Viva Ecuador!!

“God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles." Galatians 1: 15-16

From the end of June to the first two and a half weeks in July, I had the opportunity to travel to Quito, Ecuador. Here is my story....

I came alive in Ecuador! For the first time in a long time, I was truly living from the core of my heart! I was overcome with joy! God has shown me so much during my time in Quito. And I have truly grown to love the people and children there. I have enjoyed serving the Lord with Fundacion Amor y Esperanza, a Christian organization dedicated to reaching the poor of Quito with the Gospel, and meeting their physical, educational, and spiritual needs. I worked for about two weeks at their school for under privilege students and families living in the Carmen Bajo, one of the surrounding projects. I stayed with the school director and his wife and family (Pancho and Pity Zola - an amazing godly couple) and taught the fourth and fifth grade classes songs in English. And for the fifth grade class, I took the story of the "Three Little Pigs" and turned it into a play and taught that to them. For their end of school ceremony, the fourth and fifth grade classes performed their English songs and the fifth graders performed the play for the school and their parents. I was so proud of them! They did so well! I have even got to help the school interview prospective English teachers. After Pancho would interview them, I then interviewed them in English to see how well they spoke and if they would be beneficial to the school. And as the school is a Christian school, it opened up many opportunities to talk about Christ with each of them. (one of the qualifications to teach at the school is that you have to be a believer) And just last Thursday they hired one of the teachers I recommended!

My last week there, we left to go to the Amazon rainforest, and to this city called Baños, where there are a lot of waterfalls (absolutely breathtaking!) and the city sits below this HUGE volcano, so there are a lot of thermal hot springs, which were so relaxing and so well needed after being in the rainforest. It was so much fun! When we got back I helped Pancho put together tour packages for the missions groups. You know, its neat how God provided for this trip and that I was able to use the skills I learned at my old job at Ker & Downey and at my new job as a teacher! God is SO good!

Since I have been back, I have been able to speak at my church's missions fellowship about my trip and even have started the beginning steps of putting together a trip for late June to lead a group from my church! I can't wait to go back again this summer!!!

Digging Deeper Into Me

One of my blog friends introduced me to this fun way of getting to dig deeper into who each of us are. It is called an interview meme. She asked me five questions to get me started, so enjoy...

1) What has been the biggest difference between Pre-STINT Chiharu in America and Post-STINT Chiharu in America?

I think this is one thing that I am still asking myself. I mean, I know I have changed, pegging down like an "Ah Ha! This is how I have changed!", I am still working through...(this and probably some of the other answers will be changed later, I promise. It's late, and I tend to just ramble thoughts at this hour of the night)


2) What is one thing about Italy that you can think of to bring to America and make it better?

The one thing off the top of my head is...SIESTA!!!! Those 3 hrs. in the middle of every day from 1pm to about 3pm where everyone just closes down shop and goes home to spend time with the family...now that's life! During my time there I have truly come to learn just how well Italians know how to enjoy life and cherish relationships and time with one another.


3) Where has your favorite place to travel been? why?

One of my favorite places to visit when I was living in Italy was our trips to the Fattoria Il Santo. To any other person it just looks like another old Italian farm. But to me, it is so much MORE! And it's not just because it's out in the middle of the Tuscan countryside. There are SO many sweet memories tied to that place...lots of laughter and funny stories, rich moments spent with the Lord and with friends, even hard times and sad times that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world! I could totally sit and write an entire blog entry just on this place alone.

And now that I am back in the states, my favorite place to visit is my second home, Florence. I left a part of who I am there. I LOVE the history there, how you are just surrounded by all the work of the great artists! It's the birthplace of the Rennaisance! And MOST importantly it is where my dear, sweet, friends who I hold close to my heart are!


4) Where was one place you wish you could go? why?

One place I wish I could've gone back and visited while I was there was Sicily. For those of you who don't know, that's where my parents and I lived for three years and that is where I graduated from high school. One city I would like to go back and visit in particular is Taormina. That was my favorite place to go when we lived there. During the summers my family and I would go to this one hotel there...I remember swimming in their pool, laying out on the beach, my friend and I getting our picture taken with our first Italian lifeguard, and an encounter with a jellyfish (story that will be told at a later time)...good times, good times.


5) What has been the biggest challenge in your life recently?

There have been quite a few challenges in my life lately. One has been working on my teaching certification...another is being patient in the Lord and waiting on His perfect timing with coming back to Italy long term. more to come later...keep getting kicked off the computer right now...

