From inside a museum

20 days and counting.  Since the last time I wrote we - all three of us gringas -  have moved homes.  We were previously living in a home that was 45 minutes out of the city.  As we began to see what our weekly activities are going to be, it became more and more apparent that we wanted to live in a place that would be more centrally located.  So our wonderful leader Sabri found us a home to live in that is right in the middle of the city.  Talk about another level of immersion!

The city of Quito is an artist's palette - so many textures, shades of colors, mixtures and combinations.  Some of it detailed and ornate, some abstract, some foreign and obscure, but all so beautiful.  I feel like my 5 senses are in overload as I take in my new surroundings.  The fragrant and pungent smells of so many different kinds of fruits, meats, vegetables, and fried foods as we walk through a local market.  Being pressed against countless strangers as we fight for a place within the bus.  The sound of an entire class of 5th graders playfully chatting in their language as they also pile onto the bus.  The honking of cars driving by and the city fumes in our faces as Lynda and I jog for the first time in the city, trying not to get run over by aggressive taxi drivers.

First meal in our new casa

As for the house we are now living in - it is the beautiful home of a couple, Roberto and Mari, in the adjacent grandmother apartment.  I must say, our apartment has the most character of any home I have ever been in.  It belonged to Roberto's mother who passed away this past year, and it is easy to see that this woman was not a simple lady.  The house is full of books, antiques, quirky utensils, secret passageways, mysterious locked closets, and more paintings than you can count.  It is an enormous living space with three bedrooms, 2 living rooms, an enormous kitchen and a dining room with a beautiful grand piano.  My favorite part, however, is that either the mother or someone else in the family had an obsession with animals.  I literally feel like I am living in a museum.  Every corner you turn in the house you are met by another snarling animal head, mounted at eye level.  We have yet to name our new pets, but that is forthcoming.  Also, part of the personality of the house is the German influence.  Both of Roberto's parents came from Germany, so everything within the house has that beautiful European flavor.  Each day we are getting to know our house a little better and discovering new treasures.  I'm pretty sure each room could be in an I Spy book!

The beautiful ladies I work with

This past week we have visited some of the places that we are going to invest a lot of time into this year.  On Monday we went to a girl's youth prison, where girls ages 13-18, who have been convicted of various crimes, live for 4-6 months.  And Tuesday we went to a foundation for girls, the same age, who have been rescued out of prostitution and live there for 6 months.  There was a team here from the states who, at each place, did a skit for the girls and then talked about how God has created them perfectly and without flaw, that He has created them to be beautiful.  Afterwards we did an "Extreme Makeover" where we gave them each a dress, did their hair and make up and painted their fingernails.  These girls truly were beautiful!  You could tell that for some, this was truly healing, to be touched, to have their hair brushed, and to have people looking at them with love.  But it was so hard to see so many of them look at themselves in the mirror and then use a clothe to wipe off all the makeup, or to hear them say how shameful they felt.  You can see that these girls need so much more than a one time event where they get primped and pampered.  They need a steady voice in their lives that speaks truth into who they are, and to have a real love encounter with the Father.  I am so excited that we will be spending time with these girls every week and actually have the opportunity to be God's love to them.

On Tuesday we also went to a boy's youth prison.  There we spent time worshipping and then praying for healing - physically, spiritually and emotionally.  It was amazing to see many of these boys respond with sincerity as they stood for healing for their hearts, or a desire to have the protection of the Father.  I got the opportunity to pray with my friend Debbie over this one guy.  She got a word for him that he had given up on God, but that God had not given up on him.  I had an impression that he was feeling squeezed or suffocated by certain things in his life, but God wanted to bring him freedom.  He told us that yes, he had stopped trying to follow God and that he was feeling completely suffocated in his life.  We prayed for him to get free from whatever that was.  Afterwards he was like, "I am ready to follow God, I feel peace, etc..."  It's amazing to see how hungry these kids are and open to the Father's embrace.  Again, I can't wait to be able to spend time with these boys and see God's purposes unfold.

Prayer Updates for you amazing Prayer Warriors whom I love dearly!
- Grace to daily grow in the language.
- Strategies and Ideas on how to really reach the hearts of the people we are ministering to.  Specifically the children and youth.
- Favor and open doors wherever we go.
- Continual financial provision.  I'm having to come up with $700 a month for living.
- And as always, more of God's love in and through me, to break chains and release people into their destinies.

Thank you all!