I'm still alive, but barely kicking. Ha.

Hello friends!

In case you were wondering...I made it safely home from my study abroad. I know, right, thanks for informing you like 10 months later. Haha. Life just got really busy, I suppose, but when isn't it?

Anyway, to briefly catch you up...this past summer I interned at La Iglesia Trinidad (a somewhat bilingual church) in Milwaukee, WI. This fall I started at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI.

Seminary has had it's ups and downs. Sometimes I feel I'm exactly where God wants me. Sometimes I feel like I'm barely making it. Are the two mutually exclusive? Maybe. Maybe not. In the difficult times I'm reminded that it's only by God's grace I'll make it to graduation. I am encouraged that my sense of calling lines up well with the preparation I'm doing now. Currently I'm thinking that I would love to get involved in Campus Ministries, Residence Life, or Christian Social Work...maybe I'll get to do all of that at some point in my life, but maybe God will lead me on a completely different path. Eventually I see God leading me to these types of ministries somewhere in Latin America. By the way, I miss Ecuador and Costa Rica quite a lot and hope that the Lord will bring me back to those countries someday soon.

Another exciting update (if you haven't gathered from the above pictures) is that Josh and I are engaged!!! On December 22nd, 2011 Josh took me on a fun scavenger hunt which ultimately led me to the enchanting snowy forest in his backyard where he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him!!! I, of course, said YES!!! Later that evening we enjoyed a carriage ride to celebrate :) That was definitely the best Christmas gift ever! The rest of break was very busy with planning as we decided to get married on JULY 7th, 2012, I believe 129 days from today! (note the countdown to the left:)

We are thrilled to be getting married this summer, but it has been so difficult being apart still. Not only simply missing one another, but also making major decisions over the phone is just plain frustrating...not too mention how hard is is juggling grad school and a wedding. Josh is currently working as a waiter back in Wisconsin and living with his parents until we get married. At the same time, he's job searching her in Holland, so if you have any ideas, let us know!

Please pray for me as I continue my studies in seminary (midterms this week!). Also, please pray for Josh and I as we prepare for marriage! Blessings to you all!

VIVA CUBA!!! (pronounced COOba :)

Whatever opinion you may have politically or economically, Cuba is amazing. The culture is so rich. I loved the music, dancing, and art. In general, the Cubans also made us feel very welcome on their island. The educational and health systems are very impressive. People are encouraged to constructively criticize their government and have the right to vote. One comment that really impacted me was by our translator, Alberto who said, "I criticize my country not because I hate my country, but because I love my country and want to see it improve."

That is how I feel about America. I love my country, but there are things that my government and my military have done in "third world countries" that I am not proud of. There are things that I do such as my spending habits that contribute to the success of monopolized corporations that use sweat shops which I am also not proud of. These things need to change and I'm in the process of figuring out how I need to be a part of that change.

It's sad that my country is celebrating someone's death today. No matter how wicked someone may be, my faith in Christ tells me it shouldn't be that way. ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. -Ezekiel 33:11

I don't know what all to think right now but I do like very much this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr, a man I think we all respect.

“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

I'm Better Off

Yesterday while walking home from LASP I was thinking that however challenging or frustrating this study abroad experience may have been, I'm better off for doing it. I've been faced with opposing political and theological views. My call to be a missionary has been challenged, or whether missions is more harmful than good. After my trip to Cuba (yes, that's right)this week I will have experienced the realities of 6 different Latin American countries. Though I can speak Spanish and have a cross-cultural awareness, I've only just scratched at the surface. There's no way anyone can fully understand a country or culture in a week, muchless 4 months, or even several years.

One of the speakers here said that learning a language is one of the best examples of "dying to self." When you learn a language you decide to put aside the way you were taught to think and try to put yourself in another's shoes. It's a humbling,challenging, frustrating process and often takes a lot of sacrifice. Language learning is not the end, rather it is a means to an end, which is to form relationships with those from a different reality. This is the process I'm in and have been in for the past several years. In less than a month I will be graduating from Northwestern College with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and minors in Religion and Christian Mission. I'm not really sure what that means yet. I know it doesn't mean that I'm fluent, nor does it mean that I've got this whole missions thing figured out. What I do know is that God has given me a gift, a passion, and a call.

A few days ago I got word that I was accepted as a graduate student to Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI.The plan is to do the Master of Divinty/Master of Social Work Dual Track Program. I am extremely excited for this opportunity. I've been through this process the last four years of deciding whether to go to seminary or not and whether going right after undergrad will be good for me. I don't want to go to seminary to prove anything or hold my higher education over anyone's head. I see this as a tool that God will use to prepare me and shape me into the servant that he has called me to be. I have received so much affirmation just in people's encouragement. Even after seminary I know I won't have it all figured out. In fact, I will probably have more questions than answers, but maybe that's a good thing. We are always to be seeking truth and the Truth of Christ. As humans we'll never fully understand who God is, the wants us to continue to get to know him and what he's all about.

The past three weeks in Grecia were wonderful. I lived with a younger couple, Monica & Manuel and their two kids Emanuel (11) and Nicole (6). Mis papas griega are very active in their church. Both of them are small group leaders and Manuel works as maintenance staff for the church. Mi hermanito, Emanuel is in 6th grade. He loves playing soccer, is girl crazy, and has a fascination with the United States. He sprained his ankle about a week after I had been there so he was pretty bummed he couldn't play soccer for a while. Nicole is such a girly-girl. She loves dressing up and wearing mami's makeup. She loved to play school with me and boss me around as well as interview me about my thoughts on Costa Rica as if she was a talk show host.

One of the most memorable nights was on April 1st, before papi got home, I told the rest of my family it was April Fool's Day in the US so we decided to play a joke on papi that I was leaving the next day. He believed us and decided to take us to a town nearby called Sarchi which is famous for having the biggest ox-cart inthe world. Well, it wasn't in the park so papi asked around. We ended up finding it at the workshop which was closed, but papi convinced a worker to open it up for us because this American girl was leaving the next day and hadn't seen the cart yet. So he gave us a tour of the antique workshop and it was super cool. When we went out for pizza, I broke the news to papi that it was all a joke. We all had a good laugh. It was probably the biggest joke I've ever played on anyone. Later that night, they tried tricking me into thinking there was an earthquake by stomping in the room above me. A few days later the pastor asked me to sing in front of the congregation without a warning, which was also a joke. It was a fun week. I really got to know my family well through that!

