Giving Thanks

  Hi all, grace and peace to you!!  I hope you all are well after your wonderful Thanksgiving gatherings and have taken some time to give thanks to the Lord for all that He has done and all that He is doing in your lives.  We have been created to worship the Lord and give the glory back to Him.


1 Chronicles 16:29 - “Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him.  Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!”


1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."


1 John 3:1 - "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:"


All is well here south of the equator!  November is officially mango season in Ecuador, and we have been thoroughly enjoying the fresh mangoes!  About two weeks ago, we were invited to the 82nd birthday of Maria's mother.  She has 10 children, so you can imagine the extended family!  All 10 children, as well numerous grandchildren and even great-grandchildren, made it out to the family finca in Vilcabamba for the party.  We all enjoyed a day of hanging out and eating some great food.  It was a great reminder and encouragement to us see how the family has been created to enjoy time with each other.  A few of the highlights of the day were musical chairs, dancing, pinatas, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and picking fresh fruit from the trees.  Kim and I were able to meet one uncle and a few cousins who are Christians.  It is nice to know that there are people placed within this family that can be an example to the rest of the family.  Please be praying that Kim and I will be a good example to the family that we live with and that the power of the Holy Spirit will speak to their hearts.


Thanksgiving just passed, and, fortunately, we were able to go enjoy some great food with the missionary team here in Ecuador.  The “Lojanos” on the team made the 2-hour trek down to a small town called Gonzanama (“Gonzo”), where 3 of our missionaries work.  About 29 of us came together to share the meal and fellowship.  I think this is the first time that I have experienced a fresh turkey at the dining table; it looked a little more alive than the ones I am used to.  It was also the most international Thanksgiving that either of us has ever experienced- our group was comprised of Americans, Ecuadorians, Australians, Swiss, and a German lady.  The history of Thanksgiving was read aloud in Spanish, so everyone would understand why we were taking a day off in the middle of the week to drive out to Gonzanama and eat Turkey, of all things.  All in all, it was certainly nice to celebrate with our extended family here in Ecuador, and it was a little reminder of home for each of us.  


It was a special treat for us to meet a missionary couple about our parents' age who are currently working in Macara, another Ecuadorian town.  The husband is Swiss and the wife is German, and they spent 30 years serving in Panama before coming to Ecuador.  Another treasure from the day was the sunset on the drive home through the mountains.  I think it lasted nearly 30 minutes and was full of amazing colors and lights.  One more thing to be thankful for.  I wish I could share the sunsets here with all of you, but I am sure a picture just wouldn't do it justice.


Our Bible studies are continuing to expand here, which is a blessing from the Lord.  It is a great opportunity to share our hope in Christ with those that are hungering for the Word.  I have three guys that are meeting with me once a week and with each of them I am going through Matthew to highlight who Christ is and how He fulfilled the prophecies that were spoken of before.  During my time here I would like to alternate studying a book from the New and Old Testaments.  So in the remaining months that we are here, we'll see how many books we can make it through.  Kim has started working though the Gospel of John with two women from our Wednesday night English class using the Joy of Living Spanish curriculum.  We both ask that you please pray for the work of the Spirit in the lives of these people, because it is only by the Spirit that they can be changed.


Today is the national census (“censo”) here in Ecuador, so we're house-bound from 7 am to 5 pm.  Stores are closed, and our church met last night instead of this morning.  Students have been trained to go from house to house filling out the questionnaires for each family.  We were duly censoed at about 8:30 this morning and now have the entire day to enjoy our mandatory rest.  Maria suggested putting up the family Christmas tree later this afternoon, so we'll help her with that in between catching up on some reading and honing our board-game skills.  We miss all of our friends and family and, once again, want to thank you all for your love and support!  We have seen God moving in Loja, and it's a blessing and privilege for us to be part of that work.


      Thank you to all those that have and are helping financially.  Also thanks to all those that are praying for us.


