Where does the time go???

Seriously??? I can't believe it has been a week since I was having a conversation with an Ecuadorian pastor's wife about whether or not I needed to go to the hospital (also Ecuadorian). And, I can't believe its been a week since I said goodbye to my sweet Effy.

Its been hard to get back into the swing of work. A week ago, I was translating life-changing Spanish...marriage changing Spanish...people's families will be different b/c of things I translated (not that my Spanish is that fabulous, but the information I was passing along was great). And now I'm here...in a cave where I have to keep the delivery door open to get enough light to read paperwork without getting a headache.

Five years from now the only person who will impacted by what I do at work is my boss. I love him and all, but I want to do and be more on this road to Ecuador.

Perhaps its time to move on and move forward. We'll see.

Pray for me!

Home again, home again...

Wow...I can't believe I'm home already. Eight days passed in a blur. I can say nothing less than that my eight days in Quito and Ambato this year amounted to the most amazing week of my life. I did things I wouldn't have done if our team had been comprised differently...and I made friends that I plan to have for the rest of my life. And I even learned some stuff about the Lord...and about my relationship with Him.

There are so, so many stories...and I will share them as they come to mind. I'm still working on my journal last week. It amazes me how quickly I forsook my journal when the opportunity for real, life-on-life ministry was before me.

And, if I ever figure out how to post pictures, I will post a picture of me and the little boy who stole my heart...my sweet Ephy! I miss him so much!

Thanks for praying...your prayers were felt from so far away. But keep praying that what happened in my heart this week continues to develop even now that we're home.

Seriously...tomorrow?

This is pretty much it...we leave for Ecuador first thing in the morning! :)

Thank you, again, for all of your support, encouragement and prayers as I've prepared for this trip...especially this week. This week has been incredibly difficult for me...two people I know passed away, my car broke down, got fixed and then broke down again (seriously), and I moved out of my first apartment. But, as a good friend at work reminded me, this is the same kind of week I had right before I left last year. Even in the middle of the battle this week, I knew that the Enemy only attacks what threatens him...and apparently God has some pretty huge plans for me in Ecuador 'cause I am posing quite a threat to the other team. :) Really, it has been your prayers and encouragement that has allowed me to get to this place without losing my mind. Physically, I'm ready...bags are packed and at the church ready to go on the bus, carry-on is ready to go...I even remembered to leave clothes out for myself to wear tomorrow. My brain, however, has no comprehension that in 24 hours I'll be with my friends in Ecuador...that's ridiculous! :) I predict a lot of tears when I step off the plane and see Dan and Jen...and then on Sunday: Jonhattan, Ivonne, Hernan and Jenni!

For as little as I grasp the fact that I am blessed to be called back to that place...I am so, so excited as well.

So, I guess, pray for us...a lot. :) I don't want to come in only 8 short days, but if I have to, I'm glad I get to share all of the amazing things the Lord has done while we're there with all of you. I'm a writer...I journal EVERYTHING and I love to take pictures...there is going to be so so much to tell you! I guess, I'll write again in 8 days!

A short life, well-lived

Its really weird when someone younger than you passes away. A few years ago (June 2003) I was an adult leader on a youth missions trip to Indiana...Matt Lewis was one of the high school guys. We called him Frodo...the LOTR movies were out and very popular then and he look just like, well, Frodo. Anyway, even then, when he was just a high schooler, Matt was an impressive guy. I couldn't tell you the last time I talked to him, or even if he would have any clue who I am...but I've seen him around, watched him, and been consistently impressed with the way he loved the Lord and other people. He went to UGA (he's 21 now) and lived just a few doors down from a good friend of mine, and his girlfriend was my friends roommate so I heard a lot about his life in Athens, too...and it was all consistent with the way he lived his life at church when he was home.

Last Friday night, Matt was in a skateboarding accident. I'm not really sure what happened other than that he fell on his back and hit his head on the concrete. He went into emergency brain surgery, twice and made it through the weekend with substantial swelling in his brain. Yesterday afternoon they tested his brain activity and found nothing. There was nothing the doctors could do so the family made the decision to remove the ventilator. Matt went to hang out with Jesus at about 7 last night. His family, girlfriend and friends are grieving...pray for them.

Well done, Matt...we're proud of you!

Car Update...

