and here I am, honest

I have some very dear friends on their way home from a missions trip in Uganda.  They will come home with incredible stories, testimonies of God's goodness and power, and changed hearts; and HERE I am.

Here I am.
Yearning to GO.
Yearning to SHARE.
Yearning to BE USED.
"...Understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here..." (Romans 13:11, 12). Christ is coming back and only 1.3% of Cambodia’s population knows Christ as Lord and Savior.


"You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is your God!'"
Isaiah 40:9

the Apostle Paul in Romans 9:2,3; 10:1-3; 11:13,14:

"I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers... Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness... Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them."

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?..."
Romans 10:14,15


Yet,
Trying to patiently WAIT for the door to open.
Looking for His PLAN for us here.
HOLDING FAST to His spoken Word in Jeremiah 29:4-7,

"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.'"

I'm happy for my friends; proud of them, actually. I'm glad that all 12 ladies had the opportunity to go.  I'm excited to see them and to hear their stories and see their pictures. I'm anxious to hear how God used them and spoke to them, and what He's calling them to next.



Rachael at the orphanage where the team lived for a week


A few of the ladies on the team with Uthman, an orphaned, Ugandan boy that a family in our church is in the process of adopting; Uthman has not yet been blessed to meet his new family , but he knows each of them by name.


"Painting the Kwagala Prjoect’s salon today and through God’s provision blessing them with a business loan, aprons, capes, and supplies for their salon. Loved hearing from the director that because of God’s provision they will now be up at running at full force by the end of the week! All glory to God!" - Jade, women's team leader to Uganda 


Joy in receiving [their own copy of] God's Written Word!

...but I'm anxious for my turn.  Lord HERE I am, use me.

Love, love, love,
Jewel

A Speaking Engagement

Satan knows that God has been doing awesome things in the hearts of the people of Cambodia, and he has been fighting against it; however, GOD IS STILL VICTORIOUS, and He continues to send encouragement and reveal His goodness.

This Sunday morning I have my first official speaking engagement as a future long-term missionary in Cambodia, and I am feeling pretty nervous. I have never been to the church, nor the town. I know only the pastor, his wife, and their three children. Saturday evening I am also preparing a Cambodian meal for the congregation, and I am feeling equally nervous about that.

Please join me in praying that God will communicate through me His love for the people of Cambodia, and engage the church community to feel a sense of urgency to reach the lost. I have a lot to say, but I pray that my words would be put aside so that God's message can be shared.
Thank you for your prayers and support!

Serving Him,
Jewel

Pieces of my heart all over the world...

I am amazed and feeling incredibly blessed as I sit and think about all the places I have been and all the people that I have met as I have traveled and participated in missions trips in Mexico, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Cambodia [twice], Mozambique and South Africa, and Puerto Rico. There are pieces of my heart all over the world.

Today, six years later, I have vivid memories of the two little twin boys Adrian and Jorge in Ensenada, Mexico. I am still in contact with friends that I made at La Escuela el Sembrador in Olancho, Honduras, five years ago.
In 2006 I went to the Dominican Republic and I will never forget Papucho [above], Tata, Jose, and other children in Pancho Mateo where I taught, played, and loved my heart out. The following year I went to Ecuador and the relationships I made there with Pastor Geovanni Saltos and his family still affect me today. The next two summers I went to Cambodia and my life has never been the same. I left my heart in Cambodia; it is my home. Earlier this summer I went to Mozambique and South Africa, and had the time of my life with Mario, Abrao, Calisto and the other students at the Bible college in Xai Xai.

And it all started here, with him:
My granddad and my hero, Rev. Harvey Ellsworth Ache
Granddad was a missionary and a world-traveler. His passion for missions is still alive in me, as I live in his love for people and for preaching God's Word. I like to think that if he were still living [he died when I was in kindergarten,] that we would go on trips together - to Africa, to India, and to Cambodia.

In Puerto Rico I met three sisters - Stefani (21), Carla (16), and Paola (12). Over a period of only ten days, Carla and I became close friends. Initially I was unsure how to relate to Carla, whose son Jamuel will be two-years-old only three days after her seventh birthday, but one thing brought us together - shopping. As we were looking at purses, shoes, and dresses, Carla and I realized that despite many differences, we're both two girls who are trying to find our own identities. Maybe I have things a little more figured out than she does, and maybe I haven't made the same mistakes that she has, but I'm still working towards christlikeness.


