The Journey Home...

OK I know it's not Thursday, but I never updated my blog last week so I'll try to do two updates this week!  So first of all I'm here safe and sound in my parents house in PA, boy did it feel good to sleep in my bed last night!!! 


So I need to go back and tell you how the Visa story ended!  It was a total God thing!  Kim and I went back downtown on Monday morning to see if our Visas were approved, they were so the man behind the counter told us go down stairs and pay the $150 for the Visa, we did that came back upstairs and he gave us a receipt and said come back on Wednesday.  At that point I though ok so after we get our Visas back we still have to take them somewhere and register them which they said could take 2 days which is Friday and I have to get my CENSO which doesn't usually take very long, but you never know and I'm leaving on Sunday night so If I don't have everything on Friday I'm in trouble.  So I explained my situation to the man and he said ok come back tomorrow Tuesday between 12:30-4:30pm and hopefully everything will be ready. So Tuesday we had a lunch with the other missionary ladies at the mall el Jardin pretty close to where we needed to get our Visas and so we headed to the visa place and got there around 12 noon and we headed up and just asked the guard if we can get our Visas, we weren't expecting them to be ready, but we thought it can't hurt to ask!  So we asked and our good friend behind the counter handed them to us, we signed for them and then asked ok what is the next step he said you just need to go across the street from the Mall El Jardin and get your CENSO.  I was thinking seriously, that seems to easy, and I asked what about registering the Visa, He said no just get your CENSO.  So ask we left the Visa place where we had visited 3 times, I did a little dance and joy with my passport in hand!  Then Kim and I headed to the CENSO place, which yes was right across the street from where we were having lunch.  It was closed until 2:30pm for lunch so we too went and had a wonderful lunch with the missionary ladies.  Then we headed back over around 2:30pm and I had my CENSO my 3:30pm and I was totally legal with a Visa and Censo for the next two years!  God is so good, THat was a HUGE lesson again for me!  It is so hard for me to let go of things when I can't be in control.  But all along God was in control, he knew what I needed and when, no it didn't happen on my time schedule.  That would have meant that I had my visa and censo on Thursday the first day we went downtown.  But I had everything I needed on Tuesday a whole 5 days before I left!  So I just want to Thank the Lord for ALWAYS watching out for me, and for always being in control.  I'm so thankful that when things are OUT of my control, they are always IN God's control!

So Sunday night I headed to the airport, crying of course, I know it's only a month home, but I'm gonna miss everyone in Ecuador, Especially Harrison!  So I headed through getting my boarding passes, paying the exit tax, all the shops that were closed, immigration, security to go look for a bottle water, and I knew that last time there was only one place open downstairs, and so I headed there to buy water (which they were out of) and gum.  Then I headed up to the gate next to mine to drink the strawberry soda I bought and spend some time online until it was time to board, because in Quito if you are flying to the states you can't take ANY drinks on the plane.  So I waited and chatted online until they made the final call which was at like 10:30pm the flight didn't leave until 11:30pm  So I headed over to the gate I went through another check of my carry on bags, to make sure I didn't have a bottle of water :)  then I sat and waited.  Of course on my flight was a group of high school kids from some exchange group.  There were alot of them.  As I waited they were getting louder and louder, then one of their leaders came back in to the gate with a bottle of water and walked right past the people checking for of course bottles of water.  And very nicely in English the guard lady said mame, I'm sorry you can't take that bottle of water in there.  Well the leader lady starts yelling and being very rude, WELL HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TAKE MY MALARIA MEDICINE AND THIS AND THAT, and being well yes the rude american.  I was ready to get up and say look This is for YOUR safety, get a grip, get your pills go take them out there and be done with it. Oh it made me very frustrated.  Then as we were heading down to the plane the kids from this group were running and screaming and swearing and being once again the rude americans.  I just about lost it, we work so hard with our NILI students and as missionaries to try to NOT be the rude americans, it really gets on my nerves when I am out and about in ecuador and I see people from my country talking about the people of Ecuador in a negative manner and using obscene words because they think " no one understands what I'm saying"  Well  let me tell you YES there are people who understand you, sometimes they are other gringos other times they are ecuadorians who do speak english.  So please if you ever travel outside the country and don't speak the language be careful what you say and how you act.  Everyone can tell where you are from, and remember there are people how live in that place from your country and they are trying to change the way people see our country, learn how and put in action how to be a Global citizen, PLEASE!!!!

