God is ALL powerful

Hola amigos! So today was a great day! Even tho it started at 5:30am! 

Today we went swimming with the kids and had lunch with the kids! It was sooo much fun! I never went swimming but I still had fun!!! I had a chance to use my big lens! 55/250 it takes awesome pictures!!! Here are a few that I was able to capture!!! It definitely capture how much fun the team was having with the kids! 

Cool story! While we were at the pool a gentleman came up to me with his little girl, and asked me if I remembered her, at first I didn't but then he explained that the last time we were there his little daughter had a brace on her legs to keep her legs separated and her hips in place and she couldn't walk and was in line for a surgery to fix it...we prayed for her that Sunday and today she is walking n running like little girls her age do! It was sooo cool to see God's handy work! To see that the power of pray works! That there is power in His name! It brought a tear to my eye! 

The day ended for us a bit early! Which was nice to just relax and rest! And for supper we went to an Argentina restaurant where I had what I was told was a sausage with 'bacon' in it...sound pretty yummy right??? Lol nope it wasn't! It was nasty! It tasted like liverwort or whatever you call it and it looked GROSS. But it was an experience right! 

So another sweet super cool God nice happened tonight at debrief!!! Ok so we were in debrief and talking about yesterday's experiences and like 75% or more said that they were sooo angry all day...and as I was listening to them my stomach was in knots n doing summersaults and I heard a voice saying there is a strong spirit of anger in the place, and I needed to share...and I was like NO WAY man! And the feelings just got worse and the voice just got louder so I said it! And after the Ashley from youth world said she knew I was to say something n was praying I would! It was super cool to say yes to God even when it is scary! 

Please continue pray that I keep saying yes to God even when it is hard! Thanks guys! Good night guys! 

Painting n children!!!

Hey! Today was the first day at Ramanso De Amor in a little town of Argela Alta! It was an EARLY morning start! But not as early as tomorrow! Where we gotta leave at 6:30, but today we left at 7:30. 

When we got there, there were just a few kids, and then like 15 minutes last there were like TONS of kids! Here are some pics of the team with the kids! 

A birds eye view from the roof of the school! 

Danielle doing the human knot with the kids

And then we painted!!! I painted too! 

 

And we also did yard work

It was a fun filled long tiring day! This evening for debrief we had a worship and reflection time! It was great to sit and worship God together! 

I know that this is a really short post but I am exhausted and I need to get up tomorrow at 5:30....YUCK! Please pray for me that I can get well rested and not be grumpy!!! Also pray that God gives me energy for tomorrow we are going on a field trip, taking the kids swimming! Please pray that everyone stays safe! And has a lot of fun and that many relationships are formed! That the teams last few days are amazing and God filled! Thanks guys!!! Good night!!! 

Done at La Roca...Byes are never fun

Hey! Well today was another emotional roller coaster kinda day! 

We started the day off at church! It was really cool to go there again! What was really cool is I recognized people from the last time I was there with the team in 2011! 

Actually super cool story I just must share with you!!! Ok so during the service I of course found a baby! A two month old little baby girl her name was Nina!!! So precious! I held her for most of the service! And at the end of the service I was still holding her and a gentleman can up to me n did the traditional Ecuadorian hug n kiss and then showed me a pic that was on his phone! Lol it was me holding a baby pretty much in the same place I was this time two years ago! Lol it actually is my blog profile picture!!! That was SOOO cool to see!!! And crazy that he still had it on his phone being it was over two years ago! 

Ok back to the things that happen today!!! So at church I created a slide show of some pics of what we did this week there at the La Roca n the VBS! And then we sang 'Father I adore You' in English n Spanish. Then Danielle spoke! It was a great service!!! 

Then after we took pictures! Here's a few! 

The girls!!!

The whole team

The boys! 

Selfies!!! 

My roomies!!!

And then we went for lunch! We had can u guess!?! Lol yes chicken n rice! After lunch we went to one of the skaters house Patricio! This was a HUGE!!! Beautiful house! It held about 50 people just to let u picture how big it was! It was a lot of fun! 

