In the Market

We had our first trip to the market several days ago.  Here are some shots from our trip.

Live crab by the bunches.  This was Caleb's favorite item of the day.

Caleb said, "Mommy, I smell something."  When he turned around he was staring right into the face of 'chancho', pig.  There's a different perspective from the height of a three year old.

Aerobics...Interesting!!!

Tonight I was invited by one of  the seminary students to try out aerobics with some of  the female students.  When I walked into the room there was a strange smell which came from a cream the girls were rubbing on their stomachs.  Since everyone else was doing it, I wanted to fit in, and had them put some on me.  I'm pretty sure it was Vick Vapor Rub (or the Ecuadorian equivalent).  They put it on their stomachs because it supposedly helps you lose weight there while you workout.  Some of the girls were also wrapping saran wrap around their stomachs so they would sweat more and lose weight faster.  We had a 'director' that led all the moves to North American music ("You Want to be my Lover", "I Like to Move It, Move It" and others).  There are seminary students from Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia here, so we have quite the mix of people and cultures, from very "citified" people to others that come from indigenous tribes in the jungle.  As the girl next to me and I tried to figure out the moves, it made me smile knowing that she is from a tribe in the Oriente and speaks more Quechua (the most common indigenous language) than Spanish.  Overall it was a pretty good workout and I had a lot of fun  "fitting in" with the people here.

An Attempt to Run

Friday morning I woke up early to try out a little running.  It's more difficult to run here than it will be in Shell since the compound is in the midst of the city on a busy road, and as a female I can't run by myself.  We're situated on a hill so I deciced I'd attempt to run up and down the hill in the compound ten times.  Though I succeeded in meeting my goal it was a challenge.  My legs were fine, but my lungs were dying.  Running at a 9500 foot altitude in a city that can get a bit smoggy is not an easy thing for someone who's used to the low altitude, clean air of Idaho.  It reminded me of the book "Hinds Feet on High Places".   As we draw nearer to God in the "high places" our "run" of life doesn't necessarily get easier, but often more difficult.  However, if we continue to "run" with Him in those high places we get stronger.  We want to run in such a way as to earn the prize Paul wrote about.  Just as many Kenyans are great runners because they train at high altitudes, we as Christians need to "train" at high altitudes with God, too.

First Ecuadorian Pictures

Getting ready to leave at the Boise airport

Inside our apartment

A tapestry in our apartment

The view from our place

Ecuadorian roses (A dozen/$1.50)

We Made It!

Twelve bags, six carry-ons, one stoller, a carseat, three flights, a spilt apple juice, a lost jacket, and two tired kids, we made it to Ecuador.  (Yes! All the bags made it :)  We were greeted by a group from the Nazarene International Language Institute (NILI) who were immediately a hit with the kids when they gave them balloons.  They took us right to our apartment where fresh Ecuadorian flowers were waiting for us.  Our apartment sits on a hill and overlooks the mountains across the valley.

Yesterday we had some orientation meetings and started to unpack, which is going to take us a few days.  The kids are doing pretty well, but both came down with colds.  I think Caleb is having a little harder time adjusting to the newness, but he's already made some friends his age that live right behind us, and all the people here will "adopt" the kids.  Almost everyone we see calls Jael a muneca (doll) since all the baby dolls they get here have blond hair and blue eyes. 

Once we get a little more settled in we'll be sure to send some pictures.  Today we start laguage school and tonight we're planning on going to an Ecuadorian "ballet".

GlideScope

A few months ago I was corresponding with the folks at the hospital in Shell, asking if they were in need of any equipment.  Dr. Barton, the anesthesiologist, had mentioned that he would love to have a GlideScope for difficult intubations.  Basically, this is a device that allows the operator to look right at the trachea where a tube is placed in order to give the patient a stable airway.  The airway can then be used to deliver anesthesia and/or breathe for the patient using a ventilator.  Every intubation is a little different--some people's tracheas are not where you think they should be.  Some patients may have a lot of extra neck tissue or swelling, making it very difficult to see in order to place the tube.  I've used the GlideScope in the US, and it is a very slick machine--the difficult intubations become easy.  I sent an e-mail to the folks at Verathon, which is the company who makes GlideScopes.  Right from the start, they were excited to be able to help the Hospital Vozandes del Oriente.  They graciously agreed to donate a GlideScope unit for the hospital to use.  Thank you so much to Jack and Laura at Verathon!  You guys are an amazing blessing to us and our patients.  And thank you Lord Jesus for always providing what is needed.

Hablas espanol? (Do you speak Spanish?)

We're looking forward to beginning our language studies at Nazarene International Language Institute (NILI)several days after we arrive in Quito.  Kristina will have a one-on-one tutor four hours a day, five days a week (whew, that's a lot of focused Spanish).  Since Dan speaks Spanish quite a bit better, he will be sitting in on classes with other students.  When we happen to have lessons at the same time, NILI has set up a childcare provider for Caleb and Jael.  NILI asked if we wanted an English; English-Spanish; or Spanish only speaking sitter for the kids.  We decided to have a Spanish speaking only babysitter.  While we're looking forward to having the kids pick up the language quickly (we're sure more quickly than us), Kristina is a little nervous about how the first few days will go :) 

I've been reading Matthew lately, and came across the calling of Matthew by Jesus to "Follow me."  When I've read the Bible before I've haven't spent too much time considering the details that it involved for Matthew to follow Jesus.  Matthew had a job (tax collector) and a house (since the Bible speaks of Jesus eating there).  I think of all the planning, preparation, and time I've put into getting ready to "follow Jesus" to Ecuador.  I'm sure there were probably "details" the disciples somehow had to work through when they began to follow Jesus, too.  The Bible, however, doesn't say anything about them.  I think this may be because in the end, all those details really aren't that important compared to following God's calling on thier/our lives.  I need to remember that it's not about how close to 50 lbs I can get each piece of luggage, or how we'll be received through customs, or when/how our house sells.  Ultimately it's all about following God.