Youth World Women's Retreat (hike at Papallacta)
Visit with Vanesa
Miguel's Birthday Wet Soccer Game Gang
El Inca (my local church) David, Jessica and I with the youth group
Iglesia Galilea from Guayaquil
February has been very rainy and everything is so green. At El Refugio we have been getting just bits of sun each day. The beginning of the month was helping Matt Lankorst and Howard Scholl finish up the Professional Training Center. Leader Mundial held a conference in the new building as well as team building activities with our staff with leaders from around the world http://web.mac.com/leadermundial/Leader_Mundial/LM1_Summit_08.html. You can also see some great photos from this site of the conference and activities at El Refugio.
Fat Tuesday is called Carnaval here in Ecuador. I invited the facilitators to my home for pizza and Capture the Flag with water balloons. I made seven layer jello salad for the first time and it was a hit! We also discussed the profile or requirements of a Facilitator and asked them to consider whether God was leading them to be involved in our training program. We have received 3 signed commitments and are expecting to receive more by the first training date March 7th.
Feb. 8th to 10th was the first Youth World Women's Retreat. We drove in cars to Papallacta to fellowship and feed on God's Word in Colossians by Diani Cevallos (Juan Carlos's aunt). It was a great lesson and reminder to focus on how great is our God and how we should live..."And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17
February 11th through 22nd we hosted Iglesia Galilea from Guayaquil. The first week 7 of their youth leaders came to be trained as Facilitators. The second week we hosted our first Ecuadorian youth "camp" with 19 of their youth. One of the youth leaders said to me, "This place is different. Other camps have been fun, but at the end of the week, I am ready to go home. This time, I want to stay." His name is Pablo Castro and he feels God's calling to invest more of his life and time in our training program. Please pray for Pablo's fears to overcome financial difficulties.
While most of the leaders left Friday and returned Monday with the youth, Jessica Morales stayed in my home for the weekend. She and David came with me to give a talk about Missions to my local church's youth group meeting. We went to visit Vanesa at her parents home in Quito in the evening. Please pray for Vanesa as God is allowing her to experience some challenges, that she would make wise choices and seek His will. Sunday we went to church and to Miguel's 22nd birthday party at Casa Gabriel. Miguel's favorite hobby is soccer, so even though is was raining, a group of about 20 of us went to play, me included and got soaking wet! It was worth it.
This next week we are hosting an overnight retreat for Academia Cotopaxi 7th grade. Please pray for a great experience and hearts that are open to hear God's voice.
Facilitator training starts March 7th and will be held each weekend in March. Please pray that God would send those He wants to partcipate and that their schedules would be cleared with the support of their church and pastors.
Also pray for the youth of my local church Iglesia Evangelica Biblica El Inca (we call it El Inca for short). The youth leaders were scheduled to come for a leadership retreat and the youth pastor Felix cancelled. I found out that until a couple of weeks ago all of the pastors in our church have full time jobs as well as their roles as pastors. We now have one full time pastor (new) and four others including the senior pastor who hold other full time jobs.
I encourage you to read Colossians 3. God's has gifted us with His grace although not deserving and we need to show that grace to others. It is not easy, but He gives us the strength and desire to accomplish it.
May God fill you with His grace to overflowing so that it may pour out on everyone you come in contact with this week. I thank Him for each of you.
PS. Good news! I am going to be an aunt! My brother and sister-in-law are pregnant and due in September. Praise God, and please pray that God would take care of this new baby growing!
Love and hugs, Lorena Ferrari
Leadership Development Coordinator
El Refugio / Youth World / International Teams
http://www.lorenaslatest.blogspot.com/
