The Final Days

It’s time for another update!  I arrived at home in Wisconsin yesterday.  I don’t know where the time has gone.  Since my last update I have went to Baños, I have seen more surgeries, I have taken Salsa classes, I had to say goodbye to Shell as well as the hospital and I went to the Equator (Mitad del Mundo).  I have learned more about the Lord and His faithfulness within the past couple weeks, and I have come to embrace the call that the Lord has to go to the world with His Gospel.

A view of the hospital after work. 

I went with my team, Jennifer and DeNise Love to Baños a week and a half ago.  We left for Baños, a neighboring city to Shell, after work on that Friday.  The bus ride took about an hour and a half.  When we arrived we were tired and hungry, so we went out to dinner at a Café called ‘CafeHood’.  Much like CafeHood, Bañosis a hub for American and European travelers so it’s common to hear English being spoken in the markets and in the restaurants that we went to.  I was beginning to feel sick with a cold that night so I went right back to the hotel to sleep after getting dinner.

In front of CafeHood in Baños. 

The next morning we got up, had breakfast at the hotel and then got ready for our canyoning adventure.  We met our guides, Marcos and Enrique, at the Geotours office in Baños at 9am.  We got suited up and drove to our canyoning site.  We began by hiking up a couple hills to get to the first waterfall.  We had a little tutorial about how to repel correctly before embarking out.  I was a little nervous at first, but I felt confident in our guides.  We chose to do the half-day option of canyoning which involved going down four waterfalls which ranged in heights from 10 meters to 30 meters.  It was amazing to see the Lord’s creation in all of its beauty and wonder.  That by far was one of my favorite parts of my time in Ecuador!

Our canyoning group!

After canyoning we went back to the hotel and showered off and had lunch.  We then walked around and went shopping.  It was really fun to see all of the authentic gifts that we could buy.  I was able to buy some gifts for my family which will hopefully give them a unique taste of Ecuador.  After shopping we went to an Italian restaurant for dinner.  By dinner time I was feeling worse than I had earlier that day.  I left dinner early to go back to the hotel to rest and ended up sleeping for ten hours.

Going down the first waterfall.

In the morning I was feeling much better so I went to breakfast and had some journaling and alone time.  It was a perfect morning.  I had bread with jam, eggs, juice and hot coco.  There was salsa music playing in the background and the sun was rising around Baños.  I met up with the rest of my group after breakfast and went shopping with them.  We then packed up our belongings and headed towards the bus station.  On the way there we stopped and bought some empanadas.  The best one was the chocolate and banana empanada.  We then loaded onto the bus and road back to Shell.

We had Bible study with the Fogg Family that night.  It was a powerful Bible study for me because of all of the wonderful reminders of the Lord, His provision and His.  They also urged us to remember to be on mission at home.  Whether we are in the grocery store, church, in Ecuador or in the States we are on mission if we take the Great Commission seriously.  It was wonderful to reflect on why I am in Ecuador.  It isn’t just a trip for me nor is it just an internship.  I want to emphasize more and more that this is an opportunity to see what the Lord is accomplishing in Ecuador, on the mission field.  He has reminded me of living and believing that He is real.  Believing that what I pray for can happen, that the Lord is the Creator of all, and that we are His hands and feet to the people around the world has been some of what I have gained from this opportunity.

Hospital Vozandes del Oriente

We worked our last week in Hospital Vozandes del Oriente.  It was really difficult to say goodbye to a lot of the patients that I was able to get to know over the five weeks that I spent in Shell.  There were a couple women that I met during their pregnancy check-ups that I was able to then see them with their babies after they had given birth.  It’s absolutely incredible to see that kind of progress and to truly get to know people from another country.  One patient that stood out to me during my time at Hospital Vozandes del Oriente was a 60-year-old man named José.  He had severe lesions on both of his legs from his knees down to his ankles.  One of the first weeks that I was in Shell I had the opportunity to treat his legs by wrapping them with something called a uni-boot.  It basically consisted of a couple layers of gauze followed by a covering.  This allowed his legs to heal.  On my last day at the hospital he came in for his final check-up.  I was able to take 30 minutes or so washing his legs and talking with him.  It was so enjoyable to laugh and praise the Lord for the improvement that we had seen.  I might never see him again, yet the Lord used him in a very impactful way in my life.

At my last morning meeting with the doctors at rounds.

