Volcano

LIFT just returned from the final event of their time in Guatemala - the hike up to the summit of Volcan Acetenago (13,044').  It was a 5-hour hike with full packs to the 12,000' base camp, which ended up being in the clouds and pretty windy and cold.  By 9 PM last night the clouds blew off and everyone was treated to a beautiful starry night and the twinkling stars lights of distant cities and villages throughout southern Guatemala.  Volcan Fuego (the active volcano a mile away from the campsite) erupted multiple times throughout the night, with spectacular displays of magma and molten rocks flying from the summit and lava flowing down its flanks.  God was demonstrating his power and beauty in all they have seen in the last two days in addition to the many, many ways they have seen God work throughout the last two weeks at their different ministry sites.

LIFT rose early to start hiking for and hour and a half in the dark with headlamps to make it to the cone to take in the sunrise.  After an hour on the summit they descended and broke camp and returned to the Students International community center for a spaghetti lunch.  They are now debriefing and will be heading to their "homes" to have their final meal with their families then pack.

They depart @ 3:45 AM to head to the airport and should return to CAMP-of-the-WOODS by midnight.

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

Thank you very much for your prayer support - we know God was working through the many prayers offered up these last two weeks.

Tim

Prayer Support

11/9/2017

Hi everyone - this is just a quick post to ask for prayer for some of our students who have been struggling with stomach issues - vomiting and diarrhea.  It has been affecting about a quarter of our students.  Some have had to stay back from participating in the ministry sites and rest at their homes.  This is not abnormal for the second week of being in a different culture and adjusting to the different diet and exposure to different things.  The missionary doctor and nurse have been seeing each of the students not feeling well and monitoring their status.  Because of how this has manifested itself, the doctor believes these physical problems could be a spiritual offensive on our group as well.  We are praying that these cases of illness heal up quickly and not pass to other team members.

The team here is 34 people, but the rest of our team is all of you (several hundred) who are part of our prayer infrastructure that is giving strength to the work of the Holy Spirit here.  Thank you for being an active part of our team and what God is doing here through intercession.

We have two days left at the site serving with the missionaries then the weekend visiting Antigua and attending church there, then on Monday and Tuesday we embark upon the two day excursion climbing Volcan Acetenango.

Tim

God is Faithful

11/8/17 

As mentioned earlier of our time here, this is a trip filled with many firsts. We are all experiencing and seeing things that we are not used to. I myself am not used to living in the midst of poverty. I have seen quite a bit of what we often only hear, and somewhat feel bad about at home. On a visit to a family in Magdalena we met a woman who is raising her two grandchildren. She is very poor, living in a cement/steel roofing type of house with no windows. She asked us to pray for her because she has no work right now, and is not sure how she will take care of her grandchildren. Excavation is also happening directly next to her house and it is damaging the foundation. In the art school where I have been each day with Alvero, I meet children that do not have enough food. I hear stories of children that used to come to the school, but they cannot anymore because they have to work.

There are so many stories of poverty, and I have seen so much of it around me, that at first it was simply confusing and discouraging to me. I thought to myself, “How much can I really do being here?” There seems to be so much going wrong in the world. What does our small gesture do? Well, in the evening just the other day I was walking alongside a few other LIFT students, and saw some trash. I picked it up and continued to walk. Not thirty seconds and I saw more trash. After picking up a handful of trash I realized that there was far too much trash for me to keep picking up the trash. My first thought was that I might as well not pick up any more trash here. However, that is when something came to mind. 

A former LIFT student, Megan Tusing (LIFT 20 & 21), who now works as a teacher here in Guatemala, had the opportunity to visit us and share her testimony. She shared about her love for the people of Guatemala, and also about the struggle of seeing so much need and feeling stuck. She shared that God had to give her a new mindset on this. He taught her to love the person in front of her, and do what he had set in front of her. He taught her not to become stuck or calloused because of the amount of wrong in the world, but to just listen to what He had called her to do. Each little act of obedience to Christ makes a difference. A handful of trash was no longer on the trail where I was walking. 

The woman that we visited made some baskets to sell in order to try and make some money for her family, and Alvero brought some of them to the store day that we had at the S.I. Community Center. I then was able to witness that woman earning some money from her baskets. God also listened to our prayers from the day that we visited, and a retaining wall is being built to hold back the loose earth that’s crumbling away from her house’s foundation. I’ve gotten to be a part of activities that keep children off the streets. Today in the Art School, some of the children received their money for paintings they had sold. One of the LIFT students from another site shared about a woman that accepted Christ today.

God is doing a work here is Guatemala and around the world. He is actively involved in our lives. When He calls us to do something, it is because He is planning to work. So we should care about the poverty we see around us, but we should not become hopeless. We do not see all the ways that God is working. He is doing things beyond what we are able to comprehend in people’s lives. Our part is to listen to His call, and seek to obey Him. We should not become weary in doing well. This is what God has been showing me and probably many more of us while we have been here. 

On another note, we made kites with the children at the Art School today. They are little engineers. I was put on a team with three little maybe nine year olds, and they taught me how to make a kite from tissue paper, little poles from a plant I don’t know, and glue. We then all piled into a van and took our kites to a soccer field to fly them. They are also genius at flying them. I loved to see them all work together to make the kites and to fly them. When it was time to leave, my three little friends gave me the kite. They were completely unselfish about it. It made me realize, in that moment that people are far more important than any things we might want or even need. 

