July Update from the Website - God Things

The month of July has many Quito Quest teams passing through the door of Youth World and the country of Ecuador. Interns are a large part of Quito Quest and this summer 13 interns have dedicated their summers to leading teams. The interns help create an environment for teams that is conducive to learning about a new culture and way of life. God has been working hard in the lives of many Quito Quest teams already!

One of the first Quito Quest teams of the summer was a group of high school students from Fort Mills, South Carolina. One of the students came here with no intention of changing his atheist beliefs - yet in four days God was stirring a new view in him. During a gathering at a work site, he stood up in the middle of friends and strangers and proclaimed that through his mission experience in Ecuador, he understands Jesus and His vision through watching people acting out their faith everyday.

By Jennifer Luth

Rocio's Book Release Party

A few weeks ago I was privileged to be a part of Rocio Yepez's book release party. Rocio is my Spanish teacher here in Quito and I spent 4 weeks with her in classes everyday. She recently wrote a book of short stories and asked me to take her picture for the back of the book. She was thrilled that I helped her with her book and had me sit at the front table at the party with her, Jean Colvin (American author) and the Russian Ambassador of Ecuador.

It was an amazing cultural experience that I was able to partake in. I met some really interesting people from all over the world and had a great time mingling in a new crowd of people outside of Youth World.

Rocio is a role model Christian single mom who works hard in life and has taught me many valuable lessons during our time together. I start more Spanish with her in August.

July

Due to some blogger difficulties I was having with posting messages, it has been a month since I have last posted! Sorry!

The team came from Nashville for 10-days and it was an amazing blessing to have them here. The team did almost all the same things, work-wise that I did in high school. It was like I was looking in on my past from the outside.

Since then, I have started my job at Youth World officially! I work in the office 2 days a week and out of my apartment 3 days a week. I work at home because I have to carry my laptop with my every time I work at the office which is quite unsafe, even during the day. So we are trying to minimize my chances of getting robbed. Work is going great and I love writing and getting articles on the website. My first article about Babahoyo, Ecuador is on the youth world website www.youthworld.org.ec and the second article (F.C. United) should be up today or tomorrow.

Last Wednesday all the Youth World Interns (over 30 of us) went to the coast to a small area called Same. It is in the northern part of Ecuador, on the Pacific Ocean. What an amazing time of relaxation and one-on-one time with God. We arrived home on Sunday a little burned, exhausted from jumping waves in the ocean (not to mention the jelly fish) and playing all kinds of sports. The highlight however was whale watching for me, we saw a humpback whale jump all the way out of the water - and my American self said, "That looked exactly like a Pacific Life commercial!"

Last night the Short Term Team department of Youth World (which I am a part of) gathered together for some amazing cheeseburgers made on the grill (this is a rare treat, it was like my substitute 4th of July) and discussed the summer so far and shared stories where we have seen God working. Amazing stories that I wasn't even aware of were spilling from everyone's lips all night. I was shocked to hear how God really is doing amazing things, here in Ecuador and all over the world!

I was really challenged by our team leader, Phil Payne who encouraged us to keep looking for God working in our lives and the lives around us. It is really easy to forget that he is a part of our lives everyday, we just need to pay some attention in order to see it!

Ciao for now!

Jenny Luth