Today we visited North Seymor. We got to see sea lions, blue footed boobies, frigates, lizards, and a chameleon. I got bit by a bunch of annoying horse flies.
After dinner, my team was invited to perform our "everything" drama at a church. Being at that church was a neat experience. They way they pray and praise God with all their hearts is so cool. They literally call out and cry out to Him. The church is small but they are so willing to go out and serve God. After our skit and after a teammate shared her testimony, I led prayer for their church and we invited them to come to the dock with us to see our other dramas and to witness to other people.
While we were having worship there, I saw a woman with her arms lifted high also worship with us. Her name was Jaqueline and I got to talk to her. She told me about her life. When I asked if she had any prayer requests, she said that she wanted the Holy Spirit to come into her heart. She wanted God to reveal to her what He wanted her to do with her life. Fear was reigning in her life and so she also asked for boldness and courage so that she could witness to others. I praye for her and she wasso grateful. The pastor and some others from the church that we visited earlier were there an I got a chance to talk to them. We talked about their church and shared about how we each came to know Christ. The conversation was all in Spanish so it was a bit difficult. Difficult but maneagable. I also talke to someone name Juan who's been coming back every night.
What I really like about ministering at the dock/pier is that we are able to build relationships with the people there. People that came to see the dramas from previous nights keep coming back. The relationship aspect is neat. The pier is basically in the town square area and so we get a lot of people who pass by.
Aw man, one more day here! So sad but I really do miss my bed and shower. It's kin of hard sleeping without blankets. But ehhh... I'm incredibly blessed :D
Friday, July 15, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Day 17
Hi everyone!
Today we went to the same school we visited two days earlier for more work projects. We painted other buildings and classrooms. I now have a paint smear on my shirt (due to the hug steve goley, founder of big world ventures gave me) and a hugeeeee hand print on the back of my shirt (due to him smacking my back). Steve Goley is awesome. He's like everyone's dad on this trip and is good at giving big bear hugs.
After painting, me and teammate named Cammie got to go into a classroom to help teach english to the little kids. Apparently they knew a lot of English already and I have to stop them from counting over thirty. They knew animals, colors, clothing, supplies in English. They were so enthusiastic about showing off their English. They would quickly raise their hands adx run to the front to answer questions. I was very impressed. I taught them "head shoulders knees and toes" and a song about Jesus in spanish. They loved it. A little girl randomly walked up to me to give me a picture that she drew for me. It was a picture of a blue footed boobie (a bird) that said "I love you". That made my heart all bubbly and warm inside.
Before we left, 3 girls came up one by one and sang us a song with movements. Then kids started showing off their acrobatic skills. They were doing splits, cartwheels, flips, and head stands. Cammie and I hugged them and the teachers before we left and exchanged emails with the teacher to send her pictures. After lunch, I played with a group of girls. We had a fail game of duck duck goose. They then taught me how to play gato (cat) and raton (mouse). It's similar to duck duck goose but more quirky. Sarah (a teammate) and I played London bridge with them. We also had sprinting races. I lost a wheel barrow race (with sarah as my partner to a five year old.......
Saying good bye was so sad because they kept asking when we were returning.
At 7:30, we performed our "everything" skit two times. After the first one, Kim (my fellow leader/LIT) and I talked to a woman named Betsy. She told us about how she accepted Christ. She said it was because her brother was in jail for drugs. He turned his life around and saw the change he made in his life. She wanted that too so she also accepted him! But currently, her brother strayed away from God and has fallen back into his old ways. Only she remains. Her daughter is also not a believer because she has more head knowledge than heart knowledge. Betsy also has marriage problems with her husband. She made it clear that although this was all happening, she still had the joy, love, and peace of Christ. We prayed for her and as we were praying, she started crying. She was so thankful and said that she was on the galapagos today for her daughter's 25th birthday. She fel that it was God who orchestrated the whole moment. We are all from different places but ended up meeting tonight. Totally all God. His timing is perfect.
After performing the dram the second time, I hesitantly walked up to a man named Rafael and had a conversation with him all in Spanish about Jesus and his faith. He showed ip at the end other drama and explanations and so I invited him to come out tomorrow. He happily agreed. I can't wait till tomorrow night!
Love y'all,
Michelle
Today we went to the same school we visited two days earlier for more work projects. We painted other buildings and classrooms. I now have a paint smear on my shirt (due to the hug steve goley, founder of big world ventures gave me) and a hugeeeee hand print on the back of my shirt (due to him smacking my back). Steve Goley is awesome. He's like everyone's dad on this trip and is good at giving big bear hugs.
