Day Nine "Monday" Back Home

Everyone is at home and doing well. It was a blessing to take part in this mission trip. The memories will stay with me forever. The friends I met on this mission team and also all the people lives we touch in Atacucho, Ecuador will never be forgotten. I’m already looking forward to the next trip.
** Thanks to all who supported me in this trip by prayers and donations to make this mission trip possible. Especially a special thank you to my wife Tricia and my daughter Sydney for their support.

Day Eight "Saturday"

Today “Saturday” is our last full day in Ecuador. We had an action pack day traveling to the rain forest. While we were there, a guide took us on a hike through the rain forest and also did the zip-line “awesome”. The people there fed us lunch, which was actually good ‘pizza and ice cream”. I believe everyone is ready to come home. We miss everyone. Brother Mark was sick this morning, but he is much better now. Tomorrow we take a short trip to the Equator then it is off to the airport. Our flight leaves out tomorrow night and should arrive in Atlanta around 6:30 Monday morning.
Hasta luego…

Day Seven

Due to the lack of internet access, I had to wake up early Saturday morning to post Day 7 “Friday” activities, but Friday was the day that we had to say goodbye to all of the families, children, and friends we met in Atacucho. The day started out again at the same daycare from Thursday at “Little Hearts”. It’s amazing how you can become so attach to these children and also how they become attach to you in a very short time. After our last visit with the children it was back to laying block at Mama Yoli’s. Lunch was very interesting today, after we all ate we got a big surprise, the ladies that prepared our lunch all week decided to cook us a large guinea pig and served it on a silver platter; yes I said a guinea pig. I thought I was on Fear Factor or something. I would not recommend it but now I can say I ate some guinea pig. Following lunch all of the ladies from the “sister to sister” project came to Mama Yoli’s to get some clothes for their children that was donated to them. While they all were there, they gave each member of our mission team a gift of appreciation. This was a very emotional moment for us. When all loaded up on the bus and headed back to the hotel in Quito, there was not much talking going on. We all sat there thinking of this past week knowing that we all left a part of us back in Atacucho. God bless all of the families there in that community. Tonight SIFAT took all out to eat to a very nice restaurant in Old Quito. The view from the restaurant was absolutely amazing. We actually had some good food; no guinea pig was on the menu. Today “Saturday” we travel to the rain forest for a zip-line adventure.
So long for now…

Day Six "Thursday"

The day began with a trip to one of the smallest daycare facilities in Atacucho. This particular daycare holds about 45 children a day. Once Mama Yoli’s is completed, all of these children will move there. We were able to teach VBS and visit with these children. Also while we were there, we donated blue jeans to most of them. Once we returned to Mama Yoli’s, it was back to laying block. Following lunch, we split up into 2 teams and visited families in Atacucho. We were invited into there home while they gave their testimony of how they live for Jesus each day. As we stop and talked to each family, we prayed with them. I thought I saw it all yesterday, but today was unbelievable. It seems that all of the children are getting to know our faces each day. As we returned back to Mama Yoli’s, we laid more blocks and taught VBS to the older children and teenagers. We ended the day a game of soccer with the teenagers. Donnie was able to get some action today.

Miss you all.....

Day Five "Wednesday"

Today was a very active day with construction and VBS. On the construction side, we unloaded 500 blocks and placed them on the second floor along with mixing concrete mix for the block. I didn’t realize laying block was such a challenge. On the VBS side, we were able to teach VBS at a near by daycare facility and also at Mama Yoli’s. The theme for today was Noah’s Ark and all the children had a blast role-playing, singing and making hand puppets. The women involved in the “sister to sister” project came to Mama Yoli’s with all of the items that they make at home, such as necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, and decorative cloth bags. I had the opportunity today to visit a family and was invited into their house; this was a very emotional moment. This family is so blessed of what they have, which is very little and was honored for us to come visit them in their home. We were able to talk to them and pray with them. What I experienced today along with others is what makes this mission trip priceless. Before we left Atacucho, several of us was able to play soccer with the children. Playing soccer at 10,000 feet above sea level wasn’t easy; those kids were running circles around us.
See ya….

Day Four

We were told that today would probably be the hardest workday, which involved mixing and pouring concrete. We had some additional help today from some local people that were hired to assist us. The concrete was all mixed by hand and hoisted up 4 stories to make the roof of the church offices and the floor to the top floor, which will be used by Mama Yoli’s daycare. The ladies assisted in preparing the meals for the local people that were hired. They were fed along with their children. Everyone got a lot of sun today and was ready top returned to the hotel for a hot shower.

First Day at Work

We began our morning with breakfast at the Hotel Tambo Real and by 8:30 am we were on the road to Atacucho for our first day of work. We had an active day with construction work and VBS to the younger children and teenagers. On Tuesday, we plan to mix and pour concrete all day. Everyone is having a great time, but we all miss our families back home. Words and pictures cannot explain the impact that this trip has already done to us. The children in Atacucho are very precious and loving. Sherri has been under the weather this afternoon, so please keep her in your prayers…
Until next time…