Dunamis

 

Charleston Baptist 2026 Ecuador Mission Team

It was truly a privilege for me to be able to go to Ecuador with my church to serve with the Dunamis ministry.  This ministry began to help rescue girls from sex trafficking and abusive situations.  From the first time I went to Ecuador in 2018 (not to Dunamis), I have known this is a problem for women and girls in this country.  Poverty and hunger often lead to selling themselves or their girls for money.  But in the end, it is sin that puts them there and steals their innocence and joy. 

That is why I have gone to Dunamis two times now; to help these girls know God’s love and the true love of others who don’t want something from them.  And it has been a blessing to me both times, 

This time, we had a pretty regimented schedule of what we needed to do.  The men painted a house and fixed breakfast for the girls.  It is important for them to see men who want to serve them and not hurt them. 

We girls spent time directly with the Dunamis girls in various places.  We went with them to horseback riding and horse care (we got to help brush and braid the manes of the horses after we rode them); to help harvest and process golden berries (a super food that is being used as a money maker for the foundation); and to their sewing class (they were working on sewing a shirt and I am much better with sewing quilts!).  The girls also are responsible for milking the cows twice a day.  These sessions are to help the girls learn skills that they may one day use as a job.  We also participated in Gracie Jui Jitsu as a way for them to learn self-defense; and we watched their children so they could go to these classes.  It was super sweet to be able to hang out with the 5 children of girls that are at Dunamis.  But also, super sad that they had children so young.  The girls are sweet parents, but they are so little themselves and still need to grow up. 

 

The inside of a golden berry greenhouse that is build on a very steep hill!  In 2023, we started this greenhouse by cementing poles in the side of the mountain.  So glad to see it finished and functioning. 

Golden berries after havesting

Golden berries after they are peeled.  The outer parts are used to feed livestock.  Nothing is wasted.

Dried golden berries.  They want to start making granola bars with these.

A shirt that I did not help with

I got to ride a horse!

We got to milk a cow

and watch them feed a calf from a bottle.

The children were precious!

This year we were given more leniency with our phones so we could use them for Google translate.  And we could take some pictures if we made sure no faces were in them.  This is for safety of the girls.  The address of where we stayed is also not given to us.  They want the girls to be very well protected behind the wall that has guards 24/7.  So, while I have some pictures, I still don’t have many.  But I can tell you that the smiles of the girls were precious.  One girl, the mom of a little girl, was not smiling at us at the beginning of the week.  She had a very blank face.  But by the end, she was smiling at us and trying to talk to me, even if she was not a demonstrative as others.  The girls gave us smiles after we helped them make a bracelet or a scrapbook, but especially after we pampered them by massaging their feet and hands and painting their nails.  The children were with them that day and also liked having their feet rubbed!  But even when pampered, they still have to take care of their responsibility.  My girl left me and had to go straight to milk the cows with wet nails.

Spa day

This girl wanted lotion rubbed on all exposed parts of her body!  She was slippery when done, but smelled really good!

The girls liked red and mixing things up

At night, we took turns giving a devotion.  The last night, we had gift bags for the girls, but they also surprised us with a drama/skit and they gave us gifts of cards and keychains.  It was an emotional night as we won’t see at least 4 of the girls again as they will age out of the system.  But we were very touched by the love the girls showed us.

The gifts the girls made us

Some people have commmented to me that there is need in America, so why go overseas to serve.  My answer is yes, we need to serve both places.  But in addition to that, the founder of Dunamis, Boris, was telling us that the churches in Ecuador don't give much support to them.  That that is not taught in the churches there.  And that they are able to do their work because of support from churches in America.  This further made me know we were supposed to be there,  The trip was kind of last minute in finalizing.  I did not start trying to raise money for this trip until end of May.  But God provided and  more than ever.  Between the fundraisers at church and the support the church gave us and my cookie fundraising, I raised all of my money.  God knows our extra money is going to Clemson and He provided a way for me to still serve in Ecuador.  Gloria a Dios