The internship was great too. I basically served as an assistant to the English teachers, helping with pronounciation and answer kids' questions. I got a chance to work with all ages - preschool - 6th grade. I learned a new phrase there too. Mucha bulla! Too much noise! :) The teachers and kids were great, but the experience didn't convince me to become a teacher. I do like one on one or small group tutoring. It didn't surpise me that my favorite class was a group of 4 second graders.

Tonight was my last night with my family in San Jose. I still have a little bit of time with them tomorrow as we're not leaving for Cuba until 3pm, well I guess technically today now. They invited the whole youth group over so that I could see them one last time. They asked me to give a message so I shared how God used my back injury to call me into ministry. Afterward we had a birthday cake for the April birthdays, which happened to be Cinthya, my sister and Cristian, my nephew,and asked me to come by but I was the only one they gave gifts to even though my birthday is in September. I was a little confused, but it was super nice. I will miss my family in SJ a lot. They have been such a blessing!

This trip to Cuba is the chance of a lifetime. Ever since I started learning Spanish seriously, I thought it would be super cool to go to Cuba someday. Because it's been so off limits until now it's just so intriguing to me. But I never thought it would come this soon. One of the things I told the youth today is that my ultimate hope for this trip is that somehow I can be a small part of the reconciliation that needs to take place between my country and Cuba. I hope that when I come back I can help tear down this barrier of fear and hatred that both sides have built and begin to reconstruct bridges of hope and understanding. I know this type of change doesn't take place overnight and that honestly I can't do much at all. It is the Holy Spirit that does the transforming. Some of you may be concerned for my safety, but please be reassured I will be careful. Also there is extra security for tourists and our professors have been there before and have told us it is very safe.

I probably won't have internet access until I'm back in the states on the 26th, so no news is good news until then. When we get back we'l be in Miami a couple days debriefing. We also have a talent show which I was surprisingly nominated to be an EmCee, should be fun.

This semester has gone by extremely fast. Endings tend to always be bittersweet. When it comes time to say goodbye it's really hard, but I look forward to seeing my family and friends again. I know I will miss everyone I became close to this semester and so much about the experience while I am home as well. To say the least, I know I am better off for coming to Costa Rica and I thank God for such a privilege as this.

Going to Greece!

To my devoted blog- followers:
I apologize for not updating my blog in well over a month and a half. My excuse is that I’ve been super busy with classes and living life in Central America. By the way, I returned safely from Nicaragua two weeks ago so I hope you weren’t worried or anything. I think most of you are on facebook too so you may have noticed my status change.
On Monday I’m leaving for GRECIA, (Greece) COSTA RICA. It’s about an hour north of San Jose. I’ve heard that Grecia got its name because the original settlers thought they were in Greece! Who knows it that’s actually true, but I guess I’ll find out. My papi says the route takes us through a town called Argentina, kinda funny, I think. I will be in Grecia for 3 weeks as an intern at a preschool where I’ll basically just help out with whatever needs they have and learn from the experience. I’ll be living with a family with 2 little kids, so I’m excited about that. I’ve heard great things about the church my family there goes to as their pastor used to be my current josefina (person from San Jose) family’s pastor.
After I get back from Grecia I’ll have a few days back with my josefina family to say goodbye before we head off to Cuba. Don’t worry, we got special permission  Our professors have told us it’s very safe and just full of culture. I’m looking forward to it and excited to learn especially as it’s always been this “untouchable” place for us from the United States.
Well, I’ll have to catch you all up on my trip to Nicaragua and the past two weeks in San Jose some other time because this chica has got to get to bed to leave at 7am tomorrow!
Bendiciones! Blessings!
Michelle

RICEandBEANS

Well friends, I am currently watching the Superbowl in Spanish.Vaya PACK Vaya! My brother has a big screen TV...PURA VIDA :)

After church today mi familia and I went over to my other sister and brother-in-law's house for lunch because I hadn't met them yet. It was a good time with a lot of good food!

Yesterday I went to youth group again with my sister Laura. It was a very powerful service and the leaders prayed individually for us. Yesterday, two people also asked me if I was a missionary within the first 30 seconds of meeting them. After that my mom basically preached to me saying that people can see when someone has a heart to serve the Lord when they are following God's will, it was pretty encouraging.

On Friday we had presentations on indigenous people in Costa Rica and made models of the first man and woman. I kind of made a fool of myself by dancing like an idiot for the presentation, but my group did win a prize for our model. I think it was because we "blew life" into them with some dust, just like God did in the beginning. I think our teachers liked our "Creativity" :) My group also had to give a presentation on Thursday about turism which made me want to travel around the country more. We'll see if I get the opportunity!

We went to the U.S Embassy on Wednesday to learn about their perspective and influence on economics in Costa Rica. It was a little disappointing. In class, we have been learning about the CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) and how it has increased the gap between the rich and the poor in Central American countries. We tried asking the economic representative questions about that but he had a hard time answering them and really could only speak to how CAFTA has been a good thing for the U.S. I'm very blessed to have been born in the States, but it's really hard hearing about how some small, poor countries have been taken advantage of by some large rich countries.

Last weekend we took an educational weekend trip to Limon on the Carribean coast. Before we left we had a guest speaker, Epsy Campbell,a potential future candidate for Presidenta of C.R. to tell us about Limon and issues like poverty that the province struggles with. We visited coffee, pineapple, and banana plantations where we learned about harsh conditions for workers. We also went to an indigenous reservation and learned how the government has ignored their needs but also taken advantage of their land. We did have the privilege of having dinner with live Calypso music.We ate the famous RICEandBEANS made with cocoa nut and danced to the song too :) It was a ton of fun dancing! While in Limon, we also interviewed several people for our paper on poverty. Many people think the problem of poverty is due to lack of education and government assistance. We also got to go to an English church service. There is a lot of Jamaican influence in Limon because many came to work on plantations when they first started.

I started walking with my classmates to and from classes which ends up being about 8 miles a day. It's been very good for my health overall and I'm getting to know people better, but it's doing a number on my feet. Blisters, blisters, blisters; however my ankle has pretty much healed except for a bruise that's still kind of tender.

