Well, more or less one week down. I know it's only Thursday but this is my day off so it feels like the weekend. Things are off to a great start. On Sunday I went to a party at one of the Church members houses. It started at 10 and didn't end until about 5 or so that evening. It was a fun time. It was this churches 'fiesta de multiplicacion', or multiplication party. The idea is that this is the point when, what has now been one church will now multiply into three now that leaders are ready to lead. The party was fun. We had pollo asado (rotissere chicken) over a fire that was started with charcoal and floor wax! We then had a program time where we had videos of pictures from the past time in the church and had games and all. It was a great time to start to learn the people of the church. After Tom and Susan Stiles (other missionaries in the area) dropped me off at my house, I went for a little walk in the rain. Just trying to learn the area and to look for a place to check my email. I was a little bummed since the next day was my birthday and all but it was good just to walk.
Well the next day (Monday) I met with Patricio (the local pastor of the house churches) and we sort of went over the vision of the church plants and ways that I would be working. I talked about how I loved to work with young people and would love to see how that could fit into the vision and he was very open to that. We then went for a walk to find the Campus Crusade offices here to pick up some copies of the Jesus Video. We got there....and they were closed. So we wandered around for a while and then eventually headed back to our area and I went home. I spend the rest of the day in the apartment more or less until that night when we had a meeting with the new leaders of the various new house churches. Patricio did some teaching on bible studies and leadership qualities then we went around and shared our visions. Then the one couple, whom Patricio said I would be working with the closest, said that their dream was to see a church of jóvenes (youth) and they shared their dreams about this. I was SO happy. After hearing that Patricio asked me to share some of what I had talked about that morning so I did. So now it looks like I will continue to work closely with these two both doing youth ministry here but also training this couple in what youth ministry is and how to do it. So that is really exciting.
Other than that this week I've mostly just shadowed Patricio around. We've done visits in the lingerie store where we had church and discipleship at the 12 de abril produce market. We've had one house church meeting and the past two days we've had 6:30 AM prayer meetings! Talk about early....I actually overslept this morning and only made it on time thanks to a cabbie! Things are really off to a good start. I have upcoming meetings with various people, including a pregnant 16 year old and mayber her boyfriend. Please be in prayer for that. It is so common to have that happen here, but I just hope and pray that that won't be the excuse and that it will be a time of awakening. Also pray that these people here will truly understand what it means to follow Christ. To accept his salvation, this gift of grace, and then to live our life in that light and that truth. Thanks so much for your prayers!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
New City, New Apartment, and Thanksgiving
Wow, there really has been a lot that has happened since I last blogged. For starters I have finally arrived at my ministry site here in Cuenca, Ecuador. I arrived here on Saturday then the fun began. On Sunday I attended the store front church with the pastor I will be working with. The missionaries and I went at 8 in the morning to a lingerie store in downtown Cuenca. Yes....a lingerie store and had a worship service with the people there. It was interesting to be singing praise songs with a display of boxers in the background. But it was also a good lesson in the fact that God can show up anywhere that we are gathered together in his name.
Then after that service, in the afternoon, Patricio and I went apartment shopping. We wandered the streets of Cuenca looking for signs that said for rent in the windows. ... The target cost?.....150 a month. Needless to say I searched then...all day Monday and finally got a place on Tuesday, the day before my stuff arrived. Out of all of this, the best story was a woman landlord I called and set up a meeting with at 9:00 AM. Tom and I go to look at the place and she isn't there. We call...no answer. This goes on all morning. I finally call later on after lunch and she tells me, "yeah...i waited for you and you never came...what happened? I had to go" So we don't really know what happened. there. But then I had it narrowed down to two apartments and when I went to make my decision i realized that one apartment was well charred due to a car fire below. It wasn't destroyed but well charred. SO I took that as a sign and went with the other apartment. it is by no means a life of luxury but it is sufficient and will do.
Next day was move in day. And needless to say mostly all went well...until that night. I take the bus back and lo and behold....the bedroom key doesn't work! I was locked out of my own bedroom! So needless to say, after several attempts of gently breaking into my own apartment I finally lost patience and took a large table leg and beat the door handle into submission until it gave up and I entered my bedroom. Other than that all has went fairly well. The apt. is close to being complete and with new doorknobs and soon I will post some pictures of my new abode here in Cuenca.
