We've been thinking a lot about our cousin, young Will Bumpus, who departed this life suddenly and unexpectedly last Sunday. The day before I had received word that my Uncle Delwin had passed away, so back to back days with the loss of significant persons in our lives was stunning or shocking, to say the least. We are enjoying very much our experience in Ecuador, but suddenly we also wanted to be back in the States where we could share this time with our girls and these dear relatives in their time of loss and grief.
We received word of Will's passing on Sunday evening, upon our arrival for 4 days in the jungle region of Ecuador. A missionary friend called MB with a message from Mindy about the tragedy. After the initial shock and disbelief soaked in, we began the journey of grieving while also desiring to fully engage in our learning experiences here. It became sort of a split experience for us. I found myself thinking of how I could honor Will in and during my experience in the jungle.
I began praying that I'd not only see with my eyes the wonders of God's creation in this beautiful place, but that I'd be "seeing" for Will, as though he was here with us. Thankfully, he is in an even more beautiful setting than we are. Given how God has blessed this country with great natural beauty, the thought of the beauty of Will being in the very Presence of God took on new meaning for me. I thought of the Psalmist's words..."how lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord" and "You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains filled with game". Will is now in a most beautiful "place" with a Most Lovely Creator whose beauty is beyond words.
On the day we flew by Cessna deeper into the jungle, probably 2 days walk from "civilization" there was, in my mind, someone sharing the seat with me, gazing at the rainforest canopy below. I was imagining the excitement that Will would be experiencing in taking this journey with us. He loved adventure, and was so full of life that I knew he'd be excited to climb aboard for this jungle flight. When we were with him, he and I loved to tussle, to wrestle a bit, so I imagined him hitting me on the shoulder as he looked out the window, saying "hey, Mike, take a look at that!"
As I gazed at the rainforest canopy beneath us, I thought it looked like a giant green carpet with a deep thickness. Or, maybe it was more like flying above a sea of broccoli crowns. I wondered how Will would describe it. Whatever words he used, there would be exuberance in his voice. He might have been a little disappointed that his cell phone wouldn't work well out there in the jungle, but he would have soon forgotten about that when he stepped into a dugout canoe with some of the Huorani villagers as river guides. Will would have soaked up that river ride, literally and figuratively!
Thus went our experiences of the week, seeking to welcome the memory of Will's personality into the activities of our day. Whether swimming at a jungle waterfall, or watching a villager carefully craft a clay vessel by hand in her hut, I tried to mentally picture Will experiencing this with us. I think he would have said something like, "This is so cool!" I probably can't rehearse his lingo accurately, but what I am sure of is the sheer energy and love of life that he would have brought to this new place and these experiences.
And so he continues to do so today, in an even better place that is beyond his comprehension in both beauty and "coolness". For this prospect, we are most thankful. But speaking of "beyond comprehension", those words accurately describe our thoughts and feelings at the thought of Will not being part of our lives here any longer...."beyond comprehension". We grieve for our cousins, his immediate family who are also dear friends to us....Lisa, Benjamin, Scott, Mary Lynn, Lynne and Kevin, Nathan and Emma...and other family members and friends who keenly feel the absence of Will from their lives. We grieve also for Greg and the Bumpus clan as they grieve their loss.
So, our adventures in Ecuador hopefully will continue on, but now in a new way....when we see or experience something thrilling, we'll be thinking, "This thrill is for Will" as well as for us.
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Friday, 26 February 2010
Just Your Average Field Trip
I think I'll entitle this little essay, "What We Did in School This Week!" We took a week off from the classroom setting and moved it outdoors to the Oriente, which is the Amazonian Basin region of Ecuador east of the Andes. It's a pretty vast area, so we only caught a few glimpses of this incredible region that's so important to the sustainability of life on our planet. Here's some of what we experienced.
* Rode an open cable car over a vast canyon, high enough to be over a sizeable waterfall.
* Hiked to a powerful, pounding waterfall, this one over 200' in height. Got wet just from the spray.