In a couple weeks my brother, Grant, is going on a mission trip to Ecuador, my parents are coming here to Costa Rica, and I'm going to Nicaragua. I will only get to see my parents for one day, because that's just how it worked out. It is kind of cool to think that my family will be in 4 different countries in the same week! I'll try to write before then because I won't have internet in Nicaragua.

Your PRAYERS are VERY much appreciated! Please let me know if there is any way I can be praying for you!

Con Mucho Amor,
Michelle

Mangos Falling from the Sky

It’s a hot day in San Jose! I just woke up from a pretty long nap. My Tica mom, Flor (Flower), and spent the morning perusing a couple cities nerby famous for their public parks. The first city we went to, Alajuela, is nicknamed as the “Mango City” because every park has lots of mango trees and in the spring, when it’s harvest, mangos fall from the sky :) and anyone can eat the mangos. I’m hoping to get back there before I leave so I can get my share of mangos too! The airport is also in Alajuela. In Heredia we went to “El Parque de Piedras,” (Stone Park) which has some neat indigenous rock formations. There was also a man evangelizing in the park. He had a sound system set up and everything. In most of these parks there are a lot of old retired men that come to soak up the sun and chat about the latest in town. I would probably equate it to the regular grandpas early morning coffee at your local coffee-serving restaurant.
Take a look at the map above and you’ll see that Alajuela and Heredia are just north of San Jose, my home for the next several weeks, and Costa Rica’s capital. Actually I technically live in what I would call a suburb of San Jose but to me it feels like I’m still in the city, probably because I live on Guadalupe highway with non-stop traffic. It’s here I first learned the word “tapones” (earplugs) which are very helpful at night .:)

Monday through Friday I have Spanish class with 3 other students at my level. My professor’s name is Gustavo. Some things we’ve done for class is make up a fairy tale, play 20 questions, present our Tican family tree, make up stories by looking at pictures, discuss culture and review grammar. When I told my mom that I had to make a family tree she decided to take me to meet more of her family members. We went to at least three houses. I probably met about 30 people. She has 14 brothers and sisters and papa has 4.

Speaking of my Tica familia, they’re great! Mami & Papi (Oscar) have their 35th anniversary on Monday and they are elders in their church, which is Pentecostal. Last Sunday the service lasted 3 hours…This Sunday Papi’s preaching and he’s making sure it won’t be that long, haha. I also went to youth group with my two of my sisters, Laura & Cinthia. Laura is 30 and was born with spinabifada so she can’t walk but when she’s not using her wheelchair she can get around with the strength of her arms, her room is even upstairs! Her goal by May is to learn how to swim, which I think is awesome. Laura is how my parents became Christians. Mami was telling me this morning that is by the grace of God she is doing so well now, but it was especially hard for her because she was my age when Laura was born. Cinthia just got married in December to Richard and they also live upstairs as well as Oscar Jr. (“May”). May is engaged to Meylin but they’re not planning their wedding until after she’s done with college. On the weekends Cristian stays with us to, he’s my “nephew” I guess but I haven’t met his parents yet, who would be my siblings.

My Latin American Studies Program (LASP) classes are really interesting. So far we’ve talked about Colonialism, Economics, Politics and Poverty. Some of it is from a very different perspective than I’m used to so I’m trying to keep an open mind. I’m also reading a book about the struggles of Latin American women. It’s pretty graphic and unbelievable sometimes but I have to write a position paper on it in a few weeks. We have class Tuesdays and Thursdays every morning, so those days can be pretty long wit Spanish class, but it’s good. For now, my classes and homework are pretty intense, but I’m learning a lot and it’s all pretty interesting. Some of the issues we talk about are really hard to swallow so I’m praying that God will give me the grace to make sense of all these tough issues and what I need to do about them whether that may be change the way I live or help change injustices in this world…probably both.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

-I twisted my ankle last Monday, it’s getting better but please pray for a quick and complete recovery!
-Next weekend we’re taking a “field trip” to Limon. Take a look at the map, it’s right on the Carribean coast. We’re going to the beach but we’re also going to see a lot of poverty and racial issues there. We also have to write a paper on our experiences.

THANKS FOR READING! I KNOW IT WAS LONG! DIOS LES BENDIGA
Michelle

On the road again...

Some people ask me, “So, Michelle, when’s your next adventure?” Well, folks, it’s coming up. In four days (Tuesday Jan 11) I am leaving for Costa Rica for my semester abroad. Though my time in Costa Rica will probably be quite the adventure, I prefer to refer to these experiences as part of the journey the Lord is taking me on. Adventure sounds much more like thrill-seeking and carefree. Though the journey thus far has been very exciting, there have been many challenges along the way. To be honest, I have many more fears for this next step of the journey than any other before. Quite frankly, I much rather go back to Ecuador. I miss it so much. However, I know the Lord is bringing me to Costa Rica for a reason. I don’t want to have a bad attitude and offend or disrespect anyone. It’s really scary that this is my last semester. I am thankful that while my friends at Northwestern will be waist-deep in snow I’ll be soaking up the sun, but I will miss them dearly. Before I go on, I want to share a few highlights from this past semester.

After I got back from Ecuador, here’s some of what happened:

Summer Charge – I was a counselor at the Campus Life summer camp for a week in Northern Wisconsin

Kids Camp – For a weekend I was a counselor with kids from Chicago & Milwaukee at Gibbsville Church

Spanish House – I lived in a house where we are supposed to speak Spanish all the time. It was fun! “Nos amo!”

Amistad Cristiana – I had the privilege of doing an internship at the Spanish church in Sioux Center.

Black Hills Retreat – Every year NWC has a spiritual retreat. This is the second time I went.

Minneapolis Family Vacation –A couple years ago my closest friends and I formed a “family” so we could regularly spend quality time and we took a road trip to MN. “We do what we want.” VB for life!

Joshua Gross – He’s my boyfriend. He’s really great . We got to spend a lot of time together, which was wonderful. I wish he could come with me!

Thanksgiving & Christmas Break – good times with family and friends!

It was a good semester, but I was also stressed from figuring out things for Costa Rica, this summer and beyond (…which I’m still not sure what I’m doing after graduation). I’m working on applying for seminary, which is something I always wanted to do, but we’ll see.

