From the heart...

I remember years ago someone asked me if I could do any type of ministry anywhere, what would it be?  My answer was to open a home for teenage pregnant girls in Latin America.  This answer came years before God had opened my eyes to foreign missions.  God brought to my mind a statement I made when we were first married living in Friendswood, TX.  "Oh good, Casey, it is mission Sunday.  We don't have to go to church".  Never would I have dreamed that the Lord would have ME living in South America and personally be a part of opening a girls crisis pregnancy center home.   Well, after many years of having my eyes opened to a world other than myself, God put into fruition a desire that He placed on my heart almost 10 years ago. 

We came to Ecuador to work with kids at risk, young men who had lived on the streets.  We served at Casa Gabriel for 2 years and then God led us to Inca Link.  Inca Link has many ministries in 4 different countries, but they were starting one here in Ecuador that peaked my interest.  They were planning to open a teenage crisis pregnancy center home.  What?  Really God?  Did you really put that desire on my heart knowing that it would actually happen someday?  Yes, He did and the doors to Casa Elizabeth opened in December of 2010.  Look at the timing - we joined Inca Link in November of 2010.  I love how God works!!

Dan and Trish Franklin with their three girls came from Cananda to Ecuador to give a year to help start this home.  Trish has served in a crisis pregnancy center in Winnipeg for many years and brought great wisdom on how to care and counsel these teenage girls.  Their family lived at Casa Elizabeth and were the first houseparents for the girls.  They will be heading back to Canada next month and will be missed here.

There have been 4 girls who have called Casa Elizabeth their home.  I don't think I could have ever been prepared for some of these precious girls stories.  There was one fourteen year old girl who had been taken out of sex trafficking and placed in a foundation.  Once she had her baby, she came to live at Casa Elizabeth but did not stay long.  Her mother came to pick up her 14 year old daughter with her newborn baby but only to take them back to this girl's "boyfriend".  Our hearts were broken and our hands were tied.  I still pray for this beautiful young girl and her baby and wonder where they are.

The other story is why I am writing this blog entry.  All of the girls have stories - we all have stories.  Our youngest mom who has lived at Casa Elizabeth was 12.  She was rescued from her home where she was being sexually abused.  She came to Casa Elizabeth not talking, and I just think of how she left last week.  She was a different person - happy, singing, playful and joking.  In April, she went to the hospital for preclampsia and had to stay for a week.  One day her blood pressure shot up, and they had to take her baby at 30 weeks.  Carlitos Jose did not survive.  The next day was her 13th birthday and what a party in her hospital room.  The room was filled with balloons, hospital staff, Inca Link family, and birthday cake.  One of her doctors brought his guitar and sang a song to her.  You would not believe how many people were in that room celebrating the beautiful life of our youngest mom.

None of us were prepared that the funeral for her baby boy was to be the very next day.  There were not many of us there but so much love.  Casey carried the little white coffin, Gustavo had beautiful words and scripture to share, we sang, and then a few others shared words to the mom.  God provided His strength for this girl who 2 days before had a c-section and who has a disability where it is difficult for her to walk.  God gave her the strength to walk in the rain up a long hill in the cemetery to where Carlitos Jose's body would stay.  We know that her baby is in heaven and because of this baby, our mom now knows who Jesus is.  Her baby helped to rescue her from a horrible, abusive situation. 

This sweet mom has been living at Casa Elizabeth until last week.  The lawyer who has been working this case decided she had to live in the same province of where she had been living.  The person who had abused her is now serving 25 years in prison.  Two people came to take her to her new home last Monday.  She cried and was sad, but I know that God has always been with her and will continue to be.  We plan to give her a few months to get settled into her new home and then go visit her.  All of us miss her so much.  She is one precious and very special girl!

We still have the privilege to see the other girls who called Casa Elizabeth their home and be a part of their lives with their babies.  Casa Elizabeth is God's ministry, and I wait in great expectation of what He will continue to do.  I praise the Lord for allowing me to be just a small part of what He is doing.

Baby Benjamin is here!

After three different due dates and one false alarm, Benjamin finally arrived on May 11, 2011.  And boy, did he arrive - he was 10 pounds 2 ounces!!!  Miriam had to have a c-section but we are so thankful she recovered quickly.  Benjamin Rene is one beautiful baby boy!

Miriam is such a wonderful mom and is so proud of her son. 

I want to introduce a very special girl sitting between Miriam and me.  Her name is Sarah Ladd.  She interned with Inca Link for almost a year and was such a huge blessing to us.  Her last months in Ecuador she became the Big Sister for Casa Elizabeth.  Sarah speaks Spanish very well and related to the girls in such a beautiful way.  Sarah lived in Casa Elizabeth, went to doctors appointments, loved on the girls through some very sad times, played and laughed with the girls and their babies, and overall lived life with them.  She left in June, and we all miss her so much.  Sarah is a wonderful example of someone who loves the Lord and others very deeply.  She has returned to North Carolina where she is attending Speech Therapy school.  We love you and miss you, Sarah!

Basketball

Alliance Academy offers various intramural sports for the elementary students throughout the school year.  Luke and Jordan love to play soccer and basketball.

Jordan hustles the entire game - he always gives his best!

I wish this picture was clearer.  Tongue in cheek - pure concentration and intensity throughout all games.  Luke and Jordan love to play sports, and Casey and I love to watch them play.

Great season boys - so proud of you!

