The team has switched gears and started on the second half of the trip today. The flew from Cuenca to Quito this morning, safely-praise the Lord! From there they traveled by bus 4 hours into the jungle to Shell. It is funny, I asked matt how Shell was spelled thinking it was a word not from our own language and he said-shell, like the gas station. The hostile that they are staying out is the remains from the shell oil company. Interesting. The group is staying in some nice cabins tonight and were able to turn in early, which is another blessing. Matt told me last night when they returned to camp, he could hardly see straight because of how tired he was. Most nights I speak to him around 12-1 am in the morning after they finish up activities. I was able to speak to him at 9 :30 tonight!

One thing I have been meaning to talk about was the blessing of the funds raised by VBS for the Murrays as they plan to build a church in the future.. There was a need for tools and the kids during the week of VBS at our church were able to raise over $2600.00 to purchase these tools! How incredible! Matt told me yesterday that he and David Murray were able to finally talk about this gift, David was thrilled. David has been with the team the entire way and Matt has obviously been talking with him all week, but that gives a bit of an idea of pace of the trip and all the work and planning that has occupied their days!

Tomorrow, 3 different groups of 4 each will be flown deeper into the jungle by bush plane to visit with the tribe that Nate Saint and Jim Elliot had begun working with to share the gospel before their deaths. There is great excitement and some nervousness for the handful that will be doing this. The flights are 40 minutes each way. They will be doing these trips in shifts and will get to spend approx an hour and a half with the tribe in between flights. Please pray for weather that cooperates! Pray for safety and courage for these teams.

The team will be back in Quito tomorrow evening as long as everything goes as planned.

It is nearing the end, and I know that for all of us back home, we are anxious for their return and so thankfully Jesus that you have protected and worked in and through them this far! Please continue to be with them and bring them home safely! Thank you for giving them this oppratunity as well as allowing us to be a part of this through prayer! What a privelage!

It was an unexpected blessing that matt was still able to contact me once they reached the jungle, I am ever so thankful for little things such as this! I will hopefully be able to keep all of you updated on the flights and activities throughout the day tomorrow.

Goodnight!

What To Do With Vintage Linens #9

After a few years of birthdays and celebrations, I was beginning to accumulate quite a collection of those birthday plates and balloons, and streamers, and hats, and...and...and... You get the picture. And of course it was 3 of the spiderman theme and two of the pretty little pony theme, 5 of the thomas the train etc, never enough to reuse on the next birthday, so we would end up with more mismatched birthday themed plates every brithday. And let me tell you, they added up fast. So by the time our number five joined the family, I was beyond tired of spending money to throw it in the garbage only a few hours later. I began to dream up ways to start some new traditions and more permanent ways to celebrate every year without the waste! I made birthday tablecloths, banner, etc., and we now have a birthday "drawer" which stores all our goodies for celebrating!

I can now say that we have not purchased any birthday themed party goods for quite a few years. We had a few birthdays in the mix and match themes before we began our new tradition(nothing like the incredible hulk and barbie to celebrate!-they go together right!?)

This year I finally got around to making the kids all birthday crowns instead of buying the funny little dunce hats with sweet little cartoon characters on them. And I have been waiting to write about it until the last of our kiddos birthdays had passed. So we are officially birthday free until the new year. The crowns ended up being a work in progress and changed with each new birthday. And even though I changed the design and learned new things along the way, no one wants me to make a new one for next year-they want to keep their original.



All of the crowns were made from bed sheets. The girls had the fun flower power, happy prints, Noah's was made from solid bed sheets, and Cole's was of course made from vintage Star Wars sheets(although, he is simply being a good sport by wearing it-he is of course too old for this now:)-



Josie's was the first I made, therefore I was way off on the height-but hey! She is just very royal and quite the queen! I did use a stiffener in it, but later found that a simple fusible interfacing was plenty to keep it's shape. All of the crowns were quilted, most being free motion. The quilting also helps them to keep their shape. I must be completely honest and say that on two of the crowns I cheated and used fabric off the bolt to line them. Just couldn't resist how it looked! By the time we arrived at Madison's Birthday, I had finally gotten the height just perfect.



Most of the crowns will last for quite a few years as far as sizing goes. There are so many options when it comes to making them fit for multiple years! You can make them to tie in the back or put in and elastic band in. And as far as the design goes, the possibilities are endless. Just one more way to use those fun vintage bed linens!

