Last Night In Quito

We had dinner with the Erazo's as well as Rosa and Quinya from the Compassion staff team, delicious Tex-Mex and ice cream cake, and then we looked at my 1000+ iPhone photos together from this most amazing month.

Bags are packed and tomorrow we head to the airport at 6:20 am to catch our Miami flight.

Farewell, Quito, Hasta Pronto!

Where Has The Time Gone?

In 2 days, our Quito adventure draws to a close. In 9 days, my sabbatical also concludes and life returns to the 'normal' that seems like a distant memory.

The proverb "All good things must
come to an end" has been on my mind lately. We have had an abundance of Good Things over the past months, and especially this July in our time here in Quito. My heart is full of thanks to God.

Was this trip easy? Kinda sorta. As we expected, we had some sickness to deal with during our time here. Fatigue, some fairly minor stomach ailments (a polite word that encompasses diarrhea and it's evil twin, constipation), colds, sinus issues (take 9,000 feet plus of altitude, add various types of weather and dryness, mix in Quito's horrible air quality, and you get lots of yucky, achy ugh). Dealing with 'Tiempo Latino' and unpredictable plans and schedules wore us down from time to time. And then there were those moments when someone was just missing friends at home or some other familiar thing, or someone had had enough people and excitement and sight-seeing for one day and was just plain cranky. We reminded ourselves that we would have faced these issues whether we were in Quito or in Waterloo, so may as well face them here!

But that's only a smaller part of the whole picture. Here are some Good Things that come to mind that made the trip pure joy:

- the love and care of the Erazo family for us and all they have done to make our time here the best possible experience. Saying goodbye on Tuesday morning is going to be hard for all of us.
- time with missionary friends and acquaintances - the Estevez's, the Ronquillos, the Jensens, the Saavedras, plus getting to know the Vivancos and Brad Miller. What a varied group of people, different ages and stages, but we've discovered that they, like us, have hopes and dreams and wonderings about where God is leading them and what he wants to do in and through them. They all took us under their wings and graciously offered whatever help they could to the Canadian family visiting for a month.
- What words can describe the sights we have seen? The bustling, always fascinating city of Quito, the mountains, volcanic lakes, quaint villages nestled among titanic snowcaps, the flowers that bloom in a never-ending torrent all year long, the exotic fruits, the beaches, the antique architecture of La Ronda like something out of a pirate movie. This was truly a vacation of epic proportions in so many ways!
- Carmen Bajo. The focus of our ministry, and the saints both young and old who give their lives to continue to build and to be a community of faith in the midst of hapless chaos. Each time we went to the Project or the church, or to an event organized for the kids or the young people, we looked forward to greeting them warmly in the typical Ecuadorian fashion. Hugs and a kiss on the cheek for the ladies, hugs and a handshake for the men. The culture here is polite but also VERY warm. I will miss it when we get back to our more reserved Canadian culture. I
can't hope to include every name here, but here are a host of the good people we count as dear friends: Rosa, Quinya, Rocio, Patricia, Vicenta, Maria, Laura Sr., Laura Jr.. Liz, Esperanza, Ruben, Isabel, Carolina, Victor, Andres, Faviola, Daniel, Lupe, Jose Manuel, and so many others.
- The Kids. Some kids we managed to learn and remember their names. As often as possible we would greet them by name. To see them brighten at being recognized was reward enough. To see Amanda and Kayleigh playing and interacting with various ones throughout the month was so cool.
- The Creekside and Grace Bible Chapel teams. Time spent alongside both amazing teams was rich and rewarding as we got to know others better in serving alongside each other. That's one of the real blessings of being part of The Church. Our common faith in the One who brought us all together bonds us into one Body.
- Worship in two languages. I'm getting more adept at switching mid-song from Spanish to English! Having the guitar handy has been a joy. I
fulfill something very unique and special in my calling when I lead worship in song. This morning I led a
circle of over 70 people from two cultures in worship to the same Lord and Saviour of us all. It was a joy and a privilege! I am also amazed and blessed to see a passion for worship among young people here in Quito. There is so much awesome music and songs being written and sung in Latin America, yes, they also love Hillsong United like we do, but they also have some equally great voices of their own!

Tomorrow is our last Sunday in Carmen Bajo, and Monday we pack and see and do a few final things, spending every minute possible with the Erazo family, before this Good Thing draws to a close. We will be thoughtful and prayerful as we return to our home and native land to finish out the rest of the summer and look ahead to what will undoubtedly be a challenging Fall.

And we will never forget this past
month in Quito.

A Sad Day in Carmen Bajo

Wednesday afternoon was, for me, the most emotionally difficult experience of our trip so far. It was the day that Rocio and her family buried her 27 year old son Danny, who was suddenly and tragically taken in a car accident over the weekend.

