Hijacking Symbols

While at the artisans' market in Otavalo, I got this necklace:

I put it on right away and wore it when we were in Gualsaqui, a rural village near Otavalo where we visited the Quechua people. To be honest, I bought it just because I thought it was kinda pretty. After wearing it for a few days, I love the way the little disk feels. It fits perfectly between my thumb and forefinger, and I've been rubbing it like a little worry stone. I wondered what the symbol was, so I did a little Googling after I got home.

Turns out Quechua was a language of the Inca Empire. And in the Inca's religion, the god of the sun is called Inti (or Apu-punchau). He is usually represented in human form, his face portrayed as a disk with rays and flames radiating out.

Inti was considered to be an all-powerful, benevolent god who was capable of great generosity. 

Hmmm. God. Appears in human form. All-powerful. Benevolent. Sound familiar? Yeah.

I'm embracing this as a reminder that our God is universal. No matter what language we use, God reaches out to each of us across the great unknown in a countless array of shapes and sizes. I pray this little talisman will be a reminder to me that, just like the sun, God is always present. Even on my darkest day when I can't see or feel him, he is there. 

Day Five: Via con Dios

Buen Pastor

We went to church today at Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) in southern Quito. This church has 42 families with a total of 52 students in the scholarship program. The priest here, Juan Carlos, is focused on youth ministry, and the church is filled with vibrant young people. Christian Anderson, who attends Virginia Theological Seminary and is in the same class as Holy Cross' Kristen Pitts, is doing an internship at Buen Pastor for the next two weeks and assisted in the service today.

The church service was very joyful. We sang at least a dozen songs, and despite coming down with some kind of bug, our teammate Brian gave the sermon. After the two-and-a-half-hour service, we had lunch together: delicious chicken and rice.

Buen Pastor is overseeing the E=H ministry site in a community called Santos Pamba, which has 22 scholarship students. Because we were way behind schedule, we had to skip our home visits but left bags filled with goodies for the scholarship coordinators and the families we were supposed to visit.

Cameron and Juan Carlos are working hard to get the diocese's Happening program off the ground. (Happening is a weekend for and by highschool students. It is a powerful way for teens to develop a closer, deeper, more personal relationship with God and one another.) Before we said our goodbyes, I presented Padre Juan Carlos with a banner signed by teens and adults who have attended Happening in the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina -- from #1 all the way through #72. 

We headed back to the hostel to pack and have our final debrief. Tonight, we will have dinner out at a restaurant called Crepes and Waffles and then head to the airport for our 12:30 a.m. flight. ("Yippee, redeye!" said no one ever.)

So Now What?

God is at work all around me, no matter where I am. Seeing God in the world doesn't require a passport and a plane ticket. It simply requires seeing with new eyes -- eyes that intentionally seek to see God at work in the midst of my everyday life. It requires slowing down and breathing deeply and truly seeing what is happening right in front of me. God puts us in this world right where we are supposed to be and sends just the right people to share the journey with us.

I know I can't "fix" the problems for all of the people I've met here. I can't do everything, but I can do something. I can stay in relationship with E=H, with Chip and with Cameron, with my friends at Cristo Liberador. I can provide a scholarship for a child to go to school. (To donate, click here: http://educationequalshope.org/donate/.)

I would like to work to intentionally deepen the relationship between Holy Cross and Cristo Liberador by finding $2,000 to send five children to school for one year. And I'd love to see this as a regular line item in our outreach budget.

I can pray for the people I've met here, who so graciously welcomed me into their homes, no matter how desperate and difficult their situations are. I can remember their spirit of thankfulness and love and strive not to wish for any more than what God has already given me, which is always enough and more than enough. I can say yes to the things that God calls me to and nothing more. If I am intentional about being fully present, about standing still and paying attention, I will hear that still, small voice that calls out to me and tells me where to go.

