Navidads! Navidads!! Navidads!!!

Very serious little Ecuadorianita

There is an Ecuadorian tradition where children are given a "navidad" (small toy or candy) before or on Christmas.  For the past three years, we have given navidads out with the Cline family on Christmas day.  As Christmas approached this year we had two problems, first the Cline family had moved back to the states and second we were out of navidads. Along with this, Howard and I also felt God leading us to distribute food bags to the families who were in need.  

We witnessed first hand God provide for both these needs in a huge way.  First, Extreme Response donated 60 food bags left over from their Christmas parties.  Then, Danielle was part of a group who won a contest and those college students decided to donate the money for toys "navidads" for the children in our local barrio, Ryocucho.  She arrived home for Christmas with 2 duffel bags full of toys.  Since we had witnessed God showing up in a big way, Jonathan and Danielle decided to go one step further with the navidads and they wrapped over a 100 gifts.  On Christmas Eve with Howard driving the camp truck, Danielle, Jonathan, Enrique and I got the privilege to play "Papa Noel". 

Duffel bag full of "navidads"

Jonathan and Danielle with all the wrapped gifts

"Papa Noel"

Danielle and our favorite local couple

Enrique and his Grandma (he said she is between 90-100 years old)

Jonny-boy

The navidads had ribbons to tell if it was for a girl or a boy

Children who were waiting for us along the road

Hacienda El Refugio Annual Christmas Party

Juan Carlos, Courtney and Facilitators 2010

On December 18th, we hosted our annual Christmas party. There were over 60 in attendance between the workers, their families and the facilitators who help during the year with our Ecuadorian groups.  The day started with a round of paint ball and "Ecua- volleyball".  We then enjoyed a great meal of fritada an Ecuadorian meal which is fried pork, llapingachos (potato pancakes), and mote (won't even try and explain :)  We set up an ice cream sundae bar for dessert and everyone loved it, especially picking their own flavors of toppings etc.  In an effort to combine both sides of our ministry, operations and programming, this was a great time for everyone to connect and celebrate the past year of ministry.  Thought you would enjoy looking at some of the pictures from the day.

Ecadorian Facilitators

   

Three Generations:  Mecedes, Lorena and Pedro

   

Holgar, our head worker.  Angelica, head cook and family

   

Andres our guard and family

    

Anita our new cook and family

   

Ice Cream Bar - Huge Success!!!

   

Paul Reichert our new Director enjoying "fritada"

   

Marli - besitos (kisses)

   

Vladimir and Kenard

  

"Ecua-Volleyball"

 

Lessons Along the Way

We obviously answered "yes" to the question of trusting God in this new adventure. I started this blog as soon as we arrived in Ecuador and as I go back and read my entries, over and over I am reminded of how faithful God has been and continues to be on our behalf. The road at times has been very difficult, I can testify though, it is always better to surrender sooner than later. Perhaps these two stories can help you glimpse part of what God has been teaching us as a result of living in Calacali.

We had a family team that came and requested an Ecuadorian family join them and be a part of their team. Juan Carlos knew of a Pastor who was having a hard time and could use a time of encouragement. The pastor and his family of five, spent the time here at El Refugio working along side the team and with Howard. At the end of the time the pastor told Juan Carlos that he wanted to support "Howie" and his family, would it be OK if they gave us some milk. I can't even begin to explain the impact this had on Howard and I. We understood, in order for this family to support us with milk, meant when they did, their family went without. To say we were humbled is an understatement.

Recently Pedro showed up early one morning to give our family a chicken. I put it in the refrigerator but I told Howard I was a little nervous to eat it, not know when it was killed and if it had sat out all night. Just the day before it had been happily pecking away on the road outside his house. We decided to cook the bird and ended up having a wonderful dinner. The next time we saw Pedro we thanked him, he was so happy to be able to do this one thing for us. Again, please understand, the night we had chicken, Pedro's family did not.

This last summer I was in the states for my annual physical. The doctor was interested in my "story" and so in about five minutes tried to summarize why we had become missionaries. She listened very attentively and then asked what was next. Next? I am still trying to come to terms with the lessons from now, how can I think about next? And I told her, the single biggest challenge I face every time I am back with my family and friends is what to do with those lessons God has been teaching me. How do I integrate my life here in Ecuador with the one there. Or quite possibly, those lessons are just for me, to draw me ever closer to my Savior.

Fall Out

Over the course of the next five years, our family dealt with the fall out from that December day. The surgeon had hoped by leaving my dad's eye in, as it healed my dad would have restored vision. Unfortunately this was not the case, and in fact over time the eye started to abscess and cause my dad tremendous pain. Finally the decision was made to remove my dad's eye because it became apparent his vision would never be restored. As a kid I remember traveling to San Fransisco for the surgery and being apart of the process where they literally painted a new eye for him. I remember my dad waking up and them asking him if he needed any pain medication and my dad saying, "Are you kidding, this is the first time in years I have been pain free!"

