Sitting on the Sidelines

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Joel & Kim

By Kim

I have alluded to this a little in previous posts on Facebook, but this quarantine for us feels like sitting on the sidelines of the big game. I know that may seem silly, but if you know Joel and I at all, you know likely that we are not people who like to be on the sidelines. We want to be helping, we want to be in the thick of things, serving, getting our hands dirty, working together with our partners. This is what we feel we are called to, so NOT being able to be on the front lines is difficult. To explain, because of us living Quito and not in Cayambe, it is pretty much impossible for us to travel up to Cayambe during this time of quarantine.

I personally have been carrying guilt with me that I am not on the frontlines. In my jobs in the past, no matter what, I worked. State of emergency, I was at work, snowstorms, I was at work, risk to myself, I was there. I feel like that is what I was trained for, I was born to help people, this is my call. So, to NOT be doing any of those things that I know I CAN do, I feel guilty that others are out there, putting themselves in harms way, being a first, second and third responder. Taking care of their neighbor. I feel guilty. Guilty that I am at home and safe, that my family is safe, guilty that I am not out there, working arm and arm with my fellow providers and caregivers. It is hard when every bone in my body says go, serve, help, be the hands and feet.

I watch and see what my partners in ministry are doing and I just have no words. Pride and feeling proud seems so minimal, so lacking in saying and describing my response to what they are doing. They are doing what I cannot do, what I am not allowed to do right now. They are serving, they are literally being the hands and feet of Jesus. It seems so insufficient. It does not do justice and speak justice to what the team is doing in Cayambe to simply say I am proud. But, I am. I am proud to be associated and friends with this amazing group of people. They are an example in my book of truly living out what the Bible talks about time after time.

Galatians 6:2

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

John 15:12

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Romans 12:13

“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Matthew 5:16

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Proverbs 3:27

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”

Philippians 2:4

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Matthew 25:44 – 45

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'”

Luke 3:10-11

“‘What should we do then?’ the crowd asked. John answered, ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.'”

So, if you are looking for instruction on what to do in a time of crisis, in a time where others are suffering or maybe you yourself are suffering, here is a list of instruction to be the Church. Here is a list of things we can do to serve our neighbors, to love well, to show others hospitality, to care. Imagine if we all did that? What a great time to start.

SO, although I still carry guilt and this need in my soul to GO, right now, I am where I am supposed to be. I am at home with my kids. We are literally teaching them and although it is challenging and hard, it is also really great to see them learning, not only things they are getting from school, but solid, foundational things that unless we were in this space, we would not be able to teach them.  Around Easter, I heard a term called Domestic Church. The way I interpreted it was that sometimes we as parents assume that the church we attend or the school we attend will be teaching foundational lessons our kids need. The majority of time they do and that is great but imagine how much more our kids would glean from day to day experiences that we as parents teach them.  Although challenging, we have that opportunity right now. We have seen it not only in them, but in ourselves that God has used that time. There have been times when stress has overcome us all and we have had “family meetings” where we ask each other for forgiveness. We have been learning about the Fruits of the Spirit and can relate them to our daily lives. It is good accountability to us as parents too! We have seen how taking seriously the journey of Jesus to the Cross has not only had a profound impact on our lives, but on our kids lives and they wouldn’t have gotten such an intimate look this year if we were not at home.

So, is there stress?  Is it difficult?  Do we need to grieve things and ask for forgiveness from each other?  YES!  Would we rather be back to “normal life” as we knew it?  Maybe, there is a lot to be said for the rhythms of daily normal life.  But I also want to take to heart some of what we have already have learned through this time.  Family is so important.  This time with our kids is so important.  We want our kids to see what the Church is supposed to be, starting with us.  Do we fail?  YES, every day.  But we want our kids to see that failing is part of life, getting up is important, asking for forgiveness is important.  Encouraging one another is important, encouraging others, loving and serving others, loving our neighbor, it’s important, its vital.

