Month-end Review

Well, one month in Ecuador is almost over. It is so hard to believe that this is really true. That I only have 9 months left to go. But I wanted to get on here and say some of the things that I've been thinking over the past month.

I've been thinking a lot about family and relationships this month. I mean, it has been a rollercoaster to say the least, from saying a hard goodbye to my family and to my recent engagement, family has been a pretty big point. It is so easy to take what we have for granted. I never will forget, on the way to the Panecillo, seeing a dad get mad at his son and throw a knife at him. I wanted to just punch the man in the face and take his child away from him. I wanted to make sure that this man could have no further influence on his kids. And it's after seeing things like this that you really begin to see how blessed you really are. It's after seeing so many kids who don't know their father, or so many wives who have husbands who sleep around frequently that you realize how special, even how rare maybe, that your family is.

So I think I've spoken a lot about beliefs and stuff here, talking about the supersticious faith, or the paying of the saints for blessing, or of the Virgin being seen as the victor, or of the representation of Christ as only being dead or a small child. But this is more at the heart of it all. Don't get me wrong, all of the theology and beliefs are important. But how can those beliefs ever be seen as valid or true if there isn't love in this world being shown in some way. Through family, friends, the church. So my thought for month one is that we should never take things for granted. I know we say that all too much. But I never could have imagined how much I would look forward to those weeklyish calls home, or the weekly call to Bekah (or the occasional visit). I never knew how happy I could be to find out that I get to take Christmas off, or how much I would miss mashed potatoes or ranch dressing.

God, help us to never forget how blessed we are. Help us also to use that blessing as a starting point to show your love to everyone.

Wonderful Visit to Guayaquil

Well, for those of you who haven't heard, I got to take off for a couple days and head south to the coastal, port city of Guayaquil. We left on Sunday morning and had a VERY eventful trip to the south. So for those of you who envision paved, closed access roads like the Interstate system....think again. The roads are maintained by private companies who make money off toll boothes along the way. Therefore, some of the roads are TERRIBLE because no business can make a profit off of it. Also, the road do not always bypass the cities as the interstates do. Instead, you get lost for hours in a city trying to find your way around. So in all we got lost in Latacunga, Ambato, and Guayaquil at least once during this trip, as well as one long mistake where we missed a turn and starte going to Cuenca on accident. One huge problem is lack of road signs. You come to a traffic circle that says right to Ambato...which then leads to another circle with no such instructions. 33% chance of being right isn't really the best odds.

But anyway, we finally made it to Guayaquil on Monday morning, (we spent the night as planned at and OMS Camp in a small village called Pallatanga.) This is the day I was really looking forward to because it was the day I was going to get to see Bekah. Well, we had to follow a taxi to our said destination for BJ's meeting and once we got there we bartered with him for a price to take me to Malecón (a large park like area on the river in Guayaquil) where I was going to meet Bekah. On the way I was talking with the taxi driver and was so happy, I could understand a lot of what he was saying and communicate fairly well with him. I was thinking to myself, "man, if this is the coastal spanish everyone is afraid of then I am doing pretty good!" Well my hopes were shattered when I asked the the guy if he lived in Guayaquil all his life. "No, soy de Riobomba" (No I am from Riobomba) That would be a town in the sierra...where I am. So, he spoke slowly like everyone from there. So I wasn't as well off as I thought. Anyway he was apparently a Christian because when I mentioned I was a missionary he said, "oh, un hermanito", or oh a brother. But the form hermanito in this sense doesn't necessarily mean little brother but just a more affectionate term for brother. So that was pretty cool. But he asked me how long I would be there, where I would be living, and what I would be doing. So it was really cool to get to talk to them. I love when that happens, I wish I could just make myself do it more often.

After this he delivered me to the Malecón where I waited for a few minutes on Bekah. It was great to see her and to just get to walk around the area and look at stuff together. It was SO hot though. Together we went through 5 bottles of water during this day and then chugged more when we got to the Hickey's house. At the Malecón there is a beautiful garden filled with native plants and all. We wondered around it for a while and long story short, we left the garden engaged. (Sorry, not many detail from me). So then we went and had some lunch at a food court type thing and headed up the Santa Anna hill. Which was quite steep. It rivalled anything I've climed so far in Quito (even though that will probably change when I head to Pichincha). We then went to the crafts market and wandered around there for a while.

