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.
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