The next day we packed up our baggage and said goodbye to our home in Shell.  It was difficult to leave.  If I didn’t have family, friends and school to come back to in the States I think I could have stayed in Shell for a couple more years!  We drove with the Leon’s, DeNise and Jennifer towards Tena.  On the way to Tena we stopped at this beautiful swimming hole called Laguna Azul.  It was a series of waterfalls and huge rocks perfect for sun bathing in the Napo River.  We spent at least three hours exploring, swimming and enjoying the beauty of that place.  We then loaded back onto the bus and headed to Tena.  We were heading to Casa del Suizo, a resort on the Napo River close to Tena.  In order to get there we needed to ride a boat there.  After a fifteen minute ride in a motorized canoe, we arrived at Casa del Suizo.  In the middle of the jungle stood this resort.  It was breathtaking!  We spent the next day and a half relaxing and debriefing from the trip.  I shared the same opinions as my teammates that we wished we would have been able to stay in Shell longer instead of going to a resort.  I am happy to say that I was able to fully experience the jungle when we went to Washinsta instead of experiencing a fabricated, tourist version of the jungle.  Nevertheless I enjoyed my time at Casa del Suizo.

Decorations at Casa del Suizo. 

We got back to our bus two days later and then continued the long voyage to Quito.  When we arrived in Quito I experienced a lot of culture shock.  This was mostly due to the amount of people, cars and how americanized Quito was.  We were able to go to the legendary market and buy any last gifts that we wanted to buy.  We were also able to go to the Equator.  The hardest part of the last couple days was saying goodbye to my team.  I am not sure if I will ever see them again even though we have hopes to have a 20 year reunion back in Shell.  I was incredibly blessed to spend the last six weeks with them.  I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it with any other group!

I landed in Minneapolis last night after having a long day of travel.  I am sad to say, “Goodbye” to Ecuador, so for now I will just say, “See you again soon!”

At the Equator, Mitad del Mundo, before my last day in Ecuador.

Thank you for all of your prayers, support and interest throughout the summer.  I couldn't have done this without you and without the Lord's provision.  I pray that the Lord may encourage you as He has me to go out with His strength and to share True Life with people through the Gospel.

¡Chao Chao!

Un Corazón por Ecuador

I have officially been in Ecuador for one month!  It has been two weeks since I have updated my blog, and the time has flown by!  I have embraced more of the culture here in Ecuador and have grown to love the people here.  I am over half way done with my adventure and am beginning to feel sad about saying goodbye.  The Lord has shown me a lot about service within the past two weeks, and I look forward to sharing it all with you!  

The central parque in Shell.

At the end of the last post I talked about my time in the jungle community, Washinsta.  So I will just pick up where I left off.  After arriving back to Shell from Washinsta I was able to spend a couple hours  of resting and relaxing with the girl interns.  Our guy teammates stayed in Washinsta until the end of the week working on a water project.  We went to a Zumba class that night.  It was a lot of fun!  If you ever get a chance to take a Zumba class, take one in Ecuador!  There are instructors that offer classes every morning and every night for free as an attempt to encourage health and exercise among the population.  After going to that we had a girls’ night filled with homemade pizza and a movie.  On Friday of that week I spent the day in Physical Therapy with Daniela, the physical-therapist at the hospital.  It was a wonderful opportunity to practice my Spanish with her.  I also really enjoyed getting to know her better.  Prior to this trip I hadn’t really considered Physical Therapy as a possible future career, but I enjoyed observing how she treated her patients with stretches, massage and exercises.  

A view of Sangay, a mountain in Ecuador, that is only visible on clear days. 

That night we had Bible study at the Barton’s house, a missionary family who has been here for seven years.  I really enjoyed there hospitality as they led us through Bible verses focused on the question, “What is Poverty?”  We talked a lot about material poverty as well as spiritual poverty.  This was a good time for me to reflect on in what ways I have experienced or seen poverty.  One thing that we have really strived to be conscious of during this internship has been caring for people in a holistic way, making sure to be aware of their spiritual, physical, mental and emotional needs.  Every week we have a Bible Study at a different missionary family’s house.  This is a good opportunity to engage with the missionary families that have been serving here in Ecuador for many years.  It has also been helpful to hear about what ways they felt called to the mission field and how this experience in Ecuador has shown them more of the Lord.

On Saturday we had the opportunity to explore with the Fogg’s, a missionary family that have been here for a year and a half, with a day of hiking around waterfalls and seeing the beauty of Ecuador.  We walked around a couple waterfalls as we made our way to Baños.  I was most amazed by one waterfall that was called Pailón del Diablo.  It was one of the most powerful waterfalls I have ever seen.  We were able to hike up right next to it and in the process we got completely soaked!  It was one single waterfall plunging into a pool or cauldron surrounded by sharp rocks and cliffs.

In front of Pailón del Diablo in Baños, Ecuador. 