After all of this we went back to the garden and just sat there for a while then Pastor Curtis came and picked us up and took us back to their house for dinner. While we were waitng for dinner we took a walk around the area, it was so nice. Then we had dinner. It was amazing. I had missed mashed potatoes and salad with ranch dressing SO much you can't even start to imagine. After this we spent some more time together and then I had to go. They took me into the city to try to get a cab to Casa Alianza where I would be staying the night. We found a guy but it was a pirate cab so Curtis told us not to so we went over to a hotel and one of their cabbies took me. He knew the community but not the place so I had to tell him I had no idea where he was going. It was during this trip that I realized that I did not understand coastal spanish. :-( Oh well. Maybe next time. Eventually he found it and we had agreed on 7 dollars but all I had was a ten. When I handed it to him he just said Gracias (thanks) and looked away. I figured he did have to ask for directions 3 or 4 times on the street so I guess he deserved it (or at least that was my excuse for not argueing over it, I know I got took but oh well. I didn't want to argue).

Long story short, we left, got lost in Guayaquil once, then made it back safe and sound but a little late on Tuesday. So that's may story. I went, I'm now engaged!!!!!!!!!, and now I'm back to the routine.

Quinto Aniversario y el Panecillo

Well this Sunday was a wonderful one. I had to get up earlier this week because we were going to church this morning. (If you don't remember I usually go to church on Saturday, so an early Sunday is not common). But we got up and went to the Iglesia Familiar Biblica (The Biblical Family Church). The reason we were going here is because it was it's 5th anniversary. And this is the parent church to A Lot of other churches in the Quito area, including the one I go to on Saturdays. It was a packed service. It started out with some very upbeat praise and worship music. I really enjoyed it. Here they had a full praise band which was really fun to praise with. After that we had the message where the pastor went through the letter to the church at Philedelphia in Revelation. He pointed out the key things that God was blessing the church for, namely, Obedience to the word, not denying the name of Christ, and being steady and consistent in their walk with the Lord.

After this the church service went into a time of celebration. It started with some members (one of which is the pastor of the church I attend) offering some special music. After that the children came out. They all had their faces painted and were following the orders of the leader in front. I can't really remember all that they did because there was so much noise I had trouble hearing and I was real busy trying to get some pictures of it. After this some of the older kids, who had face painting only in black and white (who I told BJ looked kind of like the group KISS) did a mimed skit. It began with one in the front with his hands out to the side as if on a cross. Then various of the kids came by and changed his arm positions, putting different clothes on him or giving him some magazine to read. The in the end a girl walks by with the Bible, she corrects the figure by putting his arms and feet as if on a cross, then she bowed at his feet. So, the skit was about how easy it is to make Jesus in our image instead of being made into his. It was really powerful.

After this we had some testimonies, which due to the restleness of the crowd (since all kids were included at this point) I couldn't make it out. Crowd noise and foreign language make for a hard time. But after this we had one last skit to music this time. The praise band played, narrated, and sang a song during a skit about Daniel and the Lion's Den. It was really good but hard to see. You could tell this was the highlight because everyone got out of their seats and went to the front to watch, leaving anyone who didn't without a view. So I tried to snap pictures of it through the cracks but none are that great. But it was also a real powerful skit about how if we are faithful, God will give us the victory in one way or the other. After all of this we retreated across the road to a restaurant the church had reserved for Almuerzo. We went, had a wonderful Almuerzo with some other gringos at the church and then left.

After this all happened, we went to El Panecillo. What's that you ask? Well it is a HUGE statue of the Virgin Mary that over looks the city of Quito. We took a bus and a taxi to get up there and once up there it was an amazing view of the city. You can even, for one dollar, climb up into the statue and view from there. Too bad it was an extremely cloudy day because the view of the city was good but you really couldn't see the mountains, which would have been amazing. But while I was looking at the statue and talking with others about it, it is odd the form of Catholicism I am encountering here. Before I left, Jim McCoy gave me an article to read and in it it said this:
"When Christianity came into Latin America, many of the indigenous groups simply changed the names of their gods: they gave them Christian saints' names. But they really continued worshipping their original gods.... [In the first evangelisation] Christ was either a helpless baby, toward whom we feel affection and compassion, or a corpse, a dead body with no power or ethical demands.*"

