Wow, my first blog ever!

 Hola to everyone and much love!  I am so happy to tell you that we are all alive and well here in Ecuador. We miss you all back home.  Yesterday was quite an incredible day.  Relationships with  Luis, Julio, Dario, and Oswaldo are starting to blossom. I’ve been working construction with them on the cabin that Amy, the kids, and I will eventually be moving in to. The guys are all so very helpful, kind, and generous with their time, effort, and smiles. They are by far the hardest working humans I have ever had the opportunity to observe. They are multi-talented, very skilled, and if they don’t have something on hand to complete the job….they build it. Improvisation is their friend. They waste no time unless it is on me and my poor, poor spanish language aquisition.   Luis and I worked on the (calefon) hot water heater for an hour or so yesterday. We decided that a block in the plumbing line was causing a pressure issue and not allowing the valve to release the propane pilot light ignition for heating the water. We removed the blockage and….. Eureka! We’ve got hot water now after three weeks without.  High fives with Luis!  I enjoyed problem shooting with him inspite of the language barrier.  It was a humbling, but a good experience.

  Amy has been swamped with keeping house, kids, and ministry updates in order. She’s a trooper! I’m glad she’s good at all that ’cause I’m not.  No car means no drive thru. There aren’t any drive thrus anyhow.  Everything to do with feeding the family is labor intensive and takes tons of planning.  From getting groceries to food preparation…it’s a major undertaking.  Madeline and Abigail have been a tremendous help with household chores and “Elijah watch”.  The girls and Elijah have spent several evenings playing with the Davalos kids. Their realationships are starting to open up as well. It’s nice to watch them laughing and smiling so much.  Two interns will be arriving on Saturday. They will be here for the year.  We are looking forward to meeting Keri from North Carolina and Tyler from California. We are starting language classes on Friday with Eunice at the hostal in Misahualli. Excited!  We are also planning to start a weekly outreach to the peoples in Pununo…a ten minute walk from the cabin. Please pray for this outreach.

“For a mere moment I have forsaken you,

But with great mercies I will gather you.

With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;

But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,”

Says the Lord, your Redeemer.

Isaiah 54:7-8

I know He loves me…He loves you…seek Him!

Eric

Ready for a Recipe Challenge?

Would you like to win a Cooking Contest?

(All entries win a Heartfelt Thank You)

Three Categories…Breakfast Lunch and Dinner!!!

Here is what we have access to almost always:

Whole Chickens Rice Dried Black Beans Brown sugar (molasses tasting)

Potatoes Cornmeal Dried Kidney Beans White Sugar

Onions Corn on the Cob Dried Canary Beans Vanilla Extract

Garlic Pineapple Dried White Beans Saltine Crackers

Cucumbers Bell Peppers Vinegar Canned Tuna in Oil

Tomatoes Oatmeal Tortillas Quinoa

Hot Peppers Milk Bananas Lentils

Carrots Lemons Apples

Vegetable Oil Salt Tangerines

Butter Pepper Oranges

Powdered Oregano Chili Powder Cilantro

Dried Basil Dried Thyme Eggs

Nutmeg Bread Coconut

Pasta Flour Chicken Bouillon

Soft White Cheese (similar to ricotta) Eggplant

Mozzarella

What we might can find or can get in limited quantities:

Parmesan Cheese Fresh Beets Celery (very small and skinny…has flavor of celery)

Honey Fresh Turnipish things Nutella

Sweet Potatoes Fresh Greens (Kale-ish) Pancake Syrup Italian Salad Dressing

What I cannot get that you might assume I could:

Canned Vegetables Frozen Vegetables

Stewed Tomatoes Peanut Butter

Spaghetti Sauce Ranch Powder

Cheddar Cheese Sour Cream

Ranch Dressing

Insane is the only word that comes close to describing the ride home from Banos.  Apparently, these guys are on the clock and it takes 3.5 hours one way.  Our driver must be a clever fellow.  If he exceeds the speed limit, he gains enough time to stop for a leisurely lunch at the roadside stand in Puyo. It did allow us time to converse with the local vendors and meet a traveling textile salesman from the coast.  A fellow evangelical believer, he was thrilled to practice his English and invited us to meet his family in February.  I am amazed at God’s provision, His faithfulness, and His willingness to use those that are willing, even when we fall so short.

It is beautiful and wet here, and we are looking forward to serving the people and seeing what God has in store for us to do! The day after our arriving in Misahualli, a team of 20 college age volunteers arrived. They were such an encouragement to us.  Watching them work, laugh and play as they embraced our family was such a help as we began our transition to life in the jungle.  With their help, we have almost completed the building of a small swing-set for the school as well as making progress on the cabin that we will eventually live in.

We have had the opportunity to visit several villages and have had our hearts pricked every time. Some things transcend language barriers: laughter, the love of a mother,  fear.  More than once, I questioned bringing our children into this environment.   Now, I see at least a glimpse of how the Lord is blessing them and using us. 

We see small children around the age of 6 carrying their infant siblings around in a sling; so they are unable to play. I see Madeline’s heart as she struggles with seeing children with no childhood.   I saw her willingness to abstain from play, for an hour holding an infant without any thanks, so that the other child could play unhindered.  The older women exchanged glances and gave me a look of approval.  I see my oldest child becoming a woman of strength and integrity as she learns what it is to have and to give, and I am blessed.

Taking a bus sounds so easy.  Unless you can’t read the signs at the terminal!  Fortunately, it is extremely cheap and the people here are so patient and kind to us.  We have made trips into Tena for groceries and a 3 ½ hour trip down to Banos to escape the stiffling heat and see a bit of Ecuador.  Once in Banos we located our Hostel, grabbed a map, a headed out.  We were rewarded by meeting Senora Mercedes and her daughter Claudia in one of the booths. Claudia had met a missionary before, and looks forward to us visiting again and bringing her Christian literature in Spanish. 

At the cafe where we had breakfast we met the owners, an Ecuadorian man, his Danish wife and two children. Without inhibition, Abigail and Elijah join the children on the playgrounds and sidewalks.  With a smile, they join in, not even knowing what the game is.  Abigail and Emma became quick friends, and Elijah and Olver played quietly at legos while to rest of us had time to talk and visit. They have promised to come and visit us here in the jungle in October, and extended an invitation for us to spend Christmas with them in Banos. The best part? They are unbelievers.  We are so thankful for this opportunuty.  We will be praying that the Lord guides our steps and words with this family, so that they might become part of the family of God.

The girls ascended the trail quickly, following the lead of their classmates and the college team.  With mud nearly clearing the top of his muck boots, Elijah wasn’t making as much progress.  Fearful of being left behind, and angry at his limitations he alternated between crying and obstinate outbursts as we dutifully made it up the mountain.  The hour was strenuous, without doubt,  but worth the trek.  Not only were we revived by the sight of God’s creation, we were reminded of our smallness in all of this.  Much like Elijah, we struggle in getting to where the Lord sends us.  We whine, kick and cry about about being hot, discouraged and bug bitten.   However, we know that God keeps His promises.  He changes not, and His Word is true. There is something much greater than that waterfall at the end of our journey, for those of us that believe and love Him.