So anyway we finally get to atlanta, I didn't sleep hardly at all on the place because they changed my seat to a middle seat, those are the worst.  I was in between two guys who were all stretched out with both of their arms on the arm rest, so I had none.  Apparently I'm still a little upset about that.  Something I must work through :)  It is always a little rough for me my first few hours back in the states, I don't know what language to speak in, looking at all the new stuff, being hurried to order my coffee :)  Anyway as soon as I got through the last security check in Atlanta I smelled the sweet aroma of Starbucks so of course I headed up the escalator for my first Grande, non-fat caramel Macchiato in 7 months and WOW did it taste good.  Sorry Kim, I'm gonna try to bring you one back!!!!!  I spend the next 3 hours people watching.  Then I boarded my flight to Philly and finally was with my parents around lunch time yesterday!  It is so good to be home, where everything is familiar and different all at the same time.  I can't imagine what it would be like for someone to come into the states for the first time, the hustle and bustle, the stores and all the little "gadgets" we have the variety of food and even types of coffee, its overwhelming for me after 7 months.  I hope the next time I'm coming home in December I will have  Harrison with me, and I'm so excited to see through his eyes what it's like to come to the states for the first time.  I can imagine it to be intimidating and exciting all at the same time! 
Well it's about time I get out of bed, I'm off to wal-mart today!  first time back which means a leisurely trip through every aisle to check out whats new and different :)  It's so good to be HOME!


P.S.  please be in prayer for Harrison, when I get back to Ecuador we are going to start working on the Visa process for him!  It is so good to be an american where we have the freedom to travel pretty much anywhere we want to with just a passport!  There are other who aren't so blessed and need to go through hours and lots of money to try to get a visa to travel!  Thank you Lord for the freedoms we have in the US. 

God Bless everyone!  Talk to you Later :)  Chau

I LEFT MY PASSPORT....

Yes I know you are NEVER supposed to let your passport out of your site when in another country, however there are times when you NEED to!  Today Kim and I went downtown to renew our Visas.  IT was actually quite easy, we gave our papers and they told us you have to pay $30 downstairs and make a copy of your actual visa page in your passport and come back upstairs.  We did that and they reviewed our papers and gave us a receipt and told us to come back on Monday to see if we are authorized for the Visa (I really hope we are, because if not, then it looks like I have to get my visa in the states).  So on Monday morning we will head back downtown check out our authorization, hopefully pay the $150 for the Visa, wait for the VIsa (hopefully they will give us back our passports with the VISA on Monday.  Then we  have to register our Visa, at some other place (I'm not sure where)  then get our Censo, or our Ecuadorian ID card, then I can leave for the states in peace, with all my documents in order!  Which I leave in 10 days!  I'm very excited to see and spend time with my family and friends!  However it will be difficult to leave Harrison and my friends here!  Pero, asi es la vida.  But, that is life.  So I hope all is well with you wherever you are today!  I pray God is blessing you in Great ways and you are sharing his love with those around you.  I do have one favor to ask of you!  Please, please pray for this fun Visa stuff and that all the papers would be filled and that I would have the Visa early next week!  And that it is for 2 years!   Thank you so much!  Talk to you next week!!!!!! Dios Les Bendiga!  God Bless you!

Lucy and Harrison got their Drivers Licenses!!!!!!!

 Lucy and her Drivers License!

 The Top news this week here in Ecuador is that both Lucy and Harrison got their Drivers Licenses!!!  That is huge, they had to take 6 theory classes, where they teach you all the rules of the road here in Ecuador (Everyone has to take that including me and yes it was all in Spanish…which was lots of fun, since I got my license about 6 months after I moved to Ecuador)  And if you have never driven before like Lucy you have to take I think it is like 12 hours of on the road driving.  I didn’t have to do that part since I now have been driving for more years then I have been alive.  Anyway for Lucy this was a HUGE feat.  She had never driven in her life, I’m talking not even a bicycle.  So it was a big thing for her to get in a car and start it and actually make it move and then to go out on a road, she was a little nervous.   The funny thing is her teacher kept telling her "stay to the middle of the road", because she kept moving towards the side of the road.  She told her teacher "look, I’ve spent the past 3 years riding where you are riding so to me THAT is where I NEED TO BE".  Unfortunately he wasn’t very compassionate and He said "well that’s great if you are not driving but if you are driving you need to be in the middle".   She also now likes to tell us, frena, frena, jira jira embraque frena which translates to brake, brake, turn turn, clutch, brake.  So our time in the car now is also practice.  She likes to ask questions, how do you know you need to down shift, or she tells us, the engine is making lots of noise you need to shift, Never a dull moment in the car.  Although the funny thing with Lucy is that I gave her the keys the other day well let me rephrase that I TRIED to give her the keys the other day just to drive to the gate and she said NO NO, I have my license but you still need to teach me how to drive.  HAHA, she is so funny.  She explained to me I have it all in my head I know what I should do and even when I was in the car driving before the teacher was telling me what to do.  So now I need to practice but I can’t do that without one of you with me telling me what to do at first, and then little by little I’ll try to do it without you telling me.  So Lucy has her license, however she isn’t quite ready to drive but it is fun that she has it and if there is ever an emergency when we are on the road she can legally get behind the wheel (if her feet touch the pedals, that is a joke between her and stan he says she is too short and can’t touch the pedals) and drive.  