Love from Loja,
Doug and Kim

Doug in a guava tree

Maria, Fredy, and Pablo Isaac with the birthday girl!

Taking a swing at one of the "ollas encantadas"

Doug going in for candy from the pinata

Doug and Maria Cristina on the finca

Our First Ecuadorian Feriado

Earlier this week, Doug and I had a chance to escape Loja for a couple of days and get a glimpse of the Ecuadorian jungle.  We took advantage of the 3-day "feriado" (holidays) and hopped on a bus to Zamora, a small town about 1.5 hours east of Loja.  At only 3,000 feet elevation, we definitely felt not only the difference in climate (humid!) but also the difference in landscape.  It was very much like what I had imagined an Ecuadorian jungle/rainforest to be- lush, green, and tropical, with an array of bugs the size of my fist.

We stayed the night at a rustic hosteria ("Copalinga") with private wood cabins, which, unbeknownst to us, turned out to be one of the top 100 places in the world for birdwatching.

Taking a siesta on our porch!

On Monday, we hiked for several hours around the Copalinga trails.  We listened to the bird calls and the sound of the rain on the forest cover above our heads and, fortunately, stayed relatively dry thanks to the abundance of trees.  We found out later that monkeys live in this area, but we weren't lucky enough to see one on our hike.  Maybe next time!

Hiking at Copalinga

On Tuesday, which was warm and sunny, we hiked through Podocarpus national park, just up the road from our hosteria, where we saw some beautiful waterfalls and took a very refreshing swim in the river.  I have never seen so many butterflies as we saw that day at Podocarpus!  They were so beautiful, flying in groups everywhere.  It was a wonderful day to get out of the city and enjoy some of the unspoiled beauty of God's creation!

The river we swam in at the end of our hike

Waterfall at Podocarpus National Park

The hosteria, Copalinga, is owned and run by a Belgian couple who quit their office jobs and moved to Ecuador about 12 years ago in order to be closer to nature.  They bought a huge piece of property (50 acres, I believe) just outside the national park for less than they paid for their first used car in Ecuador.  Since then, they've built their home and about 10 guest cabins, as well as a global reputation among birdwatchers.  Many of us might look at them with a mix of envy and admiration when we consider how they left everything to chase their dream.  This leads to the question of what is our dream.  What would we be willing to lay everything down for in order to chase?

In a recent blog post, Doug encouraged everyone to read the book "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper.  I read it after he was finished, and one of the early topics Piper addresses is the American Dream.  For some reason, this particular passage really spoke to me, probably because I, like many Americans, am guilty of exactly what Piper describes.  He writes:

"I will tell you what a tragedy is.  I will show you how to waste your life.  Consider a story from the February 1998 edition of Reader's Digest, which tells about a couple who 'took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51.  Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells.'  At first, when I read it, I thought it might be a joke.  A spoof on the American Dream.  But it wasn't.  Tragically, this was the dream: Come to the end of your life- your one and only precious, God-given life- and let the last great work of your life, before you give an account to your Creator, be this: playing softball and collecting shells.  Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: 'Look, Lord.  See my shells.'  That is a tragedy."

Powerful, right? Meeting this Belgian couple during our trip to Zamora and seeing how they had sacrificed to pursue their passion reminded me of this passage from Piper and how we, as Christians, are called to live our entire lives in pursuit of a single passion.  As Piper explains, "God created me-and you-to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion-namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all spheres of life."  He makes it very clear that this passion can and should be lived out wherever you are and in whatever profession God has placed you.