After going to Pailón del Diablo, we enjoyed a lunch close by.  We then went to another waterfall and took a cable car across the valley over it.  We had a chance to walk around and see a mandarin orchard as well as a couple avocado trees.  We then took another cable car down to the base of the waterfall.  It was beautiful to walk around the waterfall and to feel the spray from it on my face.  It is truly amazing to see the Lord's creation here in Ecuador.  I love being able to marvel at all of the plant life and natural wonders there are here!

My team and I on the cable car ready to ride over to the waterfall. 

We joined the Fogg's for church on Sunday and were also able to celebrate David's 21st birthday.  We went out to lunch and ice cream, and we then played David's favorite game called "Bang".  On Monday we went back to the hospital to work.  I shadowed Dr. Wolff, a surgeon who has been here in Ecuador for 24 years.  It was wonderful to tap into his wealth of knowledge about medicine, faith and family.  I could tell he loved practicing medicine because whenever I would ask him about surgery his face would light up.  That night after work we went to a fancier restaurant in Puyo, a neighboring city to Shell, for Mark's 21st birthday.  I have really enjoyed getting to know my team and am blessed to know them all.

On Tuesday I joined the other medical interns and the doctors on morning rounds.  We then were able to observe two surgeries.  The first surgery was a thyroidectomy, removal of the thyroid gland, in a young woman from a mountain community.  The surgery went well and she was able to go home after a couple days.  The second surgery was for a woman who had a shallow shoulder joint.  She therefore would frequently dislocate her shoulder.  Dr. Wolff performed the surgery and was able to add a piece of bone to deepen her shoulder joint.  We then were given permission from one of the doctors to practice ultrasounds on each other!  I was able to see my own heart beat.  We were also able to see the kidneys, bladder and pancreas.

Raquel and I scrubbed in for surgery. 

Anna and I excited for our surgeries. 

I was able to shadow Dr. Patton, a visiting doctor that will be here for six months, on Wednesday.  I really enjoyed watching his care and compassion for his patients.  He told me that if you love your patients and love restoring them to good health then you will never work a day in your life.  It is wonderful to observe such a genuine bedside manner.

I have also had the opportunity to do some cooking and baking since I have been here.  I was able to make some homemade pizza one night.  I was also asked to cook a chicken for a Young Life fundraiser last week.  Last night I was able to bake an apple pie for a Hoedown that was hosted by one of the visiting doctors, Dr. Hardin.  

Making homemade pizza for girls' night.  

My first time cooking a whole chicken!

Apple pie time! 

On Thursday I went with Mrs. Barton, a family practitioner who has been here with her family for seven years, to Casa de Fe for the morning.  Anna, Raquel and I helped out with lice treatments for the kids.  I had a tearful moment when I got there and I saw thirty kids rush into the room where we were doing the lice treatment.  I felt as if time stopped for a moment as I thought about how these children didn't have families and didn't have people who loved them.  I felt incredibly burdened for them and wanted to do something for them.  The Lord showed me that all I could do was to pray earnestly for them, for comfort and for love to enter their lives and to care for them even if that meant giving them a lice treatment or combing their hair.

A sign at Casa de Fe reminding the children of the Lord's unconditional love.

We spent another day at Casa de Fe on Friday.  We assisted Dr. Barton on doing physicals on the toddlers and babies.  We had to record their height, weight, respiratory rate, head circumference, pulse and Oxygen saturation.  I really enjoyed doing this.  I enjoyed it mostly because I was able to spend time with the children and also because it gave me a chance to do something practical to help Dr. Barton.  After helping out at Casa de Fe in the morning we went to the hospital for a celebration of a work organization that was started 40 years ago.  The celebration consisted of a parade through Shell led by the Ecuadorian army band, sports and food.  There were four different teams that we competed against: blue, white, orange and yellow.  I enjoyed seeing all of the hospital employees in a different environment and away from the seriousness of the hospital. I am very thankful for all of the hospital employees and for how sweet and carrying they are.  They have been so hospitable and accommodating for us as interns this summer.

Kathryn, me, Anna and Raquel after the parade.

On Saturday we went as a team to Papallacta.  The drive took about three and a half hours from Shell in a van.  It was a beautiful drive there as we followed the road as it curved through the mountains.  I spent the weekend there with my team, Alex, Alfredo and their two kids, Martin, Julia and their two kids, Ruth, Steve and Jennifer.  Alex and Alfredo are both engineers and have been living here for seven years.  Martin and Julia are a short-term mission couple from Germany who will be spending 18 months in Shell.  Ruth and Steve are a couple from England.  Ruth is a writer and Steve is an engineer.  They will be spending 18 months here as well.  Jennifer is our intern coordinator for the summer.  She is a teacher at the Nate Saint School and will be spending one more year here.

