Marguerita.

This is Marguerita's corner restaurant

One of the weekly routines that we have developed living here in Ecuador is that we walk to church each Sunday. The other piece of our tradition is that on our walk back home we stop at the same little corner restaurant for lunch. When we started doing this we’d occasionally get the food to go, though we came to realize the value of staying and taking advantage of the opportunity to talk with the people sitting and eating in this small room with us.

Marguerita is the woman who owns this small restaurant and prepares all of the food. She warmly embraced us from the very first week we stopped by to eat there. The interesting thing is how she has been very open with Suzy regarding her questions and worries about faith and Christianity. The second week we walked by her restaurant, she asked us where we were going. When we told her we were on our way to church, she asked very genuinely if we would pray for her. 

A few weeks later she excitedly brought us inside and showed us a Bible she had recently put on display in the restaurant. She told us a friend of hers had had it and she asked if they would give it to her. They did. Each week she proudly puts it on display, surrounding it with flowers and other decorations. 

In September of 2013, Marguerita asked Suzy in conversation why she doesn’t have more faith. She expressed that she desires to have it, but so many days she feels distrust for God. As the conversation progressed, Suzy asked her if she had any interest in getting together to study the God of the Bible. Marguerita excitedly said, “Yes!” For several weeks now, Suzy has been getting together with her and often other members of her family to read the Bible. Together, they are discovering who Jesus is. 

force.

I learned an interesting lesson in 'force' a week and a half ago.

Really, I blame the whole thing on Pinterest. You see, we have a really nice outdoor space at our house here in Calacalí. However, we haven’t given it a ton of attention– though we’d like to! And of course, when you desire to spruce something up, to pinterest.com you must go. We searched and came up with the idea of making an outdoor chandelier comprised of driftwood from the beach, a rough kind of twine/rope, and glass jars that would hang from it, containing candles– something somewhat similar to the picture you see here.

We bought some candles. We already had the driftwood. And when over at a friends’ house, we were offered a couple of perfect, empty pasta jars. I went home that night bound to make this thing happen. The problem was, the mouth of the jar was a little smaller than the jar itself, as well as the size of the candles.

No problem. I took out a knife to shave down the candle. I take the shaved-down candle and begin to insert it into the jar. The thing is, the candle still doesn’t quite fit. But it was close. I got it halfway in. A little further. And then. THEN  I used force. I just knew I could get it through– it was so close! So I fixed my hand on the top of the candle and used a bit of my body weight. I pushed. And pushed. Until…

The glass jar completely shattered and exploded beneath the pressure being exerted upon it.

Needless to say, my hand got pretty cut up. I lost a fair amount of blood. It hurt quite a lot. And I felt light-headed and quite foolish for the rest of the night. Just in the past couple of days is the last of the wounds finally healing completely.

The lesson here is perhaps quite obvious, but I’ll share it just the same. God has been showing me through all of this that force is not the answer. I mean… is force ever the answer? Granted, force can bring about results. Things can get done under pressure and tension… but I think relationships are almost always damaged as a result of this approach.

I’ve watched the series ’24′ on-and-off over the past couple of years. I’m reminded of the principal character, Jack Bauer. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the show, but Jack is someone who gets things done– no matter what the cost. He gets results. He does terrible things constantly to force results and get answers; and he gets them. But he is an island. I haven’t watched the entire series, but until this point, I have yet to see a single person that deeply cares about Jack. He’s burned essentially every person he knows at one point or another. Is that a good reputation: someone who is able to force results?

The method does matter. The heart does matter. And I see obvious parallels in evangelism. When we share the Gospel, are we thinking of the person with our heart and longing for them as a friend to know the greatest truth that exists– or do we see them as a number? Do we think in terms of heads to count at whatever the cost, whatever method necessary? Or do we see them as people, children dearly loved who are complex and need time and love and care? Force is not the answer, as I clearly learned with my hand and the pasta jar.

What great news we have to share with those around us! The truth of the Gospel– of what Christ did– this is a message that everyone needs to hear! But how we deliver that message is important. We represent a loving God who cares deeply for each and every individual in our world. I pray that I always keep in mind that force, though at times might be easier, is not likely going to bring about the results I would hope. May we walk in the truths of God’s word, ever learning, ever striving to grow and be more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Shepherd.

For some reason the idea of a shepherd has really been striking me recently.

I guess the first reason is related to language. In the english language ‘shepherd’ is a profession of someone who cares for sheep as a living. In the church we often refer to pastors as being shepherds. The interesting thing in spanish is that the word for pastor and for shepherd are one in the same– a shepherd is a ‘pastor’ and a pastor is a ‘pastor.’

Our daughter, Kaia was given a stuffed animal lamb when she was just a few weeks old. Somehow this lamb became her best friend. She can’t go to bed without it. She dresses it in her clothes and shoes. She carries it with her everywhere. She does as much as she possibly can with it, and just the sight of her lamb makes her so incredibly happy. I love watching her ‘care’ for her lamb and observing how she interacts with it.

