We have been so blessed by the wonderful friendships we have formed with the team that is here now from Mars Pennsylvania. Pastor Dan, Gwen, Rebekah, Adam, Darwin, Kaitlyn, Brandon, Rachel, Heather, Curtiz, and Jake have come at a time when we were needing a big hug, and through their fellowship, generosity, and encouargement we have received just that.
They have moved all of the concrete and materials up to the water tower site at the Casa de fe property and the water tower is now so incredibly tall. Craig hopes to have the water tower completed soon.
The team has also gone and loved on the children at Casa de Fe. Providing them with one on one attention and I have heard that pastor Dan has been singing to the babies and often the tias come and listen as well :)
Friday morning, the team went out to Sacha Runa and hauled materials for the new church out there and enjoyed interacting with the people in the community. Then part of the team went to Casa de Fe while the other part helped me paint the wall that is on one side of our yard. Our landlords had requested that we paint it before moving and with 10 extra hands we were able to get that done in just a few hours. What a blessing.
Some of the guys have been working on putting speakers in at Casa de Fe so that Patti Sue will be able to have all of the music controlled from her room and the children will be able to hear listen to music throughout the day. Adam also came by Friday afternoon and helped us fix our car and our bikes, as well as helping Patti Sue with other things at Casa de Fe throughout last week.
Today was the first "rest" day they had. We spent the morning in Puyo, then all went out to lunch. After lunch we played games at the guesthouse, made animal balloons, and enjoyed more fellowship. Tonight is dinner and a movie night with popcorn for the group and our family. Tomorrow we plan to spend the afternoon in Sacha Runa going to church and then back to work starting Monday. We will have a team of 35 coming from YouthWorld Monday as well.
We have received so much encouragement from this group and so many groups from this summer. Thank you to everyone who has sacrificed their time and money to come and be apart of missions work in Ecuador this summer. I can't imagine learning the things we have learned and feeling so loved without the groups that we have had. We keep pictures out of groups that have come and I can't help but smile as I see so many of the new friends we have made as I walk by.
Love,
Celeste
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Video from 2007 in Ecuador
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
prayer requests
Craig and Brooke left on the 7am public bus to pick up the group coming today. Please pray for their safety and for Brooke not to need to go potty (there is no stopping for potty breaks and no bathroom on the bus).
Valerie Grace prayed at lunch and dinner yesterday and at lunch said a sweet prayer for Craig and Brooke and also the group. At dinner, she prayed for the group to get here safely.
I visited Zurkaya yesterday. She is the young lady that cooks at Cositas Ricas (a restaurant where we often take groups). We thought that she looked great. She could not move her right arm and had difficulty talking, but she was able to talk slowly and was sitting in a chair eating. I could feel her frustration and embarassment. Please keep her in your prayers and her family as they do not have a personal relationship with the Lord. I cannot imagine going through something like this without Him carrying me through. Another missionary from down here wrote to me about Zurkaya and we sent a Bible and card up with her boyfriend when he visited Zurkaya last week. He read to her from the Bible and we are all praying for them to experience the peace that comes from God.
We would also appreciate continued prayers for our family (Valerie Grace's health), Patti Sue, and the children at Casa de Fe.
Love,
Celeste
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Valerie Grace prayed at lunch and dinner yesterday and at lunch said a sweet prayer for Craig and Brooke and also the group. At dinner, she prayed for the group to get here safely.
I visited Zurkaya yesterday. She is the young lady that cooks at Cositas Ricas (a restaurant where we often take groups). We thought that she looked great. She could not move her right arm and had difficulty talking, but she was able to talk slowly and was sitting in a chair eating. I could feel her frustration and embarassment. Please keep her in your prayers and her family as they do not have a personal relationship with the Lord. I cannot imagine going through something like this without Him carrying me through. Another missionary from down here wrote to me about Zurkaya and we sent a Bible and card up with her boyfriend when he visited Zurkaya last week. He read to her from the Bible and we are all praying for them to experience the peace that comes from God.