When I am in Costa Rica, I really want to focus on being there and investing in the people I meet and really taking in all the amazing experiences that will be presented before me. I’ll be taking Spanish and Culture classes just like any other semester but I’ll be living with a family, take weekend trips, have a 3-week internship, take a trip to Nicaragua and another to either Cuba or Panama.

Please PRAY for save travels and that God would prepare my heart for what I am about to experience.

Pura Vida, (Costa Rican saying for “life’s good”)
Michelle Roethel

Leaving on a jet plane...

In about 12 hours I will be getting on a plane to go home. So many mixed feelings. I will miss Ecuador and my new friends SOOO much! I hope I can come back soon. However, I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends again.

This week was really good. Worked a couple days at Remar again and said my goodbyes. That was hard. I got to spend time with mi familia ecuatoriana and some amigos from the church which was wonderful but it was also hard saying goodbye.

This weekend I went to the beach with the other interns and mi familia ecuatoriana. It was really refreshing and fun. We got to go tubing, whale watching, sun(burning unfortunately) tanning, and swimming. We also drank a lot of yummy fruit batidos (shake/smoothie).

Today I had lunch with the browns, a good debrief time. Tonight is my farewell dinner. I have to finish up a bit of packing and go to sleep...My flight is at 6:40.

Please pray for:
Safe travels
Time to process
the ministry of Inca Link

Hasta luego,
Michelle

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

Outstanding Otavalo

At the Bus terminal on Monday we ran into Meylin her esposo Ignacio, Dorinda, Luis & Flor, and Ulisis so we rode the same bus to Otavalo. When we got there the taxi drivers were charging too much (1.50 instead of $1) to get to the hotel, so we rode in a truck probably meant for pigs, goats, or guinea pigs. It was quite the ride up that hill. What fond memories in El Carmen of attempting to make it up that mud hill in a truck with 20 people in the back. (Speaking of, we're going back to El Carmen with another team on Wednesday - yay!)

We then did introductions and ate lunch where I had the most delicious broccoli of my life. Pastor Pedro led us in a time of worship after that. Some songs were in Spanish, some in Quichua. I didn't know any so it was a shame I couldn't play guitar for him, but he did a fantastic job singing acapella. After worship together the pastors wives and missionary women left to have our own devotion time. Little Meylin is a firecracker of a preacher! I got to lead worship with the women which was pretty cool. I was super nervous at first because I still have a lot of improvement on the guitar to work on.

On Tuesday I had the privilege of leading the pastor's wives in a time of worship and devotion. I chose a a few passages and songs the night before that I thought these women could really relate to. One of the passages was the story of Martha & Mary where Mary was just sitting at Jesus' feet listening to him and Martha was so worried about getting all the household chores done. A lot of these women struggle with being a Martha. Always being so busy taking care of the family and the ministry that it's so hard to just spend time with the Lord. I can relate to them as well so I really think God spoke to them through that passage. It was interesting to hear about how many of them are struggling in very similar yet different ways. I don't think it was a coincidence that Cheryl just happened to pick the same passage to do her lesson on. I could really feel God's presence and affirmation at that time.

That night we had a talent show. The first act was the "One Semester of Spanish Love Song" by Lisa Powell and Yours Truly. It was a blast and we totally won. It was pretty funny because everyone else sang some kind of spiritual song while we made fools of ourselves along with the other missionaries who attempted to do the bunny hop in Spanish. No one could understand what they were saying but they hopped right in. It was pretty hilarious!

After that I spent a long time worshipping with the family who ran the hotel. Their son plays guitar really well. It was a really neat time to connect with them in that way.

On Wednesday we had the closing session. Meylin preached again and she was great as always. Many women shared their testimonies and struggles which was both encouraging and heartbreaking, but it was really great to just lift each other up in prayer. Just about every single person went up to say thank you and how much this retreat impacted them as we were saying our goodbyes. After group photos, exchanging of information and hugs, a few of us went back to the market. It started pouring rain so Lisa and I went to a pie shop and ate the best pie of my life. DeeeLishoos. When the rain stopped we continued shopping. Lisa & I took a bus back to Quito that evening. I'm so glad we got the opportunity to go. It's a shame it was so late in the summer because a lot of the pastors asked us to visit their church and serve in some way but it's just not possible because we're leaving so soon and have a lot going on. Maybe when I come back :)

This past weekend was the Mission's Conference at Alianza Central church. It went really well. I was really surprised because the band invited us girls to sing with them for all of the worship instead of just our special music (Hakuna Mungu Kama Wewe & No Greater Love). I felt really blessed because that group has become my friends. I'll miss them a lot.

I've been going back to REMAR (the women/girl's home) this week. I think I ended up giving out almost 20 New Testaments because more and more girls kept asking me for them. Even if they're just excited to receive a gift from someone I'm encouraged that there are that many Bibles floating around in that place that someone's bound to read it!

Today (Wed Jul 21) I'm going back to El Carmen with the team from Florida. I'm excited to see everyone again as well as the progress of the church. I will be back to Quito next Monday until Friday the 30th when we will be going to the beach for a farewell end of the summer getaway. I'll be back in Quito on the 2nd and returning to Wisconsin on August 3rd...there's a countdown if you scroll all the way to the bottom of my blog. It's pretty bittersweet. I don't really want to leave Ecuador, but I'm looking forward to seeing my family and friends again back home (and NWC) soon.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Our trip to El Carmen this week goes smoothly and the Spirit works powerfully!

Pray for my brother Grant. He's in Iowa this week on a mission trip (it's also his birthday tomorrow! Big 16!)

That I can "BE HERE NOW" and not get distracted from what God has for me in these next couple of weeks.

GRACIAS POR TODO TU AMOR, APOYO y ORACIONES!

(Thanks for all your love, support and prayers)



En Cristo,
Michelle

Gallivanting Guayaquil

Thursday (7/1) evening we went to a Gustavo’s church and the topic was being a good steward of your money…I think. The pastor was talking really fast. I attempted to translate for Allison who was sitting next to me but I failed miserably. After church we went to Eduardo’s Mexican restaurant for supper. Got to wear a sombrero and dance a little to the mariachi music. Check out pics on facebook.

