February, March and April Update!!

Landed back in the UK! ...
I can hardly believe that I have now been back in England for seven weeks, where on earth has the time gone??!! Thank you to so many of you who have made it a precious time, these weeks really have been filled with hugs, laughter, deep conversations and a lot of catching up with the lives of close friends and family. If I haven’t managed to see you yet, I’m in the UK for a few years now, so there is plenty of time!

Spending time with Dave and my parents has been all I dreampt it to be and I am simply loving those times to the full.

A real highlight was meeting my twin nephews who have just turned one, and seeing my little niece as a grown up three year old!

I have had the privilege of sharing something of Ecuador and South America with local schools in the Altrincham area. These are schools who have supported the PEPE project heartily over the last two years, sending out many toys, practical materials and pictures for the children in Ecuador. Through whole school assemblies and classroom lessons the children in the UK have been able to learn about the lives of the Ecuadorian children that they have helped. They also had a lot of fun dressing up in some of the national costumes of the indigenous.

PEPE children with some of the toys sent by English school children

I have ‘official feedback’ time to the Altrincham Baptist Church (ABC) house groups on Thursday 22nd May at 8pm; ABC’s Children’s Church on Sunday 6th July during WOW week; and with the ABC church family a lunch and presentation on Sunday 6th July after the morning service. Please do come along if you live in the Altrincham area and are around on those dates.

Ending Well in Ecuador...

February really was the month of goodbyes. 'Despididas' (leaving parties) start in South America a long time before the person leaves! South Americans wear their heart on their sleeve and although it was an incredibly touching month, and very affirming, it was emotionally draining.

My 'Ecuadorian Mum,' her family and I had a special 'last day' together which was filled with treasured memories.

Seeing Lizzie Hamlin from BMS arrive and take up the reigns was encouraging. Please do pray for her as she makes her own mark on the PEPE work out there. She is an incredibly talented individual and was a great source of blessing to me in my last 6 weeks in Ecuador. Below is a photo of Angelica my PEPE Ecuadorian boss, Lizzie and myself.

My last visit to the jungle was excellent. My PEPE boss, Angelica was finally able to make the journey there; her last few attempts had been prevented due to major landslides on the road between the coast and jungle.

Angelica is a real 'city chic' and had the usual Ecuadorian aprehensions about going into the heart of the jungle. She overcame her fear of the insects; coped with long walks through the jungle on muddy paths, despite falling down several times; and found her heart being touched and affected by the beautiful dignity and simplicity of the indigenous. She told me how much richer she felt after the whole experience and how it had deepened her understanding of people in her own country. She was just brilliant in every way, rising to the occasion and finding herself preaching by candle light in different indigenous community services, and modelling teaching in the PEPE. Angelica was so encouraging to the teachers and her visit, as the National Co-ordinator of the project was a great motivation and affirmation to them.

Leaving churches that I had worked with in Quito and the surrounding areas was also hard, but knowing that Lizzie is there to continue working amongst them provides much encouragement. Some of these churches were just beginning to branch out in evangelism themselves and I certainly felt a pull within thinking that I had to leave at such an exciting time. Please join me in praying for them as the local people spearhead children's groups and work with the adults of communities.

Some of the local children visiting our church at a special welcome service

My own church in Quito enjoyed an English cream tea as a goodbye. My lovely English friend Amanda came out to Ecuador for my last two weeks and found herself baking over one hundred scones! THANK YOU Amanda!

English Cream Tea, Ecuadorian style.... they are such sweet tooths in Ecuador that the milky English cup of tea had tablespoons of sugar added to it before any of them would drink it!!!

Adapting Back…
Where I lived in Guayaquil and Quito was very western, so although the culture and language I was living in was different, there haven’t been too many ‘shocks’ for me readjusting back…. although I do miss the peace and beauty of the Ecuadorian jungle!

I have smiled at my reactions every now and again, such as being taken around the place where Dave and I will have our wedding reception and commenting with real surprise “Isn’t it amazing that all the staff here speak English!!” After struggling to learn Spanish I am now desperate to speak it!

Looking Ahead…

The future really does feel exciting. It is full of so many unknowns, but Dave and I are at peace with that and are delighting in seeing the blessings that God keeps bringing into our plans and decisions.

All Nations College… Dave has been studying at All Nations Christian College in Hertfordshire since September 2006 (along with several extended visits to Ecuador!) His course includes Bible analysis; the study of different cultures; development issues; Greek and Hebrew(!) It is also a very practical course and has certainly been stimulating for Dave and myself as we have grappled (over the phone!) with lots of ‘mission’ issues raised by his college conversations and studies.

I am now at All Nations College too, having joined Dave for his final term until the end of June 2008. I am studying a short course entitled ‘en-route,’ which is proving very interesting and full of challenge. It is also equipping me with a variety of creative resources that I will be able to use when leading training sessions abroad in the future.

In addition I have taken an extra course in ‘creative evangelism.’ My hope here is to explore different culturally relevant ways of sharing Christ. I found it a challenge coming from technologically advanced England, to being involved in evangelism in the indigenous jungle and mountain communities of Ecuador, where there is no modern technology at all! Hopefully this term’s course will birth greater creativity within me and provide me with tools to share Christ with a people group so different to my own, in a culturally relevant and fresh way.

Although Dave and I don’t have many lectures together there are numerous opportunities to work through our questions (and ask more!) about our future in mission work overseas. The 120 students at the college come from 23 different nations, so you can imagine how vibrant the environment is! I’m in my element!