Harrison also got his drivers license he and Lucy took classes together, which was hilarious because they like to pick on each other.  Anyway he had driven before but he also has had two accidents and so for him getting behind the wheel was just getting over a fear of crashing.  This is a big thing for him as well, once he gets time to practice, which he does in the seminary with the work and witness vans and truck, driving from the shop to the construction site down below and back and just moving the cars around, he will be able to go and run errands for Jon.  Since he is almost always working with teams and Jon and lucho the other work and witness worker someone is always running for supplies.  Most of the time Jon is busy directing the team and Lucho is usually the one to go and get the supplies, but he is usually on the roof or something so now there is the option that Harrison can go and get supplies also.  So it is a really exciting time for both Lucy and Harrison now that they can legally be out and about on the crazy roads of Ecuador.  So please just pray for them, that they find time to practice and for those of us who will help them practice.  Never thought I might be a driving teacher!

Well that’s the news here in Ecuador.  Oh the NILIs just got back form the Galapagos Islands, which they loved!  Tomorrow is 4^th Of July!!! No it’s not really a holiday here but YES we are going to celebrate American style with a cookout and strawberry shortcake! Maybe even some sparklers!  The NILI’s leave in two weeks from today which means I leave two weeks and a day from today!  I’ll be home for a month, which I’m very excited about!!!!  Although it will be hard being away from Harrison for a whole month, we go weeks at a time here, but a month seems long right now.  But I know it will be good for both of us and Hopefully the next time I’m home in December he will be with me!! Please be praying for that also.  When I return in August we will probably start working on the Visa process for him to travel in December!  Ok well time to go make some pasta salad for the cookout!  I’ve already made 7 batches of Rice Krispie treats today (that is for CENIC the convention center.  They have a group of 120 gringos and so Salomon asked if I would make some American desserts…Rice Krispie Treats and banana Bread.  So I’ll be busy today and tomorrow!!!!!) 

Anyway God Bless and Happy 4^th of July!!!!!!!  I’m so proud to be an American, even though live in Ecuador!!!  God Bless You America and all of the troops out there serving for our Freedom!!!  We truly are blessed to have been born in this Great Country, Lets not Forget that this Independence Day!!!!  Hasta la proxima semana, Until nextweek!!!

Sometimes its just hard to blend in...

Sometimes this is what it feels like to be a gringo in latin america...a little out of place :)

I've officially lived in South America for 4 years now well in a few days ( I moved to Venezuela June 29, 2006) It's amazing how much I have learned and how I and my world view have changed.  I try to blend in, I try to watch the people around me taking note of how they do things, how they dress, how they walk, what they carry with them when they are out and about and I really work hard at trying to match their spanish accent.  However no matter what I will always stand out.  I am a proud american, I'm proud of where I come from, I Love that I was born in the the land of the free and the brave.  But some days I think life would be easier here if I just blended in.  I think part of it is culture shock, yes I still go through culture shock even after living abroad for 4 years in fact the worse culture shock is usually returning to the states.  But that is a blog entry for another day :)  But you know even in wanting to blend in here in latin america I'm so glad that God has made each and every one of us different, we might "blend in" when we are in our home country or with our family, but are we called to blend in??  I don't think so, Just as Christ was the light of the world, so we are called to be salt and light to the world. 
¹³"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

 ¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

~Matthew 5:13-16

Light does not blend, it stands out and salt doesn't blend either, it is used to bring out flavor.  So trying to blend in with the culture and the people might not be so bad, BUT I can't blend in when it comes to what I believe and who I live for.  So that is something I'm going to work harder at, being salt and light.  I guess I'll just have to sing a little song to remind me of that :)  

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Won't let Satan blow it out.
I'm gonna let it shine.
Won't let Satan blow it out.
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel - NO!
I'm gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel - NO!
I'm gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

 

Down in South America
I’m gonna let it shine
Down in South America
I’m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Crossing the Jordan...well not quite

So now that is has been a good two weeks since my journey to the jungle with the Mount Vernon and NILI group I can talk about our journey with out feeling overwhelmed. Ha just kidding, it's amazing how God can use a little detour (ok ours wasn't really little) to work in your life.  God always wants to show His kids something new.  So here is what he has been showing me!


