Final Days

It's been an amazing 10 days in Ecuador, but our time has come to an end.

We spent the days since Shandia doing work projects around El Refugio, hiking, and spending time together as a group.

The work projects have mostly centered around building a couple of walls around the garden area behind the camp. A lot of cement, rock lifting, and wheelbarrow fun.

One morning a couple days ago, six out of our group joined Kaitlin and Evan (interns at El Refugio) climbing the mountain behind the camp. The camp is at approximately 9,000 feet, and the pinnacle of the mountain is at approximately 11,000 feet. We woke up at 4:30 am (you read that right) for the most intense hiking we'd ever experienced. However, getting to the top was worth it - we got some amazing pictures, saw the tiny, tiny camp below us, read a Psalm, and prayed. The hike down was pretty intense, too! We got back right around 7:30/8:00.

It was also great spending time together as a group. Last night we shared encouraging words about each other, bringing us closer as a team and with the Coryells.

Today is our final day at El Refugio. Some of our team will get on a zipline, some on a rock climbimg walk, we'll pack, and then finish the day with a hot dog roast, complete with marshmallows and smores!

Then we'll head off to the airport with Ryan and Erica, say goodbye, and begin our late night travels.

We've had an absolutely amazing time in Ecuador. We'll never forget the people; youth from Quito, Shandia, and Santa Rosa; spending time with Ryan and Erica; assisting El Refugio; and experiencing Ecuador with our team.

Thank you for your support, and we ask that you would continue to pray for us as we transition back to the US. But most importantly, we ask that you would pray for the Ecuadorians, that God would do a great work among the youth and at El Refugio.

Adios, Ecuador!

Shandia, Jungle, and Santa Rosa

We made it back from the jungle!

We spent the last four days in Shandia, in the jungle of Ecuador, with the Ecuadorian youth group from Quito. It was an incredible experience, with too many moments to share here. However, here are some of the highlights:

On our way from El Refugio to Shandia (a five hour bus ride around the mountains of Ecuador) we stopped in a small touristy town. We rode on a boat in the jungle river, checked out the stores, and had a couple encounters with thirsty monkeys (let's just say we're a couple juice bottles short now).

In Shandia we concentrated on building relationships with the Quito youth and the Shandia youth. A group worked on clearing the jungle around the seminary building while another group conducted VBS (Vacation Bible School) with the youth from Shandia. It was great being able to connect with the town in that way. We also had the chance to connect with the youth from Quito a lot - we taught them English and how to skip rocks, and they taught us Spanish!

One of the days we walked 45 minutes through the jungle (ponchos, rainboots and all!) which was a great - and different - experience. We walked to the town of Santa Rosa, where we put on another VBS with the local youth. The children really enjoyed it, and we loved spending a little bit of time with them.

After coming back to Shandia the youth from Quito invited the local youth (and some youth from Santa Rosa showed up) to a couple of youth services at night. It was great seeing the response and how the Quito youth led it.

We were able to visit Jim Elliot's house in the jungle, which was a neat experience. Our guide was an older gentleman that didn't know Jim Elliot, but he lived nearby and now owns the land.

One of the days the women of Shandia put on a market for us. They brought all the items they made - maracas, little spears, jewelry, etc.

The last day a few of us (Greg, Carl, Nate) were privileged to be able to participate in the service through Scripture reading and testimony while some others helped with the children. Afterwards we visited a museum in the town dedicated to the five missionary martyrs (Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, etc.).

It was sad to say goodbye to the people of Shandia and drop off the youth in Quito, but it was definitely four days we will never forget.

Unity

Hola from Ecuador!

Yesterday was a great day of team-building and unity for our team and the youth team from the local church.

After breakfast (baked oatmeal with milk, fruit, juice) we spent the morning playing team-building games and challenges. While the language barrier was a slight issue, we were able to bond with and enjoy time with the Ecuadorian youth.

After lunch (cream of potato soup (Ecuadorians eat a lot of soup), bread, pineapple; another delicious meal!) we had some intense afternoon experiences on the high ropes courses. And when we say high, we mean high! Each of us paired up with an Ecuadorian, had a harness and ropes attached to us, and walked across a lot of tiny, tiny ropes. It was intense but exciting (cf. picture).