We would also appreciate continued prayers for our family (Valerie Grace's health), Patti Sue, and the children at Casa de Fe.
Love,
Celeste
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Monday, July 14, 2008
Current group
We have a team of 20 here now from Estherville Iowa. Today, two of the women worked at the property hauling materials up the hill to the watertower. I am so impressed! This is super tough work. Craig has hired more of Jaime's brothers to help with the watertower tomorrow. This is the second week they are helping and it is a huge help and well worth the money.
We have enjoyed getting to know the team and learning that good things do come from Iowa :)
We have been blessed in many ways - from the items their church collected from our wants list, to items being brought down for us and other missionaries that we had purchased, to physical help, and a worship service for the children and adults of the mission community...IN ENGLISH.
Valerie has picked out her boy - Chris Snyder and also Lane (two boys this trip).
Craig stayed in Quito and they stopped at a big store on their way to Shell. Craig bought me a bicycle and we put a seat on the front (between the seat and handle bars ) for Valerie Grace. We rode around at the soccer field today and she had a wonderful time - I did too!
We have started our new year of homeschooling and it is going very well. The girls are not complaining and I think we found something that fits our family well. We look forward to that time together each day.
This group will leave on Friday for Quito and our next group - from Mars :) - will come on Sunday.
Please keep Zurkaya in your prayers. For anyone that has been down here, she is the pretty daughter who cooks at Cositas Ricas (where we take groups to eat often). She had a brain bleed a couple of weeks ago (right after the large group from PA left). She has not improved much last we heard. Please pray that this brings the family closer to the Lord and for recovery.
Love,
Celeste
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We have enjoyed getting to know the team and learning that good things do come from Iowa :)
We have been blessed in many ways - from the items their church collected from our wants list, to items being brought down for us and other missionaries that we had purchased, to physical help, and a worship service for the children and adults of the mission community...IN ENGLISH.
Valerie has picked out her boy - Chris Snyder and also Lane (two boys this trip).
Craig stayed in Quito and they stopped at a big store on their way to Shell. Craig bought me a bicycle and we put a seat on the front (between the seat and handle bars ) for Valerie Grace. We rode around at the soccer field today and she had a wonderful time - I did too!
We have started our new year of homeschooling and it is going very well. The girls are not complaining and I think we found something that fits our family well. We look forward to that time together each day.
This group will leave on Friday for Quito and our next group - from Mars :) - will come on Sunday.
Please keep Zurkaya in your prayers. For anyone that has been down here, she is the pretty daughter who cooks at Cositas Ricas (where we take groups to eat often). She had a brain bleed a couple of weeks ago (right after the large group from PA left). She has not improved much last we heard. Please pray that this brings the family closer to the Lord and for recovery.
Love,
Celeste
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Newest pet
Our girls have officially spent all of their "pet money" now. They sold many pets when we left the US and were allowed to use that money down here to buy new pets. We quickly learned that their money would go much farther down here (hence the zoo we now have).
Our quote for the day...... "Sloths do not make good house pets". We have a pet sloth now. Craig built it a big tree system in a bedroom. It was very nice in the day, eating out of our hands, sleeping in the new hammock we made out of a towel, doing what we thought sloths do. Then night came and it was knocking stuff over and ALL over the place - wandering into the girls bedroom (much to their delight). And that talk about them pooping only once a month. Our's has pooped all over 4 times today. So, it is now living in a cage in the house until we get a new cage for our pair of capuchin monkeys and can give it their old cage.
So, the sloth joins our 3 cats, 3 bunnies, 4 chickens, 1 dog, 2 snakes, 2 tarantulas, 2 tortoises, 1 turtle, 3 parrots, 1 large crab, fish, and monkeys. It is nice to know the "pet money" is gone.
