June 11 - Nono

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory in the heavens.

Through the praise of children and infants

you have established a stronghold against your enemies,

to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 

what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

human beings that you care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the angels,

and crowned them with glory and honor.

You made man rulers over the works of your hands;

you put everything under their feet:

all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,

the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

                                                                    Psalm 8

I am writing on Sunday morning, the beginning of our last day here in Ecuador.  After an overnight flight, we will find ourselves back in Atlanta -- ready for some Chick-Fil-A, hot showers, and time to reflect and process our journey here.

We loaded into Pity's SUV and two vans for the long winding ascent to Nono, where Pity's mom and aunt have a farm that has been in the family for generations.  As we climbed higher into the mountains, the air became more pure, the roads more rutted, and the cows more frequent!

The Wells's ranch.

First, we visited the home of David and Lois Wells -- Dr. Wells is the headmaster at Alliance Academy International, an ACSI school here in Quito which Pancho and Pity's three children attend.  He is also on the board of Amor y Esperanza and Community Ventures International (their non-profit arm in the US).  Lois saddled up her horses and took some of us on a trail ride while others rode in the ring.  What a feeling to come cantering up a mountain in Ecuador, surrounded by God's majestic creation (also led by a horse named Majestic)!

Henry in the ring being led by Pancho

We then travelled the short distance to Pity's family farm where we enjoyed a day of relaxation, games, empanadas, and friendly competition.  This year the futbol contest was not US vs. Ecuador, but ended up in a 10-9 victory with William's team defeating Pancho's.  William sustained a minor injury which was doctored by our SWAT team veteran Mariah, assisted by Emma.

Bailey takes on Jared in ping pong.  I think Jared won, but
Bailey went on to defeat Maria Victoria in an epic game to 100 points!

This is a view of the path that we walked prior to the
"race".  Pancho's son Danny took first place in the 1500 meter
beating Matteo and Jesus as all of the Americans
bowed out of the competition.

Mariah with a cute puppy at the farm; the one, in
fact, that would later throw up on her leg.

Nkosi was crowned the EMT 2016 arm wrestling champ after
beating William.  

Una pequena vaca -- Pity's family farm is a functioning dairy
farm where the milk is picked up daily to be taken into Quito.

The students enjoyed a "Last Supper" at the farm.  The meal
was interrupted by a giant moth which "attacked" the students
causing fear and chaos.  Adria exhorted the kids saying,
"It's not like it has Zika or anything!"  At this point, the moth
"attacked" Adria directly in the face. Peace was restored when
William knocked the moth off the ceiling with a wet napkin
and caught it in his hand.  Way to go Eagle Scout!