Today we added something new to the schedule...instead of helping serve lunch, Chris had an idea. We could make a sign to advertise for the lunches to see if it would bring in new business. We had 5-7 new customers today!!
Also this afternoon, Miriam came in looking for blackberry ice cream. She's taking English in school and her assignment was to write a recipe in English. She was presenting tomorrow. Alexandra told her that Chris and I could help her with her homework if she came back with her books!! So I helped Miriam write out how to make Blackberry Ice Cream...she brought her cousin Vanessa (far right) as well! As we were talking Miriam started thinking that maybe her English teacher would be interested in having us in class. We went to his house, but he wasn't home yet. She decided that she'd come get me tomorrow if he said it was okay.
After Miriam and Vanessa went home, Alexandra had prepared a special treat for us--Quimbolitos (little sweet breads that are steamed inside of special leaves instead of baked). They were soooo good...another new recipe! Then Oscar asked if we want to go watch an indoor soccer game. Chris was, of course, excited about that, so we walked of to the colliseum to see the team from Doménika's school play...it's the father's of the girls who play...kinda like a rec. league.
Saturday, March 1st
This morning Miriam came to get me and Chris to go speak to her class. Chris couldn't go because we were watching the store while Oscar and Alexandra made their daily purchases. So I went with Miriam up to the school...it was a ton of fun to talk to them. I was extremely impressed with how good their English was and how well they understood me!
I got back to the store just in time to advertise again on the street...more new people came today, so we've decided that we'll keep advertising every day while we are here!
In the afternoon, the English teacher, came with one of his private students, Gardenia. She graduated a couple of years ago and is studying to take an English entrance exam. She wants to be a translator one day. We talked to her for about an hour, so that she could practice speaking and listening to English. We learned that she's married to Diego and that they have a little girl named Mickie. Gardenia's mom died when she was 8 years old, so her dad and her grandmother raised her. She invited us to go with her tomorrow to the Bosque De Arrayanes...I'm not sure what it is...some type of forest. We'll see what works out?! The English teacher also invited us to come on Monday to talk to his classes...how exciting!!
Sunday, March 2nd
We played cards with Francisco and Doménika this morning for quite some time...War, Old Maid, Go Fish, etc...tons of fun!
Gardenia came for us after lunch, Diego was driving her dad's car. Mickie came as well as Pablo (Diego's youngest brother). On the way to the forest, we stopped at Diego's cousin's house so that we could see the ostriches, cows, horses, and cuyes (guinea pigs that they raise to eat...yikes!). The car stopped and wouldn't crank again at all! We tried to push start it, but no such luck. It turned out that it was time to milk the cows, so we decided to walk down to see the process!! I was sooo excited. We also got to pet the baby cows. This one was only about a week old...it's umbilical cord still hadn't fallen off!! When they are so little, they will suck on your finger which is what this cow is doing!! Such fun!!
They never could get the car started, so Gardenia's dad came to get it with a friend who could tow him back. Diego's cousin, Polo, gave us a ride to the Bosque de Arrayanes. It turns out that it is one of two forests in the world made of Arrayan trees. The other is in Argentina...so they are called the eye brows of the Andes. It's interesting because only Arrayan trees grow in this forest...other plants grow there, but no other trees. It was really pretty to walk around and see.
We went back to Diego's parents' house for supper. Diego, Gardenia, and Mickie actually live in Quito with Liz, Diego's sister. Diego and Liz are both studying there. They are all in San Gabriel right now because they had a break between the semesters. Diego's parents live in New York City, and 15-year-old Pablo and 17-year-old Junior (Diego's brothers) live in San Gabriel by themselves. It's a pretty sad situation...they have all of their economical needs met, but they don't have their parents. Yet again, I can't really understand what causes this!!
We spent a long time talking to all of them about God and His love for them. They are all basically at the point that they believe that God exists, but they aren't sure where to go from there or even if they want to move from that spot. Another huge prayer request!!
Monday, March 3rd
We spoke in classes today...Pablo's class, Miriam's class, and another class. Tons of fun!! It helps us remember how much we love teenagers and teaching!! We left there in time to pick Doménika up from school and head back to advertise. On our way back to the house, Oscar called and asked us to pick up some plantains at the market. We always go to the same lady every day...I took a picture with her today...she's precious!!
Random fact about El Carchi--the state we are in right now in Ecuador--they are known for dairy products and potatoes. Nearly everyone eat fresh cheese and drinks fresh milk. Potatoes are in such abundance here that a 100 lb bag of potatoes only cost $8!! I'm loving this place!!!
Tuesday, March 4th
Today we went to meet with Gardenia again to help her practice her English!! What a sweetie!! The rest of the day was pretty much like "normal"!
