Creatively Made in HIS Image

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.  Isaiah 64:8

In my opinion, 2nd grade produces some of the best art work.......

TAKE A LOOK!



Martin, Age 8

Nicole, Age 6

Rubi, Age 7

Anthony, Age 6

Anthony, Age 6

Rubi, Age 7

Martin, Age 8

Nicole, Age 6

Rubi, Age 7

Anthony, Age 6

Martin, Age 8



Nicole, Age 6

"As Christians we know why a work of art has value. Why? First, because a work of art is a work of creativity, and creativity has value because God is the Creator. The first sentence in the Bible declares "In the beginning God created the heaves and the earth". Second, an art work has value as a creation because human beings are made in the image of God, and therefore we not only can love and feel emotion, but we also have the capacity to create. In fact it is part of the image of God to be creative, or to have creativity. We never find an animal, non-human, making a work of art. On the other hand, we never find people anywhere in the world or in any culture in the world who do not product art. Creativity is intrinsic to our humanness." ---Francis A Schaeffer from "Some Perspectives on Art"

Put away the meat...it's time for Lent...

The word Carnaval comes from the Latin word carneval which means to put away the meat. Carnaval is a festive season, immediately before Lent, traditionally held in Catholic and, to a lesser extent, Eastern Orthodox societies. During Lent, these societies do not eat meat, giving the time of Carnaval it’s name (when you actually "put away" as much meat as you can into your bellies before it is time to give it up). Protestant areas usually do not have Carnaval celebrations or they have modified traditions, such as the Danish Carnival or other Shrove Tuesday events. In New Orleans it is well known as Mardi Gras.

LET THE EGG GAMES BEGIN

Children playing with water, eggs, flour, foam and car oil are just some of the things you will see in Shell during Carnaval. The practice of throwing or dumping water, eggs, flour or smearing car oil on unsuspecting victims is especially revered by children and teenagers, and feared by most adults.
There are parades in Puyo and small concerts at the Dique in Shell to celebrate Carnaval. The Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (the days known as Carnaval) are vacation days from work.

Pre-Muddy Water

The last three years, as a part of school, the kids participated in their own Carnaval activities. Egg races, egg toss, bobbing for apples (this year bananas), obstacle courses, and water fights. Every year it is a lot of fun seeing the kids race through all the games trying to get their teachers back for all the school work that has been given them. Unfortunately, the kids are getting bigger this year and I was helpless as they picked me up and carried me to a big muddy hole in the ground and threw me into the water. Anything on me that was white had most definitely turned to brown.



Begining the Obstacle Race

Trying to climb through the tires as fast as they coul to reach the end!



Bobbing for Bananas

Friday was such a fun day of games. However, I think that my favorite part about Carnaval this year was the Wednesday after. When we got together for Chapel in the morning, Marcela (our school director) explained to us all what Carnaval was: where it came from, what it meant, why people celebrate it. It is said that the purpose of Carnaval is to have as much fun (or in some cases sin as much) as you can before you have to be “good” during Lent, a time that you work really hard on your relationship with God. Marcela reminded us that we shouldn’t only work hard at becoming closer to God during the 40 days of Lent, but all year long. Some people spend 325 days not even thinking about God and 40 days of “behaving” themselves. They are “good” for those 40 days and then go back to the way they were living before, unchanged. The same as Christmas, we should remember Christ’s birth all year, not only at Christmas time. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son; every day, for us to talk to, for us to confide in, to trust in, to love, to worship, to listen to, and follow. Every day, not just 40 days out of the year or 41 including Christmas. It doesn’t mean that our lives have to be boring. Following Christ, by all means, is not boring, but the most exciting, life-changing thing that has happened to me. Look what he has blessed me with!

God never changes in this ever changing world...

