An Answer to Prayer

I just found a letter from a Hope of Bastion School Mom written to a friend in my church who sent gifts to his sponsor kid and family a while back. I sat down to translate it (way too late! Sorry friend!!) and I found a gem. I was blessed.

This woman wrote a heartfelt, well-written letter expressing her thankfulness for the gifts sent to her family. One of the gifts she received was a beautiful Spanish Scofield Study Bible. To see her open this gift was a gift in itself and reading her letter brought me back to that moment.

She wrote about how she had always asked God for a Bible and she was so thankful to God that he used her son's sponsor to provide for her request. Her perspective blew me away. Here's this humble woman asking God for a Bible, and when her son's school sponsor sent one for the family, she thanks him for being used by God. God provided and he provided generously. God didn't provide a $4 paperback Bible which would have been easy for any of us to give her. She received the desire of her heart and encouraged me (and hopefully you) by her thanks to God. 

A children's Bible, You Are Special by Max Lucado, gum, toothbrushes and toothpaste were also perfect gifts for this family.

*side note* during that same visit, Mom asked if Hope of Bastion School would have room for her son who was entering 6th grade and was placed in a school that was very far away and difficult/expensive to get to. We didn't have a spot at the moment, but one opened up at the beginning of the school year! Now her 3 youngest children are all at Hope of Bastion.

Jessie Bauman's Blog on this special day

La Madre Gordita

"You're the mom of our group! When you leave it'll be like our mom is leaving us." So now, I am a 50 year old woman's mom. That's me! Mama Erin to a club of school mothers. Why? "Because you always bring all the snacks on our trips, and that's what moms do!" I am ready for motherhood ;)

But maybe mothers wouldn't drive 8 kids home from school in a 5 passenger car...

In other news, I have been hanging out with lots of friends, hence eating lots of food... And therefore

the wonderful comments "Estas mas llenita" (You are fuller). "Estabas mas fina cuando llegaste" (You were more delicate when you arrived). And the old classic: "Estas mas gordita." (You're fatter).

Pope Day

What a treat. The pope comes to Guayaquil and we get a free vacation day! Well, not totally free. Everyone else will have to work the last Saturday of the month to make up for it. The city was shut down since early this morning until about 4, with over 1 million people traveling to see the pope. We could have walked over to the park to see him too (under 2 miles away), but instead, slept in, hung out with friends and ate way too much food at Marlene's.

I had a fun time with the girls last night

as we risked our lives at Play Land Park. #amigas

Happy 4th of July!

Time with these two girls is so special. 

They slept over my house last night and we had some good time to chat

about life and important things. 

We celebrated the 4th of July and Canada Day tonight

with lots of yummy food and fun games.

Rich Moments

I missed my blog upload yesterday because I was just so tired! I have a few hours to myself this afternoon, so I thought I'd get out of the heat of my house and write a post at Sweet & Coffee. My drink isn't as good as it looks unfortunately- the decaf just isn't as good this time!

I've had a lovely day/night/day with people, and I'm so thankful. My friend Janna, who has gone through this sad goodbye process, described it perfectly: this time is so rich. Each time with beloved friends is special and purposeful.

I had a fun Becky Day on Wednesday!

And Carlos time on Thursday.

And then Kenia slept over (pic to come).

Today was a special day at school and a good time at English Club, and now I'm preparing for two girls to sleep over my house tonight. I hope I get some sleep!

Mi Carro: A Tribute

I bought my car about 3 years ago after a "sequestro express" (taxi turned kidnapper/robbery) with my mom. Thankfully, we only lost Mom's camera, $35 and my little cell phone, but the robbers didn't hurt us at all. I was traumatized from getting in taxis for a long time and the Lord provided for me to be able to buy a car. One of the brother's from the Flores family (co-founders of the Bastion church and Las Jaguitas ancestry) helped me buy a reliable car: a Chevy Grand Vitara (in the US they're Suzuki).
This beasty little machine made it up the unpaved roads to Block 8 and through the Andes mountain mists of Cuenca.

 

My car never held more than 15 people at a time, 

it never left us stranded in the middle of nowhere, 

and was the bearer of many good gifts. 

It passed the ultimate test out in Las Jaguitas during a mission trip in Feb 2014:

 

This car has been a great blessing in my life and I was worried about the selling process. When I uploaded it to the Ecuadorian version of Craig's List, I had more buyers than I could handle. I was worried about the safety of meeting with random people off the internet and I wasn't psycologically ready to spend a month of buses and taxis. The first 3 people I met on a Saturday morning with all wanted to buy the car. One couple said they would deposit the money first thing on Monday morning. I was so sad to sell it but begrudgingly thankful for the quick and simple process. That "first thing Monday morning" turned into "tomorrow", "tomorrow"... "Monday". "Great! More time with my car", I thought, although I was getting nervous. 

Just then a sister of the Flores family (remember? the ones from Las Jaguitas who helped me get the car in the first place??) told me that she wanted to buy the car to travel more easily to Last Jaguitas! Long story short, the Lord provided for the other man not to buy the car and for Lilian to buy it! Today we signed the papers and they insisted that I drive the car until I leave Ecuador. What a blessing!

Joy after Tears

This leaving business stinks. I couldn't post a blog last night because I was too busy crying. After some some good prayer time this morning with Becky and Jessie, I can be thankful and find peace in the Prince of Peace and his promises. I can also write joyfully about the passing activities.

Moms' club surprised me yesterday morning with my favorite food: "Seco de Pollo" and ice cream (they know I don't like cake). Yummy meal... and all at 9am!

They gave me a beautiful handmade (by them) purse with the Ecuadorian flag and a picture. 

Tim Horne, the founder of the church/school, was also invited in on his last day in Ecuador.

I rand errands yesterday and today. Today's included the bank, on the last day of the month: payday. The bank is always a daunting outing, and I guess today's paperwork went as well as could be expected. I had a free afternoon and thought maybe I could take my sponsor child out to lunch. I found her at after school, called her mom, and away we went! She's hilarious:

I wanted to get a chance to chat with this spunky 7 year old about spiritual things. I'm thankful that her two older brothers are saved and involved in the church and youth group, and her mom just trusted in Christ about a month ago! Little D prayed before our meal and is faithful at church and Kids' Club. She reads her kids' Bible too. We talked a little about salvation and I believe she is a Christian. Pray with me that she grows up to love and serve the Lord!