The 7 hour bus ride that evening was a killer. The road was very windy and the driver was going muy rapido. Gustavo unfortantely got sick…we all had a lack of sleep and waited at the smelly bus terminal in Guayaquil until sunrise (you know, to make sure we didn’t run into any vampires).

We got a taxi ride from there to the Mormon temple. Apparently most of the white people in Guayaquil are Mormon and the driver assumed that’s where we were going when we told him what street. The ironic thing is, two of the interns (Sara & Allison) are sisters from Utah so they know all about Mormonism. The other Sarah just walked right through the gate because she had no idea it was a Mormon temple and thought that was the park we needed to go to, jajajaja.

Sharon from Operation Mobilization came to pick us up and brought us to the OM house to chill until we had to leave for the park/orphanage. Btw, the whole reason for this trip to Guayaquil was that I could meet my sponsor child, Michelle (see above photo) and the rest of the gang came as traveling buddies and served at an orphanage during the day.

We had tuna onion soup (encebollado) for breakfast. Any other time of day would be fine, but fish for breakfast is just not my thing. After that we joined everyone at the OM office for morning prayer. Stan and Gustavo came with me to the park to meet the Compassion International representatives. While we were waiting Gus taught me a cool trick that you could talk into one corner of the Rotonda statue and the person on the other side could hear you as if they were right next to you.

Natalie and another woman (her name escapes me) brought me to "the project" school & chapel where Michelle attends. The kids sang “Quien es el Rey de la Selva” (Who’s the King of the Jungle). They also made a placemat for me with all of their handprints and had me add my handprint as well. Michelle made beautiful maracas for me with water bottles and yarn with the colors of the Ecuadorian flag.

Unfortunately the camera that I borrowed from Sarah didn't work. Thankfully the reps had a camera and said they would be able to send them in the next letter Michelle sends to me.

After I visited her school we left to see Michelle's house. She lives in a poor and seemingly rough neighborhood. Her whole house is made of cement along with all of her neighbors on her street. She & her cousin sleep w/ their moms and her grandma lives there too. Their dog, Cookie, was chained on the roof so he wouldn’t run away. Michelle showed me the rest of her neighborhood at her back door and I saw many shacks on stilts on the polluted Guayaquil river. She had the picture that I sent her from the last time I was in Ecuador on her mirror, gave me a purse she made, and I taught her family how to play UNO.

Later we went to the Mall for Oreo ice cream & KFC for lunch. We went back to the park and played with toy boats, made a friendship bracelet, bubbles, colored, and I gave her a Spanish New Testament. Before the group came to pick me up I taught Michelle the trick at the statue and she really liked it. I was so thankful that some of the girls brought cameras with them when they came to pick me up because they were able to take a picture of las Michelitas. It was hard saying goodbye because I don’t know the next time I will see her.

Before we left we spent some more time with the OM missionaries and flew back around midnight back to Quito. Though it was very late, the flight was much better than that killer bus ride.

It was such a blessing to meet little Michelle. Please pray for her as she continues to grow and experience life’s challenges. Pray that she will grow more and more in her relationship with Christ. I am so blessed to be able to sponsor such a sweet girl. If you’re reading this and are sponsoring a child through some organization like Compassion or World Vision don’t take that for granted. Take time to write letters and if you are able, see if you can visit your child. For those of you who God is tugging at your heart convicting you to sponsor a child, please follow that call, it’s totally vale la pena (worth it)! God can use you in mighty ways and show you his heart for the children of this world.

As always thanks for your prayers and encouragement. Also a BIG thank you to those of you who have sponsored me this summer. Your sacrifice does not go unnoticed. More on this week coming soon!
Paz,
Michelle

What?...{Mande?}

In Ecuador, the word "mande" is commonly used as "What? I didn't hear you." It literally means "send it back." This week I have been one of the translators for our short term team and I cannot tell you how many times I've asked people to "send it back" to me because of my difficulty in understanding them.

Last week we had a short term team from Daybreak Alliance church in Harrisburg, PA. They're pretty awesome. They came so prepared for this week and are willing to let God work in and through them in new ways. Their flight got rerouted to Guayaquil so they came a day later than expected. Here's a brief breakdown of what happened in El Carmen.



Sunday: Group of 11 arrived around 9am, we packed our mochilas,3 hour car ride, got situated in our homes, ate supper, went to church. Debrief

Monday: Brandon, a 13-yr-old kid from the church helped me scope out the school for our VBS. We had lunch at his hourse with the whole team. Around 2pm we headed to school to play games with the kids, sing songs, do a Bible story skit, and a craft. I did quite a bit of translating at VBS. It was fun but challenging. Had fun swimming in a river after that. Debrief was full of worship and encouragement

Tuesday: I was supposed to go to Brandon's house to help cook lunch but the ladies only let me squeeze limes for limeade. The rest of the time Brandon & I played UNO and chatted a bit. VBS again at the school, it went well but I was pretty exhausted. Went to a different river that afternoon. Supper & Debrief

Wednesday: Mark & Cheryl finally made it to El Carmen! Team continued digging in the morning, I helped flatten out the dirt that was moved. It was fun because I got to hang out w/ Evelyn & Brandon. They thought it was hilarious when I kept saying "Matalo, Matalo!" "Kill it! Kill it!" to the big chunks of dirt as I stomped on them. That afternoon we went to a parade celebrating the founding of El Carmen. That evening we had supper & went to a church service. Loved worshiping with the church members and got to pray over a couple people who were sick.

Thursday: Last morning of moving that mountain, packed up & headed back to Quito. It was hard for everyone to say goodbye but I'm glad I got to say see you in a few weeks! We have another team coming at the end of the month & will be returning to El Carmen to help some more with building the church. The ladies gave us bracelets and Brandon gave me some of his favorite treasures. They were so sweet.

Friday: We hung out w/ the kids at the home for children whose parents are in prison & did a VBS. Marissa's thinking about going back for a couple weeks to be a "tia" "aunt" where she would be living there and help take care of some young girls. In the afternoon we went to the "Mitad del Mundo" (Middle of the World/Equator) museum. It was cool to be there again & share with some of the team about different experiences I've had here.

