Extreme Response Christmas Parties 2011

Howard and I helped out with Extreme Response for their week of Christmas parties around the Quito area.

Howard helped out each day with setting up and tearing down the games at each site

My main job was hospitality but the last day I got to paint fingernails :)

Extreme Response actually grew out of a small kids’ club in the garbage dump of Quito, Ecuador (also known as the Zambiza Dump). In June of 1997 the Extreme Response founders began working with the 300+ people that lived and worked right there in the trash. These people gleaned their living by digging through the garbage that flows out of the back of garbage trucks, living in small shacks made from pallets and other building materials they found in the trash. They survived on what they found to use, eat and sell.

The very first Christmas Party in the Quito Dump was held in December of 1997 with more than 300 people in attendance. 

In March of 2006, ER opened the Zambiza Daycare Center & Preschool - over 50 children ages newborn through 5 years now attend. In December of 2006 a medical clinic opened in conjunction with Hospital VozAndes Quito.

ER also provide family counseling, hygiene classes, education assistance, a weekly kids club and moms club, weekly feeding for night workers and much more.

The dump has changed drastically over the past 12 years, but the people have not. The Zambiza location was permanently closed as a dumping site in 2005 because the landfill was full. The site then became a transfer station. Garbage is now trucked in, dumped in a roofed area, sorted through and then reloaded back into trucks to be taken to a location outside of the city.

So what?  So why does Extreme Response return year after year?  Because in the midst of all the games, crafts and craziness, there is a team of people presenting the good news about Jesus Christ as the young man on the right in picture is and that is why we do what we do, so that even just one may come to salvation.

Did I mention we hosted 41 for Thanksgiving Dinner???!!!

Holidays can be some of the hardest days to be serving and living so far away from family.  So when our team asked if we would host Thanksgiving dinner, Howard and I decided maybe with the craziness of hosting people in our home, the day wouldn't be so difficult.  We ended up having 31 expats and 10 Ecuadorians, everyone shared in the cost of the turkey (super expensive here) and they also brought a side dish.  We actually ended up really enjoying ourselves and hanging out with the very people we work with!

 Waiting for the turkey's to bake, (did I mention we had 3?!)

Tables set and ready to go

Thanksgiving Dinner, once everyone sat down it was a little hard to move but well worth it

Good, good times :) Check out Jake and Christy bottom left

Sarah, Christy and Cameron, women I count an honor to call friends

Cover for the Climbing Wall

Right smack in the middle of this photo you can see the new cover (green) on the climbing wall

Just a reminder of why I blog so much about the climbing wall and why each step is progress toward the completion of a new tool for ministry.  This was written last spring.

A climbing wall in itself is not much of a big deal, but we are so excited about how God will hopefully use this wall in the future ministry of El Refugio. For one thing, it will be one of the best climbing walls in all of Ecuador, which will serve as a draw to this place for both Christians and non-Christians. In addition, the Facilitator program utilizes a lot of outdoor challenges for their Facilitator discipleship process. The climbing wall will play a large part in that process, as they use it to develop teamwork, instill confidence, and also humble those who already have too much confidence! Some may look at it and see only a wall, but we look at it and see a huge tool for discipleship. We look forward to hearing reports for years to come of what amazing things God can do with a couple pieces of plywood and some old scrap radio towers.  Tim Owens, Camp of the Woods

Prior to raising the roof, Howard, Holgar (in the photo) and Enrique had to weld the umbrella supports off of each of the three towers

Tarp on the ground and ready to be lifted, Howard is on the right holding one of the supports

Up...

...up...

...up it goes!

Howard on his way up the tower to help out Holgar

Holgar, Howard and Lydia stretching the tarp over the third tower

Enrique and Ryan working on tower #2

Daniel on tower #1 stretching to make the tarp fit

Holgar happy to have the job done!

A view from below

You may be asking, "So why did they go to all the trouble of covering the wall?"  Let me give you and answer.  Really the main reason is to protect the wall from our constant rainfall every day.  Now, it can be worked on and used 365 days of the year :)

El dia de los disfuntos

Howard and I were invited, along with Ryan and Erica fellow team members, to the home of the Santos brothers (I blogged about Esteban's baptism) to celebrate El dia de los disfuntos.  We were so blessed when Esteban said they wanted to share this time with us to thank us for our friendship and being their family in Christ.

Left to right:  Mariana, Gloria, (the boys mom), their Grandma, Uncle,  Danny ( he works with the programming with El Refugio), Santiago, Esteban, Jonaton, Ryan, Erica and Wilmar

Danny feeding his baby gua gua, ( we said he had to practice because he is getting married next July :)

To quote my friend Cameron Vivanco, "'El Dia de los Disfuntos' is a national holiday here in Ecuador.  October 31, no one bats an eyelash. November 1, All Saint's Day, isn't mentioned.  But Nov.2, known as All Soul's Day, is an obligatory national holiday."

For those of you interested here is a little history about this national holiday, which was also provided by Cameron.

