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.”