The lecturers and many fellow students have a wealth of experience of living abroad in different cultures, raising families overseas, and working alongside national churches with all the challenges that brings. It truly is a privilege to be in such a place, especially together, and we are making the most of every opportunity to listen, to ask, to learn, to think and to pray about what God has in-store for us in our future.

I am so grateful to the church family at Altrincham Baptist for their interest and also financial support of my term at All Nations. The constant blessing of ABC continues to encourage Dave and myself, and we want to say a heartfelt thank you.

Getting married

Wedding plans are in full flow, but in a very chilled South American laid back way! We are enjoying sharing this special time leading up to the wedding with family and close friends; we get married on Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August 2008. Dave and I can’t contain the excitement we feel to actually share our future lives together. Having spent so much of our relationship in different continents, we are delighting in this time together now, and are enjoying the dreaming with God about our future.

Finding Jobs…

We know that we want to spend our first few years of marriage in our own culture and so are looking to return to secular employment in England for around three years. The plan is to earn the pennies and invest as much time as we can with one another; family; close friends and our churches. We are hoping to find work around the Birmingham area, a central location! Please pray that this is possible and that we are able to live within easy access of the important people and places in our lives for these few years in the UK before going overseas to settle longer term.

For those of you who pray…

Instead of putting a long list of prayer requests here, Dave and I would like to ask you to pray these verses of scripture from Colossians Chapter 1 verses 10-12 for us…

“Let God fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully give thanks to the Father.”

Also as mentioned earlier in the blog, if you could remember Lizzie Hamlin (BMS worker now in Quito with the PEPE project) and the local Ecuadorian churches as they are stepping out and putting evangelism into practice

A Thank You...

I am now able to thank many of you in person for the support you have been to me over these years away. The sense of people walking with me and journeying with me has been deeply felt. Thank you for the myriad of ways you have been a support.

I was known in Quito as 'the person with the most parcels'!! Just thought this photo of my chocolate supply would give you a giggle! Thank you for practical as well as prayerful support!

January Update: Jungle Fever!

During my 26 months in South America I have lived for longish stretches in large cities in both the coast and mountains, however it is very evident that my heart is in the Oriente (jungle) part of the continent.

In the month of January I have had the sheer pleasure and delight of finding myself in the oriente (jungle) part of Peru, then Brazil, then Ecuador!! It has been an extraordinary month in that respect and a huge privilege, for which I am very grateful to BMS.

Peruvian Jungle - Iquitos

As Dave and I loosly explore options for working abroad in the future, BMS sent me for a week to Iquitos in Peru to look at possible work opportunities. Whilst I was on a fact finding (and soul searching) trip I also gave two days training, one to over 30 PEPE teachers, and another to over 40 Sunday School teachers.

Whilst it was fantastic to be able to go and see, it was also really hard to consider things for the two of us in the future when only my eyes were seeing everything. Dave, ever the positive, reminded me that at least we had the opportunity for one of us to see it all, most couples going to their new places of work don't get that privilege beforehand.

I know I was hit by a huge bout of culture shock... strangely more so than I have ever experienced here in Ecuador! The noise of Iquitos was like a complete onslaught on my senses and really shocked me. I decided it was noisier than Mumbai in India where I had spent some time previously!! There were motor taxis throughout the city and the noise of their whirring engines and beeping horns was a constant 24 hours long and it seemed that there were few places in the city to escape this noise, only the posh jungle lodges for the tourists on the outskirts were in tranquil surroundings.

Iquitos is a city of around 400,000 people but found in the middle of the Peruvian jungle with no road access and so everything has to be shipped or flown into the city. This obviously pushes prices up tremendously and what wouldn't necessarily be considered a luxury in mainland Peru seemed to be treated as a luxury here. For example the pastor I worked with during my days there informed me that he had noted that some previous western missionaries in Iquitos had luxury items in their homes such as fridges. No one has a car in Iquitos, everyone travels around on moped or in the motortaxis. Seeing everything with eyes of a possible future home (with the hope of raising a young family abroad) I afresh realised how much I am someone who needs my basic 'luxuries'.

It felt like a journey of self-discovery in so many ways. Over these two years Dave and I have both joked and seriously chatted about how we would find living and working in the Ecuadorian oriente areas in places like Tena. That is working from a town with shops, but no supermarket; a basic hospital and basic schools, but nothing at all on western standards; entertainment of swimming in the river and visiting friends, but no cinema or western distractions. Dave is a lot more laid back about these things than I am(!) and it has been a spiritual exercise for me over these years to work out where I personally, and us as a couple, can consider a future life. (We are also so aware that until we actually get married it is all very hypothetical and that there are many surprises in store for us in learning to live together that we won't even have considered so far! However it has felt wise to reflect and work through a lot of these questions in these years while we have had the south american link, and also several wise and experienced people around us to question and learn from.)

We are now in a place of peace to openly consider living in a place like Tena. However the thought of settling in Iquitos (with its cinema!) still felt shocking to me! In reflection we realised that in Ecuador, living anywhere in the oriente region, there is easy road access to the major cities; in Iquitos it was a 200 US dollar return flight per person (or a 4 to 5 day boat trip!!) to reach a major city. So 'escape' weekends away, which Dave and I have learnt are so important to us both, would be impossible regularly in Peru, yet are possible in Ecuador. Learning so much about the basic needs we each have in order to live peacefully in our souls has been a fascinating journey!!!

As far as work opportunities are concerned, Iquitos offers so much for both of us. They say it is the third largest city in South America for the sexual exploitation of children, and the opportunities to work with the local churches in this area are immense.