The Ecuadorian Day of the Ancestors isn't quite like the Mexican Day of the Dead, nor is it like American Halloween. El día de los difuntos is a time to celebrate one's dead ancestors. In the small country villages, families dress in their finest clothes and carry a meal to the cemetery, where they dine on top of the grave of their ancestors. One plate is always left for the dead ancestor. This traditional meal includes guaguas de pan and the colada morada.

Guaguas de pan are bread babies. (The word guagua, pronounced wa-wa, is Quechuan.) Some families make their own guaguas de pan at home, but most buy them from the panaderías, or bakeries, which only make them during this time of the year. These bread babies can be up to 12 inches long and are shaped with a ball of dough for the head and a long, tapering ball of dough for the body. They are decorated with icing and may have jam or some other sweet inside.

The colada morada (translated as the purple colada, or oatmeal drink) is a drink made from cooking blackberries, blueberries, cinnamon, cloves, and other fruits and spices with a little oatmeal in the water until thick. The drink is then blended until smooth. From the middle of October until the second of November, cafés and restaurants try to outdo each other in offering the best guaguas de pan andcoladas moradas.

In the larger towns and cities, families no longer eat with their ancestors. They spend the day visiting the cemetery and laying flowers on the graves. They may make guaguas de pan and colada morada, but only for eating with their family at home. Nevertheless, the spirit of the día de los difuntos carries on as one of the important traditions of Ecuador.

(http://www.rocketlanguages.com/spanish/resources/culture_ec_holidays.php )

on the road to emmaus

The phone ringing startled me out of the task I was working on.  My sister said, "Mom's organs are all shutting down, you need to get here as soon as possible, they will try and keep her alive until then."  Like that.  In an instant.  In spanish "rapidito".  My world went off kilter.  The next 36 hours were a whirlwind, a flight was arranged for the next day, however on the flight  from Houston to LAX,  my mom passed from this life to the next, safely in the arms of her Savior.  When I look back, that phone call is what started my journey through grief.  The process is as different and personal for each person going through it.  We tend to draw on what has been demonstrated to us.  For me, that was to move on as quickly as possible, regain an equilibrium if you will with this new reality of me, minus my mom.

Danielle is the one who was the most proactive in her grief.  She discovered several girls in her mod at the university who had suffered loss, she found a book, started a grief share bible study/ support group.  I thought I was getting along just fine, then I took a look at the book she was using and realized, man I really could use some help.  I was having difficulty concentrating, sleeping, my emotions were completely shut down, I had yet to really cry, to grieve.

The book is called "on the road to emmaus" by Myrlene Hamilton Hess.  Luke 24:13-35 is the scripture reference for the journey.  I would encourage anyone going through the process of grief, whether new or old, to dare to take this journey. God is gracious, He sent someone to walk the road with me over the summer months, an intern serving here at El Refugio.  Her mother lost her battle with breast cancer around the first of the year.  So together we embarked on the road to Emmaus.  With each section of the book, chapter, and prompt, God walked with me through this multi-faceted journey.  I learned many lessons along the way to Emmaus, most of those are simply for me.  There is one lesson I would like to share with you though, which has led me to live a more authentic life as a Christ follower.

http-//animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/gray-whale/.jpg

You are probably wondering why there is a picture of a grey whale, actually I am more interested in the barnacles on the whale.  This is what occurred to me as I worked through the many issues that surfaced as a result of my grief.  When a baby whale is born it is nice and "barnacle free", as it grows and swims through the ocean it starts to collect barnacles and from what I have learned is, unless you remove them right away, barnacles prove to be very hard to remove, some say impossible.  

I accepted Christ as my Savior during my teen years and with that received His forgiveness and the issue of my salvation was settled.  Then life happened, wrongs happened whether intended or not, whether perceived or real.  With each insult or injury a "barnacle" attached to my soul and with each passing year and further "issues" those barnacles just grew and grew, weighing me down more than I ever knew.  As I journeyed to Emmaus, the Lord would bring different things to light, through His Holy Spirit and through the scriptures.  Hebrews chapter 4 says this, ..."the word of God is living and active...Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account." vs. 12-13.   I had a choice to either deal with them or ignore them.  From personal testimony I can tell you that as I allowed the Lord to remove these barnacles off my soul I felt lighter and lighter.  

How has this enabled me to live a more authentic life?  Without the weight of those matters on my soul and I find I am able to experience a new fresh relationship with my Savior.  As the baby whale glides through the ocean simply enjoying the water and the many things to discover in the ocean, I read my Bible with joy unhindered, waiting expectantly for the things God would care to reveal to me through His written word.  

Written to commemorate the first anniversary of my mom's journey safely to the arms of Jesus
Kay Hitchcock Scherer
September 8, 1933 - October 26, 2010

Scholl Family Photo 2011

Danielle, Mary, Howard, Jonathan and Kevin Scholl.  Viviano, Anchor, Bridget and Mackenna Aguilar.
Addison Mae, Nicole and Jay Kimbler

God in His faithfulness, provided two free plane tickets for Howard and I to visit our family and to attend an 80th birthday party for my dad.  During that time our kids arranged for a family photo to be taken while we were here as a 50th birthday present to me.  Thought you would enjoy seeing how our family has grown.

