ECA is a comfortable place to teach because of the friendly atmosphere. It's small enough to greet everyone. It's also a multicultural environment which provides stretching learning experiences as well as a taste of heaven! The parents who have kids at the school are very welcoming and love to introduce new teachers to the sights, sounds, and smells of Colombia. It's invigorating to see how much the parents appreciate the school. However, the students are my favorite part of ECA--hands down! There's nothing quite like watching God at work in their lives. And to think that God allows me as a teacher to be part of that, makes it a joy to be at ECA.

Melody Walker
1st grade teacher
November 2009

Born in a cave, raised by wolves, and brought to Colombia in the back of a cargo truck. An amazing story indeed. However, not the way I personally ended up here. My journey began back in college when I met Beth Afanador. I had already locked up a position teaching in Africa with a good friend of mine and didn't really put much thought into coming to Colombia. My whole life I had been dreaming about living in Africa... Colombia was the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, when I met Beth I was still spelling Colombia with a u (Columbia).

Fast-forward a few months… I was released from my position in Africa for some strange reasons I never fully understood. Beth called back saying they had a need at my position. I told her there was no way I was ever going to teach at another crazy missionary school. She had a very honest conversation with me that I really appreciated. By the end of the conversation I agreed to fill out an application, basically as a back up plan. A week later I was offered the job. I got to Colombia, was dirt poor, could barely afford food, and was wondering what I was doing. However, through all of this I was growing leaps in bounds in my understanding of how big God is and how little I am. My reliance on him grew and consequently things got better. One of my pastors emailed me and said, "I have never regretted taking a risk for the Lord in missions outreach. He has all kinds of blessings waiting for us when we take those big steps of faith across the great abyss."

This certainly was the case; here I am 3 years later truly enjoying life thanks to the graces of a faithful God. My story may not include great things that I did, but it is full of wonderful evidence that I am loved by an almighty God. I will close with similar advice that my pastor gave me. I can't promise you that you won't regret not serving in Colombia, but I will promise you that you may regret not doing it.

Chris Pros
HS Social Studies
February 2010

I think that God brought me to ECA through my choices, and I am here because the way was made available to me. I needed to do my student teaching experience, and my advisor at Moody suggested El Camino.

I chose El Camino because that is where God had prepared for my girlfriend to be. I had wanted to do my student teaching in the same proximity as her, and since this was available I went with it.

Dan Putnam
Student Teacher
February 2010

During the winter of 1999, my Senior Pastor asked me to lead a team to a foreign country. I agreed and chose Colombia since I had a missionary friend serving in Bogota. We came in March and, among our responsibilities, we led three chapel services at ECA. I was impressed with the international interdenominational community. I had to take my youth group to Toronto or NYC each summer to find any type of ministry opportunity similar to what ECA had.

When we finished our third chapel service, Mrs. Afanador took us on a tour of the campus and I had one of the strangest experiences I have ever known. At first, it was a neat déjà vu type experience. However, as she continued to share about the vision and mission of ECA, she would speak verbatim sentences that had milliseconds earlier been in my mind. My heart started pounding so hard that I could feel it in my chest. What was happening? By the time she finally finished talking, I sensed that God must have had some kind of purpose in this whole experience. “Oh no,” I thought. “Is He calling me to teach at ECA?” That was when I became desperate.

I had served as youth pastor at a church in Ontario, Canada for four rather difficult years. The church had gone through a time of change and the youth ministry had received the brunt of criticism from some diehard legalists. Now that the church had found freedom, I had no desire to leave the teens who had been with me through such a difficult transition.

I met with Mrs. Afanador and explained briefly what I had just been through. I told her that God may be speaking to me about something but I was not committing to anything and I was going back to Canada “far from this place” so I could pray.

We returned to Canada and I walked to the church building. My pastor was standing in the doorway smiling. That was not unusual for Pastor Bert. He was a great partner in ministry and a blessing to serve with. He greeted me and asked me about our trip to Colombia. I responded that it went well and then he floored me with his next question. “Would you go back?” I could not believe what I was hearing. I did not want to deal with this. I told him that I would be willing to lead a team to Bogota again if he wished but in my mind I added, “...but that is it.” He smiled and entered his office.

I have a problem with youth pastors who inform their senior pastor only two weeks prior to moving to a new position. The kingdom of God is too important to let things slide for months while the church desperately searches for someone to continue the ministry. I had to tell him if God was up to something. I entered his office and nervously shared with him what had happened while I was at ECA. “I already knew that,” he responded. “I don’t understand,” I said. “There are only two people who know about this, Beth Afanador and me.” He then explained that while our team was in Colombia, he sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to him and telling him, “Pastor Gerry is going back to Bogota.” “Oh no,” I thought. “This is not going so well.”

About a week later, I had to chair a meeting for a ministry to children we had in a nearby village. At the end of the meeting, Jim turned to me and said that he had heard that I was going to return to Bogota. “What?” I said. “I have no intention of doing that.” He asked me to explain everything that had transpired up to that point. When I finished sharing with him, he turned to his wife and exclaimed, “You told me 4 months ago that Pastor Gerry was leaving us.” I was stunned. “How could you have known that 4 months ago when I have been aware of this for only a few days?” I asked.

