Nuevos Amigos (New Friends)

The week in Ecuador is coming to an end. It is difficult to finds words to express what we have experienced this week. I think most of us are "spent" emotionally and physically. As you read thru the other members daily blogs, you will find we have unconditionally poured out our hearts this week only to have God fill them back up. Not only filling them back up, but filling them until they are overflowing with His grace and love.

Prior to coming to Ecuador, I had spent a week in Peru working on Hannah's Home with some of the most wonderful people you could ever meet. We worked, played and worshiped together. I felt as if I had climbed the mountain top and met God face to face. I didn't think I could ever have this experience again. To be honest, I came to Ecuador to meet my Compassion children, Katiuska and Jose. I was tired and coming off one of the most wonderful times of my life. I hadn't expected God to have me climb another mountain. Well, God knew better. This week was another climb to the hilltop where God was waiting for me to meet Him.

Each of the blogs have been written by people I have not known. I'm sure I have passed them in the halls of RiverTree. But until this week, they were just other folks attending the same church that I love.

This week I have experienced another climb on God's mountain. Like last week, I did not do it alone. For He has given me "nuevos amigos" (new friends). Friends who I will no longer just pass in the halls of our Church. But they will be "amigos" who I will worship with, pray for and love for the rest of my life.

These "nuevos amigos" are not just the members of our Ecuador mission team but are all the people we met this week. They are the people we have had the priviledge to meet, love, learn from and minister to this week:
- They are the Ecuadorian people, who on a daily basis, minister to those who do not have much.
- They are the people whom we have met living in poverty.
- They are the children we visited who have been abandoned and must live in an orphanage until someone begins their climb on God's mountain.
- They are the people who are my "nuevos amigos" and have been writing about their eperiences all week.
- They are the people who God puts in our path each and every day as we make our climb to meet Him.

Climbing God's mountain is not always easy. But we do not do it alone. We do it with with each other. May we be willing to seek out those who are in need and give of ourselves each and every day. For if we are willing to give of ourselves to God's children in need; if we are willing to begin the climb to the mountain God has planned for our lives, we will meet new friends along the way and God will pour out His blessings more than we can every imagine.

In Him,
Bruce