Insert Grace Here

Friday morning, August 12, my husband chauffeured me to the Baton Rouge airport in the midst of a deluge that had continued throughout the previous night. My flight would connect in Atlanta with the rest of my four person team headed for mission just outside of Quito, Ecuador. Local schools were canceled due to flood warnings from the downpour. The door of opportunity for this second trip since 2012 was presented only a couple months prior. The LORD confirmed; I said yes.

In the backseat that Friday morning my little Sophie, who was thrilled over school closures and the opportunity to be along for this goodbye, was worrisome. Major roads were closed. Back roads were flooding. A friend directed us on roads to follow as her officer friend kept her informed. Stories of homes flooding unfolded—homes that had never before flooded in Central, Louisiana. I prayed continually while my husband maneuvered our small car through rising waters. Sophie asked, “Mom, are you gonna have to miss your trip?”

I reminded her of the story of Jesus telling the disciples, “Let us go to the other side.” {Mark 4/Luke 8} Surely He was emphatic in telling them of the plans. They would make it to that destination. He took a nap. A storm came. The boat rocked and the waves threatened their peace and safety. Acting upon the emotion that rose above their peace, they woke Jesus and questioned Him. How could He sleep in the midst of such an awful storm? Didn’t He care that they might perish? Jesus rose, approached the threat, and He spoke. He spoke to the winds, the waves, the storm. “Peace. Be still.” Quite naturally, they obeyed. The disciples marveled. Jesus questioned their lack of faith. But He didn’t condemn them. He didn’t rebuke them. He had told them they would go over to the other side of that body of water and He keeps His Word. He had opened the door for me to go to Ecuador. Nine-year-old Sophie was prepared for this nine day sacrifice of her mama’s absence. I assured her that Jesus would see me to the other side where He had called me. I was absolutely certain. And He did.

Our team—Paul and Diane Tyler, my former high school geometry teacher and his wife, joined me again for my second mission in Ecuador. They’ve both been faithful in joining the teams throughout the years since around 2005 when this ministry began. By way of attending the missions separately on some occasions and together other years, by way of finances, by way of prayer. Christ Community Church in Denham Springs, Louisiana {my hometown}, has been a large source of support from the beginning. Now, from North Carolina, Paul works with his present church by way of setting up teams and financial support. This year, Nayda Martinez, a 40 year old woman from their church, joined us. Nayda has served 22 years thus far in our military and speaks fluent Spanish. Those details only scratch the surface of the blessing she would be to our team and this mission. We would join Francisco and Juanita “Nita” Vargas for their yearly kids’ camp. We would help with their Saturday Kids’ Club at the property across from their home and their youth group Saturday evening after the Kids’ Club wrapped up.

The backstory is as simple and yet profound as the parables and teachings of Christ. These missionaries have spent years pouring into kids and youth in areas surrounding their home just outside of Quito. It’s been a slow but consistent sowing. They have purposefully instilled the Word into these children, never pushing, never forcing the work. Insight into the culture in Ecuador is of utmost importance and Francisco and Nita well know this. Wisdom is imperative. They have worked steadily with groups of children whose faces changed often, some of them staying only a season and then leaving with their seeds sown. But many have stayed and remain still. Groups of around 40 plus children and 30 plus youth now include a majority of children saved, and with a sound understanding of their decisions, as well as the entire youth now saved, to my knowledge all or at least most of the youth, now water baptized. These kids have made purposeful decisions to choose Christ. And especially in light of their cultural challenges, this slow instilling of Truth, never pushing or prodding or pressing, has proved most beneficial. Now many of these kids are leading their families to Christ.

Our arrival in Ecuador came with swift news of rapidly increasing flooding back home in Louisiana for me. Paul and Diane, having originally resided there, and Nita as well, were receiving updates of many they know who were flooding without warning. By Sunday’s arrival, the news of devastation grew exponentially. We were preparing to leave for camp on Monday and Sunday night seven youth would arrive at Francisco and Nita’s home for preparation.

