God Showing Off!

Every once in a while we get the opportunity to see God pull out all the stops and show his majestic power and beauty.  LIFT was able to experience jaw-dropping display of His creation at full radiance as we had the a serene evening with the Super Moon (a full moon with the closest it has been to the earth in many years) back lighting what seemed to be the entire country of Guatemala with all the cities and villages twinkling far far below in the valleys - all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  Then to top that, Volcan de Feugo was erupting 2-3 times per hour, with loud explosive blasts and lava spewing far in the air and down the mountain.

We value having "Wow Moments" in all of our adventures and experiences to give us times to see a glimpse of God's greatness.  This overnight hike, although difficult with climbing 5,000' in 5 miles with full packs was one of LIFT's greatest moments in the "Wow Factor" being off the scale.

We are all back in Magdalena.  We are tired, need a shower and a nap, but very satisfied and content with feeling accomplished with all we have seen God do on this mission trip and in the last few days. Many will fall asleep quickly with big smiles and excitement to return home yet sadness to leave.

We return to CAMP-of-the-WOODS early Thursday morning.  Please continue to pray for us as we have a very long day of traveling starting tomorrow @ 7:30.  Pray for alertness and safety on the road Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

Check out the new photos on the LIFT Discipleship Program Facebook page.

Tim

Old City, Rich Culture, Great Friends

LIFT 36 has finished working with the missionaries from Students International and celebrated our time together with a banquet and comments from our students to encourage the SI staff of all that was learned and experienced with our time together.

Saturday and Sunday were spent in the quaint old village of Antigua (meaning old-historic). What an amazing city overflowing with culture and beauty!  We met up with Megan Tusing, who attended LIFT 20 & 21 and has been serving as a missionary teacher in Guatemala ever since.  It was great to see her, catch up and hear her story shared to the current students.

Two of our students were sick over the weekend but are recovering very well.  Please pray for continued good health for the group as we venture off at 5 am Monday morning to climb the 3rd largest volcano in Central America - Volcan Acetenango.  It will be a physical challenge getting to base camp which is around 12,000' then waking up early on Tuesday to summit before sunrise.  We hope for amazing views from over 13,000' and the possibility of seeing Volcan Fuego erupting close by (but not too much of an eruption)  :)  This is the first time for most students to climb at high altitude so also pray for everyone to keep from getting altitude sickness.  

We return Tuesday afternoon to Magdalena to pack up and head back home on Wednesday - arriving at COTW around 6-7 a.m. on Thursday. This has been a fantastic trip.  God has been moving in many ways and is teaching the students a lot.

Please consider coming to the Guatemala Forum the students will be hosting after returning from Thanksgiving break.  It will be a time for them to share and present on their missions experience on Wednesday, November 30th at 7 p.m. at the Buirkle Center at CAMP-of-the-WOODS.

Got to cut this short and listen in as the students are now debriefing their time here.

Be sure to check out the recently updated photos on the LIFT 36 Guatemala Mission Trip photo album - more to come after our big climb. 

www.facebook.com/pg/liftdiscipleshipprogram


Tim

Faith in a Foreign Land

Hello all from Guatemala! We’ve already been here for a week and time has surely flown by! This is my second cross-cultural missions experience and it has really opened up my eyes to the fact that there are spiritual needs wherever we may go. It has been fulfilling to see my fellow LIFT brothers and sisters, as well as the Students International staff show the love of Christ to the people that they are serving. I pray that God will continue to allow us to display His love to all we encounter after this trip.

There are four of us (Tim, Matt W., Marcos and me) staying at the home of Augustine and Maria here in Magdalena, and they have been amazing hosts so far. Augustine and Maria run a bakery out of their home, which helps provide their income. Staying with them are their daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. Their beautiful home is like no place I have stayed at before. Most of the interior of the house is an open area with no roof. On the perimeter of the house, there are rooms for the kitchen and the living room. Upstairs are a few bedrooms as well as the bathroom and shower.

On the weekdays, we have worked at ministry sites throughout the community. I have been lucky enough to be a part of the tutoring site, where I help out with a vacation bible school program, since this is summer vacation time for school children. This consists of songs, bible lessons, crafts, and snacks. My group consists of the 3^rd and 4^th graders, who have a good amount of energy! Though I speak little Spanish, I have gotten plenty of hugs and high-fives. We also get to take part in home visits, where we visit the homes of our students to see how their families are doing, as well as getting the chance to pray for them. Our site leader, Raquel, really has a servant’s heart full of love for her students as well as the Lord. I am so blessed to have worked with her and I know she will continue to do great things.

Since we’ve been here, we’ve been going through a study on Daniel and his life in a foreign land. His example inspires us to remember that while we are miles from home, we still have a duty to serve and glorify God and that our sovereign Lord is in total control. I pray that the Lord would continue to open our hearts and lead us to be who He has called us to be. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

-Luke Warner

Everyone Needs the Gospel

Everyone Needs the Gospel

When we first got here we were all humbled by the joy the people here have despite how little they have. But, the more the locals open up and share about their lives, the more we realize the intricacies of the needs that still need to be met. God wants to take care of all of his children. He never wants his children to be lacking, and that is why he talks about his heart for the poor and generosity so often in His word. Poverty can be described in many different ways; spiritually, mentally, economically, bodily, politically or societally.

