Eaten Alive

It's official. I am food for the mosquitos. Let's hope and pray I don't get malaria.

Aside from the numerous bug bites, this week in El Carmen was once again fenomenal!

Before we left we did a little bit of turism in Quito with the team as well as help at a couple different orphanages. At the home for children who's parents are in prison I got the chance to teach, Cristian, a 15 year old boy, how to play "Eres Todopoderoso." Cristian is a pretty cool dude he can sing and act really well, yet he lives with the effects of having tuberculosis as a young child. There weren't a lot of kids there because some of them were able to stay with family for the summer.

I ended up taking a little bit too much travel sickness medicine for the ride to El Carmen and was pretty much out the whole way and still super drowsy for the rest of the night. We had a really great worship service at El Carmen Alliance. I really like that church. Elmer (the pastor) was back from visiting the USA so it was great to finally meet him too.

The next day we heard that Mama Nina was healed from her leukemia after we had been praying for her for 3 weeks. Que milagro! What a miracle!

When we got to the work site it looked the same as we had left it...except some grass had already grown. They told us that it had rained so much they couldn't do any work. The whole place was pretty muddy so there was no doubt in that. Some trucks came to drop off dirt but had to leave it at the top of the hill because of the mud. The team had to bring the dirt down in wheel barrels. It was definitely hard work.

Meanwhile the team was getting dirt and sweating their faces off, I prepared for VBS. The first day all I needed to do was get some crafts ready. The next 2 days I had more work to do like picking a Bible story and planning the skit. I also kind of got thrown into being the EMcee of sorts for VBS. It turned out to be a TON of fun. God had just given me this indescribable energy for that. I really LOVED it. It made me realize how much I enjoy getting leading others in worship and the word in a creative way. One of the church members said, "trabajar con los ninos es tuyo," which basically means "Working with kids is for you." So I guess I'm starting to think more about working with kids in ministry now.

On Sunday morning Cassidi and I went with Mark to a church in Reten, a small village outside of Bramadora, which is probably over an hour from El Carmen. Cassidi and I shared our testimony and sang some songs (they asked us to when we got there :) After the service we sang songs and played games with the kids. Reten was one of those places I could see myself for a while. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone in Reten and El Carmen. Only God knows when we'll see each other again.

Back in Quito this week at the women's home. It will be hard to say goodbye to them as well. Spending time with friends from church & mi familia ecuatoriana this week too. Going to the beach this weekend with the other interns. Back to the states next Tuesday. Crazy! I don't really want to leave, but I'm also looking forward to what God has for me at home.

PRAYER REQUESTS:
A good week with a good attitude and that it's not too painful saying goodbye

Con Amor,
Michelle