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Our quote for the day...... "Sloths do not make good house pets". We have a pet sloth now. Craig built it a big tree system in a bedroom. It was very nice in the day, eating out of our hands, sleeping in the new hammock we made out of a towel, doing what we thought sloths do. Then night came and it was knocking stuff over and ALL over the place - wandering into the girls bedroom (much to their delight). And that talk about them pooping only once a month. Our's has pooped all over 4 times today. So, it is now living in a cage in the house until we get a new cage for our pair of capuchin monkeys and can give it their old cage.
So, the sloth joins our 3 cats, 3 bunnies, 4 chickens, 1 dog, 2 snakes, 2 tarantulas, 2 tortoises, 1 turtle, 3 parrots, 1 large crab, fish, and monkeys. It is nice to know the "pet money" is gone.
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Article in Washington Post about short term mission trips
Churches Retool Mission Trips
There was an interesting article on short term mission trips in the Washington Post. I do not agree with everything in it. We have been greatly blessed by the groups who have visited us. They have worked very hard, brought down items we had in the US, bought items for us and our work here, and most importantly, they brought us encouragement and we believe that most of them returned changed. We have however ended up finacially in the hole with every group except one. When groups come, they bring money to help with construction at Casa de Fe - which is a HUGE help, but little things like paying for our meal when we accompany a team out to eat or our transportation costs in getting 5 hours north to Quito to pick them up or staying overnight sometimes get overlooked. We often think back to when Craig visited for the first time and the group he came down with split the bus costs....and had Patti Sue pay her share - ouch! I can't believe we didn't think to cover that. She had been down here serving day in day out, without a steady paycheck or knowledge that funds would be coming in each month. Now, we get it!
We had a good year of learning and are going to try some different ways of handling new groups. We loved every group that has come and were greatly blessed in many different ways.
I think the article left out the encouragement part and the ability to obtain items that cannot be purchased in country. Things like tools that cost 8 times more here, or medicines that cannot be purchased here (Valerie's medicine is not available here), or something like a can of Campbells soup. Living in Shell is wonderful and we love it, but there are certainly days when we would love a nice bath, walls without fuzzy mold, a quiet night sleep, or to smell....well, not so much like Shell :)
I think the article is a good read for anyone planning to go on a short term mission trip though. If the article is correct, each group we have had could have purchased a home, or at least paid for 1/2 of a home for the children at Casa de fe rather than spending the money to come. I think it is a good reminder to keep supporting those missionaires who are full time on the field - building relationships, sharing Christ's love, providing medical care, caring for children, spreading the gospel, helping with poverty reduction, and giving up a comfortable life in the US.
Love,
Celeste
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There was an interesting article on short term mission trips in the Washington Post. I do not agree with everything in it. We have been greatly blessed by the groups who have visited us. They have worked very hard, brought down items we had in the US, bought items for us and our work here, and most importantly, they brought us encouragement and we believe that most of them returned changed. We have however ended up finacially in the hole with every group except one. When groups come, they bring money to help with construction at Casa de Fe - which is a HUGE help, but little things like paying for our meal when we accompany a team out to eat or our transportation costs in getting 5 hours north to Quito to pick them up or staying overnight sometimes get overlooked. We often think back to when Craig visited for the first time and the group he came down with split the bus costs....and had Patti Sue pay her share - ouch! I can't believe we didn't think to cover that. She had been down here serving day in day out, without a steady paycheck or knowledge that funds would be coming in each month. Now, we get it!
We had a good year of learning and are going to try some different ways of handling new groups. We loved every group that has come and were greatly blessed in many different ways.
I think the article left out the encouragement part and the ability to obtain items that cannot be purchased in country. Things like tools that cost 8 times more here, or medicines that cannot be purchased here (Valerie's medicine is not available here), or something like a can of Campbells soup. Living in Shell is wonderful and we love it, but there are certainly days when we would love a nice bath, walls without fuzzy mold, a quiet night sleep, or to smell....well, not so much like Shell :)
I think the article is a good read for anyone planning to go on a short term mission trip though. If the article is correct, each group we have had could have purchased a home, or at least paid for 1/2 of a home for the children at Casa de fe rather than spending the money to come. I think it is a good reminder to keep supporting those missionaires who are full time on the field - building relationships, sharing Christ's love, providing medical care, caring for children, spreading the gospel, helping with poverty reduction, and giving up a comfortable life in the US.
