My time and pocket cant keep up with all the ideas that spew out of my head. I know the Lord blessed me with this but sometimes it feels like a curse because I can't keep up. I must realize that I need to keep up not on my feet but on my knees.
The new year holds a lot of these ideas and none of these ideas. Establish the work of our hands sweet Lord.
mari
Open the Eyes of our Hearts, oh Lord!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Kids helping Kids!
these are our kids from the Quito projects singing and serving
this is our students from Alliance. we go out weekly to do a bible club in the Quito projects
the kids from the dump are patiently waiting at the table for their opration brown bag lunch. Recognize any of those bags kids?
Ethan loves being my little helper when we go out and help kids!!!
Its packed with over 100 kids, crazy if you would see the size of this room.
Cowboy, fireman and construction guy help decorate our tree
Our little helpers
We are sooooo glad that we can get Christmas trees here in Ecuador and not only that but this huge tree that touches our ceiling cost us $30!
Our boys hamming it up!
In this country the month of December is kicked off with "Quito Days" its a weekend celebration of their independence. Aidens preschool had a Quito Day program for the parents. They had to come dressed up like little gentlemen and ladies "Chulleno y Quitenas".
Ethan with his kindergarten class during a thanksgiving performance.
My sweet boy!
Turkey, sand and friends
Our thanksgiving spread! We were thankful that this country imports turkeys so we can keep on our tradition.
We spent thanksgiving at the beach! It was a first and it was fabulous. One of Bens students was so kind to offer their beach house to us!!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Celebrating Alliance Academy 80th Anniversary!!
On November 3rd, 1929, the "School for Missionaries' Children of the Christian and Missionary Alliance" (MCS) opened it's doors. Eight students, a dorm mother and a teacher met in the Alliance mission home in downtown Quito. Two months later, MCS moved to Quinta Bustamante, a large estate home where MCS functioned until 1939, when the school moved to its current location. After that move, MCS was renamed the Alliance Academy (AA), and more recently, the Alliance Academy International (AAI).
For 80 years the Alliance Academy has provided education and community to thousands of young people and families who have lived and worked in Quito, Ecuador at some time.
Today we celebrate these 80 years of impact!
And 79 years later, July 1, 2008 the Lord called the Tutens family to a part of this legacy. Were honored!! Thank you all for making this possible its truly a blessing to be a part of this life impacting, heart changing, mind forming institution.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Mr. Tuten sharing in chapel
Mr. Tuten had the joy of sharing in chapel a devotional and also using his "mad" science skills to share a spiritual truth. The kids love watching science experiments.
Monday, October 19, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
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.
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.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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