"Yes, Lord, walking in the ways of Your truth, we wait for you; Your name and renown are the desires of our hearts."
So, I just finished watching the Passion 2011 Live Link from my computer. They were broadcasting from Georgia Tech's campus in Atlanta. Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, and the whole gang were there to worship and share a bit about what's going on in the Passion movement. I was reminded over and over again of the incredible experience I had at Passion 2010 in Atlanta this past January...hard to believe it was only ten months ago! The message was a reminder to be "awake, confident, and available". Awake (1 Corinthians 2:6-9): to the truth that outside of our very small lives and what we see every day on the news or Facebook or whatever...there is a story going on that tells of God's faithfulness and His amazing purpose for our lives. Confident (Isaiah 46:3-5): that those who have believed in Christ are now called sons and daughters, heirs of an eternal kingdom and that the Lord is continually working for our good. Available (Isaiah 64:1-4): to be ready in each moment to follow God's leading to a place, person, or people.
Even though at this moment I'm pretty positive that I'll be here in Quito until next May, right now I feel like I'm facing a lot of questions. I think a lot about questions concerning what I might do next when I get back. I think a lot about questions in my relationships with people from home and new people here. I have so many passions that I want to see fulfilled in my life and I have no idea how to go about doing so. The greatest comfort is to know that in whatever circumstance I'm in or question I struggle with, my God is going before me to prepare a way. I'm realizing that I'm so blessed to be a part of God's story and that nothing I do can change how much He loves me.
My 22nd birthday has now come and gone and I am relishing the wonderful number that is now my age. I feel slightly strange telling most people here how old I am because to them I actually am old whereas back at home nearly all my friends are older than me. Regardless, my birthday was a combination of some of my favorite things: pizza for lunch, playing tennis, watching the Braves play (and lose unfortunately), and dancing. My Ecuadorian friend Carlos took myself and the girls to lunch in Tumbaco, a small town just outside of campus in Cumbayá, at a place called Pizza SA that the girls had been raving about. Then we went back to campus because the girls had class and Carlos and I were going to play tennis. I realized that tennis is probably the best sport to play at high altitude because it doesn't require an excessive amount of running. Later that evening my friend Nelson and I headed to Mulligan's Pub in Mariscal to watch the Braves-Phillies game, a frustrating 1-0 loss. Then we met the girls at our favorite bar before going to the salsa club at ten.
This weekend we had our first two field trips with volcanology class to Lake Cuicocha, which is just outside of Otavalo, and to Papallacta (or somewhere around there). On Saturday we took a bus right up to the volcanic lake and went on a little boat ride while Theo explained how it was made in Spanish which meant I didn't understand/pay much attention. The rest of the day we stopped at random spots on the highway to draw different kinds of faults in the rock formations...I'm sure we all looked ridiculous standing there looking at a rock wall and doodling away. Overall, it wasn't a very exciting trip and the highlight was probably eating oreos for lunch. Sunday was a much different story as we spent the day in search of eight different rocks to collect, label, and bag for our reports. This meant climbing up and down hills where you could literally lose a shoe or break an ankle if you made a misstep. Theo highly enjoys watching his students follow him around like pets and making us do things that we don't necessarily need to do, but enhances his experience that much more. Needless to say, I was very dirty and very tired when I got home yesterday evening.
This week could be the busiest yet. I've started playing ultimate frisbee in Parque Carolina on Tuesdays after class. I believe the soccer team I joined at USFQ starts practicing this week. I also have bible study on Tuesday evenings at seven and I've been told we may be able to start working with the kids at the orphanage this week as well! Hannah, Ashley, and I also have a potential meeting with a man from an organization called Youth World that does sports ministry with kids in Quito. I guess I might have some homework to do too, but let's be honest that's probably the least of my concerns. This weekend I think I am going to stick around to watch the Hokies put a beatdown on undefeated NC State...hopefully I will not regret that decision. Please be praying for divine guidance as I make choices each day here, that I will be intent on serving Christ with my heart, mind, and actions at all times. Much love, nos vemos pronto!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
así no más
¡Buenas noches!
It's time for an update! Things here in Quito are going well. Classes are in full swing and homework is becoming more frequent, but not more difficult fortunately. The first trip with my volcanology class is coming up this weekend and it should be fun because there aren't many people signed up for this one! We're going to Cuicocha and Papallacta to check out two volcanoes and some hot springs! Along with my friends Dan and Cody, I joined a fútbol team on campus in a league that includes the professors. Apparently we'll get a jersey with our name and number on it for like five or six bucks each, qué chévere!