I'm starting to see this SO much here. The panecillo statue has the Virgin as being the conqueror. She is standing on the moon, holding the serpent down while holding him by a chain, and all of this is on top of the world. And all of this is to be as a protector for the city. When I entered the presidential palace or the many cathedrals, Jesus is always portrayed as a dead corpse. While I understand that the death of Christ is really important to our faith and that in John's Gospel the crucifixion is the glorification of Jesus, the story does not end there. It goes on to a Sunday morning where Jesus was resurrected. Not just resucitated to die again. But resurrected to a life that never ends. He was and is God and he is a live and with us today. That is what the Catholic church here seems to miss a lot. That God is here...you don't just go and pay a saint to protect you. You don't just go confess your sins and then go and do it again. You don't just put a virgin statue in a box to bless the place. God is alive. He is risen and he is with us every day. I would hear people talk against the Catholics because of the crucifix and I guess for me I never understood it. I realized that the death of Christ awas a very important part of the story so I was confused. Because a lot of Catholics I read about or whose work I read I deeply respected and they lived in a way that Christ was alive and real to them in a relational form. But now I'm seeing the down side. If Christ is dead, if he is still on a cross, why bother. But if he is resurrected and alive he is our hope and salvation. (1 Corinthians 15:12-20) So this is just a little bit that I am learning and experiencing.

*From Christianity Today, August 8, 2007 edition. Interview with Ruth Padilla DeBorst

Another week

Well, so another week seems to come to an end. This week has been full of surpirses and many new sights. As for language school, things seem to be going as normal. I go, see how much I don't know, and work on learning more. The special stuff for this week was that I got to go to the Historic Center of Quito. It was amazing. The center of Quito is entirely Spanish Colonial. First stop was the presidential palace. I got to take a tour and it was very interesting. Of course the tour was in Spanish so I had to follow the best I could. A lot of the tour consisted of a display of presents given to Correa (the current president) upon his inaugaration. But there was also a HUGE 3 wall/2 story mural in memory of the sacrifice of the indiginous people when the Spanish Conquest occured.
The second place we went was La Iglesia de la Compañía (The church of the company). It was a beautiful barroque style church. While I don't agree with a lot of the Catholic ideals there such as shrines to the saints and to the Virgin Mary it was a marvelously beautiful church. It has been recently restored after being plagued by both an earthquake and a fire. But one thing that stood out to me from visiting this church was the emphasis put on actions, on doing things right, in the Catholic Church. While I believe we should strive to live upright and that our lives should be an outpouring of God's love, it was more obvious in some of the paintings that in this strain of Catholicism it is a lot more about doing the right things, about performing certain actions to get to heaven. That for many of them, it is not about having a right relationship with God, but about doing A, B, and C so that you can make it.
After going here we went to a museum about the History of Quito and the independance of Ecuador. It was very interesting but since this was my 3rd tour in Spanish I don't remember much. I was getting pretty tired by this point.
Last, before taking the Trolle back to home, we went into two more of the Catholic cathedrals, St. Francis and Santo Domingo. Both were less spectacular than the first, but they were both amazing (and more like real churches) than the first. I say more like real churches because it was obvious that the Iglesia de la Compañía was more for the tourists. I think they had mass but you times like this you have to pay admission to get in to see it. Of the other two, I think it was St. Francis that was being restored but when we went in the back door they were in the middle of a mass service. Santo Domingo was a beautiful sanctuary and there was a man playing the organ and people praying throughout the sanctuary. But there were so many cathedrals there. It was later explained that it was sort of like denominations except catholic. The three I saw were for the Jesuits (Compañía), the Franciscans, and the Dominicans. And that was only 3 out of the many, many cathedrals there. From standing in front of St. Francis you can see at least 4 or 5 cathedrals, then add to that probably 4 or 5 you can't see. And this is just in central Quito.
But in other news, today I went to church as always. It was a great service. I really enjoy going to church here. It is a small church plant that meets in a school but it is really great. Today I was struck in the middle of worship that I was singing songs in a different language. That I was using words uncommon to me, but common to God. And that all over the world songs of praise are going up to a God who understands every single one of them. And for me I was amazed to be understanding in two languages. Here's part of one of the songs:

No basta sólo con cantar Not enough only with singing
No basta sólo con decir Not enough only with telling
No es suficiente sólo It isn't sufficient only
Con querer hacer With wanting to do it.
Es necesario morir It's necessary to die.
No basta sólo con soñar Not enough only with sounding
No basta sólo con pedir Not enough only with asking
No es suficiente sólo It isn't sufficient only
Con querer tener With wanting to have it.
Es necesario morir It's necessary to die.