Rocky Mountain High, Colorado

Okay, so it wasn't the Colorado Rockies...more like Mt. Redcloud, a 14,043 ft. mountain outside a little town called Lake City, Colorado....

This past week I went with the high school youth group from my church to Camp Redcloud. A Christian Moutain Adventure camp in Colorado. It was an AMAZING week in an AMAZING place! Lives were changed and God revealed Himself to each of us in everywhere we went, in every activity we did - from service projects, to high ropes courses, to our overnight camping trip, white water rafting, and to the peak hike of this 14,000 ft. mountain, where my story takes place....

I have to admit, I didn't think I was going to make it through the first 15 minutes. All that was running through my head was: "What did I get myself into!? I don't think I am going to make it all 6hrs!"

We were clear out of the woods and were walking along the rushing river of melted snow when I heard God sweetly whisper to me: "Chiharu, stop. Take a look around you. My beloved, I have brought you here. I want to show you my glory. I will be your Strength. Trust in Me. I love you."

That was when my attitude and my focus turned to that on Christ. Now, that's not to say that the rest of the uphill journey was easy. There were still parts of the climb that were difficult but the difference was my focus on the Lord. Knowing that He alone is my Strength, that I was dependent on Him with each step, made the journey so rich. This type of perseverance with every inch, the dependence I had on Him with every breath in the increasing altitude, revealed to me how I desperately need Him with every minute, every decision, every aspect of my life.

We were at about 13,000 ft. when the weather started to take a turn for the worse. The wind had picked up, snow was starting to fall, and the temperature dropped to below 30 degrees. We were cold. We knew we were not going to make it to the top that day. Being so close to the finish line, seeing the end, the goal, right in front of you was disappointing. But then I turned around and saw where the Lord had taken me. Breathtaking! Absolutely breathtaking! The trees, the valleys, the mountains, all covered with snow and a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds - God's glory was all around us! Tears, not from the cold or the wind, but tears of overwhelming joy and love slowly trickled down my face. This is what it means to be alive! This is what is meant to experience God's glory!!

"One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard; that you, O God are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving. Psalm 62:11-12

Only happy in the Sun

I was listening to my Ben Harper "Diamonds on the Inside" CD as I was cleaning my apartment today and last song on the CD - "She's Only Happy in the Sun" - really spoke to me today. And I want to share with you some of the lyrics from it:

"Did you find what you were after
the pain and the laughter brought
you to your knees
but if the Sun sets you free
you'll be free indeed

She's only happy in the Sun"


Just in that verse lies so much truth! When your faith and beliefs are in Christ, the Son of God, the SON DOES SET YOU FREE!!! There is freedom in the Lord, and in Him and Him alone is where my true happiness, my JOY, lies!!

And it just makes me smile that the Lord can use even Ben Harper and his music to speak to me...what a wonderful Father the Lord is!

Integrated Physics and Chemistry

"Wait for the Lord; be STRONG and COURAGEOUS, and WAIT for the Lord" Psalm 27:14

It's been about a month since my last post...and a LOT has happened! I am sure you all remember about the major decisions that were in front of me...should I return to Italy on STINT or on staff this year or wait two years until I finish my teaching certification? Should I pursue the teaching certification?

Well, I knew that this answer was only going to come from the Lord, and so I started praying to the Lord on what I should do, and meditating on Psalm 27:14 - waiting for the Lord, for Him to direct my path, and making my next step clear to me. TWO DAYS later, I got a call from Elsik High School. They had two positions open for a science teacher, one for 10th and 11th grade, and one for 9th grade. The next morning I went in for the interview. That afternoon the assistant principal for the 9th grade center called me back and offered me the job!!!!! TALK ABOUT GOD ANSWERING PRAYERS!!!!!!! You are now looking at Elsik High School's new 9th grade Integrated Physics and Chemistry Science teacher!! Go Rams! I have been teaching there for two weeks now and have truly been enjoying it!

Thank you all who have been praying for me!! You don't know how much it means to me!

PRAYER REQUEST:
The classes for the certification program have also begun. These next two months will be quite intense for me as along with teaching, I have the certification classes, and studying for the content exam that I will be taking on February 24th. MUCH, much, prayer is needed! I want to be a successful and effective teacher as well as finish strong with these classes and do well on this exam. I pray that the Lord will continue to give me the endurance and strength to do well during these two months. Please continue to be praying for me!