By this point, our team had witnessed a Saturday’s confirmation of our mission. Face after beautiful face, hugging, sharing, shining. Most of them, the little ones especially, wouldn’t know or comprehend the previous weeks’ struggles their Pastor and his wife had endured. Travel to the States for family, sickness, preparation and hard work. Then loss. Those kids couldn’t possibly have known. What they did know is that they arrive on Saturday and Pastor and Nita show up. This was to be camp week. Camp must go on. I watched as the LORD moved in ways like having Nayda present, Spanish speaking, military experienced, preparing a lesson in a short time which allowed Pastor and wife a time to breath. This year’s camp theme: Soldiers for Christ. And our LORD chose Nayda for our team. No big deal. Let me just brag on my God a moment.

Kids stepped forward for salvation that first Saturday in Tumbaco, Ecuador. And we rejoiced. By Sunday night, we received news after devastating news from my hometown. Family and friends flooding, my own to possibly evacuate. When you’re a continent away in the midst of such catastrophe, concern for your aging parents, your own family and home, loved ones who’d already escaped with not much more than their lives . . . it can overwhelm. But what I am certain of, what I was absolutely certain of on that Sunday, is that my God cannot break His promises, His Word. And that He had called me there. I could question that or I could trust. I trusted. Yet I was broken. Not fearful, not worried, not wishing I would be with them at that moment because how could I? When I knew my LORD had me there in Ecuador, an ocean away? I was simply broken. The flood came that night to me. A flood of emotion broke through.

What I found was people handpicked by the God and Creator of the cosmos to join me on this team. A couple who love deeply and treat me as their own child, praying fervently with and for me, and a precious new sister in Christ who bonded instantly me with me. I saw faith unwavering in Nayda and a calm and rest that only comes from Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. I saw a calm that I had come to know in greater measure over the past years. I saw a calm that I am certain our LORD compels us to in the midst of a world of turbulence in tribulation. And that! That is only from the hand of God. Sunday night, August 14, while my city, parish, and surrounding areas saw floods unleashed in epic proportions, a group of seven youth in Ecuador prayed with us, one at a time. The Presence of God that night was the strongest I felt on this mission. The love flowing from those youth shines brightly, evidence to all men that they are the disciples of Christ. Their camaraderie is a beautiful testimony to the work of Christ. Francisco and Nita well know—this is His work. One plants, one waters; God gives the increase. This is harvest time. Time to rejoice.

As we poured out by way of work, ministry, love, prayers . . . we saw the fruit of the Missionaries’ labor. More children saved at kids’ camp, ultimately totaling ten, or possibly more. We saw one youth baptized. He had missed the other eight youth who were baptized in the previous weeks before at youth camp. Originally planning to wait for an escort back to the campground 45 minutes away from the missionaries’ home, so that his parents could witness his baptism and hopefully grasp the magnitude of his decision, he decided during kids’ camp that he could wait no longer.

Darrio’s Baptism

 

Faces of the Children Saved over the week, at least one not present

Youth, baptized over the previous weeks during youth and kids’ camp, at least one not present

 

Years of sowing, watering, loving, have produced a harvest. What may appear seemingly small in quantity is exponentially witnessed by way of the harvest of fruit. These kids, and primarily the youth, are solid in their understanding of salvation and who they are in Christ. They are the leaders of Ecuador tomorrow, sowing into their families, their own parents. Back home in Denham Springs, Louisiana, are people who have prayed faithfully for the children and youth of Ecuador and this ministry. We, the team, have had the awesome privilege of being part of this harvest and ministry, at least for a season. The missionaries continue to press on. Sometimes obstacles appear in the way. And much like my ride to the airport that Friday morning, it is a total faith walk, sight unseen. And now, in the midst of incredible need from an unforeseen floodgate, we have a group of youth poured into in part by our city, who are now pouring back into us with sincere faith and love so powerful, it covers all.

A flood of hope poured out into my broken spirit while in Ecuador. And I trust our LORD will pour it back out to Denham Springs, Louisiana. He will continue to pour into Ecuador and the nations. Our hope is not of this world—some uncertainty of response, weighing the options. No, it is a hope that is anchored on a solid foundation—Jesus Christ. And all of His promises are YES and AMEN! Not contingent upon us, our goodness, our lack thereof. But solely on Him, His finished work on Calvary, His death, His resurrection, His life. It’s a sure anchor for the soul.

Just as hope has risen in Ecuador, it will rise in Louisiana, far above those flood waters, and into the nations. Church, let’s arise in unity, on the foundation of Christ. Let hope arise!!!