Dame tu vida, Give me your life,
Esa clase de vide que sabes dar This class of live that you know to give
Dame tu vida Give me your life,
Yo quiero vivir sólo para ti I want to live, only for You
Dame tu vida Give me your life
Resucítame en ti Resurrect me in You
Yo queiro vivir sólo para Ti I want to live, only for You

This was just one of the songs. It was great to sing through several songs with these people and to realize that something beautiful was happening. Something "pentecostal". Not as in the denomination, but in the beauty of language barriers being broken down. At Pentecost people were hearing in their own language, a reversal of the tower of babel. And while that reversal will not completly happen until the Kingdom of God is fully realized it is beautiful to see it start. The pastor was talking about the importance of our lives being lived as worship. He spoke on Isaiah 29:13-14 where the people were worshiping with their lips but their hearts were far from God. He then talked on the idea of worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth (from John). He said that the in Spirit part can be seen as our personal relationship with God. The closer we are to God, the more one we are with him, the more we are worshiping in spirit. Then in truth we worship by living our entire life for him. He then led to Romans 12:1 to show that our worship, is sacrificing our bodies to Christ. It was a great service, a challenging service. I'm glad that the language barrier is being broken down, so that I can worship and learn from my times at the church. Well I think that is all for now.

Off to a normal week....i guess

So starts my first 'average' week in Quito, Ecuador. On Sunday we did some sight seeing. We do church on Saturday, which is good for the touristy side of me because there are a lot less people at some places on Sundays. This week we went to Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World) which is supposedly....well....the middle of the world. It's weird how much the climate here can change so quickly due to altitude. In Quito it was a mild day, but after the short 30 minute drive to Mitad Del Mundo it was SO hot. We ate at an almuerzo place there in the park. The prices here are so cheap I feel bad for paying them sometimes. We had a potato soup with avacado for starters, then we had a plate with a good sized pork chop, rice, a broccoli carrot and choclo (sort of a big corn) mix and potatoes in some cream sauce. Then for desert we got the richest chocolate ice cream I've ever tasted. All of this with a small coke was 3 USD. It's unreal. It's like when we went to the market the first day I was here and bought 2 backpack fulls of fresh fruit and veggies for less than 20USD. It's rediculous. But anyway...

Mitad del Mundo was great. It was interesting to know that I was walking in and out of the northern and southern hemispheres over and over again. It is here that if you put water in a basin and let it out, it goes straight down the hole...and doesn't spin either direction. Ok,....I'm a dork but I think that's pretty cool.

Other than that, this Monday was the day I was going to register with migration. We got what we thought was all the paperwork needed and after my language school we went off to the Department of Migration. What I was hoping to do there was to register with the country and to receive my censo (the Ecuadorian equivalent to a Green Card) and my salida (which is permission to leave the country.) Well we got there and there was no line, so we thought, hey this will be great. But....we forgot (we being everyone who works with OMS in Quito area) that before I can receive my Censo I have to have some other person stamp my passport. So apparently there is a contest to see how many times my passport can be stamped by one country for the same trip. So far they're winning by leaps and bounds. I'm not sure why my Visa stamp and the Immigration stamp in the airport don't work, but for some reason there must be a third stamp from the extranjeria to show that I really in fact do have permission to be here. So after this mild dissappointment we went across the street (and by across the streat I mean run like mad for our lives) to El Jardin, one of the local malls. We ate in the food court which was fabulous. McDonalds never tasted so good. Partially because this was, I think 2 or 3 in the afternoon so I was starved, and I just really wanted a hamburger. Then I had a coffee drink from a coffee shop in the food court which was AMAZING. So if you don't know, Ecuadorians grow coffee...they don't drink it. If they do it's instant, which I can bear...but it is not enjoyed.

