We are the Body of Christ.

The Church, A Body of Believers, The Body of Christ---we hear it said so many different ways but do we know what the meaning is behind these. 

"The Church is Not a buiding" - Heard that before right? 

"We are the body of Christ"- And this one? 

But what is it that Christians are talking about when they say these statements???

Here is my take on it: Okay, so its really a song by Mandi Mapes but its been such a good reminder and encouragement to me as a part of the Body of Christ. Give it a listen! :) 

We are the Body of Christ. by Mandi Mapes.

So, Yesterday, I went to church for the first time in about a month and a half. I have been listening to podcasts from home but have felt convicted for NOT meeting together with brothers and sisters in Christ to worship together but I will admit church has not been easy for me here. 

1. I feel the need to go to a spanish speaking church: HELLLO I am in a spanish speaking country. haha and the worship is great but the sermons wear me out. To try and figure out which words I might know and then translate them just to get 1 word out of every 30th word preached is hard, is frustrating, is tiring, and discouraging. 

2. Church is hard because its NOT the same as at home so I compare it. I compare it to Sundays in Starkville going to church and lunch with friends. I critique it like all other Christians do after church and well, thats not my job. 

So Church has been hard but I went back this Sunday and I am thankful that I did. Worship was great. Did I understand the sermon? Well, No. haha Not all of it. haha ( it was on Luke 7:36-50 btw) My spanish is still coming along very slowly. haha but it was great to be with a body of Christ for one purpose...to glorify and praise the Lord. 

We sang this song and it was definitely a "God thing" 

Great reminder and one of my favorite spanish worship songs: Please listen!! Whether you speak NO spanish, little spanish or your fluent. Be encouraged! Be reminded! 

Recibe Toda la Gloria

In so many words the song is saying: 

Lord I believe in you, I lift up my hands to you on high: 

Receive all the Glory Lord

Receive all the Honor

Precious Son of God. 

I believe in you and what you will do in me! 

Saved by grace, 

Kb. 

**Ephesians 4:15-16. 

**Colossians 1:24

THANKSgiving.

 I feel the need for a Ode to Thanksgiving blogging filled with lots of cheesy things that I am thankful for. : ) (as much as I try to deny it, Im a cheesy person.)
Better late than never!!! 
So on with the list:

1. I am thankful for Sunshine. Its officially rainy season here in Quito so the days I see sunshine mean so much more to me.

2. I am thankful for cheap fruit. It makes eating healthier so much easier. Just saying.

3. I am thankful for challenges. Yep, What doesnt kill you makes you stronger right? (Thank you Kelly Clarkson) haha

4. being 22
           -This age has given me the opportunity to go off to foreign country for a year of service.
           -This age has given me opportunity to relate to these high schoolers in a really cool way. ( I cant say it enough, I LOVE these students)
5.  Financial Support:
                 - I am thankful for the family and friends back home who support me in every way including financially.

6.  New Experiences
             -living in a foreign country, these come almost every day.


7. Christmas:
           - Christmas means so much to me, it always has but this year getting to "come home for Christmas" is going to be a blessing like no other, and Christmas will mean that much more.

8. Grace-
          -Just because I am a missionary doesnt mean I have it ALL together so thank God for his grace that covers me every morning.  (Lamentations 3:22-23)

9. The Beach;
         - I got to experience the beach here in Ecuador over Thanksgiving-- and let me tell you, theres nothing like it. We went to La Playa de Canoa and I did NOT want to leave. The beach has always held a special place in my heart but my beach experience here in Ecuador was one for the books.

10. Skype- Technology has been such a blessing to me here and I never thought I would be so thankful for technology.
11. Kindergarteners- I spend alot of time in this area at school and I love it. I love their innocence, their desire to learn, their loving personalities, and just how darn cute they are.


12. Family:
      - parents who love me unconditional- who show me a glimpse into my heavenly Father's love on a daily basis. They support me in ALL I do and I couldnt be more grateful for the parents I have been given.

13. Friends:
        - I have the bestest friends anyone could ever ask for back home. I have been reminded of that daily here in Ecuador and even in preparation to come to Ecuador I was shown the awesome, Godly community God has blessed me with from the support, love, and laughs my friends back home give me.

14. 2 feet:
           - I wouldnt make it in this country without them.


15. Community:
           -It doesnt matter where I am, whether college, at home, or off in a foreign country, Im a social person and the Lord provides me with community to meet this need of mine and Im glad He does.

