Reverse Mission Trip - Chicago Style

This past week, we welcomed a Mission Team from Ecuador consisting of 5 staff members from the project in Cayambe and the President of the Evangelical Covenant Church of EcuadorOur time together here in the States was absolutely amazing and simply not long enough! It was such a privilege to host our Ecuadorian friends, hear their stories in person, and grow closer in our relationships.

The team landed safely on Wednesday afternoon and settled in with their New Community host families. Thursday was spent touring their community, followed by a dinner for fellow mission trip members.

North Park Theological Seminary hosted a panel discussion on Friday, featuring our own Esther Moriera as one of the panelists. They were then given an architectural boat tour in downtown Chicago, saw some sights, and enjoyed a fun dinner out. Saturday morning took them to New Community Church of Chicago (Bronzeville) for a workshop on pursuing justice for the marginalized.

Our most anticipated event, Fiesta del Ecuador, the Celebration Dinner for the Santiago Partnership, was a huge success! The team was able to showcase their talents, their hard work, and their hearts. Our supporters offered encouragement and celebrated the ministry on the ground in Ecuador. We were able to share our vision for the future and how we can all work together to see it come to fruition.

On Sunday morning, we all gathered at the Church of the Good Shepherd for a meet-and-greet with the staff, followed by a multicultural worship service. Songs were sung in both Spanish and English, with prayers and scripture being translated in both languages as well. Pastor Christian Sani, President of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Ecuador, gave the message.

Sunday evening took us to the Little Village, a Hispanic neighborhood in Chicago. We met with a local church team from New Life Church, who showed us their nonprofit that helps families in need and discussed their various cultural church services. We enjoyed dinner at an authentic Mexican restaurant, where the food was compared to that of Ecuador. Snow was once again falling as we headed back to Church of the Good Shepherd. Our Ecuadorian friends wavered between excitement to see it and asking us how we could live like this, since it was so incredibly cold! 

Monday and Tuesday were spent doing fun “American” things with the team. They enjoyed quiet coffee shops, busy shopping stores, hiking at Starved Rock State Park, and more fellowship with friends and partners over meals. Tuesday afternoon, a “Friendsgiving” was planned to honor the upcoming holiday and Joel Delp’s birthday! What an excellent opportunity to give thanks to one another and the work God is doing in both our countries.

Saying goodbye is always bittersweet. This time together deepened our relationships and encouraged us to keep looking forward, yet our hearts are divided between two places. In Ecuador, greetings and goodbyes are heartfelt, given out like everyone is family. For a little while, with our friends in our midst, we experienced that kind of love right here in the U.S. And for that, we are better off. 

We are grateful for the partners who made this reverse mission trip possible. It is a tremendous opportunity to show us how ministry looks in other cultures. Watch for upcoming blogs on the individual events at North Park Theological Seminary, New Community Church of Chicago (Bronzeville), and Church of the Good Shepherd.