That surgery was really the turning point and the catalyst for some major changes. First my dad completed his doctorate and soon after that we sold the Almond Ranch. In between all this my sister, Suzie attended a Billy Graham crusade and committed her life to Christ. Through her testimony I also became a follower of Christ and my parents re-dedicated their faith. We found a good church home and got actively involved. In 1976 my dad accepted a new job, we moved to a new town, and began attending a new school. I was not happy. Most of all I was not happy with God.

Because I lacked any kind of "a life" I started swimming AAU. At one of the practices I met a girl who invited me to her youth group which met at 6:16 (dumb I thought). She persisted and finally one Wednesday I went and continued to go back. Through the young youth pastor I was able to come to terms with the predicament of my life and found freedom to serve Jesus with my mind, soul and strength. Over the next four years I met my future husband, who happened to be the brother of the girl who initially invited me to attend her youth group.

We married, had five brilliant kids, and owned a business. Life had its ups and down but for the most part God was very faithful and very real in both our lives. So why did this absolute dislike of change surface when we decided to head to the mission field? As I write this journey down I realize all the good things that happened, from the accident, the "positive fall out". Through my dad's accident our family became committed Christ followers, score one for the King. Over time though, the enemy marred my perception to only view the "negative fall out." The move, the pain, the times of feeling completely at odds with my family and God.

With this revelation I had some decisions to make. Would I be willing to step out in faith and follow God's leading for this major change for our family and trust the fall out would be to His glory or would I allow a false perception of a past event cause us to miss out on the greatest adventure yet?

Split Second

Family picture taken the first Easter after the Accident
(notice the patch my dad wore)

The year was 1970, Simon and Garfunkel topped the charts with "Bridge Over Troubled Water", Nixon was still in the White House and the Vietnam war was nearing its final years. As a nine year old kid, I was enjoying my first day of Christmas vacation by riding around on my blue banana bike taking pictures for a photography project. While I was working on that, my parents had decided to get some work done on our almond ranch. As I rode up into the ranch compound my parents were in the process of jump starting our tractor with our El Camino. My dad sat on the tractor with my mom in the El Camino approximately 50 feet apart at a diagonal. I was sitting on my bike at a 30 degree angle from the diagonal created by the tow strap, approximately 30 feet from them. Little did I know that in a split second everything about my life was about to change.

As my mom revved the engine, and the elastic tow strap stretched and became taut, it actually broke free from the bumper of the El Camino and shot like an arrow across the compound, straight at my father and struck him in the face. I remember sitting on my bike, watching the whole thing, incredulous at what was happening before my eyes. I was frozen as I watched my mom run from the El Camino to my father and take off her mustard yellow jacket and tell him to hold it to his face. There was blood everywhere and that was all she had to give him to try and stop the flow. She helped him off the tractor and walked him to the El Camino. Once she sat him down she ran into the house and called the hospital to say we were coming. I am still frozen on my bike as she runs back out of the house and grabs my hand while we ran to get in the El Camino with my dad. Unfortunately during the preceding 5 minutes my mom had left the ignition on in the El Camino and the battery had died. She then had to get us all out of the El Camino and transfer us to our family station wagon. She put my dad in the back seat with me up front with her. Curiosity is strong in a nine year old child and I tried to look back at my dad and see what had happened to him. I remember my mom grabbing me and putting my head down in her lap and telling me it was best not to look. This was before cell phones and 911, so with only a phone call ahead to the hospital my mom drove the distance from our ranch to Modesto in only 15 minutes, a trip that normally would take us over 30 minutes. I seem to remember a police officer pulling us over and then leading us on but that was 40 years ago and that is the single memory I am not sure of. By the time we got to the hospital my dad had lost so much blood it was impossible for him to move from the car to the wheelchair without assistance. And then as fast as the accident had happened he was gone and my mom and I were left standing there alone.

Fortunately for my dad, a young surgeon was on duty who was just back from Vietnam. We learned later the tow strap had literally wiped the nose off my fathers face and damaged his right eye. The surgeon was able to sew his nose back on and left the eye to see is there would be any possibility for sight which as time proved would not happen. He was in the hospital for much of the Christmas vacation and recovery was slow and painful, due mainly to his eye which over time started to abscess. Funny what you remember even after all this time. The Peterson's coming to get me and staying at their house during which they gave me a "lifesaver book". I remember my Grandma coming in to tell us that more than likely my dad would loose the sight in his right eye.

More than anything I remember my mom's bravery and strength. Many of you know my mom recently went to be with the Lord, that is why this post has taken so long. This single shared experience defined my mother for me. In her later years I don't think many people saw this side of her as if this one single moment changed both of us in a split second.