16. College:
           -college taught me so much about yes, Kinesiology, my major, but it taught me way more than that and more than any classroom setting could ever teach me and I'd go back right now if I could but unfortunately that cant happen so I am thankful for the time I had.

17.  A sense of Humor: I laugh at almost anything and people have been telling me that for years but hey, im learning about its advantages all the time.

18.  The south: Yall!!! I miss home ALL the time, I miss MISSISSIPPI, (crazy huh)...I miss the smells, I miss the flatness of the land, I miss driving for hours and seeing nothing, I miss pumpkin, I miss crocheting on the front porch drinking hot coffee, I miss talking and people undertanding me, I miss country music, I miss lake water, and the list goes on and on and on.
          I am so thankful to have been raised in the SOUTH: I wouldnt change it for anything!! There's just something in the water down there and its something special.

19.  Thankful to know the Lord as my Savior:
                  short story: met this person at the beach, really cool, nice, good person. Yes, this person had some issues (who doesnt) family troubles, daddy issues, and I am sure other things that I don't know about or need to for that matter but the "people pleaser in me" wanted to fix this person so badly, so badly, I wanted to bring to the surface all the baggage, all the struggles, all the challenges, and get to the bottom of this but then I came to find out this person is an atheist and needs a Savior to do the fixing NOT me. My heart breaks for this person on a daily basis, literally my stomach is in KNOTS, my heart drops every time I say it out loud and I become more and more thankful for my SALVATION every time I think about it. I hope and pray this person will come to know the Lord. And if I never see this person again here on earth, I pray its okay, cause one day I will see them in heaven.
              **With that being said, Keep this person in your prayers: if youre a believer, I pray youre heart is breaking for this persons and all those others out there who do NOT know the Lord.

20: Back on a lighter note: I am thankful for- EXERCISE- and people who enjoy doing it with me here.

21. I am thankful for memories being made, I hope to take advantage of every opportunity to do so here.

22. Spanish Lessons- They may only be once a week but thats better than nothing.

23. I am thankful for Chacos-
             haha laugh, its okay but I really do love my chacos- the shoe with many uses.

24. A home to "come home" to at Christmas:
                 If you ever visit an orphanage you become more thankful for even just your own bed.

25. Thankful for Music:
                 - I love music! its good for the soul, its good for a run, its good to concentrate, its good for a dance! its all around just GOOD.

26. Post-its: I seriously would lose my head if it wasnt attached.
                    And, I forget everything! So, post-its have saved me from ALOT of stress.

27 Hart of Dixie Nights with the roomie! :)

28. Guardians! LOVE these kids.
29. My major: its been a blessing for the athletes at AAI.
30. Mail!- yes email is great but the feeling of getting a letter in the mail is so great and even better overseas. 

When Boredom Gets the Best of You.

 

 

Okay, So I am going to be real with yall. (it feels good to say yall and not see someone smile or giggle- they seem to love my accent here and remind me that I have one every time I speak--So if I ever ask you to pray that the Lord will speak through me and make my words "clear", I am probably being literal as in: pray they understand the words coming out of my mouth.)

But, that is besides the point, back to where I was going with this.

Me being real with YALL.

I have come to the conclusion that I have an irrational fear of monotony. I do not like to do the same thing over and over everyday. Many of you are probably smiling because you know this fact about me...you know I get bored easily and could careless if there was a plan but those of you that dont well yeah its true...the thought of doing the same thing everyday whether routine, job, etc. scares me and bores me just thinking about it.

One reason I couldnt see myself as a PT---I feared monotony.

Its also another reason I can't figure out what I want to do with my life: cause 1. I am so indecisive and 2. I cant seem to figure out a "job" I want to do EVERYDAY. I don't know if I love anything that much.

 

 

I've been like this since I can remember. I have always wanted myself in a job, career, occupation whatever you want to call it that I loved getting up and going to everyday. But I am learning this might be a little unrealistic. (correct me if I am wrong)

 

It wasn't until I moved to a foreign country that I started learning this: (yes, my parents told me there is monotony in every job--am I one to listen the first time? No, I am hardheaded- most of you know that about me too) but the Lord loves me enough to continue to teach me the same thing over and over--how ever many times it takes to stick: I am here to say its starting to stick.

 

 

The Lord has had some really cool ways to teach me things in the past:

1. He has tested my patience in ways that only the Lord could orchestrate (oh wait, and He still is)

2. He has increased my trust in Him (living in a foreign country--enough said)

 

But the the latest thing that He has been teaching me is contentment, peace and always choosing joy and guess how He has been doing that...you got it..through monotony, through a daily routine, EVERYDAY.