I apologize for not getting an update on yesterday and today sooner. We have all been fighting off these colds as well as getting the everyday stuff done and I just have not sat down to gather my thoughts. This morning I woke up feeling like, Lord, I just cannot do it today, I feel icky and tired and there is too much to do, but that is exactly what I needed to do-ask for His strength, so much better! Hey, it even makes those Walmart runs with all 5 kids, relaxing! Now I like that!

So, here is the scoop. The Ecuador team did a youth rally last night. They had a good turnout. Hannah Smyth spoke and shared Christ with them. Christian Hidalgo and Rommel Gonzalez were able to lead someone to Christ. Many of the other students shared their testimonies and were received very well. As a matter of fact, I was told there was not a dry eye in the house. I know David Murray, the missionary they are working with, had a tough time keeping his eyes dry as he was translating because of the willingness the studentas had to be so vulnerable and real with the struggles they have faced and how the Lord has changed their lives.

Today was the last day of VBS. Praise the Lord, Once again, 5 children accepted Christ. The team has enjoyed there time in Cuenca so much, they are not wanting to leave. They also were able to attend a church service at the local church in which they helped pour a cement floor for. Matt was able to preach again. The pastor at this church was very appreciative and would love to have the team back again any time! I know matt has really enjoyed this trip as well and would love to bring another team back in the future.

Tomorrow they will be leaving camp at 6 am to fly into Quito and will then travel to the jungle where they will be staying for the night. They will be getting the chance to worship in a real jungle guest house tomorrow evening. This part of the trip is going to give the students a chance to learn much more about missions work, and what the Lord has done through missionaries in this part of the world. I would sure love to be there!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers, the Lord has done some exciting work and still is at work. Once they are in the jungle, I most likely will not be able to reach them and vice versa. I should hear from matt one more time before then.

Now, as far as the updates on my end. It is of course a pretty vague description of all that has gone on. Since I am not there, I do not have a first hand experience I am sharing. I have not had a chance to hear from the students themselves, so there will be some incredible testimonies to hear once they return. And it will blow any of my updates out of the water because you will hear from their mouths what the Lord did and how it impacted them! I cannot wiat to listen to them! I am hoping to have each of the kids share their experiences and have it posted here on my blog, so that all of you who have been following and praying for them will be able to enjoy their experiences of the trip!

Have a wonderful day!!!

ECUADOR UPDATE-Monday

The Ecuador team had a brilliant day! I will not ramble on forever because this news is exactly what we have been praying and hoping for! The team was expecting 30 kids for VBS but planned for 50 and they ended up actually having 78! Is that not incredible, and on the first day! The teams in house artist, Rommie, worked on drawing the younger kids coloring books for the VBS project since they did not have enough materials. What a perfect problem to have. Matt said that our students all worked hard and pitched in, not one was without purpose.

Tomorrow(or today, depending on when you read this) is going to be a very busy day. They will be leaving camp at 8am to go do laundry and some shopping and then will be at the church from 1-10:30 for VBS and the youth Rally. The team is tired and many are starting to get colds, so please pray for strength, health and good rest.

I may not have an update for everyone tomorrow because of how busy the day will be for them. Matt will call if time allows.

As for our family, we are still doing well! I was relunctant to end my call with Matt. I am missing him more with each new day. And I know all of you with loved ones on the trip are missing yours as well- we are at the half way mark!

Today I took Noah and Bell to the doctor. Nothing really bad, just colds, ear aches(no infection though!),sore throats that make them achy, and now mama has one starting too. Can't I just tell it to go away, this is not the time. I think I will just postpone it for about a month. My Cole, Madi and Josie come home tomorrow, yeah! So, I just need to get some shipping done for work, lawn mowed and grocery shopping done for us, and then I can curl up on the couch and do a movie marathon with the kids. Thanks for praying for all of us-it has blessed us!

Counting Blessing While We are Apart

I should probably start at the beginning and share a little bit about Matt and I that will help explain how some traditions in our family began. It is actually pretty fun to reminisce about the beginning of our love story.

Matt is a Minnesota boy who grew up and was greatly influenced in his faith through his years going to and working a t Camp Shamineau. He felt the Lord calling him into ministry while he worked there as a teenager. So this Minnesota boy headed of to Oak Hills Bible College to become a youth pastor.

One year later this Illinois girl who thought she was a wilderness type girl who wanted to work in full time camp ministry also headed off to the great north to oak Hills Bible college as well. It wasn't till after they were married that she realized she is not the campy type of girl:)-but the Lord worked with her plans and changed her mind to His plans thankfully!