Saturday: Marissa & I didn't go with the group to the market because we had to go to Alianza Central church like every Saturday to practice for the mission's conference they're having on July 18th. We had a lot of fun joking around. I'm really glad to be a part of that ministry and hope I can get to know the youth better.

Sunday: Said Adios to the group as they left super early. Sarah from the group is staying as an intern as hopes to find a teaching job here. Went to the Alianza Central church w/ Marissa. I really enjoyed the service. It reminds me a lot of Amistad Cristiana (the church I attend in Iowa). I thought it was funny because the initials for both are AC. Went to lunch w/ Paul & Jemi. I was really encouraged when Jemi said Paul told her that I was really funny. For those of you who have been in an environment where you have to speak a language other than your own you probably understand. It's really hard to get your sense of humor across when you have a limited ability in that language so for him to have said that is kind of a big deal. After lunch we went to Gustavo's to watch futbol but couldn't find the right channel so we decided to go see Toy Story 3 but all of the showings were sold out. Late that night two sisters (Alison & Sara) from Utah arrived. Ali will be here for 3 weeks & Sara for one as interns.

Monday: Had meetings with Mark & Cheryl to discuss our plan for the rest of the summer...this weekend Guayaquil to visit my sponsor child, next week Fundacion Remar & Opcion de Vida, the following week family conference at AC & Otavalo pastors retreat, missions conference, week after that El Carmen again, then VBS (with 200 kids!) in the Quito area valley. I think I decided my creative project will be to make Casa Blanca more "homey" with furniture, encouraging Bible passages, inspiring poems and paintings, etc. in order to make this place more welcoming for the missionaries, and women who will move here for a place of healing and restoration. We started doing devos together as interns and it was a really good time for us to worship, read the word, and pray together. Marissa left for the jungle with Mark, Meylin, Ignacio & Mark back in Lago Agrio.

Tuesday (yesterday!): Went to Fundacion Remar. I enjoyed hanging out with the kids and teenage girls. I heard some of their stories about broken homes which was hard. Some of them also told me it was hard for them living there because a lot of the girls don't get along. Last night we went with Gustavo to a visitation because the father of one of his friends had passed away that morning. In many Latin American countries they hold funerals on the same day so that the family is not alone in their mourning.

Today (finally!): We tried going to the Bible Study at the Women's Prison but they wouldn't let us in with just our passports. Hopefully we can get visitor's cards soon. Instead we went to Opcion de Vida (the street kids ministry) and played futbol & fuseball with the few kids that were there.




Prayer requests:

Pray for Marissa & the gang in the jungle. Pray for health as well as spiritual, physical & emotional healing for the people the minister to.

This weekend all of us (Gustavo, Cassidi, Lisa, Ali, Sarah, Sara & I) are taking a bus to Guayaquil Thursday night (8 hour drive). On Friday I meet my sponsor child Michelita!!! The rest of the gang will be helping at an orphanage. We're flying back to Quito Friday night. Please pray for safety!

Please pray that I am able to connect on a deeper level with the girls at Remar and that God can use me and the other tias for to bring them hope. They need a lot of love and healing.

Please pray for the other SOSers around the world!

Praises:

More funds for interns & Casa Blanca have come in, Gus's wallet was found, having a lot of fun w/ the other interns and the chance to have devotions together each night. God is good!


THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR LOVE, SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT, PRAYERS and FOR KEEPING UP WITH MY BLOG! YOU ARE SOOO APPRECIATED!!!

captivating...{cautivante}

My bed and the bathroom held me captive for most of the day on Monday. I was pretty sick and could barely move. I'm not sure what I got sick from, maybe something I ate. I took some medicine in the afternoon and prayed a lot that day because there wasn't much else I could do. I was sad because I missed out on visiting a home for children whose parents are in prison and an indigenous church, but hopefully at the end of next week I will have the opportunity to do so.

On Tuesday morning we took care of some logistical stuff for the summer, and went to the market to buy groceries. I'm going to actually learn how to cook real food this summer. I made popcorn over a stove for the first time and learned how to make Guacamole and some pretty stinking good chicken fajitas. That night I got to see my host family from 2 years ago and it was pretty wonderful. My host mom said it was like I've been with them this whole time.

Wednesday morning Marissa and I went to the Bible Study at the women's prison. We helped lead worship (next time I have to bring my guitar) and went to the English Bible study. There were actually quite a few women of different nationalities there like Russian, Vietnamese, Nigerian. Some of them couldn't understand the leader speaking in English and had a hard time navigating through their Bible in their own language according to what she was talking about. Since the only other language I really know is Spanish it was hard for me to help them too. I've been thinking about a way we can help them follow more closely along. Maybe I can make a list of all the books of the Bible in English, Spanish & whatever language they speak. I'm sad that I can't visit these women more than just on Wednesdays because you have to have a special visitors card, but I'm glad I have the opportunity to go.


That afternoon took quite an interesting turn of events.


As I was sitting in the Cadena's living room watching futbol and laughing at our little mishap of being locked outside la casa in the rain when we got back from the prison, I spied a book I was recently encouraged to read - Cautivante (Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge "revealing the mystery of a woman's soul). At first intimidated by its 236 pages all in Spanish I browsed through it wondering if it was vale la pena (worth it). I thought I'd give it a try and asked Gustavo if I could borrow it. "No problema," he says, "pero leelo pronto porque es de mi hermana," (read it quick because it's my sisters). I laugh. "Gustavo...it's in Spanish...but I'll try!"

So, on the way to "Opcion de Vida" a ministry that reaches out to kids living on the streets, I start reading this book and am captivated, pardon the pun. Never have I been able to read a book in Spanish and understand it like this before...maybe that Spanish lit class did help afterall!

We arrived at OdV and there weren't any kids there, rather a bunch of teens hanging out. They seemed pretty cool and friendly, so I wanted to get to know them some more, but we were asked to pick up trash and rake leaves. Oh joy...oh yeah attitude check. I need to choose joy. Well, as I was raking I was just flooded with all of these emotions, ideas, and convictions that God is calling me to work with girls and women who just need to be loved, and know that they are precious daughters of the Rey de reyes {King of kings}!!!

