Sweet Surprise

For me, our mission to Chuwitayo started the previous evening. The Education Equals Hope team from South Carolina had invited the Casa G boys and us to share dinner with them each evening and then to reflect together about their time in Ecuador. We were "blown away" as Phil described it, by the incredible talent and purpose of this team of eleven. I was personally "undone" by their encouraging words. Just as we were ready to leave sometime around 10:30 PM (we still needed to finish packing for our mission trip) a woman from the team asked in her gracious southern accent, "Could we go and talk to Jesus together?"

She led us into the guest house office and asked, "Is there something I could pray for you? Specific for you? And you should know I am probably going to cry." Her sincere love and concern felt like God Himself was asking the question and offering us a priceless gift.

"I think we need to get down on the floor, I mean completely down on our faces." So we did. We laid face down in the little office on the musty floor, and she beseeched heaven on our behalf. And yes, with many tears, my own added to hers.  I felt my heart leap with a surprising bubble of joy at the unexpected gift we had been given.   When I lifted my eyes to see our three heads, practically touching one another I nearly laughed out loud.

Thank You, Jesus, King of our hearts for such a sweet surprise.  Thank you for bringing a stranger, now sister from another corner of your earth, to speak Your life-giving words into our souls. 

                                             Our Casa G team in Chuwitayo -- we were missing

Juan Miguel who had to stay behind for some school exams

Debbie was taking the picture.  :)