Busy busy busy

Hey Everyone, I've been pretty busy lately so I haven't really felt like blogging. On Saturday we had the staff party here at the Ark, but just before that I had to go to the hospital to take 2 of the babies and the one toddler that were sick. It was freezing in the hospital and it ending up taking 3 hours because of the traffic (the parades make it crazy) and waiting to see the doctor.

On Sunday we went to Calshi (a little village) to sing some songs and do a puppet show for a Christmas program/beauty pageant they had. We didn't get back til late.

Then on Monday I got to go to the jungle (Macas/Sucua) with Isaac and one of the kids named Mariano. I loved it in the jungle... mainly the heat and vegetation... it really reminds me of the Dominican. It was about a 4.5 hour drive and we did mostly visiting people. We went to see Mariano's mom and brothers, a bunch of the old workers that used to work at the Ark home in Macas, and one of the toddlers that used to stay here. The toddler wasn't doing so well... he looked very lethargic and sick. Apparently he lives with his dad and all he eats is plaintain. We also did a mini Christmas program in that same village. We sang some songs, prayed and then gave out little candy bags for the kids. I really enjoyed it... felt like DTS. I got back yesterday late at night.

Today I worked here in the morning, then went to Jessica's to watch It's A Wonderful Life for the first time. Then I went to a Christmas dinner the street church was having. I ended up stirring the rice and veggies/meat altogether and washing a few dishes to help... It turned out I ate rice 3 times today (breakfast, lunch and supper!). Well, now I'm here at 12:30 and we're going to watch some TV shows before a truck load of toys arrives from Quito. Miss you all.

Sleepover and Community Christmas Party

Hello again.

So on Friday morning me and Zoe prepared most of the games for the Christmas party... we had bowling, limbo, a dress up as Santa Claus race, a fish pond and a ring toss. I also helped bake sugar cookies on Thursday so we can decorate them later.

Friday afternoon I went to Jessica's house to have a sleepover. Her family is in Quito so we had the house to ourselves. We ended up watching 4 Christmas movies and talking. It was really relaxing and I slept great.

Saturday morning I went back to the Ark to help with the Community Christmas Party. I was in charge of limbo (just like Vacation Bible School in Haiti). I ended up helping with the toddlers and cleaning up after.

In the evening I went to the Radio where I got to say Hi to everyone in English. Then I went to get something to eat with a girl I just met. Her name is Paola and she actually knows Lana (a volunteer from Kelowna that came here a few years ago). We had hamburgers, which came with fries on the inside (which always happens here in Ecuador).

Then we all went to Street church and I was all nice and warm with my new jacket. I am so thankful for it.

Community Party Prep

"Hola a todos! Soy Anna." haha... my famous quote from the radio...

So lately, I've been helping out with Christmas and the community party we're going to have on Saturday. We've put together more than 300 gift bags for the kids that contain candy, animal crackers, a tooth brush, a stuffy, etc. We're going to plan some kids games (I really hope we end up doing the fishing game)... We're also going to buy some bread and Coke and I think the cook is making a pineapple cake or something.

I've also been wrapping presents and labelling 90 Christmas stockings.
Yesterday I got to go to Ambato because my friend goes every week to buy groceries there. So I go to the mall to buy "american" food meaning a hamburger, fries and a frappaccino kind of thing... Mmmm... so good!

Preschool has also been going very good and the kids are learning lots. We're mostly focusing on the colours, numbers and vowels.

And thanks to my parents I now have a nice warm jacket I can wear for Street Church and outings at night!

Thanks to everyone that has been praying for me and helping me financially. I really appreciate it!

More Photos!!!

Our trip to Guano for the Skateboard competition/concert... this is me in a little park me and Danilu found... Notice the Canadian flag on the map of Guano.












Danilu by a fountain in the park in Guano...


















Danilu on this long, deserted road we found in Guano... we took a nice walk and had a nice chat too.












Isaac skateboarding in Guano.















This is most of the crew that went down to Guano... some guys came to do some graffiti and one of them that we hung out afterward was from Chile. I'm in the back with Naomi and Danilu doing an interview with this girl that also does graphic design... later we put the interview on the radio.







These next pictures are dedicated to my dad... he motivated me to take photos of my surroundings/Riobamba.



This is the entrance to the Ark... they have an intercom with a camera to only let certain people in... almost all properties have fences with broken glass on top like this one.











These are the hills that surround Riobamba... it really looks like Kelowna in so many ways... the hills, the trees...












This is one of the roads near our house... we're in the North and on the outskirts.













This is the main road (the Panamerican highway)... this is where I catch the bus to go into town.