* Served as "playground" equipment for a variety of monkeys ( I think there were more than 50 there at this reserve.) You can check out some photos on Darlene's Facebook page.
* 2 mile educational hike in the heat and heart of the jungle. We learned about various plants' medicinal value and saw the type of palm trees from which blow guns are made.
* Swam with my beautiful bride under a waterfall, just like you see on those ads for exotic vacations. Only thing was, we were with a dozen students. So, what else is new? Most every anniversary has been celebrated in the midst of students of some variety these 33 years.
*Fresh cooked fish (whole tilapia) and rice dinner among the palm trees....think it cost about $2 per person.
* 13 mile raft trip on a river that eventually feeds into the Amazon. Class III and IV whitewater on this section. Sorry, no piranha stories to report. Guess we needed to be further in the jungle region for that level of excitement.
*Also, wanted to see an anaconda (at a safe distance) but had to settle for a photo of several pastors holding a 36' anaconda with a entire pig in the middle of its belly. The photo was from the same region we visited. The snake goes to sleep for quite a while (as in days or weeks) after consuming such a sizable snack, so that's how they were able to hoist Mr. A for a photo. Took about 15 guys to lift it. We did see a 5' boa constrictor that had recently ventured too close to the hostel where we stayed. His new home was in a large pickle jar on a table outside our cabin. Doubt that it was necessary to go to that extreme measure.
* Jungle flight into the rainforest via an MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) Cessna. Deja vu for Darlene from PNG days. Landed on grass airstrip in the jungle.
*Visited 2 indigenous (Indian) villages. Learned interesting customs. Learned how to shoot a blowgun. MB actually hit the target....a piece of fruit hanging from a branch 15' away. Such a tribesman.
* Drank a potion/drink especially prepared to welcome guests. The plants are cooked down then chewed and actually spat back into the pot....then the "juice" is passed around. Offensive (to your host) if you refuse. Can also be offensive, in another sense, to the one who consumes the beverage, if one thinks too long on what one drinketh.
* 2 rides in a dugout canoe. Fun, but not the most comfy excursion, but you gotta get in the game if you're gonna play.
* Highlight: we were welcomed by a pastor to his Huorani village. The surprise was that he himself was one of the group of Huorani warriors that killed 5 missionaries in the mid 50s in the jungles of Ecuador. What a moving experience to watch and listen as he put his arm around the mission aviator that brought us in to his village, and prayed for him and for our group. Having read the stories and seen the movie, End of the Spear, this was an incredible moment for us.
* Tropical downpours on our jungle bungalow at night.
* Sightings of colorful birds of the tropics.
* Saw world's largest freshwater fish, but can't recall their name....they said they grow to about 20' and 500 lbs. These were in the 7', 120 lb range, I'd estimate.
* Darlene got to munch on sugar cane again to her heart's desire, and we enjoyed some freshly made- in- our- presence taffy made from the cane...with a raspberry type flavor. MB was offered a beverage he thought to be pure juice from the sugar cane....turned out to be a bit stronger brew than that. He turned himself in to the trip sponsors, but they decided not to send him home, because of good behavior (he refrained from asking for seconds) and innocent consumption.
* Rode an open cable car over a vast canyon, high enough to be over a sizeable waterfall.
* Hiked to a powerful, pounding waterfall, this one over 200' in height. Got wet just from the spray.
* Served as "playground" equipment for a variety of monkeys ( I think there were more than 50 there at this reserve.) You can check out some photos on Darlene's Facebook page.
* 2 mile educational hike in the heat and heart of the jungle. We learned about various plants' medicinal value and saw the type of palm trees from which blow guns are made.
* Swam with my beautiful bride under a waterfall, just like you see on those ads for exotic vacations. Only thing was, we were with a dozen students. So, what else is new? Most every anniversary has been celebrated in the midst of students of some variety these 33 years.
*Fresh cooked fish (whole tilapia) and rice dinner among the palm trees....think it cost about $2 per person.