So now the question is, what can you do? Listen. Carefully. How is God calling out to you? In the midst of the storm, can you stand still and pay attention? What things move you to tears? For me, these thin places are a good sign that God is reaching out to me and asking me to pay attention. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, pay attention. Stand still, and breathe deeply. God will call out to you in the midst of the storm and ask you to step out in faith -- out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. Of course, this can be scary. It may be easier to not pay attention, to look the other way. After all, the world can be a big, scary, ugly place, but there's so much beauty in the midst of it all. When you feel that thin place appear, step into it. Know that God will be there to hold you up. And I'd be willing to bet, if you look closely, you will see that the right people are there to walk with you as God with skin on. 

Day Four: Local Artisans and Indigenous Culture

Today, we traveled two hours by bus to explore rural areas of Ecuador.

Otavalo

We got to spend a couple of hours at the Saturday market in the Plaza de Los Ponchos in Otavalo, which is in the Andes mountains two hours north of Quito. At this crafts market, one of the most well-known in the Andes, indigenous weavers from the villages around Otavalo sell woven textiles, wool ponchos, blankets, hats, wall hangings, sweaters, shawls, scarves, tagua carved jewelry, and folk music instruments. Anne and I learned the art of haggling to try to get a good deal. Although it's awkward and a little frustrating, we got the hang of it and even had a little fun along the way -- maybe a little too much fun.

Gualsaqui

Next, we traveled about 45 minutes to a village called Gualsaqui. This indigenous community's Nazarene church is an E=H ministry site with 28 scholarship recipients. 

The culture here in the countryside is very different than what we've seen so far. The people are humble and reserved. The greetings are not kisses on the cheek but a small handshake. Most people here don't speak Spanish but speak an indigenous language called Quechua. 

[A little side note about Quechua: The Quechua Indians of the central Andes are the direct descendants of the Incas. Quechua is the name of the people here in the central Andes of South America and it is the name of their language, which is spoken by  nearly two million people in Ecuador. Quechua words that have been assimilated into the English language include puma, condor, llama, and coca. The Quechua celebrate Catholic holidays such as Christmas and Easter, but they have not abandoned their ancient holidays. For example, in the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco, the Inca sun festival -- the Inti Raymi Festival -- is still celebrated.]

We were greeted by the pastor, Luis, who quietly spoke to us about classrooms that were under construction and gave us a tour of their beautiful garden.

Pastor Luis is on the far left in the hat.

We then gathered in the church so the pastor could pray for us and then took a 10-minute walk uphill to visit the home of Jose Manuel (the home is shown in the above photo, bottom left).

Jose Manuel told us his story in Quechua, which Pastor Luis translated into Spanish, which Roberto translated into English. Several small children were running in and out of the home as he spoke. Jose Manuel had been working a construction job seven months earlier and had fallen from about two stories up. He had been badly injured and, although happy to be walking again, he still struggles to walk and to lift heavy things. With tears in his eyes, he told us he is now unemployed and is not sure how he will support his family. Before we left, we gathered around him and laid our hands on him as his pastor offered prayers for healing and protection.

We walked back down to the church, with a handful of children following us, and gathered to pray together one more time. 

Then we had a two-hour bus ride back to the hostel, where Roberto's mother cooked Chinese chicken salad for us. Madre Lourdes and her husband, Jose, joined us for dinner, and Miguel from Casa Adalia brought EsperanzArt jewelry for us to buy. 

We debriefed with Cameron and gratefully headed off to bed.

Day Three: the Heart of Christ Lives Here

Today was a long day on the bus, traveling from site to site. What is very clear to me is that the people here do not need missionaries to show them God's love. In fact, they exude God's love in everything they say and do. They are gracious and welcoming, loving and kind. Many of the children will grab your hand or climb into your lap for a hug. They smile and giggle and are grateful beyond measure. Not one person who invited us into her home apologized for its modesty or mess, like we so often do. They simply welcomed us with open arms. There's a real lesson to be learned there. 

Argelia Alta

Our first stop today was Argelia Alta, a very poor neighborhood in south Quito. Here, we visited Remanso de Amor (Haven of Love), a facility for kids to receive meals and an education. It also serves as a church, medical center, trade school, and high school. The model here is very different than other E=H sites. Most sites receive a $32 allowance to send a child to a local school. This $32 covers their uniform and books, without which they aren't allowed to even enter the building. Because Remanso de Amor is actually the school, the cost per child is $107, so instead of paying a full scholarship, E=H supports 20 percent of a child's education here. 

