Annual Meeting and Jungle Trip

It was so wonderful to just be getting back from a trip with my boss through Serve Globally, Eugenio Restrepo, to both attend the Covenant’s Annual Meeting here in Ecuador in the area of Santo Domingo as well as make a trip out to the jungle together.  I (Joel) was fortunate enough to be able to provide the transportation for Eugenio to both of these outings.  The Annual Meeting was an important one for us as our dear friend, Cheryll Clark, was being honored in her retirement from Serve Globally and 38 years of service through the Covenant.  We also were able to get a little bit of special time with our good friends, the Rochas, who lead the camp grounds.  Here are some pictures from this event:

 

In addition to attending the National Covenant Annual Meeting of Ecuador, we also went to the jungle to visit the communities of Misuahilli and Bellavista Alta.  There we were ale to visit with some potential missionary candidates for the Covenant as well as visit one of our mission partners in Bellavista.  Our volunteers from Uruguay came with us and the Dr. German was able to attend patients in Bellavista and they were very happy to have received the care.

Report This Post

Categories: Ministry, Santo Domingo, Tena, Travel, Updates | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sweet Together Times

Last week we all had the opportunity to go to Cancun, Mexico for our Latin American Retreat.  It was such a lovely time to be together with all of the missionaries from Latin America who serve together with Serve Globally.  There were a lot of meetings and space to learn more about Selah or “a time to pause, to reflect, to seek direction, to listen, to INTERRUPT!”  It was a beautiful invitation to quiet ourselves and consider what God might be saying during our time together as we journey through Scripture, through silence, conversations, meals, games, nature and each other’s gifts and stories.  These purposeful pauses serve as thresholds, positioning our hearts to receive God’s living and active Word!  Thanks to Pia and Eugenio for facilitating this!

Some of the highlights from the family                                             -THE FOOD!!!!!

-Being with other missionary kids                                                      -Spending time with family

-Meeting new friends                                                                            -Playing life-sized chess

Playing beach volleyball                                                                       -Praying for each other

Swimming                                                                                               -Bowling

Here are some of the highlights in pictures!

Report This Post

Categories: Family Fun, Ministry, Travel, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

I almost missed it…

One of the most frequent questions we get asked as missionaries is what a day looks like in our lives. It’s also one of the hardest questions for us to answer because NO day in our lives really looks the same and honestly, like any other human, most days don’t ever go as we plan. I understand the intent behind the question of course, people just want to know what our lives look like, maybe how they are similar to their lives or what we do differently. Whatever the intention, it is kind of a dreaded question for missionaries. Sorry to be honest about it, but it is. Now don’t think please that if you have asked that question that you get an eye roll from us. Not true. We have likely been asked that question so much that we have a nice, planned response, like what I answered. No day is the same for us. So, why, do you ask, do I bring this up? I bring it up because today was one of those days that has not turned out as expected, it’s one of those that I could put down as a “good” ministry day, although it came from an unexpected place and I almost missed it. I had just gotten home from exercising and was actually looking forward to the possibility of taking a nap or writing, but in reality I probably would have tried my hardest to catch up on emails or the other 50 things I needed to do on the computer. However, I brought empanadas home and wanted to share them with our friend and church member who was helping in our house today. We started with sharing coffee and empanadas and small talk and then asked how each other were doing.

The simple question of asking how someone is doing…

I think a lot of times we ask this without giving thought or space to people’s response. I learned from a friend years ago to never ask that question unless you are prepared to have a real, authentic answer.

This question lead to a 2 hour conversation. Unexpected. Unplanned. But perfectly timed.

I almost missed it.
I almost cut it short.

