Water. Something so simple, yet something so complex. If you don't have enough, you will dehydrate. If you have too much, it could harm you. If you are in an area of high altitude, it is vital to your well being. From the moment we step off of the plane, we are given more water than we could ever ask for to make sure we are taken care of in order to do God's work. In the US, it is something we take for granted. We have water readily available for whatever we desire, but here water is what some of these people only wish to have. So many families go without running water much less water to meet their dietary needs. Water seems to play a major role with our team in Ecuador.
I awoke this morning with the song "Grace Like A Wave" by Elevation Worship playing in my head. Humming the song as I stepped onto the bus, I kept running the lyrics through my mind...
You have brought me to the water
Where my past can be swept away
In the current of your mercy
And I know I'll never be the same
There's no limit to your promise
Jesus you have done it all for me
Jesus you have done it all for me
Grace comes like a wave
Crashing over me
Grace comes like a wave
Crashing over and over and over
I will jump into the water
Where my soul can be satisfied
And your love is overflowing
From within me and it won't run dry
There's no limit to your promise
Jesus you have done it all for me
Jesus you have done it all for me
Grace comes like a wave
Crashing over me
Grace comes like a wave
Crashing over and over and over
There's healing in the water
With a love that flows so deep
Wash over me
Wash over me
Forgiveness in the water
With a love that flows so deep
Wash over me
Wash over me
Salvation in the water
With a love that flows so deep
Wash over me
Wash over me
Grace comes like a wave
Crashing over me
Grace comes like a wave
Crashing over and over and over
We listened to and sang this song on our ride to Calderon. All day, it kept coming back. Healing. Forgiveness. Salvation. Wash over me. God's grace is so amazing. How does this apply to our day, you ask? Well, as today was our first work day, we all experienced all different types of water. From house visits to VBS to construction, we all found out first hand just how important physical as well as spiritual water is.
We had the pleasure of visiting three very different Ecuadorian families today. Half of our team set out to speak with these families and experience their lives first hand. Each visit was unique and special in so many different ways. The first home we visited was a very small, cinder block house with only 5 rooms. They were able to afford the luxuries of power and running water, but this family of 6 shared a space no larger than many of our living rooms. We spent quite some time conversing with a teenage girl and her little brother, and then later their mother. We asked many questions like what do you do for fun and what do you want to be when you grow up, but the most important question we asked was how can we pray for you? The mother asked us to pray for her mother as she is not doing well and lives far away. Then, she asked us a question that really made me stop and think. She asked us how to pray. As I struggled to find the words, I told her that prayer is just a conversation with God. Bring everything to Him and He will give you what you need. Other members of our group chimed in with words of wisdom that help them. The mother told us that her four year old son tells her to pray for everything. The innocence of a child can sometimes teach us the most valuable lessons. He is so right. We should pray for everything we can so that we can see God at work. Healing. Forgiveness. Salvation.
Our second visit was just as special, but very different. We learned that the mother is a very talented seamstress who is nurturing a newborn as well as other children. She asked us to pray for her household. She is a Christian and wants her life to be blessed. It never ceases to amaze me how much we can learn if we just be still. Let God move through each one of us. Let us listen to others, ourselves, and God before taking action.
The third visit was very special to our team. A family of four accepted Christ as their Savior today. If nothing else comes from this trip, our purpose has been served. An expectant mother will bring new life into this world with the knowledge she will live forever in the Kingdom of God. There is healing in the water.
The rest of the day, we played, we laughed, we worked and we loved. From the fun games to the rigorous construction job, our team came out stronger, closer, and ready to tackle another day tomorrow. I can only hope that tomorrow is as fruitful as today. Hope you enjoy these photos from our day!