 

I realized this a couple of weeks ago:

It was two Mondays ago when I woke up-- with the Monday morning mindset...and my day followed. I woke up on Tuesday with the same negative mindset and wednesday, thursday and friday.

I prayed for the weekend to hurry up every moment of each day that week.

Looking back I realize what was happening:

I was freaking out because my days were starting to look the same, I didnt feel like I was accomplishing anything tangible, and I was becoming bored. (yeah, bored in a foreign country--I know..weird--like I said, this girl..bored very easily) haha

So on Thursday, I did what I know to do when I need to clear my head: Run. I ran and ran and ran until it rained (welcome to Quito). As I ran, I cried out to the Lord praying "What is wrong with me, what is gong on???!!"

But guess what? The Lord didnt answer me right away. (remember that whole "still teaching me patience thing") It was on Friday when I finally sat down and read some letters from some friends back home that the Lord answered me.

I had looked at some scripture on thursday to try to get comfort, answers, peace, joy, whatever I could find to help me and the Lord brought me to Galatians 6:9, a verse most of us know, " So Let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up"

I thought, Yes! encouragement. I need to memorize this. Did I? No. But when I read those letters the next day the Lord put that verse on my heart again because this summer when He told my friend Kayla to write me a letter for October He knew then what I would be struggling with and right there in her letter was that verse.

So cool right? or should I say, Chevere (one of the few spanish words I know) :)

 

So yeah, the routine I had everyday of serving God's people here in Quito had becoming "boring" to me which led me to become "bored" with God.

Ouch, when I came to that conclusion, I cringed...I still cringe and my heart kind of sinks. But I am not too proud to admit it. (believe me this took some time)

But admitting what was going on in my head and heart was the first step to coming back to the Lord.

I had realized I didn't have the heart that I came with, the "honeymoon" of living in a foreign country was over and reality set in, comfort set in (yeah I had gotten comfortable in a foreign country: something I feared but something I thought could never happen)

 

**Side note: The Lord loves to prove me wrong when I use the word never: prime example there above but here are a couple more for you to get a laugh out of:

Most of you, my friends, family know that I was convinced I would NEVER use my major: 2nd week here I was asked to be the athletic trainer..haha

Theres one, Here's another: I have also always said I would NEVER be a teacher: I now work in a school, and substituted just last week. haha

 

So you see I am convinced that 1. The Lord has a sense of humor (I mean He made me and I am funny so surely He is too--working on humility by the way--1 Peter 5:5 ;)  and 2. I am hardheaded, the Lord knows this and has to teach me everything the hard way and usually more than once.

 

I am at a point now where yes, I am coming back to the Lord, remembering my purpose here is to serve the Lord and make disciples...Period.

I am at the point where boredom is not getting the best of me because really, boredom, in this beautiful city, with beautiful mountains and people and scenery you dont see in MS, well thats just crazy.

I am back at the point of memorizing scripture--with a burning desire to do so.

 

 

The Lord taught me through my negative attitutude my irrational fears, and my monotenous days and has renewed my spirit and given me supernatural energy to do the work I was called to do here.

I am thankful for all that He has taught me but I say all these things not to brag on myself, not to say I am a better Christian, and not to say that I am perfect, and now doing everything right. Thats the total opposite.

I write this so you, as my sisters and brothers in Christ can pray for me in this specific way.

Remember that I have faced these struggles once before now and could easily face them again.

 

As I reach my 2 month mark I have so much to look back on and look forward to. Join me in this excitement. I promise to keep you updated on all the things to come.

 

Some prayer requests: 

-Please pray I get my visa approved. Its crunch time. I have about 30 days left on my passport and believe me that time will fly by. So as cool as it would be to tell my kids and grandkids one day that I got deported from Ecuador all in the name of the Lord, I would prefer not to.

-Please pray that the Lord is my contentment, joy, and peace on a daily basis and I look to Him for these things ALWAYS.

-Please pray for perserverance through the discouraging days. I work with high schoolers and middle schoolers- believe me there are discouraging days. 

- Please pray for my CSO Guardians. We have such a cool group of high schoolers leading these middle schoolers. Just pray their hearts are on fire for doing the Lords work by loving on these Middle schoolers and that the Middle schoolers will be changed by the Holy Spirit. (We meet on Wednesday afternoons)

-Please pray for the school I am working at. The government is cracking down here in Ecuador-- We want this Christian school to be here doing the Lords work for many years to come.

-Patience in the Lord as He reveals clarity to me about what is next to come after this year.