For me, my prayer is that this principle will change every aspect of my life, from how I work as a missionary here in Loja to how I practice law back in the United States, how I interact with my family, friends, and co-workers, how I manage my money, and how I choose to spend my free time, among other things.  Whereas, before, an early retirement on a sailboat in Florida would have sounded ideal to me, God has shown me that I was created for more than that.  We all are!  "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)

Much love from Loja,
Kim and Doug

Thoughts from Doug

Ummm Security Please:

A few nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night and heard the ever familiar police whistle being blown outside. Here in Loja, and I am sure in other places of Ecuador there are police that ride around on dirt bikes throughout the night blowing their whistle to let the residents know that they are there keeping an eye on the community. How effective this is and what sort of comfort this brings to the community I cannot say, but it did make me think of something else in our lives. We are called to be watchmen for the Lord and we also delight in the knowledge that the Lord is watching over us.

Watchmen are referenced in the old testament and were actually in a position of importance for the entire city. It was their responsibility to watch at night to make sure that when an enemy was coming they could warn the city to prepare so as not to be taken by surprise. There are two types of watchmen, the good ones and the bad ones! Ezekiel 3:17-19 exposes how the Lord views our responsibility:

“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

“When I say to the wicked, 'you shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hands.

“Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

God is telling us that if we don't warn the wicked of the coming death, that is the second death (eternal separation from God), then we are going to be held accountable. But if we are faithful in our position of watchmen and we call out the wickedness that we see, not from a point of piety, as we all are sinners, but that others might see and be saved, we have delivered our souls. The darkness of the night is growing deeper, just as the world continues to sink in darkness through the rejection of Christ, our light. Currently we can see the wisdom of man praised, while the truth of the Lord is rejected.  For confirmation of this just turn on the tv.  Fear of the Lord seems to be more of an intolerant perspective rather than a source of victory. How much more now do we need to hear the word of the Lord and call out to those that are lost, whom cannot see the destruction coming through the darkness of the night. We as believers have been given the Holy Spirit, which is the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13). Christ came to bear witness to the truth: “... For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37) Call out the truth you people of God! Those who are of the truth will hear His voice. I encourage you all to be watchmen of the night, warning of the coming destruction and always looking for the light of the new day, which is Christ returning in His glory. (Isaiah 52:8)

Likewise we know that the Lord is watching us His people and keeping an eye on us always. He does not allow more to come upon us than we can bear. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “... but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” He is there, He is watching us, He will provide a means of escape. Take comfort in hearing the whistle from God even in the middle of the night.

I hope this message finds you all well and that the joy of the Lord is filling your life.

-Douglas

October already

Dear friends and family,

It is amazing to me that Doug and I have been here in Ecuador for nearly two months already! I checked the date today and had to look at it twice to be sure that I was reading it right. What a great reminder to me that we need to be good stewards of our time here because the next seven months will likely fly by even faster than the first two!

In our last blog post, Doug wrote about out upcoming kids' club. It turned out to be quite a success! Doug and I put our creative skills to work designing sheep masks for the kids to put together, and to be “safe,” we made a few extra, for a total of 15, plus the model. We'd had 10 kids come to the previous club, so we thought we'd be safe. As it turns out, exactly 16 kids showed up! The lesson was on Psalm 23 and how the Lord is our shepherd and cares for us as His sheep. This coming weekend we'll be teaching on David and Goliath, so we need to brainstorm another craft or activity.

Kids Club with the sheep masks, Gabi, and Kim

We have officially taken on the Wednesday night English club, and tonight will be our second time teaching. We start by playing a recording and passing out scripts for people to follow along. Then we go over questions on vocabulary and pronunciation. The best part comes next, when we break into small groups, usually about 3-4 Ecuadorians per native English speaker. We spend some time going over the program and then close by discussing a spiritual application of the lesson. This is where the good discussion begins!

It's amazing to see how open and willing people are to discuss the Bible and ask questions. In a recent Sunday night English group, a university student named Daniel asked some wonderful questions about the difference between Catholics and Evangelical Christians and the second coming of Christ, among other things. At our last Wednesday night English group, after concluding our discussion of the spiritual application of the lesson, one of the ladies in my group expressed an interest in joining a Bible study through one of the local Christian churches. Doug also had a great discussion with a student in his group about salvation by grace, not by works, and was able to meet with him earlier this week for a one-on-one Bible study on the topic of grace. My impression is that a lot of people here have been deceived into believing that they have to work for salvation. The idea of salvation by grace just doesn't seem to be widely believed here.