This Illinois girl and Minnesotan boy met before the first week of school even began and ended up happily in the same bunch of friends. Both of us were dating other people when we met and that became a blessing in that we formed a very fun and relaxed friendship with no distractions or temptations that come with dating. By March of that school year, we had both ended our previous relationships, and our friendship had become pretty close:)- It is pretty funny how you can be telling your friend not to worry, the Lord will provide the right girl at the right time, and it ends up being YOU! And As I write this, I laugh, because -like that was hard to see coming!

One night after getting back to the dorms in early April, i was absolutely compelled to finally speak what my heart was screaming! So , on a little piece of paper, i scribbled -I can't help but to love you. And ran out to meet him in the court yard minutes before curfew. He said , even before reading the note, he could sense it in my hug that night. And that is were it began. Our relationship began after we had fallen in love. And here is the part that almost makes me cry, two weeks later we picked out and put on layaway, our wedding rings! I so love this boy! It was an absolutely magical fairy tale time.

I came back home for one last summer, I took my mom to a park for dinner one night after work and told her Matt and I were planning to get married, and as calmly as you can imagine, she said, "I Know" She had just sensed the difference in me and how Matt treated me. You have to understand, I was 19-and mom had only briefly met him when he was dating my best friend from school!(she still is my souls most precious friend). And as many of you have heard matt say when he preaches, asking my dad for my hand in marriage was a little too easy. My dad said he was going o ask Matt to marry me,if matt hadn't asked. :)



I flew up to MN and stayed at camp for a week to visit Matt, and that is the week he proposed. We were married just 11 months after we had begun dating, And five kids later, 13 years later, we are more in love than ever-he is my very best friend and love.


Now, after that lengthy story, here is the point. While Matt and I were away for the three months right after we had begun dating, we wrote every day faithfully, sometimes twice a day/ Those letters speak our story. Those letters kept us faithful and close. Sharing thoughts in the written form sometimes express things that cannot be expressed by interaction or speech. Many of those letters are now in a book a made for Matt early in our marriage. And others are carefully bundled to pass on to our children some day who we hope and pray will have faithful, passionate, God centered relationships. So letters are important in our family,and many times Matt is better than I am in writing. But when we began serving in youth ministry and the trips started that i was unable to go on once our family began, i started a tradition. Awhile before a trip i would begin writing a letter for each day he was gone. I would date them, maybe put in some goodies, wirte scripture down, a poem, or just my thoughts and hide them in a bundle in his suitcase before he left. Let me just say, I have missed trips, and instead have written a journal for him while he is gone.

This Ecuador trip thathe is on, I did something a little different. I actually photocopied the journals I have written on past trips and tied them up for him to take with. And the kids are the ones who wrote letters for each of the days while he is gone. I was so touched or amused by some of them, that I had to copy them to share.

Here is Joslyn's interpretation of having to say goodbye to Daddy
Here is Bell's picture to matt, I believe that is her on his shoulders.
This next one is a letter from Madison.
And the next two are letters from Cole.

The letters on our frig are the letters Matt left on all of our pillows the morning he left for Ecuador.

These are always a reminder to me how just a few minutes taken to share your love or gratitude for someone, can go a very long way! I think how much I love my letters from Matt and how much they have strengthened our marriage, and yet, the greatest love letter written to me, I neglect to read sometimes-God's word, the Bible, His love letter to us! In Matt's letter to me, he encouraged me to really spend my time reading that love letter! Because that is what will sustain me through this time. So true.

For Daddy.....

We miss you Daddy, but we can still look up at the same moon and the sun setting and that makes us feel closer to you.....

Cole took these pictures for you Matt, while we were at the family faith night, Vota concert. We love you!

ECUADOR UPDATE-Sunday

Was it not just one of the most beautiful days here in the burbs!? I enjoyed a good part of it peering out my van window and enjoying the warm breeze. Today I drove home from my folks with one lone ranger in the back-NOAH! My four olders kiddos were staying at Grams and Gramps for a few days. Definately helps pass the time that Dad is gone! Poor little Noah has a bad ear infection, of this I am almost positive-so off to the doctor for us tomorrow. But we came home, dropped our bags and cuddled up in the big chair together. A few hours later, i got a call from mama saying my Bell was sick now too, so Noah and I hopped back in the car again and drove back to get Bell. But I thanked the Lord for the extra driving and time to just think and pray. Lots to talk about with him! And a lot to be ever thank ful for.