El Refugio Team Summer 2011

Paul (holding Carleigh), Beth (holding Jack),  Danielle (Caleb in front of her), Danny, Anna (Marli in front of her), Bryce, Courtney (holding Lili), Juan Carlos, Jeff, Daniela, Ashley, Mary, Howard, Laura and Israel
  The above picture is of all the people who made up our team during the summer of 2011.  This includes permanent staff and interns.  God was very faithful to send people our way who really contributed to the ministry at El Refugio and made it a rich environment to serve and complete his purpose.

Friendships

One of the things I love about what we do, is all the amazing people we meet.  Occasionally, deeper friendships are formed which is the case with the McCarts.  Because Geneva First Baptist comes every year we have developed a close friendship with Robin and Kim.  Each year we look forward to them coming and catching up on "life".  We are blessed by them in so many ways,  but mainly it is their generosity of spirit. 

"So many people come into our lives and then leave the way they came. But there are those precious few who touch our hearts so deeply we will never be the same."
— Mary Engelbreit

Howard, Mary, Kim and Robin

Mary, Kim and Shelley, who has also become a good friend over the years

Mary, Angelica and Rebecca
Co-worker and great friend

Danielle, Anna (here for one year) and Ally one of the counselors from Geneva.
These girls formed a bond quickly while Geneva was here.

Jonathan also made some great friends from the Geneva kids.   

Father's Day with Geneva First Baptist

 I have shared with you in the past about First Baptist Church from Geneva Ill., they come and serve every year, bringing with them their high school Juniors and Seniors. The schedule for them this year worked out that we had a work day on Father's Day (I know, I know it was a terrible example of "not" observing the Sabbath, lesson learned we won't do that again :)  Anyway, Danielle decided we needed to figure out a way to honor the father's that were working that day, so she made them "ties" and they were required to wear them all day.  The fun thing was, they actually did wear the ties and seemed to enjoy the extra attention they got as a result.  

Danielle presenting the "ties" to each of the Dads before the work day began

Dad's proudly posing for a picture with their ties

Howard setting a good example by keeping his tie on

Enrique and Holgar following "suit"

Robin McCart and Howard at our final banquet, Robin didn't have a tie so Howard wore his to be "twins" with Robin

The day wasn't all work and no play :)

Jonathan Beier Scholl

Many of you have been asking what is the plan with Jonathan.  Toward the end of our visit last fall, Howard's sister Trudy and her husband Alan offered for Jonathan to live with them for his Senior year and attend Yosemite High School.  They did not realize we had been praying about different possible options for Jonathan.  Since September 11, 2001 Jonathan has desired to go into the military and with the influence of David Jackson had decided he wanted to go into the Coast Guard.  We came to the realization, Jonathan needed a year to transition from living and home schooling in Ecuador to joining the Coast Guard.  As we have witnessed with our older kids, when God is part of the process then doors seem to open, with each obstacle that would come our way, God would provide a solution that at times was "out of the box".  Trudy has been a huge advocate for Jonathan, as well as one of the counselors at the school.  So, today Jonathan started his first day of school for his final year of high school.  Howard and I are excited for him and feel confident this is all part of God's plan for our boy.  Please pray for Jonathan during this time of transition and for the coming school year.   

Senior portrait 

Class of 2012

Jonathan on one of our jungle trips when we first arrived in Ecuador

This summer Jonathan worked with the various work teams that came to El Refugio.

La historia de Estaban (Stephen's story)

"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  so neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, Who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building."                      1 Corinthians 3:6-9

I would like to introduce you to a young man named Estaban Santos.  His family is from Calacali and he is one of our active facilitators.  In fact, so are his two brothers Santi and Wilmar.  We call them the "Santos Brothers" and I can't say enough about their contribution to our ministry at El Refugio.

Estaban's story started years ago when he was 8 or 9 years old and he attended one of the VBS held here on property by one of the work teams from the states.  This was the beginning for him, the seed was planted, where he first heard "La Historia de Jesucristo" or the story of Jesus Christ. 

Years went by and Estaban became a facilitator and then attended our first session of "Aire Libre" (far right).  Over time the saving message about what Christ did for him went deeper and deeper into his heart until it all made sense and he decided to accept Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

Estaban decided to make his testimony public and follow the Lord in baptism.  His story comes full circle, because he was baptized in the jungle with one of our work teams from the States.  Rick Borman (right) and Juan Carlos Cevellos (left) were the ones to baptize Estaban because Rick was there in the beginning and Juan Carlos is the person who, over the years communicated and clarified the gospel to Estaban.

"having been buried with him in baptism..."  Colossians 2:12a

"...and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."  Colossians 2:12b

This is the testimony of one life touched by the ministry of El Refugio.  Last year alone, our ministry  hosted over 2000 people who passed through our ministry gates.  They came on work teams from the states, attended retreats held by churches or participated in one of our events hosted by the programming  team.  They are students, leaders, youth pastors, people of all ages,  and in each of their lives, it is our call to be obedient to the task God has called us to do, and leave the results to God. 

"...but only God..." 1 Corinthians 3:7