It's Sunday night... I just finished watching the finale of Survivor and need to go to bed. This season of Survivor really made me think. For most of the season, I've been bored, waiting for boring players to become interesting to me and deciding that another cast was what the show really needed--and wouldn't get until fall. But a few months ago, a player named Kim started standing out to me. She was smart. She was a business woman. She wasn't crazy or wishy-washy.
Tonight, she won. And as the show's host asked her about her strategy, Kim commented on her relationships. She said that she took the time to get to know people and she felt like it helped her get farther in the game. Even so much as to vote for her to win after she'd been a part of kicking them off.
I've also given a lot of thought to the fact that while the show is Survivor, and there's only one winner, the winner needs other people in order to get there. Someone on their own, without an alliance, gets voted out pretty quickly. They can't make it to the end.
The rest...everything else that happens in the show, just makes for good tv. That is, unless the cast is boring. :0)
But that got me thinking of the power of relationships. And not only that, but the value of them. Someone once pointed out to me that we use financial terms when we talk about relationships... for instance, I used one above--"value". Why? That person suggested that it's the closest phrasing we as humans can use to describe how we cherish... treasure (see, another one!)... those we love.
And it made me think of each of you, and of our relationships. Of how we met, whether in school, at church, on a team, just in life... or that we've known each other so long we can't remember where we met. It made me think of my commitment to you to pray for you and be a good friend to you, to encourage you, and to be there however I can. And of your commitment to me... of your prayers, your encouragement, and in the case of missionary-ing, giving financial support. It's never easy to ask for andI don't know what to say other than that I am so thankful for each and every one of you.
I'm not writing right now to update you on support raising for Thailanda. I'll write later this week with news for that. Right now, I just want to thank God for each and every one of you.
Because, as I mentioned above... if the game of Survivor can't be won alone, then nothing in life can... and that is definitely true for missions. I was talking today with some friends about the importance of the Church as a support, working together in a healthy way-- sending, supporting, and going in the way that God ordained. Perhaps the biggest example of this for me personally is the humbling reality of raising support, of being dependent in such a way. But it's more than just financially. It's going side-by-side with someone else; it's accountability, it's worshiping together and lifting each other up.
It's relationship.
There we go again with that word. :)
So, that's one of the two things on my heart tonight.
The second thing I wanted to share with you tonight is a need I promised I'd share. Last year, I went to Cambodia and met 4 amazing women who are living there and working directly in anti-trafficking. Since then, 7 more have joined them. The first group of four are in the "home stretch" of their commitment; due to leave or sign up for a longer term in the fall. One of them, Elise, needs more support so she can stay through October. Here is her story:
Hi, my name is Elise Paty
and I am part of the Adventures in Missions (AIM) Cambodia team. I've been in
Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a year and a half now, volunteering at Daughters of
Cambodia, teaching English. Daughters is a NGO that provides jobs to men and
women coming out of prostitution, teaching them work-skills, offering them
creative classes, English classes, counseling and social work resources, and
opportunities to attend church services and discipleship classes-all in hopes
to bring them the love of Jesus and freedom from prostitution. Since being here, I've grown to love teaching
English, seeing the encouragement and confidence it brings to the girls I'm
teaching. It's been so rewarding for me, and I've seen God use it to bring
life, encouragement and community to my students! Cambodian culture doesn't
place much value on education--many of my students have low education levels,
while some have never even been to school. It's so empowering for them to have
opportunities to realize they are learners and capable of learning a valuable
skill like speaking, reading and writing English. I see God bringing Shalom to
these girls-encouraging them to their full potential, loving them, healing them
and surrounding them with community. It's beautiful!
Through AIM I've made a two-year commitment
to
serve in Cambodia, which ends in the Fall of this year. Right now I am
short support due to a handful of my supporters dropping off. I'd
like to ask you to consider support. I need to raise this money within a
month
in order to stay in Cambodia! Please contact me if you have any
questions or
would like to support me elisepaty@gmail.com .
Many of you wrote me after our return last winter and said that you were praying... here is another prayer request for the Cambodia team. Pray for the "original" girls to finish well, for them to hear where the Lord is leading them afterwards, but that their minds and hearts would be on where they are right now. Please pray for their support needs, their ministry, etc. They are still learning Khmer, the language... living in the heart of Phnom Penh, giving everything they have in ministry. It will be so wonderful to welcome them home--in October, and not a moment earlier!
It might be May, but for me, it's a new year. Around me, I see new things... an earth that's come alive with spring, a friend starting a new life with her husband, the continual growth and learning process that is Purchase Effect, working in a new department at AIM, and the beginning of the "busy" season for our organization.
