Dios le Paga

Wrap Up from Calacali, Ecuador December 2007

Usually the first weekend of December we get all the Christmas decorations out and put the tree up. This year proved to be very different for our family here in Ecuador. We volunteered to help out with the annual dump Christmas party at Zambiza. The party is hosted by Extreme Response and I was struck by how well organized the day went. They we expecting around 3000 people and more like 3400 showed up.

To give you an idea of how the day went the people arrived and were given a wrist band with a color and a large zip lock bag with a string attached to hang around their neck.

They entered the dump site and they first got in line to have their picture taken with Santa. They then could play games, do a craft, or have their face painted. The zip lock bags were to put all their prizes in, like candy or small toys.

Then as the party concluded there were four buses and the people would get in line for the bus with the color of their wristband. They were then given a full bag of food which included staples for the Ecuadorian diet, the smaller kids were given a gift bag and everyone left with a sack lunch.

I can not tell you what a privilege it was to participate in handing out gift bags. The people were given the choice of a food bag or a toy bag. Children as young as 8 or 9 would choose the food. The significance of this choice affected my entire Christmas season, and helped keep perspective in my life.

As God is our Refuge, Mary for the Scholl family

Extreme Response South Africa

Wrap Up from Calacali, Ecuador November 2007

I’ve been thinking about the prayer of Jabez, one part in particular. “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!’” I Chronicles 4:10. The common North American application of this prayer is one of a material outcome. I would challenge you to see this in a different light. Perhaps it was never meant to be financial, but rather a perspective, a world view if you will.

Let me give an example from our own lives. Howard and I were content with life in North America until God enlarged our territory to now include living in South America. We came to Ecuador seven years ago and fell in love with the people and the country. Because of God’s blessing us, we now have a heart for the needs of the people on this continent.

The second week of November, God “enlarged our territory” again when Howard was able to go on a charitable motorcycle ride with Extreme Response through South Africa. Our hearts now hurt for a people on yet another continent. The money raised from the ride was used to purchase three Yamaha AG200 motorcycles and replacement parts. The motorcycles will be used by two social workers and a pastor to travel a twenty mile radius in central Malawi to meet with various AIDS orphan groups for accountability, discipleship and evangelism. Because of the dirt roads and lack of pavement motorcycles are the best way for travel.

Howard was challenged and heartbroken after the trip. Story after story of innocence lost from the lives of children because of the AIDS epidemic. The little boy in the picture with Howard was found in a plastic bag in a garbage can, probably placed by his mother because he had AIDS. He is now one of the AIDS orphans in South Africa.

For whatever reason God continually chooses to “enlarge our territory” by always challenging Howard’s and my world view and increasing the capacity of our hearts for people with needs impossible to meet on our own. He has done this for us by never allowing us to fall into a comfort zone.

I encourage you to allow God to enlarge your territory as well. However that may look, if it is getting involved in your local neighborhood impact, using resources God has provided for you to alleviate the suffering of those less fortunate or something as radical as moving to another continent. I am so thankful God has chosen to bless us and our family and indeed enlarge our territory.

As God is our Refuge, Mary for the Scholl family