* 13 mile raft trip on a river that eventually feeds into the Amazon. Class III and IV whitewater on this section. Sorry, no piranha stories to report. Guess we needed to be further in the jungle region for that level of excitement.
*Also, wanted to see an anaconda (at a safe distance) but had to settle for a photo of several pastors holding a 36' anaconda with a entire pig in the middle of its belly. The photo was from the same region we visited. The snake goes to sleep for quite a while (as in days or weeks) after consuming such a sizable snack, so that's how they were able to hoist Mr. A for a photo. Took about 15 guys to lift it. We did see a 5' boa constrictor that had recently ventured too close to the hostel where we stayed. His new home was in a large pickle jar on a table outside our cabin. Doubt that it was necessary to go to that extreme measure.
* Jungle flight into the rainforest via an MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) Cessna. Deja vu for Darlene from PNG days. Landed on grass airstrip in the jungle.
*Visited 2 indigenous (Indian) villages. Learned interesting customs. Learned how to shoot a blowgun. MB actually hit the target....a piece of fruit hanging from a branch 15' away. Such a tribesman.
* Drank a potion/drink especially prepared to welcome guests. The plants are cooked down then chewed and actually spat back into the pot....then the "juice" is passed around. Offensive (to your host) if you refuse. Can also be offensive, in another sense, to the one who consumes the beverage, if one thinks too long on what one drinketh.
* 2 rides in a dugout canoe. Fun, but not the most comfy excursion, but you gotta get in the game if you're gonna play.
* Highlight: we were welcomed by a pastor to his Huorani village. The surprise was that he himself was one of the group of Huorani warriors that killed 5 missionaries in the mid 50s in the jungles of Ecuador. What a moving experience to watch and listen as he put his arm around the mission aviator that brought us in to his village, and prayed for him and for our group. Having read the stories and seen the movie, End of the Spear, this was an incredible moment for us.
* Tropical downpours on our jungle bungalow at night.
* Sightings of colorful birds of the tropics.
* Saw world's largest freshwater fish, but can't recall their name....they said they grow to about 20' and 500 lbs. These were in the 7', 120 lb range, I'd estimate.
* Darlene got to munch on sugar cane again to her heart's desire, and we enjoyed some freshly made- in- our- presence taffy made from the cane...with a raspberry type flavor. MB was offered a beverage he thought to be pure juice from the sugar cane....turned out to be a bit stronger brew than that. He turned himself in to the trip sponsors, but they decided not to send him home, because of good behavior (he refrained from asking for seconds) and innocent consumption.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Transportation of various sorts
The theme for this post is "transportation". Just a thought or two before heading off to bed.
We have an early start tomorrow as the entire group of 14 students and 3 staff heads off to the Oriente...which is one of four distinct regions of Ecuador. It is also called the "selva" or jungle, as it is tropical and includes the Amazonian Basin of Ecuador. So, we'll be trading the dry, cool air of the Andes (la Sierra) and the 70 degrees (more or less) of Quito for some steamy heat. Darlene and I visited a small slice of the selva last weekend, so we are excited to return with the rest of our classmates and visit another slice of this region.
As far as the "transportation" theme of this blog entry goes, we hopefully will get to fly (by Cessna) deeper into the jungle and land on a grass airstrip, have a jungle hike, raft a river with some rapids and also spend some time with indigenous people in that region. First, we'll have a drive of a few hours in length past some volcanoes, a rich agricultural area where a wide variety of fruits are grown, a town that specializes in ice cream, a town where jeans are made and scores of half-mannequins line the street displaying the styles and low prices available. I've heard that we may take a cable car across a canyon to a waterfall. So, drive, fly, raft, cable car and hike seem to be potential modes of transport on this trip from the Sierra to the Oriente.
More about transportation here in Quito. Motorcycles and scooters, both of the smaller variety are popular here, though not as popular as cars. This mode of transportation of the 2 wheel variety has the advantage of weaving in and out of traffic and they apparently have the blessing to go between rows of stopped traffic, or on the far right or left of the lanes of traffic.
