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)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
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
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Political Unrest in Ecuador
Hey all!
I don't want to scare any of you, but you may have heard about the political unrest in Ecuador today. I wanted to write a quick note and let you all know that despite everything going on, I am safe and doing well. Don't worry, I'm not joining in the riots. We are staying behind locked doors. :) Prayers for the country of Ecuador would be greatly appreciated. Police began rioting today and are trying to remove our current president from office. He was attacked earlier today and has declared a national state of emergency. Who knows, we may have a new president soon. This nation is greatly in need of peace, and we know that our God is the only true source of peace! So please, beseech Him to reach out His hand to this hurting nation.
The following is a letter sent out to many people by the head of Alliance Academy International (the missionary school here in Quito). It contains a lot of great info about what is going on. I love you all, and please don't worry!! God is always in control! :)
Date: Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 2:16 PM
Subject: EMERGENCY - Ecuador destabilized!
To:
Supporters and friends:
URGENT NEED FOR PRAYER: Details are not completely clear, but this morning Ecuador's national police went on strike, and apparently even attacked the president when he went to talk with the strikers. This has seriously destablized the nation for the first time in several years, and has added to the danger we face on the streets.
WHAT WE KNOW: According to various news reports, the national police decided to strike (leave their posts, protest at their stations, burn tires in the streets) to protest an impending reduction in their performance bonuses and promotion schedules. Dissatisfaction with Ecuador's president has been building in recent months, and this latest move apparently was too much for the police.
The total absence of the police force means that there is little or no "law presence" on the streets; in the cities of Quito and Guayaquil, particularly, this can mean that criminals roam freely.
Quito's airport is closed until further notice, stranding about 700 outbound passengers this morning at the airport, and preventing travel for an indefinite period of time. Some of our students' parents are in other parts of the world, trying to get home.
All schools are closed until further notice; we implemented our strike plan and methodically evacuated the campus beginning at noon; all but a handful of students (whose parents are stranded in various places) are now gone.
WHAT WE HEAR (which may or may not be accurate): Several banks have been robbed, and markets and malls looted--some near the campus. Roads leading in/out of major cities have been blocked, though I have not--yet--heard of any of our families who live in the suburbs being unable to get home.
After being tear-gassed by the police, the president fled to a major hospital (not the one next door to us) to find safety from police who threatened his life.
The commander of the military claims that the military supports the president; however, we also hear from inside sources that such support is not necessarily the case. I have not yet read any news as to action by the National Assembly (congress) or the Supreme Court in this situation.
PRAY FOR: God's plan to be realized...sanity to prevail...safety for our entire community...stability for the nation...an orderly resolution of the power struggle...wisdom for the Alliance Academy leadership as we consider when to re-open...and more.
A number of us have been through this several times...in twenty years here I think it's been five times for me. Personally, I am not anxious...just wanting more and better information (the TRUTH, not just rumors), and for stability to return so we can do what we're here to do.
Thanx! Feel free to write...so long as we have internet I will try to keep in touch.
Cheers!
Greg Collord
Alliance Academy International
Quito Ecuador
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Dios es Fiel (God is Faithful)
Hola Amigos!
Tengo mucho informacion por ustedes! Mi clase de Espanol es muy bueno! A mi me gusta la profesora. Estamos aprendiendo un monton. Tomorrow I will have been in Ecuador for two weeks. Can you believe it? I am absolutely loving everything about being here. Along with my Spanish class, we now have Spiritual Formation. I think it's going to be an awesome class, and I'm excited to dive into it like Spanish! This past week was a lot more chill than our first week. Orientation was a blast, and I'm not saying this week wasn't as fun, but it was definitely more serious. We are now on our own for meals, and we go to the market every other day or so for fresh ingredients. I'm so lucky the other girls know how to cook a lot of things from scratch! They're incredible. We also do just about everything else on our own now too. We catch the trolley to go to class downtown like pros. We've learned how to force our way on and off, and not be so scared of being smashed in tighter than sardines. (It's really a hilarious sight, and I've been wanting to take a picture, only I can never reach my camera to take one!)
This week was filled mostly with classes and homework. I never thought I would be doing homework this soon after graduating, but I'm actually really enjoying it! Not having to worry about a grade is awesome. My goals are simply to do my best and make you all proud! :) I love this process of beginning to understand and communicate with the beautiful people of Ecuador in their own tongue. I've actually been surprised that almost no one speaks any English here. I guess my ethnocentrism got the best of me before coming, because I assumed a lot more people would know at least a bit. Despite only being able to communicate on a very basic level right now, I'm already falling deeply in love with these people. They are so precious to God and He loves them so much. How could I not adore them?
