When God Goes Before You

       

   
  
       God

Some of us talk to God. Walk with Him day by day.

To others God’s just a 4, no, 3-letter word or what goes after “Oh, my…”

Both groups look at each other and wonder just how can the other have that perspective…. or…. lack of it. Over the centuries volumes have been written to explain the path I walk. But I don’t need to be a Bible scholar, pastor or priest to explain why God is real to me.

It’s because….

When we arrived here… the book our pastor had used in his last sermon series was waiting on the shelf. Just for me to finish.

It’s because…

Last year the 8^th grade class here had one boy, five girls and a female teacher. This year there are 5 boys and a male teacher who they respect and honor and admire. Dane is in the 8th grade.

It’s because…

The night before we left Nebraska, I finally made up my mind that despite their bulk and their weight, I would pack Angelyn’s in-line skates…. (You know she wants to be a skating waitress someday  : ) …and pull them through three airports and a minivan and a bus. And, minutes after we arrived in Shell, she wanted them. That's because the first girl she met, Bella, skated up to introduce herself. Angelyn couldn't find the right suitcase fast enough.  Roller blades in Ecuador? At the edge of the jungle? Who knew. God did.

These aren’t big things. Not even miracles, however, I think I have even seen a few of those in my life. It’s these little things, little coincidences or God-cidences as some call them, that show me almost every day that God is not a three-letter word.

He is.

He knows my name.

He knew the color of the sheet set I was bringing. It happened to match the linens in the closet here.

He knew my daughter’s new buddy loves roller blades just as much as she does.

He knew my son and four other boys needed just the right teacher.

He is.
He is risen.
Feliz Domingo de Gloria!
Have a blessed Easter, everyone.

Artwork by Miriam, Olivia, Bella and Angelyn

Bugs - Big and Beautiful

Despite what you might think, we actually see fewer bugs in Ecuador than we did in Nebraska. Think of summer nights in Nebraska and how the bugs swarm any light bulb outside or even inside the house. Here in Shell, the street lamps might have a dozen bugs circling the glow but that's it. We eat outside without screens or bug spray. We see one mosquito a month. However, while we may not see a great number of bugs, the larger sizes of the ones we do see and their uniqueness makes up for it.  Here's a sample:

 

A hand-ful of rhino beetle.

  

A

 

Neighbors caught this giant jungle cockroach. Eeuwuh!

Jayson's hand. Giant leaf bug.

3" Moth 

This leech was crossing the cement outside our backdoor. It was washed up by a hard rain.

end

Life Snapshot from Shell, Eduador

Jayson enjoying what we call "dragon fruit."

It was a busy week in Shell. The internet is working so well today! Amazing! What a blessing to upload photos quickly... after I used a new tech trick to get the computer to start... a hair drier. Yes, it's so humid the connection between the hard drive and the PC has been having trouble. After 10 minutes under the hair drier, it's good to go.

Birthday party Friday night for one of the teens. Dane and friends keeping up with Dance Central on the Xbox.

Angelyn and Joshua keeping a beat.

It was crazy hair day at school. This is my class. Check out Miriam in the blue sweatshirt in the front row. She belongs in a Dr. Suess book. I added balloons and ribbons to my hair.

Pink princesses at Angelyn's sleepover for her birthday.

Katie taught everyone to make balloon animals. I woke up at 1:30 a.m. to squeaking plastic sounds as the girls got creative.   

Elizabeth, Bella, Angelyn and Miriam decorating the board in my classroom.

It's the rainy season so we don't get to see the volcanoes very often. Here's a rare glimpse of Sanguy.

Jay was helping to take care of this little guy who needed surgery.

Jay wrestling with Luke, Joshua and Jayson in ascending order : )

A visiting ministry team threw a ladies breakfast for the missionaries. It was a great time of sharing and.... eating! See those bagels? Mmmm. I hadn't had a bagel since last summer. What a treat!

The visiting college students introduce themselves at the ladies breakfast. Several of them have been shadowing Jay at the hospital.

What a week. Life in Shell is never boring. God keeps it full all the time.

Continuing our adventure with Him, Lynnelle for the Allisons 

Canaval - What a Way to Start Lent

Carnaval- As Halloween is at times infamous in the United States, so Canaval is in Equador. It is the Marti Gras of South America and here in Ecuador it has a wet twist. Let me explain. 

While the official government holiday for Canaval is the day before Ash Wednesday, that is not enough time to fit in all the wet shanagans many Ecuadorians revel in for the four days prior to the beginning of Lent. Water balloons, buckets of water, and squirt guns if you are lucky. The ornery side of "celebrating" includes silly string, cans that squirt a foamy cream, water balloons filled with a mixture of eggs, water and flour, and, the locals tell us, the worst includes paint and motor oil. Fortunately, among the missionary circles, the worst treatment I heard of was passengers throwing water balloons and squirting foam from passing public transit buses.
      
At Nate Saint Memorial School we had good, clean fun at our Carnaval celebration: water relays, water balloons, steal the flag (waterballoon style), a time to soak the teachers and finally,  an all out water fight. It all ended with a down pour that sent the kids home chilled and ready for a hot shower. 

Here are a few memories....
       

Angelyn leads her relay team.

Jayson guarding the balloons for his big brothers' team.

Parents staying dry.

Teachers getting soaked. I was so thankful I didn't start teaching until the next week.

 The aquanauts..... first through eight grade plus staff.

 

And the celebration ended with showers... if you weren't already wet, Mother Nature got you good on the way home.

How hard does it rain in Ecuador?... well, you get the picture.