Wednesday, March 5th
Today we spoke English with Gardenia in the morning...then we went to pick up Doménika from school and advertised. They sold 20 lunches today...up from the 10-12 they were selling.
Vanessa, one of the girls from Miriam's class, and her neighbor, Miriam, came over this afternoon to practice their English. A little later, the other Miriam came over too! It's exam time at the high school, so they are trying to get in all the practice that they can.
After they left, Freddy, a man we met today at lunch came over. He rides bulls and teaches horses to do tricks. He wanted us to watch a video of him at work. A little while later, his children--Thalia and Leyn--came over as well. They are a sweet little family. Freddy's wife left them about 8 years ago when Leyn was only 2! Freddy didn't want to become a Jehova's Witness, and she up and left one day without ever looking back. Freddy got home and found 5 year old Thalia and 2 year old Leyn by themselves. CRAZY! We are continuing to pray for them!!
Freddy invited us over to see his trophies, so we all walked up to his house. He showed us his bedroom, but there was no light bulb in there. Honestly that's not that odd here because some people can't afford to light every room in their house. But in this house, there was a light in every other room...that made it a bit odd. Before we could ask, Freddy started explaining why his room was like that. He sunk into a deep depression after his wife left him. He didn't know what to do or where to turn. One night around midnight, he asked God to forgive him of his sins. He said, "Lord, I'm with my kids, but I can't be happy." All of a sudden, the room lit up, but there was no light bulb. He heard the bed squeak as if someone sat down, and he heard a voice that said, "My child, love in the most difficult moments. I am the truth and I will show you the way." Then the bed squeaked again and the light went a way. At first he was afraid, but then he felt peace and knew that it was God who had spoken to him. He told us that it was as if a hand touched his heart and the depression was gone! God has taught him to live each second as if it were his last. Freddy explained, "God moves mountains. Anything we dream or ask of Him--it's nothing compared to what He intends for us." Then he shared that God had taught him how to train the horses and all of it is the result of "la obra y la gracia del Señor" (the work and the grace of the Lord). We didn't really want to leave, but it was getting really late. So we prayed together and headed back to the restaurant.
Thursday, March 6th
This morning we were in the internet, and we got a phone call from Buddy, Chris's cousin who lives in Quito, Ecuador. He and his wife, Isabel, just got back from the US yesterday, so we really didn't expect to hear from them so soon. Chris and I had been praying about starting to walk towards Quito on Saturday, so that's what we told Buddy. He said that he'd get back to us. He and Isabel had to go down to their place at the beach--Puerto Cayo--because it had been raining a ton down there. They knew that mud had gotten into the guard's quarters downstairs, and they weren't sure if there had been more damage. Chris and I thought that we could be of some help shovelling out the mud or cleaning up. We were still just praying. From there we went to pick up Doménika and then headed back to advertise.
After lunch, Freddy came over to the restaurant. Chris and I ended up going up to his house...we looked at pictures and chatted. Then Francisco came to get us...Miriam, Miriam, and Miriam's sister all wanted to play basketball. So Freddy, Thalia, Leyn, and us all went down to play basketball! Tons of fun...but let me be the first to say, I'm out of shape...walking is NOT the same as running...especially at more than 5,700 feet above sea level! While we were playing, Buddy called again. He said that he and Isabel would love to have us go with them down to the beach and to head on in that direction. We decided that we would start walking tomorrow, and if we made it then we'd go with them. If not, we'd minister where God planted us until we made it there. We were still praying for God so show us though...to have His way with this situation.
When we got back to the restaurant and told Oscar and Alexandra, they said, "You are not walking from here. We'll put you on a bus, and you can wait until Saturday to go." We were shocked...it appeared to be confirmation that we were supposed to make it to Quito to be with Buddy and Isabel.
Friday, March 7th
Doménika didn't go to school today, so we played with her a lot today along with the other things that we normally do. Tonight when we got back from checking e-mail we found that Francisco and Doménika had gone to Tulcan to stay with their grandmother. We didn't get to tell them bye! Thankfully, we'll be coming back to visit when the Emblers come!! It also opened the door to talk to Oscar and Alexandra about allowing God to direct their lives and their business decisions! It was a really good time fo sharing with them. Tons of seeds planted. We are really praying for a good church for them to go to or someone to disciple them. In all the time we've been here in San Gabriel we haven't seen a church to go to or to connect them with. Maybe there is one, but we prayed daily to find it, but we never did. Be in prayer about this situation. Freddy is hungry too!
Well, it looks like we'll be heading on tomorrow...with our hearts a little heavy because there is such spiritual need in San Gabriel. All we can do is keep calling out to the Lord! We'll be in touch again soon. We love you! God bless you and keep you!!
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