Last time I updated I was about to go on a trip to a small pueblo called Otavalo with my friends Hannah, Ashley, and Colleen (from this point on they will be referred to as "the girls" for simplicity's sake). After a frustrating morning waiting at the censo office only to find out that they ran out of cards to print off and would have to come back, we took off on the bus from terminal norte in Quito. It only cost two bucks for the bus ride and on the way we were lucky enough to catch a Jean Claude Van Damme flick called "Sudden Death" (terrible movie, but it seems they love him in South America). We got to Otavalo around four that afternoon and made our way to a hostel we had discovered in our trusty LP's (Lonely Planet guidebooks) call Rincon del Viajero. They had plenty of rooms so we rented two for the night, one for me and one for the girls, and then went out in search of a good dinner. A good dinner is exactly what we found, of course with the help of LP, at a little local restaurant called Mi Otavalito. I had grilled chicked with french fries and salad...delicioso.
After dinner we made a stop at a little ice cream shop for dessert and then headed back to the hostel to get some layers on before going to explore the nightlife. While walking around we had noticed a concert stage being set up in a plaza nearby, so we headed back there to check out the scene. On our way there we stopped at a pizzeria/bar that was probably one of the strangest restaurants I've ever been in, but they offered Cuba Libres (this is what they call rum and coke) for $1.50 so we couldn't pass it up. We finally made our way back to the plaza to find a ton of people watching as a number of different performers sang and danced to celebrate the culture and town of Otavalo. We hung out in the plaza and had some extra-strong but super-cheap canelazo (a warm fruity beverage made with sugar-cane alcohol) and enjoyed the music. We headed back to the hostel and I actually fell asleep in one of the hammocks on the roof before finally making it to my surprisingly comfortable bed. Breakfast the next morning was gratis (free) and it included coffee, bread, and eggs. We then made our way to the market, which I'm told is the largest indigenous hand-craft market in South America, and I have no problem believing that because it was huge! So much stuff to look at and so many people meandering through the different tables and tents. After we finished up shopping we hopped back on the bus to Quito for another two bucks and were home in two hours.
Yesterday I went to a really cool park in Quito with the girls and all of Ashley's ecuadorian cousins to celebrate her host brother Daniel's birthday. It was a heck of a long walk uphill, but when we arrived the views looking down into the valley and Cumbayá were incredible. We hung out for a while waiting for the food to be served and partook in some grilled steak appetizers with ají (a kind of salsa with garlic). Our plates were stacked with different kinds of grilled pork and sausages along with corn and potatoes...definitely a guy's meal and I loved it. The primos all continued celebrating with endless amounts of Pilsener and by the time we made our way back to the city they were all singing loudly their favorite spanish tunes. Shortly after I got home I met up with my friend Nelson to go check out some college football in the Mariscal. We observed some very interesting people and met some funny older guys at a bar who work for the U.S. embassy. I also noticed that without the girls around, no one was bugging me to come in their obnoxious club so that was kind of nice.
Today was the first service of Libertad, the church being pastored by our new Chilean friends Aldo and his wife Pame. Right now it's being held in a conference type room on the roof of the apartment building that they live in. The service today was mainly about casting the vision of this new church and stressing the importance of the people who need to be reached in Quito and around the world. I've never been a part of a church that is just starting and I'm excited to see how this church will grow and develop over the next eight months that I'm here. Starting next week we'll begin our first ministry project as a church with an organization in the city the works with orphaned children and single-parent families...I can't wait to love on these people and share the hope of Christ with them!
That's about it for this post. I'm about to turn twenty-two this coming Wednesday and I'm not sure anyone quite understands that I've been waiting for this my whole life because twenty-two is in fact my favorite number and will be my age for a whole year! Please pray for my new church and it's ability to effectively minister to the people we are called to. I miss you all and GO HOKIES!
¡Chao!
It's time for an update! Things here in Quito are going well. Classes are in full swing and homework is becoming more frequent, but not more difficult fortunately. The first trip with my volcanology class is coming up this weekend and it should be fun because there aren't many people signed up for this one! We're going to Cuicocha and Papallacta to check out two volcanoes and some hot springs! Along with my friends Dan and Cody, I joined a fútbol team on campus in a league that includes the professors. Apparently we'll get a jersey with our name and number on it for like five or six bucks each, qué chévere!