After painting, me and teammate named Cammie got to go into a classroom to help teach english to the little kids. Apparently they knew a lot of English already and I have to stop them from counting over thirty. They knew animals, colors, clothing, supplies in English. They were so enthusiastic about showing off their English. They would quickly raise their hands adx run to the front to answer questions. I was very impressed. I taught them "head shoulders knees and toes" and a song about Jesus in spanish. They loved it. A little girl randomly walked up to me to give me a picture that she drew for me. It was a picture of a blue footed boobie (a bird) that said "I love you". That made my heart all bubbly and warm inside.
Before we left, 3 girls came up one by one and sang us a song with movements. Then kids started showing off their acrobatic skills. They were doing splits, cartwheels, flips, and head stands. Cammie and I hugged them and the teachers before we left and exchanged emails with the teacher to send her pictures. After lunch, I played with a group of girls. We had a fail game of duck duck goose. They then taught me how to play gato (cat) and raton (mouse). It's similar to duck duck goose but more quirky. Sarah (a teammate) and I played London bridge with them. We also had sprinting races. I lost a wheel barrow race (with sarah as my partner to a five year old.......
Saying good bye was so sad because they kept asking when we were returning.
At 7:30, we performed our "everything" skit two times. After the first one, Kim (my fellow leader/LIT) and I talked to a woman named Betsy. She told us about how she accepted Christ. She said it was because her brother was in jail for drugs. He turned his life around and saw the change he made in his life. She wanted that too so she also accepted him! But currently, her brother strayed away from God and has fallen back into his old ways. Only she remains. Her daughter is also not a believer because she has more head knowledge than heart knowledge. Betsy also has marriage problems with her husband. She made it clear that although this was all happening, she still had the joy, love, and peace of Christ. We prayed for her and as we were praying, she started crying. She was so thankful and said that she was on the galapagos today for her daughter's 25th birthday. She fel that it was God who orchestrated the whole moment. We are all from different places but ended up meeting tonight. Totally all God. His timing is perfect.
After performing the dram the second time, I hesitantly walked up to a man named Rafael and had a conversation with him all in Spanish about Jesus and his faith. He showed ip at the end other drama and explanations and so I invited him to come out tomorrow. He happily agreed. I can't wait till tomorrow night!
Love y'all,
Michelle
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Day 16
Hola!
Today we had an excursion. We took a two hour boat ride to it. Mannnnnnn was it a bumpy ride. Some people were throwing up....I felt a bit sick too an so I took a nap because naps make me feel better. We got to snorkle a bit and i saw a sea turtle nearby poking it's head out of the water. I also saw a sea lion flipping in the water. So cool! There was a man and his daughter who also came along with us. They were from Brazil and were really nice. The dad sang me a song in portuguese.
After lunch (fish and fresh orange juice), we took a hike. Our hike had green trees and plants everywhere. It looked like a green enchanted forrest. I imagine it to be the forest where Snow White ran off to. We saw some tortoises in there. Apparently they can live up to a year without food or water. Because of this characteristic, pirates would bring em aboard an so when they need meat, they would eat them. We also got to visit some pirate caves. There were also passion fruit trees and some people tried them and thought that it was really good. Even though this is not allowed, I took a volcanic rock from that area and hid it in my backpack....... Hah hah....same with a coral from yesterday at tortuga beach.
We then took our 2 hour boat ride back to Santa Cruz (where we're staying). We invited the man and his daughter to come see our drama at the pier at night. We saw them there but they had to leave early. I got a chance to talk to some people, pray for them, and give them a bible. One guy was crying because he could feel the Holy Spirit move in him. So awesome. We're also doing another skit called "Everything" by Lifehouse. Love that skit! Simple but powerful. Guess who I am! I'm the depression character....so like me, right? Hah. We're also going to do another one with just my team so that we can perform it in the day time and not just have to wait till tonight to do it with other people from different teams. Thanks for reading, the prayers, and comments/emails. Sorry for not responding to emails/comments cuz I don't really have time. Know that I very much appreciate them and that they make my day. All of you make my day!
Love,
Michelle
Today we had an excursion. We took a two hour boat ride to it. Mannnnnnn was it a bumpy ride. Some people were throwing up....I felt a bit sick too an so I took a nap because naps make me feel better. We got to snorkle a bit and i saw a sea turtle nearby poking it's head out of the water. I also saw a sea lion flipping in the water. So cool! There was a man and his daughter who also came along with us. They were from Brazil and were really nice. The dad sang me a song in portuguese.
