Esperar lo Inesperado

Esperar lo inesperado......Expect the Unexpected

I have been in Ecuador a little over a month!! Time is flying by. I am truly overwhelmed with excitement to be here. This is what I have been praying for and a dream that each of you have been part of through your love, support, prayers, and giving. Thank you!!!

I would like to take time in this blog to give you an update and share a few things on my heart. Just a couple of months ago I said goodbye to an amazing 8 months in Costa Rica! Language School was more than I could have imagined! I learned so much about culture, missions, and I got to put into action exactly what God has called me to do! I had the opportunity to preach in Spanish....I was terrified. Haha but it boosted my confidence to whole new level and reminded that God can use us even when we least expect it! Also in Costa Rica I had the opportunity to meet some incredible missionaries and life long friends who are impacting the world for Jesus! I am really blessed to know them!

Keep reading below.

Preaching in Spanish

Great Friends from CR!

Graduation Day

Proof :)

My Beautiful Mother

My graduation from language school was April 20th. Just 4 days prior to graduation I received devastating news that my mom had cancer. Since I was scheduled to arrive home that weekend, my family told me to wait, graduate, and then come home. These were also my moms wishes. I  arrived home that Saturday after graduation. My mom was in the hospital. She had went in suddenly the night before. Walking into the room to see my mom I was hit with the unexpected. My mom looked so sick and weak, something I will never forget. I have always thought of my mom to be so strong. Stubborn at times. haha, but she just had incredible strength. Even in her weakest moments, she was always a fighter. Her strength and determination is something I am so proud to say that I get from her. That Saturday I got to spend some of the sweetest moments with her. I told her about Heaven and what she had to look forward to. I prayed and the presence of God came into that room. I walked in that day not knowing what to expect, but I left so thankful that God had prepared me for the unexpected. I have realized that I live my life for unexpected moments. Good and bad. I believe in a God that can overcome anything.  I believe that God gave me that day with my mom, because He knew that I would fight for her. I didn't even know that. But when I was feeling weak and helpless, the strength of God kicked and reminded me of why I do what I do! Why I believe what I believe. Hell was trying to fight against my mom that day, but Heaven prevailed. I know that with complete confidence. I believe in miracles and saw God do a miracle in my mother's life that day.

Expect the Unexpected. After being hit with the news of my mom as I was preparing a speech for graduation. God gave me these three words. Expect the Unexpected. I didn't know that my mom would pass away so suddenly. I spent one day with her and then she was gone. Nothing could have prepared me for that, but somehow I am ok. Somehow despite everything that has happened. I managed to get on a plane, come to Ecuador, have my things get stolen, and still have a smile on my face. So now that I'm here, now what? Well I am continuing to fight against Hell. I am ready for whatever comes my way. Sometimes Satan tries to convince me that I am all alone, that I left everything I know for nothing. But that is not true. Every day that I am here is proof that God has a plan and that I am right in the middle of it. I want to say thank you! I want you to know that I am expecting the unexpected. I am expecting for great things to happen here!! This is just the beginning. Thank you for your prayers during the loss of my mom and thank you for believing in what I am doing here. Your prayers are felt, I am truly happy, and I would not be here without you!

So far things are going great. I have jumped right into ministry and working here at Unsion. You can click here to read more about Unsion Ministries. This will help you understand why I love it here and believe in what we are doing so much. My official role here at Unsion is Intern Program Director. Through the intern program I am starting, we will see the vision of Unsion expanded all over the world. International and National students will have the opportunity to develop their gifts and talents as well as be discipled to share the gospel with others. After only a month of recruiting I have already accepted my first intern that will start this fall. Please be praying for the official launch that will take place in January 2013. My roommate and I have also started a women's discipleship group at our house every Thursday night. This group provides a safe place for women to be ministered to and we are seeing awesome results. Also, because of limited resources and building space here in Cuenca, Unsion has started a Church Planting Movement. Through the Church Planting Movement we have begun planting discipleship home groups throughout the city.  These groups are multiplying and people are truly grasping the heart of the Great Commission (to be disciples that make disciples). In a really strict religious society more and more people are responding and experiencing religious freedom because of the atmosphere that these groups create. The CPM is part of the Unsion 608 Church which also holds 4 weekly services. This past week a team from Chicago came in to help us start constructing the new location for 608 that will reach even more people. And last but not least, Unsion TV just received the funding for a satellite signal that stretches from Canada to the Southern tip of Argentina! As of now unison reaches 400,000 viewers daily. With this new satellite signal, that number changes to millions! God is good!!

Below are some photos of the past month:

Moe made it to Ecuador. haha

Guinea Pig.... A very common meal here! 

Working on the new 608 Church Building

Water Baptism at 608

Unsion Medical Clinic (Vision Outreach)

Women's Discipleship Group at my House

Local School Outreach

Lovely view of the city from my room

To make a donation or support me while I am in Ecuador please click here.