Ivan with John Ogden (CEO of CMA USA) on the left

Last Thursday my scheduled plans got turned upside-down when Ivan informed me that I needed to accompany him in a meeting with a CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) team that was visiting from the states.  As usual, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  We hopped on their bus and quickly Ivan settled in with a team member talking about Ecuador, Young Life, and motorcycles.  The couple leading the team are long-time friends and I enjoyed catching up with the wife (there were several months when I actually lived with their family when I was in Ecuador many years ago).  I soon forgot about all the things that I had on my to-do list for the day and enjoyed the change of plans.  It was exciting to hear about how God is moving through other ministries here in Ecuador and see some of these other ministries in action.  We visited a retreat center, once a place of death and fear, now a place of restoration and new life.  The CMA team was specifically there to bless a local pastor and his family with a new motorcycle.  This pastor would be traveling to multiple churches to preach and encourage the congregations.

Prayer over pastor after presentation of motorcycle

     It was a real blessing to be a part of the presentation and prayer over the pastor and one of the churches.  As we loaded and unloaded on the bus several times, each time I found myself sitting with someone else from the team and getting to hear their story of how they became a part of CMA and some of the testimonies that they have.  In return, I had the opportunity to share about what God is doing through Young Life in Ecuador.  It's beautiful to experience the fellowship that comes from being part of the same family in Christ.  There is an immediate love and encouragement that comes when we are united with other believers.  At lunch, we swapped pictures of motorcycles and stories of memorable rides.  (Word must have gotten around that I wasn't completely in love with motorcycles...because I was encouraged by many of the women on the team that motorcycle riding was the best!)  When it came time to part with the team, we left with offers to visit and ride with some of the members back in the states and an overall feeling of encouragement.

New friends!

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27 
"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body--whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many....Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 

I love to see how God has placed us all with different callings and talents to share His love.  Each with our own part but working together for the kingdom.