After lunch (fish and fresh orange juice), we took a hike. Our hike had green trees and plants everywhere. It looked like a green enchanted forrest. I imagine it to be the forest where Snow White ran off to. We saw some tortoises in there. Apparently they can live up to a year without food or water. Because of this characteristic, pirates would bring em aboard an so when they need meat, they would eat them. We also got to visit some pirate caves. There were also passion fruit trees and some people tried them and thought that it was really good. Even though this is not allowed, I took a volcanic rock from that area and hid it in my backpack....... Hah hah....same with a coral from yesterday at tortuga beach.
We then took our 2 hour boat ride back to Santa Cruz (where we're staying). We invited the man and his daughter to come see our drama at the pier at night. We saw them there but they had to leave early. I got a chance to talk to some people, pray for them, and give them a bible. One guy was crying because he could feel the Holy Spirit move in him. So awesome. We're also doing another skit called "Everything" by Lifehouse. Love that skit! Simple but powerful. Guess who I am! I'm the depression character....so like me, right? Hah. We're also going to do another one with just my team so that we can perform it in the day time and not just have to wait till tonight to do it with other people from different teams. Thanks for reading, the prayers, and comments/emails. Sorry for not responding to emails/comments cuz I don't really have time. Know that I very much appreciate them and that they make my day. All of you make my day!
Love,
Michelle
Monday, July 11, 2011
Day 15
Greetings!
Today we went to a school to do a work project. We sanded walls, painted them, and weeded. When we painted the walls, we applied the wrong color and had to do it all over again. It's ok though because painting is so fun!
After that, we walked for about 45 minutes to get to the beach. The path we took was soooo nice. the pathway was paved with rocks and all that surrounded us were different shades of green. Green trees, green cacti, green plants. Lizards blended in well with the rocks. I and a couple others always seem to drift away and be the last ones of the group because we like to take our time and enjoy nature. We found a hermit crab along the way, named it Hermie, and brought it along with us to the beach. The moment we felt the cool breeze and smelled the salty air, we knew we were near. As soon as we stepped on the soft silky sand, it was like a glimpse of heaven. The water was blue and clear. There was no end to the horizon. The waves rushed upon the sand and would gracefully creep back down. There were random big black iguanas just chilling in the sand either alone or groups of three an four. I'm certain that some of them are fire breathing iguanas......
As we walked past the beach, we went traveled along another path and went to another area of water that seemed somewhat private. The water was a aquamarine color with green and blue blended in. It was so clear that you can easily see your legs under water. These waters were calm and peaceful. You can see every ripple-big or small. I saw schools of fish and some crabs. There were fish randomly jumping from the water and if you went out far enough into the water you could see sea turtles! I and my teammate Sarah admired the beauty. The way the water reflected the plants and trees. The way there would be trees growing right at shore, rooted in the soft sand. We couldn't stop gushing about how beautiful it all was and how amazing our creator truly is. Our honeymoons with Jesus=can't get any better. At one of those moments, a pelican flew down 3 feet above our heads. It was hugeee. We then decide to swim sideways/backwards to "add spice to our lives" haha. The walk back from the beach was pleasant as well. Even though we walked a total of 4-5 miles, I wasn't tired at all.
For dinner, I had a burger with some cultural additions such as eggs and sauce. I almost asked for alcohol thinking that i was asking for napkins......hah....ha....After that, we went to get ice cream! Mmmm. A drama was performed by the pier two time and there were a handful of people watching. I got a chance to talk to some of them and pray for them. Many of the people watching were teens and some were saved. Yay God! My Spanish keeps improving. Whoooo. I'm excited for every night because we want to do some teen ministry by the pier (where they all hang out). We'll have dramas and maybe some worship each night there. Thanks or reading and for prayers! Please continue to pray for those that are sick on this trip and so that God uses each and every one of us mightily. Thanks for everything.
Love,
Michelle
Today we went to a school to do a work project. We sanded walls, painted them, and weeded. When we painted the walls, we applied the wrong color and had to do it all over again. It's ok though because painting is so fun!
