Mandy Korns

During our mission trip to Ecuador, I had the opportunity to spend all day with the people we were ministering to down there. Not only did we attend church services, but we helped build the pastor’s house and hosted a children’s ministry. It was during these times that I really was exposed to these peoples’ incredible hospitality. Nearly every time a member of the church would see us, they would give us a hug and call us “brother” or “sister”. During meal times they served us all their favorite foods, and in enormous portions. The only time they let up on the amount was when we specifically asked.

Probably the most incredible instance of their incredible hospitality was when a few of us had to use the Pastor’s rented home for their bathroom, since there was none at the church where we were working. When we left, the pastor thanked us for coming into their home, even though all we did was clog their toilet. It made me really think about how we need to be acting as they do. The Ecuadorians do it in such an offhand way, it’s pretty ridiculous that we don’t.

On the trip, the last night we were there, the whole team was just relaxing at this one hotel, and J.D. Gerard was playing on his guitar. I had an incredible sense of unity with the team then. If I can do it in Ecuador with my team and with the members of the church down there, why can’t I do it here in Wausau? That was the biggest thing I took away from our trip.