Weekly Update - January 11, 2010
Hello, friends and family!
‘Saludos’ from Quito, Ecuador! I bet there are a whole bunch of you who never thought you would hear that in an email! 
As always, this has been a week full of adventure, challenges, and ministry. School has been back in session for one week, since coming back from Christmas break. For many, the joy of seeing friends again (after being gone for 10 days) has worn off, and the daily routine of school has returned. Already I hear students complaining of schoolwork, projects, and tests that are due. Project reports went out last week, so some are worried about their grades, too.
I am preparing for the Counselor’s Summit, which will happen on Feb. 1st. It will be a half day of school, during which the middle school and high school students will have seminars (instead of class). The focus of the seminars this year will be “What do you know?”. The basic focus is what we believe to be true about ourselves, our world, and our God. We will also address different topics that affect what we believe about ourselves/the world/God, such as abuse, disabilities, addictions, culture, music, etc. I am still trying to find enough teachers and adults willing to lead seminars, as well as coordinating the whole event. Please pray that our students (and parents) will learn and be ministered to through this event!
Quito continues to experience rolling blackouts which seem to last about two hours a day. We are thankful for the rain that we are receiving, since the blackouts initially were lasting for about four hours a day. Please continue to pray that God will send us rain, as this not only affects the electricity, but also the agriculture throughout the country. Many farms and their animals are really suffering.
We have been blessed, over the last week, to have dinner with several different friends here.
On Thursday night we ate with the Douce family. They have been in Quito for many years and work with a ministry called Casa Gabriel. Their main ministry is to teenage and young adult boys who have grown up on the streets, but have now voiced a desire for a relationship with the Lord and a better way of living. Rick has developed a relationship with several of the guys at Casa G (especially with Boris, shown below, who is getting married next month to a wonderful Christian girl). Their children have all attended Alliance Academy and have been a real blessing to work with. Their youngest son, Tully, is involved in Peer Helpers with Rick and I.
On Friday night we ate dinner with the Pickens. Their oldest son, Noah (seen below in a picture of Rick’s yearbook class or ‘08. Noah is the one in the middle in the grey shirt) was one of the first students that Rick really felt a connection with here. He is currently studying at Wheaton college. His younger brother and sister still attend AAI. The Pickens have ministered in Colombia and Ecuador since Noah was an infant.
 
Tonight we ate dinner with the Hanlin family, who came to Ecuador one year after us. Rene teaches French and Brett teaches English at AAI. Their daughters are in elementary and middle school. They, like us, are in the process of praying to see if God wants them to continue on at AAI.
Rick was able to have a Guy’s Night with a group of the guys from the dorms last Friday night. They spent several hours just hanging out at our place and watching movies. He is really loving the opportunity to sow into their lives, as well as to get to know them better. Many of them will graduate this year, so it is a wonderful opportunity to help prepare them for the life they will lead after high school (The picture below is Rick and Nick, one of the dorm boys, and a friend to Rick).
As always, please continue to pray for the country of Ecuador. There are always many political, socio-economical, and spiritual needs that are on our hearts. No government is perfect and it is always difficult to trust that they have the people’s best interest at heart. Our current president often voices his desire to help those of indigenous decent and those who struggle financially. He has made some very positive changes in areas of schools for those in rural areas, as well as the children who live on the street. Please pray that God continue to use him to help others, and that his political and spiritual beliefs will not impede the continue spreading of the Gospel throughout the country.
Thank you for keeping Rick and I in your prayers. For me this has been a very challenging week, and the next few will be very busy as well. Please pray that God will give me peace, as well as strength, to truly glorify Him as I work with students and their families.
May God bless and keep you all,
Rachel
