We started out with a tour of the church and the next-door home that is being renovated to expand the church’s ministry. Snack time was next, and we had brought granola bars from the states for the children here. Our girls passed the snacks out, then joined the kids at their tables.

Jes and Janeice help prepare snacks for the children.

Lois spent the morning giving this cutie some one-on-one attention and love.

Next was the time for the puppet show and singing. We moved upstairs, started our show, and enjoyed watching the faces of the Ecuadorian children and teachers as our girls told a puppet version of the story of the Good Samaritan. Songs followed in both English and Spanish, then a description of the Wordless Gospel bracelet before we passed a bracelet to each of the kids.

Sara will never get old.

Then came a request from the childrens’ pastor there. “We were given an American football, but don’t know how to use it, would you teach us how to play football?” What!?! A mother/daughter/aunt/niece team teaching a bunch of youth how to play football? We DID tell God we would do whatever He required of us, so off we went to the park a few blocks down the street.

The younger children played on the rusty playground equipment. Middle elementary children swung on a hammock or rope hanging in the trees. Older elementary and youth joined us in playing touch football.

Sophia D ties a shoe.

After all of that activity out in the late morning sun, we walked the children back to their church where we were able to hand out gifts: King’s Kids coloring book, 24 pack of crayons, and a Beanie Baby. What fun to see the smiles on the kids’ faces – both the receiving Ecuadorian children and our own girls as they were giving.

After eating our packed lunches, and taking a quick rest at our guesthouse, Sara took us for a tour of HCJB radio and headquarters and the Hospital Volandez where Sara worked and served for 20 years.

Our afternoon was a little slower as we took time to clean up and pack for our move to another area of Ecuador Tuesday morning. Sara left us on our own for supper giving us directions to the mall so we could find a restaurant for supper. We visited KFC or McDonalds as well as made a trip to the grocery store – SuperMaxi.

This evening we have spent time encouraging each other, praying, planning for tomorrow’s VBS, and organizing all of our craft supplies and gifts. We are all packed up, and ready for our next dive into Ecuadorian culture tomorrow.