We decided to go on a hike once we got there.  Martin, Anna, David and I went hiking above the hot-springs while everyone else went to the hot-springs.  It was easy to feel out of shape and affected by the altitude as we walked since there was such a drastic difference between home, Shell and Papallacta.  To put it into perspective Wisconsin is at 1,000 ft. elevation, Shell is at around 3,000 ft. elevation and Papallacta is at 11,000 ft. elevation.  After a couple hour hike we went to the hot-springs.  It was fabulous.  There were beautiful trees that surrounded the pools and overhung with brilliant flowers.

Anna and I on a hike in the mountains before the hot-springs.

We started our long journey back to Shell from Papallacta on Sunday.  We made breakfast together and then enjoyed a hike around Papallacta.  We were able to explore the town that was nestled in the middle of mountains.  We were also able to watch part of a soccer game!  After having lunch we started our drive back to Shell.  Ten of us loaded into the hospital van, and then Martin, Julia, Alex and the kids drove back in a truck.  It was a beautiful drive for the first hour and a half.  We then began experiencing some difficulties when the van broke down.  We quickly realized after a couple minutes of trying to figure out what was going on that it wasn't going to start back up again.  After trying to flag down a couple cars and buses, we finally were able to flag down a bus to Tena.  It took us an hour and a half to get to Tena and then we had to wait for an hour before we were able to get a bus to Puyo.  We then had to get a taxi to Shell.  Our estimated time of travel went from three hours to eight hours!

Enjoying the beauty of Papallacta. 

A church in the foothills of Papallacta. 

I have spent the past couple days in the hospital.  I was able to watch a couple surgeries including a hernia repair on a man, a hernia repair on a baby and a lipoma removal on a woman.  All of the doctors here have been so wonderful in helping me in my journey of medicine so far.  I have really appreciated all of their honesty and knowledge on how to care for people in a holistic way.

Dr. Barton is an anesthesiologist from Texas who has been here for seven years with his wife and four children.  Dr. Allison is a family practitioner from Nebraska who has been here a year with his wife and four children.  He will be leaving for the States in two weeks.  Dr. Wolff is a orthopedic surgeon from Germany who has been living and serving here for 24 years with his wife.  Dr. Graham is a general surgeon from the Texas who has been here with his family for nine years.  Dr. Patton is a family practitioner from the West Virginia for six months with his wife.  Dr. Hardin is a family practitioner who just arrived here from Texas and will be staying for two weeks.  All of the Ecuadorian residents, doctors, nurses and hospital employees have also been so hospital and genuine for us during our internship thus far.

I look forward to what the next two weeks hold before I embark back to the States.  I have already learned gained an abundance of knowledge about missions, the Lord and medicine.  I am excited to continue to keep you all updated.  Thank you for all of your prayers!

Prayer Requests: June 2013

Answer to Prayer:

This past Friday I received news from my family in Minnesota that my cousin Joey Ferguson had had a stroke.  Since he is only 21-years-old this was a huge shock to all of us.  He had an open heart surgery a couple years prior to repair a valve in his heart that wasn’t working properly.  I was very anxious the whole day because I was in meetings and had no way of hearing updates.  So I did the only thing I could do and prayed and hoped he would be okay.  The girls that I am living with this summer were very caring and prayed with me.  Immediately after my meetings had finished for the day, I ran home to talk with my family and see if there was any update on Joey’s condition.  With an anxious heart, my mom told me that he was going to be okay and that he was starting to act like himself!  What an answer to prayer!

This situation was especially difficult since he was brought to the same hospital that my cousin, Terry, had been brought to last year after his stroke.  Unfortunately we did not have the same outcome in both situations.  Terry passed away five days after his stroke.  Joey, on the other hand, was awake and well a couple hours after he was brought to the hospital!

Walk to the project site in Washinsta.

Here are some recent prayer requests that I have.

1. For the rest of Joey’s recovery in the hospital.  For strength and wisdom from the doctors in determining what caused the clot.

2. For the pastor and his wife in Washinsta.  That his trip to the United States in August might be an encouragement.  That he would be able to share his passion for serving the Lord in the jungle with students and churches.

3. For the Washinsta community.  That they may have open eyes and hearts to see the Lord in all of His splendor.  That young men may grow into spiritual leaders alongside the pastor in that community and that young women may pursue you.

4. For the students and young children in Washinsta.  That they may continue to pursue education and that some of them may be able to study in a university someday.  For their continued joy, laughs, innocence and smiles.

5. For my team members.  For the girls as we work in the Hospital the next couple days and for the guys as they continue to work in the jungle on the water projects.  Also for a chance to celebrate David and Mark’s birthday!

6. For our leaders.  That they may be able to rest throughout the summer while they coordinate work and trips for us.

7. For all of the missionary families in Shell and Quito.  That our team in some way could encourage, serve or care for them!  Since we are only here for a short time, I hope to lift up the spirits of the missionaries who have been here for 10+ years.