This week I've started reading the book of Joshua (or Josue in Spanish) and When I got to chapter 3 and 4 I had a hmmm I kinda know how that feels moment.  Chapter 3 talks about how the nation of Israel had to cross the Jordan, to enter the promised land.  The amazing thing was God telling them to prepare for this journey by consecrating themselves.  Then when it was time to cross the river, He sent the priests and the ark of the covenant in first.  When the feet of the priests touched the water the river stopped flowing.  and the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan river on dry land.  Now you may wonder Jen what does this have to do with your journey.  Well we crossed a few rivers and no the water didn't stop flowing when we crossed, but we had been preparing for the journey in prayer and God did see us safely to the other side.  And we did make it to our final destination a little wet, and muddy and worn out, but we made it.  And God showed more of Him along the way! 

There was a point in the journey when I was tired and just ready to stop driving I was tired of dodging pot holes the size of Pennsylvania, I was tired of going only 5 miles an hour and I really didn't want to cross any more rivers and the only thing that I could do so I wouldn't start crying was to sing.  I started singing to my self I Love you Lord.  IT was a little tense in my van the students behind me weren't sleeping, they were intent on watching the road and the gas tank.  Finally I said hows it going back there guys and they said ok how are you doing and I said well I'm tired and I really just want to get to our destination, they said ok how can we help, and I told them well I'm just up here singing so why don't we all sing, to get our minds off the stress of the situation.  So We started singing, it was crazy I think they thought I was crazy, but we started singing, and the mood changed.  We were not fearing anymore, we were praising our Father the only one who could bring us through this!  And I knew at that point I had nothing to fear, God was with us and he would not leave us.  we might not make it to our final destination when I wanted to, but we would get there and He would protect us and be with us. 

It wasn't until this week when I realized all God had done for us on that journey.  And how i needed to be reminded of what he had done.  Which brings me to Joshua 4, when Joshua called the people of Israel to collect rocks from the middle of the Jordan river to set up a memorial on the banks of the Jordan, so when their children asked they could share what God had done for them in this place.  Mount Vernon did something very similar for me.  They found a rock, a big heavy rock and carried it all the way from Palora to Quito, signed it and gave it to me as a reminder of this trip and all the rocks we drove over on the swiss cheese roads and in the rivers we crossed.  Also on Wednesday Hermano Stan gave a Devotional that touched me and reminded me of this trip as well.  The verse that touched me was Mark 5:36.  "Don't be Afraid, Just Believe."  That is what we did we started singing and praying and believing instead of being afraid.  And the memorial Rock that MVNU gave me will be a reminder to do just that "Believe and not be afraid. 

Me and my Memorial Rock!

(Oh P.I.P.  means plan in process, that was our theme, because the plan was constantly changing!)

Back from the Jungle!

So it was an interesting beginning to our trip when the volcano Tunguragua decided to blow ash and lava so we had to take the Looooong way to the jungle.  We crossed rivers and drove on bumpy rocky paths, we had two flat tires and stalled van and we only made it to macas about 2 hours from where we were supposed to end up.  But through it all God was with us, he protected us, gave us enough gas to last a whole day of driving on roads where well...there were no gas stations and he provided us with big trucks and people when we really needed them.  And that was only on the first day!  But it was a reminder that even though we think we have plans and think we know what is best, God always wants to show us that he wants to take care of his Children, and he did just that.  And it was a reminder for life in general that there will be rivers to cross and bumpy spots in the road, but no matter where we are in our lives no matter what difficult situation we have to deal with no matter how out of control we feel, God is always with us and He wants us to depend on him.  Thank you Lord for traveling with us and for moving the hearts and minds of all of us.  We also got alot of work done, we painted a church, put a roof on a church, held numerous kids club activities and we even got to swim in a few rivers and play with monkeys!  It was a blast, and the best way I can share this trip with all of you...is through pictures...so here are a few...enjoy :)

Packing and Recieving packages!!! YEAH!!!

Today is a packing day!  I'm packing ministry items and painting supplies for a 10 day ministry trip with the Summer NILI's and the Mount Vernon Team that is arriving tonight!!!  We are headed to the oriente (or jungle area of Ecuador)  We are going to putting a roof on a church in Palora Ecuador and we will be painting their old building that they need to turn back over to the people they are renting it from.  We also plan to do kids ministry in many different places, some that I'm excited about are shuar villages!  So come back again in two weeks for an update and LOTS of pictures from our ministry trip! 

I'm also very excited about a package that is arriving tonight with the team, coming from my mom!!!  I'm so excited and I love getting things in the mail!  And it's a double blessing getting a visit from friends on the team and getting a package from home! 

So check in again in two weeks hasta luego!

Here is the beginning of the packing for the Ministry trip!  More will be added!!!!