Hello again from Ecuador. Our days have been extremely full with activity and no time to get caught up in the office at El Refugio. Today was full of a work project, debriefing sessions, a fitness hike, food and gear packing, and an evening class. Tomorrow we have a morning worship session then head back to the mountains.
We just returned from three days in Oyacachi - a Quechua village at 10,000 feet in the Andes. The students were busy almost the entire time with doing skits, puppet Bible stories, leading worship, sharing testimonies and preaching at the church in town that has about 300 members out of the 750 people in town. LIFTers also taught lessons in the public school two of the days. Any free time they may have had was spent playing with the high energy kids who adopt LIFTers as good friends in just a matter of minutes. The weeks of planning and preparing earlier in the semester paid off. We sensed God moving in this small secluded town and left in hopes that seeds were planted, people were encouraged in their faith and that the word shared would not return void.
Only a few days remain before returning to the United States. The two weeks of ministry have come to a close and now the students will return to part of their normal routine of growing together through another outdoor adventure - this time it is high altitude mountaineering in the world-famous Andes mountains. Currently the students are making final preparations and packing for the next three days of camping at 13,500 feet and attempting to climb to almost 17,000 feet. They all had to qualify for this adventure with a fitness hike on El Refugio's property that ascends to over 11,000 feet. It was a difficult steep hike for 35-45 minutes that pushed a lot of them to their limits, however they all made the qualifying time. We are so excited that the whole group pushed hard and all will be able to try climbing Illiniza Norte. There had been a lot of concern because we have had a number of people struggling with G.I. illnesses and some colds - but they all seem to be on the mend and getting stronger.
Thank you for your prayers while we were in Oyacachi - we could see God working and felt the power of prayer in the fruit we were seeing. Please pray that the students not be adversely affected by altitude sickness. They have acclimatized to fairly well to higher altitudes as they have done life in the Andes for the last two weeks. We are hoping that will be a big help, but it still can be an issue, even for the strongest of them.
Tim
We just returned from three days in Oyacachi - a Quechua village at 10,000 feet in the Andes. The students were busy almost the entire time with doing skits, puppet Bible stories, leading worship, sharing testimonies and preaching at the church in town that has about 300 members out of the 750 people in town. LIFTers also taught lessons in the public school two of the days. Any free time they may have had was spent playing with the high energy kids who adopt LIFTers as good friends in just a matter of minutes. The weeks of planning and preparing earlier in the semester paid off. We sensed God moving in this small secluded town and left in hopes that seeds were planted, people were encouraged in their faith and that the word shared would not return void.
Only a few days remain before returning to the United States. The two weeks of ministry have come to a close and now the students will return to part of their normal routine of growing together through another outdoor adventure - this time it is high altitude mountaineering in the world-famous Andes mountains. Currently the students are making final preparations and packing for the next three days of camping at 13,500 feet and attempting to climb to almost 17,000 feet. They all had to qualify for this adventure with a fitness hike on El Refugio's property that ascends to over 11,000 feet. It was a difficult steep hike for 35-45 minutes that pushed a lot of them to their limits, however they all made the qualifying time. We are so excited that the whole group pushed hard and all will be able to try climbing Illiniza Norte. There had been a lot of concern because we have had a number of people struggling with G.I. illnesses and some colds - but they all seem to be on the mend and getting stronger.
Thank you for your prayers while we were in Oyacachi - we could see God working and felt the power of prayer in the fruit we were seeing. Please pray that the students not be adversely affected by altitude sickness. They have acclimatized to fairly well to higher altitudes as they have done life in the Andes for the last two weeks. We are hoping that will be a big help, but it still can be an issue, even for the strongest of them.
Tim
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