you in person and share my experiences!

Today was a very strange day for me emotionally, I wasn't sad, or upset or happy I just felt blaaaa. I'm not sure why that was.

This morning I woke up at 6:45am I was still tried but was starting to get a headache so I drank some powerade and felt better and fell back asleep! I woke up at 9am. Jo went to work at Youth World, and Gabby and Diego were to come get me at noon. So I had a lot of time to kill. And Jo's mom was at Kayla's (Jo's sister) school for parent teacher interviews! Kayla is a very smart student, she got mostly 100% in all her subjects!

So I made myself at home like Rachel told me to! I had some fresh bread and juice! I love their bread here!!!

Noon came and went and still no sign of Gabby and Diego. Rachel came home and called Gabby and something came up and they were running late. So we called Jo at the office. He told me that it was to late now for lunch with Gabby and Diego cuz we were going to see Cameron from youth world and her new baby boy!!! Cameron was one of the 'bosses' that I met last summer when the heartland team came here!

So Rachel made me lunch...rice, beef and plantains! It was pretty good! I am finding that I can't eat as much as I use to, I think it's cuz I'm drinking way more water here then I normally do.

My day didn't really begin till like 1:30pm, so I packed my suitcase and showered and just surfed the Internet.

Jo came back at 2:30 and we left to go to the Youth World office. And he got a phone call from a friend telling Jo that he couldn't make me a bunch of bracelets that I wanted to bring back for people. So we flagged down a taxi and went to the market again! I ended up finding a bunch of bracelets. On the way I was praying that it wouldn't be more then $25 and it came to $21!!!

After the market we went to see Cameron and her baby boy, his name is Graham! He is 3weeks old today so cute!!! It was awesome to see Cameron and hold baby Graham! And I bought him a gift from heartland alliance! Wade I need to give you a huge when I see you from Cameron! Ok!?!

Then after the shirt visit with Cameron we went to Jo's small group! At first I am not gonna lie I didn't want to be there, I was not feeling like being around people, I'm not to sure why. As I said earlier today was a very blaaaa day :-( I can't describe how I felt. I wasn't good tho. And I was praying and praying and praying asking God, why am I feeling like this.

During the meeting time we sang Spanish worship songs and Paul (the guys bday party I went to last night) he spoke it was good. It was in Spanish of course but my lovely personal translator Jo translated it all for me!!! Which I REALLY appreciated!

Then they asked me to share my testimony...on the spot lol yes I did it! And it was very interesting that as I was sharing my mood started to change! Slowly and by the end I was filled with the joy of the Lord! Praise the Lord!!!

When we got home all of Jo's family was up waiting for us to get home!!! Even Jo's sister Andrea and niece were over too! They all wanted to spend that last night with me! They all made me feel so special!!! Words can't describe how special I feel! They truly are my Ecuadorian family! Jo's little brother Juan hugged me and started to tear up saying that he hated to say good bye. And Jo's twin brother Leon gave me a bracelet. So special!!! And Jo told me to expect his momma to break down crying tomorrow morning at the airport. I love Jo's family they are so emotional and wear their hearts on their sleeves, they are so real!

My heart is so confused right now, please pray for me...I won't want to leave but at the same time I want to because I want to see all of you! I feel like my heart is here tho, Ecuador has a piece of my heart! Please pray for me! As I reenter Canada! That I will be able to search out God's will for my life! I don't wanna come back if it is just based on my feeling and love for everything about Ecuador. I wanna come back based on God's will!

Well it's 10:30pm and I gotta get up at 4 YUCK :-( so I better go to sleep!!!
Chao chao! See you all soon!

Carlita

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Long day! Happy labor day!!!

Hola! This is my second time writing this post, the first time in not sure what happened but it got deleted >:|

So my day was a long busy but fun day! It was labor day here today in Ecuador!

My day started out with going two buses with Jo and Andrea (Jo's sister$ we went to the market! It was a cool market! I was able to buy a few things! The most important was I got my mom a mothers day gift! I can't wait for you to open it mom!! It's really nice and pretty!

