Ecuador-Sunday, May 29, 2011

Traveling was an adventure…I got to Ecuador, but not my luggage, not so much. That’s just a little aside, but the epic nature of the adventure started in the airport. Walking out after going through customs, we were met by a crowd of thousands of Ecuadorians. All of their faces anxiously awaited a loved one with signs, banners, and balloons. The exhilaration came when I noticed that I could see over everyone. I am huge over here! (just kidding)

As we drove around Sunday, the buildings seemed to echo the same tired spirit I saw in the people’s eyes at the airport. The further up the side of the mountain we went, the more worn the houses became. In America, these houses would have million dollar views; however, the poorer people live in the higher elevations in Quito. The Andes Mountains are known for their high peaks and deep crevices, but along every angle, cinder blocks were laid. The houses were quite literally stacked on top of each other.

Quito has a population of 2.2 million people. The communities stretch over every hill as far as I can see. Kids play soccer in dirt fields, there is no space between the road and the shops. Houses and shops share the same area. Clothes hang drying from every building. I’m praying God opens my eyes to needs not necessarily seen on the surface. And that medicine can somehow be a passage in to more than physical healing.

By Charlie, 2nd year Medical Student

As with every story in life, there are three sides: my side, your side, and the truth. Today we visited two locations claiming to be the middle of the world, or 00.00,00.00. Both locations displayed fantastic evidence for their claims intermingled with stories, arts, and crafts of Ecuador’s rich culture, so everyone won.

At the first location we experienced a thorough tour of the site, from the tribes of Ecuador and their way of life, to the recipe for how to shrink your enemy’s head…per the ancient practices of Ecuadorian tribes. Our tour guide, Andreas, showed us a sun guide and gave a demonstration of the clockwise and counterclockwise movement of water when it drains based on its relation to the equator. Andreas earned some cool points when he balanced an egg on a nail as a demonstration of the effects of the earth’s gravity at the equator. Everyone tried to balance the egg, but we all failed. At the end of our tour, we were shown the ancient trade of weaving and witnessed a man weaving upside down. I immediately regressed to my 3^rd grade self and bought my friend a brightly woven friendship bracelet. I said goodbye to the sheep I’d made friends with and then we headed to the next location.

The second location was more of a museum style. There were several shops there, which sold everything from hammocks to coasters. Our group bought both and everything in between.

The thrill of being in the middle(s) of the world is indescribable. As we get older, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle at everyday life, so it was amazing to experience something almost magical again.

By Suzy, 2nd year Pharmacy student

This afternoon we left Tambo Real, our hotel in the heart of Quito, Ecuador, for a church service at Inglesia Methodista, “Agua de Vida.” I honestly pictured a small white building off a main road in central Quito with metal chairs and the typical layout of any American service, but in Spanish. What I found was quite different. If you’ve ever experienced a large passenger bus sliding around high-elevation dirt/mud roads that are only wide enough for a compact car, much less a bus, you’ve experienced our trip to and from the church. And if you’ve ever experienced a moving and humbling Spanish-spoken service overlooking a vas city with mountains and clouds in the not-so-far-off distance, you’ve experienced our service.

But what really made this experience so special to me was the people. Despite the poverty of this area, every member of our group was given a rose, proving that hospitality and kindness is possible whatever one’s circumstance. Despite continuing technical issues, the service proceeded proving determination is the key requirement for success. And finally, despite the language barrier, I found Dr. Ramerro Balseca’s message to be extremely personal and uplifting, proving, once again, that God truly is everywhere, and if you listen, he will be there to comfort and encourage you when you least expect it.

By Jessi, 2nd year Dental student

This is our group standing on the equator at the Middle of the World.

Made it!

We arrived safely in Quito last night around 10 pm. However, half our luggage did not. No worries though, we should have it by tonight when the next Delta flight comes in. After we got here we went straight to bed. Check back throughout the week for updates and photos.

Going to Ecuador!

The BCM is going on a health field mission trip to Ecuador tomorrow, May 28th-June 4th. Keep us in your prayers as we travel. Check back all this week as this blog will be updated periodically. We'll have photos and videos a plenty.