After that, we walked for about 45 minutes to get to the beach. The path we took was soooo nice. the pathway was paved with rocks and all that surrounded us were different shades of green. Green trees, green cacti, green plants. Lizards blended in well with the rocks. I and a couple others always seem to drift away and be the last ones of the group because we like to take our time and enjoy nature. We found a hermit crab along the way, named it Hermie, and brought it along with us to the beach. The moment we felt the cool breeze and smelled the salty air, we knew we were near. As soon as we stepped on the soft silky sand, it was like a glimpse of heaven. The water was blue and clear. There was no end to the horizon. The waves rushed upon the sand and would gracefully creep back down. There were random big black iguanas just chilling in the sand either alone or groups of three an four. I'm certain that some of them are fire breathing iguanas......
As we walked past the beach, we went traveled along another path and went to another area of water that seemed somewhat private. The water was a aquamarine color with green and blue blended in. It was so clear that you can easily see your legs under water. These waters were calm and peaceful. You can see every ripple-big or small. I saw schools of fish and some crabs. There were fish randomly jumping from the water and if you went out far enough into the water you could see sea turtles! I and my teammate Sarah admired the beauty. The way the water reflected the plants and trees. The way there would be trees growing right at shore, rooted in the soft sand. We couldn't stop gushing about how beautiful it all was and how amazing our creator truly is. Our honeymoons with Jesus=can't get any better. At one of those moments, a pelican flew down 3 feet above our heads. It was hugeee. We then decide to swim sideways/backwards to "add spice to our lives" haha. The walk back from the beach was pleasant as well. Even though we walked a total of 4-5 miles, I wasn't tired at all.
For dinner, I had a burger with some cultural additions such as eggs and sauce. I almost asked for alcohol thinking that i was asking for napkins......hah....ha....After that, we went to get ice cream! Mmmm. A drama was performed by the pier two time and there were a handful of people watching. I got a chance to talk to some of them and pray for them. Many of the people watching were teens and some were saved. Yay God! My Spanish keeps improving. Whoooo. I'm excited for every night because we want to do some teen ministry by the pier (where they all hang out). We'll have dramas and maybe some worship each night there. Thanks or reading and for prayers! Please continue to pray for those that are sick on this trip and so that God uses each and every one of us mightily. Thanks for everything.
Love,
Michelle
Sunday, July 10, 2011
We have officially arrived in the Galapagos, home of the tortoises.. So far, I have seen two pelicans, an iguana, and some horses and cows. The hot and humid air makes me sweaty an sticky. I'm probably just spoiled by SD weather though. It is so beautiful here. There's luscious green trees and plants here. Everything here is somewhat flat. The environment is friendly and there is a small town feeling. It is quite quaint and you can basically walk to almost anywhere. There are trails in random places. If you think about it, trails are somewhat mysterious. You never know which path they'll lead to. For some reason, I reminded me of God"s plans for me. I dont know every single detail and path that God has laid before me. But I need to trust Him each day because it a process. Living for him day by day. The beauty of it is that I don't know what's going to happen. It's not an adventure if you already know te ending. Take the path that is of God and trust Him. I truly believe God has given me an adventurous heart. Quito was awesome but the moment the plane landed and I took my first step on Galapagos' soil, I knew that I was made to explore. Made to venture into all of God's beauty. Every fiber of my being was excited and my heart throbbed.
I feel like I'm roughing it a bit more here which is good and exciting (yeah im a bit weird). We totally didnt rough it at all in Quito. We can't flush our toilet paper here or drink their water or brush our teeth with it. The room I'm staying kind of smells like my grandpa's house in Texas (family, you prob know what I'm talking about). At the place I'm staying at is cozy and you can tell that the way eerything is set up, community is promoted.
In the afternoon around 4, we went to the Darwin Research Center. It basically was a walk in nature museum. There were so many different types of cactus, plants, birds, and other animals, I got to see iguanas, crabs that can walk on water, and bigggg tortoises (galapagos). It was so nice and peaceful. I truly enjoyed Gods amazing creations.
After that, we were given money to buy dinner. There are so many eating places that are walking distance here. It resembles a mini market except they are mostly restaurants. Food here is sooooo good and decently priced. Eating in the hot humid air at night with glowing lights left me feeling giddy inside. I like the feeling of knowing that I'm not in my own country. I had some shrimp and after that, Danny the eleven year old translator showed me a good place to get ice cream! Mmmmmm
After that, some people from the trip had a spontaneous worship on the steps outside. It was a great moment to soak everything up.
Well that's all for now. Tomorrow we'll be doing a work project at a school. Whoooo. Good night! Thanks for all the prayers!
Love,
Michelle
ps: once again please take notice that I type this all out on my little iPod touch an I don't really look over what I write or check for mistakes because it's a bit tough to do so on a little screen. Sorry!