 After last night’s dinner with Students International of beans, rice and tortillas to simulate a common meal of the people here who have less, we had a discussion about the absolute poverty that we have been witnessing, and living in here in Magdalena. Many men, women, and children here are malnourished due to the lack of food- and nutritious food at that. If the children acquire 1 or 2 Quetzals, they can buy a bag of tortilla chips as a cheap snack. An Avocado or a banana costs the same amount, but all opt for un-nutritious snacks. I realize that this is also a problem close to home as well, so we can all be praying for an increase in awareness of nutrition, and an increase in resources for those in need.

It is easy to say that when we go back to the United States, that we will see poverty in a different way, because “the people here are poor economically but rich in the things that matter”. It IS true that in many other parts of the world, we tend to put our hope and comfort in materials rather than God, resulting in spiritual poverty. But, I want to be careful to NOT glorify poverty. Poverty breeds immorality everywhere, due to many factors such as lack of education, nutrition, relationship with God, and community support. It is survival mode, to say the least, and so many people are simply fending for themselves. For example, some children get handed over for marriage at a young age and by the time they are 13 years old have 7-10 children in places like El Tablon. Here in Magdalena, the average age is 15 with 3 children.

            Money does not fix poverty; it helps, but not holistically. As Christians, we cannot downplay the importance of being present. So, while at our ministry sites, simply being present with the adults and children, or a home visit, makes all the difference. We can pour out Christ's love onto others and pray for them. Yesterday, with the Creative Arts site, we went to a home visit in a town called El Gorrion. As we walked down the dirt road, we arrived at their humble “home” of wood, sheet metal and plastic thrown together in a rectangular fashion. The host taught us how to make tortillas and after she re-heated the chicken she had prepared on the wood-fire “stove”. We felt honored to be eating meat, because meat is definitely a delicacy here. We prayed for the meal and feasted, and at the end she asked for prayer for her and her family’s spiritual life. It was so amazing that this was the only thing she asked for prayer for! We prayed for her with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in us, and then parted ways. I am still filled with awe and thanksgiving at her graciousness toward us.

During the last week, we have all heard many stories of brokenness being restored because of Christ. It is so encouraging that God is working everywhere, all the time and the fruits of his labor is joy. Yes, this joy I speak of comes from the Lord. I know this is a bold statement but it is true. Chains are broken and people are set free spiritually. Families are restored and lives are transformed. Joy is a deep, soul expression that God gives us. Yes, we can feel many emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, etc., but joy is form the Lord! As previously stated, the people we encounter here at the ministry sites have little to nothing, but they still emit a joy that is unmistakable. It has been incredible to hear the many stories of “Machismo” men who “used to drink all the time, spend all of their wife’s money, and beat their wives” be transformed by Christ. They give all the glory to God for this defining moment in their life and how Christ gives them a hope and a joy that is unchangeable. It is also encouraging to hear and see children and wives who have discovered and are deepening a relationship with Christ. And if they still live in broken homes, they now have a heavenly father to put their faith and hope in.

            Basically, everyone needs the gospel, no matter the circumstances. Think about how consistent God has been in your life. God is SO big. The freedom, peace and joy he brings spring from the hope stored up for us in heaven. It is a never ending spring of life, and the people here in Guatemala are discovering it. Hearts are being set on fire for Christ and people are rejoicing in WHO he is. There is still a huge need of resources though, so continue to pray for Guatemala and for an increase in resources for the people here - and all over the world! Just because a family discovers the hope found in Christ, does not mean they need to continue to live in difficult circumstances with an immense lack of hygiene and other resources.

            Blessings,

            Eva Porter

 

Beautiful in His Sight

Relationship is the biggest way God reaches the hearts of people. And just as Jesus did, we in LIFT, through Students International and the amazing staff we work under, are making it our number one priority in our daily routines. One of the amazing opportunities some of the ministry teams have gotten to take part in to build relationships is when we visit people in their homes. I am in the Women’s Social Work mission working under the beautiful and selfless social worker, Shenny, and getting to visit the homes of the women we are working with every day so closely with her is an unreal experience.


These women and these families are more beautiful, more humble, and more resilient than anything I have ever seen. Some days it’s hard—the days when we have to sit in a room of nothing but sagging mattresses and a little gas stove. Wet clothes covering the window and door and streams of dirty water running across the dirt floor. Listening to a desperate mother explain how her husband can’t find work and her kids don’t have uniforms for school and she has an illness she can’t cure. But some days it’s so good—the days when we hold tiny kids in our laps and play games on the floor and learn new Spanish words through giggling toothless grins, and hear from a mother of six how Jesus has saved her from the despair of the loss of a husband to alcoholism. And at the end of every day, good or bad, easy or hard, God is always the center and He is slowly and radically working in the lives of all these families here in the villages of Magdalena and San Miguel. We get to pray together and sing together and share our testimonies, and lay hands on the sick and broken and share the gospel in the most unlikely circumstances. The Holy Spirit is moving and working in ways we can’t imagine or describe, and we all come back full of stories of His goodness and mystery every day.


Today our outreach group is throwing a baby shower for a woman in the town of San Miguel named Ruth, and I expect it to be a time of great joy and peace and blessing. This is a very special opportunity for us and a beautiful reminder to me of how much life is in a place of so little and of how God can do something so big with something so small.  Please keep sending your prayers this way for both us and the beautiful people of Guatemala!