I pray that what we see and learn here not only stays in our minds, but actually change us a spurs us on to action. We have been reminded this week as we study the book of James, that God has called us to have a faith accompanied by actions, and that is what we need to do. Praise God for everything He is teaching us and doing in the people while we are here.

Blessings,

Alina Grace Whitmore    

For pictures please go to the LIFT 38 in Guatemala photo album on our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/liftdiscipleshipprogram/
     

Retreat & Engage

This past weekend LIFT took a Sabbath rest with the 8 Global Bridge students from the busy and full days of ministry and retreated to Panajachel, a resort town on Lake Atitlan, a large aqua blue crater lake flanked with large volcanoes (said to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world).  Breathtaking, majestic and stunning just begin to describe the beauty of this work of art. 

A common experience in LIFT is to have "WOW moments" that humble us and magnify God's glory.  Almost every outdoor excursion turns into a experiential lesson of God's greatness and love for us - a time of the learning and discovery which turns into wonder and worship.  It doesn't matter where you go in the world, God's art gallery of creation is on display clearly showing his invisible attributes, his eternal power, and divine nature so that we can all better understand him if we take the time to enjoy his art and take it in.  (Romans 1:20)

Ashely Denton reminds us in his book, "Christian Outdoor Leadership" (our text for the LIFT Leadership Training class), how important it was for Jesus to spend time in spiritual rest and retreat in order to be refreshed and strengthened to go back and engage the world and its broken people with love that comes from the father.  Many times Jesus went to a place of solitude on a mountain, at the side of a lake or in a garden to spend time with his father.  This is the healthy rhythm of life prescribed for we who follow Jesus so that we don't charge into our work and ministry by our own strength and insight but with what our Lord provides from time spent with him. 

Lake Atitlan was another great WOW moment for our students as they reflected on God's supremacy and glory and what God has been teaching them at their different ministry sites with the missionaries.  The are now back in Magdalena joyfully engaged in showing the love of Jesus with the missionaries from Students International to the people here through medical clinics, education, social work, sports outreach, agricultural help, art lessons, financial assistance and counseling and child sponsorship.

Check out the pictures posted in the LIFT 38 Gautemela photo album on the LIFT Discipleship Program Facebook page.  We will be updating them as our time here progresses.

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

Please pray that the Holy Spirit works powerfully in the lives of our students, the missionaries and the people we engage with. 

Tim Trezise

Overwhelming Joy

11/5/17

I’ve heard many sayings about how our faith is not linked to what we have or where we are – that our faith is not dependent on our circumstances. Living here with exactly what we need we’re caught in awe of how there are people with less than what they need but are FULLY reliant of God to meet their needs. Their joy, their trust, and their worship call us into deeper worship of our great King.

The joy exuding from the people is endless. Our early morning walks to the Students International Community Center is filled with echoes of “Buenas Dias”, “Buenas”, and smiles. Coming into the Community Center the joy and enthusiasm continues. Each of the SI staff greet us and invite us into their lives for these two weeks. The felt presence of Jesus is in the SI staff – their excitement at having our hodgepodge team of 34. They’ve welcomed us with open arms, smiling faces, and inexpressible joy and how Christ is moving in the people of Magdalena and how Christ has, is, and will be moving in us.

It is here in Guatemala that they’ve committed to sharing the source of their joy. Each of the missionaries of SI uses their skills, their training and their jobs to share the Gospel. SI operates through occupational missions – it is through a job or meeting a need in the community that the missionaries start relationships. Once relationships of trust and friendship have been cemented, Christ can be revealed. Sharing the Gospel with the people looks like a conversation over a meal, walking together to the market, or while sewing bags together. It’s relational, it’s sharing the joy that has transformed their life in order to transform other’s lives. Jesus Christ, the source of all joy, is transforming lives. Their focus is on the spiritual growth of the people they interact with. It’s a people-focused, relational sharing of the love of Christ.

In the Special Education site, we’ve gotten another glimpse of the joy of Christ in each of these students and their families. When we arrive at our small house turned into a school in the mornings, we are greeted with hugs and kisses on the cheeks and laughter. Even the parents, who’ve only met us days before, are greeting us with a kiss, huge smiles, and words of thanks. I fully believe that their children, these students, reflect the face of Christ. I fully believe these students are living and breathing the most genuine joy and love that flows from Christ.

One student in particular, Danny, has an exuding joy that’s caught me and brought me back into the presence of God. He has cerebal palsy and is unable to speak, walk, or feed himself. He communicates only with his eyes. The second morning Danny came to class, his excitement at seeing us was uncontainable. He threw his head back with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen and threw his arms and legs in the air in joy. We could do nothing but smile and laugh with him and welcome him in. His joy at playing “futbol” with his class is more than tangible to everyone around him. When we play, I have the honor of playing with him, of pushing his wheelchair around the courtyard and helping him hold the ball. His laughter invites us to laugh with him.

He’s asked me (by signaling with his eyes – looking up means yes and looking away means no) to eat snack with him each day. Feeding him by hand calls me deeper into the awareness of our dependence on Christ for all sustenance; for all we need.  Danny fully trusts me to meet his physical need of food. His vulnerability rests in my acceptance of his dignity as a human being, and child of God, just like me. What an honor to have Danny draw me and the other students and SI staff at our site back to Christ.

The people of Guatemala are transforming me, and I cannot wait to see what our next week and a half will bring. It’s all from Christ and an honor to glorify Christ!