I feel like I'm roughing it a bit more here which is good and exciting (yeah im a bit weird). We totally didnt rough it at all in Quito. We can't flush our toilet paper here or drink their water or brush our teeth with it. The room I'm staying kind of smells like my grandpa's house in Texas (family, you prob know what I'm talking about). At the place I'm staying at is cozy and you can tell that the way eerything is set up, community is promoted.
In the afternoon around 4, we went to the Darwin Research Center. It basically was a walk in nature museum. There were so many different types of cactus, plants, birds, and other animals, I got to see iguanas, crabs that can walk on water, and bigggg tortoises (galapagos). It was so nice and peaceful. I truly enjoyed Gods amazing creations.
After that, we were given money to buy dinner. There are so many eating places that are walking distance here. It resembles a mini market except they are mostly restaurants. Food here is sooooo good and decently priced. Eating in the hot humid air at night with glowing lights left me feeling giddy inside. I like the feeling of knowing that I'm not in my own country. I had some shrimp and after that, Danny the eleven year old translator showed me a good place to get ice cream! Mmmmmm
After that, some people from the trip had a spontaneous worship on the steps outside. It was a great moment to soak everything up.
Well that's all for now. Tomorrow we'll be doing a work project at a school. Whoooo. Good night! Thanks for all the prayers!
Love,
Michelle
ps: once again please take notice that I type this all out on my little iPod touch an I don't really look over what I write or check for mistakes because it's a bit tough to do so on a little screen. Sorry!
Day 14
Last day in Ecuador! Today we journeyed to the center of the earth aka the equator. Today was the day where I sat, jumped, stood on the two hemispheres-north and south at once. It was fun! for lunch I had....wait for it.....guinea pig! When our food arrived it looked so gross. It was basically a guinea pig cooked well done. The claws and head are highly visible on the pig. Despite the gruesome appearance, it tasted like seasoned chicken with herbs. It was surprisingly good.
After visiting the equator monument, we went to the market for about an hour. We had team time and shared about what we learned, what we liked the most, our struggles.
Our translators are awesome. They are all nice, funny, helpful, and encouraging. I'm going to miss them so much!
Galapagos tomorrow!!!! Yayyyy. Peace out Ecuador!
After visiting the equator monument, we went to the market for about an hour. We had team time and shared about what we learned, what we liked the most, our struggles.
Our translators are awesome. They are all nice, funny, helpful, and encouraging. I'm going to miss them so much!
Galapagos tomorrow!!!! Yayyyy. Peace out Ecuador!
Day 13
Today was our last ministry day in Ecuador. I can't believe how fast time has been slipping by. We performed our drama two times at a public park. Parks here are gorgeous. Green trees, green grass, random sculptures, and sometimes a mini river with a bridge are the elements of many parks here in Quito. I was able to pray for a handful of people who wanted prayer and encourage them. After the second drama that we performed, I and another teammate talked to two factory workers who were on their lunch break. They were incredibly nice and beautiful. They were so encouraged by us and kept thanking us for praying for them and for coming to Ecuador.
One of the main things Ive learned on this trip is boldness. Not being afraid to approach others. Not letting fear or pride get in the way. Being unashamed and absolutely driven to lead others in Christ. Man has God been using Us. He works for the good of those ho love Him. So what's the salvation count for this year? 1,024 people! Not only are they saved but they're getting plugged into churches and discipleships so they can grow in their faith. Praise God for providing when He calls you to do something.
Today we had our talent show called "a talent only a mother would love." It was wonderful! All the skits, dances, weird talents were entertaining. A teammate of mine won the talent show. His talent that only a mother could love? Singing all the elements of the periodic table. That's what you call talent, alright.
Ahhhhhhh feeling so blessed right now. Hope y'all are feeling the same way!
Love,
Michelle
One of the main things Ive learned on this trip is boldness. Not being afraid to approach others. Not letting fear or pride get in the way. Being unashamed and absolutely driven to lead others in Christ. Man has God been using Us. He works for the good of those ho love Him. So what's the salvation count for this year? 1,024 people! Not only are they saved but they're getting plugged into churches and discipleships so they can grow in their faith. Praise God for providing when He calls you to do something.
Today we had our talent show called "a talent only a mother would love." It was wonderful! All the skits, dances, weird talents were entertaining. A teammate of mine won the talent show. His talent that only a mother could love? Singing all the elements of the periodic table. That's what you call talent, alright.
Ahhhhhhh feeling so blessed right now. Hope y'all are feeling the same way!
Love,
Michelle
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