Tuesday, July 31, 2007

The Farewell

Hey all!After these last few weeks of goodbyes and trying to take in all of Ecuador, it´s about that time to head off to my buddies wedding in California and then head home to MN for a few months.

We have made the most of our last few weeks with farewell parties, our boss getting married and enjoying last conversations.

I want to thank all you guys who have been praying for my journey here in Ecuador through the ups and downs as I sent out updates whether or not you wanted them or not, I kept sending, cause the more the merrier for prayer.

A special thanks to all of you who gave financially to my time here because it would not have been possible without that blessing. I have seen God work in many ways and that was also one of those experiences to see that God provides and works through us.

Especially during my painting time with my dad for those of you who live in Waseca, MN, atleast for a few minutes or more, I´d love to catch up and just see how you´re doing. So stop by if you see me painting in the following months.

Take care and Godbless and thank you again for all the prayers and support on my year long journey here in Ecuador.

Blessings.SAM

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

what you don´t see....

seeing things on the surface...
everything can parecer muy bien... looking at a picture, for example, or even the video I made for the clausura of Santiago...
but that is hardly a representation of reality. My kids can look great in a picture, afterall, they are beautiful children of God...
but can you smell them? Can you tell that they haven´t been bathed in days, maybe even weeks?
can you see the scars hidden under their clothes, whther on their bodies, their precious bodies, which were originally made to be Temples for the Holey Spirit? How is it that their parents didn´t get the memo??
or can you see the scars on their hearts?
can you know the reason why and how their moods can change so quickly and their eues go cold?
can you know the details of the stories they so desperately need to share...but for carious reasons can and will not?
can you know their potential inside? that they, too, have dreams and aspirations, even if they don´t know how to spell them....


just some thoughts after seeing and being with so many of the kids here...
but on a more uplifting note... Jesus has risen, and we have been so blessed to be able to celebrate with each other and with the people here. We miss you all, but know that we are in your prayers, just as you are in ours! Thank you so much, as always, for your ever continuing support. Happy Easter week!

Love and peace,
Mara :)

*RIP John Clemency

Monday, January 29, 2007

hace tiempo....

wow...so as i came into this year, i thought i would be writing blogs all the time, i love writing and sharing, so it just made sense....but alas, we have been here now for about 6 months, and this is my second one....why? well, i could obviously say lack of time, limited computer access, inability to speak either language: english or spanish, etc. But i think the other very important factor is that things such as this (trying to express oneself, especially through writing) cannot be forced. So many times i feel myself experiencing emotions at levels which i had never known before....
There are so many times here when I don´t even know what´s going on inside of me, let alone try to explain it to anyone else....how, for example, can you best explain those times when you feel beyond weak (in every aspect, physically, emotionally, etc.) and yet at the very same time, you feel stronger than you ever knew possible....and yet it`s a different kind of strength...a strength which can only be reached/acquired by allowing yourself to get to that point of weakness and vulnerability. It´s as if the crucifixion and all the pain that comes with it, is happening at the exact same moment of the resurrection and all the wonder, awe, gratitude, and joy that comes with that.....and yet with these coexisting extremes occuring inside a single person, a single heart....(for this is something that can obviously occur in each and every individual)....it, often times, is just too much...our hearts were not made big enough to contain such stong and powerful emotions....but as one of my best friends reminded me most recently:
For this, we are broken, and must be broken....for it is only then, that our hearts will be mended and made anew, made bigger than before by the hands of our Creator...and thus will be able to contain even more of His love. Just like the parable in the Gospel in which Jesus talks about having to get new wineskins to hold the wine he brings, because the other ones will stretch and burst. You can't put new wine in old wineskins because they will ultimately buckle and break...His love being the wine. We need a new heart, a new barrel, which to hold his love that he wants to give to us. The process of making room for the new and bigger wineskin no doubt tears at us....
Bueno, that´s all from me, for now. I hope that was able to make at least a little sense :)
God bless you all. And, as always, thanks so much for your support! We appreciate your thoughts, prayers, letters, emails, todo...more than we can say!!
¡Cuidense!
paz, amor, y alegría,
Mara :)