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for lack of better judgement

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012 by

From Kelcy Gallagher’s blog:

Tubing the Amazon 
Sunday afternoon five of my buddies and I got our inner tubes and life jackets and went tubing down the Pastaza river for 2 hours. I had never been tubing in Ecuador but all the boys had and they didn’t mention how intense it was! To my surprise, about 20 minutes into it, we were on tiny tubes on class-5 rapids and there was no turning back. After getting thrown off my tube by the current and tossed by the water into huge rocks a handful of times, we all came out alive but not without some sweet battle scars and a story to tell the rest of our friends. My body still hurts like the dickens but it was soo much fun!

Super Bowl
So blessed to be able to watch the Super Bowl. A group of us gringos (white folk) got together to watch the beloved game and even though my team lost, which I am soo bummed about, we had a great time hanging out and cheering on our favorite teams.

They can steal our money but they can’t steal our joy!
Melissa and I came home last Thursday from work to find our house was broken into. They had cut our back fence and kicked in our back door. They stole Melissa’s guitar and my camera, ipod, and $100. It spooked us a little bit but it was a good reminder that we don’t put our joy or hope in material things.. all we need is Jesus. They are replaceable and blessings, not something we need or even deserve. 

What God is teaching me
I am in a Bible Study with some awesome ladies who are also serving here in Ecuador. We are going through the Book of James and I think we all have decided it is kicking our spiritual butts, it’s been a humbling experience really. I am reminded of how much I need God. Not just in the big stuff but the small day-to-day stuff as well. That no matter how holy or spiritual we think we are, we all have deceptive hearts that are in need of a renovation. I doubt God even though I know He is faithful, and hat He is my only source of stability. I am reminded that my trials are to produce perseverance in my life and I am learning to find joy amidst them. 

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Shell to Alaska and back again!

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012 by

From Kelcy Gallagher’s blog:

Edison enjoying his outing!
We finished the semester with giving the kids tests to see their comprehension and my kids all passed! We also had a Christmas party with all the kids and also got to draw names and take a kid out for a special day. I got to take Edison who is an 11-year old who is deaf. We went to the pool and went and got pizza and ice cream then played games at the house.  It was cool being able to connect even though we couldn’t understand each other half the time. We both had a blast!
Celebrating Christmas with my family in Girdwood, Alaska!
Cross-country skiing with my parents!
Going home for Christmas was such a huge blessing! It was great being able to go home and spend time with family and friends and enjoy the snowy outdoor recreation that Alaska has to offer! Some of my favorite time home was going crosscountry skiing with my parents in -8 degree weather.
My Agape tribe (discipleship group) from Alaska
came to the airport, giving me the
best welcome home ever!
After a fabulous time spent at home with family and friends for the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, I returned to Ecuador and was able to spend New Years with the kids at Casa de Fe, making Pizza and having a huge bonfire where we burned the “old man”, which is an Ecuadorian tradition for New Years. All the kids had so much fun!
My beautiful Greis is dearly missed.
One of my second grade students, Greis, returned to the jungle to live with her father. Even though we all miss her a lot, I am happy that she has a father who loves her and is able to take care of her. The nurse, Alaina, who was my roommate for the last 5 months also left this week to go work in the States. They both are definitely  leaving a hole here at CDF.
Spending a Sunday afternoon at the pool with
Maria and Wilson from CDF!
Last roommate picture before Alaina went back to the USA 
We are back to the grind of school and all the kids are performing well! Between school and being back on my training schedule for a marathon, life is so busy, but I am loving it!
What God is teaching me:
I am learning to recognize that there is a world in desperate need to hear the gospel. We must not forget the power the gospel has to change peoples lives and the calling on our lives to take it to the nations. Jesus says, “feed my sheep”.
The day is going to come when God asks us to go and do things that we don’t want to do, but we must go and do!
What God wants of us is what we want in our lives.. whatever cost He expects of us we will pay that price, in His time, not ours.  It’s His ministry, not ours. It’s the need out there, not ours, it is His purpose, not ours!
In our fallenness, we are in the prison of our thinking but when Christ comes, He frees us from this prison. He takes our weaknesses and uses them to show His power.
He asked Peter to go places where he didn’t want to go, I know that God will ask me to go places I don’t want to go, but I will go with Him because it is the place of perfect peace.. His time is perfect and His will is marvelous. We must marvel at God’s promise and His claim upon us!