We continue to live in this in between place.  We live between hope and frustration, hope and stress, hope and loss, hope and new normalcy, evaluating what that looks like.

May the same God who lived in that same space between hope and grief or frustration or stress or loss, meet you today wherever you are.  May you feel all of those things knowing He is with you.  May you name and live in those hard spaces, but knowing that there is HOPE, greater than the suffering.  May you be inspired, as we are, by our partners in ministry who unselfishly give and give and give of themselves to others.  May that lead you to inspire and serve as well.

Grace and peace to you all!

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In the Middle of It

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Joel & Kim

It seems a little selfish to share what is happening with us when there are so many around the world that have it worse than we do.  We are safe and secure and have enough food.  In all honesty, I just feel like we are in “emergency mode” trying to do the day-in and day-out things to keep our heads above water.  It’s not easy, some days are downright brutal where I am surprised I get up to face it all again the next day.  I could complain and I could give a list of our frustrations and struggles, but I’ll be real honest, I just don’t have the energy for that.  I have read a lot about grieving so much during this time.  I get it.  There is a whole heck of a lot to grieve.  But in all honesty, I just haven’t allowed myself to go there.  It isn’t because we are these well-adapted humans that can handle anything that comes our way, far from that if you know us very well.  It isn’t because we shouldn’t grieve, we probably should and those around us talking about that, I am glad you are able to do that.  For myself, I just haven’t allowed myself to go there.  Maybe I am weak, maybe my mind just knows if I go there, I will go further down a road into a negative place.  Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t like things are super sunshiny, I am just trying to focus on positive, not negative because there seems to be a lot more negative around us these days than positive.  I have moments, usually by myself when something or nothing really sparks something, and I break down.  I feel it when my kids are worried and understanding a lot more about the Coronavirus than they should.  When they question why we are inside or when they pray sweet prayers for those who have coronavirus or that it would “go-away fast!”  My heart hurts a little when my middle is worried she may get sick but then repeats back that she knows God is with us.  When there are tears because of homework and reading and knowing that it really has nothing to do with the reading or homework, just trying to navigate through feelings not understood and ground not yet walked because none of us have done this before.  So, we hug tighter and longer.  We try to give grace to each other knowing that a lot of our frustrations and strong words are just outcries of not being in control, of trekking new things.  Some days I want to be negative, I want to write a laundry list of my grievances to whoever will listen, but it’s no one’s fault.  The reality I know about myself is that I need the positive, I need to surround myself with it.  So, although I can’t yet go to the grieving place, I am trying to be honest about where I am.  But also realize that we have been given time.  A few weeks ago the thought of doing a scavenger hunt would have seemed overwhelming.  But now I am cherishing the moments we have of laughter, soccer games as a family, picnics on the terrace, fun homemade meals.  I am hoping the moments of laughing until our tummies hurt because mom whiffs the shot in soccer will outweigh the moments of frustration with homework or emotions that aren’t understood.  I pray that the grief is outweighed by longer hugs, more “I love you’s”, deeper conversations, dance parties spontaneously to get the frustrations out, yoga learning, less focus on calendars and plans and more on time together.  I pray grace can be given as we traverse emotions none of us understand, circumstances out of our control and peace in the middle of all of the chaos around us.

Peace to you as well.

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From Worry to Worship

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Joel & Kim

I wish I could say that I came up with the title of the blog, but it was taken from a sermon I heard this morning.  So, thank you Jeremy for the title and for the amazing sermon this morning.

By the way, as a side note before I jump in, I can’t tell you how encouraging it was to open up social media and see churches all over broadcasting their services.  Supporting churches of ours, it was amazing to see you and hear sermons and worship.  It was a far cry from the normal Coronavirus whatever to encouraging and uplifting words, tangible advice from the Bible to live by and encouraging worship to draw us to the feet of Jesus, so THANK YOU CHURCH!

