Not in America

We have been in Ecuador for over a week now and the list of things that would never happen in America continues to grow.   I thought I'd share just a few examples here.

Last Saturday, we were all working over at a church building that is newly being built.  Nick, Lisa, and John were outside helping to dig a better drainage ditch.  I was inside most of the day cleaning and moving furniture.  As it turned out, we needed to go pick up 60 chairs, a refrigerator, and 30 desks from a different location.  I offered to go with Alan and a few other adults while the other three stayed to finish the ditch.  The group I was with including Alan, Faby, the church pastor, his wife, and two daughters.  We piled in Alan's truck.  Clearly all the furniture was not also going to fit.  Not understanding Spanish I was under the assumption we were going to meet up with a friend that had another truck.  Was I ever wrong.  We drove into the center of a town.  Faby pointed out a string of trucks that were on the street.  When we pulled up, she hopped out and walked across the street to the bar.  I asked Alan, "Do we know these people?"  "No, we are trying to pay them to borrow a truck," replied Alan.  It turns out, we were just driving around town looking for truck owners that might lend us their truck or come along for a small payment.  We had no luck at the bar.  We continued down the street.  In the middle of town a soccer game was happening.  Again, Faby hops out and comes back about 10 minutes later with a guy.  He agreed to follow us to pick up the chairs.  Who knew it would be so easy to find  friendly truck drivers in Ecuador?

I must say we have been eating very well here in Ecuador.  After my travels in Kenya a few summers back, I was nervous about the food I may be presented here to eat.  Fortunately, rice and chicken is the way to roll here in Ecuador.  However, at lunch yesterday Alan ordered us all what is known as Lunch of the Day.  When the soup arrived it was spinach soup.  Not too bad at all.  What made us all laugh was what came along with the soup... a small plate of popcorn. Spinach soup and popcorn-yum!

And finally, as a teacher in the States I have very clear rules ingrained about kids and food. However, it must have slipped my mind.  When we were out one day I gave a little girl a snack size bag of M&M's.  But, not just any M&M's; peanut M&M's.  I spent the rest of the day convinced she was allergic and had gone in anaphylactic shock.  Although the teasing ensues, we have all decided that kids here in Ecuador are much more tough then those back home and a peanut allergy is not likely.   But from now on, I'll just be handing out stickers. 

The four of us continue to have a great time here in Ecuador.  This week at VBS we were teaching the children about the Fruits of the Spirit.  What wonderful gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness we have through the Holy Spirit.  And with our limited Spanish, the gift of patience in others goes a long way.  Thank you for all your prayers and support while we are abroad.

Kristina