We've seen some interesting passengers. I would guess that the average motorcycle I've seen is something less than a 200 cc, and therefore also pretty small in passenger capacity. Yet, today I saw a man zipping along with his grey Schnauzer type dog sitting upright n the motorcycle seat, immediately in front of him. Pooch was helmet-less :), a fearless canine in the sea of Quito traffic. I was impressed with Pooch's focus and balance. It's nothing unusual to see Dad and Mom with little Junior or Juniorita straddling the seat, squished between the adults. Today, Darlene saw a child that she estimated as being about 4 fully asleep in his mom's arms/lap while Dad was weaving along the heavily traveled streets on their little motorcycle. I've asked a seminary student if I can hitch a ride on the back of his 180 cc motorcycle...in this city, it should be a memory. I just will have to trust that I won't be a memory, if I do this.
A final note about modes of "transportation", this one of an eternal dimension. I received word this afternoon via an email from Mindy that my dear Uncle Delwin has been transported to heaven. I have been blessed with some dear "characters" in my family, and I have cherished him as a special person in my life for as long as I can remember. As a boy, I loved our vacations to grandparents' farms in southern Arkansas, in no small part because of relatives. Uncle Delwin was among the warm memories of my youth. Later, our own girls (when they were young) were very impressed with his ability to touch his nose with his tongue. When they last saw him at Christmas time, they begged him to see if he could still do it. He did, but he was careful that no cameras were pointed his direction, before consenting to their request.
Delwin would tease you, pick on you and make you laugh. If you knew him, he could and would often challenge you to be the best person you could be and to make the most of God's gifts to you. He and his wife, my Aunt Billie, had 3 children. I consider David, Sharon and Wayne and their families as special gifts. Delwin taught at Southern Arkansas University, coached and taught swimming, among other things. I told him once that I really wanted to learn the butterfly stroke. He agreed to teach me. I nearly drowned that afternoon.
I have a personal Hall of Fame of people who have deeply influenced my life, whom I cherish and am grateful to God for the gift of their freindship. Delwin Ross has been enshrined in my Hall of Fame for a long time now. Even though this 'blog' is about Ecuador and our experiences here, I want to mention him in this context, so as to honor him a bit. I hoped that I could honor him and his memory by being present at his memorial service, but I will have to settle for expressing here just a "touch" of the honor, love, gratitude and high regard I have for Uncle Delwin. His recent heavenly mode of transportation was a different kind of "flight" than the airplane to the jungle we're anticipating taking in the next couple of days. But, all that knew him are assured that this man was enthralled at and by the grace of God, and if our understanding of the next life is aligned at all with reality, Delwin's "flight" has landed him in the arms of the One he loved so dearly and served so faithfully.
We have an early start tomorrow as the entire group of 14 students and 3 staff heads off to the Oriente...which is one of four distinct regions of Ecuador. It is also called the "selva" or jungle, as it is tropical and includes the Amazonian Basin of Ecuador. So, we'll be trading the dry, cool air of the Andes (la Sierra) and the 70 degrees (more or less) of Quito for some steamy heat. Darlene and I visited a small slice of the selva last weekend, so we are excited to return with the rest of our classmates and visit another slice of this region.
As far as the "transportation" theme of this blog entry goes, we hopefully will get to fly (by Cessna) deeper into the jungle and land on a grass airstrip, have a jungle hike, raft a river with some rapids and also spend some time with indigenous people in that region. First, we'll have a drive of a few hours in length past some volcanoes, a rich agricultural area where a wide variety of fruits are grown, a town that specializes in ice cream, a town where jeans are made and scores of half-mannequins line the street displaying the styles and low prices available. I've heard that we may take a cable car across a canyon to a waterfall. So, drive, fly, raft, cable car and hike seem to be potential modes of transport on this trip from the Sierra to the Oriente.