So we’ve been back in school for about a month. It seems that, after vacations or breaks, a new season of life begins. After getting back from Christmas, things went pretty much back to normal. A little had changed but it wasn’t like the usual sense of change that I had experienced before. Then, this past week, one of my roommates moved back to the States. She left around lunch time on Monday and that night there was already a difference in our house. We don’t know the next time we’ll see her. The hardest thing about living here in Shell, in a mission community, is saying goodbye. There is a huge number of missionaries/volunteers doing different projects here in Shell and it is always changing. People come for a few weeks, a few months or a few years. Every year that I have been here has been completely different from the last. You never know who’s going to be here or for how long. So it’s nice to take comfort in the fact that our God never changes. He will always be here for us. He is the one thing that remains constant in my life and with everything always changing around me, even here at the orphanage, kids coming and going, it’s refreshing to know that I have Him and that I can count on Him to never leave or change.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8

2012

            I was hoping to bring in the NEW YEAR with the kids at Casa de Fe.  There was going to be a bonfire, the burning of the old man (almost like a scare crow) and many more festivities. However, as always, I had problems with my flights. I was already a little stressed out from a busy, emotional, Christmas break so when I got to Dallas and my flight was delayed 3 ½ hours, I was trying to stay calm and prepare myself for the fact that I would miss my last flight into Quito from Miami. Finally, when all the mechanical issues with 2 different planes were fixed, we were on our way from Dallas to Miami. We got to Miami just as my plane to Quito was backing away from the gate. I had JUST missed it. I had to stand in a long line of other people who had missed flights to reschedule. I was so upset knowing that flights only leave at a certain time each day and knowing that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to get from Quito to Shell in enough time to bring in the New Year with the kids. Luckily the airline paid for my dinner, breakfast and lunch along with my hotel room. I would be spending the night and most of the next day in Miami. It was actually relaxing and the room I had was nice and included a balcony! I got some much needed alone time with God and wondered if that was His reason for allowing me to get so delayed. He’s jealous for our time like that J so it was hard to be upset for too long. Also, He had a rather comedic day in store for me following the restful time at the hotel…….

            I woke up New Year’s Eve day at the hotel in Miami, rested and excited to spend breakfast and a cup of coffee on the balcony with God. When it came time to check out of my hotel room, I asked the guy at the front desk when the next shuttle would be leaving for the airport and he responded “probably in about 10 minutes”. I said thank you and started walking towards the door where I saw a shuttle parked and people waiting with their luggage, I assumed that was the shuttle that would be leaving for the airport in 10 minutes. After a few minutes the driver came out and started helping people get their things into the back of the shuttle. I only had my small carry-on bag so I pointed to it and then to the door at the front of the shuttle and he shook his head yes and I took my seat on the bus with my bag. As we started driving through downtown Miami, I was becoming a little confused because I knew that was not the way that we had taken from the airport to the hotel the night before, but I reassured myself that he maybe had to make multiple stops along the way. As we pulled into the cruise port, I kept reassuring myself that after he dropped the people off for their cruises that he was headed to the airport. WRONG. When all the people finally got off the bus I explained to him that I thought we were going to the airport. He pretty much told me he could not break the rules and that he was not allowed to take anyone off of the cruise port property of or he would be fined a large amount of money. I didn’t know what to do. He told me to take a taxi but I didn’t see any taxi’s and I didn’t have extra money to spend on a taxi taking me to the airport when I should have already made it to Ecuador! I started crying and I picked up my bag to get off of the shuttle and try to find a taxi wherever one might be found. The driver began to feel bad for me, so he told me to go to the back of the shuttle and duck down until we got past security. I was really confused and not so sure what I should do but I definitely didn’t want to have to find and pay for a taxi so I did what he said. When we passed through security he told me it was ok to sit up and kept telling me not to cry because he would take me to the airport. When he dropped me off at the airport he said, “this is my gift to you, please do not cry anymore” so I thanked him and wished him a happy new year and got off of the shuttle. Then I couldn’t help but laugh the rest of the day at what had happened! I couldn’t believe that something like that happened in the States! (granted, it is Miami). I thought things like that only happened in Ecuador! Either way, I was thankful to end up where I needed to be and that I could laugh about it. It sort of made the whole trip better and seemed more funny than horrible.

