Vida sin Halloween (Life without Halloween)

Happy Halloween weekend to all in the States!

Halloween and Thanksgiving are not Ecuadorian holidays, so it's been hard to realize that the fall season is already upon us. There are no costumes or pumpkins or fake leaves in the stores to remind me! ;) Ecuadorian people do celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) here on Nov. 2nd, so this weekend is still a holiday weekend. Schools get Monday through Wednesday off. Tradition is to drink Colada Morada, a hot, thick, fruit drink (made with purple maiz), and eat Guaguas de Pan, sweet bread baked in the shape of swaddled babies. The dark red-purple color of the drink symbolizes blood and the shape of the bread symbolizes the children who have died before us. Both the bread and the drink are really good, and I have enjoyed sharing in this cultural tradition with the Ecuadorian people.

Last week was my last week with my Ecua family. I had a great week working at the orphanage in Casa Sol (with the 2-5 year olds), going to my classes, and spending time with Dario and Juanita. For my Culture and History class we took a field trip to a 17th century Spanish monastery, and a museum about the history of Ecuador. Those were cool places to see.

Last Saturday we held a despedida parrillada (a goodbye bbq) to thank all the families for hosting us for three weeks. The family that hosted Erica owns a finca (farm) an hour outside of Quito and they offered to let us come out there for the fiesta. We all spent the day hanging out, eating pinchos (meat and veggie shish-kabobs), and playing Ecuadorian and American games. We also got to milk some Ecuadorian cows in the afternoon, and kiss some brand new calves. :) Throughout Saturday afternoon it rained like none other, so we mostly stayed under a small covered porch. I wish that the rain would show up on my camera when I record, because it really is so awesome to watch.

After the bbq, we said our goodbyes and parted ways with our families, returning to the apartments we lived in at the beginning of this trip. It was sad to leave Dario and Juanita, and I miss living with them in Eastern Quito. They told me that I am welcome to visit whenever, so I will definitely take them up on that offer soon. They are such a sweet couple and are an incredible blessing to know.

On Sunday, I went to my friend, Jose Luis' church in the south of Quito and then went to his family's house for the day. Jose is an Ecuadorian I met through Dario and Juanita. He is a little older than me and an awesome guy. He is a full time missionary, working at his church as a youth pastor. He has a good knowledge of English, but no one else in his family knows English, so he helped me with Spanish throughout the day. His family was so precious and wanted to know a lot about life in the United States. We talked a lot and played some card games. In the afternoon, Rachel, Jose's mom, showed me how to make Colada Morada (the hot fruit drink). In the evening, they had some friends over so the house was brimming with people. It was an incredible time, with everyone talking over each other and at an incredible speed. Jose translated bits of conversations for me, which was nice, but mostly I just enjoyed being surrounded by pure Ecuadorian culture, which I love. I cannot wait for the next time I have time to hang out with Jose and his family. They were so inviting and warm, and I could literally feel the Holy Spirit's presence in their dear home.

This past week has been pretty typical working at the orphanage, except now it takes an hour and a half to get there, instead of an hour, since our apartment is farther away. Many of the children now recognize me and are a lot warmer towards me, which I am so excited about. Some of them even come running and give me huge hugs when I arrive in the mornings. (They make me want to melt with love!) These children in Casa Sol (where I have been working a lot lately) include Ricci, Jose, Jhosua, Jeremy, Leslie, Belen, and Dani. They now do what I ask them to, and ask me to play with them during their free time. :)

Since being at the orphanage, I have now seen three children be adopted. Two older children, Jessica (a 11 year old) and Fabian (a 8 year old) were adopted together by a couple from Italy. A one year old boy was adopted, but I don't know where he went. It has been cool to see the process of these children gaining new families and leaving the orphanage. It has also been very emotional for me in a way I never would have expected. Just as these children have been adopted, and are no longer orphans, I have been adopted by my heavenly Father and can find my identity as His child. :)

So, this weekend is a holiday weekend... which means we're headed to the coast! That's right, I'm gonna get my beach on for a couple days. ;) I am so excited. However, just because we're going to the beach, does not mean we are getting a vacation from classes. We will be having our World Religions class for six hours every day we're there. Youth World flew down a professor from the States who will begin teaching us at the beach, and then the class will continue on when we're back in Quito. The coast is seven hours away from Quito, so we're road-tripping it in a bus tomorrow morning. We leave at 5:00am!! :D *Looks down at watch and thinks to self "Holy cow, that's five hours away! I need to start packing!"* LOL. Good ol' Jenni, the procrastinating queen. ;)

So, not even kidding, I do need to go pack. I hope you all are continuing to do well. I am growing so much in my walk with God here and I wish you all the same wherever you are.

Many hugs and kisses,
Jenni

(Currently in the process of memorizing Romans 12:9-21)

Buenas Noches Amigos!