More about transportation here in Quito. Motorcycles and scooters, both of the smaller variety are popular here, though not as popular as cars. This mode of transportation of the 2 wheel variety has the advantage of weaving in and out of traffic and they apparently have the blessing to go between rows of stopped traffic, or on the far right or left of the lanes of traffic.
We've seen some interesting passengers. I would guess that the average motorcycle I've seen is something less than a 200 cc, and therefore also pretty small in passenger capacity. Yet, today I saw a man zipping along with his grey Schnauzer type dog sitting upright n the motorcycle seat, immediately in front of him. Pooch was helmet-less :), a fearless canine in the sea of Quito traffic. I was impressed with Pooch's focus and balance. It's nothing unusual to see Dad and Mom with little Junior or Juniorita straddling the seat, squished between the adults. Today, Darlene saw a child that she estimated as being about 4 fully asleep in his mom's arms/lap while Dad was weaving along the heavily traveled streets on their little motorcycle. I've asked a seminary student if I can hitch a ride on the back of his 180 cc motorcycle...in this city, it should be a memory. I just will have to trust that I won't be a memory, if I do this.
A final note about modes of "transportation", this one of an eternal dimension. I received word this afternoon via an email from Mindy that my dear Uncle Delwin has been transported to heaven. I have been blessed with some dear "characters" in my family, and I have cherished him as a special person in my life for as long as I can remember. As a boy, I loved our vacations to grandparents' farms in southern Arkansas, in no small part because of relatives. Uncle Delwin was among the warm memories of my youth. Later, our own girls (when they were young) were very impressed with his ability to touch his nose with his tongue. When they last saw him at Christmas time, they begged him to see if he could still do it. He did, but he was careful that no cameras were pointed his direction, before consenting to their request.
Delwin would tease you, pick on you and make you laugh. If you knew him, he could and would often challenge you to be the best person you could be and to make the most of God's gifts to you. He and his wife, my Aunt Billie, had 3 children. I consider David, Sharon and Wayne and their families as special gifts. Delwin taught at Southern Arkansas University, coached and taught swimming, among other things. I told him once that I really wanted to learn the butterfly stroke. He agreed to teach me. I nearly drowned that afternoon.
I have a personal Hall of Fame of people who have deeply influenced my life, whom I cherish and am grateful to God for the gift of their freindship. Delwin Ross has been enshrined in my Hall of Fame for a long time now. Even though this 'blog' is about Ecuador and our experiences here, I want to mention him in this context, so as to honor him a bit. I hoped that I could honor him and his memory by being present at his memorial service, but I will have to settle for expressing here just a "touch" of the honor, love, gratitude and high regard I have for Uncle Delwin. His recent heavenly mode of transportation was a different kind of "flight" than the airplane to the jungle we're anticipating taking in the next couple of days. But, all that knew him are assured that this man was enthralled at and by the grace of God, and if our understanding of the next life is aligned at all with reality, Delwin's "flight" has landed him in the arms of the One he loved so dearly and served so faithfully.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
From Jungle Jane
Darlene wrote a letter to the "fam" early this a.m. Then I garnered the computer to post a blog about our trip to the Oriente, the selva (jungle) this last weekend. When I read her letter, I decided to cut and paste from that for this posting, with a couple of editorial comments along the way. Darlene has always written in a very interesting fashion, so I think you'll find it engaging. Since I'm new to the world of Mac, I may have to do this in stages. Here goes.
Our trip to the jungle with Dwight and Carolyn Rich (25 yr missionaries here was incredible. If you have seen my photos on facebook you can "see" it. The terrain and scenery was so similar to PNG! I just couldn't get around the fact, however, that we were on paved roads the whole way, sometimes cruisingalong at 60 mph!!! Dwight said this has not always been the case,
however. Prior, it was a teeth-rattling trip along wash-board roads at 20 mph. In fact, it was his first time to drive all the way on such good roads. "The Jungle" and "Paved roads" just didn't seem right. Ha. Well, anyway, we met a lot of wonderful people, dedicated little
pastors out in the boonies. That is always inspiring and humbling.