While here, we toured this multistory building and saw their classrooms, which are desperately in need of new computers and lab equipment for science classes. The top two stories are incomplete, but the view from the roof is amazing.

One interesting thing here was that part of the building was constructed around a shipping container that had once been filled with shoeboxes from Samaritan's Purse. 

We also played soccer and a game that Roberto led. He called out words --- horse, chair, bride -- in Spanish and teams of two had to quickly jump into the right position. (This is bride below.) Pairs were eliminated one at a time as they chose the wrong position. Our teammates Ken and Elizabeth (far right) came in second place. Felicidades, gringos! 

Next, we took about a 20-minute bus ride to have lunch at a mall. In such a short distance, the difference is astounding. To go from such poverty to a nice mall that you could easily find in America is shocking. 

We shopped at a Walmart-like store called MegaMart, buying groceries to take home: tea, candies, cookies, and hot sauce. The prices are interesting: a box of cookies might be less than $2 while Maybelline Great Lash mascara is $16 (around $5 in the United States). Import taxes are astronomical, so products from other countries are very expensive.

Dios es Amor

We continued on to Dios es Amor (God is Love), a mission church that is an E=H ministry site where 35 kids get scholarships to attend school. Here, we had a birthday party to celebrate all of the kids' birthdays. We had delicious cake and played games together. For those of you who were at Holy Cross when Cameron and Roberto came, you'll recall Roberto's sermon about Giovanni. Here he is on the front row in the blue sweater (beside the girl in purple).

When this rambunctious little boy attended public school at age 5, he got beat up and was afraid to go back. He also has a heart condition. After going to school with him and trying to ease his anxiety, his mom opted to keep him home. So at age 5, it seemed that Giovanni was destined for the same path in life that both of his parents had taken: zero education. Then an E=H sponsor came forward and offered to pay for private school, which costs about $80 a month. Now Giovanni is thriving in school. In fact, while we were there, he received an award for being one of the best students at Dios es Amor.

In this neighborhood, we visited three homes. The home I went to was precariously perched on the side of the mountain. With a dirt floor and a tin roof, it is shocking that anyone lives here. The matriarch of the family (in the center beside our teammate Brian) works three jobs: scavenging for recyclables, cleaning homes, and doing laundry. Four kids live here, two of whom receive E=H scholarships: Dillon (in the blue and yellow jacket) and Grace (far left in the white shirt). Grace was thrilled to receive the home visit bag we brought and showed us that she still had a body spray and some construction paper from the sponsors who visited her a year ago.

Beside their home was the remains of a home that had burned down a few months ago. The homes here are often hard-packed dirt floors, cinder block walls, and a tin roof. So I asked how the home burned down. The lady explained to me that the electrical wires coming into the house are draped around wooden beams, and people tend to hang their laundry from these beams. The wires are visible and not at all insulated. One bad wire and one shirt hanging from it and the home goes up in flames. There wasn't much left except for a brick oven. A mom and two girls still live there, but because the mom was away working in a market, the woman we visited had taken in the two girls. As we prayed before leaving the home, Brian prayed, "the heart of Christ is living here." So much truth to that. The spirit of love and compassion here is amazing and inspiring. 

We walked back to Dios es Amor. Before we left, the children called us each up one by one to gave us a small painting with our name on it. 

Emaus

It was wonderful to come back to this Episcopal church, where we spent a day at the end of July painting the inside and outside of the church and having a carnival. Today, we were welcomed by Madre Nancy and several other church leaders.

Then we split into two groups to visit homes. The home I went to was about a 15-minute bus ride away. Teresa, an Emaus youth leader (back row with her arms around her mom) lives here with her mom, sister, and several children. Thanks to an E=H scholarship, Teresa has graduated from high school.