I am so sorry I haven't written in a little over two weeks. I have been so busy, and haven't had much internet access. Last I wrote Ecuador's police force had broken out in riots and we Americans were all shut up behind locked doors. We weren't sure if they would succeed in overthrowing the president. I should have written a quick note since then to give you all an update and let you know that I am still safe. I apologize for keeping you in any suspense.

Quito felt quite uneasy and less safe for a few days after I wrote you last. We stayed inside for the majority of those days and took extra precautions since there was no police force to keep theft at bay. After a few days, the president regained control and set the national military over all police duties. This policy will remain in effect for 60 days as a precaution and a punishment for the police. The only noticeable difference between the military and the police protecting everyone is that the military has much more power than the police. Such as, if I was robbing a house the military could shoot to kill me on sight with no questions asked, whereas the police could not. (Good thing I'm not planning on robbing any houses.) We all just have to be a little more careful to not appear to be making any trouble. Other than that, things seem completely back to normal. I am so grateful for all of your prayers. :) I know so many were lifted up on behalf of my team and this country. Dios le pague (May the Lord repay you for your kindness). :) We are continuing to pray that the president would be given wisdom to know how to deal with the requests of the police.

A few days after the riots, each member of my group and I moved to our homestays with separate Ecuadorian families throughout the city. I have been with my family in Eastern Quito for two weeks now, and I have loved it. There is just a husband and wife, Juanita and Dario. They are around 30 and have been married for a little over one year. They are incredibly sweet. My living situation was arranged specifically for me because I do not have as much Spanish knowledge as the other short-term kids. Juanita is actually American. She came down here as a missionary five years ago and met Dario. I am constantly amazed by her and the strength of character she must have to give up everything in the States and marry someone in a foreign country with a different first language. (Can you imagine the misunderstandings that could come from that?) I have been so blessed to learn from her quiet strength.

Dario is fully Ecuadorian. He is from a small indigenous community in the Oriente (Amazon jungle). He has an incredible God-glorifying story as well. His family of seven lived in poverty until he became a sponsored child through Compassion International when he was young. He now works with Youth World as a missionary, serving his own country. Whoever would have thought that I would live in the household of, and be personally blessed by, someone who was once a sponsored child. I think it's the coolest thing ever. How encouraging is that to those of us in the States that sponsor children overseas?? They may grow up to be men and women who bless countless lives in their own countries as a result of your faithfulness. Dario has been such a joy to know and has helped me soo much with my Spanish.

The last thing I want to share with you all is about my internship at the orphanage, For His Children. I have been working there for two weeks now, and I could go on and on and on about it. Most of my stories will have to wait until I am back in the States and can talk face to face though. Basically how this orphanage works is there are several different houses where different age groups live. So there is a house for infants, for 2-3 years, 4-5 years, and so on. There are also separate houses for the special needs children.

This orphanage receives their children mostly by police bringing children they find abandoned in trash cans, on streets, etc. What is truly sad is that the orphanage only accepts children under the age of three, so those who are any older (i.e. seven, ten, fourteen, etc.) have lived at the orphanage since they were babies, never having been adopted. The houses are run by Ecuadorian women the children call Tias (aunts). Things are run a lot like a summer camp, with designated times for every activity, and the children's names written on every object and clothing item. My job is to do whatever the Tias ask me to do. Most days so far that has been with the special needs children, with varying ages from around 7-16. (I had marked specifically on my application that I was comfortable working with them.) About half of these children are so disabled that they cannot talk and can barely move their limbs. I enjoy taking these precious children of God on walks outside in their reclined wheelchairs and singing them little songs like Jesus Loves Me. They may not be able to understand me, but the stimulation of my voice and touch is incredibly important to their health. Other things that I do at the orphanage besides playing with the kids include feeding them, helping at the preschool, doing dishes, laundry, and other chores that need to be done in any home. Working at the orphanage has been challenging in every way - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritally, but very rewarding at the same time.

Like I said, I could go on and on about each one of the kids there and what a blessing they have been to me already, but I'll save my stories. Every time I blog I feel like I just barely scrap at the surface of everything that goes on here, but yet my notes are soo long! :) I hope they're not too painful to sit through. ;) In a week and a half I will be half way through my time here in Ecuador. It's amazing how much I can feel for these people and this country in only a matter of five weeks. Though I miss you all, I am thriving here and looking forward to the weeks to come. I am not allowed to post pictures of the orphanage online, but you'll get to see them when I'm home. You can also go to their website and see pictures by searching google for For His Children Ecuador. One specific prayer request I have this week is that God would give me energy. I have been pretty exhausted lately and that affects how much I can engage with learning Spanish, and with the children and tias at the orphanage.

I hope and pray you are all doing well in the States and around the world. Feel free to email me if you want and I will do my best to respond. :) Hopefully my next blog will be in one week, so it won't have to be as long as this one. :) I love you all and am so thankful for each one of you. May you feel God's presence close to you and find your joy only in Him this week.

Sincerely,

Jenni