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this super long blog but I hope it was worth it. I have found the Lord's teachings so cool the past few weeks. He has taught me in a time when I didnt even want to be taught. What a great God we serve. Remember that.

 

Psalm 37:23-24

"The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand"

 

Psalm 121:3

"The Lord will not let you stumble, the one who watches over you does not slumber."

 

Psalm 145:18

"The Lord is near to all who call on Him, all who call on Him in truth."

Temorary Bucket List.

So, living in a foreign country is just not enough for me.
Obviously I am a big dreamer because most people would think that would be enough, no need to add more to my plate but I beg to differ so I have decided to make a "bucket list" of things to do while I am here in Ecuador.

1. Run a Half Marathon here in Quito.
               -I hope to be ready by November...we will see.

2. Crochet a Blanket. (I have a long way to go)

3. Cook atleast 10 Ecuadorian dishes (1 down, 9 to go)


4. Increase my Spanish Vocabulary.
            -No I have no certain goal in mind but I hope when I have been here a  year, I can say that my
            spanish has gotten better.

5. Become close friends with this group of awesome kids:
                These are my Guardians and I can't wait to share the year with them. I know the Lord has big
                things in store for this group of high schoolers and I can't wait to watch.

Guardians Retreat at Parque Metropolitano 

6. Paint the house: White walls, enough said.

7. Memorize Scripture: my goal is three verses a week.

8. Climb one mountain a month. ( haha, told you I was a big dreamer)
                 okay okay atleast climb Cotapaxi.

9. Become a Salsa Dancer.
         - I am well on my way, dont worry.

10. Eat Out at least ONCE a week.
              -Odd goal I know but living here in Ecuador its possible because its not expensive (AT ALL)
               and an adventure that I don't want to miss out on.

11. Try everything from the Man with the Van.
                 - I should probably explain: So there's this man that is always parked out on the street by the
                  school that I work and he sells food like Tamales and Humitas and other random
                  Ecuadorian food and yes he sells its out of the back of his van and I am determined to try it
                  all. Sketchy, yeah to the average american but is it good food...YES!! and this easily trumps
                  the sketchiness.

12. Go to Banos: (and no I dont mean the bathroom for those of you who may speak some spanish, haha)
               

13. Go Zip Lining.

14. Try one new Ecuadorian fruit a month (or 2 or 3)

15. Make Canelazo (probably more than once)
                Ecuadorians version of apple cider is my best description of this awesome drink except its
               way better and doesn't consists of any apples.

16. Send atleast 2 emails a week to people back home!

17. Ride in a Taxi by myself.
            -not easy when you dont know your address...or can't say it. Learning that should probably come first huh? haha

18. Go to a Soccer Game. (the sport I know nothing about)

19. Try QuiQui- That would be guinea pig....yes, a common food here. ( :/)
           

20. Most importantly, Make Disciples. Acts 20:24, Matthew 28:19-20.

"its gonna be a good year"

In a previous blog I talked about my CSO, Guardians, this year. 

So I will elaborate a little more:

CSO- meaning- Christian Service Outreach. 

And it is a Wednesday afternoon program for high schoolers to get involved in different types of service activities around Quito without having sports practice or another extracurricular activity to occupy their time. On wednesday afternoon these things are NOT allowed so the kids can have the opportunity to get involved in a CSO...whether it be Pan de Vida- The soup kitchen or Extreme Response- the ministry at the dump or in my case--

Guardians: If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be..Discipleship. As leaders we make disciples and they in return disciple the middle schoolers. Its such a cool opportunity for them as high schoolers as well as me as their leader. I am really excited to see what the Lord has in store for this group this year. 

It all started this weekend with or CSO retreat.

We went to Parque Metropolitano and did a fun Photo Scavenger Hunt...Girls Vs. Guys and of course the girls WON! 

After that we did Lunch (ordered pizza) haha at mine and Kats house and got some good planning time in for the year. Which consisted of alot of goofing off, eating junk food, and well just hanging out...and I was reminded of a few things: 

1. High School and how thankful I am of the experience I had with the people I shared it with. So great and I will take my friends from high school with and the memories we made with me wherever I go. 

             -This includes Cheer Camp, Youth Choir or better yet First Baptist Church. Period. haha, Pep Rallys, Pool Parties, American Idol (haha- thanks to a select few), Backroads, Karaoke at Windy City, Girls Bible Study, and so many more.

2. It made me thank of my college friends and a saying I was reminded of my one of my students on saturday: "it's all about the fellowship" right yall? 