She was very happy to have us in her home and explained to us that Madre Lourdes, who used to work at Emaus, had helped her get funds to add a tin roof so they now have a dry place to live. Teresa worked for many years in a brick factory, making bricks by hand. However, her employer was not paying fair wages, and after a lawsuit with Lourdes help, Teresa got a land settlement and now does not have to pay rent. However, she lives in fear that the land deed won't hold up and the government will take back her land. 

When invited the family back on the bus with us and returned to Emaus, where we watched the children dance. They invited us to dance with them -- for a long time. ;-) They cooked Andes mountain corn for us, served with cheese and aji (hot sauce). Then they called each of us up by name and gave us an Ecuadorian bag and a candy bar. As we said our goodbyes, they gave us dessert: a type of fried dough with cane sugar syrup. Delicious!

We ended the day with Italian pizza and a debrief back at the hostel.

Day Two: It's All About Relationships

Today, we visited three of the Youth World ministry sites. 

Cristo Liberador

I could go home today with a full heart. Revisiting Cristo Liberador was a huge gift for me. To see and be seen by so many familiar faces was awesome. It felt like coming home -- back to some small piece of me that I'd left behind. 

We began our visit with introductions and a gospel reading about Jesus healing a paralyzed man (Mark 2:1-12). Madre Lourdes' sermon gave me a brand new perspective. "What did Jesus do first?" she asked. He forgave the man's sins. The man was broken and in need of healing, and yet the first thing Jesus did was not to coddle him or pity him but to forgive him. What happened next is the key: Jesus not only healed him but told him he had work to do: get up, pick up your mat, and walk. Our healing involves both God's work and our own -- our participation in wanting and working for that healing. 

Next, we split up into three groups to go on home visits. I met a 16-year-old girl named Joanna, who is able to go to school because of E=H scholarship money. She loves math and science and wonders if maybe someday she could be a doctor or a vet. She has a hope for her future because of the love and support she gets from her church family and the financial assistance of E=H sponsors. 

Finally, we delivered about 40 pounds of church vestments from Holy Cross to Cristo Liberador. With Cameron translating, Madre Lourdes asked me, "What do you call it when you need something but you don't ask for it and you get it anyway?" God's grace and His always-perfect timing, I suppose. Madre Lourdes was so grateful for the robes, and I was thrilled to be welcomed back with open arms.

Here's another familiar face: precious Jade. When we were here at the end of July, she was wearing leg braces. Today, she was walking all over the place. What a little doll!

Casa Adalia

Next, we visited the Casa Adalia safehouse for girls who are rescued from human trafficking. Because of privacy and security concerns, we were asked not to take pictures here. This is a new ministry that is working hard to grow, despite a lot of bureaucratic hurdles. We got to see the EsperanzArt workroom where the girls make beautiful jewelry. They'll be bringing some to our hostel later this week so we have an opportunity to support their work with a little shopping. Truly beautiful handiwork by some talented artisans!

Carmen Bajo

Our last stop was Carmen Bajo. This ministry site is a church, a school, and a full-service kitchen. About 80 kids in this community get E=H scholarships, and they come here for lunch every day thanks to some generous sponsors. The ladies of the church served us a delicious three-course lunch with a side of the most amazing view.

We also heard about a new work project here, where teen moms are learning to sew. They're making beautiful purses and scarves with valuable new job skills that can hopefully support their families. When we visited the sewing room, my new friend Celeste shared with the girls that she too had been an unwed teen mom. She told them that God can transform a difficult situation and turn it into one of your greatest blessings. I was so moved to see the common thread in their stories. And then it got better ....

We walked from Carmen Bajo to visit four homes. I met a 12-year-old girl named Soyla, who is also a scholarship recipient. She was the only one home when we got there and welcomed us into her home. She was quiet and shy as she shared her story of struggling to attend school, not only because of a lack of resources but also because of her responsibility to care for her two older sister's children (ages 2, 1, and 9 months). Roberto explained that sometimes the authorities have to get involved and tell the parents that their young children should be in school and not be the caregivers. I wondered why this was the case for Soyla. Where were her parents? Did her mom work? Soyla was standing beside me, and I had my arm around her. She began to cry as she gave us more details: her mom was an alcoholic. Soyla's life has improved thanks to E=H funding her education and Carmen Bajo feeding her both physically and spiritually. I marveled at this young girl who had had to grow up too fast but who was transformed by the love of her church family. I hugged her a little harder and realized that even though our lives seem quite different, our stories have common threads. Whether it's unwed teen moms doing their best to raise their children or children being forced to become responsible "adults" long before their time, we have so much in common when we take the time to share our stories -- to really see one another. 

