Communities Coming Together

Nine days, 19 students, 3 leaders, 2 ministry sites, and 1 overflowing heart later, our first team has come and gone. I’ve been in Ecuador for a full month and still can’t believe this is my job. I am in awe of witnessing people from different countries come together to serve the same God. Partnering with our U.S. team to serve in the community has been the highlight of my time here. It is so beautiful to watch young people grow in their love for the Lord and learn to better serve the people around them. I was able to witness our team’s growth through the challenges they chose to take (through work projects and language), as well as through the daily debriefs where they had the opportunity to share the lessons they learned that day. There are still so many things that I'm learning myself, and the joy of learning those things is enhanced when I get to walk alongside others.

Through our summer, we have 4 “blocks.” For each block, we receive a new team and serve different areas of the community. This month's team was so fun and sweet, and we feel blessed that we started off our summer with them. During their block, we partnered with a community in the jungle known as Shandia. The team worked hard to finish a building for guests to stay in the jungle, as well as hosted VBS and youth group for the kids in the community. The team and community did a great job working together and getting to know one another. To get a better idea of what we did, see the pictures below.

Our team hosted VBS (Vaction Bible School) for the kids in the community.

Both sides had too much fun. ;)

Work project for the week: Finishing up a building and walkway for guests to stay when they visit the jungle.

The high schoolers did a great job painting every corner of the building-- with smiles on their faces the whole time.

We worked side-by-side with the community members to help finish the project.

They even shared their delicious cacao fruit with us! (P.S. This has become my new favorite fruit).

Women from the Shandia community were so kind and giving.

...and some were covered in paint from all of their hard work.

We had great leaders from our U.S. team. They were all hard-working, loving, and incredibly wise.

Our team worked hard to clear out a path to create an easy walk-way.

The kids always wanted to play and our team was always down.

It was so beautiful to watch the youth love on the little ones.

On our last morning in the jungle, we caught the sunrise by the river.

This team of young people learned more about service, love and gratitude, and I loved getting to serve by their sides.

I couldn't be more thankful for the time I got to spend with our team and all of the new friendships we built together.

How do you not melt with faces like these?!