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Please pray for our team: Mr. Holland, Camden, Chris, Jason, KJ, Isabelle,
Gabe, Everett, Mr. Unsicker
Maria Victoria Zola, Claire, Alden, Joseph, Sophia
Pitty Zola, Kayleigh, Kennedy, Lexi, Meghan, Abbie, Hudson, Mrs. Justice,
BJ, Sydney, Cole
Not pictured: Pancho, Danny and Mateo Zola
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It is a new year, and with it a new beginning. This is a first – a Whitefield team sent to Amor y Esperanza in January! The Lord loves to create; He is in the business of creating. And here, today, he is beginning a new work. This new work is on a familiar and solid foundation – the relationship between Amor y Esperanza and Whitefield Academy. The students have come both to give, and to receive: sharing their lives with the body of Christ in Ecuador while receiving God’s grace and love from the believers here.
Following a long day of travel on Sunday, the students finally found their beds about 1:15 am. Each bed held a verse of scripture – an encouragement for the week. Some were already feeling the effects of the altitude soon after arriving, some were hungry, others feeling down from illness or sadness brought from home, but in our weakness, Jesus is strong! He gave to each strength for the journey, and we were glad to rest our heads for a few hours.
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| Some of the many beautiful colors of the market |
Day one brought a breakfast of pan, juevos, y panqueques con jugo de naranja o leche chocolate, and following that, a time of worship together. Pancho and Pitty exhorted the students to open their hearts to Jesus – to His powerful name and His presence in their lives, to the new beginning to which He is calling us this day. We then loaded the bus and headed to Otovallo to the market. Everyone had the chance to bargain for local handicrafts and many purchased the llama jackets which are the distinguishing apparel of the EMT. Diving into local culture, we then ate lunch at a local Ecuadorian restaurant. Everett and Mr. Unsicker ordered the cuy (fried guinea-pig) and many were brave enough to try it (not me!) Mr. Unsicker did say that he didn’t expect the cuy to be looking at him (the head was still on)!
It has been a day of reunions as well – those who have travelled here before were excited to return and see the Zola family, and Kayleigh was able to reunite with her Au Pair, Sandra, from when she was much younger. Sandra brought Ecuadorian candy for the students to share, and we also stopped at a roadside shop for biscocho con manjar de leche.
Back at the Seminario Teologico where we are staying, the rain lessened enough for an afternoon soccer match which drew some of the guys, while others took advantage of some much needed down time. The evening will bring dinner and another devotional time. Tomorrow, we visit the school and then begin construction. May the Lord grant us the energy to work hard, play hard, and honor Him during our time here.
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| Joseph sporting his new llama jacket |
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| Alden poses for the camera - photo credit for the beautiful pictures of the market goes to Alden |
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| Cuy - fried guinea pig - traditional Ecuadorian cuisine |
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| View from the bus |
Random things I have learned so far:
When there is sunshine in Quito, it gets hot quickly; when it starts to rain, it is suddenly cold
BJ almost never takes off his hoodie
Ecuadorian drivers don’t give a second thought to passing on a two-lane road when there is oncoming traffic
Some of the girls need an hour to wake up and get ready in the morning, and others need only 10 minutes
Gabe travels light, but his pockets don’t secure his passport very well
Kennedy likes to try new things – she was brave enough to try the fried guinea pig
It is possible to download 8 hours of Netflix videos to your mobile device from the free airport Wi-Fi while sitting at the gate for 30 minutes
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