My Orchid is in Bloom

I am a lover of orchids. I can't help it they are just fascinating. So you can appreciate my delight to find out that Ecuador has over 4000 varieties including an orchid so tiny you have to look at it under a magnifying glass. It is amazing to see something so small and yet so perfectly formed.

No I don't have near as many as 4000, but the few I have are beginning to bloom and it gives me great pleasure for the 4 to 6 weeks they are in bloom to sit and look at their unique beauty. The one shown here is particularly pretty and I thought I would share its beauty with you.

CO Visit

This is Mark and I with Marco and Mayra Sigue. They are substituting in the circuit while our regular CO is recuperating. While we missed our regular CO, we had a wonderful time with Marco and Mayra and enjoyed getting to know them. They are a young couple only married for 9 months. Marco graduated from MTS and is a very capable brother at such a young age. He was also one of our instructors at the Pioneer School we attended in August. Mayra is delightful and very enthusiastic in the ministry.

We had a wonderful week with them. Really impressive was our Pioneer Meeting. There are 23 Regular Pioneers in our congregation and they represent 123 years of full time service. If you count the CO and wife it represents 155 years. Very encouraging.

All's Well

Thank you for your prayers during these last few days. Things are now pretty much back to normal. The incident has opened the way for great conversations in the ministry though. Many feel that it was just political band standing on the part of the President. I'm so happy that we don't get involved in these matters and we have a righteous and just ruler. But, it does make you feel pity for the people that have to suffer under man's domination while waiting for Christ'a rulership to take action.

Ecuador Crisis

To all our friends and family that may be hearing the news about the coup d'etat attempt on the president of Ecuador, please know that we are okay.

The police are striking because they are unhappy about a new law that is going to pass that takes away their bonuses and promotions will be every 7 years instead of 5 years. A lack of police presence has caused looting and violence, mostly in the larger cities. Cuenca pretty much closed down yesterday, schools, banks and small stores. The Feria Libre (large open market) and the bus terminal both reported assaults and other businesses were robbed. But, there is less turmoil here. The president called for a 5 day state emergency and the military at the moment is in control.

This is nothing new for us. We have seen this type of unrest many times before. But, we do ask that you please keep us in your prayers.

I will post updates as soon as I know something new.

Brave Sisters

The other day while out in the ministry with 5 other little Ecuadorian sisters, we passed two men sitting in a field. They were obviously drunk so we just casually walked by and didn't say anything. The 2 men immediately started yelling at us and got up and walked toward us. We kept on our way, but they started directing their comments to me saying they wanted to talk to the "gringa." Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big girl and pretty much tower over any Ecuadorian, male or female. So I wasn't too worried about these guys. However, my 5 little companions immediately stood between these 2 guys and me and would not let them near me. They would not budge until these guys decided to leave us alone. Tears came to my eyes as I watched these brave little sisters take action to protect me. What a show of Christian love and loyalty and a lesson on how we defend our brothers.

Norman Thinks He's a Dog

This is one of our new hatchlings, Norman. From the day he came out of his chuaguaquero (nest) he has been popular with us. He came immediately out of his cage into Mark's hand and wanted to cuddle. He loves to be petted like a dog and sometimes even falls asleep on his side in our hand with his little claws in the air.

He is the sweetist little fellow. All he needs to learn now is how to bark.

All Good Things Must Come to an End...Or Do they?

The two weeks flew by. But, what a wonderful experience! This is the second time around for Mark and I and we feel we learned more this time than the first. Sadly, I got sick during the second week and missed 2 days and Mark was ill the last day. But, besides this great disappointment I can truthfully say that it was one of the most encouraging experiences in my spiritual life.

Students of all ages and many different backgrounds attended. From the U.S., New Zealand, Norway, Spain (actually our CO is from Spain) and in Ecuador brothers from the coast, mountains and rural areas. Single, married, male, female, mothers, fathers and even a pregnant sister. Age ranges between 16 and 55+. The instructors were excellent, our Circuit Overseer and the other brother in substitute work who also graduated from MTS. They are awesome!

So although the school is ended our life as pioneers begin anew. What an excellent way to start out our service year.

This is me and Baltazara who I mentioned in my last post. Isn't she beautiful?