What Teams Do — Hope on the Ground

What does a Short-Term Team do?

Explore context & culture.

The first day of a team’s time on the ground is typically a day of orientations and cultural context. The Hope on the Ground team will share information about Ecuador, then you will experience Quito’s historical city-center to see the culture first hand. This is an intentionally slower day to allow the team to adjust to the 9,000+ ft. of elevation.

Break bread together.

Food is a way of expressing love in Ecuador, and almost every day will involve sharing a meal with our ministry partners. It is important to both give and receive during a short-term mission, and the ministry sites love to prepare and share food as a way of giving to the team members. Some teams also cook lunch together in students’ homes.

Connect with children.

Remember that e=h began as a micro-scholarship initiative, so teams will have the chance to engage with scholarship students and their families during their time in Ecuador. Teams may lead Sunday School lessons, run VBS programs, or even take the children on a camping trip. Don’t worry if you don’t speak much Spanish - soccer is the universal language!

Work projects.

Some teams will also help the ministry partners through physical work projects. Many hands truly make light work! Team members will work alongside church and community members to complete the projects. Projects may include moving materials, painting, cleaning, gardening, and more. These physical work projects are important, but more importantly, they are an excuse for the team to build relationships with the members of the community, as they work together towards achieving their goal.

Worship together.

Almost every ministry site in Ecuador is a church, or is connected to a church, so teams will be part of the weekly worship service in some way. Some churches ask the team to preach the Sunday message, some ask for songs or skits, and others ask for testimonies or God stories from team members. It is a powerful experience to worship God together in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual way.

Observe Sabbath.

One day during your team’s experience will be a Sabbath day. You may get to go to the “Middle of the World” museum at the Equator line. There is time to process how God is working in your team each day, but there will also be an entire afternoon of time in solitude at our beautiful outdoor retreat center, El Refugio. This is time to recharge, rest, and listen for how God is calling you to bear fruit after this experience.