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O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012 by

From Kelcy Gallagher’s blog:

The month of November was filled with many celebrations keeping all of us at Casa de Fe very busy! I got to celebrate my 23rd birthday with my new Ecuadorian and missionary friends. They threw me a surprise birthday party where we ate my favorite Ecuadorian food, Volqueteros, and played fun Ecuadorian games! My brother Powell came to visit me for my birthday, so we spent a week showing him life in Shell, including a trip to the tourist town of Baños and spending a weekend in Quito showing what the city has to offer. Powell got to spend a lot of time at the Foundation also and all the kids loved Mr. Pablo (his Ecuadorian name) and just thought he was the coolest. The month of November also included celebrating Thanksgiving with fellow missionaries, we all made our favorite Thanksgiving Day food and spent the evening talking about all the things we are thankful for and playing Apples to Apples. Starting at the end of November was “Shell Days” ,which was the town’s celebration of its existence. Part of “Shell Days” includes the yearly parade, which we got to take part in. Since October we have been practicing a traditional Ecuadorian dance and we got dressed in traditional Otavaleño dresses and danced around town for everyone to see. It was a total blast! We are also staying busy getting ready for our upcoming Christmas program. We decided to do the Christmas story but from the point of view of the animals in the story. It is so fun to watch the kids, especially as all of it comes together as we draw closer!
I go home for Christmas in 10 DAYS and I am oh sooooo excited! As it draws closer and closer I find myself more and more homesick because I know that I will be seeing my family soon. I am going to miss the kids here a ton but my excitement to be with family for Christmas overwhelms me! I already have a lot of plans to take advantage of the snow while I am home including sledding, skiing, ice fishing and making snowmen. But I am most excited of being able to spend quality time with my family and friends and be able to celebrate the birth of our Savior together.. I am so blessed. 
Dwight and I dancing during the parade.

Powell reading to my class during his visit!

The gang in action at the “Shell Days” parade!

Us “gringas” showing just how excited we were to be Otavaleñas!

Powell and I on my birthday!
Surprise! You’re 23!

All my Ecuadorian guy friends came out to celebrate my birthday. 

Anthony and Martin right before the parade! 
O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

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i can see Your love

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012 by

From Kelcy Gallagher’s blog:


Today we are back to the grind of school after a long 4 and a half day vacation. Last week we celebrated the “Day of the Dead” with the rest of Ecuador. We began last week by making crowns on Monday and on Tuesday we took a field trip with the kids to the cemetery to put the crowns we make on the gravestones of the kids from Casa de Fe who had passed away. The next day we had a half day of school and we taught the kids how to make “Colada Morada” which is the traditional drink made on this day consisting of lots of fruits, spices and oatmeal. We also made “Guagua de Pan” (Quechuan word for bread babies). The kids had fun learning how to make the traditional food they eat each year. I had an awesome holiday weekend. There is a missions team here from the United States so us “Gringa” missionaries came up to the property to help the team make Banana Splits for all the kids and we watched a movie. The next day was the hottest it has been since I have arrived in Ecuador and I went to the city of Puyo with some Ecuadorian friends where we played basketball in 100 degree heat and then went swimming to cool down, it was cool to see how the Ecuadorian’s like to spend their holidays, just relaxing and enjoying the presence of family and friends, laughter is for sure a huge part of it as well! That night we were back at the property helping the team teach the kids how to make pizza! Sunday after church we were back up at Casa de Fe with the team who had brought new shoes for all the kids and staff! It was such a blessing to see all the kids get their feet washed and be so excited about a new pair of shoes. I was also in need of a new pair of running shoes since I am training for a marathon and mine were getting destroyed and somehow the team found out I was a runner and not only did I get a new pair of running shoes but I was blessed to have received my favorite kind of running shoes.. God knew what I needed but He went above and beyond and I got what I wanted.. God is cool like that J
Thalia and her awesome crowns and flowers to bring to the cemetery!