There had been a viewing and a service on Tuesday night at the church, and over 300 people had turned out, way more than could fit into the sanctuary. Fabian asked me to bring my guitar and lead some singing, which was, as it always is when I am asked to provide music for funeral services, an opportunity to hopefully bless a family in grief and to help provide comfort in those moments. Monday night's service was a subdued event. Our dear friend Rocio, who normally exudes a warm and serene joy, looked understandably drawn and tired, but she was surrounded by family, friends and fellow-church members as many came at the end of the service to pay last respects to a young man everyone thought the world of.

The evening service was mainly a message from Pastor Fabian, followed by singing and a viewing line for the casket and condolences for the family. We left around 10 pm, but I understood the next morning that family remained with the body overnight to keep vigil.

The next day, Wednesday, dawned warm and sunny, and we met up with the team from Grace Church in Guelph for their first morning in Carmen Bajo. God's timing in the middle of this tragedy is evident, as their team construction project this week is to pour the floor and the supports for a house for Ronsanjella, one of Rocio's daughters who has three children of her own, and who has had some recent serious health issues. Ronsanjella and her kids are
currently living with Rocio, and the death of Danny has put a further strain on all of them living in close quarters. Hopefully the team can be an encouragement to the family to help get construction well under way.

The burial was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, and again Fabian asked me to be ready to lead singing. Sending the girls and Carina back to our apartment, I headed with many others back to the church. Again the place was packed for another service, in which we sang, Fabian again preached, and we also heard from grandmother Isabel and also from Rocio. She has had a year of trial after trial, and this latest blow, the loss of the son she felt closest to, must be almost impossible to cope with. Rocio spoke through tears of how this has been a year of chastisement for her personally, but she still puts her trust and hope in Christ and that God will somehow redeem what has been lost.

There is a moment in a funeral proceeding when the finality of what has happened has to set in. It's usually when the casket is closed and the body begins it's final journey. At the end of the service there was a noticeable agitation among the large gathering of family as the young men stepped forward to carry the casket to the rented truck for the drive to the El Batan mausoleum. Everyone either hitched a ride or took public transit to get there, about 20 minutes from the church. Again Fabian asked me to bring the guitar for the committal service. I was the only gringo now, standing out I'm sure in the sea of Quiteno faces. Santi drove a carload of us to El Batan and we parked, and then waited for the casket to arrive.

Danny was to be interred in the mausoleum, and it was my first time in such a place. Danny's final resting place was at the top level of one of the walls, and the casket was going to need to be lifted up by his family members via a scaffold-stairway that looked secure enough, except that this part of the wall was on an incline. We were nervous as we looked at this arrangement, wondering how easy it was going to be to safely get the casket into the tomb amidst the growing crush of mourners. Santi and I held back a bit with Fabian as I figured out the chords for a well-known Spanish chorus that Fabian suggested for when the time came.

After several minutes of waiting, the family arrived, Danny's casket on the shoulders of 8 of his brothers, relatives and friends. You could hear
the wailing echoing down the white halls as they wound down the circular ramp ways, and there was a
growing sense of anguish and dread as they approached the scaffold.

This was when everything really
broke. Everyone began to cry and
wail as the casket was carefully but precariously lifted up onto the stairs. At this moment a couple of the family members began shrieking and pushing towards the casket, not wanting to let go. There was a real moment of near hysteria and I saw Fabian and Grace and other members of the family trying to restrain and comfort those who were in utter anguish. Everything was made all the more intense with the
precarious position the scaffolding
was in, plus the fact that the ramp way had a 12-foot drop on one side with only a 1-foot abutment. If anyone had lost their balance, we would have had a serious injury on our hands.

My heart, all of our hearts, went out to the family in those moments. Canadian funerals, at least in my family and culture, are rather subdued affairs. I was not prepared for the anguish, the screams, the hand-wringing, and the intense yelling as at one point one of Danny's sisters had to be physically restrained.

In that moment, I recalled the
story of Lazarus, and of Jesus, when He finally approached the tomb
of His dear friend, and how it says "Jesus wept", but we understand it to mean He cried out in deepest anguish.
It is one of the most moving records of Jesus, in His humanity, feeling the very same desolation in the face of death that we do, that these dear ones were feeling in the last moments they had with what remained of a dear brother, son and friend.

The casket was somehow safely lifted, hoisted, turned and then slid into the hole in the wall, and a worker immediately stepped up, placed the white sealing stone and mortared it into place. In this mausoleum, some seals are ornately designed headstones with sculptured or painted portraits of Jesus, Mary or even the deceased themselves as they would be remembered by their families. Rocio and her family are not in any way well-off, so his headstone is simple white with his name roughly stenciled in black. It is up at a the top of the wall, they won't easily be able to touch it, or leave flowers or pictures or other mementoes as the years go by without someone getting them a ladder.

We wept. I believe Jesus wept along with us in that moment. I believe he feels for this family that has endured so much for so long, with
not much comfort in sight. And yet we also believe that because Jesus lives, there is yet hope for Danny, for Rocio, for the family, and for all of us.