Carla, Stefanie, and I - our last evening together
I'm going to pray everyday for these three sisters, especially the youngest, Paola, who is in desperate need of guidance, consistency, and a father figure. Thank you Jesus for allowing me to meet the Torres sisters.

Love from around the world

My two best friends are right now are something like seven and nine time zones away.

My sister, Jessie, is doing awesome things in the Philippines. She is living in the church and working with a local pastor, doing youth and children's ministry, preaching, visiting squatter's villages, etc. Similar to me, she led a team for three weeks and is now there alone for a five-week internship. This is her second visit to the Philippines and she is having the time of her life! You can read her blog HERE.

My friend, Loren, who went with me to Cambodia last summer and is also an ICD (International Community Development) major, is spending the majority of her summer in Los Angeles, California. Loren is also doing an internship and she spends her days tutoring, planning for the summer camp, doing administrative work, helping out with the after-school program, and with the staff. You can read her blog HERE.

Please keep Jessie and Loren in your prayers! That they would be safe, that they would be strong and encouraged, that God would use them, and that God would teach them!
I also have other friends working, ministering, or studying in Haiti, China, India, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Malawi, Cambodia, and all around the world! [Mostly because most of my friends are from within the Intercultural Studies or ICD programs.]

Granddad and the Story of My Elephant Collection

Years and years ago, my maternal grandparents were Christian Missionary Alliance missionaries in Sierra Leone, Africa. A few years after my mother was born, Grandmom was pregnant and got very sick; the family returned to America, and comfortably settled. Granddad was a pastor and a history teacher, and eventually returned to the mission field for short periods of time, preaching and even planting churches. In addition to the dolls he bought for Jessie (twin sis.) and I, he apparently bought elephants on every trip because my grandmom, mom, and uncle each have a large collection of elephants -- a variety of shapes and designs, and from a variety of lands. Granddad passed away 15 years ago this month, and I miss him every single day; but his passion for mission (and elephants!) remains alive in me. I wish nothing more than to have my granddad back, even for just 1 day. Whew.. anyways!

Here are the stories of a few elephants that I have collected over the past few years as I have traveled and ministered (just like Granddad!)

This first elephant actually belonged to Granddad, and was the first added to my collection as a Christmas gift from Grandmom. It could be from Haiti or India or somewhere in Africa; I don't know.

This doesn't have a great story, but is probably the most unique in my collection. It's a "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" set and I bought it from a cute old oriental man at a market in Florida.

Sadly, this elephant took a hard fall two years ago, and both tusks have been broken off. Actually, one leg had also broken off, but I was able to superglue it back into place. Ironically enough, I bought this marble elephant at the airport in Cuenca, Ecuador. (No, I don't expect you to "get" the irony.) He is still one of my favorites though...

This elephant is from Rajana in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It looks like it was handcrafted from recycled metal parts (nuts, washers, & piping).

The Rajana Association is a nonprofit organization for income generation and skills training, producing fair trade products using traditional Cambodian skills with contemporary designs. The name “Rajana” means “design” in Khmer. Rajana Association focuses on the rural and urban poor, and small producers of handicrafts. Rajana trains young Cambodians in traditional craft–making skills, as well as in accounting, marketing, computer courses and English. Through development of traditional craft–making skills, Rajana helps maintain and rebuild Cambodia’s rich cultural traditions, damaged in the country’s wars.

This is a bronze elephant also from Cambodia. The detail on it's blanket, cap and anklets is amazing.

I have quite a few of these. I dissembled 2 mobiles (similar to THIS) and gave a few of the elephants as small gifts. Earlier this week I decorated our Christmas tree with the rest of these silk elephants (see HERE).

This elephant is also very unique. It is meant to sit at the edge of a ledge, but I have it sitting on a small rock so it appears self-supportive. Jessie (twin sis.) bought him for me this past summer in the Philippines.

This elephant bag is also from Rajana. I love it and I get alot of compliments on it. "Thanks! It's from Cambodia." Until winter (when I start wearing my big poofy coat), I carry this over my shoulder with my books. I love love love it!