In other news I had thanksgiving here with probably about 10 other missionaries. Needless to say, it is one of the few groups where you can sit around afterwards playing card games and telling Christian jokes that everyone gets and everyone laughs at. Well i know that I have probably forgotten 10 million things but this week has been a whirlwind. But please be praying for me as I meet with the Pastor tomorrow to start to work out what this next month will look like before I travel home for Christmas. Also, please continually keep Cuenca in your prayers. Thanks!
Then after that service, in the afternoon, Patricio and I went apartment shopping. We wandered the streets of Cuenca looking for signs that said for rent in the windows. ... The target cost?.....150 a month. Needless to say I searched then...all day Monday and finally got a place on Tuesday, the day before my stuff arrived. Out of all of this, the best story was a woman landlord I called and set up a meeting with at 9:00 AM. Tom and I go to look at the place and she isn't there. We call...no answer. This goes on all morning. I finally call later on after lunch and she tells me, "yeah...i waited for you and you never came...what happened? I had to go" So we don't really know what happened. there. But then I had it narrowed down to two apartments and when I went to make my decision i realized that one apartment was well charred due to a car fire below. It wasn't destroyed but well charred. SO I took that as a sign and went with the other apartment. it is by no means a life of luxury but it is sufficient and will do.
Next day was move in day. And needless to say mostly all went well...until that night. I take the bus back and lo and behold....the bedroom key doesn't work! I was locked out of my own bedroom! So needless to say, after several attempts of gently breaking into my own apartment I finally lost patience and took a large table leg and beat the door handle into submission until it gave up and I entered my bedroom. Other than that all has went fairly well. The apt. is close to being complete and with new doorknobs and soon I will post some pictures of my new abode here in Cuenca.
In other news I had thanksgiving here with probably about 10 other missionaries. Needless to say, it is one of the few groups where you can sit around afterwards playing card games and telling Christian jokes that everyone gets and everyone laughs at. Well i know that I have probably forgotten 10 million things but this week has been a whirlwind. But please be praying for me as I meet with the Pastor tomorrow to start to work out what this next month will look like before I travel home for Christmas. Also, please continually keep Cuenca in your prayers. Thanks!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Brief Updates and a Little News
Hey Everyone! I don't know if you all heard about it or if it has made news in the US, but there was a 6.7 earthquake last night at about 10:12. First reports are that there were no injuries and no major damage but it is still pretty early. I didn't feel anything here in Quito but it apparently shook Guayaquil pretty good (and don't worry, Bekah is OK)! So please be praying for anything that may come from this. This is the third earthquake to hit Eastern South America in months. First was Peru, then Chili, and now Ecuador. Here is the AP report.
And here is the USGS report.
Secondly, I'll be moving to Cuenca tomorrow, so please be praying about that as I fly down there tomorrow. Also, that means my address has changed, it is now:
Blake Hart
OMS International
Casilla 01-05-1847
Cuenca, Ecuador
South America
Thank you all for your prayers and support. They are well needed down here.
And here is the USGS report.
Secondly, I'll be moving to Cuenca tomorrow, so please be praying about that as I fly down there tomorrow. Also, that means my address has changed, it is now:
Blake Hart
OMS International
Casilla 01-05-1847
Cuenca, Ecuador
South America
Thank you all for your prayers and support. They are well needed down here.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Only 2 More Weeks
Well I had a really good trip this past weekend. This past weekend BJ and Andi Williamson were moving to their new home at Camp Pallatanga and I went with them to help them move in and paint the house. On Friday, Andi and I drove into Guayaquil to get some groceries for their house and also to pick up Bekah to bring her to Pallatanga (although she didn't know I was coming with Andi to pick her up). After this we returned to the camp and began to work. We worked all day more or less on Saturday and got almost all of their house painted. Then, we were going to finish up on Sunday morning and catch a bus to Guayaquil that evening but then we were reminded that this weekend was a holiday weekend so all the buses would be full. Therefore we had to leave early to try to catch a bus. There were actually two holidays this past week. They were Dia de los Muertos and La independencia del Cuenca (Day of the Dead and Cuenca's Independence day). The problem was the first one. Many indigenous people travel to their hometowns for Dia de los muertos and for this reason they all travel back on Sunday. We were actually refused trips by three buses because they were full....which is saying something in Ecuador if a bus is full! Finally Bekah and I caught a bus to Guayaquil that had space...which meant we were standing up on rough mountainous roads heading out of the Andes mountains. We stood for probably about two and a half to three hours before seats opened up for us. Then eventually two seats opened up side by side so we could sit together for the last 30 minutes or so of the trip. Needless to say we got to Guayaquil's crazy, confusing bus terminal at about 3:30ish. We then commenced to follow the masses hoping they would lead to the main building of the terminal so that we could buy my ticket to Quito. Needless to say, in Guayaquil, this consists of crossing a very, very large road, walking through a market type area, then eventually arriving at a room of probably 100 booths offering bus tickets. Luckily mine was right at the entrance so we bought my 8 dollar ticket and headed to the pickup point where Pastor Curtis was going to pick us up.