Anyway, I have to deliver some papers to OMS's lawyer tomorrow so that He can in turn try to get said 3rd stamp into my passport. So hopefully this will work without any snags and I will have a censo and salida soon. Please be in prayer that this all goes smoothly. Everyone I've talked to, including Ecuadorians, says that paperwork is a bad part of their government. It never seems to go as planned. So please be in prayer.

Thanks A Bunch.

Typical Saturday....just the first one though

So today was what will become a typical Saturday. I got up later than normal...but not too late because the wonderfully strong Ecuadorian sun come beaming directly through my window and into the large mirror in the room. So no matter which direction I face...the sun is in my eyes. But anyway, I got up, had breakfast with the family here, then got ready and headed off to the MetroBus. I got to Calderon at about 11:30 and went to Chifa for lunch. I think I'll be ok if I never eat Chinese food from a Chifa again. It was ok except I take a drink out of my straw...and then I'm told, "I generally don't use mine...they are bad for reusing them here...see there's some dirt in mine." Great...thanks for the warning. The food was ok...once you put enough soy sauce and watered down ketchup on it.

Later on I went to a 'house' church. House church in mentality but it meets in one of the local schools instead of a house. It was a good service. At first I was given an incomplete song book so I just had to sit there and listen and wonder what they were saying. After that he told us to stand up for the next song so I was able to sneak over and get a complete song book. The songs were all new to me, unlike Honduras where there were one or two songs translated from English. But the message was good, and I actually did understand quite a bit of it...I was proud. He talked about the importance of the house in the early church. He talked about how the people came together in the temple but that they met in the houses for the breaking of bread and fellowship. Then he pointed out that it was by this community that people began to see and come to know Christ. They said that a vision of their church is to have a church "en cada comunidad". (In every community) So they went through and listed every community they could think of in Calderon and then he had everyone close their eyes and imagine everyone in all of those areas without hope. It was really good. I think it is from this group of people worshiping at a school that they hope to raise up leaders to make this vision a reality.

Well, after church, I got back on the bus and headed back to Quito. I talked with the Pastor of the church on the bus some (in Spanish I may say....of course not perfect....but in spanish) and it looks like I may be able to play guitar with him some for worship. I just need to get a guitar and find i time that the two of us can meet somewhere.

Thanks for all the prayers!

It's Friday

Well, after a few trips to language school I'm starting to see how pecuiliar the people of Quito can be. Of course they are people just like us but there are a few interesting things I've noticed. On both bus rides from my language school in downtown Quito, I've learned that, while there are your normal beggars, most of those who beg do something for the money. It's interesting stuff, but on the last two bus rides back to the house we've had live musical entertainment. The first day was two guys with guitars singing and playing...while standing...on a moving bus. Very good. Today it was a boy and what appeared to be his older brother rapping. One would beat box while the other would rap. Then...after they're done, they walk around the bus asking for money.

I've also learned that the bus is a place of commerce. Everyday someone comes on the bus selling chocolate or produce or papers. But the last thing that has intrigued me is some of the campaign tactics. So that you're up to speed, they are in the middle of a huge election to elect an assembly to rewrite their constitution. And the other day, I was in Marcia's car and was approached by some mimes handing out fliers. and if you didn't take it they would mime crying and consoling each other. Also, their tv ads for politics do nothing but try to sell to cheap slogans. Probably much like ours. But one thing I've noticed is that, as much as I've said I don't like the bipartisan system (because everyone can't align with 2 parties) I'm seeing more and more how wise that system is. For these elections they have more than 300 parties, each running at least 3 candidates if not many many more. There is no way that a person can know who to vote for, unless a mime hands you a flier. There are so many parties that they just go by numbers. "Vote 64" or "vote 35" are the kinds of signs you see around And the people are required by law to vote, if not they lose a lot of their rights as citizens. So people just turn in a balot, generally "accidentaly" voting for too many people, voiding their balot but retaining their rights.

So be in prayer for these elections. Ecuador is a country of instability and from talking to just a couple people you can tell that these elections are just adding to that sense of insecurity. It's also a country of vast wealth....and extreme poverty. So please, be in prayer.

