THEIR STORY
Nicole: Summer of freshman year I got an opportunity to go Ecuador, I went because my friend told me it was a free trip to go to another country and it was a first step to Africa.
Maria: I went because I had never been on out of the country specifically with the intentions of helping others less fortunate than me.
Nicole: But when I got to Ecuador I realized it wasn’t a first step, Pity and Pancho, they were a successful business people in the beginning, Christians but kind of without purpose. One day they find themselves walking around Carmen Bajo.
Maria: They started La Fundacion de Amor y Esperanza as a child care for the children who were on the streets in Carmen Bajo. Over the years it became a school and the school grew with the children eventually becoming an accredited high school. Gives the parents an opportunity to become accountable for their children, even though the students are on scholarship each family is expected to either pay or work to pay off the rest.
Nicole: While we were there we got to spend time at the school, even though we were simply playing games with the students, our words were small, the impact in their lives and our lives were huge.
Maria: Coming back to the US we realized we couldn’t live in the same way as we had before Ecuador. God had completely ruined our lives. How could we live in such abundance while children all over the world, but specifically for us in Carmen Bajo, were only being fed while at school? I remember arguing with my family because they couldn’t figure out where the heck they wanted to eat dinner, I couldn’t bear living with that kind of inequality. So last year, we partnered with Vespers and—through all the donations the student body gave and various fundraisers—were able to provide the salary for the eighth grade teacher. But it hasn’t stopped there.
Nicole: Yuyani project. You guys find your own “Ecuador”. This is how my story became our story and our story became their story.
VERSE: Have I not commanded you: be strong and courageous…Joshua 1:9
We didn’t go to Ecuador expecting to come back and start a non-profit but God had plans and His plans we better. And even though at times it confusing and overwhelming and tough and scary, we know that God will be there with us guiding and helping us.
No comments:
Post a Comment