The Ecuador team had a wonderful morning at church. They attended two services and a sunday school class. They were able to sing a worship song during the services. After church they traveled further up into the mountians and enjoyed a day of fishing. They spent the evening meeting to prepare for the start of VBS tomorrow. Some will be at VBS and others will be continueing on work projects at the local churches. After VBS tomorrow, much of the time will be spent in preparation for the youth rally they will be having on Tuesday evening. As I was talking with Matt while they traveled back to camp, they were stopping at the park to invite many of the kids that they had met the day before, to the youth rally.

Matt had a good laugh when he found out they had announced his broken toe in church. He was pretty amazed by how fast word travels around the world:)- So if any of you are wondering, he is doing fine, he wore his sandals all day and that was much less painful than normal shoes. I am sure he is sooo pleased that I am sharing all this:)-you know-he's a manly man who feels no pain-ha!

Please remember to pray for Hannah Smyth, as she will be sharing the gospel on Tuesday night at the youth rally. I know she is so excited! Also be praying for the students who will be sharing their testimonies and that the Lord would use it to bring people to know Him personally!

I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend and is excited and rested for the new week!

Ecuador Update

I know that so many of you are anxiously awaiting an update-I apologize for not getting it done sooner. I am away at my folks over the weekend and catching up with an Aunt and Uncle I haven't seen in a very very long time! We were also able to go to a concert on the lake of Vota and Paul Colman-very fun!

The team has had an awesome day, which is of no surprise! They were split amongst work projects at local churches. The guys helped to poor a floor in a church and were able to finish approx one quarter of it and will be doing more later this week. The girls worked on painting at another local church.

Tomorrow, Matt will be preaching at the Murray's church. He was preparing earlier this evening for that. Pray for the translation to go well. Also be praying for quick healing for him as he broke one of his toes today:(-thank goodness we have nurse Nina on the trip!)I even heard some of the girls saying "gross!" as they walked past Matt while I was talking to him, I guess the toe isn't a pretty sight!

The fun bunch was able to eat guinee pig for dinner, yep you heard it right! Now for those of you who know us, we have six little piggies in our household that are loved dearly by the kiddos. So, let's just say that our girls are not so thrilled that daddy ate piggies for dinner! I told them, watch out, Daddy may just look at big old red a little bit differently when he comes home. Matt said the resturant they ate it roasted the pigs whole, so everyone was given a different part of the pig to eat-and I know some of them even ate the brains-brave souls!

The guys went to a park in town before dinner as they waited for the rest of the team. Christian Gonzalez even joined in to break dance with the kids there. He was a hit with the kids! Speaking the language has served well as a gift from the Lord on this trip. The guys are hoping to go back to the park to invite more youth to the rally they will be doing Tuesday evening.

Tomorrow they will be heading further up into the mountians for outdoor activities. Then, the busy week of VBS begins on Monday.

I know that there are so many more things taking place that I have just not had the chance to hear about. The Lord has created each student and leader with gifts that He will use during this time! Pray that the stidents soak in what he is teaching them and equiping them for!

Thank you so much to all of you who have been praying the kids and I-it is so very appreciated! They are missing Dad, but are doing really well! We are excited to be a part of this ministry! What a privelege!

ECUADOR UPDATE-JULY24-11:30 pm

The team just finished at their concert and are back on the bus, headed for camp. I could hear the buzz in the background while talking with Matt. Very happy students with so much to talk about. They all sounded like they are having a great time! It was a brief chat with Matt since it was so noisy in the background, but I do know that everyone is healthy and happy! The other good thing is that I called Matt this time and got a hold of him, which is a relief to me! It is amazing how much I can savor just 5 minutes! So mamas and pops, if you need me to reach matt for you, I can! Keep praying!

TODAYS BOUNTY!

OH JOY!! HERE IS TODAY'S BOUNTY FROM THE GARDEN! SORRY SWEETIE, BUT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE HARVEST SEASON'S FIRST BATCH OF BROCCOLI SOUP WHILE YOU ARE GONE! BUT YOU WON'T MIND BEING GONE WHILE THE HOUSE IS STINKY FROM BLANCHING THE BROCCOLI!

Cheddar Broccoli Soup for dinner tonight!

ECUADOR UPDATE-JULY24-10:30 am

I must say on a personal note, it was a really tough length of time to go without talking with Matt. The first day and half seemed full of getting updates to people and getting ourselves at home adjusted to him being gone, but by last night, I began to feel it. So when he called this morning, the tears showed up. sigh-

One thing that happens when you leave the U.S. of A and step into another culture, and if you have ever been on a missions trip, you will understand what I mean. You have to realize that the "American" pace and plans and schedules no longer apply! And we have seen this so far with even their travels, change after change. But this is sooo good, as they begin to hold a little less tightly to their plans and a little more to the Lord's leading.

