Ecuador Mission Team

 The First Day in Ecuador

Well today was our first work day! Several of us went to a home daycare this morning with about 50 kids. It was awesome!!! It was in the home of a woman down here and all children are in a very small space but happy and safe and learning which is the important thing. We sang songs told stories about Jesus and children then made bracelets. After that we went to the construction site....the guys went there first thing this morning and supposedly worked but when we got there they were taking a break so who knows. After lunch the women of the community came to meet with us and share their stories. They were so gracious and wonderful....we all cried. They are part of a new group started by SIFAT called Sister to Sister.

Once they left we had 100 children show up to play games and do the same bible story as we did at the morning daycare....the men went back to work and left about 10 of us to teach 100 kids...utter chaos....but still lots of fun. As you will see from the pictures the construction is being done wwwaaaayyyyyyy up high. It was extremely windy and kind of spooky!

Tomorrow we go to a different home daycare in the morning but basically everything will just be repeated....Wednesday...Thursday too. Friday we go to the daycare we went to last year that the first Faith group worked on. We are all doing great and although we are working hard...we are having a lot of fun. I will send more tomorrow...tired and going to bed now!!!

Love to you all and will send more later....sherri

     
     
     

 

TUESDAY IN ECUADOR

 Another day of daycares and VBS....we are so tired. I have decided that the construction is actually easier than the daycares. These kids are wonderful but just going and climbing and hugging and jumping with no stopping and there are so many of them that if you finally get away from 2 you have 4 more to take their place. They are so loving but it really is wearing on your body as well as your heart.

Here are a few more pictures....going to bed now....will hopefully send more tomorrow!

WEDNESDAY IN ECUADOR

Today some went to another daycare again although I stayed on site and did construction. It was great to take a break and do mindless hard labor. I was on the unfinished top floor...wwwaaaaayyyyyyy....up high hauling buckets of rocks, sand and mortar. I have not downloaded any of today's pictures but am sending a couple more from previous days.

It is so beautiful up there just seeing the mountains in the distance and all of the villages....gorgeous!!!

The women of the community came to the site after lunch selling the necklaces and earings they make as a way of survival. Of course we bought more than we needed but it so reasonable and they need the money so much more than we do that we couldn't resist. They have formed a group called "Sisters to Sister" and for the first time work together to help each other....it is wonderful to see!!!

Will send more tomorrow....it should prove to be a very interesting afternoon! Instead of VBS we will be going around the community inviting them to church on Sunday and praying with them. The other church group brought some bibles that we will be handing out as well!!! Will let you know how that goes.

Love....sherri

2006 Mission Trip

Our Mission Team will once again be returning to Quito, Ecuador to build a daycare and church while spreading the good news of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Please be in prayer for each member of our team! They are all very dedicated and excited about the mission that God has laid before them.

We will have a Yard Sale on April 29th from 7:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. You may make contributions to the church for Yard Sale items or Please come buy and see all of the wonderful treasure we have for sale.

Thanks to everyone who is always supportive of this trip with your contributions, prayers and encouragement!


 

 Notes from our last trip!

Hola,(hello in Spanish) from Quito Ecuador,

Hard working day in Quito have enjoyed meeting people from Ft Walton and also congregation members from church in Ecuador. The church we are workingis not the one we were told but it is no problem as there is plenty to do.The church is located in an area called LLana Grande which means big plain.It is a flat area in quito but suburban enough to have small corn fields andgardens in back of houses. We are helping to build a wall and clean fencerows to accomadate the garden. David is the current pastor and has only beenthere about a year. Church had been without a pastor for a couple of yearsand is in the rebuilding process. It is fun to work and help some one withenthusiaism.

Our hotel is located acrossthe boulavard from the USA embassy. Lots of
buses and people going past our hotel. Crowded city.

Inspiration from our 2005 Trip
 Hola from Ecuador,

Another inspirational day in Ecuador. We started out by going out to Atacucho( a suburb of Quito) to visit a daycare that the 2004 Ecuador team had worked at. We passed out approximately 140 beanie babies to some very grateful children. Of course we had to play with the kids, hug the kids and show them what noise each animal makes, take their picture with our digital cameras and show them a picture of themselves. All the women were tearing up and the men were trying to act like they weren't.

The most inspiriational thing was when the daycare manger asked to pray with us. She told us how grateful she was for everything we had done. After seeing how the whole area struggles to just stay alive and how little they have, I couldn't feel like I deserved the praise. Instead I thought about the story of Jesus and his disciples setting in the temple and watching the people tithe. The widow who gave a coin was described as giving the most because she gave her all. We gave just a little of our time and were given the beanie babies. this lady is giving her life to these kids- I felt so undeserving of any praise.

A touching day to say the least.

Henry

 

A Job Well Done

Another inspirational day in Ecuador. The church group from Ft Walton FL traveled 2 hours to church and school they assisted in building (ground breaking to finish). They also are paying the preacher's salary, which is $300 a month(something Faith needs to look into doing).

Since there were only 10 from Faith and 6 workers from the local church, we were able to eat at 1 table. After lunch we sat around and "chewed the fat". The preacher was born and raised in Quito but his wife is from Columbia. They met in "seminary" and as David said "I need to study but she say I need to get married" Fun lunch.

Yesterday they had to go pick up a cake at the preacher's house so the preacher took Hank and Matt with him to his house. Hank said that 3 steps would take him across the width and depth of their 2 story house. Space is at such a premium in this mountain surrounded city.

We made good progress on the wall today even though it was only our group. Everyone worked really hard today. Vicktor and Daniel are the 2 workers who know what is going on and the "Ecuador" way to build a wall.

Tomorrow we are going to a local school to do a crafts- bible study program till lunch, then back to the "wall"

Tonight Katie E and Baillee M did the devotional about serving and answering God's call to do missionary work. They did a great job!!!

Pray for Llano Grande Methodist church and their preacher David and family.

Henry

Well our work is done!!! We now have the weekend to go around and see things and do things. We are going to the Ecuador tomorrow morning and then to a market for some shopping. Sunday we go to church and then on a tour of the old sections of downtown. We have to be at the airport Monday morning at 4 so I am not looking forward to that but it will be OK....we will be coming home! We had a good day...this morning we went to a local school and taught a VBS type thing with a couple of crafts. Here are a few more pictures....

Sherri