Today we're heading to Shandia, in the jungle of Ecuador. We won't be in contact for 4 days, but we'd really appreciate prayer as our group and the Ecuadorian youth interact with the people of Shandia.

Thanks for all your prayer and support - we can't wait to share everything that's happening with you when we return!

El Refugio

We're here!

We arrived safely at El Refugio around 12/12:30 last night and started getting settled in. This morning we had a very tasty breakfast (eggs, bread, fruit, and papaya juice), had an orientation to the camp and staff, and started on our work projects.

First, our entire team worked on making concrete steps that will be used around the various camp activities in the woods (ropes courses, zipline, etc.). Then we worked on removing gravel in a couple areas in preparation for new dirt being put down.

In-between projects we had lunch: some very tasty tomato soup, grilled cheese, lemonade, watermelon, and a glass bottle Coke for dessert from the store.

Then we split up, with half the team working on a bridge in the woods, and the other half clearing in the woods for the concrete steps.

Now it's the afternoon and we'll have a snack, free time, and dinner.

It's been a long day, but it's been great serving the camp and getting to know the staff.

Hope tomorrow brings more of the same!

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

It's time!

Our team is leaving from the airport: about to board our connecting flight to Atlanta, then to Quito, Ecuador.

We had a very encouraging group of people meet us at the airport, including family, friends, and pastors. We're very blessed to have such support, and would appreciate continued prayer as we embark on this journey of service.

We're very excited to see what God is going to do in Ecuador, and can't wait to share it all with you on our return!

Adios!

Packing!

As anyone getting ready for a trip knows, packing is a huge (and often annoying!) part of the process.

"Did I remember my toothbrush?"
"How many toothbrushes should I bring?"
"How many books should I bring?"
"Should I bring some snacks?"
"Should I bring my phone?"
"Wait...where's my Bible?!"

It's also where the trip really starts coming together. In packing and discussing supplies, you get a firmer grasp on your future tasks and responsibilities. We discussed VBS supplies, First Aid kits, teaching, etc. It was a great time for planning and prayer.

As we finish packing and get ready to leave, we would appreciate prayer for:

• Our trip there and back
• Our health
• Our goals
• Flexibility and availability
• Relationships and conversations with the missionaries and Ecuadorians
• Our safety
• Our relationships with the missionaries and Ecuadorians after we leave
• The continued growth of the missionaries' camp and the Ecuadorian church well beyond our trip

We appreciate your continued support and prayers, and look forward to sharing everything that God is doing!

Service Project

Greetings!

Our team's preparation took a different yet important turn back on June 12. That Wednesday was the service project day for our team.

The service project has a couple of purposes: to serve others in our community, and to enable us to work together and grow as a team (i.e. unity).

This particular service project involved serving the homeless at Grace Community Church, an outreach called Meals @ Grace. On the second Wednesday of every month, members of Westover Church come to Grace and literally serve the homeless - we gather food together (chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, bread, drinks, and cobbler for dessert), serve it to a group of homeless seated in the sanctuary, and clean up afterwards.

It was a great time of serving, community, and unity, and we were very thankful to be a part of it. While we often think of short-term benefits or detriments when we're in the midst of any activity, hopefully our service project will have been allowed to impact others and ourselves for years to come. Our plans and purposes are often so short-sighted, we forget about God's ability to use even the most mundane activity for His glory.

Somehow, we hope this service project did just that.



In closing, we'd appreciate your continued prayer and support.

Please pray for:

• Preparations - just over one month to go!
• Trust in God/low stress
• Unity
• Heart for the people and the missionaries
• Ability to serve them well
• Being sensitive to the Spirit's leading when there

Our current support need:

• $16,176.31

P.S. Something interesting we weren't expecting but loved - Jon and Kacie from the Beirut, Lebanon team showed up as well! It was great serving with them. If you'd like to read more about their trip, visit their blog here.