Next week is the Launch Conference for the Long Term Missions Department. We have 13 prospective missionaries, some single and some couples, wanting to serve in India, Cambodia, Swaziland, Romania, and Jordan. This will be a week of orientation for them, where they receive resources and information on support raising, AIM policies, ministry cross-culturally, etc, where we get to meet them face-to-face, get to know them, and pour into them. This is our first ever training for LTM, and we are excited! We've been preparing for weeks, arranging a cook, lodging, and transportation, making a training packet, preparing for sessions. I'd appreciate it if you be praying for us next week... this big for our program!
After training, the attendees will find out if they've been accepted and will then go to their hometowns to raise support and prepare to move overseas for 2+ years. Many of them will probably leave for the field in the fall, so this is an important milestone--not only for our program but for them as well.
Secondly, it's time for the "new year" of trips. I leave May 24 for Thailand, to return June 7. Already, we've been talking with the team, sharing information, praying together, etc. We've set up ministry there... all that's left is to go!
I'm very excited for this trip, to be able to return to the ministries we worked with in October, Rahab and Nightlight, and to continue sharing the hope and love of Christ in one of the darkest places on the planet. Please be praying for Connie and I as we prepare to go, for the team, for safety in travel, and for us to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in wherever we go or whatever we say.
Lastly, I just want to thank each and everyone one of you for your support, for your encouragement... for praying. I am so thankful for each of you! In the last month, I've received $45 for
monthly gift commitments, meaning I only have $75 in monthly gifts to
go until my monthly needs are met.
Also, I received $405 in special gifts. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! That means that I only need $595 by May 24, 2012 in order to completely pay for the Thailand trip.
If you have been praying about
and would like to give a special gift or commit to a monthly gift, you
can click "Support Me" on the top left of the screen for an online
donation, or send a check to:
Adventures in Missions, INC.
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA. 30353-4470
Please make all checks out to AIM and write "Kristen Torres-Toro" in the Memo line.
On April 27, 2012, a mile-wide tornado ripped through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. As it roared down her street, my friend Caroline, her roommate, and her dog huddled in her shower, listening, praying fervently, helpless to do anything but wait. It came within 100 feet of her apartment, then abruptly turned left.
So many died that day...but they were spared.
Less than a week later, Connie, myself, and another AIM staff member drove through Alabama, looking for ways AIM could get involved and help. We spent the night in Tuscaloosa, at Caroline's apartment. The next day, she directed us through what was left of the town. I watched as my friend pointed her camera out the window, refusing to look except through a viewfinder. The horrific damage was too personal, too overwhelming... too close a call. As we drove down one street, she pointed at a pile of rubble and said, "That's Bella's [her schnauzer] groomer. I left her collar there last week. Guess I won't be getting it back now."
I was angry, angry because I couldn't help her the way I wanted to. I wanted to take the pain from her and replace it with joy. I wanted the memory of that deadly freight train to disappear from her mind completely; for her not to look out her window and see just how close she came to death--and the horrible reality that others did not escape.
Fast forward a year and a week. I've spent the past few days in Tuscaloosa once again, this time helping decorate for Caroline's wedding. On Saturday, she wed a marine named Joe. When I saw her last May, she had no idea she'd be getting married just a year later. At the time, she was surrounded by death, only beginning the journey of healing from what she experienced.
And in the place of that death, God brought new life.
Watching her this week... her joy, the way her face lights up with hope.... the way she laughs more freely. She doesn't need to hold the lens before her eyes anymore.
To me, Caroline's story is... well, Easter. Life where there had been death. Our God is a God of Restoration. This week was a beautiful reminder of His goodness, and His power.
He makes all things new.
Congratulations to Joe and Caroline Goll! May you continue to see His restoring work in your lives, and may your marriage be a beautiful reminder to the world--and to yourselves--of God's great, unconditional love.
(Above left... the best picture I have of Caroline and Joe together, with Don and Connie Rock. Above right is Connie with Caroline. Connie was a bridesmaid as well as decorator for the wedding).
"For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost". Luke 19:10
Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in Purchase Effect and for your encouragement! Since we've been back, we've had a show at Ben's Flea Market in Gainesville, as well as home sales and internet sales. It's time to mail off the first portion of the proceeds to India, Thailand, Guatemala, and Costa Rica--the whole reason why we do this! It's exciting to see this keep building. I pray that God continues to bless it and lead us to customers/shows.
Things are going well at AIM as well. We're preparing for our first training for the LTM missionaries, where they will be trained in pre-field information and support raising, so that they are closer to getting on the field. This is exciting, being that this department is so new and is now ready for its first training!
Connie is currently leading a trip in the Dominican Republic. The team just landed this afternoon and are excited about a week of ministry. You can read about it here.
Also, I wanted to write with a support update. Last month I shared that I still needed $200 in monthly commitments, as well as $1500 in special gifts specifically to pay for the flight to Thailand in May.
To all of you who have responded with encouragement, prayers, and financial support, thank you so much! In the last month, I've received $80 for monthly gift commitments, meaning I only have $120 in monthly gifts to go until my monthly needs are met.