So, I got home from work (after bumming a ride) and the mechanic called. He couldn't find anything wrong with my car...it was fine and I could come get it whenever. So, I bummed another ride. They had left by the time I got there, but they had left the key in the car for me. So, I get in...my friend drives away and I start my car. And then it dies. And it won't start again. Grrr...there is definitely something wrong with it. I guess I'm waiting another day. They open at, like, 6am so I'll get up early and call and have them look at it again. I NEED MY CAR! Hopefully by after work tomorrow I might be able to get back on track with all the stuff I need to get done. Geez, I hope so.

Frustration Level: High

So, back to the part about the world conspiring against you thing...my
car broke down yesterday...again. I have approximately a gazillion
things to do between now and Saturday morning when we leave...all of
which are severely impeded without access to a car.

Am I a little frustrated? Yes.

I know God is sovereign and good so I'm going to do my best to be faithful and patient.

But really, why this week???

On the plus side, though, we leave for Ecuador in just a very few, short days!!! :)

God is in my luggage

Ok, so the truth is, before today, I didn't own any luggage...which is kinda' crazy since I go to South America every year. And, since we're leaving in less than a week, I decided I should probably get some...and I decided that, really, I should go ahead and purchase it instead of just relying on the kindness of others to lend it to me. Someone had told me to check out Ross b/c they always have stuff that's pretty decent and reasonably cheap. Keep in mind that I am a wuss/lazy, I will go ahead and admit that my main requirement for luggage was that it had wheels. So, I found this rolling duffel that was pretty good for $25, but I would have preferred one bigger. And then I found one bigger and a little nicer w/ a lifetime warranty, but it didn't have a price on it so I took it up to ask the nice lady. She had no idea and there wasn't even another piece of luggage by the same company in the store so, b/c they were busy, the manager told her just to find something similar and charge me that price. I had rolled over the smaller bag too, b/c I was expecting the big one to be too expensive...so the lady gave me the big bag for $25. When I got home and looked it up online, I couldn't find the exact bag, but the closest one (that was actually about 6inches smaller) is $40! So, I got, probably, a $50ish rolling duffel for $25.

And, I definitely just wrote an entire post about luggage. I really need something more interesting to talk about...

Less than a week...

Blah.

Ever feel like the ENTIRE world is conspiring against you?

Yeah, it's been one of those weeks.

I'm ready for Ecuador. Next weekend! :)

Why?

Why can I remember that when our 6th grade Language Arts class was assigned a project that involved making movie, one group did one entitled "Orkin Men at Work," that was about pest control guys.

Why can I remember that, but not what day the garbage man comes?

Kinda makes you wonder...

I know everything happens for a reason and whatever the circumstance, however seemingly coincidental, God has a specific, ordained purpose...I stinking can't wait to figure out the specific, ordained purpose for my experience today...

So, I was at work...in the front. (If you know anything about the way I am at work, you know that's rare...I stay in the back as much as possible 'cause I can get more work done that way). I made a comment to a co-worker about how I'll be out of the country for Father's Day. The lady my co-worker was waiting on asked where I am going...the conversation pretty much went as follows:

Me: I'll be in Ecuador.

Her: Oh, I have a friend who lives in Tampa who is going to Ecuador that weekend, too.

Me: That's funny...I grew up in Tampa.

Her: Well, if you run into a group from Tampa, her name is Lora Lamb...

Me: Oh my word! I went to high school with her!!!

Now, combine the fact that I graduated in a class of 14...and my high school is about eight hours away from here. I NEVER run into people I went to high school with...or even people who have ever heard of my high school. Anyway, Lora's dad was my assistant volleyball coach my Senior year and I played ball with her older sister Tara. So, this group that Lora is a part of is not only going to Ecuador the same time I am but they will be working at THE SAME CAMP where we'll be for a day or two! Unbelievable! The lady in the store called Lora to see if she remembered me and it turns out Lora has been sick and her doctors won't let her leave the country so she won't be there...but the rest of her group will be. She still lives in the same area, so I guess its possible that I may run into someone else I went to school with or something.

I don't know what the Lord has planned for why I ran into this lady and we figured it out...but since Lora isn't going to Ecuador but still has the time off, she may come up here for a visit. I'm not sure if I'll be back in the country by the time she's here but if I am, we're going to get together. :)

Counting down the days...and Ecuador is, indeed, just days away!!! :)