Ecuador Part 2

Zomora:::: We arrived in Catamayo at 6:30am on Jan.19th and Mike and Pat picked us up. After retrieving our 5 pieces of luggage we loaded. We stopped at a little place for breakfast and then we headed on toward Loja(Our nearest bigger town). We were shown the bank, grocery, housewares store and just around. We then headed on to Zomora and arrived in time to eat lunch and catch a nap( which we were in need of since we had got up at 3:45am) unpacked our suitcases. We then hit the road at 3:30 to head out to a village for bible study. We saw some really beautiful countrybut it was 12:30Am when we got home and in the bed. Rocky and Mike got up and headed back on a journey at 6:00am and returned home about 3:30 in the afternoon. I was so glad to not be on the road that day. Next morning we headed to Cuenca for a prayer retreat. We traveled for about 6 hours.The next morning we were in meetings till 8:00pm.....It was good.The next morning we headed back to Zomora...another long day on road. Sunday morning we got up early and went to local market to shop for veggies and meats....was fun but forgot camera....maybe tomorrow I will take some photos.Sunday morning is market day. The rest of Sunday was laundry and resting.
 
We went to church Sunday night at a church in Zomora.....Did not understand very much! ( The bible study in village, I can understand alot). Monday was another day of settling in and learning from the Townsends. Tuesday Corey and Russ came in from up north and we enjoyed them very much. Tuesday afternoon we headed out to bible study in village again but we had a meeting and lunch in Yanzatza with a young lady from Ireland (she has been here for 2 years) She will be an english speaker for us to spend time with. We got back from the study late and then we headed out to the jungle and up the river by boat and that was along day. At one village there were only three little boys at home and they were pretty serious and guarded until I offered them animal crackers and they all got a big handful and said gracias and took off into the jungle. I never saw them agian. But have hopes to see them again soon.    

 Also we have been driving through Yanzatza at 10:00 at night and the school was just letting out.The kiddos go in the evenings.
On Thursday morning Corey and Russ headed back to the north and Corey will start training on this Monday.
 Oh one morning Rocky and Mike headed out on another road trip but got to return home inabout 3 hours so they got some rest. 
Thursday we went back to the bible study and we got home about 11:00pm. Today we were going to another far away place for Mike to show us but we were toooo road weary so we said that we would just follow map. But we did get alot of info documented today.
 In the morning is market day and also we have a national young man coming down to meet us from up north and we will spend tomorrow with him. He has a heart for the Shuar people. Monday will be our last day with the Townsends before they leave. We will take them to the airport which is 3 hours away so we plan to spend the night in Loja and do the big grocery store and other things before coming back to Zomora. 
WE HOPE TO SLOW DOWN JUST A LITTLE.

Kitchen

Rocky and I are so enjoying having a kitchen again and we have a great little fruit stand next door.  Our language blooper for the day was we bought pickles and I knew it said pickles but did not pay attention to the word below pickle and I went to make tuna salad for the great tomatoes and opened the (bag) of pickles and they were not sour but they were a sweet and sour,or bittersweet. so I got my translater out and and looked up the word agridulce. If I had noticed it I would have know at least that dulce is sweet. They were ok in the ensalada de atun (tuna salad) con tomata. 

                                            A view that we thought was neat.              Rocky and Corey

A view from a resturant

1.00 worth of bananas

Healthly eating again!!!!!

  we went to an office to get our Ecuador ID this morning and we had to go to another office and then back to first office and we got the ID in about 3 hours which I think is real good. Now we have to get a blood test to verify our blood type and then take the written test for our DL on the 18th and at 5:30am on the 19th we fly to Loja and the Townsends will pick us up at 6:30 and off to our final destination....ZOMORA!

ECUADOR

                                           Panama airport

I

 I got birthday flowers at airport

                                          Quito is huge

First days in Ecuador……. I want to update about all that is happening in Quito. First of all we are getting acclimated to the altitude here, the elevation is 9500ft and it has been tough on us, so I guess it is good that we are going to the south rather than north of Quito which was our first assignment.



We arrived at 10:30pm on Tuesday and it was a breathtaking view of Quito at night with all of the lights. We were welcomed by about 10 missionaries and it felt like we had arrived home. We got all of our luggage loaded in two vehicles and off we went to drop us all off. Rocky and I are staying in a HCJB guest apt. and it is so nice and I have a kitchen! YEA (I have really missed having access to a kitchen) Audra is also staying in a HCJB apt down the street from us. The two young men are staying in an apt. owned by IMB and they are a few blocks away.



On Wednesday morning we were picked up and taken for breakfast and then taken to the grocery store!!!! What a treat for all 5 of us to get to shop for things that we had not had to eat in 3 months. Audra and I got Kraft cheddar cheese (YUM) . Rocky and I got eggs, bacon ,jelly ,cereal ,and milk(in a box off the shelf) we were not served milk in Guatemala. Russ and Kyleen took us to lunch where we could see the city and it was fun.



On Thursday morning we were picked up and taken to the mission office for round one of orientation. We learned a lot. The electric is turned off every morning in our area from 9:00-11:00 and I forgot and as soon as I was going to curl my hair for the day it went off so it was ponytail day. There is electricity rationing because of the drought.



At noon Gail and Jessica took us to the equator and we had lunch. I felt bad that day so I really was ready to be at home napping, but that did not happen. Gail took us to Russ and Kyleen’s house for supper and the football game that was on between Texas and Alabama and it was 1:00am before we got to bed.



On Friday morning we were picked up for more orientation but was not bad because we had chocolate muffins and coffee. At noon we were taken to Ken and Kurstin’s home for lunch and we had great fellowship and food. We got home and took a nap and shopped at the little fruit stand near our house and we tried a new fruit called baboca it is like a star fruit but as big as a papaya and it is yellow. I cut it and we tasted it and it was not good tasting to us and we were going to throw it out but Rocky said let’s see if the neighbors want it. Our neighbor works at the HCJB office and he is Canadian and is wife is Ecuadoran and they have 2 little boys. They laughed and said you have to make juice with it and so they took it and made juice with some sugar added and brought it back to us to try and it is pretty good. Friday evening we eat at Gail’s and had a wonderful meal.



This morning we got to stay home till 12:30 and it was really needed. We got up at 8:00 had breakfast took a shower and went back to bed for a nap. We had a lovely lunch with Fletcher and Ruby. They are very special folks. They took us by the store for a couple of things we needed and we got home at 6:00 and we have just chilled.



Monday we are supposed to get our visas approved or something like that and then we will have to apply for a national Id and then we are supposed to start working on getting our Ecuador driver lic. And then we will head to Zomora. We are ready.