Confirmation after confirmation came flooding my way but I stubbornly held on to the hope that I would not have to leave my youth group. Finally, in June, I phoned my sister to ask her to help me pray about this whole issue. I told her not to let my mom know anything of this since I did not want her to have to worry needlessly if there was no substance to this whole dilemma. The next day, mom phoned me. “I hear that you are thinking of going back to Bogota.” “Where did you hear that?” I asked her. She then had the gall to explain that she had felt for years that God wanted me to teach in a foreign environment. That was it. My last “reason” for fighting against God’s will had come crashing down. I phoned Mrs. Afanador and gave her the “bad” news but told her I couldn’t start until the middle of September because of previous responsibilities. I was disappointed that she had no problem with that.

Our youth ministry teams at the church were booked until the end of August. I had no time to even think of ECA. I had 3 days between the end of our “tour” and the missions’ orientation conference in Indianapolis. I suddenly realized that as a youth pastor, I had no money whatsoever to even buy a plane ticket to Bogota and no support to sustain me while there. The 4-day stint in Indiana included sessions on support raising but when could that ever happen? I had to officiate at two weddings in the following 10 days, get all the fall ministries restarted with all my leadership responsibilities covered, and pack and store all my belongings. How could I possibly be able to get ready in time?

Three days before leaving for Bogota, Joanna from Wesleyan World Missions phoned. “Are you sure you are going to ECA?” “I have to,” I replied. “I have had too many confirmations to not go.” She informed me that I only had $100. in my account and the plane ticket itself was more than $600.” I wondered to myself, “Where did that money come from?” I realized that I was in trouble since missions organizations usually require a high percentage of the annual support in hand before releasing their missionaries to go to the field. “OK, we will let you go” was her response.

Early in the morning, I sat in the window seat peering out over the wing as my plane lifted off from Pearson International Airport in Toronto. That is when it hit me. I was not only leaving the youth group that I deeply loved, but also all my friends and family. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that it would be at least a year before I would ever see any of them again. The lump in my throat almost restricted my breathing. What was I doing?

I grabbed my Bible and “stumbled” upon Psalm 139:9-10. “If I rise on the wings of the dawn...” Wings of the dawn? I had just seen the sunrise while looking out over the wing. “...if I settle on the far side of the sea....” Hey, I was heading to Colombia on the other side of the Caribbean Sea. “...even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Now, I know full well that the wings of the dawn the Psalmist had in mind were not those of a Boeing 747. And I am fully aware that he was probably speaking of the Mediterranean, at least certainly not the Caribbean. But God’s word reassured me in a time when I felt so alone and helpless.

I arrived in Bogota and headed off to ECA. In November, WWM phoned me to inform me that my account had more than enough to cover everything until July of the next year. I confess that I am stubborn and seldom follow God’s calling until there are so many confirmations that all my excuses are completed annihilated. I fight to the last breath holding onto hope that I may win the battle and not have to follow His leading. But I have discovered that to lose a battle with Him is to win big time. It has been almost 10 years and worth every second of serving at ECA.

Gerry Thornton
HS Chaplain and Bible Teacher
February 2010

After graduating college I went to Costa Rica and took a course to get certified in TESOL because I had really wanted to move to a Spanish speaking country. After returning I began looking for English teaching jobs in Latin America. I had a number of possibilities but for some reason didn’t feel a peace about pursuing any of them. I looked into working in missions, but every agency I checked with required 2-3 years of training before they’d allow me to go. I kept praying for God to reveal His will when more than a year after graduation, He told me. A friend of mine at church told me about El Camino Academy and gave me Beth’s phone number. Two weeks later I was on a plane to Bogotá, Colombia without a cent more than what I needed for the flight and my visa.

This is my second year at El Camino Academy and it has been more to me than I could have ever imagined in many ways. Working with this family of brothers and sisters in Christ has been such a blessing and encouragement. Being able to study The Word, pray and worship with the people you see day in and out makes ECA a special place to be. I love being able to use scripture in my fourth grade classroom to instruct my students in the way they should go. I love that when I’m having a hard day I can walk across the hall and pray with another teacher. I love that I’m living with a Colombian family that really loves the Lord and has helped me grow. I love that we have prayer meetings with parents to work as a team to best help their children. I love that God has grown my faith by leaps and bounds because of trusting in Him to provide my every need (and then some!) I LOVE ECA! Period. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.” -1 Timothy 1:12

Giselle Joy Burke
4th Grade Teacher
February 2010

I arrived in Colombia in March 2000, but the Lord started me on my journey towards ECA sometime in 2003.

While doing research for a Christian organization, I came across the ECA website. I was immediately interested in the school for my daughter Aleen (Cynthia was born in April of that year). My wife Nubia, however, was not. She had been brought up in Colombia hearing all the negative propaganda from the Catholic Church concerning Christian schools. It was not possible then to convince her otherwise.

Then, in 2007-2008, the Lord began to do a double-whammy on us. On the one hand, He led Nubia to believe very differently about El Camino through some magazine articles she read. And on the other, He was leading me to meet several people who were both directly and indirectly associated with the school. Overwhelmingly so! I met many, many believers from several different Christian groups and churches. These were folks I associated with in various ways: some were people I taught English with, others with whom I translated books, or others with whom I prayed. I then met Beth Afanador, ECA’s director, and well, one thing led to another (all the pieces began to fit together) and here I am at El Camino!

Gordon Hanson
MS Bible Teacher and Chaplain
February 2010

I found out about ECA because I have four children and my husband and I were moving to Bogotá to live as missionaries. When we began to look for a good school for them, ECA was the place that was mentioned as the best place for them. We began learning about it from the website and were very excited about what we saw.

