When everything is Shaking
These pictures are not just children sitting in a circle and adults sitting together in plastic chairs . ( ps: so sorry if the pictures are upside down I am typing on my phone here in Ecuador and for some reason it does that ).
These circles are holy spaces . Spaces where we are asking God to come and bring healing and hope in the midst of earthshaking trauma.
The children and adults in this circle lives were shaken when the 7.8 earthquake hit Ecuador one month ago , and again two days ago with three earthquakes 6.8, 7.0 and 7.2 .
Our team is here joining with an incredible missionary partner to bring hope and healing , discipleship and Jesus .
It is amazing how God brings you to a place for such a time as this .
Yesterday we led around 60 church leaders through debriefing of their experiences in the earthquake . The presence of God filled the room .
As I was finishing teaching the end of our session the ground began to shake and roll . Two back to back large earthquakes shaking the building we had just been debriefing in.
Watching our new friends response was heartbreaking . The panic and terror. The memories of the last earthquake .
They literally hit their knees outside crying out to God in desperate prayer.
I was reminded in that moment the gift of Psalms 91. That we can find shelter in the shadow of His wings. I asked God to cover us. To meet with us .
It was so obvious the need for these healing circles where we provide the space for trauma debriefing . Today we went to a village and helped the kids process through drawings and the adults through verbal processing .
The awesome part is the Ecuadorian church leaders are learning the training and will now be able to lead their own groups .
And each group provides an opportunity for discipleship and sharing the hope of Jesus .
I am not going to lie , these have been intense days. There are also some hard things going on with my family back home .
So tonight as we prepare to sleep , praying for no aftershocks and as I am far from someone in my family whose own lives have been rocked ,
I remind myself and you , and those we will meet with and hear their stories for the next week -there is always hope beneath the rubble , the cross .
Would you pray as we minister here.
If you would like to know how you can financially partner with what God is doing here and Reach Global Crisis Response go Here