Ecuadorian titulo

As many of you recall, I've been trying to get my Ecuadorian medical license. Things seemed to stall when I couldn't get the appropriate approval from the Ministerio de Relaciones Laborales (MRL).  The MRL oversees all types of labor issues and wasn't allowing me to start my rural year.  Essentially the Ministry of Health wanted to treat me like they do all of the 'rurales' - as an employee, entitled to a salary and all of the benefits of social secuirty.  In the past, this salary was donated to a fund created by the hospital to help pay for care given to members from Puyo.  With my missionary visa, however, I'm not entitled to have a paying job.  To make matters worse, new laws also stipulated that anyone providing a service had to be compensated monetarily and through 'the system'.

The Carnaval holiday is over so this last week, the Ministry of Health has sent a request to the powers that be asking for an exemption so my time at the hospital may be counted towards the rural year requirement and be unpaid.  The hospital has also sent a letter and I've done the same renouncing any form of payment, all in hopes that it will be approved.  From what I hear, it should get approved but I ask that you pray about this.  I'm anxious to get this started and there are several others that will need to do the same as well.

I took the above photo yesterday afternoon as I was leaving the hospital.  We've been having alot more rain than we normally do and haven't seen much of the sky lately.  This is the closest thing to a sunset that we've had in several weeks.  I know that we're making those of you in Texas especially jealous.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is normally a family affair for us, but this year for Christmas Eve, we enjoyed an evening with our Church and experienced a real life,"loaves and fishes" story.  After a very interesting nativity story that included, an angle with a beard, Santa Clause, and a police woman, we fed over 200 people with a pan of chicken pieces and 2 turkeys (and about 30 pounds of rice)!  It was amazing to see how God works, not just with ALWAYS providing for our physical needs, but also by bringing in so many people to hear about Him on his birthday. 

 

Blanca with the largest pot I have ever seen!

Bella was amazingly happy to receive toothpaste as a gift?!

Andi and I trying to figure out how this was going to be washed, and glad it wasn't going to be our job.

Happy Birthday Bella!

Our Sweet Isabella turns 7 today!  Its hard to believe how quickly 7 years can go by.  Happy Birthday to the sweetest, most intelligent and funniest daughter ever!  You are amazing!

Teachers Needed

TEACHER and PRINCIPAL NEEDED!
Nate Saint Memorial School, a small K-8 school for missionaries’ children in Shell, Ecuador, needs a teacher and a principal for the 2012-2013 school year.
We typically have a staff of five teachers and average 25-35 students.
Each teacher is responsible for all course work for two grades. We require that our teachers are credentialed, and raise their own support.
We would prefer that the principal position be filled by someone with a teaching background and they would also need to raise their own support.

If you feel called to serve missionary children please contact Margie Grant at rgrant@maf.org for more information.

Prayer Request

View from our New Years Eve Getaway

Believe or not, it's been more than 2 1/2 years since we left for Ecuador and I still don't have my medical license.  The process is often a long one and I'm embarking on the last part - my rural year.  When medical students graduate from medical school here in Ecuador, they must complete a 'rural year' before they can move on to residencies or start practicing.  For some, this can take place in an isolated jungle community (far from any help) or in a large urban center.  Fortunately, past missionaries have been able to complete their rural year here in the hospital without having to move.  With an agreement between the hospital and the Ministry of Health, the salary that I'd receive would go into a fund that would be used to pay for care given to patients that come from Puyo (the capital of the province).

In the past, this all took place with a 'handshake' agreement. Recently, there has been a lot of turn over in the staff at the Ministry of Health  and now the road is bumpier. I have spent the last 3 days in multiple government offices trying to get things to work out.  Please pray that a solution can soon be found and that I can remain faithful especially when the path doesn't seem logical.  His grace has seen us this far and I'm certain that it will remain until the end.  Once I'm approved for my rural year and have completed it, the last step will be to get my name written in the "Book".  We will keep you updated.