Happy Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and we want you to know how much we are thinking of you as you celebrate with your family and friends. This is probably one of the harder holidays for us to be so far away. Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays, because each year we are reminded to take time and remember each of the things we are thankful for.

Last week at our team meeting we had a time of proclaiming God’s faithfulness in each of our individual lives and corporately as well. Many people know the biblical account of Moses and the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea and how God parted the waters. What may not be as well known is God parted the waters a second time when they crossed the River Jordan. You can read up on this in Joshua chapters 3 and 4. One act of significance is they were encouraged to pick up a stone of remembrance from the lake bed, so they and their children would remember exactly what God had done for them. So I started thinking about how good it would be to pick up a stone of remembrance for our family to commemorate the year God has just brought our family through.

Just a short year ago, we had arrived back in Lancaster from training with ITEAMS. To be honest we were a little discouraged, we truly felt God’s call on our lives and yet we were waiting for our full support to come in, so we could leave for Ecuador. Now, looking back I can see God’s faithfulness over and over again. From finding a rental for only three months to a job for Howard that also only lasted three months. Just enough time for us to raise the additional support we needed and fly out on the 26^th of February. We arrived in Calacali at a far better time than we could have arranged. There was a team at the camp however the “busy season” had not yet come so we had time to get settled into our home. We saw God’s faithfulness, as He provided for our home to be furnished, completely. Two families were heading home from the field and we were the lucky beneficiaries. On and on I could tell you of how we saw God’s amazing faithfulness to our family.

We also witnessed God’s faithfulness as He put together our support team. We are so thankful for each of you who financially support our family each month. You may or may not realize that each month we receive a statement from ITEAMS which itemizes contributions for that month. Every month without fail, God uses that list with your individual names to encourage and bolster our confidence in the ministry we are a part of here at El Refugio. We have come to think of you, our supporters, as “our great cloud of witnesses”.

On this Thanksgiving Day, we proclaim God’s faithfulness and continue to be thankful for each of you and pray God’s blessing to return to you in abundance.

As God is our Refuge, Mary for the Scholl family

Weekly Wrap Up From CalaCali, Ecuador

Time has truly gotten away from us this month. Although our blog has been silent there has been a lot happening at Hacienda El Refugio. The first of the month found Howard and the workers expanding our guards living quarters. In the past the Cofan Indians have rotated the guard duty, one month on and one off. Starting September first, the camp hired Andres’ full time, which means he and Marlena will live here on the property full time. While the guards quarters were fine for a single man, changes were needed to accommodate a married couple. By the time the project was completed their living space was increased by double. This ended up being a really fun project, Howard let Marlena pick out the paint colors (Cofan orange) and found various pieces of furniture from around the camp to really make it a home for them.

Here is the fun part. Soon after they moved in, we were returning to the camp on a Tuesday evening. Both Andres’ and Marlena came out to greet us at the gate. They were beaming. A group of about six Cofan Indians had just left. They had hosted their first Bible Study. Not only were they thrilled with their new home, they wanted to practice hospitality as a natural response.

“I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.” Philemon 4-7

Toward the end of the month, the camp hosted a small group from the Mid West who worked on all the electrical needs for the PTC (Professional Training Center). Up until that point the camp had been pretty quiet, so to have the group arrive was a welcomed blessing.

I was able to travel home for a bullet trip to put all the plans into place for Nicole’s wedding. I arrived and we spent the time running. We did in ten days, what I am sure most people do over the course of months. Kevin and Bridget were able to join me for a good part of it, and I soaked up the time with them. God is so good. Although I know we are exactly where we are supposed to be, the tension of living so far away from our older kids is always there. I am really proud of all three of them as they find exactly where God wants them to be.

As always we covet your prayers and appreciate your partnership with us as we minister. We also love hearing from each of you and news from your lives.

As God is our Refuge, Mary for the Scholl Family

Weekly Wrap Up From CalaCali, Ecuador

“God sees us as we are and at the same time sees us for who we will become.” Our pastor spoke these words last Sunday; the words resonated with me, because this exact point has been manifested in my life. Many of you know I recently completed my degree in education, what you don’t know is how many times I wanted to lay it down, due to physical, emotional or financial stressors. However, each time, Howard and I were convinced this was what God wanted me to do, even if it was to just teach my own kids. Many asserted it was simply a task in chasing the wind, an exercise in vanity if you will. Bearing in mind the opening quote, this week, after six years I now know why the Lord had me finish my degree in teaching. As a result I also know exactly why I am here in Calacali, Ecuador, to teach English.