Emily Caren

Unspoken Words

11/5/17

                Not having the ability to speak their language fluently is the toughest challenge so far. It reminds me of our day of solitude except this time we’re in a Guatemalan suburb. By suburb I mean that no space is wasted as tiendas (small shops) like bakeries and general stores abound and every square of a house is functional, including the roof. There are no street signs, but dogs roam freely, kids play happily in the streets, motocicletas (motorcycles) and carros (cars) and autobuses (buses) squeeze by people on the narrow streets. And so these people are used to this kind of life and my team and I are outsiders.

Not being able to speak gives me less power as a person since I am normally dependent on my own words to gain acceptance. In los Estados Unidos (United States), my words are what establish my identity, my role in a social group. Words are like tools for accomplishing a job. I think to myself, without all the Spanish words to communicate, my role as a person has changed in Guatemala. Then I ask, “Has it? Aren’t I supposed to be a missionary anywhere?” Yet here I am worrying about whether I will say the right words and whether I will make any difference at all. Being a task oriented person I am ashamed that I can’t do everything I can normally do in America.

I am reminded of Moses who needed someone to speak for him (Exod. 4:10-17) – as he protested to God about not having the ability to speak well. So I find this struggle in myself. Yet I know that my identity does not rely on whether I can speak well or not, but on who God has made me to be. My mind is constantly battling with this questioning whether to believe that I am useless/don’t belong here and whether I am worthy because God has commissioned me/blessed me with “every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3). Therefore, my identity should not be in how well I speak or in how funny/how much of an impression I can make on people; it shouldn’t be in whether I am accepted or not – though giving into the temptation to always be seeking acceptance from others is a weakness of mine (James 1:14-15).

I am also reminded of the affliction Paul and his companions experienced in Asia when they were so burdened beyond their strength and were despairing their situation (2 Cor. 1:8-11).The lesson those early Christians learned was that they could not simply rely on their own abilities in ministry. Instead, they had to rely on God, “who raises the dead.” One might ask, “Is God more powerful than humanity?” (answer: Yes) – “Therefore we do not lose heart, though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For this light and momentary trouble is achieving for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:16-18). So if God can empower Moses to speak and save Paul and early Christians from continual oppression, he can certainly deliver my team and me from any difficulty to relate with these people here in Magdalena.

Dios le Bendiga (Glory to God)!

Nathan Schaeffer

Missional Lessons

11/4/17

                Guatemala is alive! The energy of this place strikes us in the staccato popping of birthday firecrackers at 4 AM, in the gonging of the bell sounding from the pinnacle of the Catholic Church, in the pumping music played in the busy afternoon market. Life is facilitated by the water that pulses audibly through the collection system at the top of the mountain north of Magdelana, appearing in form as well as function as some massive heart supplying the people below. Infectious joy is spread through the laughter of children amusing themselves with blown bubbles, through delicious homemade food generously prepared for us by our homestay families, through vibrantly hopeful testimonies of God’s provision in the lives His children here.

                It is too easy for missions to be defined by an egocentric paradigm, wherein Christian missionaries travel to a place that demonstrates a quality of life different than their own and so treat the local people with superiority, assuming that they can serve them and spread God’s word by “improving” the conditions they find. Duane Elmer combats this idea in his book Cross Cultural Servanthood through the concept of developed humility. Elmer maintains that we must learn about the culture we seek to minister to- through that culture- if we are to authentically serve them. Only once we understand can we avoid alienating or destroying the potential we have to serve. If we learn from and thus come to understand the culture we come to, we may see the needs they have and reach those needs in an effective way. But learning and understanding first requires relationship, which can only be formed through openness and trust.

                My favorite portion of this trip so far has been working at the Special Education Ministry site (I expect a majority of these blogs will feature each of our respective sites!). It has been a huge blessing to me and has been a fantastic example of Elmer’s take on genuine missions played out. In some ways I did come to my site with an expectation that the help I could offer would benefit the students. I am learning, however, that these students who come to the site with varying levels of disabilities and unique stories can and are impacting me more than I could ever hope to impact them. Their smiles, their love, and their contagious laughter bring me an unexplainable joy. I can only pray (and ask you to join me in praying for them!) that my presence in their educational environment brings them some joy as well and that God would work through me to demonstrate His fierce love for them.

Gloria a Dios!

Seth Brown

Chicken Busses & First Impressions

11/4/17

                Guatemala 2017! As I write this, we bounce along in a chicken-bus towards Panajachel, at the conclusion of our first week. Our time here so far has been full of things to do, places to see, Spanish to learn, and, most importantly, people to meet. All of our training, skills, and reading has been to prepare us for missions just like this. For some, the foreign mission field is nothing new (even if Guatemala is); but for the rest of us, there have been a lot of “firsts”: first time outside of the U.S., first mission trip, first chicken-bus ride… but for all of us, there is a new and fresh experience in the community of Magdalena.

                There is so much to describe; this place is so different than my home in New Jersey. The thing that comes to mind first is the chicken-bus, a social necessity here that has public transportation as a loose relative back home. There are no seatbelts, and sometimes people just stand in the aisles. Essentially they are school busses that have been painted in unique and flashy patterns and colors, but what makes them truly unique is the reputation of the drivers. Driving two inches away from a building, going uphill, at night, backwards, has sealed in my mind that these fine gentlemen are either absolute experts in contention with the best Nascar drivers, or are completely mad and ridiculously lucky.