Upon arriving here, our two oldest children entered ECA. They were very happy with their new school, and we were impressed with what we were experiencing with our children. However, it became apparent that once all four children were in school, we would have a difficult time financially. I am an educator and so I applied for a job as the 5th grade teacher, but was asked to pray about being elementary principal. God worked in mighty ways and I am very happy to be a part of the ECA team and feel blessed to work here as the elementary principal. God is good!

Kristi Hudgins
Elementary Principal
February 2010

After 18 years of working as a high school mathematics and science teacher, mathematics department chair, and as an associate principal for curriculum and instruction at public high schools in the suburbs of Chicago, God laid on my heart that it was now time to serve Him at a Christian international school overseas. My wife, Vicki who is a high school mathematics teacher, and I were open to serving anywhere in the world and spent a lot of time in prayer and research. During this time, we were connected with Beth Afanador, ECA director, and had the opportunity to share a lunch with her. It was then that we began to catch the vision for ECA.

As we continued to search for the Lord’s will for our family, the Lord directed us to two schools in Latin America that were in need of a secondary principal. On the advice of a wise mentor and friend, we took a weeklong vision trip, as a family, to visit ECA and then another school. Before we left we prayed that the Lord would give us unity as a family with regard to where he would have us serve. We spent a number of days at both schools with our two daughters having the opportunity to attend classes. It was within the first half-day at ECA that I knew that the Lord intended for us to serve here. I immediately fell in love with the mission of ECA, the community of students, teachers and parents, and recognized how well our gifts fit the needs of the school. Thankfully, the Lord made it clear to each one of the four us that we should serve at ECA. The process of raising support before we came was a truly enriching faith journey for our family and we have been blessed to know that our ministry is blanketed in prayer by so many supporters. We love serving at ECA as a family and I especially love working at the same school as my wife and daughters. What a joy it is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ at El Camino Academy!

Bob McCollum
HS Principal
February 2010

While serving as a pastoral intern at Glen Ellyn Bible Church, I helped as a member of the missions committee. We planned a short-term trip to El Camino Academy in March 2005, as Beth Afanador is a home-grown missionary from our church. My wife and I spent a wonderful week in Bogotá, and felt clearly that God would use us back in this city at some point a few years down the road. However, after graduating from seminary in May 2005, we quickly found God slamming domestic doors on us, so we reluctantly admitted that he must be calling us overseas. We came to Bogotá in January 2006, not to work at El Camino Academy, but to work with another organization doing evangelism and compassion ministries. I started at ECA part-time, however, while I developed the language. I now suspect that God used this other organization to get me down to Bogotá though, as I had a difficult time with the other ministry but quickly found myself happily at home at ECA. This is now my fifth school year at ECA, and I continue to relish the opportunities I have to minister so intensively to my “kids” at the school in various discipleship relationships.

Brandon Cooper
HS Bible & English Teacher, HS Chaplain
February 2010

Born in a cave, raised by wolves, and brought to Colombia in the back of a cargo truck. An amazing story indeed. However, not the way I personally ended up here. My journey began back in college when I met Beth Afanador. I had already locked up a position teaching in Africa with a good friend of mine and didn't really put much thought into coming to Colombia. My whole life I had been dreaming about living in Africa... Colombia was the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, when I met Beth I was still spelling Colombia with a u (Columbia).

Fast-forward a few months… I was released from my position in Africa for some strange reasons I never fully understood. Beth called back saying they had a need at my position. I told her there was no way I was ever going to teach at another crazy missionary school. She had a very honest conversation with me that I really appreciated. By the end of the conversation I agreed to fill out an application, basically as a back up plan. A week later I was offered the job. I got to Colombia, was dirt poor, could barely afford food, and was wondering what I was doing. However, through all of this I was growing leaps in bounds in my understanding of how big God is and how little I am. My reliance on him grew and consequently things got better. One of my pastors emailed me and said, "I have never regretted taking a risk for the Lord in missions outreach. He has all kinds of blessings waiting for us when we take those big steps of faith across the great abyss."

This certainly was the case; here I am 3 years later truly enjoying life thanks to the graces of a faithful God. My story may not include great things that I did, but it is full of wonderful evidence that I am loved by an almighty God. I will close with similar advice that my pastor gave me. I can't promise you that you won't regret not serving in Colombia, but I will promise you that you may regret not doing it.

Chris Pros
HS Social Studies
February 2010

I think that God brought me to ECA through my choices, and I am here because the way was made available to me. I needed to do my student teaching experience, and my advisor at Moody suggested El Camino.

I chose El Camino because that is where God had prepared for my girlfriend to be. I had wanted to do my student teaching in the same proximity as her, and since this was available I went with it.

Dan Putnam
Student Teacher
February 2010

During the winter of 1999, my Senior Pastor asked me to lead a team to a foreign country. I agreed and chose Colombia since I had a missionary friend serving in Bogota. We came in March and, among our responsibilities, we led three chapel services at ECA. I was impressed with the international interdenominational community. I had to take my youth group to Toronto or NYC each summer to find any type of ministry opportunity similar to what ECA had.

When we finished our third chapel service, Mrs. Afanador took us on a tour of the campus and I had one of the strangest experiences I have ever known. At first, it was a neat déjà vu type experience. However, as she continued to share about the vision and mission of ECA, she would speak verbatim sentences that had milliseconds earlier been in my mind. My heart started pounding so hard that I could feel it in my chest. What was happening? By the time she finally finished talking, I sensed that God must have had some kind of purpose in this whole experience. “Oh no,” I thought. “Is He calling me to teach at ECA?” That was when I became desperate.