In other news, Doug and I have been putting in some extra time brainstorming ideas to help the cafe out of a tough financial spot. The current management is leaving at the end of the week, so we are currently working with the mission to help figure out what should be done. It is likely that, after this week, we will be increasing our hours and may possibly be taking on some managerial responsibilities. We don't know what will happen yet, but it is in the Lord's hands, and we'd appreciate your prayers that He will work things out in the best way as only He can.

Finally, on a personal note, things are going well for both of us. We're learning more Spanish with each passing day, especially Doug. We spent last Saturday in Vilcabamba again with our family. They have finished the construction of their house there and seem to be ready to spend more time there relaxing! We've also been able to spend more time with other missionaries on the team, getting together for meals, coffee, and games. Doug turned 25 32!!  The weather has been a little crazy lately- most days, it either rains in the morning with sun in the afternoon, or vice versa. Please pray for the Lord's wisdom for us with regard to El Sendero and that he would continue to open doors for us to minister through the English & children's ministries. We miss you all and love hearing from you!

Lots of love from Ecuador, Kim & Doug

Casa de cuis, checking out the baby guinea pig

Doug's Birthday cookies.

Cultural differences

Looking out over Vilcabamba

  I guess it is always the little things that might strike you as funny but cultural differences do exist.  Some of the interesting ones that I have noticed are:
1) The main meal here is lunch ("almuerzo"), not dinner, and there is generally a break in the middle of the day for everyone to come home and eat together.
2) Working can sometimes be optional depending on the weather or politics.
3) You cannot flush toilet paper here!  Something important to remember when you are using the bano.
4) Urinating in the street is acceptable, but spitting and yawning are considered rude.
5) California emissions regulations definitely do not apply to the vehicles here.

  Aside from some differences in culture the people here are warm and lovely.  They do make it a point to describe the diffence in languages between the major cities here in Ecuador.  They are always ready to drink some coffee and spend some time hanging out.  This is perfect for me because I am usually the last one to finish a meal.  I have yet to meet someone who has been unfriendly, including the other missionaries here.  Naturally now that Kim and I have had some time to develop our relationships, becoming part of the community is getting easier.

  Spiritually, the time here has already allowed amazing growth and an excellent opporunity to deepen out knowledge of the Lord.  One theme that the Lord has been speaking to me recently is his never ending presence in our lives.  Psalms 139:7-10 clearly points out that there is nowhere we can go to get away from Him.

7  Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8  If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9  If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10  Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.

  This is amazing news because all that we have to do is turn and recognize that He is there to realize His power in our lives.  Isaiah 58:6-11 also gives us insight as to our purpose and the way that we tap into the Lord.  Paraphrasing, it says, serve the poor and needy and when you call on me I will be right there.  What an amazing thing to be able to call on the Lord and have Him say "Here am I."  Likewise, another theme of importance is the need for prayer and fasting.  Reading through Acts we can see that the power of the Holy Spirit was always around when there was prayer and fasting.

  Next week Kim and I are going to start leading the English teaching ministry on Wed nights.  Fortunately there is an excellent curriculum that we can use (spotlightradio.net) and a well-developed group of Ecuadorians to continue encouraging in their development.  Already we have had opporunities to encourage those that we are studying with and guide them into a better understanding of English and the scriptures.  This weekend we are helping again with the childrens ministry.  The story is going to be on Psalms 23, The Lord is my shepard.  So as part of our tasks we designed and cut out a bunch of sheep masks for the kids to put together.  It should be fun and I hope to get some pictures for you all.

  For those that are praying, please pray for the continued work of the Spirit in our lives.  Pray also for the power of the Spirit to work in the lives of lost here in Loja.  Kim and I appreciate all your support and care.