My internship begins in a week, and I am so incredibly excited for it to start. I'm so glad I've been able to have intensive Spanish first though, because I'll definitely need it. Also in a week, I will be moving in with an Ecuadorian family for three weeks. That is going to be so crazy and awesome and intense! I'm looking forward to it.
Prayer requests for this coming week would definitely include patience for me in Spanish class. It's definitely like trying to drink from a firehose right now. There's so much it kinda hurts! ;) I want to know everything, but I know it has to be a long process. Also, prayer would be greatly appreciated for continued safety for my whole team. I am so humbled and grateful for all of your prayers so far. Know that they are being tangibly felt and are having a huge impact here!
Amor para ustedes,
Jenni
Tengo mucho informacion por ustedes! Mi clase de Espanol es muy bueno! A mi me gusta la profesora. Estamos aprendiendo un monton. Tomorrow I will have been in Ecuador for two weeks. Can you believe it? I am absolutely loving everything about being here. Along with my Spanish class, we now have Spiritual Formation. I think it's going to be an awesome class, and I'm excited to dive into it like Spanish! This past week was a lot more chill than our first week. Orientation was a blast, and I'm not saying this week wasn't as fun, but it was definitely more serious. We are now on our own for meals, and we go to the market every other day or so for fresh ingredients. I'm so lucky the other girls know how to cook a lot of things from scratch! They're incredible. We also do just about everything else on our own now too. We catch the trolley to go to class downtown like pros. We've learned how to force our way on and off, and not be so scared of being smashed in tighter than sardines. (It's really a hilarious sight, and I've been wanting to take a picture, only I can never reach my camera to take one!)
This week was filled mostly with classes and homework. I never thought I would be doing homework this soon after graduating, but I'm actually really enjoying it! Not having to worry about a grade is awesome. My goals are simply to do my best and make you all proud! :) I love this process of beginning to understand and communicate with the beautiful people of Ecuador in their own tongue. I've actually been surprised that almost no one speaks any English here. I guess my ethnocentrism got the best of me before coming, because I assumed a lot more people would know at least a bit. Despite only being able to communicate on a very basic level right now, I'm already falling deeply in love with these people. They are so precious to God and He loves them so much. How could I not adore them?
My internship begins in a week, and I am so incredibly excited for it to start. I'm so glad I've been able to have intensive Spanish first though, because I'll definitely need it. Also in a week, I will be moving in with an Ecuadorian family for three weeks. That is going to be so crazy and awesome and intense! I'm looking forward to it.
Prayer requests for this coming week would definitely include patience for me in Spanish class. It's definitely like trying to drink from a firehose right now. There's so much it kinda hurts! ;) I want to know everything, but I know it has to be a long process. Also, prayer would be greatly appreciated for continued safety for my whole team. I am so humbled and grateful for all of your prayers so far. Know that they are being tangibly felt and are having a huge impact here!
Amor para ustedes,
Jenni
Sunday, September 19, 2010
My First Week in Ecuador!
Hola friends and family!!
Greetings from the land where a dozen roses cost two dollars, and toilet paper is thrown away, not flushed. :) I flew into Quito, Ecuador one week ago, and was welcomed at the airport by several of Youth World's staff members, the wonderful people who are my leaders for the next three months. I can scarcely believe it's been a full week since I arrived here and saw their faces for the first time. The time has gone by so quickly I haven't even had a chance to catch my breath since stepping off the plane and onto the 10,000 ft. high ground of Ecuador's capital.
I am so excited to share with you all about my first week here! I know many of you have been waiting anxiously to hear from me, so thank you for being patient! I wish I could include every detail of my experience in this blog, but that would mean no sleep for me, so I'll have to keep it simplified. ;)
From day one, after stepping off the plane, my director drove me to my team's apartment (which has an incredible view of the city!), and I met the other girls in my program. They are all wonderful and very sweet! :) Day two (Monday), in the morning I met the boys (also very nice), and we began orientation. We learned a lot about International Teams and Youth World, including who they are, what they do, and their impact in this country. We went over safety, and all that jazz as well. We were introduced to Quito itself, which was awesome. Phil, Matt, Marlow, and Bryan are the people in charge of our group, so they showed us around the city (You will hear a lot more about them in the future, and I'll be mentioning them a lot! They are amazing leaders.) We went to many different spots, taking trollies, cabs and walking a lot, and learned about the history and makeup of the city. While our legs and lungs burned walking the hills, we got to know each other a little bit more as well.
Day three (Tuesday), we continued on from Monday, sharing our life stories with one another, bonding as a group, and learning more about the city (this time the area closest to where we're living). We visited key places that are important to Youth World and places that will be important to us in the next three months. We ended our day at Matt and Marlow's house (they're married and have two kids). We ate dinner and had a devotional time, which was wonderful. Tuesday night, just like Monday night, I feel into bed around 12:30, exhausted from the whirlwind day.