Visiting the cemetery

Making Colada Morada!

Maribel and Greis

ROOMIES!

Taking a break from our studies :)


I have been reading the Old Testament a lot lately and I can’t help but be drawn into the stories about the testing of Yahweh. Luckily all the major characters in the OT who we look up to as pioneers of the faith were tested and screwed up at one point or another.  God tested Abraham, Moses, and even Jesus. Jesus was the only person in history to withstand every test that was thrown his way. I feel like I am in a season of testing and being sanctified. Lately, I have been failing a lot, but I am reminded by the stories in the Old Testament where God was big enough to get glory out of our failures..if He is the same yesterday, today and forever I guess that means He is big enough to get glory out of my failures as well. His grace is sufficient for me. The hardest part of the whole grace thing is that even though God forgives me and extends grace, I can’t help but dwell on how quickly I will act in my sin nature and I have a hard time forgiving myself. I guess it’s a good reminder that without God I am nothing, my worship is like filthy rags before Him. Sometimes I just sit in my self-loathe and I wonder how Moses or Abraham dealt with this feeling, because I am sure they experienced similar feelings. So I read on in their stories and come to realize that God’s testing is not just to humble us, but also used for purification and strengthening of faith. God knows we are going to screw up but He stands there waiting for us ready to extend His grace. He tests us so that our faith will be strengthened and our hearts will be purified. I stand humbled and in awe of God’s unfailing love.


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Otro Color

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012 by

From Kelcy Gallagher’s blog:

“He is no fool to lose what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”- Jim Elliot

It’s been way too long since I last updated! Sorry for the hold up! Just in case you hadn’t heard I arrived safely in Ecuador. After about 28 hours of hanging in airports and flying I arrived in Quito and spent the day exploring the city. We took off early the next morning to begin our 5-hour journey to my new home in Shell but about an hour into the drive our van broke down. We spent around 3 hours on the side of the road while waiting for a tow truck and a taxi to drive us the rest of the way. Good thing I love adventures! After arriving in Shell, my roommate Melissa and I spent the next couple days getting settled into our new home and exploring the town. We started meetings at the foundation (Casa de Fe) that following Monday where we met with all the new staff to go over what we wanted the school year to look like and to decorate our classrooms. We started classes on September 7th and all the kids were excited to be back in school and start learning! I get the privilege of teaching two different grades. I teach English, Science and Computer classes for 2nd and 6th grade and so far it has been great! We are now 3 weeks into our school year and I think everyone is finally getting settled into a routine. Even though it’s been quite an adjustment from being the student to the teacher it is definitely a learning experience! I know I will come away from this school year having learned a lot from the students and the other teachers.. there is so much to learn! Coming to Ecuador was a huge culture shock, I didn’t think there would be because I had been to Latin America many times before but visiting another culture is very different than moving and trying to adjust to a whole new way of life. At first I was homesick and missed all my friends back home. And I was questioning whether or not God had really asked me to move here. But as I asked God these questions, He assured me I was where He wanted me and that He had a huge plan for me here. The first two weeks were really hard but they made me rely on God for strength and reassurance of His promises. God has been so faithful in keeping His promises. Little by little He is revealing to me areas of my life that He wants me to surrender to Him and even though it’s been hard, it’s been a really good time of healing and growth in my walk with the Lord. Very freeing! God is also showing me who He wants me to invest in, at CDF and in the community and how He wants me to serve Him while I am here. I am so excited about this year, about the time I get to spend with all the great people I am meeting and the work God is going to do in my life and in the lives of those around me!