Please pray for a dear friend in Carmen Bajo

Late last week our hosts received a call from Rocio, one of the staff members of the Compassion project, telling them that her son Danny (27 yrs) had been in a car accident in Guayaquil and was in a coma.

Rocio made arrangements to head down there right away to be with her son, but sadly, yesterday she called to inform us that Danny had passed away.

Many of you who have been to Carmen Bajo know Rocio and have felt her warm and joyful demeanor. This sudden loss is a terrible shock for her and for the community. Danny's body is being brought back to Quito, and funeral arrangements are being made.

Your prayers for Rocio and her family at this time would be much appreciated. Please pray that the rest of the family will come together in unity alongside Rocio as they remember Danny's life.

This is a picture I took of Rocio 2 weeks ago:

Pictures of Carmen Bajo Church, Quito, Ecuador

Here are some shots of the exterior of Carmen Bajo Church. This is the property we are helping to develop into a church-community centre.

Hello again, Cotopaxi

Two days ago we took a trip to Mount Cotopaxi, the iconic snowcap that is the most famous of Ecuador's many volcanoes.

I have many memories of this mountain, and as we approached on the rough, winding dirt road, it seemed fitting to put the soundtrack to the first Lord of the Rings movie on my iPod, for this truly is a piece of Middle Earth! The brassy, bold and noble orchestrations somehow fit the harsh beauty of the place.

As we made our way through the pine forests, Cotopaxi loomed larger under a covering of cloud, almost reluctant to show herself. We could see the lower snow line peeking through the mist. The sky is big, as are the foothills. Perspective gets distorted when you see people at a distance dwarved by the barren hills.

After stopping at a small lake for a moment, we drove past a place that we used to camp at back when I was a kid, one of the most unforgettable campsites I've ever been to. With Cotopaxi almost right overhead, we would pitch our tents on the scrubby plain next to a small stream of the coldest, purest, clearest water I've ever had. I recall the cold, the vast empty spaces, the hills, and the wild horses that still roam the land singly and in packs. Those were the best campouts!

I also remember we had our Grade 8 year-end class overnight there as well. I, a rather nerdy fellow awkwardly trying to fit in with the girls, was feeling the pangs of adolescence growing within mind and body. That's a fancy way of saying there was lots of "Awkward!"

An interesting memory I have of that overnight was a night-time walk through a wooded area several of us took with our home room teacher, Mr. Erickson, during which some in the group tried to explain the plot lines of The Lord of the Rings to those of us who hadn't (yet) read the books. Cotopaxi, somehow you will always be associated with Tolkein's world for me!

Back to the present, though! We piled back into Fabian's van and he began the crazy drive through the sandy switchbacks up to the parking area that lies several hundred feet down from the Refuge, where climbers all begin their ascent into the snow and ice.

It suddenly seemed like we were driving on the moon! Having read lots of Westerns, I realized we had left the tree line far below, and now what sparse vegetation and grass was growing was quickly giving way to a desolate rockscape.

After some wild driving up and up, we also noticed the wind was quite strong.
As Fabian parked the van we peered through the fog and rain to see the yellow Refuge building way up in the distance.

Now the Erazo's had warned us it would be cold, and this is where my own hubris is revealed. We, of course, are Canadians! We know, and are accustomed to, the cold. We had chuckled when they all loaded up that morning with scarves and toques and blankets, plus extra pairs of pretty
much every piece of clothing. We had humoured them by bringing a few extra layers, thinking it would be cold, but not realizing it would be COLD, and RAINY and WINDY!

(Let me be quick to add that my dear and sensible wife did take the Erazo's warnings more seriously than I did, out of her love and concern for our children!)

Cotopaxi, today You humbled this Canadian, put him in his place, and gave him a renewed respect for your immense wildness. Eagerly,
I set out with Raquel, Andrea, Santi and Fabian, to plod our way up the steep slopes of loose volcanic sand. I was wearing one pair of jeans, two layers of shirts, one cardigan sweater and my light and (sort of) waterproof Adidas jacket. On my head I had my ball cap, and a last-minute ingenuity, my bandana wrapped around my head to cover my ears. I had no gloves, thinking my jacket pockets would suffice. I had a bit of water in my canteen, and a sucker in my mouth for some energy.

We began the slow but steady climber's pace straight up the side of Cotopaxi. But Cotopaxi sensed my Canadian know-it-all pride and decided to step up the gale and the sleet, and within minutes I was soaked, my exposed skin freezing, and the Refuge still a long way up
ahead. Wisely, Carina had stayed with
Grace and the girls in the shelter of
van. Good call, hon!

Somewhere far ahead, Raquel was already well on her way. Her older sister Andrea was about 100 feet ahead of me and slowing. Fabian started, but soon was feeling unwell and so headed back to the van. Santi soon enough caught up to me and passed me and Andrea, catching up with Raquel.

