Busyness and Blessings

I wanted to write about last weekend...but I also wanted to write about this week. Instead of doing two separate blog posts...I figured I'd put it all in one...hence my title busyness (mostly last weekend, but really all the time) and blessings (also not just limited to this week—but really blessed this week!)

Last weekend the varsity basketball team (that Clinton coaches) had a tournament for the American schools in Ecuador. Excitingly enough our school hosted this tournament that lasted Friday and Saturday. Our school day was bustling on Friday because while we had school, many classes were attending the basketball and girls soccer games which were also a part of the tournament. It was a day filled with school spirit and intense games. Our team did really well on Friday and Saturday's last game ended up being between us and our biggest rival team, Cotopaxi.

The game was so enjoyable to watch because the teams were neck and neck the whole game. Not only that, but our bleachers were filled and so the spirit was high. I have to say that my back was extremely tense by the end of the game because I was sitting at the end of the bench the whole game. Our team came in first in the tournament! The season ended this weekend with another tournament. Unfortunately, it was not as successful...but the team still finished strong --winning first place in another division earlier this week.

This week was our second Spiritual Emphasis Week of the year for the middle and high school. It's hard for me to describe how and in what way, but I truly felt blessed this week by worship and by the speaker. The speaker was a parent from the school as well as a missionary (his parents were CMA missionaries and started some of the large CMA churches within Quito!). He was dynamic, entertaining, and switched back and forth from English to Spanish as he shared his week long message. The focus of the week was on loving the Lord with your heart, mind, soul and strength. Beyond the messages and worship—the truly touching part of the week were cardboard testimonies. Each day during the last song of worship, students (and some teachers) came on stage and shared a short sentence testimony. Every day, I held back tears from not only because of the vulnerability and courage it took for these students to come up, but also at how God was working in their lives. Examples were: “I thought I had to be perfect—I am perfect in God's eyes” “I foolishly spent my dad's money—God was with me through the consequences” “ My dad was shot at 6 times—no bullets hit his body, God protected him” “My home is 2000 miles away—God gave me all of you” “

Also, there were others who shared of suicide attempts, broken homes, being made fun of, death in the family, and other intense struggles. Something said in such a simple way and yet SO moving. I know that God was using the courage of these students to impact their peers. It was a little glimpse of pain and confession but more so how they recognized God's presence. I don't feel like my words can really share the impact—but I praise God for his love, grace, and presence!

“eres todo poderoso...eres grande y majestuoso...eres fuerte, invensible y no hay nadie como tu”