Hola, friends and family!

I pray that this last week has been one filled with blessings and growth for all of you.  I also pray that this email finds you healthy and content. Let me start by voicing a heart-felt ‘Hallelujah’, for the school yearbook from last year is finally done!  Rick has contacted the printer, and hopefully the books will be ready for students soon.  Also, he is very grateful that this-year’s yearbook students are very reliable and work hard, so that this year’s yearbook will be done on time!

Another reason for praise is the school drama departments production of Antigone, performed this last week.  Students, directors, and crew have all been working very hard over the last couple of weeks to prepare this production.  They did an amazing job and are now ready for a well-deserved rest!

Friday night we celebrated Craig Black’s birthday.  A group of about 15 of us joined Craig and Amanda at a local Indian food restaurant.  Since Craig is not one to be the center of attention, the only mention of his birthday was when we sang “Happy Birthday”, followed by a rousing rendition of “Skip around the room. Skip around the room.  We won’t shut up ’til you skip around the room.”  This seemed only fair, as Craig was the one who introduced us to this birthday tradition in the first place.  Craig complied and skipped around the restaurant, much to the confusion of the other diners.

UV levels have been very high over the last few weeks, and our elementary students have been required to have all PE classes and recesses under the covered basketball court (instead of on the playground and soccer field).  On Friday it was announced that the UV levels have finally dropped, and they will be able to return to their regular locations for PE and recess time.  Even so, PE teachers and parents are trying to make sure that sun screen is readily available to them whenever they are outside.

This last week has seen fewer crises amongst the students and families at AAI.  Rick and I continue to seek out opportunities to sow into their lives, and are grateful for any opportunity that God allows us to be a part of.  I have seen many of our students begin to ask very good, theological questions and begin to seek out what their purpose is in life.  I pray that God will continue to lead them to His answers and his Truth.

One of the challenges, when moving to a new place, is finding out where different businesses and services are.  I am happy to say that Rick and I have found a very good dentist, just a few doors down from our apartment building.  Her prices are very low, which is wonderful, since we have no dental insurance.  She repaired Rick’s broken tooth and filled two cavities, all for $50!  Rick has another appointment for next week, since he has a few more teeth that need attention.

As always, thank you for your prayer and support.  We know that God has sent us to Ecuador, and we relish the ministry of which He has allowed us to be a part.  He is truly good, and He is truly God!

Sincerely,
Rachel Sams

We’ve taken down the weekly update for this Sunday, March 21st.  It was a great re-cap of the week, but on further reflection, we realized that it had a lot of information about student-specific situations at the school.  The last thing we would want to do is to embarrass any of the kids with whom we live and work.  If you aren’t on the list to receive the email version, please send us a message and we’ll forward a copy to you.  Thanks for your understanding.

Hello, once again, to all of you!

I thank the Lord daily for all of you, and the role that you play in our ministry here in Quito.  It is wonderful for us to see how God is using us to reach out to staff, students, and families here at Alliance Academy.

First of all, a quick follow up (and praise) from last week’s update, regarding the family with suspected child abuse.  A meeting was scheduled on Monday with the parents, two school counselor’s, a teacher, and the elementary principal.  The school counselors began the meeting by letting the parents know how much we care about their family and their children, and that we were concerned about changes we had witnessed recently in their kids.  The teacher talked with the parents about a recent journal entry, written by one of the sons, that talked about family conflict, physical aggression, and feelings of despair and worthlessness.  Much to our surprise, and relief, the parents immediately recognized the conflicts that were happening in the home, the father immediately accepted responsibility for the incident which left a mark on on son’s face, and then they told us that they were already seeing a counselor outside of school to address these issues. They were more than willing to work with the school to make sure that their children were doing well, and that they were able to improve the family situation.  Praise God for his work in this situation!
For those of you that have been praying for Rick, you will be happy to know that he passed his kidney stone on Tuesday without excessive pain (although considerable discomfort for several days).  We never even had to go to the doctor or the emergency room, for which we are very thankful!

Friday was the Teachers Teaching Teachers conference at another international school (Cotopaxi).  All of the staff from AAI attended, along with the staff from several other international schools locally (Colegio Menor, Americano, The British School, Cotopaxi, and Albert Einstein).  Each person attended four different seminars of their choice throughout the day.  It was a wonderful opportunity to meet other people who do what we do!  While AAI was the only school present with a Christian philosophy, many of the staff from the other schools are also professing believers.  It was a chance for the staff of AAI to minister to others and to be examples of Christ to other schools.  The day was amazingly well planned, and all of the seminars appear to have gone very well.
Yesterday was AAI’s Quito Cup, which is a soccer tournament hosted by the junior class every year.  This year there were 10 teams (teachers, seniors, sophomores, Youth World, Extreme Response, and even a “Rejects” team made up of h.s. students for whom soccer isn’t exactly a “first” sport … the Rejects were a fan favorite all day long, even long after they were disqualified).  The games went from 7am to about 3pm.  Rick was present most of the day, taking pictures for the school yearbook.  I was there for a few hours in the afternoon.  It is a wonderful opportunity for students and parents to spend time with one another, outside of the academic setting.  Rick spent several weeks putting together a playlist of approved music, so that the students who were manning the sound booth would have an easier time finding music that was appropriate for the day (this is often a challenge, and no small point of contention between students and staff at times).  Rick and I are both a little sunburned, despite our use of sunscreen and shade.