I broke. Cotopaxi, ya broke me! There came a point of being soaked and cold and freezing that made me nervous. After shouting ahead to Andrea over the wind to say I needed to head back down (she, too, realized she was unprepared for the wet cold and headed down shortly after me) I started slipping and stumbling down toward the van that seemed so tiny and far below. Soaked and chilled, I gladly welcomed a cup of coffee
from the thermos and my seat back in the shelter of the van, to await Raquel and Santi, who did make it to the Refuge and back, cold and tired but also maddeningly sound in mind and body!

It was so good to see you again, Cotopaxi. You are a treasured part of my growing up years, a place of wildness and unbending grandeur. I will come back again sometime
maybe make it to the Refuge - hey, maybe even further up into the ice fields! It was good to be reminded how frail I am. I'll come
back more respectfully prepared next
time.

"we will not fear though the mountains crumble into the sea ....". -Psalms

Ecuador through Kayleigh's Eyes

Favorite thing so far?
Everything! Meeting Kamila (our sponsor child) Being in the VBS program, and getting to know the nice kids.

Hardest thing so far?
Nothing!

Favorite person or people you've seen so far?
Santi, Raquel and Andrea (Fabian and Grace's young adult-age kids)

What do you like about Carmen Bajo?
The church there.

What do you like about Quito?
The mountains.

Are you glad you are here? Yes.

What are you missing back home?
Buttons ! (the cat).

Farewell to the Creekside team (Una Esperanza)

This morning was the farewell to the Creekside team who have been here for the past 10 days. We have enjoyed teaming up with them as a family for many of their activities. Despite some illness among team members (pray for Helen, especially today, on the flights home!) this team was stellar. I saw many tears and lots of hugs as they made their goodbyes.

They say missions, whether short-term or long, must always be first and foremost about relationships. The Una Esperanza team has taken the ball further down the field - great job gang!

Godspeed home!

Ecuador through Amanda's Eyes

Favorite thing so far?
Going to the coast.

Hardest thing so far?
Understanding all the spanish!

Favorite person or people you've seen so far?
Kamila and her friend Andrea, Quinya, Rosa and Maria.

What do you like about Carmen Bajo?
The kids that run up to you and hug you!

What do you like about Quito?
The mountains!

Are you glad you are here?
Ya, I guess so :-)

What are you missing back home? Buttons (our cat) and my friends.

Crazy But Not Clenched

A few nights ago, after getting the girls to their first normal bedtime in well over a week, Carina and I sat down together in the quiet of the apartment we are now staying in to debrief on the day and our thoughts and feelings.

We had spent the morning in Carmen Bajo helping out with Vacation Bible School along wih the Creekside team. It was a great morning of saying hello to kids, giving them hugs or picking them up and carrying them around, and of course, if they see you have an iPhone they want a picture and then they want to play Angry Birds !

Carmen Bajo staff did a fantastic job of the opening worship and the main teaching session (this week they are focusing on 5 Covenants God Made in the Old Testament). The Creekside team's role is to help with pre-VBS games, and then with crafts and activities after the open session.
Today there were over 150 kids onsite, so it was busy!

It was delightful to see our sponsor child Kamila once again, and to get to know Andrea, the friend she brought along to VBS. All the girls were happy to see each other, and of course I was soon in demand as a human jungle gym. Truly, Kamila had become my 'third daughter', often jumping up into my arms and asking for a candy with great abandon.

We all went in with the youngest kids to their classroom for the craft time. It was so cool to see my girls connecting with kids, and even helping some of the younger ones out a bit as well as they worked away with paper, crayons, scissors and glue (yes, 3-year olds manipulating grownup scissors!). Some of the kids get right down to it and do the craft in minutes. Others are still a wee bit young and need lots of help, and there were some kids who seemed really lethargic, making me expect that these are kids who are chronically undernourished. Still, we did all we could to encourage each child, praising their handiwork as they coloured, cut and pasted Noah's Ark and the animals onto construction paper.

After helping serve 220 kids lunch, we were treated by the kitchen staff and volunteers to a delicious lunch of locro de papas (potato soup), fried plantains, rice, Yapingachos (potato-patties), and the ever present Aji (a-hee) sauce. We are so moved by the hospitality that is extended to us every day by the people of Carmen Bajo, many who invest countless unpaid hours to help maintain the program for the kids. They are true heroes!

Everybody pitches in. They work until the work is done. The pace is, at times, every bit as frenetic as in any North American operation, but there is still a sense of joy and easy camaraderie. The kids are the ones who ultimately benefit from that spirit in the nourishment they receive daily. It is so sweet to see the children, especially the little ones, served lunch with tenderness and love.

The one thing we see so clearly about life in Quito is the easy community that pervades all of life. In Canada, life is crazy, and I am usually what I'll call 'clenched', let the word speak to you what it will. I am dogged, determined, frenetic, stressed, and often longing for more community while not really willing to make it a priority. To make community a priority feels like letting go of a lot of the 'control' I think I have in life, so I prefer to manage by clinging to a frantic self-sufficiency. I am seeing more clearly how isolating that becomes compared to the way life is done together here in Ecuador.