Last time I updated I was about to go on a trip to a small pueblo called Otavalo with my friends Hannah, Ashley, and Colleen (from this point on they will be referred to as "the girls" for simplicity's sake). After a frustrating morning waiting at the censo office only to find out that they ran out of cards to print off and would have to come back, we took off on the bus from terminal norte in Quito. It only cost two bucks for the bus ride and on the way we were lucky enough to catch a Jean Claude Van Damme flick called "Sudden Death" (terrible movie, but it seems they love him in South America). We got to Otavalo around four that afternoon and made our way to a hostel we had discovered in our trusty LP's (Lonely Planet guidebooks) call Rincon del Viajero. They had plenty of rooms so we rented two for the night, one for me and one for the girls, and then went out in search of a good dinner. A good dinner is exactly what we found, of course with the help of LP, at a little local restaurant called Mi Otavalito. I had grilled chicked with french fries and salad...delicioso.
After dinner we made a stop at a little ice cream shop for dessert and then headed back to the hostel to get some layers on before going to explore the nightlife. While walking around we had noticed a concert stage being set up in a plaza nearby, so we headed back there to check out the scene. On our way there we stopped at a pizzeria/bar that was probably one of the strangest restaurants I've ever been in, but they offered Cuba Libres (this is what they call rum and coke) for $1.50 so we couldn't pass it up. We finally made our way back to the plaza to find a ton of people watching as a number of different performers sang and danced to celebrate the culture and town of Otavalo. We hung out in the plaza and had some extra-strong but super-cheap canelazo (a warm fruity beverage made with sugar-cane alcohol) and enjoyed the music. We headed back to the hostel and I actually fell asleep in one of the hammocks on the roof before finally making it to my surprisingly comfortable bed. Breakfast the next morning was gratis (free) and it included coffee, bread, and eggs. We then made our way to the market, which I'm told is the largest indigenous hand-craft market in South America, and I have no problem believing that because it was huge! So much stuff to look at and so many people meandering through the different tables and tents. After we finished up shopping we hopped back on the bus to Quito for another two bucks and were home in two hours.
Yesterday I went to a really cool park in Quito with the girls and all of Ashley's ecuadorian cousins to celebrate her host brother Daniel's birthday. It was a heck of a long walk uphill, but when we arrived the views looking down into the valley and Cumbayá were incredible. We hung out for a while waiting for the food to be served and partook in some grilled steak appetizers with ají (a kind of salsa with garlic). Our plates were stacked with different kinds of grilled pork and sausages along with corn and potatoes...definitely a guy's meal and I loved it. The primos all continued celebrating with endless amounts of Pilsener and by the time we made our way back to the city they were all singing loudly their favorite spanish tunes. Shortly after I got home I met up with my friend Nelson to go check out some college football in the Mariscal. We observed some very interesting people and met some funny older guys at a bar who work for the U.S. embassy. I also noticed that without the girls around, no one was bugging me to come in their obnoxious club so that was kind of nice.
Today was the first service of Libertad, the church being pastored by our new Chilean friends Aldo and his wife Pame. Right now it's being held in a conference type room on the roof of the apartment building that they live in. The service today was mainly about casting the vision of this new church and stressing the importance of the people who need to be reached in Quito and around the world. I've never been a part of a church that is just starting and I'm excited to see how this church will grow and develop over the next eight months that I'm here. Starting next week we'll begin our first ministry project as a church with an organization in the city the works with orphaned children and single-parent families...I can't wait to love on these people and share the hope of Christ with them!
That's about it for this post. I'm about to turn twenty-two this coming Wednesday and I'm not sure anyone quite understands that I've been waiting for this my whole life because twenty-two is in fact my favorite number and will be my age for a whole year! Please pray for my new church and it's ability to effectively minister to the people we are called to. I miss you all and GO HOKIES!
¡Chao!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
lunch with justin bieber
Hola a todos!
I know what you're thinking...Jacob had lunch with Justin Bieber in Ecuador?! No, but my host family keeps the radio playing nearly all day and yesterday during dinner I watched my host dad, Guillermo, bob his head to none other than Justin and Katy Perry. Classic moment. I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since I last updated and almost three since I arrived! Things here are picking up quickly and I am becoming an Ecuadorian more and more each day.