What does a shepherd do? They care for their sheep. They provide food and water for them. They move them from place to place. They guide them. They establish boundaries about where the sheep can go: with fences or by other means. They protect them. They spend time with the sheep. They get to know them. They want the best for each and every sheep in their flock.

There are several passages of scripture that use the illustration of the shepherd. Ezekiel 34: 1 – 15 outlines shepherds that don’t care for their flock. God steps in and says,

"I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. ¹³ I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.”

In John 10: 1 – 18  Jesus declares,

"I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

John 21: 15 – 17 says,

^"15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’  ’Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’”

Acts 20:28 says,

"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”

What can we take away from this? Must we be a Pastor to shepherd others?

I think it’s safe to say that David was the most famous (literal) shepherd in the Bible. I love that David was younger and smaller than all of his brothers; he was the one tending to the sheep. And it was he that God chose to lead his people. The role of a shepherd may not be the fanciest or the most respected… or the job with the best pay. But investing in the lives of individuals in a deep way– providing them with life… what a beautiful thing!

We’re all very familiar with the 23rd Psalm, but I’m going to insert it here. Take a minute to read it and think about the words without just blowing through it. Let the words sink in.

23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

I shall not want. What does that mean? It means we don’t need to ‘want’ for things because our shepherd (God) has and will provide for all of our needs. What else does He do? He makes us rest. He knows that we need rest. He created a beautiful world for us and He wants us to be in his creation. It also says that He’ll be with us in times of danger. It doesn’t say that when danger is coming he’ll sweep in and pull us out of it… it says when we walk through: it’s expected. It’s going to happen. But He’s there with us. We’re not alone. We’re not abandoned. He has chosen us, He blesses us, and He has given us the gift of eternal life.

I love the concept of the shepherd because we are God’s sheep. He cares for us deeply. And yet at the same time He also is calling us to be shepherds and care for others as he cares for us.

Are you currently playing a ‘shepherd’ role in the lives of others? Whether your answer is yes or no, let’s ask ourselves today, “How can we be better shepherds?”

- jim

Walking... Reflecting... Talking with God.

I walked to work this morning. I try to do this often. It's only an additional 6-7 minutes on foot over driving here. 

The thing is that I find when I'm walking or hiking, my mind operates better. It's not that I don't think when I'm driving or working or running errands... but those thoughts are usually more task oriented or structured. When I slow down and walk down a quiet country road or hike in the woods, it's as if my mind is able to zoom out, look at the big picture, and spend time thinking about the really important things in life. Additionally, I often find myself naturally talking with God in those moments. 

Suzy and I watched 'The Hobbit' the other night for the first time-- my parents were kind enough to mail us an original copy (original copies of movies are hard to come by down here)! Being that this movie didn't cover half of the book, we decided to start reading the book, The Hobbit, aloud together. We actually started this a couple years back, but never finished it. I have confidence we'll finish it this time around!

There's something compelling and extremely relatable to me about books/movies like the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. It's not that we have incredibly hairy feet or that there are orcs and goblins around every corner... it's that we're on a journey. We're all walking forward; sometimes taking in incredible vistas and feeling on top of the world... other times struggling to take the next step forward and feeling hopeless.

I'm going to give you a little sneak peak on something I was working on yesterday. It was designed with the intention of being put on a little stretchy material that people here wear on their heads like a stocking cap, or at times pull down around their neck like a scarf. We'll see what it ends up getting used for in the end... if at all. But either way, you're getting a sneak peak. I feel like it's somewhat relevant to what we're talking about.

We're all walking in this life together. Many of us are on different paths, in different locations... but we're all somewhere. God is calling to us to get away and simply BE with Him is His creation. When was the last time you set some time aside to simply walk, listen, be quiet, and let your mind (and soul) breathe?

Easter in Ecuador

Holidays in a foreign country feel different. No matter how hard you try, it’s just not quite the same as in your country of origin-- but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. We had a pretty wonderful Easter, along with the days surrounding it.

On Good Friday we took a group of interns from El Refugio to Midad Del Mundo-- the monument recognizing the actual equator line that runs through Ecuador. It’s about an 8 minute drive from Calacalí. We took pictures standing on the yellow line, ate Fanesca (the typical soup eaten here during Holy Week), and watched a processional/parade of Ecuadorians in Holy Week garb. 

That night we also had a group over to our house and ate together, talked for a while, and watched a movie. Saturday was a slower day spent at home preparing for Sunday.

On Sunday we had a sunrise service on El Refugio’s property. We learned that occasionally in the past this had taken place, so Suzy took it upon herself to invite, organize, and plan this year’s service. 