Also, I received $1000 in special gifts. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! Unfortunately, in the week that passed between posting that blog and purchasing the Thailand flight (the wait was because we had to make sure the team was definitely going so that we didn't purchase a flight for a trip that didn't happen), the cost of the flight went up $500, thanks to rising gas prices. This means that in order for the trip to be covered, I still need $1000 by May 24, 2012.
If you have been praying about
and would like to give a special gift or commit to a monthly gift, you
can click "Support Me" on the top left of the screen for an online
donation, or send a check to:
Adventures in Missions, INC.
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA. 30353-4470
Please make all checks out to AIM and write "Kristen Torres-Toro" in the Memo line.
Thank you!
Below are some final pictures of Guatemala:
Blackberry smoothie from Cafe Condesa-- my favorite!
Inside a convent. We went down into the cellar and sang "I love You, Lord"... it echoed with the centuries and the angels...
One of the markets, in front and inside of a ruin, below a cross that overlooks Antigua (the cross depicted above is a different cross).
Some of my favorite of Connie's photos:
I love the little girl in white, holding her father's hand.
(If you click on any of the pictures of Connie's, it will also take you to her blog!)
A primary reason for this trip was an essential need of Purchase Effect--needing more merchandise to sell. We sold out of the majority of our product over the winter and needed to restock. Having spent a lot of time in Guatemala and knowing a lot of people there, Connie not only knew of the best places to go there, but of specific people to find as well. It was ministry in the market, and in spite of the hard work of pricing/comparing prices, bartering (Connie's spiritual gift), tracking/receipts, and the business aspect of it, it was a lot of fun. Because it wasn't just "restocking" our product line... it was meeting people and their families, listening to how these objects are made, telling about Purchase Effect and hearing their responses, praying for vendors and for those purchasing the items we sell, imagining the shows and how we will present whatever it is we purchased. It was beautiful colors and warm smiles, laughter as we tripped over all the bags we carried and trying to squeeze into a tuk tuk surrounded by fabric and wood, bantering in another language, cooing at the babies swaddled in their mother's arms, hope at seeing the potential of Purchase Effect's impact, and gratitude at the thought of God using this dream He gave Connie... and using us... to help.
Every day, we spent several hours at one of three different markets, visiting vendors who had become friends, making new friends, and looking for beauty. One of the biggest blessings was finding Evie, pictured below. She's a vendor that Nancy, Connie's mom, spent a lot of time getting to know. They have such a beautiful relationship. We went back to the market with a picture of her and Mrs. Nancy, and she got so excited. She showed the photo to her children, to her husband, and asked all about Connie's family. She took us to her multiple stalls and around to her friends' stalls, to introduce us to them and help us find what we needed. We spent time with her every day, and at the end of the trip, she invited us to stay at her house with her family next time.
(Above, Connie with Evie and her children; Connie in Evie's stall surrounded by bags, pillow shams, and scarves)
It had nothing to do with me and everything to do with the ones who went before, with Connie's family who made such a lasting impact on this woman and her family, so much so that she would open her home. It had nothing to do with business and everything to do with relationship. We purchased a lot from her, probably enough to pay for her store's rent for a month or more, and to take care of her family's needs. The next time we return, we'll buy more. That part is business, but it's also helping people. Essentially, it is the Purchase Effect. The sell they made to us helps their families, and then the funds we send back help the community. For Guatemala, the proceeds are sent back to Betty, the teacher at the inner-city school. A scarf purchased from Evie isn't just a scarf; it's something that helps feed her children and also gives education to "the children who don't exist". It has impact.
So... what did we bring back? You can look at the entire album here. A few items are pictured below, as well. If there's something you like, just click on the picture and it will take you to the page where it can be ordered. We're very low-tech right now, so purchasing something is as simple as making a comment on the photo.
In one of the wealthiest sections of Guatemala City, streets are a shade quieter than most. Cleaner, as well. Large houses hide behind secure fences laced with barbed wire, their beautiful courtyards hidden from the outside eye. Yet down the hill, around the corner, lies one of the poorest areas of the nation's capital. Pressed up against a concrete wall is a neighborhood riddled with crime, its grid divided by the gangs who claim it. And on the other side of that wall is a mountain of trash, which tumbles into a valley and sits, rotting in the sun. The president built this wall because he wanted to stop people from throwing their trash off the side of the mountain. Yet those who live nearby refuse--or cannot afford--to pay the 20 Quetzals ($2.50) for a trash service. So they sneak their bags down to the wall where men wait to rifle through them before throwing them over the side. It's known as one of the most dangerous areas in the city (photo below by Connie Rock).