Discipleship work within the indigenous communities is in need of much input and encouragement.

And work within the poor communities in the city is vast. Dave and I would certainly not have a shortage of finding churches to work alongside.

All food for thought! Praise God for internet, even though Dave wasn't there with me, we have managed to chat through everything at length over skype, and I have also been able to chat with BMS in detail, which I found so helpful and releasing!!!

For those of you who pray:
Thanks for the opportunity to visit Iquitos and to consider future placements

For the people working and living there, with all the challenges they face

For Dave and I as we consider (very happily and without pressure) our future lives abroad over these next few years whilst we are based in the UK

Thanks for the wisdom of so many people here in South America and the UK who are investing in Dave and I as we consider our future

Brazilian Jungle - Manaus
Every year BMS workers are treated to a week of retreat. This year all the South American workers met in Manaus in Brazil (another place deep in the jungle, only possible to enter by boat or plane!!) Having arrived in January 2006 I have been fortunate to be on three BMS retreats! This one was by far the best for me and I left feeling so rested, revived in my spirit and that I had connected deeply with several of my colleagues. It felt life-giving in so many ways.

We stayed in a beautiful jungle lodge and for me, just being in God's creation is one of the most helpful ways of calming my soul and reconnecting spiritually again.

We even had a day trip out to see the famous 'meeting of the waters' which is quite remarkable! The two differently coloured rivers, the 'white' Solimoes River and 'black' Rio Negro run side by side for several kilometres before merging and forming the Amazon.

I also saw Macaws flying free in the Brazilian jungle, something I have never seen before! I can't tell you the excitement I felt when I saw them!!

For those of you who pray:

Thanks for such a life giving retreat time, especially deep conversations and laughter!

For my BMS colleagues working in Brazil, Peru, Paraguay, Ecuador and those on home assignment in the UK

Ecuadorian Jungle - Sacha, Tena and Puyo

This month I have been joined by Lizzie Hamlin who is taking over my role here with the PEPEs. She is a great person and we are getting on brilliantly. She comes out here with a very good level of spanish which will be such a help to her as she gets stuck into the work. She needs to visit the four Oriente PEPEs and we started this last week in Sacha, and next week she will travel with me to Tena and Puyo which includes staying overnight in the communities.

For those of you who pray:

For Lizzie as she continues to settle, get to grips with a new culutre and type of work, and that she makes good mutual friendships quickly

For myself as I say goodbye to people here and work situations that I have learnt to love deeply, that I end well

December Update: Personal Fun over December!

Well Happy Christmas to you all and a huge thank you for phone calls, cards, parcels and emails!

Quito's Festivities Here in Quito the week of December 6th certainly takes precedence over the celebrations for Christmas! They celebrate the founding of their city, and the whole place erupts in parties and festivities. Chivas (see photo below) drive throughout the city, full of people drinking continually, a band travels in the 'cage' section on top and the streets are full of the music and singing of the chivas!

There are concerts in the plazas, endless parades and Ecuadorian and Quitonean flags strung up from every house! This is also the season for the bull fights, which (I soon discovered) is hugely popular. I preferred to watch the school presentation of bull fighting though!!! I went with friends from church to see their kiddies perform... it was hilarious!

The heros of many of the children here are the bull fighters! Those from Spain always win the big competition though leaving the Ecuadorian competetors knocked out in the early stages!

Christingle at my Local Church I was asked to bring a little European Christmas celebration to my local Quito church this year, and the making of a christingle in family groups became a part of our Christmas carol service. It was great to think that children at Altrincham Baptist would be doing this same activity this Christmas too.

Christmas Dinner in Ecuador This year I enjoyed my turkey with a lovely family from my local church. In Ecuador we celebrate on the evening of the 24th December. This year was a simple affair: turkey, rice and salad with tinned fruit cocktail for dessert, served with so much love. My christmas crackers were a huge hit, Ecuadorians never having seen those before!

I did have to giggle as the daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren of the family were expected for Christmas dinner, but didn't turn up until the end of the meal as they had chosen, on the evening, to eat with the in-laws(!) When you think about the plans we make in England about who will eat where I couldn't help but smile at the difference in cultures! We also shared the meal with Alberto who works at the back of our houses, and with his elderly mother.

English Christmas Day I remember last year, the 25th being such a let down, so this year I decided to throw an English Christmas party for neighbours and friends from my local church. There were over 50 people in my house for the party!!!!

I realised as well that this was a sub-conscious way of keeping the homesickness away! I was so busy cooking beforehand there was little time to miss home. Also every year preparing a big Christmas buffet for friends and family is something Mum and I have delighted in doing together. This year she did hers in the UK and I did mine in Ecuador!

Friends from church helped me get the food ready. I prepared a cold buffet with many English Christmas desserts. Mikaela (above) is a Quichua lady at church. She has umpteen children and grandchildren (to be honest I loose track of who is her child and who is her grandchild). Due to lack of money this Christmas, for Mikaela and for so many other families from my local church, was without presents, without any special food, and without festivities of any kind. I watched Mikaela throughout the party and she and her family were loving every minute of it.

We did silly games and then, after food, the place erupted in Andean dancing!!! One of the people from church had brought his guitar and they all started dancing their traditional mountain dances. I can't relay to you the sound of the shout/ sqwark that comes in Andean dancing(!) but it is certainly distinct!

I was exhausted in the end, but went to bed with my ears ringing with Andean music alongside King's College Cambridge Carols!