The sermon I heard this morning was from Habakkuk, yes one of those books tucked in the old testament that is sometimes (or most times) hard to find because we may not read it very often.  Such is the case for me.  I have read it, but this was a very different take for me in light of all that is going on in the world right now.  I won’t give a sermon or anything like that, but it was such a tangible piece of scripture today that brought together a few things God had been laying on my heart.  In a time like this, I certainly don’t feel like I am helping all that much.  I like to help and support and when I worked in the hospital, I always felt I was helping and feel I could be at this point.  But yesterday I felt that I should be praising, worshipping and sharing that light with others over social media.  Now, I realize this is no grand act of helping.  But I realized today how much my spirit was lifted because I was in the presence of God and worshipping.

So, back to Habakkuk and where this all came from.  Habakkuk has some questions for God and seems pretty confused.  So this book is kind of a back and forth, Habakkuk asks questions and God answers.  I love the dialogue, it is such a good representation of what we should be doing with God, right?  Anyway, two things from the sermon was that Habakkuk remembered the ways in which God was faithful.  We ALL have those, right?  Times we can look back on and see God’s faithfulness.  I stepped back today and remembered my journey in becoming a missionary.  I knew this was God laid on my heart since I was 10 years old!  Seeing His faithfulness woven through that journey is a reminder that His faithfulness is woven in our stories, no matter what we face, trials, struggles, viruses, etc, God is still God and His faithfulness remains.

The second thing was in the final chapter of Habakkuk there is a prayer that is beautiful and there is ONE word that changes the WHOLE passage for me.  In verse 17, things look bad, there is no fruit, the crops are failing, things look pretty bleak, but then there is a word, “YET” in verse 18.  YET, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Soveriegn Lord  is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights…

One simple word, YET, changes it all.  Yet, I will rejoice.  Even when it looks bad, even when it doesn’t make sense, even when the chaos is all around, even when you can’t see the answer or the plan or the purpose, YET, I will rejoice.  Whatever all the things are in your life BEFORE “YET”, remember God’s faithfulness because it is there, HE is here and that is all the reason to rejoice and praise and worship.

So, for those consumed with worry, anxiety, unsettled about the future and the chaos around, REMEMBER God’s faithfulness.  Even when you can’t remember, even when you can’t see in front of you, even when it doesn’t make sense to praise, YET, rejoice.  Sometimes we need to confess what we KNOW is truth before we actually believe it.  So, I challenge you to two things in light of the chaos we are living in.  I challenge you this week to REMEMBER and PRAISE.

REMEMBER God’s faithfulness in your life.  All of us have it.  If you have trouble in  your own life, remember the faithfulness God shows us throughout the Bible.  In Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Mary, Mary, the disciples, Peter, Paul.  Faithfulness is woven throughout scripture.  Write it down if you need to to remind yourself each day.  And then PRAISE God for His faithfulness.  Praise when it doesn’t make sense, when you don’t understand because we know that God is God, He is sovereign and He is GOOD.

So, I told you my Remember story with my journey as a missionary.

My praise is music today and probably will be each day for a while.  I encourage you to listen and to share YOUR praise with others.  We KNOW the world needs more positive.  As I was encouraged by the CHURCH this morning, may we in turn encourage those around us through praise, prayer, partnership or what ever other ways God is calling you.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

17 Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

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A Night to Remember

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Joel & Kim

A week ago Thursday night, Rolando Escola and our staff held an amazing Appreciation and Fundraising Banquet for many of the people that have been so supportive of the Home For At Risk Children in Cayambe over the last several years. The mayor of Cayambe was there along with many other important Government officials as well as leaders of organizations and businesses in Cayambe. We also had our visitors from Canada with us as well. It was a beautful night of talking about the project, giving thanks and asking our guests to make a commit to support the Home in 2020.