I then spent a lot of the evening just being with Bekah, talking about our wedding, planning some, checking email, fixing dinner (although my help was minimal) then going for a walk. It was a well needed day! Then they took me to Terminal Terristre at about 9:30ish and i wondered around trying to find the exit gate i needed. They apparently forgot that with about 30-50 buses leaving at once that they should print that on the ticket. I finally asked a guard and he told me where to go. Although I think he just told me something to get rid of me, needless to say it was right. Then I got to the gate...forgetting that even though I have a ticket I have to pay 10 cents to get to the bus...but it has to be a dime...nothing else. And for all the change I had I had no dimes so I finally got out two nickels and went to the gate to ask the guy if I could get through or where I could get change. He discretely pointed to his buddy who, after a brief conversation, opened the side gate and motioned for me to discretely put the 10 cents in his hand...so needless to say that is probably 10 cents that didn't make it to the terminal. But oh well, so things go sometimes.
Well I finally found my bus, got patted down and had my bags searched and then was allowed on the bus. I promptly dozed off once the bus went and was awakened by a police officer walking down the aisle. Everyone was getting off the bus and I assumed it was a police search, which it was. I got off the bus, showed a cop my copies of my passport and censo, was patted down again and had my bag searched again, then he more or less just walked away without saying anything to me. I bought some water from one of the kids selling it there at the police check and then got back on board. And headed home. Needless to say the rest was flawless, from getting to the Imbabura (bus line) office and catching a cab, to going to school and fighting the sleep off until now.
I know only have 2 weeks left here in Quito. Then I will be heading to Cuenca to settle in and to shadow the pastor around for a while. I'm really looking forward to it all. Your prayers are appreciated as I finish school and as I make the move to living alone in Cuenca. I hope that all is well in the states!!!
I then spent a lot of the evening just being with Bekah, talking about our wedding, planning some, checking email, fixing dinner (although my help was minimal) then going for a walk. It was a well needed day! Then they took me to Terminal Terristre at about 9:30ish and i wondered around trying to find the exit gate i needed. They apparently forgot that with about 30-50 buses leaving at once that they should print that on the ticket. I finally asked a guard and he told me where to go. Although I think he just told me something to get rid of me, needless to say it was right. Then I got to the gate...forgetting that even though I have a ticket I have to pay 10 cents to get to the bus...but it has to be a dime...nothing else. And for all the change I had I had no dimes so I finally got out two nickels and went to the gate to ask the guy if I could get through or where I could get change. He discretely pointed to his buddy who, after a brief conversation, opened the side gate and motioned for me to discretely put the 10 cents in his hand...so needless to say that is probably 10 cents that didn't make it to the terminal. But oh well, so things go sometimes.
Well I finally found my bus, got patted down and had my bags searched and then was allowed on the bus. I promptly dozed off once the bus went and was awakened by a police officer walking down the aisle. Everyone was getting off the bus and I assumed it was a police search, which it was. I got off the bus, showed a cop my copies of my passport and censo, was patted down again and had my bag searched again, then he more or less just walked away without saying anything to me. I bought some water from one of the kids selling it there at the police check and then got back on board. And headed home. Needless to say the rest was flawless, from getting to the Imbabura (bus line) office and catching a cab, to going to school and fighting the sleep off until now.
I know only have 2 weeks left here in Quito. Then I will be heading to Cuenca to settle in and to shadow the pastor around for a while. I'm really looking forward to it all. Your prayers are appreciated as I finish school and as I make the move to living alone in Cuenca. I hope that all is well in the states!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
