Paul's World: Andrews Abroad Week 3: Happy New Year!

View this email in your browser

The new year always brings thoughts of starting fresh, out with the old in with the new; auld lang syne and all that. In Ecuador, it's a tradition to burn an effigy so the bad spirits think you are dead. Some use it as a ministry lesson and show that the old has died and you're a new creation in Christ. Regardless of your take, a new year comes with all its hope for a fresh start.

What would it look like to really start fresh? To leave your comforts behind? To step out in faith and pursue heavenly things? To reject worldly wisdom and see with God's eyes?

These two get along wonderfully, when they want to!

You may think that going to Ecuador with two small children is a huge step of faith, but we have seen it as a very safe move where our faith doesn't even have to be the size of a mustard seed. We have a safe compound and all the basic amenities that we have back home. Yes, there might be frustrations with creatures, but basically it's no different from what we're used to (trade box-elder bugs, flies, moths and Asian lady beetles for ants, no-seeums, tarantulas and geckos). Generally we try to adapt what is available here to how it would be "back home".

Here's the "driveway" to their house, if they owned a car.

We had the opportunity to meet a family that has adapted their lives to match those around them. Their house is in the middle of a community just outside of town that lives more traditionally. They have electricity, but the size of the lines coming into the house wasn't sufficient to run a microwave. They have a propane cook stove, but only recently as the community has only recently upgraded from firewood to propane.

They are growing local trees and plants on their property like tea, cinnamon, cacao, and nuts. It forces them to learn from their neighbors how to care for these exotic plants as well as how to best utilize their products.

In turn, they are able to strengthen the local church and form very tight relationships with the people in their community. They are in it for the long haul as they even expect their kids to grow up and marry Ecuadorians. The fresh start could happen anywhere, they have chosen Ecuador as the place to live as Christ for the people around them.

In the season of resolutions it seems fitting to place a challenge forward: Live as Christ in your community. Learn from your neighbors, be open to their knowledge and experience. In turn always be ready to share with them the joy that is in your heart. (paraphrased from 1 Peter 3:15) By doing so with such gentleness and respect you might find that there is a reason to hope for world peace, though it be God's peace that passes all understanding.