Primer día de escuela

Well here we are. I had my first day of language school and I have moved in with my host family. But before I go there I must say that I have finally seen some of the Andean Giant Mountains. I'm of course surrounded by mountains that are probably 10 or 11,000 feet tall but the clouds have been blocking the BIG ones. So yesterday, on the way home from the city, on the bus, the clouds broke and I got to see Cayambe, Antisana, and Cotopaxi. I've gotten a peak at Pichincha, the closest, but still not a good look. Sadly, since I was on the bus home I don't have any photos of them.... :-(

Anywho, this morning I got up early and went to northern downtown Quito to a cafe called the Mango Tree, where the language school is. And it is the first time I got to see gringos like myself (other than BJ, Andi, and Eli). But anywho, I took a test and was placed into Intermediate spanish. I have a personal tutor and homework already. But already I can listen and speak better. It's still a challenge but I can do it. And this blog is almost my only English escape. So much now will have to be in Spanish.

But after school, I came back and moved in with my host family in N. Quito. Their house is amazing and it has hot water so I don't have to use the widowmaker showerheads that I'm sure will be in my apartment in Cuenca when I get there. But I got moved in and had almuerzo with the family at 2:30ish. Then....drum roll please....I helped with the dishes. (Mom, please don't pass out). But anyway, tomorrow I get to learn the bus route thats gets me to there from here and I can learn more and more spanish. But oh well... that's about all I have right now.

A San Gabriel

Well today was another long day. We arose this morning at 4:30 so that we could leave for the town of San Gabriel by 5. We were on the road by then for our three hour trek to the north. We got on our way smoothly enough. We were riding along, and thanks to a generous cup of coffee I was awake enough to be snapping endless pictures out of the car window. Then the bad sign number one happened when BJ and Andi's son threw up in his car seat and partially on my leg. It wasn't too big of a deal but it was just the beginning of a long, tiring, and for him an unhappy day.

I personally enjoyed myself except for the fact that it is now 11:15ish and we just got back home from a trip that should have lasted until 2. See, the trip was for BJ and Andi to get their driver's licenses and this was their second trip to do so. The first time they were told (after driving 3 hours) that they had to have the embassy stamp a piece of paper saying that their licenses were in fact USA licenses. So we got to San Gabriel this morning and the fun began. They had to do this and that and jump through this hoop and sit and stay in order to please the Ecuadorians. Part of me understands that it's just their law, I mean if they came to the states wanting a license they would have to do the same thing here, but it was unreal. We were one of the first people in the office today and next to last to leave. They told us to leave at one point and come back at 3pm (this was probably 10ish) because the town doctor who does the eye exams was at the first day of school checking the kids out. So they suggested we go see "el bosque."

So we went but on the way we were thinking....oohhhh....wow....a forest. Never seen one of those before. But we got there and it was amazing. We didn't hike the entire trail because I was panting heavily from my first hike in the Andes (oh yeah...and it was freezing for a side note) and the ground was incredibly muddy. But the forest was thick. At parts it looked like jungle and the trees were unique. There was a sign saying the only other one like it was in Argentina. Whenever I get a chance to put pictures up I will.

But after that we decided to get the oil changed in the car since we weren't able to the night before (oh yeah...big side note..but after I blogged yesterday it turns out that Bekah and I got to see each other. We met at Terminal Terrestre, the main Quito bus stations. It's one of those places where everyone knows where it is but you aren't supposed to be there after dark.....so we met there after dark. But we each had our escorts of course. That's a fun story too of BJ and myself flagging down the night bus from Otavalo having to stand part way, sitting next to someones lunch...after they ate it...and then having to walk the last block to the bus station. But it was worth it) But back to the oil change. On the way our Ecuadorian Guide Francisco who was from this area decided to stop in on some old aquantances. So we stopped and prayed with them. Had a Bible study and some bread and coffee (the sweetest, as in sugar not amazingness, I've ever had). So we left there for the service place. And while the guy was changing the oil and we decided to go the unmarked restaurant that was attached to the service place. We go in and I had my first ever Almuerzo Tipico (Typical Lunch). They're not always the same but they always include soup and main course. Today was a beef potato soup, and mine had the large bone of a cow floating in it. It was ok. Then main course was beef on rice with some bean mixture that i can't remember the name of. It was mushy and even though it was brown all I could taste was cilantro. To drink was some very sweet, hot, oat mealy, thing that was ok but not a favorite. So my first almuerzo tipico was ok but nothing I'd scramble to get again. So lunch for four was 7.80 USD and the oil change (including a filter, we provided the oil) was 3 USD. That guy worked for almost an hour on the car and threw in a free car wash. He deserved so much more.