Our friends in Quito get stuff done, don't get me wrong, but in the midst of craziness they aren't uptight, and they always favour the togetherness over the task. We in North America seem to be trying so hard, perhaps too hard, to 'have more community', but we still
often see it as another 'healthy-eating obligation' on our to-do list. Togetherness just happens down here, and is the natural default to them
that 'cocooning' is to us. Life here is crazy, but not clenched.

It's got me thinking ...

Building a Church Building

One afternoon last week I joined the Creekside team at the church building to do some site clean-up and reorganization. Our church has been a lead partner in the financing and construction of a multi-level church building and community centre, to have a significant spiritual and community presence in the centre of Carmen Bajo.

Things got under way about three years ago with a design, blueprints funding and permits, but by North American timetables there should be more done than there presently is. Ah yes, but this is not North America!

An additional plot of land that was purchased has been mostly cleared, but the church needs to get the permission from the neighbors on one side to proceed with construction, complicated by the fact that the owner passed away some time ago and so the permission is needed from all four of her adult children. That alone may take some time!

Not to mention the bureaucracy, red-tape, and at times baffling process of securing permits from the city. This is one building project that requires patience, perhaps even that of Job.

In the midst of the current construction of the second floor, weekly services and ministries go on, with young and old making their way around piles
of rubble and construction materials scattered here and there that would make any Canadian inspector either salivate at the prospect of hefty fines, or make him drop dead of a heart attack.

The ingenuity in all of this is how they manage to use the existing building and land to do ministry, effecting temporary solutions for holes in walls and in the ever-growing new structure to keep the elements out and the property secure. When we were up on the second floor (no guardrails!) I saw that they have heavy duty brown packing paper covering a large gap to keep the rain and wind out of the sanctuary below - it's a good thing it's dry season right now in Quito, and quite temperate.

I got to reflecting that the slow and often plodding process of raising the church building in Carmen Bajo is very much a picture of the process of my life in Christ. A few steps forward, delay and frustration, at times some steps backward, sometimes a pile of trash and rubble left where it shouldn't be, and makeshift coverings for holes in walls to keep the rain out while something else gets finished.

And yet God is there, week after week, meeting people and touching their lives through the people of the church. It may not always look pretty, but it's still beautiful. Hopefully that's true of my life too!

And something is being built to the glory of God, that will one day ... ONE DAY - be complete!

First Sunday in Carmen Bajo

Sunday July 8 was our first church service in Carmen Bajo of this trip. The 12-member team from Creekside arrived the night before and had settled in to the beautiful new dormitories of the Compassion Project, so we were excited to meet up with them and to join together with our brothers and sisters at Iglesia Alianza Carmen Bajo, our sister church.

Sunday services consist of Sunday School for kids and adults at 9:30 am followed by the main service at (around) 11 am. We were a little late arriving (Santi had to pick up several other missionary ladies from Ohio who were going to be visiting as well, so we were quite squished by the time we arrived!)

I was to lead in worship, and had a guitar, my Spanish worship
music binder, and a collapsible music stand (something of an essential!) on hand. Once we arrived, Carina and the girls were whisked away to the Kid's Sunday School area along with members of the Creeker team and the ladies from Ohio (there's often a United Nations-type thing going on in Carmen Bajo Church!).

I joined others from Creekside to sit in on Fabian's Adult Sunday school class, translated by Ashley from Youthworld.
Fabian was teaching on what the Bible says about marriage. He is a very entertaining guy to listen to, and teaches in an easygoing and interactive but also very direct manner. Already I was saying hellos and giving handshakes and hugs to friends I've made in my previous visits to Quito.

At one point Carolina, a seminary student (Carmen Bajo's first!) who also serves as their tech support person slipped over to ask what songs I wanted to do. Earlier in the week while at the coast, Fabian and I had planned to do the three songs that I knew the Creekers had been learning, so they, too, could join me up at the front to sing. Carolina noted my songs and said she already had them on PowerPoint, so we were set ... Sort of!

After a brief transition, the main service began, with more people arriving and all the kids from Sunday School (40 or so of them!) arranged up at the front to sing along with a CD of a kid's worship song that had actions to it. I wish I could have paid more attention, but I was at the back assessing the sound equipment, and quickly realizing that besides a passable speaker system and small mixer, a laptop and a small projector, they had 2 mics with twitchy cables, and 1 mic stand. As Fabian welcomed everyone and invited the Creekside team to join me, I stepped up to the front with all my stuff and got myself arranged as quickly and smoothly as possible. Probably looked like a harassed street busker moving to a new corner with all the setting up and adjusting and tuning and page turning!