I had served as youth pastor at a church in Ontario, Canada for four rather difficult years. The church had gone through a time of change and the youth ministry had received the brunt of criticism from some diehard legalists. Now that the church had found freedom, I had no desire to leave the teens who had been with me through such a difficult transition.

I met with Mrs. Afanador and explained briefly what I had just been through. I told her that God may be speaking to me about something but I was not committing to anything and I was going back to Canada “far from this place” so I could pray.

We returned to Canada and I walked to the church building. My pastor was standing in the doorway smiling. That was not unusual for Pastor Bert. He was a great partner in ministry and a blessing to serve with. He greeted me and asked me about our trip to Colombia. I responded that it went well and then he floored me with his next question. “Would you go back?” I could not believe what I was hearing. I did not want to deal with this. I told him that I would be willing to lead a team to Bogota again if he wished but in my mind I added, “...but that is it.” He smiled and entered his office.

I have a problem with youth pastors who inform their senior pastor only two weeks prior to moving to a new position. The kingdom of God is too important to let things slide for months while the church desperately searches for someone to continue the ministry. I had to tell him if God was up to something. I entered his office and nervously shared with him what had happened while I was at ECA. “I already knew that,” he responded. “I don’t understand,” I said. “There are only two people who know about this, Beth Afanador and me.” He then explained that while our team was in Colombia, he sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to him and telling him, “Pastor Gerry is going back to Bogota.” “Oh no,” I thought. “This is not going so well.”

About a week later, I had to chair a meeting for a ministry to children we had in a nearby village. At the end of the meeting, Jim turned to me and said that he had heard that I was going to return to Bogota. “What?” I said. “I have no intention of doing that.” He asked me to explain everything that had transpired up to that point. When I finished sharing with him, he turned to his wife and exclaimed, “You told me 4 months ago that Pastor Gerry was leaving us.” I was stunned. “How could you have known that 4 months ago when I have been aware of this for only a few days?” I asked.

Confirmation after confirmation came flooding my way but I stubbornly held on to the hope that I would not have to leave my youth group. Finally, in June, I phoned my sister to ask her to help me pray about this whole issue. I told her not to let my mom know anything of this since I did not want her to have to worry needlessly if there was no substance to this whole dilemma. The next day, mom phoned me. “I hear that you are thinking of going back to Bogota.” “Where did you hear that?” I asked her. She then had the gall to explain that she had felt for years that God wanted me to teach in a foreign environment. That was it. My last “reason” for fighting against God’s will had come crashing down. I phoned Mrs. Afanador and gave her the “bad” news but told her I couldn’t start until the middle of September because of previous responsibilities. I was disappointed that she had no problem with that.

Our youth ministry teams at the church were booked until the end of August. I had no time to even think of ECA. I had 3 days between the end of our “tour” and the missions’ orientation conference in Indianapolis. I suddenly realized that as a youth pastor, I had no money whatsoever to even buy a plane ticket to Bogota and no support to sustain me while there. The 4-day stint in Indiana included sessions on support raising but when could that ever happen? I had to officiate at two weddings in the following 10 days, get all the fall ministries restarted with all my leadership responsibilities covered, and pack and store all my belongings. How could I possibly be able to get ready in time?

Three days before leaving for Bogota, Joanna from Wesleyan World Missions phoned. “Are you sure you are going to ECA?” “I have to,” I replied. “I have had too many confirmations to not go.” She informed me that I only had $100. in my account and the plane ticket itself was more than $600.” I wondered to myself, “Where did that money come from?” I realized that I was in trouble since missions organizations usually require a high percentage of the annual support in hand before releasing their missionaries to go to the field. “OK, we will let you go” was her response.

Early in the morning, I sat in the window seat peering out over the wing as my plane lifted off from Pearson International Airport in Toronto. That is when it hit me. I was not only leaving the youth group that I deeply loved, but also all my friends and family. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that it would be at least a year before I would ever see any of them again. The lump in my throat almost restricted my breathing. What was I doing?

I grabbed my Bible and “stumbled” upon Psalm 139:9-10. “If I rise on the wings of the dawn...” Wings of the dawn? I had just seen the sunrise while looking out over the wing. “...if I settle on the far side of the sea....” Hey, I was heading to Colombia on the other side of the Caribbean Sea. “...even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Now, I know full well that the wings of the dawn the Psalmist had in mind were not those of a Boeing 747. And I am fully aware that he was probably speaking of the Mediterranean, at least certainly not the Caribbean. But God’s word reassured me in a time when I felt so alone and helpless.

I arrived in Bogota and headed off to ECA. In November, WWM phoned me to inform me that my account had more than enough to cover everything until July of the next year. I confess that I am stubborn and seldom follow God’s calling until there are so many confirmations that all my excuses are completed annihilated. I fight to the last breath holding onto hope that I may win the battle and not have to follow His leading. But I have discovered that to lose a battle with Him is to win big time. It has been almost 10 years and worth every second of serving at ECA.

Gerry Thornton
HS Chaplain and Bible Teacher
February 2010

After graduating college I went to Costa Rica and took a course to get certified in TESOL because I had really wanted to move to a Spanish speaking country. After returning I began looking for English teaching jobs in Latin America. I had a number of possibilities but for some reason didn’t feel a peace about pursuing any of them. I looked into working in missions, but every agency I checked with required 2-3 years of training before they’d allow me to go. I kept praying for God to reveal His will when more than a year after graduation, He told me. A friend of mine at church told me about El Camino Academy and gave me Beth’s phone number. Two weeks later I was on a plane to Bogotá, Colombia without a cent more than what I needed for the flight and my visa.