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Breaking Chains

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Joel & Kim

Last week we personally witnessed the Prevention Program in action and the word used to desribe it with is WOW! We watched and listened as two of the workers from the program taught in a room with 92 parents. The goal was to talk with them about how to prevent alcoholism in their children. It started out with jokes and laughter about why people drink alcohol, when and with who? Then asked about behavior that happens while drinking and then how do you think this effects your children? There was a line written on the white board for all to see with “grandparents”, “parents”, “children” and “grandchildren” asking who is it that breaks the cycle? With the answer being PARENTS! The mood went from joking and laughter to quiet and pensive. Then it was asked of the parents to do an activity where each puts a hand print, representing a signature or promise to break the cycle. The very ones joking were then the ones leading these groups to come up with promises they can sign to break these cycles in their families, to show their children they are serious. I can’t tell you the feeling of watching friends and fellow workers in the trenches helping people break chains of addiction! You may ask why is this important? The programs happening and the countless hours put in to the programs, workshops and individual conversations are making a difference. They are breaking chains, there is healing happening! It is important and it is life-changing! As we have mentioned previously, this prevention program is made possible by the Ecuadorian government as well as funds from Covenant World Relief. THANK YOU for helping make a difference!

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Thank you Canadian friends!

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Joel & Kim

What an amazing week! Our friends from Canada are preparing to leave and we are sad to see them go. As always it was a life-giving adventure serving together. They have an on-going partnership with The Santiago Partnership where they partner with the project in Cayambe and serve in San Antonio, a Kichwa community, through counseling, VBS, womens ministries, building a retaining wall, communion and more. They also saw first-hand the prevention program working in a community an hour from Cayambe. They spoke with families about how to prevent alcoholism in their children. It was amazing, sombering, eye-opening and something that made us proud to see how those working in the the project are literally breaking cycles of addiction in families! We are so thankful for these ladies working in the prevention program to change their communities!

Highlights from the trip for the team members:

“The hospitality”

“The food”

“The relationships”

“Continuing partnerships”

“My heart is full”

“I was vulnerable and helped solidify relationships”

The child, how hard they work and how strong they are”

“We understand the word “Minga” now”

There aren’t a lot of words to fully describe how amazing this time together was. We are thankful. Grateful. Amazing. Life-Giving.

Thank-you always seems too little to say to our Canada friends, but THANK YOU! You all hold a special place in our heart. We miss you already!

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Going Deeper, Partnership Together

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Joel & Kim

 

We said in one of our last posts that we would keep you informed  and updated about the new program called the Intervention Program.

The program we have talked about in the past, the Prevention Program is in part, financed by the government, but not fully.  This program serves 80 families in 8 different communities to check-in with the families, provide workshops, identify systemic holes and help with needs caused by a lot of those holes in the system.  This is a broad program with a broad spectrum of care.

In turn, the new Intervention Program, as well partly financed by the Ecuadorian government, will be a more targeted program, engaging with 30 families in at-risk situations.  The program staff comprised of a social worker, community facilitator, and clinical psychologist.  They will go deeper with these families on an individual level and work in conjunction with them to hopefully better the issues identified together.  The goal of both of these programs is to prevent the need for the home for at risk children.

Please continue to pray for our staff and new staff members working specifically with this program. They are in part, “first responders” to some of the most impoverished areas in Ecuador and that takes a toll.

The Santiago Partnership is excited about this new initiative and new way to help and go deeper with Ecuadorians.

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Partnership in Action

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Joel & Kim

We are very excited to announce another new development in our partnership journey.  Covenant World Relief will be partnering with the ministries here in Ecuador to vulnerable children and the medically underserved. Covenant World Relief, the humanitarian aid ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church who participates in God’s transforming mission in the world through disaster relief and community development among the most vulnerable will be partnering with The Santiago Partnership, IPEE (Iglesia del Pacto Evangelico del Ecuador) and FACE (Fundacion Adelanto Communitario Ecuatoriano).