Today was to begin some of the work projects, but they have had to adjust to all the changes and some of the more pressing needs. After traveling to Cuenca by bus last night, which was a long drive, having dinner, settling in to where they were staying at the camp, and going through orientation, it was 1 am. It was time to get some rest. So instead of heading right off into work this morning after all the business of travel, they are taking the morning to spend time with the Lord. The students and adults are all taking one on one time to pray and listen to the Lord as they prepare to begin their work. So pray it will be a fruitful time! That is just so exciting,isn't it! There are 26 people on thier knees asking God what He wants! I can only imagine the ministry they do will be mighty!

They are going to take a tour of the city this afternoon, which had been on the agenda yesterday. And this evening they will be performing a concert at a local church.

On a funny note for those of you who know Janice Dimas, she actually pet a huge iguana! Now that is amazing! See already conquering fears:)

That is what I know for now. The rest of the time was spent asking Matt how to change our pool filter(which is almost impossible for me since I have arthritis in my hands) and when do I need to add salt to the softener(I know-kind of silly) At least it is not,the car broke down, what do I do, or I spent the night in the ER!Which has actually happened on other trips-Praise the Lord for a unevental first few days with Matt gone!

Ecuador Update - July 23 -5:30

Thank you to all of you following along and keeping in touch! I know the group is still so thankful for all the prayers. The team was able to get some much needed zzzzzzzz's today after a very long delay in traveling and customs. They awoke refreshed and ready to travel to Cuenca. They are traveling by bus and the trip will take approx 4 hours. The drive through the mountains is supposed to be spectacular-ahhh-God's beauty! Before boarding the bus, they stretched their legs at a park across from the hotel and were able to watch large iguanas roaming free, I guess it was quite a fun sight! Reminds me of our VBS closing night:)-reptiles galore! Once they arrive in Cuenca at the camp, they will settle in and go through orientation. Tommorow will begin their missions work. They have a concert in the evening at a local church, so please be praying for the students performing! I am unable at this point to call Matt, but he is able to call me, so I will update as often as he calls.

On a funny note, I am finally receiving my airport updates from American airlines concerning the flight from yesterday! The latest update is telling me they will arrive in Guayaquil at 9:20 yesterday evening. HUM? I do not believe they had even boarded their flight to Ecuador at that time-kind of funny-definatley not helpful:) Oh well- Till later

ECUADOR UPDATE

Our team had arrived in Miami safe and sound yesterday afternoon, awaiting their flight from Miami to Guayaquil. Their flight went through multiple delays, and they had even boarded and had been "un"boarded due to a broken door on the plane. Eventually they were moved to the other side of the airport by train to await a new plane. Again they faced issued with this new plane and were not boarded until 10pm. I know that during this time of waiting they got the chance to sing some praise and worship music and were joined by others in the airport-how cool! They were finally fed on the plane to calm those rumbling tummies. The plane touched down a little before 3 am in Guayaquil, and I spoke with Matt then. Rest finally for all the parents waiting to hear their kiddos are safe on the ground!

I just got off the phone with my hubby about a half an hour ago(8:30am) and they had just arrived at the hotel! Customs was difficult to get through due to some truck parts they were bringing to the missionary in Ecuador. So needless to say, they are a very weary group in need of some sleep and refreshment! They were fed a very good breakfast and will be able to sleep until 2 this afternoon. They will then head to Cuenca by bus to begin their orientation for the work they will be doing. Please pray for rest only the Lord can give-as parents you know what I mean, needing 10 hours of sleep but only having 3, and somehow you function beyond what you thought you could! Strength from the Lord! Pray for patience and gentleness with one another as their nerves are a bit frayed. And remember to thank the Lord for his protection of the team. It is so good to know that He knew why they where delayed and will use it for good! This team has been knit together through difficulty and that will make them strong and able to accomplish the work they were sent to do.

I will update once they team is awake and on the move! Friends and family from church, I am also updating on facebook regularly.

How Grows the Garden...

This year has been a fun year for us as far as gardening. We decided to put in more than we usually do because we knew we would not be gone very much this summer. Since we are trying to cut corners in any way we could, and could not go away at all, we decided that we would put our energy into making the backyard a place to enjoy for everyone. It also meant growing a lot more of our own food! YEAH! So we extended the main garden and put in two more gardens in the yard. Plenty of room to let things spread and bring in a bountiful harvest. Here are some before and after pictures of the gardens thus far. We are already reaping quite a harvest! Time to start freezing those yummy veggies.