“My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the good news about God’s wonderful kindness and love.” (Acts 20:24)

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I’m moving to Ecuador

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012 by

From Kelcy Gallagher’s blog:

This week has truly been one of the hardest weeks of my 22-year old life. This week I had to make a decision whether or not I was going to give up the comforts of my life for the sake of the gospel. I’ll rewind about two months to when I felt like God was preparing me for a transition coming up. I didn’t know what it was or what He meant but I thought I was ready for whatever it was He was going to throw at me. Two weeks later I got a phone call from a family friend who had been praying for me and had heard about a need for teachers at an orphanage in Ecuador that I had been to. As soon as the words left her mouth I knew that this is what God had meant by a transition and I began to weep. So I prayed a lot and began contacting the orphanage and got conformation that this is where the Lord was leading me. My heart was torn by the decision because even though I would be going on this awesome adventure getting to tell people about Jesus, I knew that I would be leaving my comfortable life of being with my family, friends and my tribe (my high school girls) that I had invested in for the past 2 years and my heart was broken. he truth was, even though teaching at an orphanage in South America had been my dream since I was 16, I didn’t want to go because it wasn’t the timing I wanted. I wanted to be here in Alaska until my tribe finished high school and I finished college. But God had other plans and I wrestled with God for weeks but the most challenging question I’ve ever had to answer, was I going to obey Jesus? God began revealing verses to me that challenged me in a huge way. In Luke 9 Jesus says “anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple,” he continues on saying, “any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” Then I went over to Mark 10 where Jesus talks to the rich young ruler who is asking how he can inherit eternal life and Jesus tells him, “ Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, and follow me.” Jesus was asking me to abandon everything to follow him and I realized that if I didn’t then I couldn’t be His disciple. I realized I had been selfish to ask him to let me stay and that the best thing I could do was to be obedient to his call. I know now that the cost of being a discple of Christ is great but it’s worth it, He’s soo worth it! Once I realized how that, I got super excited about this upcoming expedition. So I am moving to Shell, Ecuador on August 25th to teach at an orphanage called Casa de Fe (House of Faith) which provides 24-hour care of abandoned children, especially children with special needs.

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Put away the meat…it’s time for Lent…

Posted on: February 24th, 2012 by

From Melissa Medlin’s blog:

The word Carnaval comes from the Latin word carneval which means to put away the meat. Carnaval is a festive season, immediately before Lent, traditionally held in Catholic and, to a lesser extent, Eastern Orthodox societies. During Lent, these societies do not eat meat, giving the time of Carnaval it’s name (when you actually “put away” as much meat as you can into your bellies before it is time to give it up). Protestant areas usually do not have Carnaval celebrations or they have modified traditions, such as the Danish Carnival or other Shrove Tuesday events. In New Orleans it is well known as Mardi Gras.

LET THE EGG GAMES BEGIN

Children playing with water, eggs, flour, foam and car oil are just some of the things you will see in Shell during Carnaval. The practice of throwing or dumping water, eggs, flour or smearing car oil on unsuspecting victims is especially revered by children and teenagers, and feared by most adults.
There are parades in Puyo and small concerts at the Dique in Shell to celebrate Carnaval. The Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday (the days known as Carnaval) are vacation days from work.

Pre-Muddy Water

The last three years, as a part of school, the kids participated in their own Carnaval activities. Egg races, egg toss, bobbing for apples (this year bananas), obstacle courses, and water fights. Every year it is a lot of fun seeing the kids race through all the games trying to get their teachers back for all the school work that has been given them. Unfortunately, the kids are getting bigger this year and I was helpless as they picked me up and carried me to a big muddy hole in the ground and threw me into the water. Anything on me that was white had most definitely turned to brown.



Begining the Obstacle Race
Trying to climb through the tires as fast as they coul to reach the end!