Gender Reveal Party

Some of our good friends, Brad and Ashley Johnson, from back home had a gender reveal party to see if their baby is a boy or girl.  I loved the idea and passed it along to our good friends here in Quito.  What is a gender reveal party?  You invite your friends over and someone makes a cake and puts in the center of the cake either blue or pink icing.  When the parents cut open the cake, everyone together finds out if the baby is a girl or boy.  For my friends here, I got to be the someone who made the cake.  The doctor wrote on a piece of paper the gender of the baby and put it in a sealed envelope so the parents don't peek.  Loren and Alaina dropped off the sealed envelope to me and I put the proper color icing in the middle of the cake.

I was so thankful the doctor wrote it clearly and made it obvious.  This was not something I wanted to mess up on.  I took this picture for fun in their kitchen when no one was looking.

Loren and Alaina were so excited to cut into the cake and look at those faces, pure joy.  I praise God for this precious baby boy, and I cannot wait to meet him in October.

BLUE icing for BABY BOY!!

Here is Alaina and her mom.  Both Loren and Alaina grew up as missionary kids and Alaina's parents live in Ecuador.  They live in the jungle area about 5 hours away from Quito.  It was so fun to have her parents there for the big party.  Happy Baby Boy!!



Feliz Día de la Madre!

Mother's Day is a big celebration here in Ecuador.  I praise God for the amazing gift to be Luke, Jordan and Molly's mom.  They fill my life with laughter and great joy.  I got to have many celebrations this year and at every event, I cried. 

First event - Luke's 5th grade Mother's Day brunch.  Here is what he is reading to me:
My Mom's name is: Renae
She is special because she has three kids that love her and one boy that loves her the most.
I like it when my Mom plays Mario Kart with me.
I think she's best at being the best mom ever and helping me when I need help.
I like to make her smile by telling her funny jokes.
My Mom is as pretty as a tulip and a daisy.
My Mom is smart!  She even knows how to play soccer very well.
I'd like to tell my Mom how much I love her but I can't because I love her so much.
 - Luke  5-6-11

Singing how much they love their moms.

Next Mother's Day brunch was Molly's pre-K class.

So cute - here is the class singing, Jesus is my Super Hero.

Molly is the only native english speaker in her class.  It is amazing to hear all of her friends in class speak english so well after 8 short months.

Molly's ballet class had a special presentation for the moms.

Luke, Jordan and Molly singing at church on Mother's Day.

The celebrations continued on Monday with a Mother's Day brunch with Jordan's 3rd grade class.  Jordan made the cutest placemat for me that said:
M y Mom is the best mom.
O n my loving list because she teaches me about God.
M y Mom is the best cook in the world.
M ommy helps me with things.
Y ou love me so much!
Happy Mother's Day 2011

Jordan and Trinity read the sweet and sad book, I'll Love You Forever.

International Hat Day

Alliance Academy had International Hat Day and Jordan made this awesome USA hat to represent his country.

Jordan worked so hard on his hat and all his hard work paid off because he won second place in the creative category.  When they announced his name, all you could hear was his proud older brother yelling for Jordan.

Here are three ribbon winners and two of Jordan's best buddies.  Jung Woo's hat represents his home country of Korea, Jordan's country of USA and Nico's country of Ecuador.  Way to go boys!!

Jordan's hat kept covering Jung Woo's sweet face.  We had a scare for a few weeks that Jung Woo was going to be leaving Alliance Academy but on the last day of school, Jung Woo had great news to share.  He will be going to 4th grade at Alliance Academy.  Jordan was thrilled and so was I!!

Feliz Cumple Maritza!

It was so fun to celebrate Maritza's birthday with our Inca Link family.  She was our first mom at Casa Elizabeth and is a very sweet and beautiful young lady.

What a sweet moment - make a wish, blow out your candles, and...que muerda el pastel!  (bite the cake)

Yes, that was from David - the house dad of Casa Elizabeth.

Somehow David's daughter, Alison got cake all over her, too!  I guess she did not want Maritza to feel alone.  We let Maritza clean the cake off of her face and then we spent time giving her words of affirmation and prayed for her. 

This is only part of the Inca Link Ecuador family in this picture.  We are so very thankful to be a part of this family and have the privilege to serve the Lord together.  

Easter

We went to the Ackermann's house for easter egg decorating.  I was excited to find white eggs at Supermaxi - usually all the eggs are brown.  Carla had just made a trip to the States and brought back fun easter decorating kits.  What a great friend to share with us!  This is the before picture.

Decorating is always more fun with good friends.

What a sweet boy!

Now here are the after pictures of the beautifully decorated easter eggs.

Saturday we decorated the eggs and on Easter Sunday we hunted the eggs.

On Easter Sunday after the three families went to three different churches, we gathered together for the egg hunt and delicious lunch.  Getting ready to run out the door...

The hunt begins.  Pure joy on Molly's face when she found her first egg.

And here is pure determination and intensity on Molly's face.

A hunt well done.

Luke, Jordan and Molly made yummy easter cookies.

Happy Easter!  Our Lord Jesus is risen!

Sushi Night

My friend, Mari hosted a sushi night for our ladies bible study group.  This was my first time ever to make or even taste sushi.  

Sweet Mateo enjoyed hanging out with all the girls.

Katie learning to make sushi.  There were three of us who were beginner sushi makers.

Carla with not quite the finished product

Here I am with my dear friend, Alaina.  We are so excited that she is going to have a baby in October.  Can't wait!!

I have written before about how wonderful this bible study group is - I am so thankful to have this amazing group of friends in my life here in Quito.