The District Assembly was held outdoors in an park like pavilion/picnic shelter type of thing. The setting was lovely, as it was in the jungle (tho just off the road) and outside a town of about 200 people. So many varieties of flowers. The special treat was to see these birds colored black and brilliant yellow (on their backs and part of their wings). Mike scouted out their "roost" on the hillside and found their very unusual nests. We have included pictures of these on Darlene's Facebook. In a nutshell, the nest looked as tho a bowling ball had been placed inside a panty hose or long tube sock (about 2-4 ft in length) and suspended from limbs. There were about 30 of these in a large eucalyptus tree. Mike said that if he had to spend an entire day at a district assembly, this was the type of setting he prefers. Actually, he was blessed by the devotion of the pastors and lay leaders that he met.
There was to be a youth service that night following the assembly at a small local church in a small community. On the way to the service, Dwight asked Mike if he would preach. Since Dwight had been driving a lot and had facilitated much of the assembly that day, Mike agreed to help him out. Mike gave some greetings in spanish and then Dwight interpreted for Mike. I think Mike could have preached much of the message (it was a simple, basic Gospel message) in Spanish had he had the time (Editor's note: Yes, as in all day to prepare!) to prepare. It was a fun experience for Mike, reminding him of his 2 summers in student missions in S. America back in college days, when he often preached through an interpreter. Having a college friend like Dwight interpreting was special for Mike as well.
On our trip down to the jungle it was overcast and cloudy, and we had two huge downpours during the night. But Sunday was clear and jungle-steamy hot. That made it so neat to be able to see further in the distance. There is acertain section of Ecuador referred to as "The Avenue of the Volcanoes" and that's where we are. There's actually an active volcano within view of our apartment. It's quiet now. There is a particular active volcano that we past right by on this particular trip that had a MAJOR (as in lava flow) in 2006, and it's started up again. So we stopped to get photos of this mountain, if for no other reason than that we could. It is cloud covered lots of times, even on clear days. So we pulled over on the side of the road for our photos and there before our eyes the mountain lets out a huge puff of back smoke and ash! We
were the first ones to see it and before long the whole road was lined with cars and others taking photos. It really was magnificent. It kept belching out more as we proceeded on, so as you can tell on my facebook, we took quite a few shots! Even experienced volcano watchers like Dwight and Carolyn were excited.
Another highlight for me was getting to eat some sugar cane again! They sell it along the roadside, some in little plastic bags, already peeled and cut up. Easy on the teeth. It was delish!!! What a treat. In this particular area where the sugar cane grows the people
have learned to make taffy out of it, so along the way you also see people in there little shops pulling fresh taffy. I personally prefer the sugar cane itself.
I can't get over how industrious these people are. Selling something along the roads ALL THE TIME. Standing out there all day long, on the dusty corners of the roads. I don't know how they make enough money to live on.
Well, this is a longer than usual posting. Thanks for sharing in the adventure.
Our trip to the jungle with Dwight and Carolyn Rich (25 yr missionaries here was incredible. If you have seen my photos on facebook you can "see" it. The terrain and scenery was so similar to PNG! I just couldn't get around the fact, however, that we were on paved roads the whole way, sometimes cruisingalong at 60 mph!!! Dwight said this has not always been the case,
however. Prior, it was a teeth-rattling trip along wash-board roads at 20 mph. In fact, it was his first time to drive all the way on such good roads. "The Jungle" and "Paved roads" just didn't seem right. Ha. Well, anyway, we met a lot of wonderful people, dedicated little
pastors out in the boonies. That is always inspiring and humbling.