As far as school goes, I love my classes and have no complaints! My schedule has changed since the last time I wrote and I'm now enrolled in only four classes: intro to international relations, volcanology, lengua y literatura, and advanced conversation. My international relations class is awesome because the professor is a younger guy who relates everything he teaches to star wars and relationships and he also teaches in english. I usually feel very intelligent when speaking in this class because it's mostly Ecuadorian students who speak good english but stumble through their thoughts occasionally. My volcanology class is an adventure each day because the professor Theo is basically a kid in an older man's body. For example, we were instructed to bring rock samples to class today to identify some different types and he proceeded to lob his own of rocks collection into the crowd of students without hesitation...dangerous, yes, but funny nonetheless. A cuban named Enrique Wong (great name) teaches my lengua y literatura class and he speaks soooo fast but it's a great class because he doesn't get upset if you don't know the answer to a question, he just keeps asking it over and over. Finally, my conversation class is awesome because it's very small and we learn ridiculous new words and phrases each day from our professor Claudia who LOVES to use the words "chevere" which means cool and sexy which of course means...sexy. In two weeks we are having a class dedicated to discovering all the Ecuadorian slang and "palabrotas" (swear words) we can think of...should be interesting.
As I think I've mentioned before, I only have classes on tues/thurs so my week is virtually loaded with free time. I kick myself constantly for ditching my guitar last minute at the airport, I could be learning so much while sitting around the house! Hopefully I can convince the fam to ship it if it isn't too expensive. Within the past two weeks a lot has happened! My friends from North Carolina, Hannah and Ashley, all met up with our new Ecuadorian chaperone/great friend Camilo who I was connected to through Kristy and Caroline (thanks girls!). We went to Quicentro to meet a Chilean couple who recently moved to Quito and are starting a church this month! We are going to get involved when things start rolling with that, and I'm very excited to see what the beginning stages of a church looks like! My first trip to Mariscal (gringolandia) was an interesting one. I met up with Hannah, Ashley, and my other two friends Colleen and Mark at a bar that will remain anonymous for our purposes. We were put in a room in the back of this bar that may or may not have been someone's living quarters. In this room we were asked to remove our shoes and there was a small table, pillows, a tv, and the ceiling must have been no more than three or four feet high. We'll be sure to visit there again before we leave.
This past week Camilo and his friends David and Carlos took Hannah, Ashley, Collen, and I to Centro Historico (old town Quito) to see the nightlife there. It was very beautiful with music playing all around and restaurants lining both sides of the streets filled with people. This past weekend USFQ (my school) hosted a fiesta for all of the international students at a hacienda in a small town called Nono about an hour away from Quito. It was probably one of the most ridiculous days of my life. It turned out to be a day primarily intended to give the gringos as much alcohol as possible in the form of games like sack races, wheelbarrow races, etc. Not to mention when they ran out of game ideas they resorted to a college favorite, flip cup...obviously. I chose to spend most of the day watching all of this absurdity go on rather than participate and get drunk, but it's certainly something I'll never forget. If I could go back, I might rethink my decision to pay $25 for that trip though.
I just took a break from writing to go help my host mama, Germania, with problems on the computer, which I'm frequently asked to do. There's something wrong with their computer and none of the internet browsers will work so I spent half an hour on the phone speaking spanish with some guy from the internet company...never have I ever. After this process, Germania asked me if I knew anything about stem cell transplants and showed me a card she had gotten about an anti-aging procedure. I told her that it is very controversial in the states and that I personally think it is not a great concept because it is a science that removes God from the equation of life. Essentially, I was able to share my beliefs and a little bit of the gospel with both my Ecuadorian parents who are Catholics over a simple conversation and I'm glad I had the opportunity do so.
After finally picking up my "censo" (Ecuadorian I.D.) tomorrow morning, this weekend we are going to Otavalo for two days, a smaller town north of Quito around two hours away. There is a famous artisan's market there with many indigenous vendors selling their hand-crafted products. I think we might also venture to a nearby waterfall called Peguche. This is my first real trip away from the city thus far so I'm excited to see how it goes!
I know what you're thinking...Jacob had lunch with Justin Bieber in Ecuador?! No, but my host family keeps the radio playing nearly all day and yesterday during dinner I watched my host dad, Guillermo, bob his head to none other than Justin and Katy Perry. Classic moment. I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since I last updated and almost three since I arrived! Things here are picking up quickly and I am becoming an Ecuadorian more and more each day.