December Update: Rewind of Work this Month

This month has certainly been full-on as far as work is concerned. I spent just under two weeks in the Oriente (jungle region) in the lead up to Christmas, going from one training event to another. I did get to the stage of admitting I had tried to pack far too much into the time! When will I ever learn?

Spending the lead up to Christmas in indigenous communities, and even in Tena and Puyo, largish towns in the Oriente, I have been kept well away from the commercialism of Christmas. This has been refreshing in many ways.... but I have also missed the tinsel and the tacky Christmas music!!! Terrible to admit I know! I arrived back in Quito on 19th December and soon took myself off to one of the big shopping centres to have the 'tinsel fix'. I joke, but the truth is that the simplicity of Christmas in the Oriente does focus you on the real reason for the celebration, which has been life giving, and now having had my western materialistic tinsel fix in Quito, I feel totally fulfilled!

This is Tena's Christmas shop, the only sign in the whole town of commercial Christmas!

Sunday School Leaders Training My work in the Oriente this time started with delivering a day's training for Sunday school teachers from Tena and the surrounding areas. We had 45 people attending, and the enthusiasm and participation of those who came was brilliant. I do find these days so life-giving and inspiring and I know that I learnt a lot from the people as they shared from their own experiences. It is just such a privilege to be with people who share the same heart and calling for children's ministry.

New PEPE in a Shuar Community I then found myself travelling seven hours to three different Shuar communities. We are going to open a new PEPE in one of them in February. Most of my community work has been in Quichua communities, and on the face of it Quichua and Shuar communities look very similar. But as I listened to the pastor with whom I was with, I began to see that these two people groups are radically different.

The houses of the Shuar are identical to those of the Quichua, but whereas the Quichua are very submissive and timid, the Shuar are assertive and forthright. Below are photos of Shuar children beaming at the camera, in Quichua communities it is impossible to see such boldness in the children.

The community where the new PEPE will be is called Shuaongami in Shuar; Valle Hermoso in Spanish; Beautiful Valley in English. I am very used now to having my spanish translated into Quichua, but this was the first time I experienced it being translated into Shuar! Their language has a totally different tonal sound.

This is the building that will become the PEPE classroom in February. The community is a forty five minute walk from Chay, another Shuar community. Therefore PEPE children from Chay will walk the forty five minutes each day (and then repeat the journey at the end of their class) to return home. The communities are overjoyed at the opportunity for their children to study in pre-school as there is nothing provided for children by the government in these communities until the children are six years old.

This was a very surreal moment for me; I have been offered many gifts out here, but as we were leaving the first Shuar community the visiting pastor, his wife and myself, were each presented with a baby parrot!!! Thankfully the pastor was able to make excuses for me, explaining that I would never get it past the check points on the bus back to Quito!!! Mind you, having travelled many hours with the pastor's parrot on my knee, arm, head, leg etc etc, I got quite attached to it, until he decided to go to the toilet all over me, then I changed my affection rather rapidly!

As usual, the food in communities is provided in abundance for guests. The community where we ate lunch is at the meeting point of two rivers, so we were served several different types of fish with the customary banana. I managed to down my 'welcome drink' of chicha (tastes like cat's wee and sour milk!) only to nearly let out a groan as we were given more chicha for our drink at lunchtime!!! The pastor, with a little friendly bribery(!) was willing to swap his empty mug for my full one without our hosts noticing!!

Some of the children from a Shuar community travelling to visit their friends in another community.

I am so aware that this was my first visit to a Shuar community, but to my untrained eye, the Shuar seemed much better provided for from the land than the Quichua. The land of the Shuar communities was rich and fertile, with an abundance of fruit, that I have never seen in a Quichua community. Here the horses are carrying wood which is the main source of income for these communities.

PEPE Training for the Oriente Teachers... and for the Government Teachers aswell!!! We have felt the work of PEPE to be very hard in the Oriente region due to the government preschool project called FODI which is widespread in the indigenous communities. Several of our PEPEs have had to close down in places where there is a government preschool and the influence and mission that the local church could have had through the PEPE, is not able to be realised.

Me explaining the value of free-play for children to both PEPE and government FODI teachers

However, and this is really exciting when we consider the potential of this link, the FODI government coordinator asked if she could bring some of her workers to our two day training event for PEPE teachers!! Fourteen of the FODI teachers came, and alongside our PEPE teachers, we learnt a lot from one another and there was a great atmosphere of camaraderie.

I felt that there was rather a lot of spiritual input for the FODI teachers at first, and several appeared to be resentful of this side of the training days. However on the last day we had a devotional time, and it was such a 'God moment,' as we saw the FODI teachers begin to share some deep vulnerabilities and were open to being prayed for.

Some of our Oriente PEPE teachers with their puppets made during a session on the two day training. Another great benefit of joining up was that the FODI government project paid for all art materials for our puppet making workshop! Hurrah! They enjoyed the training so much that they have requested to join the PEPE teachers for future training sessions.

Another surreal moment was late one evening when we sat in the camp, which is on the edge of the jungle, listening to my Christmas carols CD from King's College Cambridge, whilst playing the games donated by Cloverlea Primary School to the PEPE toy libraries!!! The teachers ended up fighting (with Christian love of course!) over the games when they were to swap their toy library items!! There are certain games that are very popular!! Huge thank yous again to Cloverlea Primary School! I think the teachers enjoyed playing the games as much as the children do!