I didn’t end up getting to spend that night with the kids but I did get a good laugh. I also got to spend the night in Quito with a friend and although we didn’t do much, it was very nice to go onto the roof top at mid-night and watch the millions of fireworks around the city (the neighbor was even lighting fireworks off of their balcony?!?!). It will definitely be a time that I will not forget when looking back on all the things I have done to celebrate the coming year!

I am looking forward to the new season God has for me and all of the blessings of this year. I can’t wait to learn and see and grow in unexpected ways! God is so good and His plans are bigger than we can expect! I can’t wait to be a part of whatever He is doing here this NEW YEAR!

Christmas Time is Near!

 Just a week and a half away...I can't believe our Christmas program is already coming up. I wanted to try my best to get these kids prepared for the best Christmas program ever! :-) When I was younger, the Christmas program was always the highlight of the Christmas service at church. I love the feeling you get remembering and celebrating Christ’s birth.

We have been working on our Christmas program for almost 2 months; learning our lines, songs and dances, sewing costumes, painting backdrops. It has definitely has been a busy and overwhelming. At times I have wished that it would just be over so I could get a little rest between all the sewing, fabric dying, hot glueing, painting and homework. However, today when we were finishing up the last backdrop, a huge relief came over me. Along with that, rehearsal for the play went perfect yesterday! Where there were bad attitudes of "this is ALL we EVER do", they were replaced with good attitudes of "this is almost here, let’s work hard and get things done".

I have had the privilege, lately, to stay extra late to work with 5 of the older girls on a ribbon dance. We finally finished the choreography yesterday! As they were rehearsing, they looked like they were trying to remember each step and it wasn't flowing together very well. It looked more like work than dancing. So I stopped the girls and we talked a little bit about the music, "Star of Wonder", by Sufjan Stevens. I asked them what the song was about and Thalia answered "It's a Christmas song about the Christmas star that the Reyes Magos (Wisemen) followed". Then we talked a little about what Christmas was, what we were celebrating with our Christmas program, how the different people went to adore Christ the night that He was born and how dancing is a form of worship. I told them to put in all of that emotion and dance for the Lord. The last time we practiced our dance....it looked AMAZING! I am sooo in awe of how much talent these girls have! They are good at EVERYTHING! :-) But maybe I am biased....

Today after we finished up the last backdrop, Mami Ines asked me for some help cutting Edison’s hair. They had messed up a little bit and they weren't sure how to fix it. I went down to try to teach them how to blend in the lines. I thought of the very first time I came to Casa de Fe in March of 2008. Ines was there helping me cut hair the very first time. Just thinking back on all the time I've spent with these kids and these people in Shell gave me this overwhelming, blessed feeling, That same feeling you get when you think of your family and all the memories over the years. The ups and the downs. I can't say enough how thankful I am for this family. Even the teenage attitudes. :-)  I never knew that so much love could come from one small organ that fits inside your body.

God exceeds my expectations everyday. He fills me with so much love so that I know how much I am loved by Him. No matter if I give Him a bad teenaged attitude, His love for me never changes. His love is bigger than this great love that I have inside of me. That's so incomprehensible! But I am so grateful for all of it...and for everything He has done for me...and for my family...here and in the States.

:-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I forgot to mention that on Thanksgiving Day we were in a parade! I will post some pictures below! We got to dress up in traditional Quechua clothing and do a dance from a town called Otavalo. That was another thing that we practiced A LOT. Everything turned out great! While the older kids and teachers did the dance in the parade, the younger kids got to choose what they want to be when they grow up...and they rode in a float dressed as their chosen profession. We had a doctor, nurse, vet, firefighter, baker, ballerina, military, pilot...ect. Everything turned out so cute!