BCM students in the news

Click here to read a story about our students at the UTHSC BCM.

A Beautiful Sound

Just a piece of our Jamaica Mission trip

2010 Beast Feast

April 27th the BCM @ UTHSC held its first ever Beast Feast. We hope to make this an annual event. This event was completely organized by the student leadership team, AKA- The Beast Feast Crew. Their hard work made this event a tremendous success. The appetizers included bacon wrapped meatballs, cream cheese and jalapeno stuffed deer wrapped in bacon, turkey barbecue and deer sausage with cheese. The main course was Ms. Maggie's world famous Memphis BBQ pork shoulder, BBQ baked beans, scalloped potatoes, and rolls.

Dozens of Memphis businesses and restaurants donated door prizes and we gave them away throughout the night. Speaker, Jimmy Sites from Spiritual Outdoor Adventures, delivered the message to the 90+ in attendance. It was a great night that raised over $1,600.00 for UTHSC BCM ministry. To top it all off, two people accepted Christ at the event and several more requested prayer. God is doing big things at the UTHSC BCM.

The trophies on the wall were donated by our students.

There were 85 chairs filled and 5-7 people standing throughout the night.

Upon entering, guests registered their names for the grand prize drawing provided by our Speaker's sponsors.

Speaker, Jimmy Sites recruited 3rd year Dental student, Jacob to help him with an illustration. (Jacob was playing the "Spawn of Satan" role)

The Beast Feast Crew (L to R): Zach, Nathan, Jacob, Jimmy, Matt, Hunter, and Bryan.

(Not pictured are Caleb, John, Vance, and Walt)

Are River Rocks Valuable?

¹ When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, ² "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, ³ and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight."

⁴ So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, ⁵ and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶ to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."

⁸ So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. ⁹ Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant had stood. And they are there to this day."

--Joshua 4:1-9

These 12 stones were chosen and taken from a place where God taught the Israelites something. A place where God did an amazing miracle to deliver them. The stones themselves were not magical. They were not golden stones or even valuable ones. They were just river rocks. But they were assigned a value because of what they represented. Much like diamonds. Diamonds are just rocks. However, they are valuable because of the value we place on them and what they represent. Diamonds often represent love and commitment associated with marriage or engagement. They are also synonymous with wealth. Regardless of how much diamonds cost, they are still rocks that are valuable because of what they represent. For the Israelites, these river rocks represented something greater than the rocks themselves. They served as a reminder or a signpost if you will that pointed beyond themselves to the God who delivered them. They served as a reminder not only to their generation but also to their children’s generation.

As I look back on my life at the times where God did something amazing, my memories serve as my river rocks. My signposts. There was the time when I accepted Christ as my savior at 4 years old. Then there was the time as a 7^th grader when God challenged me to step up my walk with him. I’ll never forget that night before I started 9^th grade when I felt God calling me into ministry. Graduation day of High School was another time where God directed my path from Samford University to Auburn University only to bring me back to Samford 4 years later for grad school. There were dark times where God delivered me as well. For instance, my junior year of college when my fiancé and I broke up, then I lost my job as a youth minister, at the same time my truck was broken into, I changed my major in college and also my Seminary destination. Throughout all those changes in my life, God was working to get me where he wanted me. Then, the day I married my wife was another day where God did something amazing. The day when I graduated Beeson Divinity School. My mission trip to Brazil. My first book published. And more recently, accepting my first job; which ironically was 23 years exactly to the day from when I accepted Christ—the first signpost along my journey.

If you were to look at your life and were asked to pick up a “stone” from each place where God did something amazing, what would that look like? Can you come up with a list? What will you tell your children were the times when God was most real to you? Have you had your first signpost where you accepted Jesus as your savior? Perhaps that day is yet to come. Perhaps it is today.

Pray: Pray that God will reveal to you the times when he did something amazing in your life.

Do: Write down those times that God reveals to you and keep a running list so that one day you’ll look back and see the hand of God working in your life.