The life of wealth isn't just a football field away for those who live near the wall; it's in another world altogether. Here, people struggle to survive. There isn't always enough food to fill one stomach at the table, let alone all the little bellies begging for nourishment. Lights blink on and off when the electricity is paid, and water is too dirty to bathe in, let alone drink. Without insurance or the money for medical care, many pregnant women give birth at home. Their little ones aren't reported to the government, and don't receive official documentation of their existence, like a birth certificate. Simply put, legally these children do not exist. They cannot attend school without official papers; the government does not recognize them as people, let alone citizens. Without education, they cannot grow up to get jobs. And without school, they become a target for the gangs. They are recruited, brutalized, abused, prostituted, killed, or become killers, addicts, or thieves themselves. They find a place to belong in a gang, a place that their country refuses to give them. There they are seen. There they can't be ignored. Then the cycle continues for their children, if they live to have any.
A few years ago, a woman named Marta (above in black; photo by Connie Rock) dreamed of a school for the children of the wall. Today she rents a building for a school and a room in a nearby building for them all to meet in, right across from the building she lives in, mere feet from the trash heap. This isn't just a school, however, for many of the children live there as well. Abandoned by their families, they have no where else to go. She takes them in, cooks for them every meal, and cares for them. This school, which started simply and is solely run on financial donations, now employs 8 teachers. They need more. They need more of everything-- teachers, resources, space. But they have what is important: the presence of these precious children, the ability to educate them, staff to do it, and a space to do it in. God provides their needs.
One of the teachers at this school is a woman named Betty, pictured above in white. While this was my first time meeting her, she's known Connie and her family for years. I was excited to meet her! Betty is a missionary from Guatemala. She raises support to meet her needs. Two days a week, she teaches at the school in Guatemala City, telling the little ones about Christ. She is currently in school to get her degree in counseling so she can best help the children she meets. Other days, she volunteers at an home for HIV orphans. She has her heart set to the pulse of her country's needs, and uses her gift for teaching to share the love of Christ with those the government doesn't even knowledge to exist.
God has given her eyes for those He sees.
We spent a lot of time with Betty while we were in Guatemala. We met for dinner; she took us to the school that she teaches at one day. We met up on the street one afternoon and she drove us to the airport our final day there. It was incredible to hear her stories, to hear about the children she teaches... but most of all, it was incredible to see how people responded to her. When we walked into the school, the kids went nuts. Those closest ran from their spots to throw their arms around her. When the different classes were brought into the chapel she was teach, the kids broke away from their lines and practically "attacked" her with hugs and laughter. As she taught them and led them in songs, reading from the Bible and then jumping in the air to the beat of the music, the children followed her every word and movement. It wasn't that she lit up when she saw them... she was light.
Betty is one of the many ways that I saw Jesus in Guatemala.
Ten minutes into our first conversation with Betty that first night, Connie looked at me and said, "I think we found our ministry". The purpose of Purchase Effect is to help those around the world; to tell their stories and to help tangibly as well, through the proceeds of what we sell. Our purpose in Guatemala was three-fold: to purchase goods to bring back to sell, to share Christ wherever and whenever we were, and to find a ministry/non-profit to donate to and build a long term relationship with. It was abundantly clear to us that this was the ministry/non-profit we were to help, the ones we could help. The next words out of Connie's mouth were, "When can we go to school with you?"
So, on Friday, we went to school and met a hundred children who most definitely DO exist!
There was an exercise class after chapel for the 3-year-olds, and Connie decided to join in.
(bottom row of photos by Connie Rock).
One final story:
During the exercise class that happened after chapel, I noticed one little girl not participating. She stood there with her finger in her mouth, refusing to move. The teacher let her be, and I wondered why. Betty came over and motioned to the girl, "Do you see the little one over there? Her father dropped her off at the school two weeks ago and told us that he couldn't do it anymore; that he couldn't be her father anymore."
Just like that, she was abandoned. And while she has a safe place to stay, food to eat, and people who love her and Jesus to take care of her, her heart cries out in pain. Will you pray for this little girl tonight? I don't know her name. But please pray for her, for Betty, and for the rest of the school staff as they tell these children the most wonderful truth: that they matter and that Jesus loves them. And please pray for Purchase Effect, that God will continue to guide us and bring people to hear the story of this little girl, of Betty, and of the school.
Sunshine gently warms the cobbled streets of Antigua. The stones, worn by centuries of passing feet, both bare and shod, by horse drawn carriages, bicycles, motos, tuk tuks, and trucks, know the secrets and stories lived on the streets-- children who laugh on the way to school, young lovers dreaming of an endless future of promise, and the last steps of the elderly. They have seen days both ordinary and extraordinary, the births, declarations of love, the business transactions, and the parents calling after their children as they run off to play... all at the hem of the volcano that pushes at the sky and rolls upward into the heavens.
A right turn and there's the arch, the same color as a sunflower's petals, marking the time for those who walk by. The shops lining the streets are open, their brightly colored goods beckoning the tourists to spend money. Women walk the sidewalks with slings full of fabric, bags, and jewelry; while young men play wooden flutes for passersby. Artists sit in the shadow of the arch, painting the crumbling stone walls, the bouganvilla and red clay roofs, and, of course, the volcano.