Año Escolar 2011-2012

Today is the fifth day of school! Everything has been going really great. This week we are working on the kids assessments and seeing what they remember from last year and who needs tutoring. I am so excited for my classes this year! I have the second and third grade classes four times a week; two art classes and two music classes. Then I have the fifth, six and seventh grade classes three times a week; one art class, one music class and one home economics class. I let the older girls pick the units that they wanted to learn in their home economics class. They were so excited to choose what they were going to learn!
This year I am only teaching three classes each day. This is because along with teaching I will be doing a number of other things. I am in charge of all the art/school supplies and handing it out to the teachers as they need it as well as keeping it organized when we get new donations in. I will also be helping with the groups who come through and sort of leading them with projects that they can be working on while they are here and after all the assessments are finished with the kids; I will be helping with tutoring and filling in any extra holes in my schedule with helping with therapy. It sounds really busy but I will actually just be working your regular 40ish hour week.
This school year, like the others, has changed and grown so much again. We now have more Ecuadorian teachers in the school than American teachers and the kids are getting more subjects in Spanish. The school’s Director of Education is a lady who is a Pastor at a church here in Shell. She is also teaching Bible for the kids so that they can hear God’s word in their own language, something that is very important. I can relate to this because I am now attending a church in Spanish and it is just not the same as hearing it in English.
WOW!
I have almost been here for three weeks! That is so hard to believe. On one hand it seems like I have been here longer, almost as if I wasn’t even home for the last year, and on the other hand I am not sure where exactly the last three weeks have gone. It’s so great to be back here in Shell where all the time, everywhere I look I am reminded of God’s creativity! I love walking to school and seeing the mountains and on a clear day the volcanos! I love sitting at my desk upstairs on the third floor and all there is in front of me is a big screen wall where I can just see the jungle outside. I love sleeping in my room when the rain is falling. I love a lot of things about being here but most of all I love being able to be a part of these kids’ lives again. Being a part of their every day and seeing them grow and seeing how they’ve grown over the last four years. It’s a really big blessing to have been a part of this for as long as I have; seeing the kids in three different buildings, now finally on the property. I am excited to see what God brings here to the orphanage in the future, how much it changes and grows and seeing the kids fall in love with Jesus. I am very fortunate to be here and see the love that He has for this place!
I will try to get some pictures up very soon! There are so many new things from the last time that I was here and the kids have grown so much! I cannot wait to share this whole year.
OH HEY!
I got a new email address! Feel free to write me! I love emails!
Melissa@lacasadefe.org
Also find out how you can support me at:
www.cornerstoneinternational.org/staff-short-term
You can find my name under the short term missionaries! (All donations are tax deductible.)
And you can read more about La Casa de Fe at:
www.lacasadefe.org
On the website for Casa de Fe you can read the blogs of others who are working here as well!

KENTUCKY

JEFFERSON LEDONNE

I have attached my support letter to my blog (the post below this) just in case I forgot to add anyone to my mailing list! If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive my newsletters and prayer cards, just send an email to medlin.melissa@gmail.com with your mailing address and I will be sure to add you!

Also....

I wanted to share a little bit about my time in Kentucky visiting CornerStone and the LeDonne family. :)

