June 12-13 Final Hours

I am sitting in my comfy chair at home, missing our Ecuadorian home of the last 10 days.  I am especially missing the people and the time we had together.  On Sunday, before boarding our plane around 11:30 pm local time, we had an outing to see the Basilica in downtown Quito.  We climbed high into the bell tower to look over the city.  We never could have completed this feat the weekend before, but with our bodies at least partially adjusted to the altitude, we were able to manage the many steps and small winding staircases.  We capped off the visit to downtown with lunch at Rusty's where Roberto was excited to discover "miti miti" -- half onion rings and half fries!

View of one tower of the Basilica from the opposite tower.

We were excited to see this sign. We had been teaching
the name of the rook in chess all week:  torre!

View of the stained glass from inside the Basilica.

One of the views from the bell tower.

View of the sanctuary of the Basilica.

After returning to the house, we were blessed to be able to spend some final time with the Lord individually and then corporately.  We had begun the day with a message from Roberto about what the Lord was doing before he created.  He shared with us three Greek words -- pneuma, koinonia, and ecclesia.  We had the gift of experiencing the Lord inside a living room this week, with one another, the body of Christ.  We were able to close the day with prayer for Pancho, Pity, and their family.  And though there were a few tears, there was much rejoicing for the new family that we gained -- brothers and sisters in Christ.

Danny, Jesus, Pity, Maria Victoria, Pancho and Matteo
receiving gifts from the team.

Sporting new shoes and Whitefield gear!

Please keep Amor y Esperanza in your prayers as they are facing a difficult time ahead.  The changes in the government of Ecuador have created many hardships for the ministry -- from increased construction costs for the new school building to lack of funding for the day care to increased supply costs across the board.  In addition, there are many children at the school who continue to be in need of sponsorship.  It is hard to express in a few words what we witnessed over the course of the week, but what I can say is that Amor y Esperanza is transforming lives, and transforming the community of Carmen Bajo, through their work.  Please visit Amor y Esperanza online and consider helping in any way that you can -- through prayer, financial support, or spreading the word!  

When we arrived at the airport, ticket lines and
security lines were short giving the boys some
time to catch a soccer match on TV as we waited at the gate. 

We made it home safe and sound, and it was exciting to see each Whitefield student reuniting with their family.  We will carry not only our experiences with us, but also the students of Amor y Esperanza, the women and men who cooked for us, drove us around town, and worked alongside us, and the family of Pancho and Pity.  May the grace of God be your constant companion and may you follow where the Lord leads you!