Day 7 - God rested and so did we. Sort of.

If you call getting up at 6 for an 800 bus departure, a 3 hour bus ride to Quito to drop Tyler off at the airport and then another 30 minute ride to the Center of the World (the Ecuator-why did you think they called it Ecuador) resting, then yes we rested. I have a feeling the real rest won't come until Sunday afternoon. I will describe the Ecuator visit later but first a recap of the week.
Adjectives can not really describe what we saw, felt and experienced. So please add your own and don't be afraid to exaggerate because you really can't.
Little yellow bus, smokey at times air leaking out of the back left tire and a new nickname, Tortuga, The Turtle. Mountains so steep and roads so narrow and curvy that Tortuga crawled so slow on some of them we thought the burrows were going to pass us. Volcanos everywhere and yes they are active. We passed within a few miles of 4 of them (3 were snow covered). We saw the results of recent eruptions in one village that had more volcanic ash than dirt for the kids to play on. The problem is it gets into the lungs and doesn't come out. The children were dirty as was everything they touched and played with.
The food was wonderful. Either that or the altitude made us very hungry all the time. No one tried the Qui (guinea pig) but the seasoning and spices of the rest of the food was very satisfying and filling.
The missionaries we met, the Codys and the Westers are dedicated to the people of this country and work tirelessly to see the Gospel spread. Their love for the national church planters is like family. They are their nephews and nieces. They cover the country in 4x4 pickups and tell some harrowing travel stories of years gone past. They are here to grow Christian leaders who can take the Word out into the fields where they can not go because of time and language problems. Pray for them as they continue raising leaders who love Jesus and want to see their country won to the Lord.
The national church planters are almost beyond description. They are dedicated believers who worked long hours each day with us. We grew to love and admire them and their work efforts. We were amazed at the maturity and their youth. We found out last night that their leader this week is only 18 and has been a leader for 2 years. Our guys couldn't believe this fact. Victor has been on his own for 5 or 6 years. His income is almost nil as he sleeps on the street sometimes. He has finished high school and is attending a seminary that only meets once a week. He is trying to decide to leave town for a better seminary that would take 5 years. Money will be an issue but the number one prayer request is for his decision because it will be life changing. Other leaders are just as strong and dedicated but a few are young in the Lord and need constant support and encouragement. Pray for this team as their main missionary support are transferring to Quito from Ambato. The goal is to grow leaders who can stand on their own.
The Ecuadorian people are beautiful people who live in a beautiful land. The folks in the countryside farm land that is almost straight up and down. We saw teams of farmers bent over at the waist hoeing up the ground and walking up a hill we only reserve for snow sledding. All by hand. They are able to grow crops almost anywhere. Families are big. The women care for the home while men farm. The children are as children in any 3rd world county. Dirty faces and hands. Clothes that don't fit. Barefooted. And just like children everywhere smiles, hugs and love. You can not see the children of the world and be touched because the chance of them hearing the Gospel and responding is dim. You are touched by their immediate acceptance of you as a person. They want to be with you, touch you and to shake your hand.
This isn't to say there are not problems. Alcoholism is rampant and leads to the usual problems. Average monthly income is usually 200-300 dollars. Some things are less expensive but comforts are out of reach. So our prayer is not for an easier life but for soft hearts to be open to the Word of God.
We said some tearful goodbyes and traveled up to Quito where we visited the Center of the World. We did some science experiments, learned some more of the Indian cultures and bought some souvineers. We had a very good debrief as several youth opened up as to how this trip affected them. Pray for a continued growth with their walk with the Lord and keep their eyes open to the spiritual and physical needs of the world.