There was no plug-in for the guitar, no planning in advance, some awkward moments of transition, but my job was to lead in worship for a couple of songs. Was I bothered? Stressed? Honestly? No, I was not, in fact, I felt at home. The advantage of having been in this same place several times before was that I knew that in Carmen Bajo Church it's not about the finery, the cool, or the wow factor. It's just a group of people uniting their hearts, voices and entire selves in worship in song. No style-angst, no hymns versus chorus rhetoric, no push to be high-tech, just plain and simple Sing unto the Lord a new song. They are used to singing along to worship CD's and put as much energy and spirit into entering into praise as if it were a live concert.

And so they did - so WE did! We sang Mighty To Save, Forever Reign, and From the Inside Out (all in Spanish, of course!) and Fabian asked me to do one more, so we did Cristo Vive, a song I wrote for them last year. It was heartening to see everyone participating with sincere joy.

After our time of worship, their worship team of 5 singers came up and led some CD songs, and they did a great job. For a church that has struggled to find suitable musicians who can commit long term and provide leadership, they do wonderfully with what they have!

One of our Creekside team members, Victoria, gave the message, which was her personal testimony, also very well prepared with real sensitivity to the people she was addressing. She shared her personal story of finding healing and hope in Christ for the brokenness in her life. It was evident that many in the congregation identified with her and were encouraged.

Then Fabian led us in communion, and we were reminded again that all who believe in Christ are part of a worldwide Church, His Body, regardless of our nationality, race or economic status. He came to heal all of our brokenness !

Sunday morning was a celebration of that truth.

Driving Through Paradise

Our hosts the Erazo's were excited to take us for a few days down to the coast for a mini-vacation this weekend. After some aforementioned delays to our departure time, at 6 am on Thursday July 5, we loaded up their trusty van and we, along with Fabian, Grace, and two of their three kids, Santi and Raquel, were on our way through the quiet early morning Quito streets towards Esmeraldas, one of a string of coastal cities and towns on the country's northern shoreline.

There are several things we won't forget about the drive to the coast.
Firstly, the scenery!

Coming out of Quito, you drive through a rather arid, mountainous region before beginning the descent from 9,000 feet down through what is considered a kind of rainforest, literally a 'humid forest' in Spanish. Everything goes from desert beige to deep, lush green with an amazing variety of palm trees, banana trees, and all kinds of tropical plants including orchids.
We stopped a couple of times at roadside fruit stands to sample and purchase a variety of fruits that were new to us, including cacao, from which we get chocolate (Ecuador is a major exporter of cacao to the world, ever heard of Swiss chocolate?) There are also an amazing variety of citrus fruits and bananas, plus some alien-looking oddities that tasted, nonetheless, wonderful!

Every time she'd see a tall stalk of green plantain bananas, or the little tiny sweet ones, or the red ones (yup!) or the typical kind we know hanging up at a roadside stand, Amanda got in the routine of shouting "Bananas!". Bananas and a whole lot more. Yes, they DO have bananas!

The roads wind down and down through very mountainous views, with a wide variety of trees including palm trees (I love palm trees!), coconut and teak. As we dropped steadily from 9,000 feet to sea level, the humidity rose, though not as much as I expected. The view was rich, fascinating, and we were also blessed to have Santi as our tour guide, telling us about all kinds of interesting details and points of interest along the way - we told him he should consider becoming a tour guide, with the amazing fount of knowledge he had and his obvious love for his country (thanks Santi!)

The next thing I must mention is the experience of the roads in Ecuador. You may be able to imagine what I'm
about to say! First of all, the roads and even the laws that govern the roads have improved significantly since I was a kid in the 70's.

Nonetheless, driving in Ecuador can be best described as a Formula One race with all kinds of light and heavy vehicles in on the action. My dear friend Fabian is a great driver, but of the more 'aggressive' persuasion if I may say it that way. He certainly wastes no time and no opportunity to pass any vehicle that will slow us down by anything more than 5 KPH :-)

I'll also add that he skillfully got us to our destination, and back home again on Saturday, intact and on time!

Basically, in Ecuador, 2-lane highways function as 3-lanes with vague references to solid and dotted lines. So the rule is 1) keep moving as fast as you can and 2) pass as often as you can, if in doubt, refer to rule 1. Carina's observation was that it is a game that everyone plays and participates in, and as long as everyone keeps moving, things seem to work out.

Also of note, each little pueblo we zipped through has no stoplight, just 2 sets of speed bumps about 50 feet apart, which forces most drivers to pause and reflect and allows speed-bump vendors the opportunity to sell you a bottle of cold water, some fruit, or even a driver's license application, I kid you not.

Thirdly, the place we stayed was a wild paradise, a place we will never forget, the Cumilinche Club Resort. Located about 20 minutes beyond the town of Same (Sa-may), on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Because we came mid-week, we had the small resort almost entirely to ourselves, which includes the beach, all the hammocks, the restaurant, and the palm- and coconut tree covered grounds. Wow. It was a nice change from the bustling noisy streets of Quito, silence except for the sound of the surf, the insects, and
the occasional bird call.

We enjoyed chasing and catching crabs in the sand and building them sand castles. Kayleigh had a name
for each crab we caught, names like Sleepy, Crabby Joe, Coffee, and Caramel, based on their shell color or temperament. Fun!