Love, Doug and Kim

English ministries fiesta

Late September

Queridos amigos y familiares,

  So we have been in Ecuador for almost 5 weeks now, and it has been excellent so far.  Kim and I are really developing a connection with the family we are living with, while also cementing the ministries that we are involved in.  Our main focus is teaching English, helping with the kids' ministries, and building relationships with local Ecuadorians.  From these misitries we are opening the opportunity to talk about the Lord and help direct people to the local churches in the community.  It is fun when an English lesson on Louis Pasteur leads to a conversation about the Lord's wisdom found in the Bible and His promises to us.  My Spanish is improving as well "poco a poco," although I probably could hold a better conversation with a 3-year-old rather than an aldult.  Some of you may be thinking "whats's new."  (Editorial Note from Kim: our short-term coordinator has expressed her amazement at the speed at which Doug is picking up Spanish, and I tend to agree with her, so ignore Doug's comments above).

  I am reading a book right now called "Don't Waste your Life" by John Piper.  I would highly recommend it.  It is a quick read but very potent.  Likewise, I have found investing time in the Bible every day to be a blessing that is missed when the opportunity does not present itself.  I would encourage you all to spend time meeting the Lord each and every day even if it isn't for very long.  The great gift that we all receive through the work of Christ is to spend time with and commune with God.  Remember the veil has been torn in two.

  Our family here was gracious enough to take us out to their finca (country house) in Vilcabamba this past Sunday to see where they like to relax and get away from Loja.  Vilcabamba is about 40km away and a nice drive down the mountains.  While Loja has been a little cold and rainy, Villcabamba was a nice change with a slightly warmer climate.  Freddy has some guinea pigs that he keeps as pets at the finca.  While guinea pig is actually a delicacy here, Freddy prefers to keep them as pets.  One of the great things about getting to visit Vilcabamba is the fresh fruit that they grow there.  Oranges, sweet lemons, bananas, papayas, plantains, mangos, mandarins, coffee, avocados, etc.  We spent some time harvesting some fruit that was great to taste and also to have to eat later.

  For those who have comitted to pray, please pray for the working of the Spirit in Loja, pray for Lorena the maid here, Paul and Natalie (who are having trouble getting pregnant), and our continued perseverance for proclaiming the word, faith in Christ, and wisdom.  If there are any of you that need prayer please don't hesitate to email us or give us a call.  I signed up for skype (douglas.pigeon) if you want to try and call sometime.

May the Lord bless you every day.

-Douglas

Kim's 29th birthday cake. (Kim, Maria, Freddy, Juan Pablo, Doug)

House in Villcabamba. (Kim, Maria, Maria-Christine)

Kim with Pablo-Issac looking at the Guinea Pigs

Freddy and Pablo-Issac watering the newly planted banana trees

First Impressions

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Loja! Doug and I have been in Loja for a little over two weeks now, and we've settled in pretty comfortably.  We know our way around reasonably well and have logged many hours walking around the city.  The big news for us is that, yesterday, we moved in with our local Ecuadorian family, Freddy and Maria Diaz, and their son, Juan Pablo ("Juanpa").  They have been very warm and welcoming- the absolute picture of South American hospitality.  Their house is outside of the city center, where we'd been staying for the past two weeks, but we can easily walk to the center in less than 30 minutes, or take a bus or taxi for only 25 cents or $1, respectively.  Freddy and Maria like to spend their weekends at their vacation home in Vilcabamba, which is only a 45-minutes drive away, and they have already invited us numerous times to join them. We can tell already that we will learn so much from them about the language and culture of Ecuador.  They have also expressed interest in learning some English, as they have a daughter and son-in-law (an American) living in New York, so we will definitely teach them what we can.

The fiestas for the Virgin of Cisne have come to an end, so there are no longer fireworks around the clock coming from the plaza outside the cathedral.  However, the "feria" of Loja is still happening on the outskirts of town for a few more days, and we may go check that out if we have time.  From what we've gathered, it sounds like a bazaar with a variety of vendors, rides, and entertainment.