The first experience that I had, I must tell you, is that I could have driven to Wilmore, KY about five times in the time that it took me to fly from KC to Louisville. It was a long day, I remembered how much I really do not enjoy the actual traveling part of going somewhere. Not only was I stressed about being late to the airport but just as soon as I got through security I realized my flight had been delayed for an unknown amount of time. Chicago was having severe thunderstorms, which delayed all the flights out of Chicago. When I finally got to Chicago thinking that I would barely make my next flight, I found out it too had been delayed. I should have known. There were so many people in that airport you hardly had anywhere to stand. I also received several text messages upon my arrival to the Chicago airport that there was a tornado in KC that I apparently had just missed. Then, I finally made it to Louisville, KY to pick up my rental car and drive another hour and a half to Wilmore. I was so relieved to get into Wilmore! Arriving at the Joneses house I was made aware of the tornado warnings that were now there. So we drove out to CornerStone (a very cute house transformed into offices, in the middle of nowhere) and Duane and Suzanne equipped me with all the information, candles and matches in case of a tornado. I was extremely tired from traveling and sitting in airports all day, so the Joneses left and I went to sleep. I was asleep for maybe four hours with tornadoes on my brain when I woke up to a terrifying noise. I grabbed my pillow and ran to the basement, forgetting about the candle and the matches. After a few moments of silence and prayer I headed back upstairs. Worrying about the weather and if I would wake up if a real tornado came, I heard another noise like before. Again, I ran downstairs, this time with nothing else. I thought I was going crazy. After about the third or fourth time of hearing this tornado like noise and running downstairs for cover, it hit me that this “tornado like noise” was possibly a train. Finally I grew so tired that no noise mattered and hopefully if there was a tornado I would wake up to the call I should get from either Duane or Suzanne. The next morning I did in fact find out that there was a train very close to the house. Sometimes when carrying heavy loads it causes the house to shake. It's been said that trains and tornadoes do sound the same...so I am not completely crazy. Every night after that I had amazing sleep, just for the record.

Aside from that first day, my trip was PERFECT. I was extremely blessed to get to know some of my new family at CornerStone. The first full day that I spent at CornerStone was a Thursday. I think I mentioned before that on Thursdays they pray for their missionaries by name. I got to experience what a Thursday looks like at CornerStone and it was very encouraging. I woke up and after breakfast and coffee we started off the day reading through some of the Psalms together. After that we had a short lunch break and then went on to the missionary prayer set. They put up pictures of each of their missionaries and read aloud that persons prayer request. After discussing what was going on in each person's life there was a chance for anyone to get up and pray for whoever they felt led to pray for. I remember hearing names several times throughout the prayers. It was so encouraging to know that when I am in Shell, I will have people praying for me like that EVERY THURSDAY! At the end of the set everyone took turns praying for me. Everything that people were praying about for me or even the words of wisdom and encouragement that they had for me, was everything that had been on my heart and everything I needed to hear. God is so good and He knows us so well. <3

Friday I got to drive out to Danville to spend some time with the LeDonne family. They are the family who adopted Jefferson, who was in my kindergarten class. What an amazing thing that God allowed to happen! It was so incredible to see Jefferson with his family, where he fits in perfectly. God made him just for the LeDonne family. His personality completely matches theirs. You could tell how much he loves his family and how much they all love him. He is so happy and so comfortable. God worked in such a unique way getting Jefferson to the LeDonnes! His parents (Tim and Lisa) are some really neat people, with extremely huge hearts. We did a lot in the 2 days I spent with them. The first day Jefferson's brother and sister had softball and baseball practice. (Jefferson is also playing baseball!) While they were practicing Jefferson and I played in the skate park, one of his favorite places to be. After practice we went to his grandparents for dinner and after dinner we sat in the living room watching TV and talking. The next morning we ran a 5k. My first 5k ever. I got 3rd place for my age group 18-29! Jefferson's mom Lisa and his sister Lizzie also placed! After the race we did a little bit of shopping and then Lisa and I spent a couple hours talking about Jefferson's adoption. It was so moving to hear how God was in EVERY part of this adoption and how He set things up to work for their good.

I know that I never write blogs this long! There's so much about this trip that I wanted to share because it meant so much to me that I got to go. To meet with CornerStone and meet Jefferson's family. This blog is already really long and I don't think I even did the trip justice with describing how much of a blessing and how encouraging it was. This trip was even more of a confirmation that this is what I am supposed to be doing. I am so thankful that I get to be a part of what is going on at Casa de Fe and watch these kids grow more and more every year. Although it's not always easy, it is such a blessing that God has allowed me to be a part of the plans that he has for this place.