Lili & Edwin

This week I began my service learning placement in a small town called Lumbísi. This small village is only about 15 minutes from where I live and here I met two shining lights for Jesus! I am serving in a business run out of the home of an indigenous family. They work in agriculture, off …

Faith as small as a Mustard Seed

“He replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’” — Matthew 17:20 A mustard seed… “Jesus, I think that’s honestly all …

Oh right… you’re going to school there too

“How’s it going so far? I bet you’re having so much fun!” This is the content of nearly every message I’ve received over the past two weeks. While there is nothing wrong with this and I actually do appreciate the messages, I have to be honest in saying that I am not quite sure what …

¡Bienvenidos a Quito!

Welcome to the land where mountains surround, altitude sickness occurs, hectic traffic and crazy drivers rule the roads, and where people are relational above all things! I left my cozy small town of Zeeland, MI, Monday morning to arrive in the large foreign city of Quito, Ecuador, for the semester. Yes, for the semester… I …

The Driest Place on Earth

I’m still trying to process all of the wonders that I experienced in the Atacama Desert. Day 1: We arrived to our hostel and immediately went for a stroll through the small, desert town of San Pedro. The dirt roads are lined with companies offering tours to all of the attractions, ice cream shops, and rows …

Ministerio de Fe

Chile. Venezuela. United States. Peru. Mexico. Dominican Republic. Haiti. Japan. China. El Salvador. Brazil. Spain. Argentina. All of these countries are represented in my church in Valparaíso. It is a Protestant Christian church that truly makes me feel right at home. It has been a wonderful way to make Chilean friends and always have people …

Must’ve Been a Fairytale

A magical place. Massive green trees and extremely colorful flowers. A stone path leading to every building. Wooden cabins adorned with fire places and jacuzzis. The constant aroma of a campfire. My program, CIEE, planned a trip for us to Pucón (I prefer to call it “Fairytale Town”) where we had the privilege to stay …

Lo Logramos!

Four hours up and five hours down… An exhaustingly magnificent hike up La Campana, a beautiful mountain situated 2000 meters above sea level. The guides say that it takes the average person 5 hours to reach the top, so why did it only take us 4? Well, please, let me explain. Our incredibly exhausting journey …

Fiestas Patrias in Chile!

  “What are your plans for the 18th?” “Are you ready for the 18th?” “I’m so excited for the 18th!” People were exploding with excitement about THE 18th as I sat in confusion. All I thought was, “Can someone please clarify what in the world THE 18th is?” Very quickly I was able to understand all of these …

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Faithful friends. Furry animals. Fluorescent sun. Fearless snakes. Fierce lions. Fascinating toucans. A day spent at “Parque Safari” filled with new adventures and unforgettable moments. The adventures of the day began with our first Safari where we piled onto what seemed to be an army truck – a truck with cages surrounding us completely. We …