Training Sunday School Teachers in the Puyo Region I then travelled three hours up the road to take another day's training session for Sunday School and Children's Club leaders in the Puyo region. Unfortunately I couldn't repeat any of the material used the week before as the pastors had specified what topics they wanted covering!!

Some of the participants on the day, we had 35 in total. I was particularly encouraged to see so many young teenagers involved in leading the children's clubs and Sunday school classes in these churches. Again the day was full of practical examples and much laughter. The hope is that the participants can return armed with ideas that they can implement immediately.


Ordination of Oriente Pastors I had the privilege of seeing the ordination of four pastors in a very special service. Personally I have been able to get to know each of these pastors over my two years here, and I have deep respect for them, I actually felt quite emotional as I watched them receive the laying on of hands and the act of ordination itself.

Oriente PEPE Christmas Celebration As I wrote in my last blog entry, we were bringing 30 people from the indigenous community of Huachiyacu Chico (5 and a half hours away from the nearest town) to join with children and parents of the Tena PEPE and the local Tena church, in a Christmas programme. We were expecting around 200 people, yet there was closer to 300 present in the service! This meant the traditional giving of a bag of sweets to every child had to be postponed for quite a while as church members had a quick whip round and ran to the nearest shop to buy more bags of sweets!!!

The children from the Tena PEPE were fantastic in presenting the Christmas story as a drama.

The children from Huachiyacu Chico Community PEPE stole the show with their traditional costumes made of leaves!! Their parents had held a 'minga' (a community work day), in order to make the costumes, they were certainly something else!!!

There are 12 children in this PEPE, most of them had never been out of their community, had never seen cars, never slept on a matress etc. It was also their first time in a big building in front of so many people, and bless them, they sang their little hearts out, in both Quichua and in Spanish. I was so utterly proud of them!

Quito's PEPE Pamper Day! I returned from the Oriente for the last two days of classes in Quito. The church where we have a PEPE in Quito has had a very difficult term, full of challenges both within the church and within the PEPE. For example two separate PEPE families have found themselves turned out of their homes onto the streets, and parents being sent to prison, are just a few of the challenges our young teachers at this PEPE have been dealing with in their first term of opening the PEPE.

The final day of term was planned to be a 'pamper day' for the children.... they each were given a shower; a haircut; we cleaned their ears (boy was that disgusting!) and cut and cleaned their toenails (worse than the ears!!!) We emphasised the whole time how important it is to clean oneself well!!

The church has been fundraising eversince the beginning of September and they had enough money to give each child a school uniform as a Christmas present. So after their shower they were able to put on their new clothes! A warm tracksuit for the cold Quito afternoons!

Members of the church came to help shower and clean the PEPE children! Child protection laws are very different here in Ecaudor!

After all the pampering there was a huge feast. The eyes of the children were nearly popping out of their heads with delight and excitement! For me the joy came in seeing how fulfilled the church members were as they cared for and made the children to feel special.

For those of you who pray....

Thank God for the opportunities within December to train Sunday School teachers and Children's Club leaders, that they would feel better equipped in their ministries this coming year

Praise for the new relationship forming in the Oriente between PEPE and FODI (the government preschool project) that God would do great things through this link, giving wisdom to those who can develop it in the future

Give thanks for the celebration of Christ's birth in PEPEs around Ecuador

Pray that the children of Quito's PEPE feel extra special and that the memories and words of affirmation spoken over them in their pamper day remain with them forever

November Update: Looking Ahead...
So many of you are asking Dave and I what our future plans are, so I thought I'd focus this month's blog looking ahead; sharing plans for both the near-term (Ecuador) and long-term (Dave and I) future.

Oh how I love to daydream and plan, so this will be a pure delight to write!!!

In three months time...

Dave and I have promised ourselves that we won't think too much about me coming back to the UK until we are past Christmas. Mainly our desire is not miss all the opportunities life is presenting us with in the meantime, we are so certain not to 'wish that all away' by pining for February. However, needless to say we are very much sensing the excitement rising to be together again... and 'for good' this time!

I am so pleased that Lizzie Hamlin is coming out with BMS to take over my role of supporting the Ecuadorian National PEPE co-ordinator. Lizzie comes out in January and we have just under two months to work together before I leave. It is fantastic to know that the work will continue to develop and flourish over the next few years with Lizzie. Please do pray for her as she is currently preparing at IMC, BMS's mission training centre in Birmingham. Please pray for her over Christmas as she tries to fit in all her goodbyes and final preparations; it is no small task!

Photo of Lizzie to come!

I am due to arrive in the UK on the 29th February (so am sure I will be seeing many of you in March!) I plan to take the first few weeks to see friends and family (including my twin nephews whom I haven't met yet!) Then I will start at All Nations Christian College (where Dave is currently doing a two year course). I will join him in studies for his final term... boy have these two years brought up so many questions for the two of us about life abroad, and we are just so grateful for the opportunity to actually take some time to work through our questions and to learn from others who have much more experience than ourselves.

All Nations College - taken from their website, therefore some random students sitting in the foreground!

After that.... well we haven't a clue! We feel it's right to work in the UK for several years before following our passion and desire to work overseas longerterm. Where we will live UKwise is really unknown as yet and will totally depend on where we can find jobs (I am praying up north!!) I will return to primary school teaching and Dave to some sort of computer work. Our heart is to spend time growing together in our own culture, and also investing precious time with family and friends over these years, before moving abroad.

So there you have it.... all your questions about our future answered!! (If only it was that simple!) If there is anything I have learnt in recent years, it is not to be surprised when the best made plans change!! So we are expectant of changes in the course of time!!!!

