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!!!