We had supper there! I didn't have their supper cuz they ordered pizza! I had a chicken salad! Crazy thing is I was CRAVING vegetables! Which is nuts cuz I never ever crave vegetables! 

Here are a few pics of our day at Patricio's house! 

Then came time to say good byes, it amazed me how after only a week how close we got to these guys! It's really cool to see the guys grow! That's the purpose of us going! To grow n go! To plant the seed of The Lord! In a lot of these guys we have seen them grow! Some of them have graduated from school n now r going to university! And what's really awesome to see is how much these guys have grown in God, and to see how much La Roca has grown! I remember the first time I came the skate church had like 18-20 guys and now at skate church they had over a 100! And it's cool to see the guys develop into leaders! I'm so blessed to be a part of this ministry! 

Please continue to pray that I stay health as well as the team! Please pray for me also that I keep it real! Lol that sounds funny but on a serious note I don't wanna be fake! I wanna be real n genuine! And not shut down! Lord keep me open!!! 

Good night all! 

Tears are definitely the Best medicine!

Hola! So you might be saying to yourself...'what's up with the title of your post!' 

Well here is...today was a very emotional day! Let's just say I cried a lot today! I uses to see crying as a sign of weakness (and sometimes I still find myself thinking that way.). 

Before I start on telling you what happened today I need to back up a bit and tell you some back ground. Some really close friends of mine were foster parents to two beautiful girls for 4.5 years...I got really close to them both, especially the older sister! And a week ago they were returned to their birth mom.

I really felt nothing when I saw them go back to their mom! I thought was weird but hey whatever right!?!

Lol wrong! Boy was I wrong! Today God brought all of it to a head! (Lol that's a weird saying!) what I mean by that's is while watching the Iris drime I find myself crying and not exactly sure why, but whatever! Ok I'm teared up, didn't think to much of it I just chalked it up to being overtired...

(The team preformed the drime at La Roca the skateboard church! It was really well done! Here is a link to it to watch it!) 

So as I was saying the drime it touched me. And I went on with the rest on my day, we watched a skateboard competition and had what the Americans call a cook out! 

Then went out for supper! And then came back for a nice quiet/relaxing evening...well that's what I thought, again I was wrong! But I'm now glad that I'm wrong! 

After supper one of my girls came into my room n asked for prayers, we talked for a while n prayed for a while, I was still good! Doing leadership/ friend duty which I was so thrilled to be there, and let God use me! 

Then we went to debrief and that's when it all happened...each debrief we are asked different questions and today's question was 'how are u seeing God thru our time in Ecuador? And what is He teaching you as well as what r u going to take home that u have learned or see or done? 

Well God decided it was a great time to start bawling my eyes out...He showed me that I need to say goodbye and not hid under numb emotions. He also showed me that I HATE the word Bye it goodbye...I try to avoid it if I can. 

As well God has revealed to me that one of the reasons why I feel like I can't connect in a deeper level, cuz I'm AFRAID they will leave me too. It stems from traumas they have received as a child.  

I didn't realize that I hadn't dealt with the girls leaving...and apparently all the emotions pilled into one and came out as tears. Very releasing and free! 

Oh I just realized that it was 1:30, I Better trying n go to sleep! Please pray for me! For my heart...(happy they went home to their mom,) sad, mad, disappointed. And more! As well as for me not to shut down and become numb, that I feel everything that God want me to! Thanks good night! 

Lol I just realized that I fell asleep before I pressed publish! Lol apparently I was tired! It's Sunday and we are about to head to church! Will update u all later! 

I am free!!!

Hey! So I'm not sure why I'm calling this post 'I am free' but that's the first thing that came to my head lol! 

So today was a good day! It first started with painting again! Brock thought that we wouldn't be able to finish the project of the outside wall but the team went be on his expectations! We finished the wall which has never been painted since Brock started over 3 yrs ago! It looks great! As well as we painted the inside wall, the neighbours wall (that was an accident but it looked great none the less lol) and the outside of the Pastor's house n and one wall of the outside of the church! Our team works amazing together! 