**Photo bottom right by Connie Rock**
As if pulled by an unseen tide, people move towards the Plaza Central, for that is where the action is--vendors
with souvenirs, teenagers licking ice cream cones, a man shining the shoes of another, babies crying, and a sparkling, laughing fountain. A man sniffs glue behind me, his bloodshot eyes and pale face out of focus and yet full of despair at the same time. A woman named Maria laughs and tries to charge 5 Quetzals for photos of her beautiful, lined face. A blind man walks with his hand on the shoulder of another blind man, who navigates the busy streets with a cane--literally the blind leading the blind. The horse-drawn buggies move quickly past as we step into a bakery and are given a free piece of sweet bread. A woman selling newspapers tells us it's "El Dia de la Mujer"-- "The day of the Woman".
*Photo by Connie Rock*
_________
It's Thursday now as I write, sitting on my couch in my apartment. I can't believe that the scene above was what I saw on the same day last week. The trip to Guatemala was short; but so full of life, purpose, and beauty that it filled a part of that had been curled up inside, waiting for winter to end.
What I loved about this trip is that it was literally living a dream... I got to see my friend's dream come to life as she went on a Purchase Effect trip, met people with mesmerizing and heart breaking stories, and found beautiful things to bring back to sell to help those people. The more I've come to work with Purchase Effect, the more it's become a part of my dream as well, because I believe in its potential and possibility, as well as the One who gave Connie that dream. It was a missions trip in every way but the name, for we found opportunity after opportunity to share of Christ, His love, and to share about Purchase Effect and the hope we had of bringing tangible help to those who need it. It was life, not a series of days planned with an agenda. Being aware of the people around us--servers, vendors, hotel staff, women and children on the street. Taking the time to make that connection and start that relationship. We laughed a lot, we explored Antigua, and asked the Lord to lead us to people and locations, to guide our actions, and to help us get the best deals on goods so that we can make the most profit possible--and therefore send more back. Spirit-led ministry... and a fulfillment of a dream.
One of the coolest things about being there were the actual dates we were there. Connie and I prayed that if we were supposed to go, that God would show us what days. While researching tickets, we even had to change the dates during the process. And it turned out that those dates were perfect. The week we were in Antigua was a week of celebration, from the "Day of the Woman" mentioned above to the Procession marking the 2nd Sunday of Lent the day before we left.
We got up early that last day and made our way to a nearby village, passing communities creating flower carpets as we passed by. In observance of the second Sunday of Lent, as well as the upcoming Semana Santo (Holy Week--Easter), one of the many ways the Catholic church celebrates is by a procession, or a parade. Each community contributes to a design of carpet, which lies in the center of the street. It's made from the earth-- seeds and flower petals, sand, dirt, leaves, roots, even vegetables and wood chips. I couldn't believe how beautiful they are!
The procession we saw started at 10am, but the activity began much earlier. As the first "float" (for lack of a better word) exited the church, I was struck by what a HUGE event this was. Or maybe it was a few seconds before, when I looked behind me and realized that I was at the very center of a crowd of people bigger than I've never seen in my life. As far as I could see, there were people. The men from the city wore purple, as did some of their sons as well. Only they could touch the "float" which looked so heavy! As they were replaced and stepped away, they crossed themselves, then went to rest before taking another turn... because this procession went throughout the entire town and lasted for over 13 hours. We heard it still going at 11pm that night! It followed the path of the flower carpets, scattering the beautiful designs into a swirl of color.
We caught up with the procession four different times that day. And ironically, each time we seemed to find ourselves inside the parade without realizing it... we'd look around, see a float and a sea of purple coming right at us, and skedaddle quick. :0) By evening, when the procession went through the square and under the arch, the lights were incredible. As was the celebratory atmosphere. By then, we knew people who were leading the procession... they even stopped and came over to talk with us! The man at the very front, Rolando, has lead it for 7 years, and this year, his two sons were helping him carry his sign. What an honor. As he walked away, I couldn't help praying for Rolando... that he would continue to be a good husband and father (it was evident how much he loved and was proud of his sons), that he would continue to be an example in his community, and that one day he would seek after a relationship with Christ without the trappings of Catholicism mixed with ancient Mayan traditions.
*Above photos of Rolando and sons by Connie Rock*
Everywhere I looked, there were people. And while it was a celebration for a different faith, I found myself watching the float with Christ on it and being able to worship Him for what I know to be true. And I was struck by the reverence of those around me... evidence of belief and tradition. Like this man... his face says it all.
It's hard to see, and yet I was thankful. Thankful to see the beauty of the day, to be a part of the celebration even though I hold different beliefs, appreciative of the centuries of tradition around me, and praying for those who live here sharing the good news of Christ... that there will be those who listen and will turn from Catholicism. (I should state here that the Catholicism here is different from that in the Western world; it is often mixed heavily with ancient Mayan tradition. For example, one of the churches had a large tapestry of a swan at the altar, a symbol from pagan beliefs).
