English Class

This last October we were able to start our first English class here at El Refugio.  We can not even begin to describe to you how much we enjoy this time.  We meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00-9:00 pm.  Howie helps me out each week with our conversation and game time.  This has been such a fun thing for us to do together.  I  tell you these twelve students of ours are faithful, week after week we learn, practice and build.

I (Mary) wake up each day of class, anticipating our time together and when I arrive home I can not go to sleep as I think through what worked and what didn't.  Really, my journey of learning Spanish has greatly influenced how I teach the class.  I am just so thankful to God for this opportunity.

English Class in Calacali, Ecuador 

For nine of the students, english will be their second language.

Our "class time" has been modeled after our language school in Guadalajara.

For three, english will be their third language.

The Grace Center has been such a great setting for our class.

We told them, "Let's do something silly, this is what they came up with :)"

Let me demonstrate how difficult it is for these second and third language learners, and how one lesson can go off track pretty quickly, when I tried to explain the word "up".  I said a simple little phrase, "OK class, let's open "up" our english books...."   I have no idea who the author is,  however, thought you would enjoy viewing the english language from their vantage point for a minute.

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP?

Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends.

And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.

We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.

At other times the little word has real special meaning.

People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary.

In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used.

It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP.

When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP.

When it rains, it wets the earth and often mess’s things UP.

When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP,

For now my time is UP,

So...it is time to shut UP!

Ministry Video

Grace Chapel of Lancaster, California sent Shelbey Hunt, their Media guy, to capture on video what our ministry, El Refugio does and more specifically what it is Howard and I do. We are so thankful that Shelbey has chosen to use his talents and gifts in this way.

Scholls-Vimeo from Shelbey Hunt on Vimeo.

You know you're a Missionary when...

... you hoard things.  Some things can not be bought in country and you have to either bring them from the states or have someone bring them to you. "Pam" cooking spray is something that comes and goes from the shelves of our local grocery store.  We haven't been able to buy it now, since the first of the year.  Then, miracle of miracles it magically appeared at the grocery store.  When it did,  I didn't just buy one, although quite frankly one would have lasted us for at least 2-5 years.  Oh no, I bought three!!!  Because, who knows, it may disappear again.  And I learned from the first time that of all the products that has disappeared, this is one that is hard to get, because you can not bring something aerosol in your luggage.  

I was joking with a friend of mine, that unfortunately, being a missionary has taught me to be a great hoarder.  Note I didn't say "good",  I said "great".  For example, a couple of years ago, a friend from Quito called me to see if I had a can of green chilies she could have.  Notice the verb I used here is "have" not borrow, because she knew as well as I did that she can not replace this item because they can't be bought overseas.  And I'm not proud to admit it, but I lied.  Although at the time I had at least eight, yes eight cans of chilies in my pantry, I said, "No, sorry".  Why oh why did I do it?  Are you interested in the justification that took place after that?  It was going to be months before we had someone coming from the states, I use at least one can a week in a recipe I make and I was already going to run out....I like seeing that nice little stack of cans, it makes me feel secure.  Does it help you to know my friend called me on it, and I did give her one of my cans of chilies, bringing my inventory down to seven?

Have you ever noticed the symptom of the physical is actually a refection of the spiritual?  Really aren't we all just a little adapt at hoarding things in our lives?  During the time of the, shall we call it "the green chili" incident, God was convicting me about some attitudes I was holding on to, that needed to go.  The conversation went something like this..."you know Lord, really I am justified in having this unforgiving spirit, because the person really hurt me."  Or, "seriously Lord my feelings of anger are justified because..."  Because, because, because.  Those things in my spiritual life were like those little cans of green chilis, stacked nice and neat in my heart and I wanted to hoard them or hold on to them.  And God said, "No".

Recently, I heard a speaker make this statement, "You can not hold on to anything with nail pierced hands".  From first John 2:1-2, "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.  but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

Quinceanera

You would think that after living here for six years, we would be done with all our "firsts".  Like the first time we ran out of water with a group, or the first time a cell phone was flushed down the toilet, or our first wedding (in fact we've had three).  Oh no, yesterday Aurelio our guard hosted a Quinceanera for his youngest daughter and her older sister, who turned eighteen.

From the vast resources on the internet, "In the Latino culture, the Quinceañera is the tradition of celebrating a young girl's coming of age upon reaching her fifteenth birthday (or Quince Años). The special day may include a Catholic Mass of Thanksgiving and a reception afterwards, or simply a 15th birthday party with all the frills. Either way, it recognizes a young girl's road to maturity and there are many different traditions that are very important in the planning of this special event.

The Quinceañera, as the birthday girl is referred to, has traditionally worn a pink dress to symbolize the purity of her youth. Recently, it has become much more common for the young lady to choose a white dress for the same symbolism, mimicking the beautiful white gowns of Western brides, or to choose a vibrant gown in a color she simply enjoys. 

A popular tradition is for the young lady to wear flat-heeled shoes to her ceremony and for the Changing of the Shoes to take place at the reception after Mass. The Quinceañera's father (or male filling the role) changes his daughter's shoes from the flat- heeled shoes of a child to the high-heeled shoes of a young lady, symbolizing her transition on this day.

Nathaly, the older daughter asked Jonathan if he would be her escort to the event.  For the last month the two couples have been practicing the waltz so after the traditional changing of the shoes they could dance their first dance as a young woman.  He did an outstanding job and made us very proud.

Diana, Jonaton, Rebecca (in front holding the shoes for Diana), Aurelio,
Nathaly, Jonathan and Amy (holding the shoes for Nathaly) 

Aurelio the Father changing Nathaly's shoes from flats to high heals

Head table

Amy and Rebecca
future Quinceaneritas
If their parents only knew how fast the time will fly!

Think you know us :)

Campamento de Aventura Sobrevive

Operations Staff showing their support for our first Adventure Camp.  We had two girls from Germany come and help us out (far left).  They are here interning and were such a blessing to our ministry.

Programming Staff - these are the people who really made it happen.
Byron at the top with his arms out was the Camp Director and he did a fantabulous job

All the youth who attended the camp at the end of August

The kids were challenged to learn to live and grow in every area of their lives.  They learned by the end of the week how to live a life committed to Christ.  To move from just surviving to thriving in their relationship with Christ, their families and their churches

Camp isn't complete without a little water....

...or a little mud :)

Lest you think the whole week was work work work, this shows we can have a little fun too.  Pame on the left and Angelica on the right wondered what Senor Howie would look like with hair!