{"id":1980,"date":"2017-03-21T21:16:42","date_gmt":"2017-03-22T03:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/clauson\/?p=1980"},"modified":"2018-02-05T18:34:08","modified_gmt":"2018-02-06T00:34:08","slug":"embracing-suffering-hope-ecuador","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/clauson\/2017\/03\/21\/embracing-suffering-hope-ecuador\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing suffering and hope in Ecuador"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m still processing all the gifts and challenges received in Ecuador last week from participating in the course “United Against Human Trafficking” with North Park Seminary students and Mexican and Ecuadorian Covenant leaders, but I want to share three initial reflections from my time traveling in Ecuador\u00a0with Maya…<\/p>\n

1. “We can do hard things.” – Glennon Doyle Melton. \u00a0Besides addressing the very difficult topics of human trafficking, violence and abuse, imagine traveling for 10 days with a toddler on 8 different flights, several\u00a0bus and car rides, staying in four different homes, breaking the normal routine and leaving familiar places. \u00a0This\u00a0was all very, very difficult for me. \u00a0However, I am also convinced that it is good to leave our comfort zone once in a while and be challenged in new ways, especially if we are being led by the Holy Spirit, like when Jesus was led to the desert to be tempted by the devil (OK, so it wasn’t THAT hard). \u00a0As I reflected on this today, I was drawn to read some of my recent journal entries and was struck by this prayer I had written down from my Lenten devotions a few days before the trip:<\/p>\n

Divine One,<\/span><\/p>\n

Lead me into a place I do not know.<\/span><\/p>\n

Give me your heart that I may choose to leave the comfortable for the unsure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hand me a new fast rooted in your vision.<\/span><\/p>\n

Help me remove the tired garment of my expectations and stand naked before you. \u00a0Amen.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I saw how God had answered this prayer through my experience in Ecuador, and I was grateful. \u00a0One of the reasons we can do hard things, like enter into another’s suffering, is that we are not alone. \u00a0God is always with us, and He has given us community, and I experienced the gift of both of these things on this trip.<\/p>\n

God provided wonderful people to help watch Maya on many of the days that I was with the group…<\/p>\n

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He also provided amazing families that hosted us…<\/p>\n

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And, Maya did such an amazing job adjusting to new people, places, food and a completely out of whack schedule!<\/p>\n