** It is indeed about the fellowship; the fellowship with believers and nonbelievers...after all Jesus fellowshipped with everyone so who are we not to? We cant pick favorites when it comes to discipleship or fellowship. I have recently been learning that through a James Study..as believers we can't have faith and favoritism..they can't coexist. 

**So fellowship with all types of people, at work, out and about, strangers you have the opportunity to meet, and MAKE DISCIPLES. 

okay now some fun pics from the weekend: "its gonna be a good year" 

Scavenger Hunt Picture. 

Hi. 

haha 

More Scavenger Hunt pictures. 

The Gang. 

:)

The Gang + Leaders. 

The Milestone of 1 Month.

1 Month, its been one whole month of living in a foreign country and this marks a huge milestone. I never would have thought that the day of Sept 19 would be so significant to me but it is now.

So many thoughts are running through my mind when I think about the things I want to write about in relation to being here for a month.
So, I  guess i'll get started.

What does it mean to me that I have been in Ecuador for 1 month:
1. Well, for starters I can now say I have lived in a foreign country for a month. Thats huge!! Not everyone can say that and as of yesterday I couldn't say that. So yes one thought that has consumed my mind today is shock, wow, I can't believe I have been here for a whole month already.

2. I say "already" because it doesnt feel like a month. Time is on a different scale here. ( I mean that in more ways than one)
               1. I feel like it has not been a month yet, it has flown by but...on the other hand..
               2. I feel so comfortable so it almost feels like I have been here longer. (for a gringa- white girl, who doesnt speak fluent spanish to feel comfortable in a spanish speaking country is pretty cool)
                     --I can only thank the Lord for this comfort because if not for everyone back home praying for me, for the friends He has provided for me here, and through all the things I have learned so far then comfort would not be in my vocabulary right now.
             3. Also, I am in a Latin American country...Time is literally on a different scale of importance here--meaning--"it doesnt really matter"
                           -I have to admit I love this concept!! You can be late and it doesnt matter. so cool.
                           -That is my bit of cultural information for you all today.

So, being here for a month has already taught me so much so here are some things I have learned (some pertaining to Ecuador, some to work, and some pretty random)

1. Anywhere you work there are going to be days when you just do NOT want to be there, people you don't get along with, and repetition can always get the best of you. Period.

2. Go to the left. Let me explain- The Ecuadorian greeting is not a handshake, not a hug, not even a high five or fist bump....its a kiss on the cheek. So, word of advice..ALWAYS go to the left.

3. No matter where you are in the country, where you are in life...you are always gonna have struggles, the Lord is always gonna give you challenges...but remember to rejoice in this times...believe it or not they are to bring you closer to the Lord..Check out James Chapter 2.

4. Chevere- This means cool in spanish and is one of favorite words I have learned since I have been here (also one of the few haha)---its a little harder than it seems but I hope next time I write about things I have learned--the answer will be more spanish.

5.  Im out of shape--yes, someone who has ran 2 half marathons-is out of shape. I am determined you are NOT in shape until you are considered "in shape" in the high altitude. I am currently trying to train for a half marathon here. Ill keep yall posted on that one. No matter if a half marathon is conquered here or not...I can promise you I will never get use to the 9 blocks up the hill home from school and the 3 flights of stairs that follow.

6. I have learned my dream to own a bakery still exist and the longer I live here the more I want to do it. Fresh baked goods hold a special place in the hearts of Ecuadorians. There are bakeries everywhere and everything is sooo good. Lets just say my lack of self control has not gotten any better.

**These are just a few things that come to mind when I think about this past month here in Quito.

-The challenges of moving to a foreign country and the things I have learned from them are making me a better person daily.
-The people I have already gotten to meet are such a blessing from God and I cant wait to see where these friendships and relationships go.
-The Lord has me here for a reason, more than one I am sure, and some I dont even know.
- I am truly blessed to be able to work here at Alliance Academy International...I am around Ecuadorians, North Americans, Koreans, and so many other types of people daily. How cool!! Chevere. ( just seeing if yall have been paying attention :))

So join in me in celebrating my first month in Ecuador!! Like I said, huge milestone and so many cool things happening in Quito and in me!!
-Please continue to pray for my eyes to be open to the Lords clarity in my future, please pray for my CSO group- Guardians- Pray my high schoolers will have hearts after the Lord to pour into these middle-schoolers.
-Pray that I work for the Lord not for people--Ephesians 6:7.