We have told you that although both the Intervention Program and Prevention programs are supported by the government, they are not fully funded.  Covenant World Relief will be providing the finances not provided by the Ecuadorian government for both of these programs, the intervention and prevention.  By these funds being provided, it will free up the Santiago Partnership budget to be able to serve in other ways, like an additional careworker for the Home for At Risk Children, finishing construction for the second floor of the Home or even saving money for opening a second Home for At Risk Children!  Isn’t that amazing to dream about?

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Serving as a Whole

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Joel & Kim

This past week we had the pleasure of serving alongside Dr. Kristi Lundblad (Santiago Partnership volunteer) and a large team that came from the area of Chicago, Indiana and California to serve vulnerable children as well as others through a wholistic medical caravan out of the Medical Clinic in Cayambe. Through the medical caravan we saw just under 400 patients. We had a diverse team that included a pediatrician, nurse practitioners, audiologists, pastors, a social worker as well as people who provided general assistance. Some team members were also able to connect with the Home for At Risk Children and its ministries. This included helping our chaplain Cecilia in doing outreach to some of the most vulnerable in the area. What an awesome week of wholistic service together!

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God With Us

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Joel & Kim

On Christmas Eve, one of those memories came up on Facebook, which, let’s be honest, kill me almost every time I see them.  Whether it is friends or family or our kids when they were much younger, they always bring a little bit of a sting to my heart as I realize time goes by so quickly, life happens, death happens and so much in between.  So, I was reading one of these memories, which was a reflection I had written, with a 4-month old Ephraim picture.  You can read it here.

As I read through it and as I reflected on a song and a conversation I had about “God with Us”, I started to think what that really meant.  In all honesty, I don’t know that I had really thought about what “God with Us” really means and the significance of it in my life, not just during the Christmas season when we talk about it, but what does it mean in the daily life?  And why hadn’t I ever thought about it before?  I had a short conversation with my best friend about this yesterday who really is the one that started this whole conversation in my mind.  The bottom line is I really don’t think all that much about God with ME in the sense of what I think this verse captures in Matthew.  Mathew 1:23 says:

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they call him Immanuel”

(which means “God with us”)

GOD WITH US.

As I thought about this more and wondered why I hadn’t really ever thought about this before, I kept waking up with the same song in my head each morning for about a week.  I continued listening to it on repeat and God was speaking.  If you would like to listen to that song it is here:

In the middle of it.  I feel like I am there, in the middle of the battle, the storm, the (fill in the blank) a LOT!  How often to you think that He is there with you?  We say that and believe it sometimes, but have you thought that His VERY name means “GOD WITH US”?  He was made flesh and dwelt among us as John 1 says.  He is God and became flesh to not only be with us but to experience it as we do.  When I thought more about it and why I haven’t thought much more beyond the words “God with us”.  My best friend said, “maybe we don’t notice God’s presence in the middle of our situation because we are too busy looking at the surface.”  HOW PROFOUND!

But how liberating and what PEACE it brings knowing that God is WITH US!  No matter what we face, cancer, criticism, illness, depression, crisis and all that is in between.  He is there.  He sees you, He sits with you and weeps with you.  You are not alone.  The Prince of Peace is with you.  He is good.  In the middle of it all, He is good.

So, as you go in to 2020, maybe you are carrying so much and are in the middle of it and don’t feel like you can face another day, another crisis, another…ANYTHING.  Remember, God is with YOU!  His very name  and His life proves it and says it.  When you can’t face more, He is with you and has so much more for you.

So I go back to the initial sweet stinging heart picture of Ephraim from 4 years ago.  Him sleeping so peacefully, knowing his needs are cared for even among the craziness and danger of the world.  God is with US in this world, no matter how bad it gets.  He is in the middle of it with us and we can “sleep in heavenly peace” as the sweet song goes, knowing that God is in the middle of it with us.  This peace, perfect peace, passing all understanding is with us, always.  Rest in His peace, live in His peace.

 

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