8. For the patients in the hospital.  That we may be able to affectively and thoughtfully care for them spiritually and physically.

Thank you for your continued support and encouragement!

Confianza, Cirugías y Cafécito

I have officially been in Ecuador for two weeks!  During the first couple days in Ecuador I was able to explore Quito.  I then was able to experience the hustle and bustle of the hospital in Shell during the rest of the first week, and after that I traveled to Washinsta, a jungle community.  I have become more acquainted with the climate, food, language and culture.  So far I have been able to see the Lord working in many ways whether that has been through a conversation in the grocery store or through singing and playing with the children in the jungle.  He is all powerful, merciful and the portion that we all need.  I am so grateful for all that I have experienced so far, for my team and for your encouragement and prayers.  So, read on and rejoice with me in what the Lord is doing in Ecuador!

Flowers in front of my house in Shell. 

The two other medical interns and I spent the first part of last week in Hospital Vozandes del Oriente in Shell observing the doctors and surgeons.  I spent my first day in the emergency area of the hospital on Monday last week.  It was very interesting!  Many of the patients that we saw in the ER had abdominal pain as a result of food they ate or from a parasite.  Others were in more critical condition with lesions or other conditions that were past the point of prevention.  On Monday, I observed two of the missionary doctors, Dr. Patton and Dr. Allison, perform an endoscopy on a woman.  One aspect of that procedure that stood out to me was the compassion Dr. Patton and Dr. Allison had on the woman.  Despite all of the cultural barriers, I saw Dr. Allison wipe the tears from her face before the endoscopy.  With gentle words they both reassured her that she was going to be fine and that the procedure was going to be over before she knew it!

We spent Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday morning in the hospital as well.  We shadowed a couple of the missionary doctors on Tuesday, and Anna and I had a unique opportunity to assist a family practitioner named Dr. Allison.  He asked us if we would help him change the dressings of a man who came in with extensive ulcers on his legs.  They ruffly covered his legs from his knee down to his ankle.  He has had them for three months, and they have impaired his ability to walk.  Even though it was really painful for him while we changed his dressings, he was still very patient with us and never ceased to smile.

A view of the Hospital on my walk to work.

On Thursday we went to the Community Development office for meetings all day.  Mariam and Tannia, two of our leaders and coordinators for the summer, taught us all about Shwar culture, community development and teaching lessons in the jungle.  It was very helpful to learn about how to best introduce ourselves in the culture as to not offend any of the community members.  On previous trips that I have taken to different countries and cultures I have never had a cultural orientation so I was glad that I was able to learn about the Shwar culture before traveling there!

My house in Shell.

We were also able to observe three surgeries on Friday morning.  The first surgery that we got to see was to remove a plate and three screws from a man’s femur.  The second was for a woman who had an ectopic pregnancy that ended up rupturing her right fallopian tube.  That was the hardest surgery for me to observe out of the three because of the demeanor of the woman.  She was very sad because the outcome of the surgery wasn’t going to result in her holding a baby in her arms, rather she would have to leave the hospital empty handed since the majority of ectopic pregnancies end with the death of the baby.  The third and final surgery that we saw on Friday was for a woman who had a previous cesarian section.  After the surgery she had some complications and tearing in her small and large intestine.  All of surgeries on Friday were finished by 10:00am.


One aspect of the hospital that I enjoy is called ‘Cafécito’.  It is a designated coffee and pastry break from 10:00am-11:00am.  We were able to join the other nurses and doctors at Cafécito after our three surgeries on Friday.  It was a very productive morning!  One of my team members, Anna, is committed to bringing the idea and practice of Cafécito back to the States.  It was a wonderful time to introduce ourselves to other co-workers!

We were able to rest on Saturday with a trip to Puyo, a city close to Shell.  My team of seven, two of our leaders, Alex and Alfredo, and their children, Benjamin and Camilla, took the bus to Puyo.  For one person, one way it only costed 25¢!  We walked around for the day and enjoyed the happenings of another city.  We were able to see some shops and venders and then took a nice walk along a river after lunch.  It was a beautiful day to explore, and it was nice to be able to walk around in the wonderful scenery.  After our walk we went and got gelato.  I treated myself to some coffee gelato!  We then took a bus back to Shell.  

After we arrived back in Shell we went to a neighborhood dinner.  We were able to meet all of the missionaries who are living in Shell and in our neighborhood.  It was inspiring to hear all about what has improved and changed over the time that they all have been here.  Some of the missionaries came to Shell on a summer internship like I am doing this summer and are still serving here 15-24 years later!  We welcomed a couple families who have just arrived in Shell and said goodbye to the Allison’s who will be leaving at the end of July.  I really enjoy experiencing the Christian community that is present here.  I feel as if I am living in the 1950’s for many reasons.  Life is simpler here.  You can walk over to your neighbor’s house and ask for sugar or to take their dog on a walk.  It is also common for all of the kids in the neighborhood to play together at all times of the day since school is done for the summer.  It is very refreshing to experience life that is so inclusive.  