As of this week, we will be volunteering in the cafe owned by SIM, "El Sendero," every Thursday and Friday afternoon/evening.  This will include some kitchen work and friendship building and ministry where possible.  We have also committed to help with the English ministries on Wednesdays and Sundays, where the goal is to help local Ecuadorians learn English, while at the same time developing friendships and opening doors to share our faith. We've also been to a couple of evangelical churches here in Loja and will probably try one or two more before we decide which one to plug into for the rest of our time here.  The churches are small, which is a nice change from our last church in San Diego (The Rock), as everyone seems to know everyone else, and it definitely feels more like a family.

On a personal note, tomorrow is a very important day for us- our first wedding anniversary! We did some reflecting today on everything that has happened during our first year of marriage, and it's been a pretty full year.  We are excited that we can be here together to celebrate, but, at the same time, we miss all of our friends and family.

A view of Loja from the city gate

First class inside the bus, all others tied to the roof

Kim trying the local chicken feet

From Quito to Cuenca to Loja

Hola amigos, I guess now that I have been in Ecuador for a few weeks I can start using my spanish.  First and foremost, I wanted to give our praise report that Kim and I have made it through without too much trouble.  Our bags have made it and our stomachs are still hanging in there.  I have also been itching to answer our most frequently asked questions:

What do they eat in Ecuador?

So far the food has been pretty standard, but the staples seem to be pork, rice, and soup. The local specialties include Guinea Pig (which  we won't feel bad if we don't try), and there are markets full of fresh local fruits and vegetables. The main meal of the day is lunch ("almuerzo"), and fresh fruit juice is usually served with it, although you have to search high and low to find a vegetable anywhere on your plate (usually they're only in the soup). Kim and I have been very fortunate not to have gotten sick yet, so I hope that keeps up for as long as possible.  We are taking care not to overstep our food bounds, but at some point we are likely going to have to try something new (perhaps guinea pig?).

What are we going to be doing?

Building relationships with local Ecuadorians (mainly university students), working with SIM's English programs, and hopefully working with some kids programs.  The motivation to have a lasting impact is to empower the local people to minister to those that are in need.  This idea of development is the motivation for our work and time here in Ecuador.

So far we have been in Quito (the capital), the city of Cuenca for about 5 days, and now Loja for about 10 days. Our time in Cuenca was spent at the yearly retreat for all the SIM missionaries of Ecuador to meet together for a time of restoration.  It was a great opportunity for Kim and I to meet the entire team and start building our relationships with them.  Our time has been truly blessed so far and I am really looking forward to getting further integrated with the Lojanos.

While in Cuenca we took a quick trip into the downtown area, which was beautiful although a little congested.  We parked outside of downtown and took a bus in and out.  While the ride in was quite uneventful, the ride out was very exciting.  Imagine a bus full of people speeding through a crowded downtown taking turns feeling like the bus might tip over at times.  Needless to say we made it out and I learned that you can get a better ride in Cuenca for 25 cents than you can in Disneyland for 62 dollars.

For those who are supporting us in prayer, please pray that Kim and I integrate well with our family (Freddy and Maria).  We are moving in with them Sept 12th.  Pray for our opportunities to minister to the local Ecuadorians.  And please pray for the Ecuadorian team as whole that we can work to bring the good news to the lost.

Psalm 32:1-2:

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit."

Un abrazo a todos desde Loja,

Doug & Kim

Kim and I at the guest house in Quito

Kim and Paula our Short Term Coordinator in Ecuador

Kim and Laura in Cuenca

This is where the SLIC confecence was in Paute just outside Cuenca

Scheduled for departure

Doug:
Hi all,

  The day is almost here.  Now that our visas are ready to go and our flights have been set, leaving for Ecuador seems more real and exciting than it has before.  This past 6 weeks have , gone by like   a blur and I know that it will continue to do so.  Highlights from the past 6 weeks include our road trip, buffalo, caves, fishing, hiking, reading, painting, and, of course, my brother's wedding.

