Family Pictures

OK, so we have had a request for more family pictures, and I think that is a great idea. So here we are Sunday at a wonderful restaurant. Why so wonderful you ask, well, not only was the food very good and identifiable, but they had an amazing playground that wasn't a mother's worst nightmare. So we got to talk with the friends we went with and the kids got to play! A pretty good way to have lunch after church....

Bella's Room

Ok, so Isabella got very upset today that she hasn't had as many pictures on the blog, and I guess she is being punished for staying clean and not eating bugs, so we are posting the pictures of her room first. Her bunk bed we had made by a very nice gentleman in Puyo. We printed off a picture of a bed we liked for a certain store we like and he made it pretty close to the photo. The bed turned out great and cost SO much less than in the states!

Sebastiao's Newest Friends

My sweet sweet son (the termite eater) made 2 new wonderful friend a few weeks ago while attending a VBS at the local orphanage (Casa de Fe) - we will write much more about this amazing place later. Javier (on the left) and Antonio (in the center) are such sweet boys and they came to Sebastiao's birthday party this past weekend. We truly enjoyed getting to know them and then learning more about their stories.

Life in Ecuador can be very hard and even though we don't understand why some things happen here or the mindset of certain things, we are grateful for a place like Casa de Fe where these sweet boys can have a safe caring environment and learn how much God loves them. We would love for some of you to come down here soon and spend some time helping out at Casa de Fe.

The Best Thing in Ecuador

Ok, well it might not be THE best thing, but it definelty ranks right up there. I am talking about Moras. They are kind of like blackberries and they are used mainly to make juice, but we have found all kinds of uses for them. Joe made an amazing sorbet the other day, I used them in a danish and just got a recipe for muffins I can't wait to try. What makes them even better is that this nice gentleman comes around every Monday morning to sell them, so its one less thing I have to carry home from the market. He also sells strawberries (also used for juice) which are very good. Isabella has almost made herself sick from eating Strawberries all day. As with most fruits, moras and strawberries are very common here and so we can buy enough to make juice for the week and have a little extra to snack on. Above is the picture of "El Senor de las moras" and below is me washing them in the disinfectant so we can make juice. This then adds one more thing to my TIGWB list: A juicer. Most ecuadorians just use a blender and then strain the mixture (which takes FOREVER). I am very glad we visited our friendly Target and just brought a Juiceman with us!

Watch What You Say

Ok, so we are learning an important lesson about words. Even if you know a word in Spanish, it may have a different meaning depending on what country you are in. For example, EXITADO can be the word for EXCITED, but in Ecuador it has much more to do with what occurs between a married couple than how you feel when you get a new car. Another example is the word ENFERMO which I thought meant sick. However I found out tonight while talking with some Ecuadorian friends that the other day day when I told someone that I thought Isabella and I were getting "enferma" what I was really saying was the we were starting our "time of the month." That explains the reaction I got...... So, just remember, just because you know the word doesn't mean you always know the meaning. I sure am glad I am used to making a fool of myself. Life is so much easier and more fun when you can laugh at yourself while other are also.

Forget Lawsuits - Go Straight To Jail!

In a recent hospital meeting, Joe learned that under a new Ecuadorian policy, if a complaint is filed against a doctor for negligence, the doctor will go straight to jail until an investigation is complete. This isn't exactly the kind of news we were excited to hear, but as the medical director (Dr. Eckehart Wolff ) pointed out, we have the best defense attorney, God. So, please add Joe specifically to your daily prayer time. Not just that he will be a good physician, but that he will show God's love and power to his patience and that they will see God through him.

Help, My Son Ate A Termite

Ok, so yes, he really did eat a termite. The other day I was in the kitchen when Sebastiao walked in and was covered in dirt (not uncommon). He told me he and some friends had found a termite mound and were digging through it to find the queen so they could create their own Termite Colony. The he looked at his arm and said, "look a termite." I looked and there was some sort of bug there and then in an instant, he licked it off his arm and ate it! I was a little taken aback and was virtually speachless for a few moments. He of course was laughing at me and then told me he had eaten several in the jungle....like that was supposed to make me feel better. Anyway, he is still alive and is seen here posing with his "termite colony." Good thing our house is made of cinder blocks.

BIG TIME PRAISES

Sorry we have been so silent the last few days. Ok, so everyone who was praying for our freight to get here, you can stop and just praise God for answered prayers. This is our house Monday afternoon.

Then about 7:30 this arrived:

and so for the last few days we have been going through all of this...


The Lord has been so amazing. Everything is here and out of everything we brought, only 2 small corning ware bowls were broken, a pretty amazing feat for all the freight has gone through. We praise God for his overwhelming presence and for giving us so much more than we could ever have imagined and definitely more than we deserve. Thank You Father God!

We will post more pictures of the house once things are a little less "everywhere".