Quito

It is time to let you know what has been going on since I arrived in Ecuador Tuesday night. The trip was uneventful, which I was thankful for, as I hadn’t slept at all the night before, and was able to catch a nap here and there. Jordana’s parents, where we are staying, is only about five minutes from the airport, which is very convenient, except for the deafening noise when the planes are landing and taking off! Wednesday, everyone graciously allowed me to sleep in, which I did, and then spent some time thanking the Lord for getting me there safely. It did not take long to unpack my things. My room is actually a maid’s quarters which are separate from the house, across the enclosed yard. It is very small, almost one-half being taken up by the single bed, but perfect for me. There is even a toilet and shower adjacent. They worked hard to make it nice for me, even installing wireless internet, so that I can network from my little bungalow.
Thursday, after a brief, breathless, uphill run (the altitude is going to take a little getting used to), Jordana and I met Maria Augusta, the newly installed CVI leader in Quito, for coffee in order to discuss plans for the next two months. The lawyer then met us there later to talk through what steps we need to take in order to secure my visa. We went straight to a nearby shop and had some more photos taken (9 of them for $3!). Andrea spent the night on Wednesday and again Thursday night…which means she slept in my single bed with me. At one point, in the middle of the night, I was awakened by an airplane and didn’t know what it was, I thought a bomb was exploding and I think I had a bit of a stroke.
Today (Friday, the 29th) was filled with activity…I awoke early -- around 5am, which is unusual, but it afforded some time to read a bit and get some exercise in before breakfast. There were two ladies that came to meet me and talk to us about Cristo Vive. One of them was so excited to find out that I was from Wisconsin, because when she was 19, she worked on a dairy farm for a summer and said it was the best experience of her life! Gene and I went to the bank to open an account, which took about an hour, and then we rode the bus for 45 minutes to the northern part of the city to meet with the lawyer again, as he needed my passport. Quito is beautiful and the weather is so nice. When the sun beats down on you it gets hot, but in the shade it is actually cool. The mornings and evenings are cool enough for jeans and a sweatshirt. It is not humid at all.
I am adjusting well, and I keep reminding myself that I am not going home in 2 weeks. Patience is very important at this point, as we try to utilize our time wisely and make plans for the best possible outcomes for the ministry and all those involved. Tomorrow is Saturday, and we plan to treat it as such. Jordana and I are going to go get a $3 pedicure in order to get our Midwestern winter feet ready for the beach. There will be a CVI meeting in the evening with all of our volunteers. Sunday, we are scheduled to speak at three of the four services at a local church here. We will leave sometime that night for the drive to Guayaquil where we will spend two weeks. We are planning several meetings and services during that time, so if you need prayer requests…there you have them!