One thing I love about Latin America, particularly Central America, is how kind, loving, and welcoming the people are. How willing they are to take a few moments and talk with you, to tell their stories and hear yours. I struggled with the language barrier, for it feels like my Spanish is worse than it has ever been, but I had fun trying to hold conversations with people, asking about their lives and telling a little about mine. It was fun telling about Purchase Effect, but even more fun was sharing of Christ, the real Hope of the world.
In the next post, I'm going to tell you about one way the Good News of Christ is being shared in Guatemala. Stay tuned!
Below is a post by Connie Rock, who wrote this during our flight to Guatemala, and who caught this awesome photo from the air during our descent into the capital. I thought the post was so beautiful when she read it to me that I wanted to share it with you too, for it captures our hearts, not only for missions and for Purchase Effect, but for life as well. Enjoy!
Antigua, Guatemala is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, in my opinion. We've heard some incredible stories, met amazing and beautiful people, and found some beautiful items to bring back to sell, and therefore use the proceeds to help where there is need. (As a writer, I can't believe I used "beautiful" three times in the last two sentences, but it is the most accurate word to describe the people and place of Antigua). I am so thankful to be here and can't wait to share it with you in photos and stories!
_______
March 6, 2012
I'm in seat 39 F, on a Delta flight to Guatemala. I'm not one
to journal much, but wish I were. However, I didn't want to miss the details of
this moment. For at least the last hour, if not more, the woman behind us
shared of God, the Father, His Son, and salvation with the man sitting next to
her. Both Guatemalan...the conversation took place in Spanish.
What a beautiful life. Not just mine, but ours. Ours as
believers and followers,a
missional life...my favorite way to
live. I seem to have the same conversation with friends, who say that they wish
the were missionaries or could do
"missions". And I'm quick to remind them that while it may sound or appear
glamorous, or that we live on a "spiritual high", that it is not so. For most,
this is not new information, but we forget that we share the same life. It's how
we choose to live.
Currently, while my friend, Kristen, snoozes under her blanket which I've discovered over many
trips with her she doesn't travel without, I'm shifting from one hip to
another. One minute, I'm staring out the window daydreaming of all that could
be or will be, the next playing a game of Sudoku. As I rotate to my left hip
with great care, (Ouch. My back and leg have been hurting for several months now) I hear the woman sitting
behind us. Her voice quivers, and I realize she is praying for her seat
neighbor, her hand holding his. She rebukes the devil and calls on the Holy
Spirit, Father God, and Son, Jesus.
This trip might be for Purchase Effect, but Kingdom work
will be done. I'm grateful for the reminder and example of my sister behind us.
Is this a mission trip? Ha. Always. Everywhere I go...it's a mission trip.
Thanks for partnering with me as I go, do, and be.
Now for the rest of my news, something I am SO EXCITED about!
Last year, my friend, Connie Rock, shared with me a dream she's had for years - a business of stories, where she meets local handicraft artists on trips, brings their goods back to the States to sell, and proceeds go to help those in need in those countries.
When she told me about it, I got so excited. A way to promote an international market and community, a way to make a lasting impact, to bring the needs of the world to everyday life in the States. After all, people buy Christmas and birthday presents, wedding gifts, and things to decorate their homes... why not help someone at the same time, and get something beautiful in the process?
I honestly can't remember if she asked me to be a part or if I was the one to ask if I could be a part; I knew the second she told me about it that I believed in the dream God had given her, that I believed the One who gave her that dream, and that I wanted to be a part of it. One reason why I love being an Administrative Assistant is that I get to use my gift of service. I love being the person behind the scenes, to help make something wonderful. I love being a helper. I also love missions... it is my foremost passion--sharing the love of Christ and seeing Him restore that which has been broken and abused. I'm a writer and play at photography--a storyteller by trade. Not to mention that Connie and I work well together. I'm thankful to have been her assistant for over two years, and her friend for many more.
So last year, when we went to Costa Rica, we scrounged up whatever spare cash we could find and came back with merchandise: beautiful, Costa Rican wood, pottery, and of course, the handcrafted clay birds made by Jose and his family at Artesanias Ecologicas El Tucan. This business, which employs 7 different families in Jose's extended family network also helps provide for a drug rehab center for men. When we sell items from Costa Rica, a portion of the proceeds go to that rehab center.
Then, in the DR, we met Ramona, who sits by the side of the road and weaves baskets every day. She is disabled and has horrific, chronic pain in her knee. Yet she sits and creates; for this provides for her family.
In India, our host hooked us up with a provider of the best of Indian products: scarves, bags, pillow shams, and jewelry of the most beautiful colors and design. When we bring these goods to shows, we tell the stories of the little ones at Asha House and how a portion of the proceeds from the sale will go to help feed, clothe, provide education, and keep these little ones safe and in their home, their home where they are loved and learn the good news of Jesus Christ.