I started to tear up a bit, not because I was sad, rather, looking back and seeing where and how God has brought me to this realization. As a young girl I had a lot of insecurities about my looks and my friends. As I grew older the insecurities developed into somewhat of a depression. I allowed myself to become emotionally attached to certain people I shouldn't have and was deeply hurt in the process. My youth leaders, pastors, and parents encouraged me to grow in my faith in a lot of different ways. God used me despite my depression, infact he miraculously helped me overcome it. God used me (and is using me) despite a severe back injury to learn more about the type of physical, emotional & spiritual healing that only he can bring and share that with others. As I began college I started to learn more about what it means to be a genuine woman of faith. I began to understand more fully that my King and my Lord is just enthralled and enamored by my beauty and the essence of who I am, because he made me and is molding me to become more like him everyday.

How Satan tries to attack me on a daily basis telling me of all the ways I am lacking is just unbelievable. In some ways those insecurities haven't fully vanished, but because I have grown more intimately to the one who can vanquish those insecurities and conquer the cause of them, I don't have sit in that darkness anymore. Christ has set me free!

Now that is my prayer and the cry of my heart for every woman (& man too) in the world. With all of my Spanish classes and trips to Latin American countries I have grown to love the culture, language and people, but I have also learned and am learning much about the challenges and injustices many people (in particular women) face here.

I have had the opportunity to learn about "trata de blancas" (sex trafficking) and how many women and even young girls are tricked or even kidnapped into becoming sex slaves. I'm just beginning to learn more about how many women are taken advantage of in their vulnerable state of poverty and desperation and persuaded to become a part of the drug trafficking industry. Something else also new for me concerns the problem of teen pregnancy and young mothers being left out on the street abandoned by both their family and boyfriends. Some of you may be thinking, "Well, that's their own fault, they chose that life for themselves." Those of you who are thinking that, I beg you to really think more about these issues. Many women did not choose that life, rather they were forced into it. Some, however, did have more of a choice in the matter, but that doesn't mean we should let them fend for themselves. As Christ-followers we are called to have eyes and a heart of compassion to come alongside those who are suffering, show them the love and gospel of Christ and help them out of their circumstance so that they may live a more abundant life.

When Gustavo came to pick us up, I shared with him this revelation and he told me more about how new ministries like transitional housing were being developed but it might be hard for me to get started with that this summer. He did, however, help me get in contact with some people and ministries that focus more on reaching out to young girls, teens, and women so I'm hoping to explore those more.

This morning Marissa and I went back to COVi (Centro Opcion de Vida) and hung out with some kids before they left for school at 12:30. We colored with them, played games, chatted, and served lunch. It's a pretty sweet ministry that is open almost all the time as a refuge for kids to go to hang out, get help with homework, food, and a place to shower if needed.

As Marissa and I just got off the bus stop some guys in a vehicle tried getting our attention by hissing at us, whistling, honking their horn. We just kept walking, trying to ignore it like we do every other time but these guys were persistant. Then one of them says, "Hey we're going to Casablanca, want a ride?"...We turned and it was two of our staff playing a joke on us...jerks...but I guess it was pretty funny.

When we got back here we met with Gustavo about the short term team coming on Saturday. They'll be building a church in El Carmen next week. It's at the same place where we cleared land with machetes during the amazing race. We also did some cleaning, and unpacking because we just moved back into Casablanca and we're all back together again.

Tomorrow we hope to visit a ministry for teen girls and celebrate Cassidi's birthday (which was on Wed) later in the day.

PLEASE PRAY:

That God opens doors and gives me direction on which ministries to focus on this summer

That God would prepare our hearts to lead and serve for the ministry he has for us in El Carmen in the week ahead.

That Marissa, Cassidi, Lisa & I would be united in love and welcome the new interns coming soon

That our leaders Gustavo, Mark & Cheryl would find peace and rest amidst a lot of stress

That I would find my camera battery charger so I can take pictures again or find one at a reasonable price I can buy

God is good!...{Dios es bueno!}

I found out about 2 days before I left for the jungle that I would be going. Good to know. I hadn't taken malaria pills and I asked several of my supervisors if that was okay and they said that I would be fine because this area wasn't affected. There are also a lot of military bases there because Lago Agrio is so close to the Colombian border, where drug trafficking and violence are a big problem, but we didn't feel unsafe at all.

When we got to the church there was about 20 people waiting for us with beautiful fish heads for supper. We didn't know how the meal was prepared and if it was safe to eat, but we ate it anyway so we thanked God for our food and prayed that he would protect us from it. They gave us the best of what they had and it would have been rude to reject what was placed before us.

That evening they invited us to join their worship service and I was asked to lead some songs with my guitar and we all shared our testimonies. Afterwards we visited a man and his family whose son was killed about a week ago. We sang some songs, pastors preached in Spanish and Quichua and one of the brothers of the guy who was killed accepted Christ. God is good! All the time!

The next day we left early because we had to take a canoe across a river and hike through some more dense parts of the jungle, across streams, steep, muddy banks to get to a little school in a tiny village just to bring them a marker board. They welcomed us with open arms along with a few gulps of chicha, a fermented drink that is mixed by chewing yuca, and other plants and spitting them out - buen provecho! It took about all I had in me & a prayer to not gag profusely. The next course was even better. Yuca, nuts, and worms. So now if my dad needs a little help speeding up the process with those worm castings, I've got the skills. But really in all seriousness, it was disgusting. These kind of worms look kind of like shrimp when they are alive, but taste nothing like it. Thankfully the church members there said we didn't have to eat all of it if we didn't like it, but at least try it and pass it on.

Before we left we were each given a necklace hand made by the children with nuts from the jungle which was really touching. That night we crossed another large river but in a barge this time to a different community. There we played with some kids, ate a delicious chicken & rice dinner, played the movie Fireproof with a projector and a bedsheet in a cement block church, and had a worship service. We led some songs again and shared testimonies, sang songs in quichua & spanish, and pastors preached on the importance of godly marriages and relationships. There are quite a few couples in that area living together unmarried. It was an exhausting, yet rewarding couple of days.

Last night I went to a prayer service at a pretty charismatic church. A lot of dancing, singing, and some praying in tongues. It was a neat experience and I could definitely tell God was working in the people there.

Tomorrow I'll be going to an Alliance church in Centro Historico to teach some youth some worship songs of different languages I learned at Urbana for their mission conference in July. I'm looking forward to seeing how this ministry opportunity will unfold.

