It was very good seeing friends and family, eating foods we missed, and soaking up the warm weather, but Jake and I are ready for another break! It was very exhausting talking, meeting and driving all over the place.
We would like to say thank you. Thank you for listening to us and getting excited with us about the work in Ecuador. Thank you for your financial support and prayers. Thank you to everyone who put us up in their homes, lent us their car, took us out for dinner, cooked for us, bought groceries and things for us to take back, donated school supplies, slipped an extra $20 in our hands...etc. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! We cannot express our appreciation enough.
Jake and I had the opportunity to talk with a lot of y'all about things going on in our lives and in the school, we also shared some stories about students and the changes we are going through. However, not everyone had the opportunity to hear some of our specific stories. So I wanted to take this chance to share.
I first of all wanted to share this story because it answers a lot of questions: How are things going for you...really? Has it been difficult? How is God using you? What is something we can be praying for you about?
Second, because this is a very personal story for us but is so very powerful. I hope that it encourages you as much as it has encouraged us. I also hope that it helps you see the beautiful and amazing things God is doing in Ecuador.
I want to preface the story with saying that it sounds so silly to say this out loud, or at least online. Looking back I realize how much we (humans) try to be in control of our lives and plan everything out according to our schedule. We plan our life to our timing- disregarding God's timing for our lives.
My story begins by giving you a little background on Jake and I. We have been married for almost 8 years (8 in July!). We both try very hard to be organized and to plan ahead. Part of that planning has been regarding starting a family. So Jake and I planned out our future regarding children. We waited until we were ready: financially, personally, and ready in our marriage.
Well the time came, a couple years ago, where we decided we were ready to start a family. After a year of trying we had no results. With our impeding moving to Ecuador and the scare of so many friends battling infertility, we got tested. The results showed issues with the both of us. It was difficult hearing this news but we still tried staying positive.
We continue trying for a baby and to remember to put our faith in God- in his timing for our lives. It isn't always easy but He is good and shows us his love often. My story is about one of those times.
I first want to say that I have had the privilege of getting close to some of our Hacienda children. Because of the fact that I am in the classroom, I get to develop relationships with my students. One of those students is Dayana, a Hacienda kid. She is a sweet and silly 12 year old girl.
Dayana has been asking to sit with me at church recently. Of course I love having her with me. Well, Sunday, May 28th came around and was like any other Sunday were Dayana asked to sit with me. Except the fact that it was Mother's Day.
I tried holding it together while Jake and Dayana sat next to me but my emotions became too overwhelming. I got up and left worship to be by myself. I found a room, locked myself in and cried. I cried out to God and asked why. Why couldn't I have a child to love, to hold and teach. I didn't understand and I was angry. I prayed and sought solace in His Word.
After about 20 minutes I felt better, or at least enough to return since church had already ended. I walked outside and saw Dayana looking for me. It was time for her to go home. She ran up to me, gave me a hug and handed me a piece of paper. She had told me not to read it in front of her and ran away. I looked at the paper, it was a card that said "Happy Mother's Day". So before I broke down to an ugly cry, I retreated to our car to read the card.
Inside she wrote:
"Happy Mother's Day.
I say this because you are like my Mother.
I love you like a Mother.
I hope you can pass a good day."
I completely lost it.
That day God answered my question and pleas. He reminded me that I have 18 Hacienda kids and 170 students at school who are my children. They are here, needing my love. They need me to hold them. They need me to teach them about God. He reminded me that He has called us here to Ecuador for a purpose.
Yes, we still are sad and hurt because we want a child of our own, but we have so much joy and peace because we know we are were God wants us to be. He is using us (despite ourselves) to the best of our abilities. So even though we endure hardships, sometimes it feels like SO many, we remember that God never promised us a life without hardships. And despite the fact that running the school, living in a different culture, not completely knowing the language, and having personal issues has been hard, we live in peace and joy knowing we live in God's will.
We love being in Ecuador and doing what we do. While we get frustrated at things and we miss the comforts of the U.S, our friends and family, our church... this has become our home. At this point, we couldn't imagine our life anywhere else.
So THANK YOU. For all your love, support and prayers. Because God is using you to help us be here.
Dayana, Maria S., and Me