Love,
Celeste
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Sunday, July 6, 2008
Update on Valerie Grace
Some people have asked for an update on Valerie Grace. I thought I had sent one, but maybe I just am remembering my talks with the Lord on the subject.
We were able to get the clinical trial drug, Lenalidomide, for Valerie Grace. The pills are large capsules and she is physically unable to swallow them. The capsules cannot be opened (I assume because of damage the contents could do on the way down, or lack of testing). During May and June I had many talks with Valerie. Talks to find out where she is with things. I wanted her to have say in what is going on as well. I had heard from the Lord “not now” for radiation, but I wanted Valerie’s opinion too. I told her that radiation could help her tumor shrink and she could possibly live longer here on earth and that she could possibly see longer. She was intense in her response of not wanting radiation (I left out all of the info on side effects, etc when talking to her). When she was unable to swallow the capsules, we again had a talk, explaining possible things that could happen without treatment. I think it is important for people to know that radiation was presented to us as not being a cure, but would give us more time. The clinical trial drug, while it had some good results, upon finishing the treatment, tumors normally started to regrow.
When I told Valerie Grace what “could” happen if she didn’t swallow the pills, she told me “if I die, I get to go be with Jesus and He will be my mommy while I wait for you”. Her peace and understanding is overwhelming…so while you might be reading this and feel that my parenting, doctrine, or thoughts are off track – I am not sharing this for anyone’s approval, but just to share the road we have been following the Lord on these past two months.
I personally have once again felt that closeness with the Lord that I have felt often during this journey. It is a closeness that carries a bit of scary anticipation that perhaps only children of God who have walked through something difficult, being personally led by the Lord would understand. It is not scary, like being afraid, but just that dip in the pit of your stomach when you are on a rollercoaster ride. It is great because I know beyond a doubt that God’s plans are the best and that throughout this, as we have followed His path, we have felt guided as if on a track.
Today, Valerie and I were sitting in the car in the yard and she looked at me and, out of the blue, said “Mommy, I am ready to go be with Jesus. I miss Him and He misses me”. I let her know that she could talk to Him anytime, even now. She said “It’s not the same”. Her peace in contagious and her love for Jesus and understanding of things unknown is not of this earth. What a blessing we have been blessed with.
We have had many other talks over meals, sitting in bed, even walking around town about what heaven is like. I do the listening – and as any who have met Valerie will know – she does the talking.
So how is Valerie now?? These talks she has with me seem strange because she is doing so well. She knows her colors and numbers in English and Spanish. She is starting to read. She can play any computer games by herself. She can see things near and far (sometimes farther than I can). Her vocabulary is huge. She walks, jumps, runs, sings, laughs, eats well, sleeps well, and wakes us all up as the sun comes up. She is quick to make friends in the community and with the many groups who have come here to serve with us. Other than the medication she has been on since the first surgery, she is medication free. She has been treatment free for around 18 months.
Today, we went to church in Sacha Runa. We normally put our chairs in a circle and it is more like a family than a church service. We were talking about prayer today. They asked me to share what the Lord had been teaching me. It was an amazing time, to be able to share in another language, the deep things of God and be surrounded by people who a year ago would have been strangers, but who understood these same things. It was so joyful because the spirit of the Lord was present. How could this small community understand these deep things of the Lord? Because each of them have walked through a difficult time. It is through the difficult things, that the Lord seems to teach us a lot, if we cling to Him and stick out our hand and let Him take hold and lead us.
I honestly don’t know how this will play out on this earth…I have no clue how long Valerie will live, what types of medical things we may have to go through…but I know she will be okay. We feel extremely blessed!