Here is the main garden a couple of weeks after it was planted in June, lots of room to grow! I finally put my foot down(to myself) and did not fill in the empty spots thinking there was no way it would cover the entire garden. It is always hard to leave it this barren looking, it just isn't that pretty, right? But you will see why I am so pleased with this decision. Here are the after pictures taken this week.

Yep, it has certainly filled in the gaps!

BEFORE-

AFTER

BEFORE


AFTER

BEFORE
AFTER


YUMMY CUKES

BEFORE- THESE ARE CARVING PUMPKINS
LOOKING PRETTY PROMISING FOR FALL!

BEFORE-THESE ARE FONZY MELONS
I AM JUST AWED BY GOD'S GOOD EARTH! HOW FUN TO WATCH THINGS GROW!

SO HERE ARE THE ZUCHINNIS-YIKES, THEY ACTUALLY GOT BIGGER THAN I HAD WANTED. I DID NOT MEAN FOR THEM TO BE BIG BERTHAS! THE BIGGER THEY GET, THE LESS FLAVOR THEY HAVE. BUT, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A GREEN THUMB AND WANT TO BE IMPRESSES BY THE SIZE OF YOUR HARVEST, THIS IS THE WINNER. I FINALLY LEARNED TO ONLY PUT ONE ZUCHINNI PLANT IN BECAUSE EVEN WITH ONLY ONE, I WILL HAVE MORE FROZEN IN MY FREEZER THAN I CAN EVEN USE IN A YEAR! MY POOR FAMILY WILL BE EATING EVERY ZUCHINNI RECIPE ON THE PLANET.

HERE IS THE SECOND GARDEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE YARD. WE DEVOUR BROCCOLLI AND CAULIFLOWER AND DECIDED TO PUT A WHOLE GARDEN IN DEVOTED TO IT. WHAT WE HAVE FROZEN IN THE PAST JUST NEVER MAKES IT THROUGH THE YEAR, AND THERE IS DEFINATELY A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE STORE BOUGHT. SO HERE IS THE BEFORE PICTURE.


AFTER
HARVEST-THE BROCCOLI WILL GIVE ONE GOOD SIZE HEAD AND ONCE THAT IS CUT IT GOES WILD WITH NEW SHUTES. I WILL HAVE TO BE PICKING IT EVERYDAY NOW AND BLANCHING IT TO FREEZE. I OWE THIS FABULOUS TRADITION TO MY MOTHER IN LAW WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO FREEZE BROCCOLI NOT LONG AFTER WE WERE MARRIED.

NOW I KNOW THIS IS NOT FROM THE GARDE-BUT! ACTUALLY THE RASPBERRIES ARE FROM OUR RASPBERRY PATCH-FOR A FEW WEEKS WE ARE ABLE TO PICK THEM AND USE THEM FOR TREATS LIKE A BROWNIE SUNDAY, BUT THEY REALLY ARE AMAZING JUST BY THEMSELVES.

Ecuador Travel Update

For those of you who are following my blog for updates on the missions trip to Ecuador, I will update as often as I hear from Matt. I will do my best to even update on little details. i know that for those of you with children on the trip, or a husband or wife, it is nice to know even the smallest details to feel closer to them and it helps in knowing how to pray for them as well!

The team made it into Miami safe and on time, but the flight to Guayaquil has been delayed. They knew it was delayed almost right away when they arrived in Miami, but eventually they were boarded and thought they would be taking off. But Matt just informed me that they have had to get off the plane actually as they make repairs. Anyone who has flown regularly is aware that this is relatively common, so there is no need to worry. From what they were told, it is a door that needs to be fixed. So, for now, they wait.

God is good, He knows all the details and is in control of everything. In that we can rest and trust. Pray for the team as they wait, for oppritunities to share Christ. Pray that getting in touch with David Murray, the missionary they are meeting up with, will go smoothly, as international calls are not easy. Pray for safety for their flight, energy in travel, and peace for the team. Pray that all the luggage arrives with them as well. Once I hear from Matt that they have boarded the plane, I will update!

For Daddy.....

Matt made sure to get a T shirt for our 4 older kids that was the same as the Ecuador teams. It will be a good reminder for us to continue to pray while they are away! So this picture is for you Daddy! We love you and miss you! That includes Coleman and Noah, Noah is asleep and Cole, well, he still won't cooperate for the camera!:)