For a quick recap, just before heading off to Launch, Team Expansion's two-week training program held at Emerald Hills, the Team Expansion international office located in Louisville, KY, I was informed that I will need to find a full-time teammate to accompany on my mission to Ecuador. This is not a small feat by any means. How does one go about finding someone with an almost identical vision for missions, someone whose heart has melted for the same people as yours has, someone who is ready to pick up and leave their life here all of a sudden and on short notice? Apparently you go to Launch, meet another couple that is also looking for a teammate, and then have them go back to their church, participate in a Bible Conference and happen upon a young woman who meets the above criteria. Thank you, Anthony and Kimberly, for scouting a potential teammate for me!
Deborah is a young lady from Fresno, California. Her mother was born in Ecuador and moved to the States when she was 17. Her father is from Panama. So she is no stranger to Latin American culture and traditions. She had the opportunity to visit Ecuador for the first time this summer, and her heart grew for the people there as a result.
As an brief intro, I want to share with you some of an email she sent to me (Deborah, I hope that's okay):
Teaching has always been my passion since I was a child. I currently work with kids and have for the past 4 years in an After School Program which I enjoy. I am also a youth leader at my church in Peoples Church. Becoming a missionary has been on my heart for a very long time. And if God calls me to the mission field I am willing to drop everything to fulfill his will for my life.What an amazing story this young woman has to share! She calls it nothing short of God's doing that I am looking for a partner and was led to her, and to further emphasize that point, it just so happens that she is in Illinois this weekend with her youth group for a conference. So, I'll be making the drive this afternoon to meet her face-to-face. Isn't it amazing how God provides? Not that I doubted that He would, I just didn't expect such quick action (though I'm certainly grateful for it).
I would love to partner with you! I know this is God's doing because ever since I left Ecuador I have a longing in my heart to return and share God's love with the people there. The Ecuadorians really need Jesus because I literally felt a huge oppression over the country. I did attend an assemblies of God church there, but there are very few Christian churches. Building churches in Manta is an amazing blessing that the villagers in Manta will surely need. I never had a chance to go to Manta but my mother says it's gorgeous. She was born in Ecuador and came to the states when she was 17. I have been to Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama as well. I went to Nicaragua and Mexico on a missions trip and I went to visit family in Panama since my Dad is from there. So I am Panamanian Ecuadorian.
I love mission ministry. I have been a Christian my entire life but it was only a religion for me not actions, but when I was 18 years old I went to Mexico on a missions trip. God did the greatest miracle in my life. He healed my eyes (I had Lazy Eye). I had worn glasses since i was 4 but one night God touched me. It was our last night in Mexico and our team was having a worship night. That night I felt God's presence like I never did before. It was late so I got ready for bed. I took out my contacts and it was all blurry as usual and went to bed. About 2 minutes later someone turned on the light and woke everyone up. As I opened my eyes my vision was perfectly clear and my eyes felt worm. I couldn't believe that God healed me in my sleep. I was not even asking God to heal my eyes but God works in mysterious ways. That is one of my testimonies of what the lord has done in my life. Since I was 18 until now I have developed a personal relationship with God.
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