Todo el tiempo, Dios es bueno!

into the jungle

I finished the Amazing Ecuadorian Race on Friday and was just plain exhausted. It was a good experience and hard to sum up in a blog post but I was stretched and challenged beyond what I thought was possible.

Here are some highlights of the Amazing Race:

Day 1:
Mindo Zipline tour - I decided not to do it because I wasn't sure how safe it would be. (For those of you that don't know, I broke my back almost 7 years ago from a zip line.) It turns out we went to the wrong tour, but the one we were supposed to go to was much safer. Maybe I'll try it before the end of the summer.

At the end of the day we had to score a soccer goal against some church members in Bramadora. I really stink at futbol but after a looong time I scored that stinking goal :) Cory, one of my team members, had to catch a chicken after that.

Day 2:
Used a machete to clear land for building a church in El Carmen. Phew, that's some hard work! Then we ate lunch with a family there, que rico! (tasty)

Day 3:
Hiked up this road that took us an hour to get to the church in the mountains. A couple people had some health issues that they couldn't make it up to the 11,000ft altitude. I thought I wasn't going to make it either, but God helped me keep going! We ended up helping gather potatoes. In that area potatoes are the most prominent agriculture product. We had to ride a donkey back to the church. I fell off because the donkey got scared from some dogs fighting and started running up the hill. It was only a 3.5 foot donkey so I was fine.

Day 4:
Back to Quito. We took a bunch of buses and trollies around the city from churches to parks, to schools. We got a little lost, but found our way with a taxi driver, people on the street giving us directions, etc. We had to make our way to the CMA guest house and count every single step. 108. Then we had to get back home to Casa Blanca. Home sweet home. I went from 2nd to 5th place that day. Bummer. I learned a lot more about getting around Ecuador at least.

On Saturday we went to Papallacta to relax after a crazy week. Papallacta is famous for it's hot springs. Soooo goood!

Yesterday we had our own church service. It was pretty cool. We sang some songs and shared Scripture. We had to move out of Casa Blanca for the week because a short term team was moving in. Last night 9 Inca Link interns left for Peru. They have a 28ish hour bus ride. Pray for them! So right now the 4 of us Ecuadorian interns are at Mark & Cheryl's (Inca Link leaders). Today we'll be talking about our strenghts, spiritual gifts, and testimonies.



Tomorrow Lisa is going to live with an Otavaleno family for 10 days. I'm excited for her because the indigenous culture is so fascinating and she'll get to learn more Spanish.

Also tomorrow Cassidy, Marisa and I will be going with Mark to some jungle communities near Lago Agrio until Thursday. We'll be sharing our testimonies and get to know the people there. They want me to play some guitar, which is exciting, but I'm kinda nervous because I've only ever played for my friends.

Please continue to pray for us as we follow God into the jungle!

humility...{humilidad}

Humility is my word of the day.

Today we did team building activities and a high ropes course at a camp called El Refugio [The Refuge] in Quito. I had to explain to the team that I have some back problems so there were some activities I couldn't do. I really don't like having to do that, but I had to let go of my pride and be honest about my weaknesses. The team was super encouraging throughout the whole day. I felt really accomplished because I completed a high ropes activity that I couldn't on a trip to Colorado when I was 14, but there was another one that I lost my balance and needed a couple of the ropes course crews help me up. The whole experience was super humbling, but I knew God was giving me peace through it all and encouragement through the crew and my team.

Tonight we had dinner with different missionaries and pastors connected to Inca Link. It was great meeting them and hearing some of their stories.

Today was a good day, but I'm exhausted. I'm thankful that tomorrow we have a day of rest before we start the "Amazing Race" around Ecuador on Tuesday. (which I am super pumped for btw!!!)

Thanks for keeping up with my blog and for your prayers.

Dios les bendiga! God bless you all!

Estoy en Ecuador!!! ....I'm in Ecuador!!!

So...after a PHENOMENAL spiritually recharging week of training in Ensenada and Los Angeles, a 14ish hour delay in Miami due to volcanic (ash) activity in Ecuador, and lack of sleep, I finally made it to Quito and boy is it great to be back!!! Though, I'm pretty exhausted I'm just overjoyed to be here!!!

Please pray:
that the rest of the team gets here safely
for health in adjusting to altitude and new foods
that we would learn to love & trust God more every day

P.S. Our team is getting split up to do an Amazing Race for days around Ecuador starting Tuesday. I'm pumped!

7 hours: Mission Impossible? I think not.

Well, one of my best friends just got married. Weird. Congratulations Paul & Sarah. I'm happy for you both! Hopefully I'll get some pictures up on here from my past two weeks at home farely soon.

I should really be sleeping right now because in 7 hours (at 3am) I will be leaving my house to catch a flight to San Diego at 6 in the morning...but I still have a few things to take care of. I am a little stressed and somewhat sad knowing what and whom I'm leaving behind this summer, but I am SO looking forward to what God is going to show me.

When I get to San Diego, I'll meet the rest of the Inca Link intern team and we'll drive to Ensenada, Mexico for training until te 27th. Then we will drive to L.A., finish training there and fly to Quito, Ecuador on the 28th. I'll probably be in Quito working with women's and youth ministries there for most of the summer. I'm also currently corresponding with Compassion International to arrange visiting my sponsor child (Michele :)who lives in Guayaquil (the largest city in Ecuador) in the end of June.

Please pray:

For the funds to come in to reach my SOS goal (I'm still about $1000 short)
For God's protection with travels
That God would prepare my heart for what he has for me this summer
That I would put my trust in the Lord and not myself


Thank you all for taking the time to read these updates and pray for me this summer. Please let me know how you're doing and how I can pray for you!

Con Amor,

Michelle

9 days

It's crazy to think that...

in 9 days I'll be flying to San Diego, CA.
in 9 days I'll start training in Ensenada, Mexico.
in 9 days I'll meet the team I'll be working with for the whole summer.
in 9 days I'll think how crazy it is that my best friend is leaving for her honeymoon
in 9 days I'll see mi novio for the last time until the end of August.
in 9 days I'll leave home behind once again.
in 9 days I'll begin the journey of one of the most challenging yet rewarding
experiences in my life.