We are in awe of how God orchestrates meetings, connections, and ultimately hears the prayers of His people.  This past week we had the amazing privilege to meet Tom.  He was in the Galapagos Islands and got in contact with us and said he really wanted to meet us while he was in Ecuador.  After several e-mails back and forth and working out schedules and detours due to the Pope's visit we were able to settle on a time to meet in Quito. 

Tom and Ivan

Tom Lutz is a retired middle school science teacher (for 30 years).  He is also a former YL leader from the state of Arizona (for 25 years or so).  That's a lot of years impacting the lives of kids!  He's hosted exchange students from the Galapagos Islands and made many long-lasting friendships with people from the islands from years of visiting and managing tours.  Considering his long-standing relationship with YL it's no surprise that he's had a dream to see YL come to Ecuador and more specifically to the Galapagos Islands.  In 2009, Tom as well as some YL staff from other areas were able to go in and train 29 people as YL leaders on the islands.  Sadly, after about 2 months the leadership struggled to remain unified and YL withered away.  Ironically enough, that same year is when Ivan began "club" in Shell as he felt a strong call to reach the teens in his community.  It wouldn't be until 2012 that YL would officially be founded in Ecuador!  Little did Tom know that as YL in the Galapagos came to a halt, God was beginning something in Shell.  As the details of our stories collided, I think we all sat in amazement at how the Lord works and grateful to be a part of the story. 

     Tom was able to arrange a lunch meeting with one of the adults that was trained back in 2009.  We met her (Lucy) and her husband (Adalberto) who are now the head pastors of a church in Valle de Los Chillos (to the east of Quito).  It was a beautiful reunion among friends and a great start to new ones.  Adalberto and his wife continue to share the vision of reaching the lost and we look forward to seeing how God uses this new connection.  Tom commented to me that he had spent many hours with this couple on their knees in their living room floor praying for YL in Ecuador (specifically the Galapagos Islands) and to see us all sitting at a table together talking about what God is doing through our lives brought him such joy. 

Lunch with Lucy, Adalberto, Tom

     Knowing that he and others had been praying over the people of Ecuador and waiting to see God use Young Life to speak to the hearts of teenagers is such an encouragement and confirmation for us to continue forward, knowing that prayers have paved this path before us. 

     So, I want to encourage you.  If you've been praying for something or someone and haven't seen a break through or an answer, don't give up.  Press on.  Just when Tom thought YL had ended in Ecuador, it was actually beginning. 

Tom is retired, but keeps getting called back into education because he's such a fantastic teacher that principals know he's too good to be on the sidelines. 

My devotional the morning we got back to Shell said this:

"We are all capable of being spiritual sluggards; we do not want to mix with the rough and tumble of life as it is, our one object is to secure retirement....The danger of spiritual sluggishness is that we don't with to be stirred up, all we want to hear about is spiritual retirement.  Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement."  -Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

I'm so thankful that Tom, like others, continues to be stirred up, dreaming big dreams for the Kingdom, and not waiting on the sidelines for someone else to do it.  Life with Jesus is too good to let it pass you by. 

Hebrews 10:24

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."