                We ride the buses at night and between communities, but for the most part, all of the places we go to by walking are in Magdalena itself. We live in the homes of host families, who have generously opened their modest means and boundless love to complete strangers. We spend the night in our host homes, and walk to the Students International center each morning. During the day we work with local missionaries partnering with S.I. Each missionary runs a “ministry site” that addresses needs in the community. There are a handful of sites, from social work, to sports, to veterinary services.

The site I am working at is a creative arts school, run by a man named Alvero. People from the local community can come for free and use watercolor, acrylic, and oil paint, under Alvero’s artistic and spiritual tutelage. If the artist wants, they can sell their paintings through the art school and make 50%; the other 50% goes to the school for supplies. Our contribution so far has been to help him help the students and arrange paintings for sale.

                The best part of our site (and from what I’ve heard, every site), is the witness of the missionary. On the walk from the student center to the art school, we are always stopped at least twice by children who want to talk to him: current, former, or prospective students. And, by getting to know the children in this tight-knit community, Alvero has access to witness to their families as well. I’ve decided to keep track of how many people in Magdalena don’t know him. I think the list would be small – and I think the same goes for the other missionaries. By building a reputation of love and sincere Christian kindness, they can earn the trust and admiration of their neighbors and be the face of Christ in a lost and sometimes hopeless part of the world. It is an honor to work with Alvero.

                Most of the community here is “Catholic,” but Alvero laments that faith in the true God is blurred and distorted, and that Jesus’ light is dimmed or entirely snuffed out, in the name of religious devotion. Long ago, the Mayan people of Magdalena were exposed to Spanish Catholicism, and left their pagan ways (often by force). But as Spanish influence died out politically, the local church returned to the forms of religion it was used to. Now, saints are worshipped as lesser deities and have their own holidays where people pray to them. “They have parades and ceremonies, and pray to their ancestors as well as [saints],” said Alvero. “It would be fine if they just celebrated the life of the person, but praying to them as if they can hear or do anything…it really bothers me. They are still pagan, but use the symbols of Christianity instead of paganism.” Another missionary echoed him at a morning devotional. “Many people carry their Bible under their arm and go to church every week; but that doesn’t mean they read it or believe it. We need to exercise our faith, like it says in James 1, and not just be content with our current spiritual state, so that we can reach these people.”

                Well, I think it’s just about time to go. The bus has reached paved roads again, and my bagged breakfast is calling mi nombre. 

Adios!

Jason Krantz 

LIFT 38 in Guatemala

Wednesday (Nov 1) 8:45 P.M.

We made it to Guatemala yesterday @ 11:30 A.M. with easy problem-free traveling.  Upon arrival in Magdalena, everyone immediately met their home-stay families and were escorted to their homes to settle in then all meet up at the Central Park to walk about a 1/3 of a mile to the Students International Community Center for orientation sessions followed by a delicious chicken & rice soup dinner.  By the time everyone returned to their home-stays they were very ready for bed.

Today was a full day of everyone being with their ministry sites and learning many lessons from the missionaries they will be shadowing and serving with for the next two weeks.  It was also a national holiday, The Day of the Saints, so there was a lot happening in this little mountain town.  By the time all the LIFTers reuinited, @ 3:00 in the afternoon to do their fitness hike to the ecological park, everyone had many stories to share.  For the half hour of climbing to the top of an 8,000 foot mountain, everyone was full of energy as they compared stories of the adventures of their first full day.  There was much laughing on the trail as the comedies of cross-cultural mistakes and language blunders were told.  The group is full of joy and excitement coming from all the new experiences they are having - the warm, friendly people, the tasty food, the colorful culture, and the beautiful mountains and cloud forest.  The lessons and concepts learned from their readings and classes about missions are coming to life as they see God at work in so many different ways.

As I write this, Tyler Nelson is currently teaching one of our college classes.  The days are very full here, starting with breakfasts @ 6:00 A.M. and going until 9:00 P.M. when the students crash on their beds to reflect on the lessons learned in their journals or just pass out.

We will continue to post blog entries about every other day, as long as we can easily access the internet.  I apologize for the delay with the first one.  We have hit the ground running and have also had no internet access as it is currently not working at the Community Center so I had to go across town and use the WiFi at Casa Grande (the dorm for the SI Global Bridge semester students).

Thanks for praying for this group. 

Tim Trezise

Blessed in work

Every time we have gone to do some extra work project for a church we feel blessed. It is good to serve others. There's something deep within our human framework, authored by God, that makes us servants at heart, like our God.

Today five of us went to El Refugio to help clean up after their mud race Todo Lodo. We took down the signs for the obstacles and had a great time walking around the stunningly gorgeous mountain property, smelling the smells, and reliving the memories.

I got word soon after returning to the hotel that Rachel's group, including roughly the first half of the students, is back at CAMP-of-the-WOODS! I am so thankful to God for bringing them home safely.

Tonight, the second half of us leave Ecuador. Many lessons. Much love. A big God.

That's how I feel.

Tomorrow evening around dinner time, we will return to CAMP-of-the-WOODS and this journey will be complete. I feel tears of joy and sadness thinking about how wonderful our God is, how he calls us to love and serve others, and how we learn these lessons, if we simply open our ears and obey him.

Gloria a Dios!

-Tyler Nelson

We are on the way home, generally.