So after this we went back the the license place and waited...waited...waited...waited...waited...waited...waited...waited...waited...waited...waited....waited...waited.
You know it's bad when Ecuadorian with us is fed up with waiting. But long story short, they got their licenses, praise God. Then we headed back. We stopped in Otavalo for our dinner at a KFC which the fact that the serve chicken is the only commonality with the US version. Their meals come with either fries or rice and aforementioned brown mushy goop. And the chicken had a distinct Ecuadorian flavor. But I think the hardest thing I'll have to get used to is the fact that meals here are served with only one really small glass of drink. And I'm used to chugging 3-4 glasses of sweet tea per meal...now I'm having to sip a small cup of sweet, oat mealy type stuff (or Pepsi at the KFC). But the rest of the trip went well. We were stopped at a police check point and they asked who we were. They were told that we were American Evangelical Christian Missionaires and so we were asked to pull over and show paperwork. So we showed our Passports and all was well. I don't know if that's standard for foreigners or not. But I do know what it's like to the the one person in a group who doesn't know what's going on. Everyone in the car was fluent in Spanish except me. So I mostly just sat and picked up what I could. I talked with Francisco a couple of times but he had to help me understand what he was saying. But oh well....I'm tired. I've been up and going for a while and I'm tired. Thanks for all of your prayers.

In Quito

Well I'm finally here. I arrived in Quito and got through customs and immigration late last night early this morning caught a cab with BJ and spent the night at the OMS Guest House in N. Quito. After a partial night's sleep thanks to the party across the way and the altitude, I got up at about 7:30 and showered and had breakfast. After that I started my day and it hasn't stopped until just now. So far today I have ridden 4 buses, 1 taxi, and walked at least 2 miles if not more.

I caught the metrobus...the nicest one that runs off clear stops....to the main station where I caught the bus to Calderon (the town/suburb of Quito where I am for the next few days). After about an hourish on the buses we got off at Aki, a local grocery store, to buy some stuff for lunch. IT was the busiest place I've ever seen, just a wash of people buying food. And then we headed on into calderon proper..which meant we got right into the middle of Sunday Market. Everyone from Quito seems to flock to Calderon every sunday for the market to get fresh produce and meat. First of all we came to the house where I'm staying until i move in with my host family but shortly after we were navigating the mass market. I've never seen pig heads, pig hooves, chickens, chocolate, coffee, fruits (of every sort), vegetables, clothes, shoes, knives, farm equipment, DVDs, CDs, cut flowers all being sold in one place with such gusto. But anyway...we bought all the produce necessary and I bought four pieces of chocolate from the guy who saw gringo as the easy target. But It was only a dollar so it was worth it.

We then came back and dropped off the produce (and chocolate) realized we forgot eggs. Andi then went out and got some eggs for lunch. (For those who don't know which is probably a few of you, I'm living with BJ and Andi right now) So she returned and we took off for the grocery store. We had to walk probably a mile to the Pan-American HWY and flag down a bus. We then took the bus to one super market where Andi got off to do some shopping and BJ and I continued to the SuperMaxi, a slightly more expensive store with more selection so some things just have to be bought there.....like bacon and cherios and peanut butter. WEll we then took a bus back to the other store and went in. SInce we had bags you have to check them at the front and they give you a number. THis goes for any bags actually, possibly even purses. WEll long story short, we finished groceries and then headed to the taxi to take us back to the house. ON the way back the cab driver said it was obvious i had just arrived because I was still too white. Um yea....hopefully that won't change. The other option is bright red which is rather uncomfortable. Well after that BJ and I scarfed down some lunch and walked at least a mile if not a lot more to a house church. On the way we get a call that someone is sick and they had to take them to the hospital so there would only be BJ, myself, and his trainee who was taking pointers to lead next time so we just went, helped out around the place a bit, then headed back.....walking of course. And now I'm here. Tomorrow morning I'll be leaving the house at 5:00AM to go north 3 hours to some village that I can't remember so that BJ and Andi can get their Ecuadorian Driver's licenses. Thank you all for all of your prayers. They have been felt and have been transformative.