Blessings.


Elizabeth Flannery

 

A Grateful Heart

Con mucho felicidad, después de nuestro concurso de talentos, hemos cantado la nuestra canción favorita “Let Us Adore” con nuestros nuevos amigos que participan al programa Global Bridge por nueve meses en Guatemala.

Trying to speak Spanish eats up a big part of our days but we eat so well that we have not lost any weight yet! As I wrote above, we had an amazing time two nights ago with the students from the Global Bridge program, a nine month missionary and study abroad program with a language learning component (www.globalbridgeprogram.com/global-bridge). We exchanged quite a few laughs and cheers as some of us heroically jumped in the middle of the circle to show their stunning – and weird – talents. To cap off the evening we gathered around the other team and we sang “Let Us Adore,” our LIFT theme song. The whole experience reminded us of the uniqueness and the blessing of Christian fellowship and being able to share with one another the gifts that God has individually given us.

And God has indeed blessed us with so much! We LIFTers are starting to see that having less does not affect our capacity to be thankful to God. Material possessions do not determine the state of our hearts. In fact, some of the people we meet during the day are literally “dirt poor” yet their heart is a harvest of gladness. A lady I visited lives in a house made out of sheet metal with no floor but the dirt soil, and leading up to the entrance the ground is littered with garbage. As she shared with us her story, nothing but gratefulness to God for his provision and blessing was coming out of her mouth: “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? (James 2:5).” We get to see amazing smiles on the faces of people with amazing stories of how God has rescued them out of the dominion of darkness and brought them into the kingdom of light. They testify to the most important transaction that happened in their lives was their salvation. Money matters but it matters less when Christ owns our hearts.

We hope that in these next nine days we will learn more about being rich at heart: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” says the Lord (Matthew 6:21). Where is your treasure?

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)

-Philippe Blais

Come and Live

The days go by quick here in Guatemala and it feels as if the town of Magdalena never sleeps. The hustle of the town is a good way to keep us on our toes, literally. This is one way that LIFT has redefined our lives, as a flexible and fast paced schedule is a familiar expectation for us. Now, after having lived in the country for almost a week and the culture shock begins to settle, it has become clear to us what the Lord has prepared in advance for this trip. We have placed our hope and trust in the Father to allow those who need love to be brought into our paths.


I was personally placed in the health care clinic under our wonderful missionary nurse, Abby! In this time we have been trained to take blood pressure, blood sugar, and height and weight. This has given us the opportunity to use our hands-on training to work in the clinic, doing health check-ups for the men, women and infants. It’s been a joy to see the work of the missionaries here in Students International produce a healthy physical and spiritual change in their lives. Praise the Lord that we get to be witnesses of his work among the Guatemalans and share with them the importance of a relationship with God. While working on the sites we get the opportunities to pray for people and ask for requests. This is one experience that I’ve never had; praying for others that cannot understand what I am speaking. But I’ve come to realize that praying for those in a different language has felt like true intercession and honestly, I think I prefer it. Praying over someone’s heart and mind to the Lord and not worrying about the words we speak to the person allows for a deeper and more pure intercession.

As LIFT grows into the culture day by day, we have seen that the most important part about sharing the gospel is living in their culture. We have come to live in this place, to love and live out the importance of Jesus’ ministry in our lives and theirs. I hope they see Jesus in and around us as we become imitators of Christ. We want to thank everyone for your prayers and support as all of us as a team have this opportunity to expand the Kingdom.

Grace & Peace.

Jared Blizzard

Photos are being updated on the LIFT 36 Guatemala Mission Trip photo album on the LIFT Discipleship Program Facebook page.  Check it out!

https://www.facebook.com/liftdiscipleshipprogram/

Holistic Ministry

Tyler, Rachel and I spent yesterday visiting each occupational ministry site that the LIFT students are serving at.  The purpose was to gain an overview of how the missionaries from Students International are demonstrating their love for the Guatemalan people.  Each ministry site looks for ways to help meet the people’s needs and through opening the door of building trust and relationships, to help them understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and grow in their faith.

Students International (SI) has national and North American missionaries working in social work, tutoring, special education, agribusiness, veterinary services, microfinance, creative arts, sports (soccer), and child sponsorship (similar to Compassion International).  The variety of these ministries reaches across all ages/generations and genders of the local population and many of these sites are integrated with each other.   The LIFT students (2 to 5 per site) are assigned to one site for their two weeks here to assist and learn about missions from their site director. 

The health care and appropriate technology sites are a great example of the intentionality and integration of these sites ministering to the breadth of people’s needs. Abby is a nurse serving in the health care site.  She works is currently working in two communities addressing the problem of malnutrition with screening tests, educating the people about diet and nutrition and holding classes on cooking.  Her husband, Noah runs the appropriate technology site which manufactures smokeless ovens and water filters from concrete forms.  Respiratory problems from cooking with open fires in the homes and water-borne diseases are a concern in the more rural communities such as Magdalena, Buena Vista, El Tablon, and San Miguel.  By providing means for safer cooking and clean water, the overall health care of the people will greatly improve.  The health care and appropriate technology sites partner with the leadership of the local churches in their outreaches to focus on the spiritual health of the people.  It is inspiring to see the ministries of this young married couple and the churches teaming together to address the various health problems of these communities.  Students International has been a catalyst in getting local churches united in purpose to more effectively reach the people.

