Dr. Jeff Visit

I missed writing last week!  I hope you missed me too!  For some reason WordPress won't let me log into my blog; and long story short I'm choosing to continue my story on Blogspot this time.  So I'll pick up with where I left off!

Amazing corner of the world!

On Saturday, November 17 we 3 chicas traveled with Marisol, her daughter 23 year old daughter Mayra and her boyfriend Pedro to the beautiful town of Banos (which literally means "baths, not bathrooms":)  I posted an album on Facebook with some great photos!  It was a long trip and a short stay, and I'd love to return someday soon!

This week has been an extremely power-filled week.  On the bus ride to our Girls Prison visit a teenage girl threw herself into the seat beside me, grabbed my hand and started making me hit her!  For the next 30 minutes I prayed over her, affirmed and assured her as she cried in my arms one minute, smiled empty smiles the next, and fell asleep in my lap the next.  She had something seriously going on mentally or spiritually...my only answer was love...

I brought my watercolors for our 5 girls at the prison to play with...no teaching...just prayed and asked them to paint what they were feeling inside.  They soaked in the sun listening to Kari Jobi's Spanish worship and then shared what they painted and what they had felt during and after the process.  Holy Spirit is on the move and revealing lots to them.  Art is going to be a key to help set girls free!  So excited to watch creativity come alive in them!

We were born to create!

Greg & Kristen & their 2-year old son Zion are moving here...a vibrant young kingdom-come couple who we'll be working alongside.  He spoke at the boys prison about how God sees each of them and their potential, that the dreams they have can come true if they choose to believe in and assume responsibility for them...Hope needs to stay alive for their lives to change.  Their response was so hunger-filled!

Joy International www.joy.org.  Please click on this site!!!!!!!!  Jeff is a friend of Ellie's from Colorado.  He has devoted his life to the rescue, restoration, reintegration and prevention of children forced into the child sex trade.  Ellie asked him about how to effectively set up a safe home, and he chose to travel to Ecuador in person to help us!  He's a man who travels the world to speak passionately about the crime of human trafficking.  He shared with the staff at Nuestras Jovenes and then with the girls themselves with an incredibly positive response.  He spoke with the overseer of this same foundation only to find out she is planning to close it by the end of the year!  Her heart was totally disconnected from these girls lives.  Well, you know what we say...."No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  And within the hours I've been working on this blog, miracles are happening from lawyers working donating time to help with Casa Mis Suenos bi- laws, to houseparent possibilities coming into vie, to the truth of Nuestras Jovenes closing being untrue, and more dreams continue to unfold!   The experiences Jeff has shared with us has moved us to tears and into action.  There's no turning back!

Our Thanksgiving meal found 14 of us around the table with beautiful friends that are so very dear to my heart.  I was in charge of the turkey and stuffing which turned out delicious!  No cranberries to be found here, sweet potatoes were white and purple and pumpkin came with a green shell, not orange!
We individually shared thanks which ended in outrageous "saluds" with upraised glasses!  How great to join in giving thanks to the One who gave it all for us!  I am so very thankful for all of you, my family and friends, near and far, new and "old":)!

Great is Your faithfulness!