Lastly, in Thailand, we met woman after teenager, pre-teen after child, being sold, pimped out, and abused for the sake of pleasure. We walked the streets of one of the most notorious Red Light Districts of Bangkok, buying Cokes for the ladies of the night who dance on the stage, hoping for those few precious moments to tell them that they are beautiful and loved for who they are. There we learned of Rabab Ministries Thailand, located in the heart of Patpong, who reaches out to the bar girls, gives training for practical life skills, and walks them through the restoration process. Again, we found more vendors, a woman named Bea with the most beautiful beaded bracelets, a merchant with a store full of embroidered bags, a different shop owner wearing a t-shirt with the logo The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (my favorite of the Narnia series!), who had rack upon rack of fisherman pants/shorts. And after we brought these goods--and more--back to the States to sell, we began to tell the story of those who walk the streets of Pat Pong.
Thanks to friends willing to host shows and connect us to those with craft fairs, we've sold a large portion of the goods we acquired last year and need to get more--a great problem to have! Checks have been sent to those ministries mentioned above where there was profit. It excites me that because someone bought a scarf for her mother for Christmas, little Suniya at Asha House will be able to eat chicken one extra meal a month. The "Purchase Effect" has already begun!
We've started slowly, putting in an extra $20 here or $10 there where we could. We've prayed that God would take our pennies, given in faith, and multiply them beyond imagination. It's a slow start and we're fine with that, but we've made it to the point where we re-invest money from sales in new products or expenses, meaning that after the initial small investment we made last year to purchase the first items, we are operating on a cash flow basis. Which means no debt. We dream of the day when this LLC is running fast, when goods are steadily coming in and going out... and most of all, Purchase Effect will be able to send more and more financial help to those who need it, that the stories of these men, women, and children will spread throughout the world, and the average consumer will be able to impact a life simply by purchasing a handbag or scarf. This business acknowledges our culture's growing social consciousness and desire for fair trade, up-cycled products and mindfulness of the earth and its inhabitants; the recent shift we've seen in how we view our lasting "footprint" upon this planet. This is practical missions and missional living, meeting the above mentioned social desire with a venue for activism, and possibly a way for myself to tentmake in the future as a supplement to support. It's a way to connect those of you who contact me and say, "I want to help that person or that ministry; what can I do?" It's a tool for promoting relationships, because we tell you the stories and connect you to those your purchase will directly help.
This is a perfect complement to the skills and passion God has given me, being an Administrative Assistant for Purchase Effect. So when I say life is crazy busy, it's because sometimes I often leave one job and go home to work on another, putting all of my effort into the task that is before me and praying that God gives me the energy to do my best. Yet I wouldn't trade it for anything; I feel so blessed. I feel fulfilled in what I am doing and believe the Lord will continue to provide for me as He always has. This is my "3rd job" (the first being full time, support-raised 40+ hours a week at AIM, the second a part time job of 15-20 hours a month with Accounting to help pay for my higher rent), and this one that, for right now, doesn't provide for me financially. But it goes right alongside what I'm doing already, for wherever I am, whether at Zaxby's or a market in New Delhi, I try to talk with the people behind the counter... to get to know them. Something we teach on AIM trips is that we are never really "off duty" as Christians... there's no such thing as a vacation. And the mission field isn't just during certain planned ministry hours; it's on the 15-passenger van ride to a canal or while looking for souvenirs in the market.
After a winter with our first sales, we need more merchandise! So next week, March 6-12, 2012, I am going to Antigua, Guatemala, with Connie to bring back more beautiful things to sell, and most of all, to meet people and hopefully be a minister of hope and healing wherever the Lord sends us. I AM EXCITED! I didn't mention this trip in the previous post because financially, it is covered by Purchase Effect. But I wanted to talk about it specifically today, so that you can pray. Please pray for us! For wisdom, and ears in tune to the Lord's leading. Antigua is a place Connie knows well; her parents lived in Guatemala for 9 years and she visited often. I went there myself in 2009 when I co-led the Ambassador trip with her. We're going to meet with people Connie and her family know, as well as going to see where God leads us.
So please be praying!
Secondly, I want to direct you to our Facebook page! Our website is still in progress, but we have a page you can order from on there, just by posting in the comment section. And please "like" us! That would make my day!
And third, please check us out in person! Currently, we've appeared in local home shows, craft fairs, and this weekend (March 3-4), will be at Ben's Flea Market in Gainesville both Saturday and Sunday from 10-5pm. Please come check it out! It would be great to see you! And if you'd like to host a home show, let us know! We'd love to come!
I'll leave you now with the description of Purchase Effect from our fliers, written by yours truly.
Mankind as a
whole searches for meaning-answers to questions we can't answer and the
knowledge that we matter. All the while, we ask: "What's the point of making a
living if we never actually live? What will people say about me when I'm gone?