The Near-term Future

But all that is months ahead and there really is so much to fit in here in Ecuador (and for Dave in the UK) between now and February. It really is non-stop until the end of February, but that is exciting and feels purposeful and a huge privilege.

Here are just a few of the highlights and events coming up that I would appreciate your prayers for...

Training of Sunday School Teachers

I have frequently now been involved in helping run training sessions for Sunday School teachers in the sierra and oriente regions. In December I have two more of these days, one in Tena and one in Puyo. Please pray that I make enough time to plan the days well, and that they are really worthwhile for those attending. Ecuadorian Sunday School structures can be set in stone, please pray for an excitement to try new things amongst the teachers and for them to develop a sense of pastoral responsability towards the children in their care.


Christmas for the Oriente PEPE children

Excitement is building at a mighty rate for the first Oriente PEPE Christmas Celebration on Sunday 16th December. We are bringing children from one of the indigenous communities, and their parents, five and a half hours to the nearest town in order to join with children and parents from another PEPE and the local Tena church. They are expecting at least two hundred people to be there!

I had to laugh when I last visited the PEPE in the indigenous community, I arrived with sheets of card suggesting that the parents make Christmas hats for the children to wear as they performed their songs infront of everyone. I was duly informed that at a recent parents' meeting they had voted to send the children in their traditional indigenous dress of leaves and seed skirts!!! Photos promised in January!! As I mentioned in my last blog entry, it will be the first time many of these children will have been to the town, their first time on a bus and their first time in a big church. We hope to treat them to ice cream and other small delights.

Quichua boy dressed in his traditional indigenous dress, our indigenous PEPE children will be wearing similar dress during their Christmas presentation

PEPE teachers have proved very creative and have even composed their own Christmas songs for the children to perform! Please pray it is a special memory in the lives of both children and parents and a significant time for all.

Indigenous Pastor's Visit to Quito

I have received hospitality many times in various indigenous communities over my two years. This last time in Huachiyacu Chico the pastor, who is also our PEPE teacher, mentioned his desire to come and see the capital city. I have therefore been able to invite him and his wife (and any of their 9 children!!!) to come and stay at my house in Quito for a few days in the New Year. This feels such a privilege to me, I also can't wait to offer them English cooking as opposed to the chicha, banana soup and yucca that they normally serve me with!!! Please pray that it is a life-giving holiday for Pastor Ricardo and his family.

Christmas Day in Ecuador

Christmas is celebrated here on the evening of 24th December, I am so fortunate to be able to spend it with a lovely family from my local church. I am armed with English Christmas crackers and a tiny Christmas pudding (items seriously lacking last year!)

The family from my church with whom I will celebrate Christmas this year

I remember the 25th December being a none event last year, Ecuadorians just 'recover' from the night before! So wanting a little UK Christmas cheer on the big day, I am hosting an 'English open house' for my local church and for some neighbours who have become good friends. It is bound to be mad, but the aim is to provide some typical English Christmas food - such as (rum) truffles; (sherry) trifle and mulled (wine) - all obviously alcohol free for the non-drinking Evangelical Christians out here!!! And to do a games night, adults and children included. Please pray that it is a time of fun and companionship (and that I don't get stressed about cooking for so many!!! Blow the turkey, I'm going to tell them we always have a cold buffet in the evenings in England!!!)

Iquitos, Peru

As Dave and I open ourselves up to options of work and mission organisations for the future, we find ourselves very loosely exploring possibilities with BMS of work in Iquitos in Peru. Iquitos is in the jungle of Peru (only accessible by plane or boat, but is a huge tourist centre and big enough to have a school and a hospital!) There is the opportunity for me to go to Iquitos in January to do several day's training with PEPE teachers and Sunday school teachers, but also with the hope to see the area with my own eyes. (Dave has also been before... but it was in a posh hotel!!!) Thank God for the opportunity to make this trip and please do pray that it helps us as we come to make decisions in the future.

I better stop here!

There is so much more to share with you all of things happening in these next three months in South America, but I feel I better stop there! This month I have highlighted prayer requests as I have chatted about each situation. As always, thank you for your prayers. I have learnt this month more than any, the sheer power of prayer support from home. Prayer is vital, I confess I don't understand the mystery of it, but I have been convinced more than ever of it's power over these last few weeks especially. Please be encouraged that your prayers make a significant difference out here, a hearfelt thank you.

October Update:

The Kiddies Stories...

I didn't do a blog entry last month as I know my latest 'official' BMS prayer letter reached you during September and I didn't want to overload you with news!!!

This month I would like to share a few of the stories of the children from various PEPEs in Ecuador. As I advertise the PEPE project around churches here in the Quito region it is obvious how the personal stories of the children give the strongest inspiration to pastors and church members when they are considering adopting the project.

I am so used to UK internet confidentiality where children are concerned. Therefore where appropriate I have changed the names of the children or posted group photographs so that it isnt clear which child I am referring to.

Natali

This is Natali, she has just started attending a PEPE pre-school this September. Parents of children who receive my 'Children's Prayer Letter' written by Billy Bear will know all about Natali already as Billy Bear introduced his new friend to the English children last month.

Natali has gained so much confidence in her first two months in PEPE. She has only two fingers on each hand and also has problems with her feet and legs. I remember Natali's first few weeks in PEPE, she refused to try to use her hands to hold a crayon, or to use the playdough, and she would often sit at the side when the other children were running around during playtime. Now however, mainly due to the positive encouragement given to her by her Ecuadorian teachers, she participates fully in all classroom activities and runs as fast as any of the other children! Her confidence and hopefully self image are changing, as she has realised she can try and achieve the same things as her classmates.