Bobbing for Bananas

Friday was such a fun day of games. However, I think that my favorite part about Carnaval this year was the Wednesday after. When we got together for Chapel in the morning, Marcela (our school director) explained to us all what Carnaval was: where it came from, what it meant, why people celebrate it. It is said that the purpose of Carnaval is to have as much fun (or in some cases sin as much) as you can before you have to be “good” during Lent, a time that you work really hard on your relationship with God. Marcela reminded us that we shouldn’t only work hard at becoming closer to God during the 40 days of Lent, but all year long. Some people spend 325 days not even thinking about God and 40 days of “behaving” themselves. They are “good” for those 40 days and then go back to the way they were living before, unchanged. The same as Christmas, we should remember Christ’s birth all year, not only at Christmas time. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son; every day, for us to talk to, for us to confide in, to trust in, to love, to worship, to listen to, and follow. Every day, not just 40 days out of the year or 41 including Christmas. It doesn’t mean that our lives have to be boring. Following Christ, by all means, is not boring, but the most exciting, life-changing thing that has happened to me. Look what he has blessed me with!

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Esteban

Posted on: February 24th, 2012 by

From Dwight and Tandy’s blog:

Two weeks ago Dwight and I had to go to Puyo early one morning to get some paperwork from the Judge. We were in the Casa de Fe van when they dropped the kids off at the Special Needs School, so I got out to look around in the classrooms. All of a sudden a little person slammed into the back of my legs and squeezed tight. I twisted around, and it was Esteban!!! Esteban was at Casa de Fe for years, and he left about a year and a half ago. It was SO GOOD to see him doing well! We were kind of worried when his family decided to take him back, because it seemed that they were only doing so in order to receive a stipend from the government. But….he looked amazing. He was dressed so nicely, and he was so excited to see me. He pulled me into his room and showed me all of his art and school projects. Then he pulled me down for a hug, and he just kept squeezing his arms around my neck. I finally had to pry his arms off….best feeling in the world to see him doing well.

A lot of people over the years really connected with Esteban when they visited, so I hope they’re encouraged by a positive update.

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One Happy Girl

Posted on: February 8th, 2012 by

From Dwight and Tandy’s Blog:

Greis went home to live with her family this past Friday. Her dad came to Casa de Fe to pick her up, and she was ecstatic. Dwight asked her what she was going to do at home, and she said, “Eat fish.” ha. Kids LOVE fish here…. the head, fins…especially the eyes after they’ve been fried. yum.
Geovanny (our therapist) was sad to see Greis go…as were many others. Geovanny was showing Greis’ dad her daily leg stretches and exercises and also how to use her brace properly. We REALLY hope that her family continues with her therapy, or she could easily lose some of her functioning.

The family was at Casa de Fe for quite a few hours that morning…getting all of her stuff together and going over all of the paperwork. I snapped a couple of pictures of them together before they left.

Have you ever seen a bigger smile? Beautiful!




One. VERY. Happy. Girl.
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God never changes in this ever changing world…

Posted on: February 3rd, 2012 by

From Melissa Medlin’s blog:

So we’ve been back in school for about a month. It seems that, after vacations or breaks, a new season of life begins. After getting back from Christmas, things went pretty much back to normal. A little had changed but it wasn’t like the usual sense of change that I had experienced before. Then, this past week, one of my roommates moved back to the States. She left around lunch time on Monday and that night there was already a difference in our house. We don’t know the next time we’ll see her. The hardest thing about living here in Shell, in a mission community, is saying goodbye. There is a huge number of missionaries/volunteers doing different projects here in Shell and it is always changing. People come for a few weeks, a few months or a few years. Every year that I have been here has been completely different from the last. You never know who’s going to be here or for how long. So it’s nice to take comfort in the fact that our God never changes. He will always be here for us. He is the one thing that remains constant in my life and with everything always changing around me, even here at the orphanage, kids coming and going, it’s refreshing to know that I have Him and that I can count on Him to never leave or change.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8

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