Does my life matter at all?"
We know
there are bigger troubles in the world, possibly in another country or even as
close as the other side of the tracks. We know there are people who are
hurting; whose lives have turned upside down-or might never have been right
side up in the first place. Little ones who are sold into sexual slavery,
hungry mouths and eyes pleading for relief; places where child soldiers march
in the night or where AIDS threatens to take the lives of every soul within the
country's borders. Problems too big to fix on one's own; problems we want to
touch and somehow relieve, but don't know how or even where to start.
It's not an
imprint we seek, a fossilized record of a good deed; it's the knowledge that
our lives had some kind of fluid power, a ripple effect that started small and
grew greater and greater upon impact, so that the end result is a the world
that will never again be the same.
Each piece
we sell comes with a story-a person the purchase directly impacts. We're not
interested in just selling you a product. Our passion is to create a venue for
international and mutually beneficial relationships.
Now you can
shop and change the world at the same time.
**Logo designed by Tim LeBreche. Photos of items from India and Thailand by Connie Rock.
In my last post I promised an update on my new position at AIM. In the busyness of the last few weeks, time slipped past me before I could write about what I was doing. Please forgive me!
So, here's part of what's going on in my life:
There's a new department at AIM called Long Term Missions, which focuses on sending out missionaries for 2+ years overseas. While we do have over 40 long term missionaries on the field, most of the people we send out are on short term trips. This department is so new that literally everything has been created/written in the past few months. My new position within this department is the Field Development Administrative Assistant. In the future, my role will be on the Member Care side, helping with the day to day tasks of taking care of people on the field. This is very similar to the role I had in Field Support. I'll also continue to lead trips and minister overseas as I have in the past.
However, because of the "new-ness" of this department (for a long time it consisted of one man, Gary Lengkeek, who did an incredible job of all the stuff we now do as a team--only he did it all by himself!), I'm currently doing a double role: the Member Care Admin stuff as well as Admin tasks for the Admissions side. Right now the needs of the Admissions side have a greater urgency, so the majority of what I'm currently doing is laying the groundwork for a successful Admissions process for long term missionaries--everything from creating/organizing a database to track each person and helping build the actual process.
Currently, we have missionaries in Cambodia, Thailand, China, Swaziland, Kenya, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Philadelphia. Soon we will launch bases in Ireland, India, and other parts of the 10/40 window. Our goal is to send 2000 long term missionaries to over 20 countries by 2020.
This role is a return to being an Administrative Assistant, which I really love doing. It's fits my skills, strengths, and passion for ministry and I am thankful for it!
In addition to ministry stateside, I am also support staffing several trips this year. For those of you who receive my snail mail letter, the trips below are different than what was on the letter I sent in December (due to cancellations). The trips I'm support staffing are:
May 24-June 8, 2012 - Thailand
June 29-July 7, 2012 - Costa Rica
July 20-July 27, 2012 - Puerto Rico
August 6-18, 2012 - India
Fall 2012 (Dates not set) - Thailand
Thank you so much to those of you who responded to my last post, whether it was offering to donate air miles (or telling me that if you had any, you would!)
or giving a special gift. Thank you to those
who promised to pray for me, who encouraged me with their words. I am so
thankful for each of you! There is still more I need to raise in order to cover expenses for this year. Most pressing right now is $1500 for a flight to Thailand at the end of May, and the rest of my monthly expenses being met (approx. $200/month). I currently also work part time for Accounting at AIM, picking up an extra 15-20 hours a month for that department, in addition to my full time job. That has become a huge blessing, for it provides for the extra rent I now pay every month. God is good!
Something so wonderful to know-- that God is good always, in the easy times and the difficult. He is good, and that's that!
If you have been praying about it and would like to give a special gift or commit to a monthly gift, you can click "Support Me" on the top left of the screen for an online donation, or send a check to:
Adventures in Missions, INC.
P.O. Box 534470,
Atlanta, GA. 30353-4470
Please make all checks out to AIM and write "Kristen Torres-Toro" in the Memo line.
Around me, I see new things... an earth that's come alive with spring, a friend starting a new life with her husband, the continual growth and learning process that is Purchase Effect, working in a new department at AIM, and the beginning of the "busy" season for our organization. 
Secondly, it's time for the "new year" of trips. I leave May 24 for Thailand, to return June 7. Already, we've been talking with the team, sharing information, praying together, etc. We've set up ministry there... all that's left is to go! 
Thank you to everyone who has expressed interest in 
Term Missions, which focuses on sending out missionaries for 2+ years overseas. While we do have over 40 long term missionaries on the field, most of the people we send out are on short term trips. This department is so new that literally everything has been created/written in the past few months. My new position within this department is the Field Development Administrative Assistant. In the future, my role will be on the Member Care side, helping with the day to day tasks of taking care of people on the field. This is very similar to the role I had in Field Support. I'll also continue to lead trips and minister overseas as I have in the past.