Retreat

So yesterday La Iglesia de la Calle (street church friends) went to a nearby town for a retreat in the countryside. First we drove around for a while picking everybody up and then we bought ingredients for supper. We got to this house where we played volleyball, made a fire, sang songs, prayed, cooked and ate supper, and where some of us slept a little. Then at like 5 in the morning we left to go swim in these pools that are like hot tubs... it's really popular and so much fun. Since I didn't bring my bathing suit and neither did this other girl that wanted to swim we rented bathing suits for 50 cents! haha... that wouldn't happen in Canada! The stars were amazing and I finally got warm after a freezing cold evening. On the way back to the house we were staying at we had to help this car get out of a ditch. Then at the house we shared and talked about the stuff God was teaching us and prayed.

Now after having very very little sleep I have to go to Quito tomorrow at 5:00 in the morning to register my visa since the last time the office was closed. I'm looking forward to taking some taxis/buses/whatever to get there, but I think I'm going to be very tired.

Now

Hey everyone.

So I had a really good day today... feeding/changing babies, teaching pre school, sorting laundry, then finding Christmas presents for the kids.... apparently all the presents are picked out by August! Christmas is a lot of work here, but I think it'll be really fun.

Saturday night we had "street church" where we go downtown and sing praises/pray/read the bible. It was nice cuz I got to talk to some of the youth one on one and practice my Spanish. A few of us also went out to eat fries...

Then on Sunday morning me and Zoe took a few of the older girls to church.... I ended up joining the youth Sunday school group with a girl I just met that comes to the Ark to help out once in a while.

Kingdom Day and Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving we made a double holiday by celebrating "Kingdom Day" as well. Kingdom Day is where we celebrate being the daughters and sons of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords... as princesses and princes we dressed up accordingly.

We fitted the girls with a dress and made them a crown and made the boys armor and weapons. That was part of Friday and all of Saturday! Lots of decorating hats and painting armor and crowns.

We also had an amazing turkey dinner with mashed potatoes and gravy. Then we had pie for dessert, which was a real treat, especially since I had lemon pie... Mmmm...

Also, the last few days me and Zoe have been teaching the pre school class. We have 8 students and they are so cute. First we teach them a letter of the alphabet and then make a craft with the letter (usually glueing scrunched tissue paper onto the letter). Sometimes we go outside for a nature walk and sing a song (one I learned for my DTS when I was in the Dominican doing kids programs).

My Room and More

Hey Everyone! So it has been awhile, but I'm back. So first of all, this is my room... very nice, but very cold... at least my bed is super comfy and warm!

So to back up to yesterday, I went to get my yellow fever shot. The reason being I was planning on going to the jungle (Macas/Sucua) to drop off a kid that was returning to his dad, but at the last moment Glenda remembered that I should have my yellow fever vaccine, which I didn't so I couldn't go :( Apparently there will be more opportunities to go, which I'm really looking forward to.

I will also be making a trip to the capital (Quito) next week to register my visa... it's Jemimah's birthday soon so we'll also be going out for pizza and celebrating while we're there.

This next week we should be starting picking out presents for the kids/wrapping them and doing sponsorship letters... apparently it's tons of work! Anyways... to my next post...

Day 6

Hello all. Today (since it's the weekend) is a free day so I didn't do much work. However, I played cards with some kids, learned a game in Spanish, found an amazing ice cream store and did some other stuff I can't remember because I'm finishing this sentence days later!

This week I had to take care of the toddlers one day because some of the workers were fired. I also worked with the newborns... it's my favorite age group so far because you aren't dealing with disciplining the kids or their attitudes... if they cry you change their diaper, feed them, burp them or just hold them... they're much simpler. They are also so adorable... I love just holding them and taking them for a walk outside when it's calmer inside.

Today (Wednesday) I also walked with Zoe to get some ice cream and yucca (cassava) bread, then went with Ron to help carry groceries, and then Zoe and Chava and I wrapped birthday presents. Now we are waiting to go to a prayer meeting and some are watching Touched By An Angel.

Day After...

So after staying out until 10:00 (wow... so late I know!) I started to feel a cold coming on... so as it is the day after my b-day outing I don't feel so well... Today I just helped out in the donation room picking out gifts for some of the kid's birthdays and sorting toys. However, I had a lot of fun eating pizza and drinking pop in town last night with most of the Allan kids and some of their Ecuadorian friends... so the conversation was at times a little hard to follow, but the night was very enjoyable.

BIRHDAY!!!

So for starters you probably already know that it's my birthday today! Well, I never imagined to have quite the birthday... I never imagined washing poop out of diapers on my birthday. I never imagined getting milk spit up all over me on my birthday. And I never imagined that'd I'd be in Ecuador on my birthday! At least yesterday one of the boys that is probably around 5 told me that I looked like Cinderella! Un nino me dijo que parezco a Cinderella! How nice! I went for a walk during my free time and bought myself a Gatorade and some ice cream (kind of like a a dilly bar from DQ) I really felt like I splurged... a whole $1.80! I think we are going out tonight for fun... apparently Glenda only found out it was my birthday because she saw it on facebook!

Yesterday, I played basketball with a few girls. During dinner they asked me practically ever English word they ever wanted to know! One of the girls whose name is Tanya (11 years old) I've become to know more... we decided to teach each other Spanish/English... we'll see how our plan goes!

Pray for energy and strength because every night I am extremely tired and want naps all the time! I especially find it hard working with babies for 6 hours because I am not at all formiliar with them... changing their clothes and diapers, feeding them, burping them, etc. I feel more confident of having a kid now, but am not sure because they are so much work! Anyways, cuidate.