In all the different sites, the LIFTers are seeing first-hand the benefits of ministries partnering together to develop lasting relationships with the people and addressing their needs.

Tim

Living on a Dollar?

“We are a long way from Speculator,” some of us kept saying, “and that was just a few hours ago.” In fact, all of us thirty LIFTers and our three teachers left CAMP-of-the-WOODS yesterday afternoon for JFK airport after having gathered for prayer with our local supporters.

Tim, our director, mentioned that over eight hundred people were supporting our mission trip in prayer! Later that night, while waiting at the airport, some of us were already pouring back those prayers into people’s lives. We arrived safely to our destination after about twenty hours of travelling. During the bus ride from Guatemala City to Magdalena, everybody was trying to catch the most out of the beautiful landscapes with one eye while trying to catch some sleep by closing the other one. Once there, we met our welcoming host families who warmly greeted us into their homes and then we took a sinuous bus ride through many winding streets to the mission center.

For dinner, they served us a traditional Pepián meal which was absolutely delicious - chicken in a rich red/brown sauce & rice. Then, we watched a documentary called “Living on One Dollar” (http://livingonone.org/livingonone/) which showed us the struggle of living in poverty in Guatemala. Filled with emotion, we were asked by our host Nivia, who works with Students International, “What do you think God is showing you about poverty?” We are excited to prayerfully experience what God will teach us all about poverty during this trip. What is God teaching you about poverty?

-Philippe Blais

Be sure to check out pictures that we will be posting frequently on our Facebook page called: LIFT Discipleship Program.  https://www.facebook.com/liftdiscipleshipprogram/

Please continue to pray for our time with the warm and humble people in the quaint mountain village of Magdalena.  Pray that we grow in our relationships with all we are with and in our understanding of culture.  Pray that we may more fully experience and demonstrate God's deep love for us and our "neighbors".  Pray that our passion for the work of His kingdom increase.

Muchas gracias!

Tim

Greeted by Pine Needles (Guatemala post 01)

Hi everybody,

Greeted by long pine needles covering the ground of the SI base this evening (pine needles covering the ground is a Guatemalan tradition to mark celebrations), we were welcomed into a fun, festive Guatemalan culture night. We enjoyed a wonderful festive meal, some cultural education, and fun Guatemalan games.

This is a quick blog entry to let you know we all arrived with no problems traveling or losing any luggage.  We are into our third day in "The Land of Eternal Spring" and the students have been out serving with the Students International (SI) missionaries at their different ministry sites.  The 30 LIFT students will be doing life with the 11 Global Bridge semester students that are here with SI - they are fast becoming friends - we had a great worship time starting off the morning together.  Things are going very well!

Everyone is loving their home stay experiences and diving into this beautiful culture.  More updates will be coming soon via this blog and pictures will be posted on the LIFT Discipleship Program Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/liftdiscipleshipprogram

Tim

Ecuador Reflections

“You are not in Ecuador to climb a mountain—you are here to serve God.” Tim’s words echoed in my head as our bus headed down the El Refugio driveway. Up until that moment, the majority of our trip had been missions oriented. Many blessings had come from our time serving in this beautiful country. God had provided so many wonderful opportunities to serve our Ecuadorian brothers and sisters, from the work projects in Chaco, to the precious time spent playing and teaching the amazing kids of Oyacachi.

As our time in Ecuador drew to a close however, anticipation and excitement for the traditional camping/hiking trip began to grow. This year, the plan was for LIFT 35 to take on Sincholagua  Mountain, an epic 8 hour hike/climb. All of our fitness training had led up to this moment—every group run, the meticulous practice in repelling technique, and of course, all the insane power hikes up and down Oak Mountain. Initially, Tim had made this declaration to establish proper perspective. Our mission in coming to Ecuador was to glorify God by loving and serving others—climbing the mountain was merely an added bonus. My gaze centered on where the driveway met the road, the same road that would have taken us to our base campsite, where we would have spent the night and proceeded with the climb the following morning.

That was before the earthquake hit. Now, the bus had a new course. Our destination: Portoviejo, an eight hour bus drive away from El Refugio. The night before, we had received word that the city had sustained serious damage, and by God’s sovereignty, an opportunity had emerged for both LIFT 35 and the El Refugio staff to offer aid. Tim’s words had been unintentionally prophetic: we would not be climbing a mountain on this trip. It mattered little though. Frankly, hiking a mountain was the last thing on anyone’s mind. Instead, the idea had been replaced by a simple, yet powerful prayer: from Isaiah chapter 6: “Here I am Lord, send me.” In a matter of hours, every single person in our group had focused their prayers on one single objective: to serve God through the administering of relief to the people of Portoviejo.  

 

As a fellow LIFTer, it was pretty incredible to see how this decision impacted the rest of my team. Before we knew for certain that we could go, all of us met in the El Refugio chapel to pray. Being a part of that process was incredibly intense and powerful. “We were all there, praying together for God’s will to be done,” exclaimed my roommate, Vanessa Gottreux, “and it really strengthened my faith to see God answer our prayer.”