Tonight 10 of us will be heading back to the States. Tomorrow night 15 of us will be doing the same.

Today 10 of us went back to the church at Carmen Bajo and did some work, moving dirt again, especially digging two large holes in the dirt floor for a very large cement footing for new construction. We also got to see the "project," the tour of which showed how far the church has come since the missionaries from Canada and then Pastor Fabian came to that area. There is an extensive Compassion International program there with over 300 kids! Also, a really neat school building with amazing views of Quito, because the project is high up on a hill. We pray that the light of Christ will shine from the work that God is doing there through that church, called Alliance Carmen Bajo.

Yesterday evening three students headed back. This morning very early three more students headed back. They will be staying in a hotel that I already arranged near JFK for one night, waiting for tonight's wave to arrive in JFK tomorrow and take the first group back to CAMP-of-the-WOODS.

Tomorrow night's crew is the second full wave of students that will be driving back to CAMP-of-the-WOODS with me.

This morning, Lynsey Meissner shared a truly great Life Together session, in which one element was playing a song by Keith Green. The lyrics included this, paraphrased: "Jesus Christ came and rose from the dead. Why can't you even get out of bed?" It was convicting. Do we really want to sit in our beds and relax? How many people out there are drowning, dying, lost?

As for us and this LIFT program, we will serve the Lord. We are grateful for the opportunities we have had to serve the church here in Quito while delayed by Delta for almost a week. We feel truly blessed.

Thank you for your prayers.

-Tyler Nelson
LIFT Associate Director

Dearest prayer supporters,

After contacting our ministry partner El Refugio and getting in contact with their parent organization Youth World (Mundo Juvenil), we made contact with Daniela Pojmaevich, the director of short term teams for Youth World. She put us in contact with a church in Carmen Bajo, one of the poorest regions in Quito. Yesterday (Saturday), we spent the day doing work projects for the church, including moving dirt, moving bricks, and digging holes for large cement footings. In the afternoon, we heard the story of the church, of Pastor Fabian, and were part of a youth service. We were very blessed to be able to help out and to be a part of what God is calling us to do here with our mission trip extension.

Today we attended an English speaking church (English Fellowship Church) or a Spanish speaking church (Dios Es Fiel). We met the US Ambassador to Ecuador at the EFC and have set up dinner plans with him. I have no idea what is going to happen with our meeting with ambassador, but it's at least an opportunity to spread Christian fellowship. He's a Christian, it seems.

Tomorrow, the current plan is classes, followed by the first departure of some of our students.

We have students leaving M, T, and W nights, which means they arrive at COTW on T, W, and R in the evenings. My first goal was to get all the students with actual seat bookings. That has been met. My second goal is now to make some important seat switches and move all the W departures to M or T. I am calling many different numbers to try and make this happen.

Your prayers are appreciated. Attitudes, peace, trust, opportunities, and safety are all things we hope to have through prayer.

If you have any questions, email me at TylerN@COTW.org.

-Tyler Nelson
LIFT Associate Director

(This post was written on Friday, April 7 and is now being posted on Sunday, April 9. We will post another update later this Sunday.)

Hello family, friends, and fellow prayer warriors, 

This is Rachel Nelson updating from room 301 of the Quito luxury Sheraton hotel. This experience is almost otherworldly.

We are currently still in Ecuador as an entire group for two more days. Tyler and I have been in frequent contact with our advocate at Delta, Alexandra. Our most recent communication has five of us returning on Monday night, 14 of us returning on Tuesday night, and 9 of us returning on Wednesday night (which means we return to CAMP-of-the-WOODS on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights). This is an improvement from the last 9 of us not even having a booking. Tyler, I, and Alexandra are all trying to do our best to get as many of us leaving as soon as possible. 

Alexandra's most recent email at 9:30 on Friday (1 hour ago) even said this in response to our pushing for earlier departures: "I really recommend you to keep your currency itinerary, because tonight our flight is cancel again and we don’t have any more available spaces. We really apologize for the bad news and if we have any update we will inform you."

This experience is really teaching all of us to rely on the Lord and trust in his plan and provision. This is not what most of us would have chosen for ourselves but we are trying to follow Paul's commands from Colossians 4... "2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."

We had a Sabbath yesterday (Thursday) while waiting to hear from the airline and people were able to explore the neighborhood. It is a very nice neighborhood with lots of shops, a fancy mall, and a large park with lots of sports facilities.  

We began today (Friday) with a Life Together session lead by Alexi Demopoulos. He focused on Ephesians 2:10: For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

At 10:00 am (Friday) we embarked on a Quito city tour courtesy of Delta. We visited the Quito Basilica, climbed up a tall tower, and walked through Quito's old city. This evening we had a class on Martin Luther and Bible translation in the suite where Tyler and I are staying.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we are going to be working with another Compassion International program (our first was while we were in Oyacachi). The church that hosts the Compassion program is in the process of expanding, so we will be helping with construction there in the afternoon.

We appreciate your prayers and covet more prayers for good attitudes, for God to continue to work through us in Ecuador, and for a safe and speedy return home. - Rachel Nelson

The Atlanta weather on Wednesday night caused issues for many flights, as Atlanta is Delta's hub. On the Quito side, Delta is struggling to rebook all the passengers from their Wednesday evening flight to upcoming flights, which were already oversold. Delta's current information is that they will be putting us (group of 29) on two flights: Monday and Tuesday. This means we would arrive back at CAMP-of-the-WOODS on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

Also, Delta will pay for all of our hotel rooms at the Sheraton in downtown Quito and all of our meals at their restaurant, and it's really good food. Delta even offered to schedule a city tour of Quito for us.