Ariel

Ariel is one of the boys in the picture above. His story is sadly not uncommon in the lives of children here in South America. His mother left him as an eight month old baby in the care of a neighbour. Ariel is now five years old and his mother has never returned to collect him from the neighbour. They think she is living in Spain, where so many Ecuadorians go to find work. Ariel's behaviour is very challenging for the PEPE teachers, he is constantly running out of the classroom, jumping off tables and has hit the teachers several times. They are doing a superb job of constantly responding with firmness and love. The church is looking into ways that it can work alongside the parents, or those responsible for the children, to learn and apply new parenting skills. This is a slow process and needs much wisdom and your prayers for it to be effective.

Ricardo

Most children in PEPE are 4 or 5 years old, Ricardo however is 7 years old. He has never been given the chance to go to school before because although primary education in Ecuador is 'free' parents still have to pay a matriculation at the start of the academic year, buy a uniform and buy all the books, pencils, crayons etc that the schools require. This often means that when there is little money in a family, eduaction is seen as a luxury and isn't possible for all children. Ricardo is learning how to read and write for the first time in his PEPE class alongside his 4 and 5 year old classmates. He has a very gentle and loving personality and again, with the positive encouragement of his Ecuadorian teachers, he is making progress and rapidly gaining self confidence.

Jostin

Jostin lives in the middle of the Ecuadorian jungle. Until recently one could only access his community and home by travelling on bus, in canoe and then walking on foot through the jungle. Now the government has extended the road and the canoe ride can be omitted, this means that leaving the community is much cheaper and much more possible for Jostin and his family. It now only takes two hours walking through the jungle on foot and then three and a half hours in bus, to reach the nearest town.

Jostin has eight brothers and sisters. His diet is mainly a root vegetable called yucca, he drinks this in the form of 'chicha' at every meal and also eats the vegatable as a staple, like we in the UK would eat potatoes. Many of Jostin's friends have large stomachs, sure signs of malnourishment and an unbalancd diet. His parents are learning how to breed chickens and through this social action project Jostin occassionally gets to eat chicken and eggs, although the majority of the poultry are sold and the money spent to clothe the nine children.

We are currently planning a big Christmas Festival for Jostin's indigenous community PEPE and the town PEPE in Tena. This will provide the opportunity for all the children in Jostin's PEPE to make the journey from their jungle community into the town with one of their parents. For most of these children this will be their first time in a town. We hope to provide them with many experiences such as eating in a restaurant; having ice cream; and riding in a bus.

Melina

Melina lives with her mum and numerous brothers, sisters and cousins in a one room house in the city. Her mother works from 8am until 6pm in the local market and so much of Melina's day is spent alone in the house. When her brothers, sisters and cousins are at school, Melina passes the day on her own, she is five years old, in the house or in the street. Now that she attends the local PEPE she has somewhere to go where she is given attention and encouraged to learn.

A big part of the PEPE programme is visiting the homes of the children. In this PEPE visits are frequently made by the pastor, the teachers, and a doctor all from the local church. None of these people have ever met Melina's mother on their visits, they have only ever found Melina home alone or with older brothers, sisters and cousins. This is not unusual for children here in South America, the single mothers need to work to provide money for food and clothing for their children.

Jesica

Jesica was a child in PEPE last academic year. I remember visiting her PEPE and saw in her a child with so much anger inside. She was fighting with all the other children; shouting and screaming in the classroom during lessons; when removed she threw stones directly at the pastor's face. She had no boundaries or limits. However due to the constant affirmation and firmness of her PEPE teacher, Jesica began to learn how boundaries work. Her teacher would hug her and hold her close instead of the usual shouting that Jesica was used to (UK no-touching policies are not used here in Ecuador!) Throughout the year we saw changes in Jesica, and at the end of the year I could hardly believe she was the same child. She is now studying at the local primary school and is considered to be a 'good pupil'. The change in Jesica is all credit to her PEPE teacher's love and constant care.

Miguel

Not the most flattering photo of myself, but it is the only one I have of Miguel!! He has been attending PEPE for two months now. Like many timid children of this age, Miguel hardly speaks. In his PEPE there are twenty seven lively children many with very challenging behaviour. But his teacher has managed to find the time to encourage Miguel to build his confidence and he has just begun to talk. He had lost his toothbrush the day I was in his PEPE and his description to me of where he thought it was, was, according to his teacher, the most he had ever spoken in the PEPE!

For those of you who pray....

Thank God for the changed lives of these children recorded here in this blog entry, and for so many others, as a result of their time in their PEPE pre-school

Praise God for the PEPE teachers. They work day in day out, often facing challenging behavioural issues and trying to meet the needs of all the children in their classes. Pray for wisdom for the teachers, and encouragement in their work

For new churches considering adopting the project for the next academic year, that they would hear from God if it is right for them or not to be involved in this mission and socail project.

August Update Part One: Youth Team Antics

Seven teenagers and two leaders from my home church, Altrincham Baptist, have spent nearly three weeks here in Ecuador. They came with the usual energy and vibrancy that is associated with young people(!) and have brought many smiles to the children and congregations of churches here in Quito and and the jungle

Personally, to see after a year and a half some of the young people who had been children's leaders (and even children!) when I worked at Altrincham Baptist was a delight. They threw themselves into life here, thrived in meeting different people and experiencing a foreign culture.