 

In Portoviejo we split up into several groups, each headed up by either an El Refugio Staff member or a LIFT leader. A few groups worked on cleaning and reorganizing damaged areas of the local hospital, while other groups went out into the city to help clear debris and assist the various search and rescue teams.  It was long, hard work in some pretty intense, nerve rattling conditions, but every single person rose to the challenge. God proved Himself to be so faithful in the midst of it all, providing a valuable chance to work alongside the people.  When I asked my fellow LIFTer Peter to recall a memorable moment in Portoviejo, his mind went immediately to his work with the fire fighters. “I remembered sharing my chocolate bar with a fire fighter named Antonio during our break time,” he said, smiling. “He was so grateful.” He continued to say how much he appreciated sharing the moments of laughter with the team, appreciating the moments of friendship in the midst of the chaos. This was something that I could definitely relate to. My team also assisted the fire fighters, removing large chunks of rubble and debris from a local church that had collapsed. It was amazing how God allowed us to work together, even bridging the language barrier, to accomplish so much. During our break, I also had the chance to share some of my food with them. Before they left, one of the fireman approached me, handed me a water bottle, and gave me a firm handshake. That will probably be one of my best memories of being here in Ecuador.

 

As I was writing this blog entry last night, a young woman named Jessica approached my table in the dining hall. “Are you leaving in the morning?” she asked. When I replied that we were, she asked me to pass a message onto the rest of the LIFT 35 team. “My English is not very good,” she said apologetically, “But on behalf of all Ecuadorians, I want to thank you for what you and your team have done for us in Portoviejo.” She smiled broadly, “God called you here for such a time as this.” I was overwhelmed. All I could do was praise God as I gave her a hug. “Please, do not forget to pray for us,” her voice trembled slightly as she spoke the words. “We will never forget,” I assured her. God had allowed us to literally “walk in their shoes”, to experience a tiny taste of their victories and their sufferings. We will not forget. Not ever.

 

It’s hard to write conclusions to a trip like this. How in the world do you condense two weeks of non-stop adventure into a single summary paragraph?  In our time here in Ecuador, we have seen the mighty hand of God at work through His people and have been overwhelmed by their kindness and genuine love. “It’s amazing how generous they are, even though they have so little,” Lila Trezise remarked, reflecting back on her time with the Oyacachi children, “they have so much unconditional love to offer, even though they knew we would only be there for a short while. My time with them really has inspired me to show sacrificial love towards others, regardless of what happens. Being with them has also taught me the importance of having a thankful heart. Through thankfulness, we have the courage to love without fear.”

 

In addition to thankfulness, a lot has been learned about the concept of strength, and how God finds ways to manifest His strength through our weaknesses and areas of vulnerability. One of the biggest areas of weakness that our group encountered was language. “I came into our time in Ecuador thinking that I had a decent working knowledge of Spanish,” Brianna said, “Looking back on it now, I realized that it was a pride issue. It wasn’t long before I found myself struggling to communicate with the people. Once I surrendered it to God, things really began to change.” She went on to say that God actually used her vulnerability with language to help develop relationships with the people. “Even with the communication barrier, God provided me with the power to understand what they were saying, allowing me to establish friendships.”

 

As I write this, we are sitting in the Guayaquil airport, awaiting our final flight back to the states. For LIFT 35, there is still a lot to think on, pray about, and process through. Every aspect of this trip, both good and challenging, has the capacity to move our hearts, if we let it.  

 

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.  If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11


Alexis Barnett

Unity in Destruction

LIFT 35 just returned at 5:45 this morning (Tuesday) from the city of Portoviejo on the coast of Ecuador.  We were there for just over 24 hours and maximized our time by splitting into various teams.  Saturday night we helped set up the 2nd floor of the hospital with mattresses on the floor of every room to house teams that were coming from all over to help.  During that time the President of Ecuador arrived in Portoviejo to assess the damage and visited the hospital.  He saw a large group of gringos with helmets, headlamps and facemasks helping out and came over to ask where they were from and thank them for helping his country in what he claimed to be perhaps Ecuador's worst natural disaster.  Rick Borman and John Darnell from El Refugio and two LIFT students, Kevin Hebert and Carson Anderson let him know that we are just a group of Americans from all over and just happened to be here at the right time and were prepared to help in any way. 




After helping clean and prepare the hospital for more patients and housing rescue teams, we slept for 4 hours in a large sanctuary of the alliance (CMA) church in the city that we were partnering with in relief efforts. 




Monday morning we split up into teams again to aid professional rescuers from Ecuador and other countries in looking for anyone who may still be alive under the many fallen buildings and homes.  Another LIFT team helped with reorganizing all the hospital files that were shuffled and in chaos when filing cabinets and shelves toppled over during the quake.  Searching for bodies was a slow process of waiting for the heavy machinery to uncover tons of concrete and rebar to a point where holes were poked into cavities between multiple floors sandwiched together.  Sentimental and important items were also removed and given to the on-looking families hanging on in hope and prayer.