I met with the students last night (Thursday night at 6 pm) and informed them all. We are meeting again this morning for breakfast at 8, then Life Together, which is Bible reading, prayer, and singing. After this, we may have a city tour booked for this morning. This evening, I will teach a class on Martin Luther and Bible translation, followed by dinner, and a group trip to the nearby sports field to play some Ecua-volley and soccer while doing some evangelism with the young people we find there.

I will keep you updated with the most current information.

Due to events in the Trezise family, Tim flew home early this morning and should arrive in Speculator late this afternoon.

TylerN@COTW.org is my email, and I am checking it. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

-Tyler Nelson

LIFT Associate Director

DELAYED in Quito

DELAYED in Quito
Kate Trezise

Due to severe weather in Atlanta,  LIFT 37 spent the night in a comfortable hotel near the Quito airport last evening.  While thankful for good rest, they're prayerfully waiting news from Delta Airlines regarding a rescheduled flight.  There is one daily Delta flight (11:30 PM) from Quito to the United States, and it flies through Atlanta (so no re-routing is possible.)  If weather permits, the group will board this evening and return to Speculator by dinner-time on Friday.

Unfortunately, stomach/intestinal maladies have hit some group members.  Please pray for relief and that contagion will not occur among the group.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Rocks and Reflection

LIFT 37 Ecuador Mission Trip - Blog Post #6

Seth Brown

The climb to the summit of Sincholagua prompts comparison to our lives. There are many similarities- arduous sections of steep ascent, necessary teamwork to succeed, times of rest to recuperate and take in the gorgeous Ecuadorian landscape, and times of clouded vision and uncertainty as you search for the next cairn to guide your way. As we heard very early on in this semester- life is a marathon, not a sprint. This trip has taught each of us numerous lessons in trust, in love, and in endurance. We are told in Hebrews to “run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:1-2). Ecuador has been an amazing segment of our race, but in many ways it has also been a spiritual pit stop to refuel and reenergize! Please remember us in your prayers as we prepare to depart, but more importantly pray for God’s blessing on the work He did through us here in Ecuador, and that we may absorb and put into practice all we have learned and seen.

Philippe Blais

Our tents are drying out on the grass underneath a beautiful Ecuadorian sun, here at El Refugio, because we just came back from climbing Mount Sincholagua (16,000 feet). This inactive but mean looking old volcano had us work hard. We hiked the first part in the dark through farm land (some of us started hiking at 4 a.m.) then through a rocky ridge. After the ridge the terrain became all rock and ash mixed together. Sometimes we had to climb some pretty steep rock faces.  A little bit past midway up the mountain the wind was quite strong and we had to layer up quite a bit. So we took out our goggles and our gloves and kept hiking. The view, before we got in the clouds, was absolutely breath taking. The lush green and hilly peaks all below with Cotopaxi, Ecuador’s most iconic volcano, standing out in the distance gave us all a feeling of awe mixed with an impression of being in a scene of Lord of the Rings in the land of Mordor. At the summit, Tim lead-climbed a 60-foot pitch and set up the anchors. We followed up the rope and reached the top:  a flat round space not bigger than 15 feet on the edge of a 1,000 foot drop! So we attached ourselves on another safety line and felt a little better. Rappelling over 100 feet from the pinnacle to where we had left our packs below was also quite a thrill. All 6 climbing teams made it safely to the summit and back to camp, averaging 10-11 hours.  Only a few students could not complete the climb due to illness, injury or fitness.

A Psalm that comes to my mind when I think back on this adventure is Psalm 148:

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens
Praise Him in the heights!

…

Praise the Lord from the earth,

Sea monsters and all deeps;

Lightning and hail, snow and fog;

Stormy wind, fulfilling His orders;

Mountains and all hills;

Fruitful trees and all cedars

…

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For His name alone is exalted and supreme;

His glory and majesty are above earth and heaven.

Dante Immordino

After an incredible experience in Ecuador, we are leaving El Refugio for Camp-of-the-Woods tonight at 7 pm. We should be back in Speculator tomorrow around dinner time. We have had beautiful weather the past few days and this morning we will have a time of reflection and prayer as we debrief our entire trip. God has definitely taught us a lot about His faithfulness, goodness, and love through our time in El Refugio, El Chaco, Oyacachi, and on Sincholagua. We have seen Him move in our hearts and the hearts of the people here. It has truly been a blessing to serve here in Ecuador with such amazing people.

In a few weeks we will be having a forum on our time in Ecuador to share more details, videos and tastes of Ecuador.  It will be Wednesday, April 25^th at 7:00 pm in the Buirkle Center at CAMP-of-the-WOODS.   All are welcome to attend.

Sincholagua

LIFT 37 heads out today, April 2nd, to climb Sincholagua.

http://www.summitpost.org/sincholagua/672776

Last year the trip was cancelled in order to help with aid and relief to the earthquake victims. You can read about that experience in last year's blogs and see photos in LIFT 35.

Pray for strength and safety for the group with this long and technical climb.

Tears first!