Sunday was very relaxing.  I went on a run with David and Kevin in the morning.  We then got ready for church.  We went to a service at La Luz de Evangelio which is where many hospital employees and missionaries attend.  It used to be Raquel’s church that she attended while she lived here in Shell.  The entire service was in Spanish including all of the worship.  I really enjoyed it!  It was wonderful to hear and understand what the pastor was saying without much difficulty.  I have definitely gained more confidence in my ability to comprehend and speak Spanish since I have been here!  After church we went to lunch outside of Shell and then the girls rested the rest of the day while the guys played ultimate frisbee with some of the missionary families.  We then packed up for our trip to the jungle.

Enjoying the scenery of Ecuador!

I was privileged to be able to travel to Washinsta, a jungle community near Shell, on Monday and returned yesterday on Wednesday.  I flew to Washinsta with the three other girls from my team in a small plane that only had room for the pilot, some gear and us!  The flight was 30 minutes.  We experienced a bit of turbulence and rain during the flight, but for the most part it was beautiful to have a bird’s-eye view of the jungle!  We landed on a dirt runway in the middle of the community.  Immediately swarms of children ran to the plane to welcome us!  Before I knew what was happening all of the children were carrying our luggage to a building that was going to be our home for the next couple days.  We stayed in a class room on the edge of the village.  We each set up our bug huts to protect from mosquitos and then went to visit with everyone in the village.  We had dinner that consisted of yucca, potatoes, plantains, tuna, rice and lentils.  A typical meal in the community would only consist of yucca, plantains and potatoes, but we were able to bring some of our own food to supplement theirs since we were such a large group.

The airplane we flew to Washinsta on.

They were very hospitable and generous to us while we there.  I was able to teach a couple hygiene classes to the kids with the other girls from my team.  The guys arrived a day after us and will be working on a water project in the community until Friday.  They are working on installing a filter system.

There also happened to be two nurses there while we were visiting.  They were going from community to community setting up clinics with medicine for the communities.  Since they didn’t speak any Spanish, I had the opportunity to translate for them for two of the days that they were in Washinsta.  I also had the opportunity to meet a missionary pastor from Cuba who has been in Washinsta for the past three years.  He is living there with his wife.  It was wonderful to talk with him about all that the Lord has been doing in Washinsta in the past couple years.  I felt so encouraged after talking with him!  I will continue to pray for the Washinsta tribe in the days and years to come.  Please join me in praying for more laborers to go out into the world to share the good news of the Gospel.

Sunset in Washinsta.

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

-Luke 10:2

The Beginning Days

My first couple days in Quito, Ecuador have been filled with joy and excitement.  I have gotten the opportunity to explore places in this city that is home to three million people!  On the 12th of June I arrived in Quito after 16 hours of traveling!  I met my team for the first time in the airport.  My team this summer consists of six other individuals from around the United States.  Raquel was born in Shell, Ecuador but is from Tennessee, Anna is from Idaho, Kathryn is from Nebraska, David goes to school in Illinois but is from Quito, Ecuador, Mark is from Maryland, Kevin is from New York and I am from Wisconsin!  Raquel will be working in the hospital in Shell specializing in nursing, Anna and I will be working in the hospital in Shell spending time shadowing doctors there.  Kathryn will be working in administration in the hospital office.  David, Mark and Kevin will be working on engineering and clean water projects in Shell.

Tammy Kooistra, full-time missionary; DeNise Love, intern coordinator; Kevin Ng, David Edgren, Mark Wagner, Anna Moate, Raquel Velasco, Kathryn White, Riva Macbeth (me), Jennifer Kendrick, intern supervisor; pictured at the HCJB Global campus in Quito.  

On the 13th of June, my first day in Quito, I went with my team to the HCJB Global campus.  We had our first day of orientation where we were able to learn more about the culture of Ecuador and how best to embrace it.  We also had an opportunity to hear from some of the permanent missionaries here.  We then went to a cafe called “Bom K-fe” for lunch.  I had told my Spanish professor from Northwestern before hand that I was going to be going there for lunch, and she was able to come and say hi since she has been spending some time in Quito!  After lunch I spent some time with my team, playing games, before going out to dinner.

View of Quito from a restaurant as night quickly approaches. This city is even more beautiful at night.