I have realised what an encouragement it was to me to have such significant contact with my sending and supporting church. I have so enjoyed catching up on all the news of back home and also experiencing again things like open prayer (just not done here!) and being able to talk openly about the works of the Holy Spirit (another big 'no no' here!) Not to mention just being able to speak English to other people as my life here in Quito is entirely made up of Ecuadorian friends and English conversations are only ever over skype (phoning on the computer!)

The team also brought out endless bags of PEPE toys and books so that we can start the three toy libraries for the PEPE teachers, one in each of the main geographical regions. These items have been donated by children at Cloverlea Primary School and Altrincham Baptist Church. Big thank yous to everyone who has contributed, it was like having Christmas in August... and my boss's face when she saw everything was fantastic! Thank you for showing how much you care!

Wedding News

Also a personal thank you for the mountain of engagement cards that came from Altrincham Baptist folk! Dave and I have certainly been made to feel so special through this and I now have strings and strings of cards around my house bringing a constant smile to my face!

Just to let people know, we have got a date for our wedding, Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August 2008. How we actually managed to book a venue across the miles, whilst trekking a team of teenagers around Ecuador I will never know! Needless to say Dave and parents have been amazing!

Children's Clubs

The youth team came with a two to three day children's club ready to roll. Craft items galore were brought, glitter and anything shiny being very popular with the Ecuadorian children! They had time in four different churches in the Quito area and then went to stay in an indigenous jungle community for the last part of their time here.

Three members of the team spoke some spanish and to see them engaging in conversations with the local Ecuadorians and leading the children's clubs was fantastic. We were also hugely helped by the presence of a BMS team of three young people who were with us for a few days. They brought so much enthusiasm to the ABC youth and really encouraged them with their language. In each church the pastors or several church members were actively involved in the children's clubs. Again this helped build a sense of fun and working between two cultures.

Creating Memories

I saw how staying in the churches and local communities overnight, sleeping on the church floor, really gave an opportunity for fellowship to take place between the Brits and the Ecuadorians. Language barriers were overcome as mutual games, gymnastics(!), meals (including Andy's famous soup!), and music were shared together.

One unforgettable evening was when one church hired a local bus to transport everyone (the youth team and the entire church) around Quito to see the historic city lit up at night. The atmosphere was somewhat hyper on the bus as singing took place the entire journey. But I realised that this evening was probably one of the highlights of that church community's year. Giving special memories like this to both adults and children is something that short term mission is key in achieving.

The team shared (endured!) several typical Ecuadorian dishes with the rule of having to eat everything out of politeness! This involved one member who is a vegetarian eating meat for the first time in years! Although I was quite disappointed that they didn't have to drink the famous chicha drink in the jungle (it tastes like cat's wee and sour milk!) I think Pastor Jorge asked for them to be excused from this community ritual!

Invitations came flying in for the team... to pastor's houses; jungle shacks and also to a typical Ecuadorian Baby shower(!) The two males on the team had a great time getting stuck into all the girlie games (quite worrying really!) The team were also asked to pray over the mother-to-be, and this for the family was a very special moment. The previously born child had died and so to ask for God's blessing and protection on this child was very poignant. A note to the team, I went to visit Baby and Mum yesterday, Jostin Joel is his name, and he is doing really well (and is very cute!)

Alongside a children's club the team visited many church families and prayed in their homes, bringing the typical Ecuadorian gift of a canasta, a basket full of food items. As I have returned to these churches, families are coming up to me all the time thanking me for the love the team shared with them and the encouragement their prayers were.

In the jungle community the team were involved in helping build a toilet block and get a water pipe fixed. We were somewhat put to shame by the strength and stamina of indigenous children and women in comparison to us from the west! But through laughter and camaraderie everything was completed. Along with the discovery of a few poisonous spiders! The youth team slogged at digging a trench (see impressive photo below). You have to realise how hot it was to appreciate what a great effort this was!! Much of the money donated was used to build this, so many thanks to all who contributed.

Having a wash in the river with all the children

Washing the pots in the river

Travel
Various forms of transport were enjoyed including arriving at the jungle community in canoe and leaving in a rather hilariously full camionetta!

Challenges

The three weeks wasn't without it's challenges, for everyone involved! This ranged from lost luggage, to international phones not working, bank accounts being frozen, endless trips to the hospital, possile road blocks in the jungle and monkeys breaking into rooms... but all in all everyone rose to the challenges and they have certainly blessed the Ecuadorian people through their time.

Changes

At the end, the team enjoyed a few days in a jungle lodge, relaxing in the swimming pool! This was also a time to reflect together on their time. To hear the things God had been challenging them about personally was so encouraging. Please do pray that they stay open to all that God has been showing them.

Encouragements

Ecuadorians love 'flowery language' and the whole thanking and over thanking people for their kindness is just part of culture here. However, privately and with no pretence one member of a congregation whispered in my ear, "This team is not like others we have had before, they are really humble and want to serve us and be friends with us." That for me was such a genuine comment and showed how appreciated this team was by the Ecuadorians.

For those of you who pray:

Thank God for Andy, Susan, Alex, Naomi, Jess, Jess, Emma, Jade and Ellie for their willingness to come to another country and to serve it's people

Pray for each of them that the things God has started to show them won't be forgotten and that they will continue to strive to know more of what God has for them

Thanks for every child's smile; every adult encouraged; and for the toilet block. Lasting reminders of the effect these youth had on people here

Thanks for my supporting and sending church, Altrincham Baptist, for the encouragement it has constantly given me during my time in Ecuador