Late in the day a cell phone call was received by emergency personnel by a man trapped under a 6-story building saying he could here the machines digging above him.  All work in a 4-block area came to a screeching halt as rescuers silenced everyone to listen for tapping from a number of different recovery sites.  Within a half hour they figured out which collapsed building he was under then sent in dogs and a specialized rescue team from Bogota, Columbia to continue the work with hand power tools.  About an hour and a half later they pulled the man out who was trapped in darkeness for over two days.  News reporters and hundreds of rescue workers (including LIFTers) were there to cheer him on as he surfaced and was carried on a stretcher to the ambulance.  It was a pretty moving experience and the hope that rescuers needed to revitalize their searches.


After just a short time of being in the midst of such vast destruction that happened in only one minute of time, many of us have been impacted by the loss but also by the unity of people from around the world coming to the aid of those in need.  There will be much to debrief tonight as we finish our time here in Ecuador and return to New York tomorrow night.




Tim

Moving Mountains and Roadblocks

For such a time as this . . . The Lord has moved mountains for us in that we will not be climbing Sincholagua these next 3 days but heading to the coastal villages affected by the large earthquake that hit Ecuador last night. Instead of splitting up into hiking teams we will now be breaking up into medical, construction, and food & water relief teams. We prayed that the Lord would make a way for us to go despite literal roadblocks on the highways heading to these areas. The way has been opened for us just as we finished a very spirit-filled worship service pleading for God to use us in any way to help the Ecuadorians suffering from the effects of the devastation. We are leaving in less than an hour for an 8-hour bus ride. We don't expect to get much sleep or food in the next 3 days as we set up our basecamp of tents in the village we will be serving. Please pray for us and that the Lord works in mighty ways as we extend His love to our brothers and sisters. Pray for safety and restored peace, especially for the local people, in areas that are now in chaos and destruction.

Next update will be Wednesday. We are going to areas where all communication has been lost.

Tim

Earthquake

Hi everyone.



We were just beginning our debriefing session this evening around 7 pm of our last week in Oyacachi and El Chaco when the earthquake hit.  We all looked to our right and left to see who was nervously shaking their leg and making our chairs shake when we realized it was nobody but the tremor of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the coastal city of Esmeraldas 4 hours away. The tremor lasted over a minute causing everything to shake inside the building we were in.  We all moved outside and continued to feel it moving the ground under our feet. 



Everyone in LIFT and El Refugio are safe.  Please pray for the residents of Esmeraldas who suffered this severe quake that had its epicenter 10 miles off the coast.  No news yet of damage or casualties - it all just happened.


We head out for our mountain climbing (Sincholagua) expedition tomorrow and will return to El Refugio late Tuesday.



Psalm 46!



Tim

Bevies of Children, Piles of Grace.

Before we arrived in Oyacachi, I was expecting something like the Altiplano: windswept, bare, cold and drab. Instead, the town is vibrant, cradled between lush green mountains. Dirt roads descend in hairpin turns to the village of 800. In Oyacachi, even the clouds look larger than life.

 

When our bus pulled up on Monday, a swarm of children had already came running; by the time we unloaded our bags, dozens more had emerged. We spent our  four days inundated with children; kids of all ages, asking to be carried and swung and held, peering in at us during meals, coming to shake our hands or sit in our laps during church, play clapping games, or braiding flowers into our hair.

 

Our time in Oyacachi was a flurry of activity. Our plans for the day weren’t announced… until we had half an hour’s notice to run a two-hour English lesson for the entire elementary school. Or when we were told to teach Sunday school without any warning of how long we’d be teaching or how many kids, or what age group. (Leaders in Flexible Training) We performed dances and worship, led lessons and Bible stories, and brought (we think) the first cello the town has ever seen. We went shower-less, ate plenty of rice, potatoes, and trout, and carried more children than I can count on our shoulders.

 

We also got a snapshot into God’s work and transformation. The pastor in Oyacachi had been leading his flock since 1975, 20 years before a road and electricity made it to the town. He continues to minister, and offered us a warm welcome with traditional Andean music and an overview of the history of the town.

 

We heard from Susana, the director of the Compassion International ministry there. She shared with us stories of the impact of the ministry on children and families: over 120 kids in Oyacachi, all supported by sponsors from around the world, receive lunch twice a week, medical care, birthday gifts, and Bible teaching. They showed off their (quite impressive) Bible knowledge throughout our lessons and games throughout the week, in a cacophony of shouts, reciting verses and recalling Bible stories.

 

We made friends with kids and saw the joy and openness of the townspeople, who would greet us with a “Buenos Dias” and a handshake, whether we knew Spanish or not.

 

We leave after three and a half days, but a LIFT/El Refugio legacy continues to develop and grow;  Cynthia developed a friendship with a LIFTer, Monia, six years ago, when she was 12. This week, Cynthia rode her motorcycle through the rain three hours from where she attends university to meet this LIFT group and catch up.  

In our final morning in Oyacachi, we visited with Maria, a disabled elderly woman. She told us her history, speaking out her window to us. We sung with her and promised to pray for her until we visit next spring. It is our relationships with those like Cynthia and Maria and our partnerships with the local churches leave lasting impacts—both for us, and for those we visit.  We also had a few children come up to us with pictures of LIFT students from years past - asking about them.  They do not forget the times they have had with the students that have taken time to befriend them.

 

You can join us in this ministry and partnership, with prayers for Maria, for the children and families of Oyacachi, and for transformational encounters with the gospel (for us and for the Ecuadorians we interact with). We left Oyacachi with gratitude and joy. Heaven, too, I believe, will have grandiose mountains laced with waterfalls, children in mud boots who run where they please, and—hopefully—the mystical praise music of Andean pipes and flutes.