But as I said, it was a wild paradise - no cell phone coverage for miles
around, no wi-fi or TV, as darkness fell, it just got ... Dark. Our cabins were nicely designed thatched-roof and stone-walled structures, with large screened windows and doors. At
night we did not need more than a sheet to sleep comfortably, although in the dark we could hear strange flutterings up in the thatch rafters ....

...and a few cockroaches came out to say good night too!

A wild paradise, it took some getting used to, but oh my, the scenery, the beach, the waves and tides, and the whole experience was WORTH it!

Attached are some photos:

A Tough Day

Day 4 (July 4) was the inevitable let-down after the great day we had visiting our sponsor child on the 3rd. There are some days that you start to feel yourself sinking emotionally and struggling to snap out of it, try as you might. This was one of those days.

When we planned this trip, we knew there would be challenges, things we'd need to adjust to, roll with, and not worry about. But having a 6- and an 8- year old along on a cross-cultural extended mission comes with the need to be extra-gracious, extra-flexible, and EXTRA-patient, with everyone including yourself!

On Wednesday afternoon, we 'hit the wall' of culture shock, complicated by fatigue and some minor ailments.

One major factor was meal times. In Ecuador, the day starts with a fairly normal breakfast (typically the lighter variety), but lunch happens closer to 1 or even 2 pm, and dinner at closer to 8 pm. For our girls, this has been one of the biggest challenges so far. When they get hungry, they crash emotionally, and it becomes very difficult to re-settle them especially if we aren't sure when we'll have our next meal. In chatting about it, Carina and I are realizing we need to plan mealtimes ahead with our hosts (who, I must hasten to add, have been awesomely understanding!) and that we MUST have snacks in our daypacks and with us at all times in case mealtime is going to be delayed. On Wednesday we had a couple of over-hungry, grumpy and overtired girls on our hands, which then drained us emotionally as we dealt with them.

Playing into this was another factor, that of uncertainty. One thing every missionary knows is that nothing can be considered 'for sure' when it comes
to schedules and plans. Our hosts are in the midst of preparing for the Creekside team (arriving on Saturday) besides their usual work and ministry routines, and plans they had for us to drive down to the coast kept getting pushed back as some urgent business needed attention. We were on standby with bags half re-packed for the warmer coast weather and the beach, plus living out of our suitcases, which meant we weren't quite sure from one hour to the next what was happening. The girls were excited about going to the coast but our departure time changed once, then again, then got bumped ahead one day. Once our kids have the idea that something is going to happen, they have trouble coping if it keeps getting delayed. Carina and I were also struggling as well, which of course added stress. We were glad that our hosts were so gracious to take time to play with the girls, and they also enjoyed watching some TV for some down time. I kept reminding myself to relax and enjoy the time, chatting at the kitchen table with Grace and their kids.

And finally, health issues, were factoring in. We are being as careful as we can to make sure to guard ourselves from food or exhaustion- related sickness. Amanda had a cold before we left Canada that was still stuffing her up, Kayleigh has been struggling with a persistent cough, and I managed to develop a sore throat as well, so we were physically depleted. The altitude (9,000 feet) can wear you down as well. This contributed to our tough day too.

We realized the girls needed the safe space of our bedroom to be able to 'emote' and express their frustrations to us in private. On Wednesday afternoon we had a family chat to try and get everyone back on track, (just as important for Carina and I as well).

And what else can we do in those moments but pray? Carina and I took some time to ask God for strength and wisdom, and re-affirmed before the Lord our purpose and desire to be and do all that He wants for us in this time.

And while Wednesday was tough, there were lots of good moments too. As husband and father, I want so
much for Carina and the girls to enjoy this adventure, to have a sense of wonder and discovery as we see more
of Ecuador and her beautiful people. When things are 'going south' ;-) I find I get discouraged so quickly. 'Refreshing ourselves in the Lord' together and focusing on all the really good stuff we are doing and seeing, as well as the deepening friendship with our hosts the Erazo's is vital to the success of this month ahead.

Our Visit With Kamila

Our second day here in Quito (July 3) was full of emotion and a further glimpse into what life is like for many of Quito's less-advantaged people.

We went to the Compassion Ecuador office to meet our sponsor child Kamila and her mother, Marie. We were given a tour of the offices and I was impressed by the extent of the work that Compassion is doing in Ecuador, and the care and effort they are putting into managing funds and developing aid.

Then it was time to meet our girl!
We came down the stairs and saw, in person, the one we'd only seen in a little photo on our fridge and in a brief video clip. The anticipation in her expression was a joy to see. She presented us with some beautifully crafted art, and our girls, Amanda and Kayleigh were eager to meet her as well. Hugs all around! Kamila demonstrated a real interest in connecting well with our girls and all three seemed to hit it off instantly, much to our delight.