After dinner we explored Quito and got to see the Presidential Palace, La Basílica, El Panecillo and La Ronda.  La Basílica is one of the oldest Catholic Cathedrals in Quito.  It even had gargoyles on it!  El Panecillo is a statue in Quito of the Virgin Mary.  La Ronda is the oldest street in Quito that was constructed in 1400.  

In front of the Presidential Palace with Raquel, Jennifer, Kathryn and I.  

Walking on La Ronda at night in Quito. 

The next day, on the 14th, we spent another day in orientation.  We also got a tour of HCJB Global and learned more about the history of this wonderful ministry.  After the tour we helped prepare a meal for the missionary families that live here in Quito.  We were able to pray for some missionaries that will be leaving the field and going back to the United States as well as for others who just came to Quito!

Yesterday, the 15th of June, I went with my team to a retreat center called “El Refugio”.  It was absolutely breathtaking.  It consisted of 100 acres in the heart of the mountains that focused on facilitating and encouraging team building.  We were able to play some getting to know you games, and we went on a low-ropes course and high-ropes course.  In all, it was a wonderful opportunity to get to know my team through celebrating each other’s strengths and encouraging one another through each other’s weaknesses.  I am looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us this summer!

My group at El Refugio for a day of team building, high ropes and laughter.

                                        Flowers at El Refugio

I went to church yesterday with my team to a church close to HCJB Global in Quito called English Fellowship Church, EFC.  Many other missionary families were there, so it was a wonderful opportunity to meet everyone who is serving in Quito.  After church we packed up and made our way to Shell which is going to be my home for the next six weeks.

The drive to Shell was stunning.  We drove through the mountains there and got to see waterfalls, rainbows, steep cliffs, El Río Pastaza and places where you could bungee-jump and zip-line.  It was amazing to see the landscape change from mountains to jungle within a couple of miles.  While we drove we were entertained by a little girl called Nicolé who was the bus driver’s daughter.  He dropped us off at our home which is behind Hospital Vozandes del Oriente.  I will be staying there with the girls.  The guys will be staying in a house next to us.

Nicolé, our entertainment for the five hour bus ride from Quito to Shell. 

We were able to go on a couple tours today.  We went to the Nate Saint house, the Nate Saint school, Hospital Vozandes del Oriente and around Shell.  I was able to buy a bracelet that the Waorani tribe hand crafted.  It is a joy to say that the Waorani church is now larger than ever before.  If you want to know more about the history of Nate Saint and the Waorani tribe you can go to the Hospital Vozandes tab or click here.

A picture of Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming and Roger Youdarian at the Nate Saint School in Shell.

My first day of work starts tomorrow at 7:30am and goes until 5:30pm.  I will keep you updated with everything in the days to come!  I am excited to spend the next six weeks serving in the community here along side the other doctors and missionaries.

The Journey Begins

I am en route to Quito, Ecuador.  My day began this morning at 3:00am!  I was able to get a whole three hours of sleep; luckily I was able to sleep on my first flight from Minneapolis to Miami.  I am currently in the Miami airport waiting for my flight to leave after being delayed for two hours.  I will be arriving in Quito at 9:00pm and will hopefully be meeting my group there once I get to the airport.  Traveling by myself has been an adventure so far.  A lot of my interactions since I have been in Miami have been in Spanish which has been wonderful but also challenging.  One of the agents that helped me with my connecting flight told me that I spoke Spanish well.  That was comforting to hear especially since it is easy to feel inadequate when you aren’t speaking your native language.

I have an answer to prayer.  I am officially fully supported!  I am so thankful for all of your support and prayers in making this goal a reality.  I am looking forward to this trip.  It finally is real to me that I am going!

Below is a picture of my with my luggage before embarking on my adventure as well as my mom and I!

   

From a Grateful Heart

I am overwhelmed with gratitude to everyone who has supported me thus far, whether financially or through prayer.  I am excited to say that I am 95% supported of my $4,800 goal!  Although I was anxious about support raising, the Lord is showing me His provision.

I am enjoying the many conversations with others about my trip and have received much affirmation and encouragement from my family and friends.  The countdown for my trip is now to 7 days!  Recently, many people are asking me if I am anxious or not. To answer this question, the Lord is teaching me each day of His faithful provision and enduring peace.  Through experiencing this and having people in my life remind me of the Lord’s plan and desire to be glorified through this trip, I am able to feel more excited and less anxious about the upcoming adventure.

I am so thankful that I have a wonderful group of people eager to pray for me as I travel, serve and further the Lord’s kingdom in Ecuador.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

-Philippians 4:19

Prayer Requests: May 2013

I would love if you'd continue praying for me...