MY JOURNEY THE PAST MONTH:

FUN ON THE ROOFTOP-- HAHA 

CANELAZO

HAVING A LITTLE FUN IN LA RONDA

HAHA THIS MY FRIENDS IS..A FRIED EMPANDA--aka DELICIOUS

ME AND KATIE

RACHEL, ME, KATIE, KAT

SMOOTHIES

God's creation at its finest.

Okay so the point of this particular blog is to share the Lord's wonderful creation with yall! ( and make you jealous of course)  Words wont do it justice so here it is!! :) Enjoy. 

I have to just say riding horseback on the side of the mountain is one of the most amazing things I have ever done and hope to do again. It painted a beautiful picture of how awesome our creator is! 

For God, There is no language barrier.

This is the rose I received this morning at church--How sweet? right? I thought so. 

But..what i constantly thought about while in my spanish speaking church this morning was how AWESOME our God is. 

This morning I had the opportunity to worship in spanish and listen to preaching in spanish. Did i understand it? Well, no. haha but i was reminded this morning, as I am daily here in Ecuador, is that the Lord who created us, the awesome God we serve, understands it all. 

It amazes me as I rack my brain while listening to a conversation or a sermon to try to understand at least one word that the Lord knows it all, hears it all and understands it all and most importantly cares about it all. (1 Peter 5:7)

It amazes me and I pray it will continue to amaze me. (At the rate that I am learning spanish, I have a feeling it will)  

However I did catch that we were reading from Matthew, chapter 10, verse 16. As we continued to read the Lord taught me a lot through verse 20 and I think it was no coincidence: 

            "For it is not you who will be speaking-it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking   through you"

So no matter the language, when it comes to the gospel and sharing the love of Christ with people It is never me doing the speaking (What a relief!! I barely know how to use my words in English, I cant imagine how my spanish would go) Its the Lord speaking through us. Thank God for the Holy Spirit. And thank you God for a wonderful message this morning. (No matter the language)
Saved by grace,
Kb

First week in Ecuador....Check.

Well Folks, its been a week and I sit here and have no clue where to begin. I can actually tell you in one word how I have felt over the past week but I feel like maybe I should elaborate so just for yall...I will. 

OVERWHELMED. If I could pick one would, overwhelmed would be the winner. This however is not all bad. The week started off with a day of shopping on monday for needed house supplies and then tuesday we dove right into meetings and meetings and more meetings all week. I do not have the best attention span and half of it did not apply to me so therefore I caught myself pondering and thinking of so many things...the thinking so much led to my state of being overwhelmed. 
Things thought about this week: 
2. When is lunch?
3. Will I ever learn spanish?
4. Whats everyone back home doing?
5. When is the first football game?
 Okay but seriously:
6. What is my purpose here?
7. How can I glorify God in my new house, at this school, and with my interactions with the other faculty and staff and eventually students?
The list goes on and on and on and on and on and on. However, the Lord is slowly answering all of these questions. 
The spanish is coming along. I write down new vocabulary words every day to make sure to learn them. I also attended a bible study primarily in spanish. When youre put in situations like that you either sink or swim and those situations are going to help me with my spanish the most ( and of course my fluent roommates). 
As far as everyone back home, I hope yall are getting along just fine without me. I do miss yall and wish yall could experience Quito right along with me. I never thought I would look at a city and say the word "bonita" (pretty) but I cant myself doing it daily. From the colored buildings to the grass covered mountains and volcanos and the snow capped peaks, even to the pot holes in the sidewalks, I find this creation by the Lord beautiful. 
As many of you may still be asking: What exactly will you be doing? Well, here is the run down. 
1. I will be helping Alliance Academy International with data entry. (doesnt  sound fun I know but I came to serve and that is where help is needed) 
2. I will be helping proctor MAP tests (no not geographical maps--what a joke that would be!) They are tests of measured academic progress--state tests kind of except they happen like 3 times a year and the results have to be presented back in a timely manner- hints the help they need. 
3. I will be working in the school cafe- kind of like a coffee shop/bakery.  I am so excited. Its my dream come true! I will be getting to know lots of students this way and learning a lot of spanish since the women there speak very little english. (lucky me :/) haha just kidding it will be just what a girl like me needs to learn my spanish. 
4. This one is my most favorite of them all- At AAI( the school I am helping) they have a program called CSO- Christian Service Outreach. It is an assortment of programs that the students are allowed to participate in on Wednesday afternoons. Most kids volunteer since there are no other school activities that day just for the CSOs. Some groups go to orphanages, some to soup kitchens, others play soccer with local kids, etc. etc. etc. Among the CSOs there is a group called Guardians- It is a discipleship program in which staff members disciple the high schoolers so they in return can disciple middle schoolers. I am so blessed to get to be involved in this CSO. Not only am I involved though, I am actually leading it. So I will be the head staff member (along with the head of spiritual life). I am so excited. One reason I came was to disciple girls and the Lord gave me a wide open door with this CSO. 
5.  I also may have the opportunity to help at a school called Carmen Bajo up north a couple of days a week. This has not been set in stone but I am hoping I can go!! 