By God’s grace, the conversation continued and as she talked about this huge situation she was in, as she described how she was wanting out, how she was overwhelmed, how she couldn’t handle anymore, I realized I almost missed this. I almost missed an opportunity to hear someone else’s story, to carry someone else’s burden, to stand with someone and raise their arms because they are falling (Exodus 17). After tears and hugs and time spent over simple empanadas and coffee, I realized how this is what the Bible talks about when we say ‘carry each other’s burdens’. She doesn’t have many people to talk to, she even said as she has discussed this with other women in her church, they gave advice and just told her to leave, to abandon the situation to save herself. But the story is more than herself and that isn’t what she feels God would want her to do. She said God is with her and oh does that ring true. She didn’t sugar-coat it that everything would be fine. I didn’t either. I understand the realities here and they are NOT tied up in pretty presents with bows. They are hard, unpleasant, overwhelming and as she described it “a pain to my soul”. A lot situations end in pain, heartache, shame and irreversible damage. God doesn’t call us to have answers. He calls us to be “in it” with each other. He calls us to listen, to cry together, to be people. She said after our talk that a weight was lifted and she took a deep breath. I imagine this is what ‘carrying each other’s burdens’ should feel like. A deep breath, space to breath, a weight taken off because that is how it feels.
I’m thankful I didn’t miss it today, not because I’m so great, I’ve missed a lot of theses types of opportunities and because I DID almost miss it for the things on my to-list, but I am thankful for a quieted space where God already was and invited us to join Him in a holy moment. Where burdens were carried, tired arms were lifted up and weights were carried together.

Report This Post

Categories: Ministry, Reflections | Leave a comment

More Support Needed

It probably comes at no surprise to you that over the last couple of years the support for the Delp Family as Serve Global personnel with the Evangelical Covenant Church has slowly been dropping since the covid pandemic and the ensuing economic turmoil that has followed.  Our support has dipped to its lowest point of 85% recently and seems that is our current support level.  As missionaries in Ecuador, we are supposed to remain 100% supported and up until a couple of years ago, that had not been a problem.

 

As you all are evaluating your finances in the new year 2023, we wanted to ask you to consider to either starting or increasing a monthly commitment to support us.  We are planning on our next Home Assignment in 2024 but until then we need to try to have our support not continue to decline and hopefully we can have it improve.

 

We know that all of you are praying for us and our ministy and that still remains the most important!  Thank you so much for your faithfulness in praying and giving these years.  We did just want to let you know about our financial support situation.  Click the picture below to start a new commitment. (We did include some instructions below)

The giving page for us is a little bit confusing.  If you are wanting to start a new monthly commitment, this is what the website will look like when you click on the link above:

Once you get to this page, just put the amount that you want to donate monthly in space before “Give” that is below our names.  Once you do that, click “Give” and you will be directed to a page where you can enter the rest of the information.  On that page, make sure to check the check box that says “Recurring” so that way you can set it up as a monthly donation.  Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

Report This Post

Categories: Ministry, Prayer Requests, Updates | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Happy New Year from the Delps!

Report This Post

Categories: Ephraim, Esther, Family Fun, Ministry, Simeon, Updates | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas family festivities!

We have had a very fun-filled Christmas break celebrating many family activities which has included a lot of Christmas cookie baking and playing soccer and fixing puzzles.  Joel’s dad, Earl, came down to Ecuador to be with us for the holidays as well which has been nice.  We were also able to slip away for a couple of days with Earl to the beach.  A big highlight for this trip was for us seeing baby sea turtles hatch out of their eggs and make the trip to the ocean.  Witnessing this personally was one of the things on Kim’s bucket list.  Enjoy the pictures!

Report This Post

Categories: Ephraim, Esther, Family Fun, Simeon, Travel, Updates | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrating Christmas in Cayambe!

Yesterday, we celebrated the staff in Cayambe and the children in the Home for At Risk Children with a Christmas dinner.  It was a beautiful night filled with delicious food, small performances put on by the kids in the Home, each of the teams that make up the personnel of the project, a Mariachi band as well as other small interventions by various people.  It was a special and beautiful night and it filled us with joy to celebrate our staff.

Report This Post

Categories: Cayambe, Family Fun, Home, Ministry, Reflections, Updates | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Constructing a Women’s Artisan Studio

For the Santiago Partnership in the end-of-year, we are starting a new initiative to construct a Women’s Artistan Studio to allow women who are the victims of domestic abuse break free from violence by starting a micro-enterprise of Jewelry Making.  Learn more about the iniative below:

 

Report This Post

Categories: 501c3, Cayambe, Construction, Home, Ministry, self-sustainability, Updates | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thanksgiving

We had a fun Thanksgiving this year as we invited a lot of our friends over, twenty-two to be exact.  People got to experience a lot of delicious American dishes and then we played cards afterwards.  When we aren’t able to be with our family in the States, this is second best as we are with our Ecuadorian family.

 

Report This Post

Categories: Family Fun, Home, Ministry, Updates | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Merry Christmas from the Delps!

Report This Post

Categories: Family Fun, Reflections, Updates | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment