Second Week Back in Ecuador...

WOW, I cannot believe I've been in Ecuador for a little over 2 weeks now! Time sure does fly by--in 2 weeks, I will be on a plane back home. It's so crazy to think I will get to see my family and friends soon; I love it here, but I really miss it back home!

Last Tuesday, I traveled to a city called Riobamba to volunteer at an orphanage for 2 weeks. I've almost been here for a week now, and I've already learned so much (from the children and other things)! The first couple of days here, I was doing A-Okay; but as days went by, I began to get extremely tired and more homesick. Since I love you guys so much, I decided to just be real and share my heart with ya'll (missing that good ol' Texas):

This past week has seriously been rough and very tiring. Since I've been here, I've only got to work with the babies; which was cool because at the last orphanage I only really got to work with the toddlers and older kids. Being with the babies has been pretty tough! There are two babies who are actually "babies," and then there are 4 babies who are in that stage where they are crawling/walking and getting into EVERYTHING! I've never changed so many diapers in my whole entire life! If there was a diaper changing contest, I would win first place! From changing poopy diapers and getting poop all on my fingers; to getting spit on when feeding the babies their food; the list goes on and on. Please don't take this as me complaining--I am just being real with ya'll (you will see the reason behind all this at the end)!

I also ran into some personal problems:
1) The first night here, I got attacked by HUGE bugs outside (for some reason they love me here)!
2) The bugs just love to fly under my door and into my room!
3) The other night, I was laying in bed, and a spider crawled onto my arm...it was terrible lol
4) Two days ago, my phone fell out of my pocket and shattered... :(
5) My phone was working just fine yesterday, but today, it started acting crazy and I can no longer use it.

To extend on the shattered phone issue:
After it happened, I came in my room, called my dad, and just started crying! I honestly wasn't necessarily crying because I broke my phone AGAIN (I cracked my screen a few days before I left for Ecuador and I got it fixed just so I wouldn't have to deal with a cracked phone here), but I was tired, worn out, frustrated, and upset that I would have to pay to get my phone fixed AGAIN. My dad felt so bad for me and tried to comfort me, informing me he would take care of it (what are daddies for, right?). He mentioned he would try to get me a phone shipped here and I thought about something...maybe this happened for a reason...maybe God was trying to have me all to himself. So I told my dad not to worry about it because I didn't need a phone! I said, "Okay God, this is what you want? Me all to yourself? Well, you got it Mister!" My God is surely a jealous God :)

With ALL that being said, God is showing me a lot of things here: it's not about whether babies poop/spit on me; or whether I get attacked by bugs; or my phone stops working. I cannot forget the reason why I came here: TO LOVE ON THESE CHILDREN AND BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS! At the end of the day, I didn't come here for me. So everyday I wake up and say,"God use me in whatever way you please. I am yours, and I am here to do kingdom work!"

Highs: 
1) I am really enjoying spending time with these beautiful babies :)
2) Tungurahua has erupted 3 times since I've been here already (twice today).

Lows:
1) Breaking my phone
2) Missing my family and friends

With Love,
M.C.F.