Ecuador Update: Part 3
We left Ecuador over a month ago, and as I have been distracted by the return of my normal routines, I am looking forward to reflecting on my experience in Ecuador. For 1 week, I was gifted with a clear vision of who God is and who he calls me to be.
Our last day was a final sprint and final deep breath. Some of us began the morning at 4:45 am embarking on the perimeter hike. It was dark, wet, itchy, and for me at least, painful. Watching the sunrise while standing above the clouds and getting to spend time talking to John and Hef while simultaneously trying not to slip and fall off the mountain was exhilarating and delightful. After a breakfast of champions, we were introduced to the grounds crew and split up into groups to help with trail maintenance and construction. I don’t know why anyone trusted me with a machete, but I spent the morning with Steve hacking away at the brush and trying to not kill anybody. Sweaty and tired, we were rejuvenated by lunch and began a group debrief. After some guidelines, we were released for an afternoon of solitude on the grounds. I began by venturing over to the alpacas and after they refused to let me pet them, I laid in the grass under a tree and let my body relax. The physical demands of the day weighed on my muscles and I listened to the wind dance through the trees above my head. After a nap, I walked by the cows grazing on a hillside and was greeted by Joy, the resident yellow Lab. She followed me to an open field by the entrance where I felt the urge to run and let her chase me around. I walked back to the main area of the camp and found myself at the trunk of a tree that looked very climbable, so I climbed it. I nestled in a nice spot and began to write in my journal, something that I had been meaning to do all week long but never had the time to. Here is my entry from that day…
"This week brought me so much joy and connection with God and others. It is clear that the Lord delights in me, and is writing a grand story of beauty and redemption in my life and for the entire world. I am not at the center, nor am I by the margin. I am a participant in this epic, brilliant history alongside many others from places that I may never see. Everything good, just, and right… it is all from and for God. A war rages outside and inside each of us, and I have the power and strength of the Gospel. Today, I breathed the breath of new life. I know Him. I can hear the music. The birds and alpacas cry out. I am one of them. Lord, you are at work, everywhere and always, and even this fly that just landed on my shirt lives to worship you. You have cleared out the junk in my mind, the prejudice, hatred, envy, discontentment, and you have replaced it with an abundance of gratitude, love, and worship. I want to dwell in your house forever. Ecuador is so obviously in your hands, and thank you for showing me hope this week when every source of media shows me despair. Thank you for wrapping me and this place in you love.”
After scaring Sarah by yelling at her from my tree branch, I watched Joy fish a dead goldfish out of a pond, sat by a babbling stream, and continued to breath in the breath of life that this place provided.
For dinner, we had a bonfire where we enjoyed roasting skewers of pineapple, meat, plantains, and then s'mores. The brave among us, including myself, sampled roasted guinea pig, which would have been a lot less frightening without teeth and nails. Our last activity was a circle of encouragement where we passed a mop handle around as a totem and affirmed each other. I translated the instructions from Spanish to English for the group to test my abilities. Afterwards, a few of us hung around the fire and soaked in the last moments before our departure at 3:30 am the next morning. I returned home with a full heart and longing to return.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us and made this trip possible!
-Ellen
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