R & R: Rucous and Reflection

Saturday morning I was up, of course, around 7am and couldn't fall back asleep thanks to the group of students congregating outside the cabin. I was pleased to not waste any time during our last few days in Ecuador, though. The shower was an interesting experience. It was electrically heated--as in the shower head was literally plugged into an outlet. Seems safe.

Breakfast was a tortilla dé huevos con queso. The team then gathered in one of the gazebos toward the edge of Finca for a bit of morning worship--the best way to start a day--and a devotional about our future lives in Christ. It's definitely helpful to focus our eyes on the Lord no matter where He leads us. A much needed quiet time followed during which I continued to reflect on the last five weeks we spent doing full-time ministry and look to a future that continues to be centered on Jesus.

For lunch, a few of us girls ordered banana splits due to the heat and...I mean...it's a banana split! They were, of course, delicious with their fresh bananas and banana sauce. The ice cream had a different texture--more icy than creamy. We spent a couple of hours swimming (handstand and breath-holding contests included). Before dinner we met as a team again to "share and celebrate" the last five weeks in Guayaquil. Each of us shared what the Lord taught us along with our favorite memories. Then we celebrated the 300+ people who heard the gospel and 84 who accepted Christ (keep in mind that many people we talked to had already accepted Christ)! We each wrote a brief statement of God's work in our lives on rocks. I learned a lot about faith--daily, in the Holy Spirit, in the plans for my life, and as bigger than my sin struggles. We followed God's instruction to the 12 tribes (Joshua 4) and built a monument to God's work behind our cabins. It was an awesome testament to God's power.

For dinner we enjoyed muchos jugo y menestra, arroz, y carne. That night we had our last bible study about the power for holiness.

After bible study, we discovered that the swan's tail is the grazing llama while star-gazing. Profound, I know. After some rounds of nertz accompanied by creepy animal noises, we called it a night.

Sunday I was up at 7am again but laid in bed for about an hour. Then I went for some scrambled eggs. Our morning session focused on re-entry into the states and methods to alleviate the difficulties we may experience. I'm continually getting more and more excited about ministry back home, so I'm really not expecting much trouble. My heart will always in in Ecuador, but it's clear that the Lord used it to prepare me for ministry in my daily life in the states. I'm ready to meet the challenges ahead.

Then we went on a trail ride!

On real horses!

I love horses immensely despite my allergy to them, so the 30 minute ride through a small pond and around the neighboring village was the highlight of my day--despite the awkward wooden saddles.

That afternoon was pretty chill. I swam some and did more quiet time atop a nearby hill. Everyday I'm thinking more and more about this upcoming year and ways that I can continue to grow closer in my relationship with the Lord. I also want to grow in the ability to challenge those around me--watch out bible study girls :)

The flights home was pretty uneventful. We left Finca in the morning and departed Guayaquil in the afternoon. We stopped shortly in Costa Rica and Guatamala before arriving back in Chicago around 2-3 in the morning on Tuesday. I was exhausted and ready to be home. I can't wait for the next few weeks at home spent reflecting more on all the things God taught me in Ecuador and looking forward to what He has prepared for me back at IU.

This was definitely the best summer of my life.

God be forever praised!

Ashley