We drove up to a great look-out point at 6:30am. This is what it looked like shortly after we got up there. We had a mix of readings, sharing, and worship through song.

After the service we drove back down to El Refugio’s dining area and had a good-ol’ breakfast potluck. 

Mid-morning we transitioned over to our house and had an easter-egg hunt, painted eggs, and had another delicious meal prepared by Suzy. People hung around into the afternoon and we were blessed with a sunny, beautiful day to be in fellowship with one another.

 

So. Holidays do ‘feel’ different in different locations... but being surrounded by other believers who are celebrating for the same reason we are makes it feel just like it should. 

-jim

4:30am Perimeter Hike with LIFT

    4:oo am came pretty quickly yesterday. Suzy had to push me to turn off the alarm... I had already incorporated the sound of the static coming from my alarm clock into my dream. I got up, packed my things, and walked the 8 minutes from our house to El Refugio.

     What was I doing up this early, you ask? On March 11th a group of 30+ came from Camp-of-the-WOODS in Speculator, NY. This group is mainly comprised of 18 - 26 year olds who have set aside a semester or at times 2 to be a part of their LIFT program. LIFT combines Biblical training, camp ministry experience, missions training and exposure, and outdoor adventure. These guys go canoeing, backpacking, and do some serious hikes and climbing. Just today they left to go summit a mountain here in Ecuador. So, I got up that early yesterday to do the perimeter hike with them here on El Refugio's property. I would venture to say that this hike is the most difficult one that we have to offer within our property.

     It was a rough hike. I've acclimated really well to the altitude here, but in truth, I haven't done any really long or strenuous hikes since being here. Nor have I gotten up that early in... years, probably.

     But I tell you what, the spiritual picture that I experienced and envisioned while on that hike was powerful. The majority of those hiking were wearing head-lamps, as the sun had not come up yet. The first 15 minutes was an uphill incline, but not terrible. The following 45 minutes - hour was straight up the mountainside, and very steep. There were people in front of me. There were people behind me. I stopped a few times briefly to catch my breath, have some water, and view the stars, lights of Calacalí, and the lights moving further away from me and approaching me.

     This was the thing that struck me the most. I was a part of this line of lights-- from the head-lamps. You could clearly make out this line of little lights bopping up and down, highlighting the flow of the path we were hiking. It was cool to see all of these lights; in front of me, showing the path I was about to walk, and behind me, seeing where I've just come from. And there were so many lights! There was probably just under 50 of us doing this hike. As I stopped, people would pass by me. I would hear them encouraging one another, laughing together, and on more than one occasion someone passing would offer some of their water.

     So here's my picture. This is the body of Christ. We are all walking on this path... little lights for Christ, hiking a difficult path in a dark world. We're taking this narrow path towards the summit. We're tired at times, alone at times; but we're not alone. There are many others walking the path and they are happy-- they're filled with joy as they walk towards the goal, offering help and encouragement to their brothers and sisters. Though it's tiring, it's worth it. Our bodies actually like the exercise, and the view at the top, the reward-- it's totally worth it.

     It was a cloudy morning and we were in the mountains, so we didn't get a really crisp, defined, or colorful sunrise. But the view was awesome. And I will certainly be doing the hike again.

     Ask yourself this today: Who do I know that needs that extra word of encouragement today? Who is in need of water or is sitting down because they're so tired? How can we laugh with, encourage, or be there for someone else who is walking on this path with us?

The view from the top: The town of Calacalí

Our Fire Pit

    We still don't have internet access. It turns out this process of getting internet may be even more complicated than we thought. Apparently to receive internet services from the main/best internet company in the country, you have to have a Cedula number. A Cedula number is basically the equivalent of a Social Security Number. Anyone not born in Ecuador uses their Passport number to stand in place of a Cedula number. The problem is, the amount of numbers in a passport ID and the amount of numbers in a Cedula aren't the same. So computers won't allow a passport number in place of a Cedula number. Therefore... we are going to have to look into private internet providers... so the process continues. Would you join us in prayer about this? We'd really like to e-mail, skype, FaceTime, update our website, blog, and connect with people on facebook... among other things... from our home.

    But not having as much technology at home does have up-sides. For instance, it gave me the time to hunt for big rocks and make a fire pit in our side yard. It gave us time to collect wood from El Refugio, and then start a fire in our fire pit. We had time to simply sit around the fire, pet the dogs that live with us, play with Kaia, and enjoy watching her take in the first fire we've had at our home here in Ecuador.

   So, this is a much shorter blog entry... but maybe that means more of you will read it all the way to the end! And, pictures are always more fun, anyway, right?

   Lulu, the oldest of the dogs on our property, gave birth to a little black puppy a little over a month ago. He's a rolly-polly little guy, like the mouse 'Gus' from Cinderella... so yesterday we gave him a name: Gus.

Lulu, the mother of our new little guy, Gus