26.9.11
A Couple of Ecuador Snaps.
The following were taken by my friend Liz, in Ibarra Ecuador and Punguyaco
23.9.11
Through the sea of souls...
I walked right into a sea of souls....
Never can I look at a person the same again. I can't look at someone without knowing their soul might perish if they haven't heard the gospel. I don't understand how people can go on living without him....and continue to live in sin.
I saw all those faces around me. Each face I wanted to look into and tell them many things.
I felt I was trudging through molasses, having the knowledge of each one of them being a sinner in desperate need of a savior...
I want to just cry out to those people. I wish I could drag them in, even if they were kicking and screaming. I wish I could wrap my arms around them and just have the love I receive from God to travel to their hearts....
And I wonder why I was put into these times...where sin is so prevalent, people sin in the open without shame. I wonder why I wasn't born in earlier times...
But I know why....
Opportunity.
Never can I look at a person the same again. I can't look at someone without knowing their soul might perish if they haven't heard the gospel. I don't understand how people can go on living without him....and continue to live in sin.
I saw all those faces around me. Each face I wanted to look into and tell them many things.
I felt I was trudging through molasses, having the knowledge of each one of them being a sinner in desperate need of a savior...
I want to just cry out to those people. I wish I could drag them in, even if they were kicking and screaming. I wish I could wrap my arms around them and just have the love I receive from God to travel to their hearts....
And I wonder why I was put into these times...where sin is so prevalent, people sin in the open without shame. I wonder why I wasn't born in earlier times...
But I know why....
Opportunity.
17.9.11
Himself
by A. B. Simpson
Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.
Once 'twas painful trying, Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, Now my anchor's cast.
Once 'twas busy planning, Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, Now 'tis ceaseless praise.
Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.
Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the vail.
Dear Father...I am completely depending on you now. I need you to save me, to heal me. I know how you can work through those who have nothing, and that's what I'm feeling now. I feel I have close to nothing, and I know only you can satisfy my longings. I'm trusting in you for this, and ask that you will reach your arms out to me and hold me...comfort me. Help me to be able to rejoice in you the way this writer has, and that my joy can be restored in you. I know I'm not deserving of this...I know I've upset you time and time again and I'm sorry. Please save me from myself....please bring me to you. I despise this world more each day, and eagerly await to see you. Bring that day sooner to me, Lord....
15.9.11
"Toiling Under the Sun"
Yesterday, I went to get my car registered, and pay the property tax and sales tax on it. I went into this incredibly monotonous and boring place, sat and waited till my number was called. I noticed one of the woman actually called out the number of the next person, while the other just pushed a button and waited till someone saw their number shine in bold red digital numbers up above the counters.
My dad and I got the woman who didn't call out people's numbers, and I discovered when we met her at the counter that she could barely even make a sound with her vocal chords. She was probably about eighty years old, working in a place like this.
My heart sank...
As a little girl, did it ever cross her mind that at the age of eighty, she would be subjected to sitting at the other side of a counter, in a place like that, taking care of the registration of vehicles all day?
I just can't wrap my mind around these sort of things...
Why anyone would want to live in a manner such as this?
That woman is going to go to her grave maybe really soon, and this is how she is to living her last years?
As a citizen of the United States, I recognize how blessed I am to have been born here. I realize that God put me here and opened up many opportunities for me with just being placed here...and I realize because of that, I am enabled to help others not only around me, but other countries as well.
We have been blessed so that we can bless others.
Why don't people strive for more here in the US?
Were, "Proud to be American", but for us being prideful of that, we have not made much use of the privileges we have
I generalize this claim probably because of the place I work. I was gone for ten weeks this summer, and I come back to my same workplace and see most of the same people, still living out their same routines...mostly older people. They get the same lottery tickets, the same cigarettes, they come in the same number of times during the week, and I could go on.
When I think back to the life I lived in Ecuador, how each day was different, each week I was probably in a different part of Ecuador experiencing different things and meeting different people....all the while those people who come to my work were still doing their same routines the entire time I was gone. That's just amazing to me....
" Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me." Ecclesiastes 2:18
In the end, with all the work we do, we are just going to leave it to the next person who's going to take our place...and the only work on earth that will ever last will be the work we've done for God's kingdom.
My dad and I got the woman who didn't call out people's numbers, and I discovered when we met her at the counter that she could barely even make a sound with her vocal chords. She was probably about eighty years old, working in a place like this.
My heart sank...
As a little girl, did it ever cross her mind that at the age of eighty, she would be subjected to sitting at the other side of a counter, in a place like that, taking care of the registration of vehicles all day?
I just can't wrap my mind around these sort of things...
Why anyone would want to live in a manner such as this?
That woman is going to go to her grave maybe really soon, and this is how she is to living her last years?
As a citizen of the United States, I recognize how blessed I am to have been born here. I realize that God put me here and opened up many opportunities for me with just being placed here...and I realize because of that, I am enabled to help others not only around me, but other countries as well.
We have been blessed so that we can bless others.
Why don't people strive for more here in the US?
Were, "Proud to be American", but for us being prideful of that, we have not made much use of the privileges we have
I generalize this claim probably because of the place I work. I was gone for ten weeks this summer, and I come back to my same workplace and see most of the same people, still living out their same routines...mostly older people. They get the same lottery tickets, the same cigarettes, they come in the same number of times during the week, and I could go on.
When I think back to the life I lived in Ecuador, how each day was different, each week I was probably in a different part of Ecuador experiencing different things and meeting different people....all the while those people who come to my work were still doing their same routines the entire time I was gone. That's just amazing to me....
" Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me." Ecclesiastes 2:18
In the end, with all the work we do, we are just going to leave it to the next person who's going to take our place...and the only work on earth that will ever last will be the work we've done for God's kingdom.
9.9.11
A Modern David
It still brings me both much sorrow and joy to think about you
I spent your last days with you. I watched you as you praised your Savior with such joy, as you sang to Him with your beautiful voice. You played with His children. You played as David in the story of David and Goliath. (The best suited character for who you are.)
I saw you, the minute God took you home to be with Him.
Now your beautiful soul is where it belongs
And you've received your riches in heaven
And even here on earth, the seeds you've planted won't be left un-watered.
You've blessed us with your presence
And I'll never be the same from the impression that's been made on my life from you.
This isn't goodbye
It's a "see you soon" my brother
Until we reunite in heaven
Since you lived your life for a testimony, and not a tombstone
I spent your last days with you. I watched you as you praised your Savior with such joy, as you sang to Him with your beautiful voice. You played with His children. You played as David in the story of David and Goliath. (The best suited character for who you are.)
I saw you, the minute God took you home to be with Him.
Now your beautiful soul is where it belongs
And you've received your riches in heaven
And even here on earth, the seeds you've planted won't be left un-watered.
You've blessed us with your presence
And I'll never be the same from the impression that's been made on my life from you.
This isn't goodbye
It's a "see you soon" my brother
Until we reunite in heaven
Since you lived your life for a testimony, and not a tombstone
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