devastated and amazed

Once upon a time there was a group of ladies whom the Lord was working in their hearts to come and minister to His lost children in Quito, Ecuador. These lovely ladies were all from different phases of life and for different reasons felt called at this time to leave their families for a short time to come and serve.

The plan was to go minister at a school in the projects of Quito to children who have very little to eat and have very little education. As they prepared their hearts, their lessons, their material the Lord was doing some rearranging of their plans, that was news still to come. A week prior to their arrival the Lord changed the plans. A child from the school had been diagnosed with H1N1 and the school had to close down. We were devasted! This project had taken months to plan for and now where would they go?? He sent them to another area in the projects of Quito, the city dump. In the meantime they had gathered over 100 things of material for their lessons. The dump only had 18-40kids which was a blessing in disguise. Therefore, they were able to leave a lot of material here in Quito to be used somewhere else during the school year. This material is like treasure in the hands of a ministry here in Ecuador. The material they left you can't find here and if you did it would cost a tons. It was really neat to see Mckinney our church share all of their VBS stuff with us instead of having it collecting dust in a closet.

Lets fast forward to September- The directors of the school we mentioned above happen to show up at the school that we the Tutens work at. They were there to do a presentation to see how the teachers could partner with them. Mari had wanted to work with them in some form or fashion but she just got overwhelmed with all that there was to do so she never pursued it. The next day after the presentation a teacher from the school says "I was touched by the presentation yesterday from this school and I would like to add it as one of our Christian Service Outreach projects if someone here is willing to lead it." Mari felt like He was looking right at her.

So we sat their amazed to see Gods timing. The Lord wanted us there at that school just not this summer. If the VBS at the dump would of had more kids we would not have had all of this material to share with the children of this school. God was going to have someone out their at that school whether it was Mari or someone else. Though she forgot He didn't!

So we are now leading a group of 9 high school students on Wednesday to do a bible club out at this school in the projects of Quito!! It's a double blessing for us as we get to minister to our high school students from our school AAI and as they minister to the children at this school in the projects.

Sometimes its the small things

When I was a little girl(all you smarty pants I know your saying you still are) I remember every morning that I rode to school just as I got in the car at 5:45a.m. a mans loud voice would bellow the classic hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness. Though at that time in my youth I had no idea what it meant I just knew it was something I could count on everytime I got in the car. My father made a choice when I was young and that was only Christian music would be played in our car. So that is why every morning I could count on that song coming on. That small thing impacted my life in ways I had no idea until I became an adult.

God has put us here in Ecuador to impact the lives of the students at Alliance Academy. Sometimes I think big and I forget that it doesn't have to be big to change someones life, it doesn't have to be a long speech, or a moving mentoring session sometimes its just your everyday consistent walk in the Lord. So as we start this year with many options and ways to serve Him we pray that we would be consistent in our walk. We would be consistent in our walk as we struggle, as we rejoice and as we live each day.

Whirlwind of friends and family!

Though its emotionally draining and physically tiring I love to be caught in that whirlwind of love everytime we travel back to the states. This trip I traveled alone for the purpose of attending the Association of Christian Counselors Conference and to fulfill my yearly US re-entry.

Because of Facebook I was able to reconnect on this trip with friends that I last saw when I was in my teen years. It was great to reminensce on life and our sillyness back then. I was also able to see my parents and old friends in Fort Worth. Everywhere I was I felt the LOVE! I hated that I couldn't connect with everyone since it was a quick trip but I am thankful for those I was able to at least see from a distance.

Unbelievably, Ben and the boys survived without me. Ben's dad Larry came down to help him out so he had some help during the day. I came home to a clean house and children who were all in one piece. I didn't doubt that he could handle it but was a bit concerned for him. So thanks to you all for your prayers.

I am one of those annoying people who forgets how much she misses something until she has it again. So I was surprised at the little things that I missed when I arrived to the US and when I returned back to Ecuador.

Airplane Perspective

As I sit in my row in the middle seat excited about what lies ahead I feel a little sad about who I leave behind. This has yet to change for me in the many airplane ventures I have taken whether they were just a city away or a whole country away.

I am always amazed and thankful by the discovery the Wright brothers made and those who took it beyond. Airplanes are AMAZING!

As I look down at the city from the heavens the world looks so small, orderly, safe and beautiful but as we get closer to landing and get off the plane we discover the cracks, the choas, the problems, the joy, the people and realize life really is a lot easier if your looking at it from a distance. People are easier to handle if your relating to them from a distance and the world and its choas is easier to handle if you don't see its cracks. So I encourage all of us to get off the plane and engage in your world, in your community, in your neighborhood, in your home, in your church. I promise you it won't always be pretty but at least you will feel alive to feel and connect deeply in the midst of its cracks.

I was sitting between an author and a Canadian embassy worker who represents Canadian women who have gotten themselves into trouble in this country. I had no idea because I wasn't up for small talk. I think I missed some neat opportunities that plane ride.