Yesterday was also a birthday party for our friend, Stephanie Taylor.  At her request, we had a picture scavenger hunt, which had groups of four (each group armed with a camera) running around a mall and a park taking pictures of ourselves (and total strangers) doing silly things.  Mine and Rick’s team got the most points for the picture of us playing Duck, Duck, Goose with a group of strangers (they were preparing to play soccer when we showed up and asked if they would pose for a picture with us… ).  All in all, it was a lot of fun and a great way to celebrate a friend.

Last night Rick and I purchased my plane ticket to visit my parents and grandparents this summer for two weeks.  I am sad to say that we will not be able to visit our friends in KS, MO, or CO this summer.  Rick will stay in Ecuador and travel with different ministries groups throughout the summer.  I will try to join him on some of these trips, once I return from my trip to FL (and PA and TN).  The ministry trips will allow us to see more of Ecuador, outside of our regular ‘bubble’ (which is pretty Americanized).
Tomorrow, Rick has promised to give a student (the one that he tutors) a mohawk.  (He was careful to get permission from anyone who might care.)  I am sure that pictures will surface on facebook, for those that want to see.

One prayer request … we’ve mentioned that over the last  couple of months, our monthly support has dropped.  The current numbers are a little discouraging.  So far, for the year, we’re a couple hundred dollars a month below last year’s averages (which were already not as high as we’d really like to see them).  Our continued ministry here is dependent on the generosity of our supporters.  We know that God has resources we can’t begin to imagine, and that He has a plan for us.  Please help us pray.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.  We look forward to hearing from you.
Blessings,
Rachel Sams

Hello to all!

I hope that this email finds you all well and preparing for another week of adventures.

This last week was Elementary Spiritual Emphasis Week at Alliance Academy.  The special speakers were Tim and Kate Carpenter, parents of one of our high school math teachers (Teri Newburn).  Despite some personal health issues, the Carpenters had a great time ministering to our younger kids.  While Spiritual Emphasis Week does cause the change of the elementary student’s daily schedules (which can be a little rough on some), it was all well worth it, and many of the kids (and parents) were touched by the message of our Lord.

I found out last week that one of our school counselors, due to family needs, will have to cut back on her weekly hours.  Thankfully, the school has approved for one of the other school counselors to pick up those extra hours (as she has been hoping to move closer to full time).  This change will actually make it possible for us to provide more testing/assessment opportunities for our elementary students (such as testing for attention issues, depression or anxiety, etc.).  Please pray for all of the counselors at AAI.  This year has been very challenging, as we strive to meet the needs of many hurting families.

Along those same lines, I ask that you keep me in your prayers over the next few days.  Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with parents, due to suspected child abuse in the home.  While the laws for child abuse in Ecuador are good, and still improving, they are different than in the US, and I am still learning what my legal and ethical responsibilities are.  Please pray that the parents of these three siblings will recognize their need for help, and that their family will be strengthened by our intervention.  Please pray for our staff and teachers, as we struggle with the task of protecting the children with the task of loving the parents.

Tomorrow afternoon will be the memorial service for the Ladines family (who passed away a few weeks ago in a car accident) at 4pm.  Many people from Alliance Academy, as well as from the missionary community in Quito, will attend.  Alejandra Ladines (the surviving daughter) may attend the service, also.  Please keep her, her classmates, and all those affected by the death of her parents and brother in your prayers.

Friday will be a day of conferences (Teachers Teaching Teachers) at a sister school, Cotopaxi.  I will be leading a seminar on Depression in Teens, spotting the symptoms and seeking to help.  Many of the other Alliance staff will also be presenting seminars, as will the staff from several other schools.  Please pray that the AAI staff will have opportunities to minister to others, to be light and salt to all those present.

Rick and I are both finding ourselves consistently very busy at work.  Please pray that God will give us focus, patience, and persistence to complete the tasks which He has set out for us.

As always, we thank you for your prayers and your support.  We think of you often and thank God for the part that you play in our lives.
May God bless and keep you always,
Rachel Sams