Since this was a big day for Kamila, she got to decide where we'd go for a 'paseo', or outing. Presented with a couple of ideas, she opted for Volcano Park, an amusement park at the base of Mount Pichincha, and off we went in Fabian's van together, along with Pablo, an interpreter and facilitator from Compassion. (I like the system Compassion has for family visits with sponsor kids, that provides helpful guidelines and assistance so that the visit will go well and everyone will feel secure.)

Volcano Park is your typical amusement park with rides for all ages as well as a games arcade where you can win stuffed animals. The girls enjoyed trying some of the games out (each managed to win something) and also enjoyed, among other things, a jungle gym, a couple of tilt-a-whirl type rides, a trampoline, and a merry-go-round. While we followed them here and there, we had some time to get to know Marie and to find out more about her life and family, and also to share a bit about ourselves. Thanks to Pablo, and Fabian (whom Kamila and her mom regard as their pastor) and with my Spanish as well, we were able to communicate very well.

As morning gave way to early afternoon, it was time for some
lunch. We are still trying to get used to the Latin American schedule for meals (light breakfast, large late lunch, moderate late dinner) so we were feeling a little anxious about getting some food before our kids started a meltdown :-). Fabian had earlier asked Kamila what she'd like for lunch and her reply was "Seafood!" so off we went through the busy Quito streets back towards Carmen Bajo, to a seafood restaurant called Manabichos, for some very delicious fried fish and rice.

After lunch, it was back to Carmen Bajo (our first time this trip into the neighborhood, and the first time ever for Carina and the girls).

Here's where I get poetic for a moment: Carmen Bajo is a dense mix of dwellings made of concrete, rebar and cement. Some homes are finished, often fronted by imposing doors of iron, others are merely a foundation with half completed walls, awaiting the time when the occupants will have more means to further finish construction. Houses are painted any number of colors (or not at all) and the whole community has the character and look of a people trying to survive and have a meaningful life in the midst of roughness, a place of squalor clamped onto the side of a mountain with stunning vistas of the wide valley far below. Maybe the view keeps the people sane enough to keep on hoping for a better future. The view is one of the most precious things they have.

We drove some cobbled streets (and some badly rutted, trash-strewn dirt roads) to park in front of Kamila's home, and we were amazed at how they have built a well-built home that is very clean, bright and nicely decorated. The family obviously takes pride in their home. It was neat to see the photos and cards we have sent so far displayed in Kamila's room.

We chatted with Pablo, Kamila's dad, who is recovering from a serious fall
at work. Pastor Fabian's great skill at pastoral care, something I've witnessed before, was in use as he took the opportunity to chat a bit with the family about where God might be at work in the midst of their struggles with Pablo's injury and physio.
He ended our time with prayer and then it was time to go. We had some gifts for the family, toys for the girls and some practical items for the kitchen. We were touched when Kamila and Diana presented Amanda and Kayleigh with little Quechua dolls, a gesture that speaks of their generosity and desire to be givers as well as receivers.

I think we are all still processing the day, but one thing for sure, it was wonderful to be able to spend time with our sponsor child and her family, that will deepen our connection to them ongoing!

The Adventure Begins!

We have arrived in Quito! Our travel day went really well and it looks like all
our baggage arrived intact (even the jars of olives we brought down on behalf of a friend!)

It was SO good to be met at the airport by our dear friends the Erazo family, who after many hugs all around loaded us up in their van and drove us through the quiet Quito streets to their lovely 5th floor apartment (no elevators - we were all pretty winded by the time we
got our selves and out luggage up - )

I cannot wait to share some photos of the views of Quito and the surrounding mountains afforded from their balconies and windows - stay tuned for that!

Once we finally got settled down, everyone seemed to drop off to sleep pretty quickly - I lay awake for a while, but finally slept, although Quito at night is often punctuated with dogs barking, sirens, and the planes that land up until 1:30 am (right down into the middle of the city!).

Our first day has been pretty low key - we need to acclimatize and recover from the long travel day yesterday.
We are all excitedly talking about plans to visit different places and see the sites, and I am excited to hear that some of the places they'd like to take us are places new even to me!

Fabian and I have also already talked about ministry in Carmen Bajo and some things he's hoping I can do in my time there. We look ahead to this month with anticipation and high hopes.

We're so excited and the girls are just LOVING having the undivided attention of the Erazo's, especially Raquel, Santi and Andrea!

Once everyone was awake this morning, (and ironically WE were the first ones awake at about 6:30 am!) Fabian, Amanda and I stepped out to the corner bakery to buy food for breakfast - an experience that was new for Amanda, and a trip down memory lane for me. Sights (like the dad on his motorcycle with his 5-year old daughter dressed in a lovely white dress and tights hanging on for dear life on the seat behind him!) and the
smell of fresh baked bread in the panaderia, and the many people beginning their day in this busy metropolis took me back to my growing up years here - so much has changed, yet so much is still
Distinctively Quito!

We're definitely in a different place that operates in a way different from what we know and are used to! But we look forward to settling in and going with it this month.