I have five students and I can not describe to you how I am completely affirmed during those class sessions. This is who God has intended for me to be, a teacher to these Ecuadorians. I write this as an encouragement to the person who is struggling. Your view is limited, God’s is eternal, remember in an eternal perspective, years are just a blip. In the thing God has called you to be obedient, be obedient in that thing and trust Him for the outcome.

Home schooling is going so well this year, we are trying a new curriculum and absolutely love the change. We’ve settled into a fairly rigorous routine with school each day and then traveling into Quito for Spanish on Tuesday and Friday afternoons. Plus, on Wednesdays, the kids are participating in a Christian Service Organization connected with the Alliance Academy. Danielle will be leading an AWANA group and Jonathan will attend a group of middle schoolers called Guardians. This is a good way for them to be with kids their own age.

Speaking of Jonathan, many of you know he has had some vision issues in the past. I am not kidding about two weeks after we arrived here, he lost his glasses. What to do, what to do. Again, we saw God’s hand in our lives as we found an Ecuadorian Ophthalmologist, who happened to study the issues related to his vision. We now have a current prescription for his eyes and I am happy to share, as he has matured, so have his eyes and for the first time he doesn’t have to wear bifocals. J

Also, on a very happy note, we are so pleased to announce the engagement of our daughter, Nicole to a young man named Jay Kimbler. They met at Cal Poly, where she managed the horse unit and Jay the beef unit. God, in His graciousness has supplied me with a plane ticket to go home in October to help with the plans, so as we know more information, we will be sure to pass that along. They are shooting for either a May or October 2008 wedding.

As always, we know we couldn’t be here without the faithful support and encouragement of you. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” I Peter 4:10

As God is our Refuge, Mary for the Scholl Family

Weekly Wrap Up CalaCali, Ecuador

The Power of Time

When we arrived six months ago, many of you may remember there was a team here from Hume Lake Christian Camps in California, who started construction of a tree house here at HER. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the power of a team, this update is about the power of time. When the team left, they had put into place the basic structure for the two platforms of the tree house. Since that time our program team, the interns, workers and Howard have worked on the overall design. While there is still quite a bit to do, the tree house is now functional for individuals to use. Although, it is hard to tell from the pictures, the tree house sits about 40 feet off the ground. Really, it is amazing as to what can be accomplished in just six months time.

The camp vision statement is to function as a training and retreat center which facilitates a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, through nature and outdoor adventure. The tree house is yet another example of how this can be achieved. Ultimately, there will be two to three “pods” where people can go and spend quite time. There will be a “library” where a person can open a book and inside there will be the tools to accomplish a task they have been assigned. All designed to encourage the believer to go deeper in their walk with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We come now to the final days of summer. Our kids will start school on the 4^th of September. We all will start Spanish the same day. Pray for us as we move from talking in only the present, to the future and past tenses. Time to stop speaking as two year olds!

As God is our Refuge, Mary for the Scholl family.

Weekly Wrap Up from Calacali, Ecuador, August 15, 2007

Weekly Wrap Up from Calacali, Ecuador August 15, 2007

THE POWER OF A TEAM

We just finished with our last group of the summer. They came from the Detroit Michigan area and were our smallest group. (The minimum usually is ten people). There were eight people and their medium age was 39. To illustrate the impact even a group this size can have, I have included two photos. The first is Howard standing on the pad of the PTC (Professional Training Center) when the group arrived and what they accomplished in just eight days. We are thankful for this incredible group of people and their investment into our lives.

As we click off our six month anniversary, we are aware all the groups to visit Hacienda El Refugio, have been from the Mid-West. As we plan for next summer, we would love to have a group from any of the churches in California to plan a work trip. We would invite and encourage our west coast supporters to explore the possibility of coming for the summer of 2008. Basically what it looks like for a group to come is to have a minimum of ten people and eleven days. The group spends several days working here at the camp. They take a trip to the jungle where they either complete a work project or VBS. Then there are 2-3 days to experience Ecuador, mixed in. For example, groups usually visit Mitad del Mundo (The Middle of the World) and Otavalo, an Ecuadorian market place. For every group it looks a little different, however we won’t know what it will look like for your church until you plan a trip

We are spending our final days with Nicole. She flies home next Thursday, so you can pray for us as we adjust to her leaving. She has accomplished so much with the horses and in just six weeks made such an impact. One of the men in the group just here had some physical limitations. Nicole arranged a horse ride. Afterwards, this man was glowing. He said, “I never dreamed I’d be able to go to the top of the mountain and see the view, Thank You!” That made it all worth it.

We think of you all so often and wonder how you are. I wrote a friend and said, “Just send me details of you life, that is what I love to hear about.” She did and I loved it! Which reminds me again, we could not be here without your faithful love and support.

As God is Our Refuge, Mary for the Scholl family