Then we came home on one bus and a taxi. We road in a taxi cuz Jo's head was hurting and he didn't feel well at all :-( poor guy has a 'man cold' lol

For lunch we had tomato soup, and you put popcorn in it! I know that sound weird...but it's actually yummy!!! And we had rice and beef...NOT CHICKEN!!!!!

After Lunch, Rachel (Jo's mom), Andrea (Jo's sister) and I and of course Jo went to a 'Spa' I got a hair cut, manicure and a pedicure. Jo was really funny there...I called him my personal translator lol he was a good sport about being with us woman! It was actually fun! I say actually fun cuz those that know me know that I am not a girlie girl! I don't go for pedicures cuz I HATE people touching my feet lol. But I did it to hang out with Rachel and Andrea! Which was fun! And the crazy thing was all 3 only cost me $21 plus $5 tip! So cheap! I added a pic to show you what the look like!

After the spa Jo's dad came to pick up Rachel and Andrea. While Jo and I watched to one of his guys that he mentors Paul's surprise bday party. While we were walking I saw a statue on the mountain and asked Jo what it was. It was a statue of the Virgin Mary. I thought to myself...man that would be awesome to go up there...maybe next time I'm in Quito!!!

We got to the party! There were a lot of people there! I felt awkward a little bit cuz I didn't know them and could understand them, however Jo translated a lot for me which was really nice of him! Cuz I imagine it's hard to constantly translate esp. when you are with friends and you wanna talk to them in your own language but still want your friend that doesn't speak your language to feel left out! What a good selfless guy!

Ok this is where the story gets cool! I see it as a God moment!!! While we were at the party Jo received a phone call from his parents, they wanted to invite Jo and I to go up the mountain where the Virgin Mary is to see the city at night!!! I thought wow thanks God, He heard my thoughts and wishes about going up to the statue and answered it!

Up on the mountain it was sooo pretty to see all the lights of the city from the mountain! While we were up there I was in awe! And I thought wow mountains are huge and this one wasn't even that big! I then thought of the song Mighty To Save, the chorus says 'Savor, He can move mountains' wow God can move mountains! What a powerful God we serve!!! Kinda made that song more real! That was the first time I thought about it that way, I've seen mountains so many times before!

We also drove in downtown Quito. There are a ton of Catholic churches, like one every block, at least that's what it felt like!

Then we stopped at the place that had a few food trolleys that cooked real Ecuadorian food. And Jo's dad asked me if I wanted to try some Ecuadorian food. I said yes! But first I needed to pee so badly! (it's all the water I've been drinking to stay hydrated!) Jo took me to a restaurant and they didn't have a washroom, and we saw a police station down the road. It was kinda dark going there, it was kinda scary cuz there were a few guys wondering around on the sidewalks. So as we walked there my heart was pounding hard and I was praying for safety. The policeman on duty let me use their washroom there! And on the way back to the food trolleys we ran! We were running my shorts were starting to fall off, so I was running holding my shorts lol

We then met up with Jo's parents and they gave me a piece of meat, however Jo wouldn't tell me what it was until I ate a piece. After I ate it Jo then told me it was cows butt...it was really gross, and even grosser now that I knew what it was lol

Then we headed back home cuz everyone was getting tired. Wow I can believe tomorrow is my lay day here in Ecuador. 3 weeks went so fast. I have done a lot in 3 weeks and I've covered a lot of ground!

I received an email from ACCI missions giving me an assignment that I need to do to prepare myself as I come back to Canada! Please pray for me as I complete the assignment and do a self debriefing about my time here in Ecuador! THANK YOU ALL SOOOO MUCH FOR PRAYING AND YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR FAITHFULLY READING MY BLOG! It means A LOT to me, more then words can express!!!
See you soon! I can't wait to talk with all of you and share my stories and show you all pictures! Don't worry I didn't take nearly as many pics as I did this summer lol

Carlita