An Ecuadorian Mission Experience

Hey there folks! (don't forget to check out pics below the text)

We have been hanging out in Quito, Ecuador for just over 48 hours, and it is so surreal sometimes. This is an amazing place. The people, the culture, the food...it all is so new and fascinating, and we just can't get enough of it. The group has been amazing! Their willingness to serve and be a blessing to each other and every person that we have come in contact with has been awe inspiring.

Quito is beautiful. Our hostal sits on the side of a mountain and overlooks the valley that Quito sits in. The view is breathtaking. Their are three volcanoes that can be seen from our hostal, and they are all snow topped. Clouds roll in and out of the city. One minute it feels so very warm, and the next you are throwing a jacket on. It almost sounds like a joke, but the sun is actually brighter here. The UV rating is through the roof, so we stay lathered up with sunscreen. The city has a constant motion to it, and the drivers are crazy. Traffic laws, like stop signs, are really more like suggestions, and pedestrians do not have the right of way. Amazing.

Below in the photo album are some pics from our travels on Thursday, and other pics from our tour of old town and the Basilica. The Basilica was huge and awesome. We were able to climb all through it, including to the top of one of the steeples/spires. The view was breath-taking. The most sobering part of the day, though, happened while we visited one of the more well-known plazas. A couple little girls approached us to buy scarfs and other hand made items. One of the girls was about 7, and the younger could not have been 2. It was sad because their mother stood nearby, watching them, and she also coached them. She was using her chilren's cute factor to sell things. This didnt' sit well, but at the same time, it is their family's only means to survival. It proved to be one of those moments filled with tension, and you never know what to really do with it. Still thinking that over.

Today we traveled to Carmen Bajo, a community on a hill. The people we amazing. They were so happy to have us there. They eagerly greeted us, and quickly dove into singing and sharing. Two of the church members shared their testimonies/faith stories. They were fairly intense, detailing substance abuse and broken families that were getting ready to completely fall apart. The shared that through God's great grace and mercy, their lives were saved and their families were changed.

The work we performed today was somewhat miscellaneous. We used wheelbarrows to move dirt from the road to the first floor. Next a group shoveled sand into buckets, and then raise it the top floor. They then dumped it on the top floor to make concrete at a later date. We also moved wood around, and dug out a space for sidewalk pavers. There were other numerous miscellaneous jobs were performed. In the midst of all the crazy work, we interacted with the kids and people of Carmen Bajo. The kids loved the bubbles we brought!

In the afternoon, we went to a local park and played games with the kids of Carmen Bajo and other surrounding neighborhoods. We played soccer, basketball, volleyball, and duck duck goose. It was a park unlike any park that we have in the US, but it was a happy place. It was a place where the neighbothood hung out. The kids loved the games and attention, and we took time to try to get to know them.

Well, there is so very much I want to write, but I am just tooooo tired. I can't keep my eyes open and tomorrow will be a long day. Stay posted to the blog now that we have access to it. God bless and keep us in your prayers. Hasta luego!

blessings,
dorian