Katie Jickling

Be sure to check out the updated photos on the LIFT  Discipleship Program Facebook page.

Unity Across Cultures

Apologies for not being able to get this blog post out on Monday when we left El Chaco.  We tried connecting to four different sites but it just was not happening that morning. So here is Adrielle's post which was written last Sunday night.  Katie Jickling will be writing our next post which will be up in a day or two.  (Tim Trezise)

Hello from the jungles of Ecuador to all the friends and family of LIFT 35!

                After asking around to several of my fellow students about what their families would like to hear or know about our adventures the general consensus was, ‘Just tell them we’re still alive!’.  So I’m very happy to inform you that we are all very much alive and well! It’s been a great blessing that none of us have gotten sick. It is very typical at this point in the trip that people start feeling the effects of the new diet and other factors that play into ones immune system. Praise God for our health and please continue to pray for good health as we head into our second week.

                We moved into a small hotel in the town of El Chaco late Thursday afternoon and were warmly welcomed by the church. El Chaco has been one of the main stopping places for the LIFT teams over the past seven years so our arrival in town once again is a big highlight in the life of the church! During the beginning years when LIFT started supporting the church of El Chaco there was only a small handful of members with little or no leadership to guide them.  Now seven years later it is a beautiful thing to see how much the church has grown and how God is working in the church and from the church throughout the community.

Here in El Chaco we are surrounded by the splendor of mountains;  the therapy of crowing roosters and yapping dogs; a new culture and language to embrace and plenty of opportunity to show Christ’s love to the people we come in contact with; and of course the rain. The rain is a daily part of our routine, without it El Chaco wouldn’t be El Chaco! We’ve been blessed with an awesome three days in this place! Friday and Saturday morning we spent doing work projects for the church, getting our hands dirty cleaning up the courtyards, digging through dirt, moving an innumerable amount of rocks, weeding and re-plumbing a bathroom. On the adventuring side of things we had the privilege of being able to experience an epic one hundred foot waterfall that surged over a cliff with the sound of deafening thunder and mighty winds. The power and glory of this small part of God’s creation made my heart full and it was so hard to leave. The highlight of this adventure was the joy of getting to see two of my fellow students get baptized in the outflowing waters of this awesome place! The beauty of seeing what God is doing in the hearts and lives of His children made the experience all the more rich and memorable. White water rafting through the Ecuadorian jungle and jungle hiking/cliff jumping were also opportunities we had to explore and experience this amazing part of the world!

                Saturday afternoon into Sunday we dove into our first real interaction with the community and were able to start putting into practice on a deeper level what we have been learning and preparing for all semester. All the time and energy we spent putting into preparing for our ministry teams was given an outlet and it was time for action! We held an open air service for the children in a small neighboring town which included, playing active games to break down walls and initiate interaction, singing, dancing from our dance team, skits from our drama team, bible stories and a gospel message. LIFT was also responsible for the Sunday service at the church, teaching Sunday school for the kids, worship and presenting a lesson/sermon for the adults.  Ecuadorians love soccer and so competitions against the Ecuadorians and Americans adds to the life and fun of our interaction with the community.

                As we prepare to move on and I reflect over the past couple days the thing that sticks out to me the most is how two different cultures and languages can come together and even though we are so different we can unite through a common love for God. If we are willing to step out of our normal and our comfort zones God  will use us and not only will we be a blessing but we will be incredibly blessed as well! It’s been an honor to be here and experience Christ through the people of El Chaco!

                Monday morning we will be saying goodbye and heading to Oyacachi until Thursday to see what God has for us there. Thank you so much for your prayers and interest in what is happening in our lives. You all are a huge part of the reason we are here, we couldn’t have done it without you!!!

For the LIFT 35 family,

Adrielle Zuck

Many Hands Make Muddy Work

Welcome to Ecuador!  We all arrived safe at El Refugio on Monday afternoon with no real problems. We were all a little sleepy and stiff when we dropped or backpacks in our rooms. Then Rick Borman, our host, took us on a hike around the grounds. El Refugio is a beautiful camp outside of Quito.  It is a conference and retreat center for groups to get away from the city and meet with God. They have three hundred acres of land complete with mountains, climbing wall, ponds, gardens, high ropes course, soccer field, four llamas, a beautiful tree house, and many more things. Their mission is to show the need for God, life-giving rhythms, community, missions, and bearing fruit. Their beautiful grounds help people coming from the crowded cities to relax and experience God in a new way. On our tour hike Rick showed us many things I found so interesting. He showed us a plant that looks like clover but you can eat it. It is so tart that your mouth waters. I love tart things and it made me pucker a little. All these new things make me so thankful for God’s creativity! When you are on top of the mountain you can see nothing but mountains for miles! The small mountains around El Refugio look as if they have been draped in a patchwork quilt. They are covered in fields of yellow, bits of purple, and green, all outlined by dark green hedges. The beauty God has made is beyond words or photos. I wish I could bring everyone here so that we could all praise God together in this place.