LIFT 37 Ecuador Mission Trip - Blog Post #5

Philippe Blais

Our time in Ecuador is quickly going by and amidst the bumpy bus rides and the magnificent views of mountains sides, some of us might have lost focus. There is a schedule to follow and activities to participate in which can blur our vision and dull our excitement about the work that we have come to do. Yet, in the last two days, two staff from El Refugio, Jonathan and Wilmar, shared their testimony with us and they both testified of the impact short-term missions had on their own lives. This really encouraged us! When they were younger, teams from the States visited the communities of these two boys, played with them, loved them and shared the Gospel with them. That planted seeds and changed their lives. 

The focus of our mission is far-sighted but results can only be seen right away or sometimes not at all. We have not yet seen the fruits of our work here but there is a promise of a great harvest. Tim shared this image with us: local farmers work year round on their land. Sometimes, they need extra hands to help accomplish crucial tasks that can only get done with a lot of workers. Once the task is done, the local farmers are able to continue the work basically on their own. The work consists in sustaining what has been started or in keeping growing what has been planted. In the same way, if we, extra workers, come and share the Gospel at a large scale or in a very impactful way, the local pastor (farmer) can focus on the sustaining part of the spiritual growth by watering the seed of the Gospel with the Word and protecting it against the enemies that would like to steal it away. God is the one who causes the growth. As we have seen with the example of the two staff who received a seed of love from the missionaries which grew over the years into them each being leaders who now share the Gospel with others, God nurtured it through the work of local pastors.

We heard the first of these two testimonies in Oyacachi, when we were still spending time with the local children. It really stuck with me. Later that day, we played with kids at the volleyball court. Just before it was time go to dinner, one of them, Elisha, asked to climb up on my shoulders. As he was perched up there, I remember about the testimony. So I asked my new friend if he knew about Jesus. He said he did. But then I asked him if he knew that Jesus loved him so much so that he died for him. He said he didn’t. I shared as much as I could in the Spanish that I knew and finally prayed with him. Even if he was repeating after me, I do not think he was just a parrot on my shoulder. I truly believe Elisha understood that Jesus loved him and that it was worth living for him. It was hard to hold my tears. Even as I am writing this it is hard not to cry. Yet, my vision about our mission is not as blurry as it used to be. It gave me a new perspective. What, then, are the first fruits of our work? Tears…tears of joy are the first fruits in the harvest. And the harvest is plentiful! So let us keep working.

Oyacachi

LIFT 37 Ecuador Mission Trip - Blog Post #4

Dante Immordino

We travel for few hours on the bus winding through open farm country blanketing the Andes mountains and several Quichua villages with tight cobblestone streets to pass over the continental divide of 12,000 feet then slowly descend the bumpy serpentine mountain road where it ends at Oyacachi - tin roofs and dirt roads! The appearance of this small village gives no indication of the wealth of treasures it holds within. Yet, unbeknownst to us as we eat lunch looking over the town, the short 48 hours that we are to spend here will be one of the most meaningful and impactful times of our lives.  God's majesty towers over the village with high vertical mountainsides and waterfalls.

When we arrive, we are told that we are to help serve lunch to children part of the Compassion International program and then put on a two hour program for them. Soon, the children arrive and come up to us and we begin to play with them, giving them piggy-back rides, chasing them around, and kicking soccer balls with them. Lunch begins and some of us sit with our new friends while others bring them their food and drink. Shortly after, our program begins, with a mix of high-energy games, Bible lessons, skits, dances, and a gospel presentation using our Evangecubes, all the while continuing to bond with the children as we hug them, hold their hands, and let them sit on our laps. 

For the next two days, we go to the school in town and conduct more youth outreach programs, one day with 7th to 9th graders and the next with K through 6th graders, but this time we have English lessons mixed in. We focus on teaching about the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our Bible lessons, skits, games, and English lessons revolve around communicating, teaching, and practicing these values.

During these times, we grow closer and closer to the children, who show us so much love and affection. Many of us have children who never leave our sides and continually cling to us. And so, when it is time to depart, we bring with us our material possessions, but leave behind a part of our hearts; left in the countless hugs, piggy-back rides, hands held, smiles, and laughs with these children who we most likely will never see again. At the end of the allotted time, we say goodbye to the kids and they return to their homes, though some wish to bring us back with them or some of us wish to stay.

I ask you, then, to pray for them. Pray that the seeds we scattered fall on fertile ground. Pray that they can be fed and grown through the local church and the Compassion International ministry. Pray that they in turn seek to fulfill the commission to make disciples of Christ. Pray for the children who live under the tin roofs and walk the dirt roads. 

El Chaco

LIFT 37 Ecuador Mission Trip - Blog Post #3
Tim Trezise

Hi everyone - just a quick update to let you all know that our time in El Chaco went very well.  We helped clear the land and clean things up around the church in Chonta Loma then the next day walked through that community to invite youth to our afternoon evangelistic program in the town sports pavilion.  We also had opportunities to share the gospel with families in their homes or on the streets. The youth outreach included games, skits, lessons and songs to about 70 children.

Our times of worshiping with our Ecuadorian brothers and sisters was full of joy and energy as LIFTers and Ecuadorians shared responsibilities of different parts of the services we attended (teaching Bible lessons, sharing testimonies and messages, dances, dramatizations, and leading singing).

On Friday afternoon, we spent time getting blasted with by the intense spray from Cascada del Rio Malo then went to see the largest waterfall in Ecuador, Cascada San Rafael.  Sunday afternoon people chose to either go with Rick Borman on a beautiful jungle hike or experience the jungle by floating through it on rafts with some class IV rapids to navigate along the way.  Our last time together with the church members was playing soccer until almost midnight under the lights on the turf stadium.