This is my second year at El Camino Academy and it has been more to me than I could have ever imagined in many ways. Working with this family of brothers and sisters in Christ has been such a blessing and encouragement. Being able to study The Word, pray and worship with the people you see day in and out makes ECA a special place to be. I love being able to use scripture in my fourth grade classroom to instruct my students in the way they should go. I love that when I’m having a hard day I can walk across the hall and pray with another teacher. I love that I’m living with a Colombian family that really loves the Lord and has helped me grow. I love that we have prayer meetings with parents to work as a team to best help their children. I love that God has grown my faith by leaps and bounds because of trusting in Him to provide my every need (and then some!) I LOVE ECA! Period. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.” -1 Timothy 1:12

Giselle Joy Burke
4th Grade Teacher
February 2010

I arrived in Colombia in March 2000, but the Lord started me on my journey towards ECA sometime in 2003.

While doing research for a Christian organization, I came across the ECA website. I was immediately interested in the school for my daughter Aleen (Cynthia was born in April of that year). My wife Nubia, however, was not. She had been brought up in Colombia hearing all the negative propaganda from the Catholic Church concerning Christian schools. It was not possible then to convince her otherwise.

Then, in 2007-2008, the Lord began to do a double-whammy on us. On the one hand, He led Nubia to believe very differently about El Camino through some magazine articles she read. And on the other, He was leading me to meet several people who were both directly and indirectly associated with the school. Overwhelmingly so! I met many, many believers from several different Christian groups and churches. These were folks I associated with in various ways: some were people I taught English with, others with whom I translated books, or others with whom I prayed. I then met Beth Afanador, ECA’s director, and well, one thing led to another (all the pieces began to fit together) and here I am at El Camino!

Gordon Hanson
MS Bible Teacher and Chaplain
February 2010

Back in the 90’s I lived in Bogotá for 8 years teaching English, during which I had the frustrations of reliving babyhood via learning a new language that just wouldn't stick. Gratefully I needed English and Sign Language more than Spanish, and by the time I left I was SO sorry to leave a very special people whom I had come to love.

A few years later I was between jobs and, in order to not lose my Colombian resident visa, wrote a friend (ECA’s 2nd grade teacher) about visiting for a month. She wrote back saying it was a shame it was for only a month, as they could sure use some creative solutions. They’d had 7 teacher vacancies after last semester, only 2 of which had been filled, and teacher orientation began in 2 weeks. I wrote back saying 2 weeks just wasn’t enough for an international move. Would you believe I was down here in 12 days?

My thinking was that though the need is not necessarily the call, if you are uniquely qualified to fill a need, the need is the call unless the Lord gives a red light – I had a resident visa and significant experience in the culture, and was available! I agreed to come down to teach-team 3rd grade with the elementary principal. The original commitment was 5 months, in case it wasn’t a good fit, but it took less than a month to see how good it was – I loved the high priority placed on prayer and discipleship, the need to be flexible to follow His creative will, and growing together as a community of diverse Christians. I quickly learned the staff’s support for the foreign teachers is truly noteworthy.

My giftings are administrative, so I moved into the office after that first year. Those first 5 months have turned into 5 years. And my Spanish improved enough that I can give workshops in Spanish when needed - truly the Lord’s doing!

Jennifer Johnson
Assistant to the Director
February 2010

I found out about ECA because I have four children and my husband and I were moving to Bogotá to live as missionaries. When we began to look for a good school for them, ECA was the place that was mentioned as the best place for them. We began learning about it from the website and were very excited about what we saw.

Upon arriving here, our two oldest children entered ECA. They were very happy with their new school, and we were impressed with what we were experiencing with our children. However, it became apparent that once all four children were in school, we would have a difficult time financially. I am an educator and so I applied for a job as the 5th grade teacher, but was asked to pray about being elementary principal. God worked in mighty ways and I am very happy to be a part of the ECA team and feel blessed to work here as the elementary principal. God is good!

Kristi Hudgins
Elementary Principal
February 2010

My story is pretty simple. I met Beth at a job fair and realized I was interested in possibly coming to Bogota to teach. I already knew that I wanted to teach overseas, the questions were when and where. Over the course of time, I was in touch with Beth. She contacted me over the summer, and I thought I may come down to teach for the 2009-2010 school year. However, after a lot of consideration, I decided not to come.

As the months passed, I began to wonder what was next. I heard from Beth again and found out there was a new need for a 5th and 6th grade teacher – someone had to leave for medical reasons. Once again, I didn't know if I should go to Colombia or not. By this point, I didn't think I would go. Interestingly enough, when she was in the States, God provided some tickets for me to go to Chicago for $6 (from Detroit and so I could be there the day she was there). I decided to go. After talking with her, I still didn't see how it would work out, but left with a burden to pray. The next week I was praying and fasting about something else, but God kept laying Colombia on my heart. So, I decided to try the doors and ... long story short... God provided everything AND doors flew open. So... here I am. (And I am very thankful!)