As far as school goes, I love my classes and have no complaints! My schedule has changed since the last time I wrote and I'm now enrolled in only four classes: intro to international relations, volcanology, lengua y literatura, and advanced conversation. My international relations class is awesome because the professor is a younger guy who relates everything he teaches to star wars and relationships and he also teaches in english. I usually feel very intelligent when speaking in this class because it's mostly Ecuadorian students who speak good english but stumble through their thoughts occasionally. My volcanology class is an adventure each day because the professor Theo is basically a kid in an older man's body. For example, we were instructed to bring rock samples to class today to identify some different types and he proceeded to lob his own of rocks collection into the crowd of students without hesitation...dangerous, yes, but funny nonetheless. A cuban named Enrique Wong (great name) teaches my lengua y literatura class and he speaks soooo fast but it's a great class because he doesn't get upset if you don't know the answer to a question, he just keeps asking it over and over. Finally, my conversation class is awesome because it's very small and we learn ridiculous new words and phrases each day from our professor Claudia who LOVES to use the words "chevere" which means cool and sexy which of course means...sexy. In two weeks we are having a class dedicated to discovering all the Ecuadorian slang and "palabrotas" (swear words) we can think of...should be interesting.
As I think I've mentioned before, I only have classes on tues/thurs so my week is virtually loaded with free time. I kick myself constantly for ditching my guitar last minute at the airport, I could be learning so much while sitting around the house! Hopefully I can convince the fam to ship it if it isn't too expensive. Within the past two weeks a lot has happened! My friends from North Carolina, Hannah and Ashley, all met up with our new Ecuadorian chaperone/great friend Camilo who I was connected to through Kristy and Caroline (thanks girls!). We went to Quicentro to meet a Chilean couple who recently moved to Quito and are starting a church this month! We are going to get involved when things start rolling with that, and I'm very excited to see what the beginning stages of a church looks like! My first trip to Mariscal (gringolandia) was an interesting one. I met up with Hannah, Ashley, and my other two friends Colleen and Mark at a bar that will remain anonymous for our purposes. We were put in a room in the back of this bar that may or may not have been someone's living quarters. In this room we were asked to remove our shoes and there was a small table, pillows, a tv, and the ceiling must have been no more than three or four feet high. We'll be sure to visit there again before we leave.
This past week Camilo and his friends David and Carlos took Hannah, Ashley, Collen, and I to Centro Historico (old town Quito) to see the nightlife there. It was very beautiful with music playing all around and restaurants lining both sides of the streets filled with people. This past weekend USFQ (my school) hosted a fiesta for all of the international students at a hacienda in a small town called Nono about an hour away from Quito. It was probably one of the most ridiculous days of my life. It turned out to be a day primarily intended to give the gringos as much alcohol as possible in the form of games like sack races, wheelbarrow races, etc. Not to mention when they ran out of game ideas they resorted to a college favorite, flip cup...obviously. I chose to spend most of the day watching all of this absurdity go on rather than participate and get drunk, but it's certainly something I'll never forget. If I could go back, I might rethink my decision to pay $25 for that trip though.
I just took a break from writing to go help my host mama, Germania, with problems on the computer, which I'm frequently asked to do. There's something wrong with their computer and none of the internet browsers will work so I spent half an hour on the phone speaking spanish with some guy from the internet company...never have I ever. After this process, Germania asked me if I knew anything about stem cell transplants and showed me a card she had gotten about an anti-aging procedure. I told her that it is very controversial in the states and that I personally think it is not a great concept because it is a science that removes God from the equation of life. Essentially, I was able to share my beliefs and a little bit of the gospel with both my Ecuadorian parents who are Catholics over a simple conversation and I'm glad I had the opportunity do so.
After finally picking up my "censo" (Ecuadorian I.D.) tomorrow morning, this weekend we are going to Otavalo for two days, a smaller town north of Quito around two hours away. There is a famous artisan's market there with many indigenous vendors selling their hand-crafted products. I think we might also venture to a nearby waterfall called Peguche. This is my first real trip away from the city thus far so I'm excited to see how it goes!
now's the time for us to rise, carry hope to hopeless eyes, let love shine, and show this world that mercy is life! - elevation worship
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