One more time around

"The end of all things is near," well thats what it said in the Lord of the Rings and so it seems at times here. However, that is not the case. As these last weeks wind down, only 3 days left, it gets tougher and tougher to leave. There is so much here after 3 months that it is hard to leave. The construction and what we completed on the church (wall, door, columns, floor, stairs, tiling, painting, cleaning...) So much has changed and its been great to watch it grow. Even harder though are the people and relationships here. The family I am staying with in particular Fernando who has become a best freind and a brother, the people I work with everyday, the youth and the kids at the church and of course the pastor and the rest of the congregation along with everyone else that I have come to know. The list is sooo long. On top of it all the coutry is just gorgeous, soooo much in such a small country. To leave this and the nice weather and return to freezing temperatures and snow seems cruel at times. All this and so much more makes leaving here so hard. However, God is slowly giving me peace with leaving as there are people waiting for me at home, work to be done and of course, the hope of returning.

I apologize for not writing last week, I was a little short on time. To be honest the last 2 weeks have been more relaxed. Last week was filled with 1/2 days of work as we slowly prepared for the wedding last weekend. The wedding was a huge success, the first at the church and the first for the pastor. Every thing went great and it was a thoroughly enjoyable time. It was very similar to in the states, though in Spanish of course. It was held outside on an absolutely gorgeous day. The reception afterward was held on the second floor and everyone enjoyed it. Sunday was church as normal except our normal pastor (pator Luis) was visiting another church so the youth pastor, Franklin, gave the sermon. This week has subsequently been filled with last rendezous. Monday Fernando and I went and spent the afternoon in the center city, seeing a couple cites but otherwise just walking and talking. Tuesday and Wedsnday I spent with the contractor (Marcos) and his family. He has 2 sons and a daughter all in high school and just a really great family. I really enjoyed being able to spend time and talk with them. I'm really gonna miss that family. Thursday, I went with Guillermo and Rosa to Mindo, a town about 2 hours away. Unfortunately it was real cloudy, a rarity and we couldn't see much. We did however see a bunch of hummingbirds. Usually the town is filled with them and butterflies. However, becuase of the clouds and the lack of more time we couldn't see the butterflies and the waterfalls that help make the town so beautiful. Today was pretty relaxing, tonight we will go in to see the city at night. Tomorrow we are going to visit another city, Otavalo and then in the evening there is a going away party for me at the church. Sunday is church and packing and early Monday morning I leave for the airport. My flight leaves at 8:30am and after a layover in Atlanta I get into JFK around 8, assuming all goes according to schedule but you know how flying can be. So yeah, that is how my time is wrapping up here. I am really excited to see everyone back home, I really am. Its just tough leaving another family back here. Thanks again for all your prayers and support, they have been a huge blessing and aid here. God has used your help to do really awesome things here. Thank you. I love you all and look forward to seeing you all soon.

Hummingbirds (coibri) from Mindo

Project: stairs

So yeah, stairs didn't come with the original pouring of the floor so 3 weeks later now we built stairs. This week, starting Monday we built the forms and supports for the stairs. heading up to the 3 floor. Now I don't have to climb up the column. haha. Much easier. But yeah, it was a pretty good week, all went well. Monday was exciting as I had a nice fall but nothing too bad. I was walking around on a makeshift scaffold when I stepped on a board that I knew I probably shouldn't have. I was just trying to turn around right quick but that half second was enough for the board to break and me fall through only the catch myself with an arm and a leg. haha. Quite Indiana Jonesish. Anyone, one nice scrape down my arm and everything is good. Everything has gone smoothly from there on out and today we finished the forms and support as we prepare to pour the concrete tomorrow. Also, the space in front of the church has become a formidable vollyball court and we ruitinely play a game of volly after lunch. Its a bit different than vollyball in America as they play with 3 people and the rules on hitting the ball are a bit more liberal. But yeah, thats always a good time, especially cuz the losing team always buys something to drink. Its all good fun though. haha.

Other than the ongoing construction this week, last weekend was pretty relaxed. Friday I took the day off to rest after being sick on Thursday. I feel much better now, havn't had a problem since Thursday so I think it may have just been what I ate. However, with the free time, we took a trip to the Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world). That was quite the experience. There is actually a giant monument and park with stores to honor the middle of the world, however, its not actually on the equator. The French came and decided thats where it was even after the native indians had found its true location. Now, however, GPS has confirmed that the indians were in fact correct and there is a smaller monument and museum there to honor the true location. We went to the real deal. With a guide we went through the museum as the talked about the native indians of Ecuador and various rituals and how they lived. It was pretty neat and they had a real shrunken head. Craziness. They also took us to the equator and had a number of demonstrations as proof. Of course there is the coreolis effect (the effect of the spin of the earth on draining water, the cyclone effect as it goes down the drain). In the northern hemisphere, home, it rotates counterclockwise. Here in the southern hemisphere it rotates clockwise and on the equator... it doesn't rotate at all!! It just goes straight down. Also, because the forces from the north and south are balanced at the equator, it is fairly easy to balance a raw egg on the head of a nail. That was cool to do. Also, if you walk on the equator with your arms out and eyes closed, you can feel the magnetic pulls from the north and south tug at you as you walk. Crazy feeling. But yeah, all in all it was real neat and definately interesting to see how being in a specific location can change so much.

Other than the excursion to the equator, the weekend was rather uneventful. Saturday was youth group, always a good time. And Sunday morning was church where I learned that there will be a wedding at the church on March 14th. That will be exciting to see. Sunday afternoon was filled with talk of doing stuff and in the end not much happened as Fernando and I spent the afternoon helping a freind with technical drawings. haha, real exciting stuff. But yeah, can't complain, all is going well here. I'm alright, a slight cold but I feel fine. Just yeah, continue to pray for the work and for safety and that God will continue to use the rest of my time here to complete His work. Hard to believe there is just over 2 weeks left. 2 weeks from Monday I will be on my way home. But yeah, until there, I'm enjoying life here. I hope all is well back home, I love and miss you all!

I realize I never posted pictures of the work done while the group from the states was here. Here is the sanctuary which was tiled and the cieling painted. It looks so much nicer and is infinitely brighter.

Here is on of the bathrooms, both of which were tiled and painted. The toilets are installed and waiting for the water to be hooked up. They are still waiting for the cabinets and sinks to be installed but it actually looks like a bathroom now. haha

Here is a current picture of the church as a whole. Here it is with the third floor up top. The stairs are on the right hand side there, the new ones will continue up from there. Eventually, when the church has the money, they walls will be built and the sanctuary will be on the second floor.

Here is our work for the week as we built the forms for the stairs, which we completed today. Tomorrow we will fill them and after 2 weeks or so we can remove the forms and they will be ready for use.