Melody Corcoran
5th/6th Grade Teacher
February 2010

After 18 years of working as a high school mathematics and science teacher, mathematics department chair, and as an associate principal for curriculum and instruction at public high schools in the suburbs of Chicago, God laid on my heart that it was now time to serve Him at a Christian international school overseas. My wife, Vicki who is a high school mathematics teacher, and I were open to serving anywhere in the world and spent a lot of time in prayer and research. During this time, we were connected with Beth Afanador, ECA director, and had the opportunity to share a lunch with her. It was then that we began to catch the vision for ECA.

As we continued to search for the Lord’s will for our family, the Lord directed us to two schools in Latin America that were in need of a secondary principal. On the advice of a wise mentor and friend, we took a weeklong vision trip, as a family, to visit ECA and then another school. Before we left we prayed that the Lord would give us unity as a family with regard to where he would have us serve. We spent a number of days at both schools with our two daughters having the opportunity to attend classes. It was within the first half-day at ECA that I knew that the Lord intended for us to serve here. I immediately fell in love with the mission of ECA, the community of students, teachers and parents, and recognized how well our gifts fit the needs of the school. Thankfully, the Lord made it clear to each one of the four us that we should serve at ECA. The process of raising support before we came was a truly enriching faith journey for our family and we have been blessed to know that our ministry is blanketed in prayer by so many supporters. We love serving at ECA as a family and I especially love working at the same school as my wife and daughters. What a joy it is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ at El Camino Academy!

Bob McCollum
HS Principal
February 2010

While serving as a pastoral intern at Glen Ellyn Bible Church, I helped as a member of the missions committee. We planned a short-term trip to El Camino Academy in March 2005, as Beth Afanador is a home-grown missionary from our church. My wife and I spent a wonderful week in Bogotá, and felt clearly that God would use us back in this city at some point a few years down the road. However, after graduating from seminary in May 2005, we quickly found God slamming domestic doors on us, so we reluctantly admitted that he must be calling us overseas. We came to Bogotá in January 2006, not to work at El Camino Academy, but to work with another organization doing evangelism and compassion ministries. I started at ECA part-time, however, while I developed the language. I now suspect that God used this other organization to get me down to Bogotá though, as I had a difficult time with the other ministry but quickly found myself happily at home at ECA. This is now my fifth school year at ECA, and I continue to relish the opportunities I have to minister so intensively to my “kids” at the school in various discipleship relationships.

Brandon Cooper
HS Bible & English Teacher, HS Chaplain
February 2010

Born in a cave, raised by wolves, and brought to Colombia in the back of a cargo truck. An amazing story indeed. However, not the way I personally ended up here. My journey began back in college when I met Beth Afanador. I had already locked up a position teaching in Africa with a good friend of mine and didn't really put much thought into coming to Colombia. My whole life I had been dreaming about living in Africa... Colombia was the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, when I met Beth I was still spelling Colombia with a u (Columbia).

Fast-forward a few months… I was released from my position in Africa for some strange reasons I never fully understood. Beth called back saying they had a need at my position. I told her there was no way I was ever going to teach at another crazy missionary school. She had a very honest conversation with me that I really appreciated. By the end of the conversation I agreed to fill out an application, basically as a back up plan. A week later I was offered the job. I got to Colombia, was dirt poor, could barely afford food, and was wondering what I was doing. However, through all of this I was growing leaps in bounds in my understanding of how big God is and how little I am. My reliance on him grew and consequently things got better. One of my pastors emailed me and said, "I have never regretted taking a risk for the Lord in missions outreach. He has all kinds of blessings waiting for us when we take those big steps of faith across the great abyss."

This certainly was the case; here I am 3 years later truly enjoying life thanks to the graces of a faithful God. My story may not include great things that I did, but it is full of wonderful evidence that I am loved by an almighty God. I will close with similar advice that my pastor gave me. I can't promise you that you won't regret not serving in Colombia, but I will promise you that you may regret not doing it.

Chris Pros
HS Social Studies
February 2010

I think that God brought me to ECA through my choices, and I am here because the way was made available to me. I needed to do my student teaching experience, and my advisor at Moody suggested El Camino.

I chose El Camino because that is where God had prepared for my girlfriend to be. I had wanted to do my student teaching in the same proximity as her, and since this was available I went with it.

Dan Putnam
Student Teacher
February 2010

During the winter of 1999, my Senior Pastor asked me to lead a team to a foreign country. I agreed and chose Colombia since I had a missionary friend serving in Bogota. We came in March and, among our responsibilities, we led three chapel services at ECA. I was impressed with the international interdenominational community. I had to take my youth group to Toronto or NYC each summer to find any type of ministry opportunity similar to what ECA had.

When we finished our third chapel service, Mrs. Afanador took us on a tour of the campus and I had one of the strangest experiences I have ever known. At first, it was a neat déjà vu type experience. However, as she continued to share about the vision and mission of ECA, she would speak verbatim sentences that had milliseconds earlier been in my mind. My heart started pounding so hard that I could feel it in my chest. What was happening? By the time she finally finished talking, I sensed that God must have had some kind of purpose in this whole experience. “Oh no,” I thought. “Is He calling me to teach at ECA?” That was when I became desperate.

I had served as youth pastor at a church in Ontario, Canada for four rather difficult years. The church had gone through a time of change and the youth ministry had received the brunt of criticism from some diehard legalists. Now that the church had found freedom, I had no desire to leave the teens who had been with me through such a difficult transition.

I met with Mrs. Afanador and explained briefly what I had just been through. I told her that God may be speaking to me about something but I was not committing to anything and I was going back to Canada “far from this place” so I could pray.