We have returned to El Refugio to help with work projects this afternoon and will pack again tonight to head out early tomorrow to Oyacachi for a few days.

Keep praying the God would work in our hearts and those we are with.  We have seen him working powerfully in unexpected ways already.

Ministry with Machetes and Mouths

LIFT 37 Ecuador Mission Blog Post #2

By Seth Brown

Have you ever seen Tarzan, or Swiss Family Robinson? Picture hacking vines and branches apart to clear your path. Each swing slices clean through your target, yet the overgrowth of vegetation bears down upon you, until your workmanship has crafted a tunnel of dark green through which you may pass. As you complete your latest swipe, your machete reveals a stunning sight- nestled within the valley, a tiered wooden structure of ropes and ladders, bridges and platforms- an actual treehouse!

The treehouse is but one of the many incredible features found on El Refugio’s expansive grounds. Over the years, their mission to “facilitate a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ through nature and outdoor adventure” has led to the creation of campsites, a high ropes course, fire pits, an outdoor climbing wall, and several buildings, including a newly enclosed dining hall that previous LIFTers have assisted in building. The names of the campsites in particular help convey the intention of the organization- Shechem, Kadesh, and Gilead are all cities of refuge spoken of in the Old Testament, and each campsite, and indeed all of El Refugio, aims to be a sanctuary with purpose.

We have started each day hiking with headlamps on the trails to acclimatize to the altitude here.  This morning we all reached the 11,000 foot summit of the property to have a spectacular view of all the surrounding mountains including the giant, glacier-covered Cayambe glowing with sunrise climbing its ridge.  We recited Sermon-on-the-Mount and prayed over the ministry and people here then headed back down for another great breakfast with freshly baked pancitos (small bread rolls), a choice of delicious fruit juices and baked oatmeal.

It has been an incredible blessing to spend the first few days serving here at El Refugio. During the day we split into different groups to serve with the staff on various projects throughout the camp. Although some of the staff members here speak English as their native tongue or have learned it well, others speak mostly Spanish. In the same way, our group encompasses a variety of Spanish-speaking ability. On Tuesday night I joined several LIFTers to assist the kitchen staff in finishing the dishes. It was an excellent chance to practice our Spanish vocabulary, and amusingly we ended up trading with the kitchen staff- we all went over both the Spanish and English words for the different kinds of silverware!

As we prepare to travel to work with the church in El Chaco for the next several days, old fears and doubts assail me. Will I be able to communicate clearly when I need to? Will I remember the Spanish I learned several years ago now, or will I fail? Will I be an effective light to the people I meet, to further God’s kingdom? Two passages of Scripture have been on my mind lately that clearly show God’s purpose and answer to these questions. After Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, instead of jumping to follow God’s commission, he declares himself unfit in speech to communicate what God has given him to say. And the LORD responds with “Who gave man his mouth? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say” (Ex. 4:11-12). In contrast, when Isaiah was called, he heard a voice asking who would go as God’s prophet. And he immediately replied, “Here am I. Send me!”(Isa. 6:8). Pray that each member of LIFT 37 would look to God for his guidance and strength, and that we would be as receptive to the Spirit’s leading as Isaiah. Here is LIFT God. Send us! 

Check out our Facebook page: LIFT Discipleship Program.  We will be posting pictures in the LIFT 37 photo album.  

Rice and Beans

LIFT 37 Ecuador Mission Blog Post #1
by Elizabeth Flannery

We as a community spent Monday through Friday of last week at CAMP-of-the-WOODS practicing a fast of rice and beans (1 serving 3 meals a day) to prepare ourselves spiritually and physically for the adventure God is bringing us on and to get a taste of how the other half of the world has survived most of their lives. This was a really special time for us and God spoke and moved in our hearts in amazing ways. There were stories of healing and breaking and remolding and just awesome, sweet time with God.

During my fast, I was brought to Proverbs 2:2-6:

“Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.

Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.

Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge from God.

For the Lord grants wisdom!”

This is a passionate and reckless pursuit of the satisfaction of God. I can (we can) not settle for being empty or downcast. Because discouragement is never from God, we will never be disheartened in our “passionate pursuit of true, deep, and lasting satisfaction” in Jesus. This transforms every single facet of Christian Life: that if we desire God more than we desire anything else in this world, we will find true joy and peace and he will use us in that space. So if we live this time we have in Ecuador focused on God’s constant presence and the reckless pursuit of him and not what we can do for him, He will make the rest fall into place. This is my prayer for my friends and myself these next 16 days.

            

We had a full 20-hour day of travel yesterday (Monday, March 20th), and arrived here safely at El Refugio late last night. After an orientation session this morning with Rick Borman and Jim Olsen, we spent the better part of today working in different teams on projects around this beautiful property and learning about what we’re going to be doing and how God might be using  us while we’re here. Llamas graze up and down the soft green mountains that surround us and the fields and forests are covered in little patches of tropical flowers and fruit trees. We ate papaya for breakfast and pineapple for lunch.  We are happy to be here and anxious to get into what Jesus has for us! Thank you for all the prayers and support! Gloria A Dios!!

Jeremiah 1:7-8 MSG

“God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy.’

            I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there.

I’’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it.

            Don’t be afraid of a soul.

I’ll be right there, looking after you.”