Hello to you all!

Well, we survived the first quarter of the school year, along with grade cards and Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences last Friday.  All of Rick’s students had grades of B’s or higher, so none of them were required to attend a conference.  Some of them still hung around and kept him company, though.  I attended a few conferences of students that I meet with, but very few.  Over all, it was a long, but not too challenging, day.  I hope that both teachers and students will be a little less stressed now that the grading is done!

Our rolling black-outs continue, but only for two hours a day (instead of four to six hours, as in the last few weeks)!  The Ecuadorian government has purchased electricity credits from Peru and it has begun to rain some, so hopefully things will continue to improve.  I know that many of the farmers and families with farm animals also struggle due to the lack of rain.  Some of the teens from our church recently participated in planting over 1000 trees on the slopes of Pinchincha (more or less in our backyard) that were destroyed by forest fires over the summer.  They will also require the rain in order for them to flourish.

Our friends, the Saavedras, have a new baby in their family. Evangeline is their first daughter, after three boys!  She is the second of their children to be born in Quito.  They are happy to have her, and are adjusting to having a small baby in the house again.  Our other friends, the Naranjos, are expecting a child as well, a daughter named Eva.  She is due any day now.

We plan to spend Thanksgiving Day with the Saavedras, as well as with many other friends.  It is not an Ecuadorian holiday (obviously), so the Ecuadorian schools do not have the days off.  This means that those of us from the U.S. have less crowds to fight at the supermarkets and such! :)  The Saavedras have opened up their home to us and to others.  Rick will bake the turkey and the others will bring as many side dishes as they can imagine.  It should be a wonderful day spent amongst friends (with lots of yummy food, too!).

As always, please keep us in your prayers as we continue to learn and serve here in Quito. Our relationships with both staff and students continues to grow, but with that growth comes an ever increasing awareness of the needs and hurts of others.  We have been so blessed to be able to minister to people here, as well as the ways in which God has ministered to us through others.  I truly pray that God continue to teach us how to be content in all circumstances, even during the times that we are homesick for people and places back in the States.

May God bless and keep you all, always.

Rachel Sams

Hello friends and family!

Another week has passed in Quito and, as usual, it has been full of activity.

The rolling black-outs (that would be a great name for a band…) continue.  Until the rains begin, our hydro-electric damns won’t work, and it still isn’t raining.  We have an average of four hours without electricity daily, which should continue until about April (or longer, if the rains don’t start).  The black-outs occur at all times of the day, which means that they sometimes happen during the school day.  While the school has a generator, it isn’t strong enough to power everything in the school at the same time.  This means that those of us that can spend most of the day without turning on any electrical appliance, so that the classrooms that require the electricity (like Rick’s graphic design classes) have enough electricity to power their computers.  There have been several days where Rick was unable to teach his classes, because the computers would not work.  While the students don’t seem to mind the extra study halls, it doesn’t bode well for the completion of the yearbook if they are not able to get back to work soon.

Another side effect of the black outs is that the street lights are often out in very busy parts of the city.  Also, the traffic lights go out.  This means that crime is on the rise, since many of the restaurants and clubs have generators, so they are open.  But, when people leave the restaurant or club, they are often mugged while on their way home.  While the police are showing a much stronger presence, especially in the area of managing traffic in the absence of traffic lights, the delays and traffic-jams are pretty spectacular!

This last weekend was Alliance Academy’s 80th Anniversary.  There was an after-school assembly on Friday afternoon, attended by students, staff and guests.  Many former alumni and former teachers came to Quito to help us celebrate, too.  Saturday’s celebrations started at 2:30pm with games for the elementary students on the soccer field, included a concert by the school’s Jazz Band, and ended with a ‘castillo’ (a tower of fireworks) from the roof of the dorms.
Rick and I have signed up to help with Extreme Response’s ‘Zambiza Dump Party’.  This is the annual Christmas part at one of the local garbage dumps.  There are large populations of people who live in and around the garbage dumps.  Some glean all of their possessions (and sustenance) from the garbage there.  Some travel significant distances daily to jobs that pay only $50-$60 a week, often leaving their children unsupervised and unprotected throughout the daytime in the dump.  Extreme Response is a ministry that has started up daycares and preschools in this environment, so that these children are able to receive some TLC and some education.  The Christmas party will be a day of games for the kids, a meal, and the handing out of gifts.  Last year 2000 people attended the party, but another 2000 had to be turned away for lack of space/food/gifts.  Rick has agreed to serve as their photographer for the day.  I am not sure what role I will play, but will see where they need me once we get there.

This week wraps up the first quarter of school.  Teachers are busy with grades and most students have a look of stress on their faces.  I think we will all be happy when the week is over and we can get back to the daily routine of teaching and learning.

Well, friends, that is all I can think of to write for now.  Thank you again for remembering us in your prayers.  God continues to use, teach, and mold us.  While the process is rarely comfortable, it is often rewarding and always worthwhile.

May God bless and keep you always,
Rachel Sams

Hello to you all!

Well, this has been a difficult week.  It has also been a week of growth and searching.
As I mentioned last week, we were recently hit with some difficult news about finances based on past debts that we thought were already taken care of.  That, along with decisions about continued education, left us wondering if God was telling us that it was time to head back to the States.  We are learning how to readjust our budget, listen for his guidance, and trust Him to provide.  We’re still in the process of seeking His will in this matter, and would appreciate your continued prayers.