As we were leaving, Soyla's mom and nieces arrived, and we got a chance to hear her story too: a story of a struggle to raise a family, to find meaningful work, to pay the bills. Sound familiar? Yeah. Common threads.

Day One: Altitude, Empanadas, and ... Did I Mention the Altitude?

We landed in Quito around 10:30 Monday night and got to the hostel around midnight. It was a long day of travel, but it was thankfully very smooth: no delays and no lost luggage. (Even the suitcase full of goodies for Cameron arrived, filled with Skippy peanut butter, Cool Ranch Doritos, Lindtt chocolate truffles, Reese's cups, and SOS pads. We also brought books and Legos for Graham and Liam. Roberto would've appreciated a Waffle House breakfast, but we figured it wouldn't travel well.)

Adjusting to the altitude was our first hurdle. Headaches, nausea, and shortness of breath are the downside of being at 10,000 feet above sea level. The answer: water, water, water. And then, drink more water.

Our hostel is a beautiful little home that used to be a dormitory. We have a gated courtyard filled with flowers, a cozy little kitchen, and a lovely living room to have our debrief meetings.

This morning after about five hours of sleep, we had a delicious breakfast: French toast casserole, cereals and yogurt, coffee, and the best fruit ever. Cameron gave us a culture and history lesson so we could learn more about South America and Ecuador. 

We then walked about six blocks from the hostel to the Youth World office for an overview of the organization and its ministry sites. Then we went to Fruteria for empanadas and fruit salad. Delicious!

Our touring included a visit to the Basilica de Nacional Voto for a scary but worthwhile climb to the top of the tower. 

We walked around Old Town, saw the Presidential Palace, and visited cathedrals, including the Plaza de San Francisco. It's some seriously steep walking.

We headed back to the hostel in the late afternoon and had an evening visit from Phil and Debbie from Casa Gabriel. Five Casa G boys joined us and shared a little of their stories. (See previous post for a description of Casa G.) We all had a wonderful meal together -- locro de papa  (potato soup) cooked by Roberto's mother. Avocados and melon on the side. Yum!

After dinner, we had a debrief meeting with Cameron, who discussed Youth World's philosophy of mission -- in other words, how do we know if we "succeeded"?

Two factors are a measure of our success:

1. Are we bearing fruit? Is it nothing more than a mission trip, or does the experience transform our lives to lead us more fully into who God is calling us to be? (John 15: 5-8)

2. Reciprocal partnership vs. mutual using: A successful experience calls us to suspend our judgment in four areas:

A. Cultural prejudice: North Americans have a reputation of being cocky and thinking we are better than other cultures. Cameron asked us to set that prejudice aside.

B. Intellectual prejudice: Many of us may think we are better because we have more education. In reality, we are all equal in the body of Christ. 

C. Spiritual prejudice: Many denominations think their ways are better. But God is much bigger than any denomination. 

D. Self-seeking ambition: Our own desires start to surface. We want to give and serve to make ourselves feel good. But we are aiming this week to merge into God's traffic and the way God is working here and join in on a level playing field. 

Giving and receiving is key. It's not about us swooping in and giving. It's about receiving whatever is offered: a handshake or a kiss, a hot drink or a piece of bread. If we refuse, we rob people of the blessing of giving. This reciprocal partnership is our goal, as opposed to mutual using -- just us checking it off our guilt list and the ministry site simply tolerating our presence. Mutual using is not transforming anyone; reciprocal partnerships are our goal.