We returned to Canada and I walked to the church building. My pastor was standing in the doorway smiling. That was not unusual for Pastor Bert. He was a great partner in ministry and a blessing to serve with. He greeted me and asked me about our trip to Colombia. I responded that it went well and then he floored me with his next question. “Would you go back?” I could not believe what I was hearing. I did not want to deal with this. I told him that I would be willing to lead a team to Bogota again if he wished but in my mind I added, “...but that is it.” He smiled and entered his office.

I have a problem with youth pastors who inform their senior pastor only two weeks prior to moving to a new position. The kingdom of God is too important to let things slide for months while the church desperately searches for someone to continue the ministry. I had to tell him if God was up to something. I entered his office and nervously shared with him what had happened while I was at ECA. “I already knew that,” he responded. “I don’t understand,” I said. “There are only two people who know about this, Beth Afanador and me.” He then explained that while our team was in Colombia, he sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to him and telling him, “Pastor Gerry is going back to Bogota.” “Oh no,” I thought. “This is not going so well.”

About a week later, I had to chair a meeting for a ministry to children we had in a nearby village. At the end of the meeting, Jim turned to me and said that he had heard that I was going to return to Bogota. “What?” I said. “I have no intention of doing that.” He asked me to explain everything that had transpired up to that point. When I finished sharing with him, he turned to his wife and exclaimed, “You told me 4 months ago that Pastor Gerry was leaving us.” I was stunned. “How could you have known that 4 months ago when I have been aware of this for only a few days?” I asked.

Confirmation after confirmation came flooding my way but I stubbornly held on to the hope that I would not have to leave my youth group. Finally, in June, I phoned my sister to ask her to help me pray about this whole issue. I told her not to let my mom know anything of this since I did not want her to have to worry needlessly if there was no substance to this whole dilemma. The next day, mom phoned me. “I hear that you are thinking of going back to Bogota.” “Where did you hear that?” I asked her. She then had the gall to explain that she had felt for years that God wanted me to teach in a foreign environment. That was it. My last “reason” for fighting against God’s will had come crashing down. I phoned Mrs. Afanador and gave her the “bad” news but told her I couldn’t start until the middle of September because of previous responsibilities. I was disappointed that she had no problem with that.

Our youth ministry teams at the church were booked until the end of August. I had no time to even think of ECA. I had 3 days between the end of our “tour” and the missions’ orientation conference in Indianapolis. I suddenly realized that as a youth pastor, I had no money whatsoever to even buy a plane ticket to Bogota and no support to sustain me while there. The 4-day stint in Indiana included sessions on support raising but when could that ever happen? I had to officiate at two weddings in the following 10 days, get all the fall ministries restarted with all my leadership responsibilities covered, and pack and store all my belongings. How could I possibly be able to get ready in time?

Three days before leaving for Bogota, Joanna from Wesleyan World Missions phoned. “Are you sure you are going to ECA?” “I have to,” I replied. “I have had too many confirmations to not go.” She informed me that I only had $100. in my account and the plane ticket itself was more than $600.” I wondered to myself, “Where did that money come from?” I realized that I was in trouble since missions organizations usually require a high percentage of the annual support in hand before releasing their missionaries to go to the field. “OK, we will let you go” was her response.

Early in the morning, I sat in the window seat peering out over the wing as my plane lifted off from Pearson International Airport in Toronto. That is when it hit me. I was not only leaving the youth group that I deeply loved, but also all my friends and family. Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that it would be at least a year before I would ever see any of them again. The lump in my throat almost restricted my breathing. What was I doing?

I grabbed my Bible and “stumbled” upon Psalm 139:9-10. “If I rise on the wings of the dawn...” Wings of the dawn? I had just seen the sunrise while looking out over the wing. “...if I settle on the far side of the sea....” Hey, I was heading to Colombia on the other side of the Caribbean Sea. “...even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Now, I know full well that the wings of the dawn the Psalmist had in mind were not those of a Boeing 747. And I am fully aware that he was probably speaking of the Mediterranean, at least certainly not the Caribbean. But God’s word reassured me in a time when I felt so alone and helpless.

I arrived in Bogota and headed off to ECA. In November, WWM phoned me to inform me that my account had more than enough to cover everything until July of the next year. I confess that I am stubborn and seldom follow God’s calling until there are so many confirmations that all my excuses are completed annihilated. I fight to the last breath holding onto hope that I may win the battle and not have to follow His leading. But I have discovered that to lose a battle with Him is to win big time. It has been almost 10 years and worth every second of serving at ECA.

Gerry Thornton
HS Chaplain and Bible Teacher
February 2010

After graduating college I went to Costa Rica and took a course to get certified in TESOL because I had really wanted to move to a Spanish speaking country. After returning I began looking for English teaching jobs in Latin America. I had a number of possibilities but for some reason didn’t feel a peace about pursuing any of them. I looked into working in missions, but every agency I checked with required 2-3 years of training before they’d allow me to go. I kept praying for God to reveal His will when more than a year after graduation, He told me. A friend of mine at church told me about El Camino Academy and gave me Beth’s phone number. Two weeks later I was on a plane to Bogotá, Colombia without a cent more than what I needed for the flight and my visa.

