Straight from Jackson

Well...I'm here

I woke up at 2:15 this morning in Black Mountain (which is 1:15 where I am now) and headed off to Charlotte Airport. After a relatively easy check-in and not so easy goodbye to my family I jumped through all the TSA hoops and boarded my flight to Houston. 2 1/2 hours, one cup of coffee, a "breakfast muffin", and a cup of water later I arrived in Houston to wait for probably close to 3 hours for my next slightly delayed flight to Jackson. I arrived in Jackson around 12:30 where I was met by Patrick and Rachel Whipple (the eXtreme Walk directors) who then took me out for lunch at a local Mexican restaurant (which was quite amazing.)

Then we started training (note at this point I've been up for 12 hours only dosing off in the car and airplane). They wanted me to do some prayer excercises where they gave me some templates with verses and questions to follow through and seek God's guidance. Praise God they didn't come back and find me asleep on the desk! It was actually a quite meaningful process. Very helpful in seeing where I've fallen short of God's desires and where I've sinned against God and against others. I was really convicted of a lot of hatred that I had towards others. Not where I am always mad at someone, but just where they grate on my nerves and so I really couldn't say that I desired the best for them.

But anyway, I had two such excercises today. Both were good about focusing me out of the hectic preparations and into what is to come. To plug me into God's power that will be so necessary on this trip. But anyway, now Patrick and Rachel are in class (we're on the campus of Wesleyen Seminary) and I'm blogging and researching Ecuadorian history. (Note that at this point I've been awake for 16 and 1/2 hours.) I think their class runs to maybe 8 or 9:30. Then it's a 40 mile drive back to their house. So......pray that I find some rest and that the next couple of marathon days of training don't kill me before I even get to Ecuador.

Also, be in prayer that my placement finally comes down the pipeline. It appears that it is either now going to be Cuenca or San Carlos. Also I really want to have at least a week off for Christmas so please pray that that leave gets approved.

Dios te bendiga!

Flexibility

Well, as always, flexibility is the key to mission work. I received a phone call from Ecuador today on the way home from work and found out that I will no longer be placed in South Quito with Patricio Guerrero. Instead I will be placed in an entirely different place called San Carlos which is about 1-2 hours outside of Guayaquil on the coast. I believe, if I found the right one that I'll be just about halfway between Guayaquil and Machala. However, I can't be sure because there are several San Carloses which seems to be the case for the small villages named after Saints.
Anyway, I will still be spending 3 months in Quito for language school at what I believe is called the Latin American Academy of Spanish. I will also be receiving a house placement through that school with a family for the entire time I'm in school. I was told it was that or a concrete building with no floors so I opted for the family. And I do know that my language school starts about 3 days after my arrival and so I'll be staying in the OMS guest house (and I have no idea what that is or where it is).
So while all this means that I won't be doing what I thought I would be, it also means that I'll be getting to move around and see different parts of the country which is nice. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. More to come once I find out more (I should be talking to BJ again next week after he visits San Carlos).

Dios te bendiga