Wednesday, we were sent on a scavenger hunt throughout the whole city as a group, to see if we had been paying attention to what our leaders had been sharing with us the previous days. Equipped with maps and cell phones, we spent the entire day walking around the city. When we finished, we went to Matt and Marlow's house once again and had a time of worship. (We will have a Bible study/worship time at their house every Wednesday.) Wednesday morning I had woken up not feeling the best. Throughout the day I increasingly felt worse, which was a bummer. By the evening I knew I was sick, but still tried to participate in everything.
Thursday was our first day of Spanish class! (It starts at 8:30, so I will be waking up at 6:30 on weekdays.) We took placement tests, and then jumped right in to learning. My teacher spoke Spanish the whole time! Talk about immersion! She is super nice and motions a lot and makes sure I understand the gist of what she's saying before going on. I was surprised at how much I was able to understand and how much I learned. I definitely had a blast. :) I was still sick though, and that made it hard to sit for three hours with major stomach pain. We had our first free time Thursday afternoon, so I took a much needed nap! After waking up and still feeling bad, I emailed my mom and let her know I was sick. She emailed many of you and passed on the word. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me!!
Friday was my birthday! I woke up that morning and felt great!! It was such an incredible blessing to get online in the afternoon and find emails from so many people telling me they were praying for my health and wishing me a great birthday. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. It made me feel so loved, and I was so thankful to not be sick anymore! :) In the morning we had Spanish class, and in the afternoon we went to the market. It was super fun! Bryan planned a surprise evening to celebrate, which ended up being dinner at a Crepe and Waffle place. Deliciousness! We even got dressed up for it. After dinner we played Silent Football and the girls surprised me with a birthday cake they had made! It even had candles on it and they sang happy birthday. Everyone is so sweet here and they made my day super special.
This weekend we were able to pack in a bunch of fun before our workload gets too crazy and we have no free time. Saturday (yesterday), we drove partially down the mountain (crossing into the Northern Hemisphere) and went to a zip line through the “cloud forest.” Then on our way back to Quito we stopped at a tiny butterfly farm and saw different species of butterflies. Both of those events were incredible, and I feel so blessed that I got to experience them!! :)
Today (Sunday) we all went to a Spanish-only church. It was great, but I could barely understand the service. Can't wait till I can understand more! ;) After church we went to the middle of the world – the equator! Well, not really, since they mis-marked it by a few hundred meters, but it was still cool. We straddled the line and took pictures. Marlow said we'll make it to the real equator sometime before we leave. It doesn't matter much to me since I've already crossed it. ;)
If you're still reading this, I'm so impressed! I just realized I didn't do a good job of simplifying. ;) Sorry about that! We did an incredible amount of stuff this last week and the group of us bonded like crazy. Though I feel like I just left the States, I feel like I've known my new friends and this city for years. Thank you to all once again for being excited for me, for the birthday wishes, and especially for your prayers. I don't know what made me sick this past week, but I don't plan on getting sick again! This coming week I continue Spanish, and more classes start. It should be just as busy, but much more routine. I love you all and look forward to keeping you updated on here!
With Joy,
Jenni
Greetings from the land where a dozen roses cost two dollars, and toilet paper is thrown away, not flushed. :) I flew into Quito, Ecuador one week ago, and was welcomed at the airport by several of Youth World's staff members, the wonderful people who are my leaders for the next three months. I can scarcely believe it's been a full week since I arrived here and saw their faces for the first time. The time has gone by so quickly I haven't even had a chance to catch my breath since stepping off the plane and onto the 10,000 ft. high ground of Ecuador's capital.
I am so excited to share with you all about my first week here! I know many of you have been waiting anxiously to hear from me, so thank you for being patient! I wish I could include every detail of my experience in this blog, but that would mean no sleep for me, so I'll have to keep it simplified. ;)
From day one, after stepping off the plane, my director drove me to my team's apartment (which has an incredible view of the city!), and I met the other girls in my program. They are all wonderful and very sweet! :) Day two (Monday), in the morning I met the boys (also very nice), and we began orientation. We learned a lot about International Teams and Youth World, including who they are, what they do, and their impact in this country. We went over safety, and all that jazz as well. We were introduced to Quito itself, which was awesome. Phil, Matt, Marlow, and Bryan are the people in charge of our group, so they showed us around the city (You will hear a lot more about them in the future, and I'll be mentioning them a lot! They are amazing leaders.) We went to many different spots, taking trollies, cabs and walking a lot, and learned about the history and makeup of the city. While our legs and lungs burned walking the hills, we got to know each other a little bit more as well.