So there you have it. Stay tuned though, none of this is set and stone and could change from day to day. Welcome to the mission field! haha
Some other things pertaining to Ecuador (that I think you all should know):
1. I have 9 keys to my apartment and an alarm system. So if any of you are worried about my safety. Have no fear. If they are able to come through 9 locks, I will personally had them a reward for a job well done. haha That would be pretty impressive.
2. Time is irrelevant in Latin American countries: Being a late person I am a huge fan of this aspect of Ecuadorian culture and plan on bringing it back to the states. 
3. As far as food goes, I love it!! all of it. Especially the fruit. Because of the altitude it took me a while to have an appetite but dont worry its back. haha 
                A few new things I love would be: 
                            ---Guanabana yogurt (guanabana is my favorite ecaudorian fruit so far)
                           ---other fruits--i forget the name, of course. 
                           ---And of course the convience of food. (for example the awesome bakery
                               on my walk to school every morning) 
4. I love my roommates! we get along great! What an answered prayer. 
Sooo that is my week in Ecuador...stay tuned to the things the Lord is going to teach me through all these different experiences and challenges. School starts in a week. So if you wanna know what I will be doing next week....well, I'll probably be in a meeting. 
Until next time, Adios. 
Saved by grace, 
Kb. 

Learning to be observant...one step at a time.

According to my father I am not very observant and he has insisted I become better at that, since I will be living in a foreign country and all.

So....I did it! I became observant yesterday. 

I made a very intelligent observation yesterday on my drive home from starkville, but before i get into that I will give you all a little background information. 

I headed to Starkville on Friday for my final goodbyes. (P.S. goodbyes don’t get any easier or any less awkward the more you tell someone bye) I learned this after I said bye to everyone about a million and one times. 

On friday I was able to go to the clinic. I know, doesnt really sound like thats where anyone wants to go before they leave the country. But that place is filled with memories ill never forget with people I have come to love over the years. And this began the start of many goodbyes to come this weekend. After that, I had dinner with Nicole and it was such a great time of encouragement; filled with wisdom and just good fellowship.

Saturday included breakfast, manicures, lunch and RAIN.....oh and bid day. 

Yes that sentence contains a lot of food and did I mention a lot of RAIN!!!

But we also spent time in the chapel on campus. The chapel is a place a cherish the most by far (except for maybe the purple house) but other than that its an important place to me and I loved getting to spend some time in prayer with my sisters in Christ one last time before I went home. 

OKAY, im getting to the point, the part about being observant, i promise. 

As I drove home I got to think back on all the people I got to say bye to and the ones I didnt. And in that moment I stopped in awe before the Lord. 

In that moment I OBSERVED that my heavenly Father crafted and created some pretty amazing people. He really out did himself with my friends, brothers and sisters in Christ and my family. In that moment Psalm 139:14 took on an even greater meaning. 

So thank you friends for being the believers you are called to be. Thanks for the encouragement, the wisdom, and most importantly the prayer. I am taking a part of you all with me to Ecuador, dont worry. (I even have letters to prove that) You are all so special to me and such a huge part of this journey. I can honestly say if it wasnt for some of you I would not be sitting in the ATL airport waiting for my flight to Ecuador to go spread the love of Christ and share the gospel with His people there. This fact is true!! If it wasnt for super supportive parents I wouldnt be here either because without their support and encouragement through the years I would have not been at STATE and therefore would not have met any of you beautiful people. So thank the Lord for my awesome Godly parents. I have been blessed being brought up under their roof. 

So again thank you everyone for helping me to this point. I hope and pray it doesnt stop. I may even need prayers more than ever now ( Lets remember I dont speak spanish) but i cant wait to learn and learn everything else the Lord has to teach me. I cant wait to be praying for you all back home as i sit on my rooftop in the mornings looking out at the mountains and volcanos in Quito. I will be thinking of you all in those moments: the moments when i wish you all were there with me to share in my joy, my experiences, and even my hurt, I will be thinking of yall in those moments wondering what you all are doing, how football games are going, and if the purple house is still standing ( haha) ill be thinking of you all and the struggles you will be facing back in the states. In those moments I won’t just be thinking thats when i will be praying for yall specifically and by name! So please keep me updated and I will do the same with yall! I love yall so much!! :) Be Bold!! 