Note: The cost for each team member is approximately $2500.  This will cover food, lodging and transportation.  If you choose to assist us financially, you may do so in two ways:

Online:  Go to www.westoverchurch.com, select “Online Resources,” then select “Online Giving” and follow the prompts.  Please Note:  You will need to enter “Ecuador Team 2013” in the Designation Box, otherwise your donation will go into Westover’s General Fund! 

By Mail:  Return your check in the envelope provided with the enclosed response card to our team treasurer:
(cf. Westover)

To be tax-deductible, your check must NOT include my name, but must be payable to “Westover Church,” and the memo line should say “Ecuador Team 2013.”

Update - Planning and Support

flag of Ecuador



Greetings from Westover's 2013 Ecuador team!

We're very excited about our upcoming trip - only a month and a half away, which is hard to believe. Our team's been having a great time getting to know each other and planning for the trip. We just had our "cultural awareness" meeting, where we each talked about a different aspect of Ecuador's culture, from food to climate to spirituality. It was extremely informative. Some of us non-Spanish speakers even learned a few words!

There are a couple areas where our team could use a lot of prayer - finances and connection with the people.

While I don't think any of us would say that finances are the most important part of the trip, it's not possible to make trips like this without finances. Think of it this way - when you take a trip to see family in another state, what's the most important part? The family you're going to see, of course! But doesn't it take planning and money for the gas and food to get there and back? It's just a natural part of the process. The hard part with any of this is suppressing our natural tendencies to fix things and instead focusing on relying on God. So in the midst of us learning how to trust and rely on God, it'd be great if anyone reading this could pray for us and support is in whatever way is possible. If we do that, God will be glorified no matter what! (To put a number on it, we currently have a need of $17,556 for the team.)

Relating to that, the most important part of our trip is the connection with the people. That's what we're really excited about - seeing not only how God will use us among the people of Ecuador, but also seeing how we'll be changed as well. Members of our team have been on other missions trips in the past, and one of the most incredible parts is that you have no idea how you'll be changed through it. Maybe you'll realize how materialistic you are in comparison to the local people, maybe you'll focus more on relationships as a result of the trip, maybe you'll learn how to trust God - the possibilities are endless! Whatever our goals are, and whatever actually happens, we would love for you to pray for us and the Ecuadorians and what the future holds.

Thanks for reading, and we look forward to sharing more with you!



Stay tuned for an upcoming post about our team's service project.



Note: The cost for each team member is approximately $2500.  This will cover food, lodging and transportation.  If you choose to assist us financially, you may do so in two ways:

Online:  Go to www.westoverchurch.com, select “Online Resources,” then select “Online Giving” and follow the prompts.  Please Note:  You will need to enter “Ecuador Team 2013” in the Designation Box, otherwise your donation will go into Westover’s General Fund! 

By Mail:  Return your check in the envelope provided with the enclosed response card to our team treasurer:
(cf. Westover)

To be tax-deductible, your check must NOT include my name, but must be payable to “Westover Church,” and the memo line should say “Ecuador Team 2013.”
 

Ecuador STT 2013 - Preparations

It's beginning!

Westover's 2013 short term trip to Ecuador is in the beginning phases of preparation. Here are some details to get everyone acquainted with our team, our planning, and our goals.

• Where: Ecuador (Quito, the capital, and Shandia, a jungle town)
• When: July 29-August 8
• Who: Brian (leader) & Marsha Jordan; Greg & Carol Smith, Chandler, Gracyn, Landon; Nate & Rachel Humphries; Carl Snyder; Nancy Eades
• What: This trip will be a partnership with Ryan and Erica Coryell, who are with the ministry Youth World, and the youth from a local Ecuadorian church. The first half of the trip will be spent assisting with the preparation for the building of cabins around a seminary in the jungle town of Shandia. These cabins will provide a place for pastors to stay while receiving training at the seminary before they go back out into the jungle to share the good news of the gospel with isolated villages. The second half of the trip will be spent assisting the camp El Refugio, where Ryan and Erica are based, helping with work projects.

Right now our team is in the planning phase: gathering details, learning about Ecuador, and growing closer as a team.

We would appreciate your prayers, not only for our planning, but for God's work to be done on this trip as well.

Thanks!