Day three (Tuesday), we continued on from Monday, sharing our life stories with one another, bonding as a group, and learning more about the city (this time the area closest to where we're living). We visited key places that are important to Youth World and places that will be important to us in the next three months. We ended our day at Matt and Marlow's house (they're married and have two kids). We ate dinner and had a devotional time, which was wonderful. Tuesday night, just like Monday night, I feel into bed around 12:30, exhausted from the whirlwind day.
Wednesday, we were sent on a scavenger hunt throughout the whole city as a group, to see if we had been paying attention to what our leaders had been sharing with us the previous days. Equipped with maps and cell phones, we spent the entire day walking around the city. When we finished, we went to Matt and Marlow's house once again and had a time of worship. (We will have a Bible study/worship time at their house every Wednesday.) Wednesday morning I had woken up not feeling the best. Throughout the day I increasingly felt worse, which was a bummer. By the evening I knew I was sick, but still tried to participate in everything.
Thursday was our first day of Spanish class! (It starts at 8:30, so I will be waking up at 6:30 on weekdays.) We took placement tests, and then jumped right in to learning. My teacher spoke Spanish the whole time! Talk about immersion! She is super nice and motions a lot and makes sure I understand the gist of what she's saying before going on. I was surprised at how much I was able to understand and how much I learned. I definitely had a blast. :) I was still sick though, and that made it hard to sit for three hours with major stomach pain. We had our first free time Thursday afternoon, so I took a much needed nap! After waking up and still feeling bad, I emailed my mom and let her know I was sick. She emailed many of you and passed on the word. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me!!
Friday was my birthday! I woke up that morning and felt great!! It was such an incredible blessing to get online in the afternoon and find emails from so many people telling me they were praying for my health and wishing me a great birthday. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. It made me feel so loved, and I was so thankful to not be sick anymore! :) In the morning we had Spanish class, and in the afternoon we went to the market. It was super fun! Bryan planned a surprise evening to celebrate, which ended up being dinner at a Crepe and Waffle place. Deliciousness! We even got dressed up for it. After dinner we played Silent Football and the girls surprised me with a birthday cake they had made! It even had candles on it and they sang happy birthday. Everyone is so sweet here and they made my day super special.
This weekend we were able to pack in a bunch of fun before our workload gets too crazy and we have no free time. Saturday (yesterday), we drove partially down the mountain (crossing into the Northern Hemisphere) and went to a zip line through the “cloud forest.” Then on our way back to Quito we stopped at a tiny butterfly farm and saw different species of butterflies. Both of those events were incredible, and I feel so blessed that I got to experience them!! :)
Today (Sunday) we all went to a Spanish-only church. It was great, but I could barely understand the service. Can't wait till I can understand more! ;) After church we went to the middle of the world – the equator! Well, not really, since they mis-marked it by a few hundred meters, but it was still cool. We straddled the line and took pictures. Marlow said we'll make it to the real equator sometime before we leave. It doesn't matter much to me since I've already crossed it. ;)
If you're still reading this, I'm so impressed! I just realized I didn't do a good job of simplifying. ;) Sorry about that! We did an incredible amount of stuff this last week and the group of us bonded like crazy. Though I feel like I just left the States, I feel like I've known my new friends and this city for years. Thank you to all once again for being excited for me, for the birthday wishes, and especially for your prayers. I don't know what made me sick this past week, but I don't plan on getting sick again! This coming week I continue Spanish, and more classes start. It should be just as busy, but much more routine. I love you all and look forward to keeping you updated on here!
With Joy,
Jenni
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Farewell USA, Hola Ecuador!!
It's finally here!! The big day came soo fast. I leave for LAX in a half hour. I can barely believe it. :) My flight takes off at 6:25am. That takes me to Miami, where I have a four hour layover, and then a three hour flight to Ecuador. I reach Quito at 9:00pm their time, which is three hours ahead of CA.
I have to make this note super short, but I just wanted to thank everyone once again for everything. You all have given me so much support, encouragement, and prayer, and I am overwhelmed by your love. Thank you for making this trip possible.
I cannot wait to give you all my first update from Quito when I'm settled in! Know that I am taking you all with me in my heart. I love you all dearly. See you in December!
With love and joy,
Jenni
Ecuador, here I come!
I have to make this note super short, but I just wanted to thank everyone once again for everything. You all have given me so much support, encouragement, and prayer, and I am overwhelmed by your love. Thank you for making this trip possible.
I cannot wait to give you all my first update from Quito when I'm settled in! Know that I am taking you all with me in my heart. I love you all dearly. See you in December!
With love and joy,
Jenni
Ecuador, here I come!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)