Saved by grace, 

Kb

How one feels a week before they move to a foreign country..

Its crazy to think this is where I will be in a little over a week! I have so many emotions running through me at the moment I can't really keep them all straight to be honest. I am anxious..anxious to meet the people I will be working with, anxious to see my apartment, meet my roommates, and anxious to see what the Lord has in store for me. (I should probably remember Phil. 4:6-7)  I am also filled with excitement for these very same reasons though and to tell the truth I am very overwhelmed at the moment, all due to packing. Who would have ever thought packing to live in a foreign country for a year would be so difficult.??!! So yes, lots of emotions come with moving to a foreign country for a year but I think excitement trumps them all.
So, Lord willing I will be blessed by beautiful scenes like these on a daily basis starting August 19th.
I just wanted to give you all an update and please continue to pray for me through this next week..its crunch time but most importantly pray for the people of Quito and the ones that I will encounter while I am living in Ecuador. Pray their hearts be changed by the Holy Spirit. Pray that I "proclaim the excellencies of the one who called me out of darkness into His marvelous light" ( 1 Peter 2:9) to the people there.
I cant wait for you all to get to share this experience with me via my blog, twitter, facebook, and any other social network that comes about during the next 12 months.

Saved by grace,
Kb

Trust Issues.

One would think, as a believer, trusting in the Lord should come easy. Out of all the Sunday school answers, trust God is right on up there with God is Love and Jesus. However I have some trust issues that are slowly being brought to the surface as I prepare for Ecuador. I went to bed last night setting my alarm for 6 am to go for a run. (I know every part of that sentence makes me sound crazy, believe me I thought the same thing this morning. ) As I got out of bed (slowly) I had no doubt that my feet would hit the floor and my legs would be capable to walk outside and run four miles. I also had no doubt that when I got back I would have food to eat for breakfast and coffee ready to be brewed. As simple as it is, I "trusted" God that these things would happen as they do any other day. As I ran I thought and thought about the word trust and have not stopped thinking about it all day. I can't help but wonder if I could just channel my trust in God from the simple things to also the "big" things (example: getting to Ecuador) then my life would be a lot more peaceful and I would finally be able to see my God for the greatness that He is. Unfortunately its not that simple. (for me anyway) The "trust" of the per say simple things in my life like walking to the kitchen, eating breakfast, having a cell phone, buying gas have completely skipped over me trusting in God and turned into my expectations of God. And the moment I realized that this morning is the very same moment I became convicted. Who am I to expect anything from God? Who am I to think I deserve the simple things let alone the "big" things?  As a sinner, I deserve death. Period. (Romans 6:23) So with that I have come to the conclusion that  trust in God is a lot more complex than a simple Sunday school answer. So as I sit and write I wonder, now what? Where do I go from here? I go to the Word of God and pray that verses like Psalm 13:5-6, Romans 15:13, Psalm 112:7 and Isaiah 26:3 will be engraved on my heart as the journey to Ecuador continues. I pray that these verses will be my prayer in the moments when I belittle my God by not trusting Him. I pray to trust Him; in every aspect of this journey both big and small. 


"I pray that God, the source of hope will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." 
--Romans 15:13


"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, those whose thoughts are fixed on You. " 
--Isaiah 26:3. 


Saved by Grace, 
Kb

First Step.

In planning for my year in Ecuador I realized the first step to making this happen would be purchasing a plane ticket. Sooooo, I did. Plane ticket for Ecuador has been bought for August 19th–departing from Memphis. This made it real and resulted in me getting real nervous. Yes, I am nervous, anxious, excited, happy, scared, you name it, I probably feel it. However I am continuing to learn everyday that the Lord is taking care of me and that includes taking care of all the fine details that go into leaving the country for a year. Who would have thought that so much has to be done before I can just up and move to another country?!! Crazy! I have said over and over I can’t wait to see what the Lord has to teach me while I am in Ecuador but the Lord is already teaching me so much through just the process of getting there. One thing being patience. Yes, patience..something I was not blessed with but am learning…slowly. Psalm 27:14 has been my go to verse in the past couple of weeks and a verse I think I will be clinging to a lot as this process continues to progress or should i say SLOWLY progress. (hints why I need the patience) I pray that this verse will be my constant reminder to the timing of the Lord’s plan. 

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” 

Saved by grace, 

kb.