1. For the rest of my support to come in. I am currently 40% supported and am waiting for approximately $2,800 which would cover the rest of my expenses for this trip. Total support would cover airfare, the internship cost, transportation, food, an internship credit through Northwestern College and additional expenses including passport renewal and international insurance. I trust in the Lord to provide for me financially and know that He already has provided through donations from friends and families.

2. For my team members and I as we read the devotional Before You Go by Hempling. That they may be eager to embrace the culture of Shell, Ecuador.

3. For strength as we prepare mentally, spiritually and physically for this trip.

4. For clear and effective communication before and during the trip.

5. For peace for my family and me as I pack, say goodbye and travel to Ecuador.

Two Weeks To Shell!

It has been such a wonderful opportunity so far to support raise for this summer! I appreciate all of the generosity and encouragement that I have received from my friends and family. I am currently at 40.0% of my support goal of $4,800. So far it has been sweet to receive encouraging notes, uplifting phone calls and prayers from you all.

I have begun to get increasingly excited as I talk with more people about this trip! Even though I am a little anxious about it, I am resolving to trust in the Lord through my weaknesses and to serve with the intention of sharing the Gospel. I have started packing some clothes, medications, reading materials and other nick-nacks for the upcoming adventure. I have already renewed my passport and taken care of some of the logistics that go into traveling outside of the country.

I would be overjoyed if you’d continue to pray for me and my team as we prepare for our departure! Please check out the “Prayer Requests” tab on the left side for more specific details.

Bendiciones,
Riva

Before the Journey

I am finally sitting in the comfort of my own home.  I just finished finals on May 16th, left Northwestern for the summer and was able to come home to River Falls and Baldwin, WI, where my parents live.  Being done with school for a while and having a summer to “rest” is wonderful.  I have already enjoyed a day of kayaking down the Kinni River in River Falls, the tulips growing around my mom’s house, frisbee with my dad and the delight of home-cooked meals.  I am finally able to fully invest time into preparing for my adventure to Ecuador.

I am preparing for the trip by reading a couple books.  Our supervisors for the trip recommended that we read two books, Foreign to Familiar by Lanier and A Daily Devotional: Before You Go by Hempling.  These books have been very helpful so far for me to understand some of the cultural shock that occurs when traveling outside of the United States and also the preparation that is needed to best serve people in another country.  I also have sent out all of my support letters in the mail to many of friends and family.

One update that I have recently been notified of concerning support raising is that HCJB Global will match dollar for dollar donations up to $600 from now until the end of the day on May 28th.  Thank you for all of your support thus far!  I look forward to keeping you all posted on more of my preparation for Ecuador!

Prayer Requests: May 2013

I could not do this without your prayers...

1.  Continue to pray for my team and I as we support raise. That people may desire to support us through prayer and financial support.

2.  For my team as we prepare for this summer and all of its challenges through the language, cultural differences and new environment.

3.  For safety as we fly to Quito, Ecuador. I will be flying from Minneapolis to Quito alone and then will be meeting my team in Quito.

4.  For the hospital staff and HCJB Global staff as they prepare for us this summer.

5.  For our team relationships and dynamic and the people that we will be building relationships while we are there. 

Job Description: What will I be doing?

My work assignment will be in Hospital Vozandes-Shell in the outpatient clinic, the emergency department and on the inpatient unit, assisting and observing the doctors with in- and out-patient care.

This will probably entail being present in outpatient appointments, participating in rounds on in-patients, observing and assisting as appropriate in the emergency room, possibly observing in surgery, and conversing with patients to assess physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and anything else that the staff feels you are capable of assisting with.

I will be working with national employees and missionary staff at the hospital. 

Hola!

Hi! My name is Riva and I am currently a junior at Northwestern College in St. Paul, MN. I am majoring in Biology and minoring in Spanish and Biblical Studies. I have always had a heart for missions. I have been to Kentucky twice, Mexico twice, India and South Carolina all for mission trips in the past, and I will now be going to Ecuador for another mission opportunity. I love to serve other people especially through caring for their spiritual and physical needs. Therefore, I am very excited to have the opportunity to go to Shell, Ecuador to serve this summer.

I am apart of a group of seven people, four girls and three guys, who will be going to Shell this summer to serve. Three of us girls, Raquel, Anna and I, will be working in Hospital Vozandes del Oriente. Three of the guys, David, Kevin and Mark, are interested in engineering and will be working on clean water projects in Shell. The final girl, Kathryn, will be working on business and community development. I am excited to be serving with my team this summer especially since our roles and job descriptions are so different.

This blog is for all of my family members and friends who are interested in hearing about my summer away from home in Shell, Ecuador as I participate in HCJB Global’s ENGAGE Summer Internship and work in Hospital Vozandes del Oriente. I am so excited to partner with you all and know that this summer will be a wonderful adventure.