This is the day the Lord has made!

 

I have this verse posted outside of my classroom this year and it is a daily reminder to me that each day is the Lord’s and because of that we can rejoice in it! We can rejoice even in the days when things are difficult and know that even the hard days are days the Lord has made!

Ecuador has been in a severe drought, the worst drought in the past 60 years! Most of the electricity in the country of Ecuador comes from hydroelectric plants and in all of those reservoirs the water levels are very low. We are beginning our 3rd week of rolling blackouts. The first week we only had electricity for 12 hours a day. Thankfully, we have been having nearly daily rains for the past week so this week we are only losing power for 4 hours a day, from 2:00-4:00 AM and 8:00-10:00 PM. Last spring we had some electricity cuts and made the decision to buy a small generator. So it is getting used again these days. It is enough power to keep our refrigerator cold, keep the internet on, and be able to use a couple of lamps during the evening hours. We rejoice in the rains God is sending our way and for the electricity we do have!

Ecuador imposing overnight blackouts as drought saps hydroelectric power capacity

Ecuador Is Literally Powerless in the Face of Drought

Also because of the drought, we have had some severe wildfires close by. A couple of weeks ago, Quito was covered by smoke, and school was canceled for 3 days. Well, actually we met online. Many people had to evacuate and some lost their homes in the fires. We rejoice that God provided safety for us!

Ecuador battles wildfires near capital as drought grips South America

Scott started a new Hebrew class 2 weeks ago with about 40 students. Opportunities to reach people from all over continue to increase. He now has Spanish speakers connecting to his classes from 15 different countries. Scott is able to continue his studies and preparations for class even when the electricity is out because of the generator. In fact this evening he is teaching class using the generator. The blackouts keep some of his students from being able to always join class and makes it difficult for some of them to have enough time online to do their homeworks, but creativity and extra patience go a long way to help them achieve success.

Kristi’s school year continues on. The school also has a large generator, enough for teachers to use internet, projectors and have lights on during the day. This year in some ways is going better for Kristi but she has 1 student who is very difficult. Please pray that this student would awaken a desire to make changes in their life, and allow others to love and help them. Pray that Kristi remains consistent and loving toward this student in particular. We rejoice that God is with Kristi through the hard parts of her day with this student!

Scott continues struggling with his health. There are many days when he is not able to eat very much. He has tried many different kinds of medications and now is going through quite a few other tests trying to find an answer. His primary care doctor is sending him on to a specialist and he has an appointment with this new doctor next Monday morning. Please pray that we can find answers! In the meantime we rejoice in the day the Lord has given us and trust him with Scott’s health!

We are so thankful for each one of you and your faithful support for us through the years! We are thankful for your prayers for us! They make a difference! Looking back at the past month, we have faced a lot of difficult situations, but God has been with us and because of Him it has been a good month and we rejoice in it!