Love,
Celeste
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And overall these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12-14
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 1:18-19
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us far more exceedingly and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
II Corinthians 4:17-18
And He said to me. “ My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness”. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
II Corinthians 12:9
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We were able to get the clinical trial drug, Lenalidomide, for Valerie Grace. The pills are large capsules and she is physically unable to swallow them. The capsules cannot be opened (I assume because of damage the contents could do on the way down, or lack of testing). During May and June I had many talks with Valerie. Talks to find out where she is with things. I wanted her to have say in what is going on as well. I had heard from the Lord “not now” for radiation, but I wanted Valerie’s opinion too. I told her that radiation could help her tumor shrink and she could possibly live longer here on earth and that she could possibly see longer. She was intense in her response of not wanting radiation (I left out all of the info on side effects, etc when talking to her). When she was unable to swallow the capsules, we again had a talk, explaining possible things that could happen without treatment. I think it is important for people to know that radiation was presented to us as not being a cure, but would give us more time. The clinical trial drug, while it had some good results, upon finishing the treatment, tumors normally started to regrow.
When I told Valerie Grace what “could” happen if she didn’t swallow the pills, she told me “if I die, I get to go be with Jesus and He will be my mommy while I wait for you”. Her peace and understanding is overwhelming…so while you might be reading this and feel that my parenting, doctrine, or thoughts are off track – I am not sharing this for anyone’s approval, but just to share the road we have been following the Lord on these past two months.
I personally have once again felt that closeness with the Lord that I have felt often during this journey. It is a closeness that carries a bit of scary anticipation that perhaps only children of God who have walked through something difficult, being personally led by the Lord would understand. It is not scary, like being afraid, but just that dip in the pit of your stomach when you are on a rollercoaster ride. It is great because I know beyond a doubt that God’s plans are the best and that throughout this, as we have followed His path, we have felt guided as if on a track.
Today, Valerie and I were sitting in the car in the yard and she looked at me and, out of the blue, said “Mommy, I am ready to go be with Jesus. I miss Him and He misses me”. I let her know that she could talk to Him anytime, even now. She said “It’s not the same”. Her peace in contagious and her love for Jesus and understanding of things unknown is not of this earth. What a blessing we have been blessed with.
We have had many other talks over meals, sitting in bed, even walking around town about what heaven is like. I do the listening – and as any who have met Valerie will know – she does the talking.
So how is Valerie now?? These talks she has with me seem strange because she is doing so well. She knows her colors and numbers in English and Spanish. She is starting to read. She can play any computer games by herself. She can see things near and far (sometimes farther than I can). Her vocabulary is huge. She walks, jumps, runs, sings, laughs, eats well, sleeps well, and wakes us all up as the sun comes up. She is quick to make friends in the community and with the many groups who have come here to serve with us. Other than the medication she has been on since the first surgery, she is medication free. She has been treatment free for around 18 months.
Today, we went to church in Sacha Runa. We normally put our chairs in a circle and it is more like a family than a church service. We were talking about prayer today. They asked me to share what the Lord had been teaching me. It was an amazing time, to be able to share in another language, the deep things of God and be surrounded by people who a year ago would have been strangers, but who understood these same things. It was so joyful because the spirit of the Lord was present. How could this small community understand these deep things of the Lord? Because each of them have walked through a difficult time. It is through the difficult things, that the Lord seems to teach us a lot, if we cling to Him and stick out our hand and let Him take hold and lead us.
I honestly don’t know how this will play out on this earth…I have no clue how long Valerie will live, what types of medical things we may have to go through…but I know she will be okay. We feel extremely blessed!
Love,
Celeste
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And overall these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12-14
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.
Ephesians 1:18-19
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us far more exceedingly and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.
II Corinthians 4:17-18
And He said to me. “ My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness”. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
II Corinthians 12:9
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Saturday, July 5, 2008
Pictures since May
We were treated to a day at the house we will be moving into and have been able to use their high speed connection to upload pictures and do other stuff we have been putting off.
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