Ecuador Here We Come!

 It has been a long time since I have blogged but it is that time again. We are packing and preparing to leave for Ecuador tomorrow.  Yes! Only a couple more days and we get to see these precious faces! We are going back this summer with a team of 15 people. Our plan is to go show LOVE to some precious orphans in Ecuador.  We have many activities planned for the kids again this year from jewelry making to fun parachute activities. Thank you for all the donations. The kids and workers will love it all! We are also going to have a huge cookout for the kids at each orphanage, which they loved in December.  This is a great treat especially for the kids at Ganas because they, at times, only receive one meal per day.  Also, our team was just asked to build bunk beds for the children at Ganas that will be moved to the new orphanage. They need enough beds to house approximately 40 kids. So over the past few days the team has been very busy planning and making blueprints for portable bunks that we will construct on our trip. We also are trying to find a way to purchase as many mattresses as we possibly can. Each mattress will cost $130.00 X 40!!  That is a little overwhelming but these kids really need a bed to call their own. Our team will purchase as many as we can.  If you read this and feel led to purchase a mattress, please call or email me and we can make that happen!!

Yesterday, in preparing for this trip I read Romans 12 and then read it to my kids. I pray that each member on our team will be “transformed by the renewing of our minds.” I know that last time I was in Ecuador that happened clearly for me. It is easy while you are in a 3^rd world country to realize how you need to let go of the things of this world. You become broken when you see how little others have and how truly spoiled we are. Your heart is broken and open and you love children, people you don’t know. The Lord works through you in crazy, amazing and exciting ways. I know that. The hard part is coming home! I am sad to say that it did not take me long after to coming home to get wrapped back up in my little life and only focus on it and those in it. So I am praying that for me, my family and our team that we will be able to hold these special moments we are about to experience and truly let them change us to be more like Christ and we can live out Romans 12 not only in Ecuador but here at home as well.