In way of news, Rick has been asked to give voice lessons to one of his students (with whom he already has a growing friendship) and the possibility of a few more.  He’s enjoying putting what he learned in those MNU voice pedagogy classes to work.

This past weekend was Alliance Academy’s Turkey Bowl.  The Turkey Bowl is flag football (not soccer).  Each year we have fewer teams.  This year the American Embassy team was unavailable, and the military team had something else going on.  So, we had a team made up of Sophomores, one made up of Seniors, one of AAI staff/teachers, a team from Youth World, and a team from one of our rival schools (Cotopaxi).  Surprisingly, but happily, and for the second year in a row, there were no major injuries.  In past years our local hospital (Vozandes) has been known to post signs stating “Welcome, Alliance Academy Turkey Bowl players” in their emergency room!  The Staff from AAI were the final winners, with the team from Youth World coming in second.

This weekend we will celebrate Alliance Academy’s 80th anniversary!  The ceremonies will start on Friday afternoon, including staff, students, alumni, and some former staff.  It is amazing to think that a small boarding school for missionary kids would have come so far, ministered to so many, and taught so much.  It is truly an honor to share in this mission!
Here’s a prayer request.  Due to lack of rainfall the city of Quito has begun rationing electricity.  We are experiencing rolling blackouts throughout the city, for about four hours per day.  Rick and I are greatful that our building has a generator, so the blackouts have not affected us too much.  My guess is that our next month’s building fee (paid in addition to our rent… kind of like a condo fee) will reflect the added expense of the diesel fuel used to power the generator.  In the meantime, we continue to offer our home to our friends as an alternative to sitting at home in the dark. :)  Please pray for the city of Quito, that the Lord will send rain and relieve this great need for the country.

I want to thank all of you who have held us in your prayers, especially over the last week.  We have been very close to despair during this time and have often felt that the Lord was not answering our cries.  I believe that we are both beginning to find answers and to hear His voice.  I know that He has been guiding us and teaching us all this time, and that He has a plan for our lives.  I am so thankful that He has chosen to make us a part of His ministry here in Quito, and I know that He will take care of us at all times.  Please pray that our faith will continue to grow, and that we will continue to bless those around us.  Above all, pray that our lives will continue to glorify the One who has given us His grace and mercy.

May God bless and keep you all,
Rachel Sams

Hello all!

Well, this week has been an unusual one in several ways.  First, we had a four-day weekend due to All Saints Day (Dia de los Difuntos) on Monday and Cuenca Independence Day (yes, we live in Quito, but we still get the day off… not sure why) on Tuesday.  While many of our friends took the opportunity to head out of town (many of the to the beach), we decided it would be more fun (and less expensive) to stay in Quito and hang out with the others who were here.  (game night at the Saavedra’s house, one small group of trick-or-treaters / pumpkin party kiddos, etc.) and I, for one, am glad we stayed in town.  We actually had quite a good time at several gatherings.

As I mentioned last week, one of the students from the dorms stayed with us over the weekend, too (since the dorms were officially closed).  It was fun to have him around, he was eager to follow any of the few ‘rules’ we set out, and he spent most of his daytime hours either with his girlfriend (and her family) or skate boarding in one of the local parks.  While we did drop the ball on one occasion, leaving him at home with no food prepared and no minutes left on his phone (we came home several hours later, wondering why he hadn’t called us…), he was forgiving of our lack of ‘parenting skills’.  We don’t have a lot of practice in that area.

Over the weekend we did receive some bad news, having to do to with past debts that we thought were already taken care of.  The amount is considerable and, while we are confident that we have found a way to start paying them off, we are not sure how this will affect our future plans here in Quito.  As always, the sale of our car (in Olathe) would greatly help our current financial status, too.  Please keep us in your prayers as we seek the Lord’s will in this matter.  At this time, both staying here and/or moving back to the States seems overwhelmingly difficult.

We continue to seek out answers with regards to future continued education, as well.  The school ’strongly encourages’ continued education, and will also pay for it.  The only set back is their current policy, requiring a commitment of five years at the school after the completion of the degree.  We are not at a place where we can commit to that length of time, nor do we feel that it would be financially responsible for us to amass more debt (even if it is for a good cause - education).  We are talking with the school to see what options exist.  As always, they are willing to work with us and have asked us to provide them with a little more information about the type of degree, cost, etc.  Again, please keep us in your prayers as we try to discern the Lord’s will.

In three more weeks we will have our Thanksgiving holiday.  We have already made plans with several friends (and some of their families that will be visiting) to get together on that day and share a meal. Rick is excited about cooking a turkey.  Everyone else is bringing sides of some sort.  I am wondering if I should try to bring anything, as Rick will be well entrenched in our kitchen at that time…  Maybe I will just show up and eat.  For those of you who have had Rick’s turkey in the past, you know that it is wonderful!

Thank you all for the support that you give us.  We are thankful for the chance to minister in Ecuador, and all the experiences that it is bringing us.  We are also thankful for our friends and family, who let us lean on them when times are tough.

May God bless and keep you all,
Rachel Sams