Serendipity: n. a chance happening

On Thursday night I was reading facebook updates when serendipitously, a girl I went to high school with posted a new photo album of her life in Ecuador.  I happened to click the link.  She showed pictures of where she's living, her Ecuadorian friends, her school (she is a missionary and moved there last year to be a teacher).  I really enjoyed the pictures, and I laughed out loud at some of them.  There was a link to her blog, which I began reading immediately. 

I saw pictures of smiling faces of her students, her view of the Andes mountains from breezeway inside her school, and pictures of her traveling the country.

She writes in her blog,

[The people here] are extremely generous. Smiles, hugs, stickers, pictures, food. They'll give them all away. If one of my students bought food during lunch they will inevitably share it with me and their classmates. I mean, today four of my fifth graders gave me candy, a seventh grader gave me shrimp, and a third grader gave me a pear. Like many Haitians I've seen, they will take whatever they have and share it with the five people around them -- without thinking otherwise! I've not yet heard a kid ask another for something (like food) and received, "No!" for an answer. Really? Does this happen in the States too?

My Ecuadorian friend, Mika, expressed that one difficult aspect of adapting to life in the States was their independence. It's something we value, right? If we can have our own car, job, house, and dog we've reached the height of success. We're proud that we did it on our own and only used people if we needed something from them. And so we sit back in our houses, turn on the tv, and enjoy being independent of those around us... 

I am learning here that community is essential. There's no way I'd survive here in Shell without others. Hearing their stories of struggles, hurts, breakthroughs, and healing strengthens me and reminds me that I'm not alone in this battle. Maria, my house mom, cries at least once a week. Actually, many of the women I've met here in Shell cry. . .often. Their hearts break for others and themselves and they're not afraid to show their emotions. They're not afraid to call out to God for help. They're not afraid to share their short-comings and their walk towards redemption.

Okay...I'm crying now! :)  This is growing in another culture and learning to grow in your walk with God.  This is what I wish I could share with my students, this is what you can't see in a textbook.

I tell you this because this little class in Shell, Ecuador will be pen pels with my students in Weddington, North Carolina.  These students will share who they are, their language, and there culture with us...and we will return the favor. Yay for an exciting end to the week.  I look very forward to this!