Now I would really love to add one of these to my collection::

A typical souvenir from Thailand, posted by Kari. Aren't they beautiful?!

Sunday Rerun - "Why I may or may not have a normal life in the future!"

To the dismay of some and the support of others, I will not be living a happy life with my family in Indiana, in America; but, rather, I will be living a happy life with a new family in a new place, possibly very far away. I do not know where, and I do not know what I will be doing. I have pondered many "career" options, but have come to zero conclusions. I have considered a minor in Spanish, possibly going into ESL (teaching English as a 2nd language), but I am just not sure. Now, on to *Why I may or may not have a normal life in the future.*

Will my children know what it's like to get birthday money in the mail from Grandma?
Will I have a mantle to hang stockings upon? Will I have stockings?
Will my children receive report cards?
Will I be able to go to the corner store for milk and bread?
Will we know the news from the rest of the world?
Will there be good neighbor kids to play with? Will the other kids want to play with my children?
Will I be able to make Christmas cookies with my kids, like my mother always did with me and my sisters?
Will our family be in danger?
What if someone gets sick? Will there be advanced medical care near?
Will my children know their cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents?
How readily will we be able to come in touch with home?
Will our family know the language of the people around us?

I have no idea what life will be like. I expect it to be hard. I expect (and hope) it to be challenging and stretching. I expect it to be full of joy. I expect it to be full of pain. I expect that God will be with my family through it all. Lastly, I expect that life will be normal - a new and different normal.

Why do I want to do this??

Because of this:



And this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

And this:

And this:


I greatly anticipate my trip to Ecuador in April and I am anxious to get a trip planned for this summer. I want to be used. I want to be stretched. I want to be confident that I am in the center of God's will for my life.

Serving Him,

Jewel

FOOT NOTE: This post was written in January 2007, and while I have figured out ALOT of things since then, I do still have many questions; however, despite all this, I am content because I know God is faithful and He is going with me!

I wouldn't mind...

I wouldn't mind living here:


with people like this:

and this:

and this:

and this:

I wouldn't mind having a truck like this:

With 2 boys like this:

With traffic like this:

I wouldn't mind sights like this:

I wouldn't mind shopping like this:

Mi ahijada

Kiara Sofia Saltos

On Monday, January 28th, this little girl, was born to Geovanni and Christine Saltos. Geovanni is a national Wesleyan pastor in Racar, Ecuador. I met Pastor Geo and Christine in Ecuador in April. I built a strong and special relationship with Geo and Christine during my visit and we have maintained our relationship since my return. In a previous blog here I wrote about 'the best day in Ecuador', a day full of memories with Geo and Christine. That afternoon is especially forever impressed upon my heart and memory. In Geo’s muddy blue truck, Christine, Geo and I shared our testimonies, our fears, and our dreams. Through the bumpy mountain streets we sang together and we laughed together. Since April, Geo and I have continued to speak roughly once per week.
On Friday, February 1st, I received an e-mail from Geovanni’s brother-in-law concerning the arrival of Geo and Christine’s second daughter. I was equally surprised and concerned, as Kiara was not expected until March 10th. Kiara was born weighing 4.4 pounds and was 31 centimeters in length. Due to her health and size, Kiara was placed on a ventilator for four weeks, and she remains there today. The e-mail did not mention the baby’s name so I was very curious when I spoke with Geo on Saturday. Geo and Christine asked me to choose a name for their baby. It was an incredible feeling! I NAMED a little bundle of life, a little ball of joy. I chose the name that Kiara Sofia will be identified with all her life. It is seriously an indescribable feeling. THEN Geo declared that he and Christine wanted me to be Kiara’s godmother. I cannot express how special this is. I do not know the full responsibilities of a godmother, but I hope to exceed the Saltos’ expectations. Geo and I have been seriously considering our options for my visit to Ecuador in June and/or July. It is an wonderful opportunity which I hope becomes a REALITY. Please pray with me for the growth, strength and health of my goddaughter. Pray for the faith of the Saltos’ family that God will provide for their every need. Pray that Geo & Christine, myself, and Wesleyan missions can schedule my visit to Ecuador. Finally, praise the Lord for this beautiful and precious, new life.

Geovanni, Christine, their daugher Jael & myself

our last day together in Ecuador.