This is my second year at El Camino Academy and it has been more to me than I could have ever imagined in many ways. Working with this family of brothers and sisters in Christ has been such a blessing and encouragement. Being able to study The Word, pray and worship with the people you see day in and out makes ECA a special place to be. I love being able to use scripture in my fourth grade classroom to instruct my students in the way they should go. I love that when I’m having a hard day I can walk across the hall and pray with another teacher. I love that I’m living with a Colombian family that really loves the Lord and has helped me grow. I love that we have prayer meetings with parents to work as a team to best help their children. I love that God has grown my faith by leaps and bounds because of trusting in Him to provide my every need (and then some!) I LOVE ECA! Period. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.” -1 Timothy 1:12

Giselle Joy Burke
4th Grade Teacher
February 2010

I arrived in Colombia in March 2000, but the Lord started me on my journey towards ECA sometime in 2003.

While doing research for a Christian organization, I came across the ECA website. I was immediately interested in the school for my daughter Aleen (Cynthia was born in April of that year). My wife Nubia, however, was not. She had been brought up in Colombia hearing all the negative propaganda from the Catholic Church concerning Christian schools. It was not possible then to convince her otherwise.

Then, in 2007-2008, the Lord began to do a double-whammy on us. On the one hand, He led Nubia to believe very differently about El Camino through some magazine articles she read. And on the other, He was leading me to meet several people who were both directly and indirectly associated with the school. Overwhelmingly so! I met many, many believers from several different Christian groups and churches. These were folks I associated with in various ways: some were people I taught English with, others with whom I translated books, or others with whom I prayed. I then met Beth Afanador, ECA’s director, and well, one thing led to another (all the pieces began to fit together) and here I am at El Camino!

Gordon Hanson
MS Bible Teacher and Chaplain
February 2010

Back in the 90’s I lived in Bogotá for 8 years teaching English, during which I had the frustrations of reliving babyhood via learning a new language that just wouldn't stick. Gratefully I needed English and Sign Language more than Spanish, and by the time I left I was SO sorry to leave a very special people whom I had come to love.

A few years later I was between jobs and, in order to not lose my Colombian resident visa, wrote a friend (ECA’s 2nd grade teacher) about visiting for a month. She wrote back saying it was a shame it was for only a month, as they could sure use some creative solutions. They’d had 7 teacher vacancies after last semester, only 2 of which had been filled, and teacher orientation began in 2 weeks. I wrote back saying 2 weeks just wasn’t enough for an international move. Would you believe I was down here in 12 days?

My thinking was that though the need is not necessarily the call, if you are uniquely qualified to fill a need, the need is the call unless the Lord gives a red light – I had a resident visa and significant experience in the culture, and was available! I agreed to come down to teach-team 3rd grade with the elementary principal. The original commitment was 5 months, in case it wasn’t a good fit, but it took less than a month to see how good it was – I loved the high priority placed on prayer and discipleship, the need to be flexible to follow His creative will, and growing together as a community of diverse Christians. I quickly learned the staff’s support for the foreign teachers is truly noteworthy.

My giftings are administrative, so I moved into the office after that first year. Those first 5 months have turned into 5 years. And my Spanish improved enough that I can give workshops in Spanish when needed - truly the Lord’s doing!

Jennifer Johnson
Assistant to the Director
February 2010

I found out about ECA because I have four children and my husband and I were moving to Bogotá to live as missionaries. When we began to look for a good school for them, ECA was the place that was mentioned as the best place for them. We began learning about it from the website and were very excited about what we saw.

Upon arriving here, our two oldest children entered ECA. They were very happy with their new school, and we were impressed with what we were experiencing with our children. However, it became apparent that once all four children were in school, we would have a difficult time financially. I am an educator and so I applied for a job as the 5th grade teacher, but was asked to pray about being elementary principal. God worked in mighty ways and I am very happy to be a part of the ECA team and feel blessed to work here as the elementary principal. God is good!

Kristi Hudgins
Elementary Principal
February 2010

My story is pretty simple. I met Beth at a job fair and realized I was interested in possibly coming to Bogota to teach. I already knew that I wanted to teach overseas, the questions were when and where. Over the course of time, I was in touch with Beth. She contacted me over the summer, and I thought I may come down to teach for the 2009-2010 school year. However, after a lot of consideration, I decided not to come.

As the months passed, I began to wonder what was next. I heard from Beth again and found out there was a new need for a 5th and 6th grade teacher – someone had to leave for medical reasons. Once again, I didn't know if I should go to Colombia or not. By this point, I didn't think I would go. Interestingly enough, when she was in the States, God provided some tickets for me to go to Chicago for $6 (from Detroit and so I could be there the day she was there). I decided to go. After talking with her, I still didn't see how it would work out, but left with a burden to pray. The next week I was praying and fasting about something else, but God kept laying Colombia on my heart. So, I decided to try the doors and ... long story short... God provided everything AND doors flew open. So... here I am. (And I am very thankful!)

Melody Corcoran
5th/6th Grade Teacher
February 2010

I had connections to ECA before I realized I would become a teacher. My aunt and uncle are both teachers here, so when I began studying education I came to do my first mini-practicum with my aunt. After graduation, while considering whether to teach overseas or get experience in the States first, and applying for jobs in Illinois, the director called me and asked if I would consider teaching first grade. I immediately applied, and God continued bringing me through the process of coming to El Camino Academy.

Melody Walker
1st Grade Teacher
February 2010

I found out about ECA at international teaching fairs in the Chicago area. It stood out to me as a really friendly school with strong connections to the community where it is. When I decided to student teach outside of the United States, I knew I should do it at ECA, and I'm so glad I did. I've had a huge variety of teaching experiences and I feel trusted and appreciated.

Rebecca Vander Wilt
Student Teacher
February 2010