Tuesday we started helping the El Refugio staff prepare for the Todo Lodo race this coming Saturday (April 9^th). Todo Lodo (all mud) is their version of a “tough mudder” they are expecting around 1,300 people. This high adventure 5K is a perfect open door for people to see what El Refugio is about.  Please pray that through this event seeds will be planted in people’s hearts and that the staff will show Christ’s love to everyone they come in contact with. Our work includes spreading clay for the mud, hanging signs, digging trenches, mowing, and other things to prepare the grounds. It is amazing how much work 33 extra people can get done. I feel very blessed to work alongside the staff and interns. We have only been here for one full day and I already feel home. All the staff have such big hearts. They are made up of full time missionaries, interns from around the world, and locals from the town. Tim told us to watch and learn from the missionaries while we are here. Hudson Taylor said, “Let the people be who they are but let God change their hearts and parts of their culture.” I can see this in the missions here. I have been watching the staff and can see how much they love the people and culture; they are simply doing life with the people. I love getting to share in a little part of that discipleship. It has been a new experience for me to work with a language barrier. I have learned that hand motions are very helpful and if you can’t get anywhere just laugh and smile. We have a work day again today after which we will be testing out the muddy course - to work on our fitness and to see if it works well (but mostly for fun)! 

Check out pictures of the LIFT students testing out the course on the LIFT Discipleship Program Facebook page.

For the next eight days we will be in two small Ecuadorian villages working with churches, schools, and doing work projects. We will be heading to El Chaco Thursday morning, staying there for four days, then heading to Oyacachi for another four days. Please be praying that we will keep our hearts focused on what God has for us to learn and how we can serve him.  We are all learning and experiencing many new things and that is exciting, but our goal is to serve and show Christ’s love. Also be praying for our team’s health. I thank you all so much for your prayers.

Annita   (Hannah Watson)

Vamos a Ecuador!

Buenos Dias! (Good Day), and welcome to the LIFT 35 missions blog.  The buzz of excitement has been growing as we prepare for this mission trip.  Under all this excitement is always an immense appreciation to those who have made it possible.  We all extend our gratitude for your support and prayers.  We hope you will check back here often and stay with us as we travel and spread the good news.  The LIFT program has been going to Ecuador every spring for seven years now and the leadership has built great relationships with many local people and ministries with whom we will be partnering.  In supporting and praying for us you also are partnering with these great ministries.

We will be traveling down to New Jersey tomorrow afternoon to have a home cooked meal by a family (The Kuders) of one of our LIFT students and a little time to relax before going to JFK.  We will be spending the late evening with our TSA friends and plan to get to the gate with plenty of time to spare.  When traveling with a large group you never know when there is going to be a snag (especially with Tim's new titanium hip), or how long the TSA agents may want to visit with you.  We have to plan that time in.  If you wish to track us we are flying LAN flight # XL 539 to Guayaquil then transferring to flight # XL 1508 arriving in Quito at 11:15am.

 From Quito we are driving to Hacienda El Refugio http://www.haciendaelrefugio.com/ in Calacalí.  This is home base for our time in Ecuador.  We will spend a couple days here likely preparing for "Todo Lodo"  http://www.todolodo.com/acerca-de/ (a mud run event) that happens on Saturday 4/9 while we are in El Chaco.  Hacienda El Refugio is an outdoor retreat center which facilitates a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through nature and outdoor adventure.  This event drew 700 participants last year and is expecting more this year.  Please keep this event in your prayers as you pray of El Refugio with us.

From El Refugio we will go to El Chaco and Oyacachi to serve with the churches there.  We will be providing manual labor, teaching English, teaching Sunday school, preaching, giving our testimonies, leading worship, dancing, playing games with the kids, and sharing the gospel in our day to day lives.

The final leg of our trip is back to El Refugio then off to the mountains.  What is a LIFT adventure without a good climb up something big!  Sincholagua is a 15,988 ft high mountain in the Andes.  After this adventure it is back to the USA.

Throughout our Holistic Ministry class we have been learning the importance missions.  We have been learning what works and what doesn’t.  We have been learning from the success and failures of Steve Saint, Richard Sterns, Rick Borman, and our fearless leader Tim Trezise.  We have been preparing our hearts and minds to minister to those in need.  Now is the time that we take this knowledge and put it to use.

Once again,  we thank all of you who make it possible to go on this missions trip and ask that your prayers would surround our work there.

Lord God,  We ask for your guiding hand as we journey to meet with your people in Ecuador.  We ask for safe flights and opportunity to share you with those we encounter on the way.  Lord we ask for your will to be done.  Lord we pray over El Refugio that their  ministry there would be full of good fruit.  We ask that Todo Lodo would be an opportunity for planting, watering, and harvest for your kingdom.  Lord we pray that our service there may be pleasing to you.  As we travel to El Chaco and Oyacachi we pray for the people there.  Lord, you know their needs.  Lord let us love them with actions and in your truth.  Let us be your hands and feat serving and guiding in holiness and faith.  Let the people in these communities see you.  Let our love be your love, our hands your hands, and our words your words.  Lord, we pray over our adventures.  We pray that our time in the mountains may show us glimpses of your majesty and grandeur.  May we be reminded how small we are and remember that we fit in the protection of your comforting hand.  Lord, we lift this time up to you and ask that your work be done thru us, willing vessels in your hand.  In Christ’s name we pray.  Amen.

Thanks for reading and please be praying,

Paul Exman