So this vision trip is much different than a short-term mission experience, when we visit one site and dig in deep to build a relationship. During the next few days, we will see 11 ministry sites and visit two dozen homes. I can't wait to see what God has in store.

We ended the night by assembling 42 bags for our home visits and for the E=H scholarship coordinators.

Tomorrow, we visit Cristo Liberador, Carmen Bajo, and Casa Adalia. Stay tuned!

What the Week Looks Like

Just a few more days till we leave! 

Here are some of the places we will be visiting:

Youth World (http://www.youthworld.org.ec/): Youth World exists to identify, teach and equip leaders to impact young people and families to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

Old Town: My favorite part here is the Basilica of the National Vow, a Roman Catholic church in the historic center of Quito and the largest neo-Gothic basilica in the Americas. Climb to the top for an amazing view!

Casa Gabriel (http://www.youthworld.org.ec/contentmain.cfm?pg=22): Casa G is a training ministry and home for former street kids in Quito. Casa G exists to identify, teach and equip young men to become leaders and ambassadors for Jesus Christ. 

Cristo Liberador: Cristo Liberador is an inner-city mission church in Comite del Pueblo.

Casa Adalia (http://www.casaadalia.org/): Casa Adalia is a “next-step” home for girls at risk or who have completed the initial therapeutic process and recovery from being trafficked in the sex industry and who desire to pursue a new life in God through holistic and intentional training.

Carmen Bajo (http://educationequalshope.org/educational-sites/ecuador-carmen-bajo/): Carmen Bajo is a very poor community on the side of a hill. Most of the parishioners live in the area. Unemployment is high (70%); most jobs are manual labor: maids, factory workers, masons and plumbers. The church of Carmen Bajo consists of two parts. One is the former church building, which is now the center for social services. The Compassion International Program is held here along with a preschool and other education programs. The preschool has about 40 students. Aside from the preschool students, about 40 kids from this community receive scholarships.

Argelia Alta (http://educationequalshope.org/educational-sites/argelia-alta/): Argelia Alta is in a very poor neighborhood nestled above the hills in south Quito. It is a Compassion International site and has a non-profit foundation, Remanso de Amor, which helps supplement programs. The site is a facility for kids to receive food, classes from volunteers, and biblical instruction. It also serves as a church, medical center, trade school and high school. It is still under construction, but has fully functional space as well.

Emaus (http://educationequalshope.org/educational-sites/ecuador-emaus/): Emaus is an Episcopal Church in a poor area of south Quito. Most of the parishioners live in the area, although some travel up to 2 hours each way to be a part of the church. Most jobs that are held are manual labor – maids, factory workers, some ‘professional’ masons and plumbers. Although a small church, they are very active, and growing.  The youth ministry is particularly strong, as well as the women’s ministry.

Otavalo Market: "The world famous Saturday crafts market in Otavalo is one of the most well known throughout the Andes. The indigenous weavers from the villages around Otavalo are among the most talented in Ecuador and the Otavaleños, talented at adapting their products to market demands, have won recognition and prosperity on an international level. Although the Saturday market is the largest and most famous in Ecuador, any day of the week you can shop the labyrinth handicrafts market in the Plaza de Los Ponchos, as well as the numerous wholesale and retail handicrafts shops for exquisitely woven textiles, woolen ponchos, blankets, hats and wall hangings, as well as hand knit sweaters, shawls, and scarves, tagua carved jewelry and even well crafted Andean folk music instruments. Also on Saturdays, many visitors plan an early morning trip (about 7 am) to the animal market where you see everything from llamas to horses, cows to dogs. Located just outside of town you can visit before the more tourist-oriented crafts market and the local food and housewares markets, which are found nearby. Otavalo is situated in the Andes two hours north of Quito, at an altitude of 2500 meters, and has a population of about 40,000. Casa Mojanda is just a 10 minute taxi ride from Otavalo on the scenic cobblestone road to the Mojanda Lakes. From Casa Mojanda you may also walk down to Otavalo via the cobblestone road or through the countryside." (http://www.casamojanda.com/local-activities/otavalo-market/) 

Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd) is an Episcopal church in Quito.