  Our road trip took us through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Idaho, and back to California.  This drive was quite amazing as it gave us an opportunity to see more of the beautiful creation of our Lord within America.  I am including a few pictures from along the way.

Twin Lakes Colorado

Zion Park Utah

Kim and I are leaving tomorrow morning for Ecuador from Charlotte, and I can say that my feelings are quite eclectic.  I am both excited for the trip, curious about what the Lord has in store for us in Loja, aware of safety concerns and needs, and nervous that we may be forgetting something.

Today was our orientation with the SIM office here and it was a great day of learning and meeting wonderful workers for the Lord.  Plenty of people that have lived for years in other countries and committed their lives to missionary work.  Truly a blessing to Kim and myself.

Kim: We are sitting here on our beds at the SIM guesthouse in Charlotte, NC counting down the hours until our departure.  Only 10 hours until we leave for the airport! After a layover in Miami, we'll be on our way to Quito, and the trip we've been praying for and planning for the last year will officially have begun.

Like Doug, I find myself with mixed emotions- excitement, nervousness, anticipation, you name it.  The only one that is conspicuously absent is fear.  We were reminded in one of our meetings today with SIM staff members and missionaries of Joshua 1:9, which says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  This is a verse I know I will learn well over the next nine months!  I know we will go through difficult times during this journey, but how reassuring it is to remember that God is right there by our side no matter where we are or what we're doing.  Let the adventure begin!

The Journey Begins

Doug: As of today, Kim and I have left our jobs and have packed up and left San Diego.  For me it feels a little weird leaving San Diego since it has been my home for nearly 14 years now.  At the same time, I am grateful that the Lord has called my wife and me to serve Him with our time and efforts, and I am excited to see the work that the Lord will do through us.

Kim's parents have been gracious enough to store our stuff while we are out of the country, and my parents will be keeping our dogs (Titus and Vinnie) while we are away.  There are a few things that need to happen before we head down to South America.  First, a quick road trip out to South Dakota, where we plan to relax for a week while I study my Spanish.  Then we head to the Bay Area for Joe and Stephanie's wedding before we head out for good.

I look forward to what the Lord is going to do with us and through us while we are in Loja.  For those who are interested, we will be posting updates here with pictures and stories from our trip.  Thanks to all of those who have offered prayers and support!

Kim: I remember when Doug and I first started talking about going on a missions trip before we were married.  It was probably about a year ago when the topic first came up- one of those casual "why-don't-we-quit-our-jobs-and-go-live-in-South-America" dinner conversations.  You might think this was the by-product of a bad day at work, but looking back now, I know it was one of those moments where the Holy Spirit whispers an idea into your heart that takes root and eventually blossoms.  The evidence?  One year later, here we are, homeless, unemployed, and staying with our parents temporarily before we head south in August.  We've left our cushy, stable jobs, moved out of "our" first home, and said good-bye to more than a decade of memories in San Diego.

Most importantly, though, like Doug mentioned above, we are really excited about what is ahead of us, and we are certain that God has some tremendous things in store for us over the next nine months! Thank you to everyone who has prayed for us and encouraged us in this adventure!  When I say that, I really mean it.  Taking a tax lawyer and a computational neuroscientist and transplanting them to humid, tropical, Spanish-speaking South America is surely not an easy task.  But for God, all things are possible!  Yes, with God's help, Doug will be speaking fluent Spanish come next May.  In the meantime, please keep praying!

As far as we know at this point, our official departure date for Loja is August 18.  We'll try to post updates and pictures regularly, and we would love love love to stay in contact with our friends and family back home, so please keep us posted with the happenings in your lives!  Until next time...

Un abrazo a todos,
Doug & Kim