After that we went to this restaurant for lunch again! 

Then we did VBS! 

Lead worship again!!! So fun!!!

Paper airplanes

Nail polish 

Drama!

Things are going really well! The team is really unified which is awesome! Oh and Jose Luis Aka Jo my Ecuadorian friend (I'm staying with him n his family after the team leaves!) was able to join us for most of the day! Which was really nice to visit n paint with him! 

Please continue to pray for team unity and for health! We only have two days left at La Roca! And then we are off to Argalia Alta, where the early mornings start! And as most of u know I HATE mornings! Lol and when I say early I mean EARLY, like 5:30-6 YUCK!!! Please pray for me! 

Well it's 12:45am here I best be going to sleep! Night all! 

Good morning

Hey! Sorry I never posted yesterday I was just to tired, physically n emotionally! However I still couldn't fall asleep last night...but I didn't want to write or talk, n I had the strong desire to be alone, which is very odd for me, as most of u know I enjoy being around people. So I just spent the time I was laying in my bed last night while everyone was sleeping praying. Not sure what I was praying for but I was praying n the Holy Spirit kept filling up my words! 

Yesterday, we painted a lot! As well as we did VBS with the kids! I lead worship again with Hannah! Which I just love seeing the kids worship God! And it doesn't matter that there is a language barrier we serve the same God! 

Please continue to pray for protection against spiritual warfare! Satan is definitely trying to defeat us but with God be will NEVER!!! 

God is GOOD...ALL THE TIME

Hello everyone! 

As I ended me post yesterday I mentioned that our team was under attack...God showed me a pretty amazing vision last night as I was going to sleep I was praying for protection God showed me Angels standing on guard at the hostel's gate and on guard at each bedroom! They were gigantic and they holding huge swords n shield, and there were flaming arrows coming towards them. 

And at debrief tonight I was able to share what I saw, and three team mates had nightmares. God was able to use the vision that He gave me to bring encouragement to the rest of the team! 

Now on to what happened during the day! We were able to go to La Roca where we got the privilege of listening to Brock's story n how La Roca came into being! Pretty amazing God story! If u are interested message me or ask me in person! 

After the 'orientation' we got to hang out with the skaters! A few of the guys were able to board as well as a few of the girls got to learn how to board!!! It was pretty cool to watch! 

For lunch we went to this place! 

It was pretty yummy food! I had soup, rice, and beef ribs and a fruit juice with oatmeal blended into it! Everything was yummy! Mi gusta! 

After lunch we did a bible study with the boarders! 

Which was pretty cool! It was really cool to sit on the concrete floor that we layed the last time we were there! And the generator that the team donated last time we were there be used! 

After that we went to do VBS (Vacation Bible School for the kids) there were probably 40-50 neighbourhood kids, which was pretty sweet to see! 

We coloured outside with chalk 

We did a play about Moses 

Bubbles

Balloon animals

Patto Patto gonzo...duck duck goose!

And jumped on a trampoline! 

And of course I found two babies!!! 

My favourite part of the day tho has to be leading the kids in worship today!!! I loved seeing the kids follow my actions in Mighty To Save! It took my breathe away!!! It was also really cool to see the team in the midst of the little ones, even the big guys!!! (They made the kids look even smaller lol)! I just love see kids worship God thru songs n actions! It just fills me with Joy!!

Please pray that everyone has a great night rest/sleep! Tomorrow is full of painting n other odds n ends there at La Roca as well as in the afternoon we are doing more VBS!  

Good night everyone n God bless you all!!! Thanks for partnering with me n the team as we are in Ecuador! Please continue to pray against attacks that Satan will try to through our ways! GOD IS POWERFUL! THERE IS POWER IN HIS NAME! 

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20)

Here safe n sound!

Hey y'all!! We are here in Quito! Just spent our first day learning about Youth World, and touring around Quito! 

Here are a few pictures! 

Please pray for our team, we are under spiritual attack, sickness wise as well as emotional health! Please join us in prayer!  Satan has NO power of us, we are God's children! Thank you for joining us in prayer!