The District Assembly was held outdoors in an park like pavilion/picnic shelter type of thing. The setting was lovely, as it was in the jungle (tho just off the road) and outside a town of about 200 people. So many varieties of flowers. The special treat was to see these birds colored black and brilliant yellow (on their backs and part of their wings). Mike scouted out their "roost" on the hillside and found their very unusual nests. We have included pictures of these on Darlene's Facebook. In a nutshell, the nest looked as tho a bowling ball had been placed inside a panty hose or long tube sock (about 2-4 ft in length) and suspended from limbs. There were about 30 of these in a large eucalyptus tree. Mike said that if he had to spend an entire day at a district assembly, this was the type of setting he prefers. Actually, he was blessed by the devotion of the pastors and lay leaders that he met.
There was to be a youth service that night following the assembly at a small local church in a small community. On the way to the service, Dwight asked Mike if he would preach. Since Dwight had been driving a lot and had facilitated much of the assembly that day, Mike agreed to help him out. Mike gave some greetings in spanish and then Dwight interpreted for Mike. I think Mike could have preached much of the message (it was a simple, basic Gospel message) in Spanish had he had the time (Editor's note: Yes, as in all day to prepare!) to prepare. It was a fun experience for Mike, reminding him of his 2 summers in student missions in S. America back in college days, when he often preached through an interpreter. Having a college friend like Dwight interpreting was special for Mike as well.
On our trip down to the jungle it was overcast and cloudy, and we had two huge downpours during the night. But Sunday was clear and jungle-steamy hot. That made it so neat to be able to see further in the distance. There is acertain section of Ecuador referred to as "The Avenue of the Volcanoes" and that's where we are. There's actually an active volcano within view of our apartment. It's quiet now. There is a particular active volcano that we past right by on this particular trip that had a MAJOR (as in lava flow) in 2006, and it's started up again. So we stopped to get photos of this mountain, if for no other reason than that we could. It is cloud covered lots of times, even on clear days. So we pulled over on the side of the road for our photos and there before our eyes the mountain lets out a huge puff of back smoke and ash! We
were the first ones to see it and before long the whole road was lined with cars and others taking photos. It really was magnificent. It kept belching out more as we proceeded on, so as you can tell on my facebook, we took quite a few shots! Even experienced volcano watchers like Dwight and Carolyn were excited.
Another highlight for me was getting to eat some sugar cane again! They sell it along the roadside, some in little plastic bags, already peeled and cut up. Easy on the teeth. It was delish!!! What a treat. In this particular area where the sugar cane grows the people
have learned to make taffy out of it, so along the way you also see people in there little shops pulling fresh taffy. I personally prefer the sugar cane itself.
I can't get over how industrious these people are. Selling something along the roads ALL THE TIME. Standing out there all day long, on the dusty corners of the roads. I don't know how they make enough money to live on.
Well, this is a longer than usual posting. Thanks for sharing in the adventure.
Friday, 12 February 2010
Have a plan.....but be flexible!
We did have our jungle trip scheduled for the next few days postponed due to lack of fuel for the Cessnas flown by MAF. When I first visited this part of the world back when I was in college doing student summer missions work, the missionary with whom we chiefly worked gave us some good advice that not only came in handy then, but has been a mantra that I've tried to live by. Missionary Ardee Coolidge, one of the Hall of Fame people in my life advised us to "Have a plan, but be flexible!" It is interesting that yesterday, Dr. Stan Hall, the leader of NILI, when he was telling us of the possibility of needing to make a sudden change in plans advised the same...."plan, but be flexible....especially in this culture." So, it seems to still be good advice to cope with sudden, unexpected change.
However, early this morning our friend, Rev. Dwight Rich who is the Mission/Field coordinator came by the apt. He told us that since this weekend is "free", they'd like to invite us to go to a part of the jungle where they are holding services this weekend. So, true to the mantra noted above, we eagerly said "Sure", or maybe it was "Si!" Anyway, it looks like we'll get 2 jungle sightings, or at least we'll get to see another part of the country than otherwise planned. It's in the SE part of Ecuador.
Last night from about 9-11:30 p.m., we had a great time of fellowship, laughter and prayer with a young married couple who are completing their studies here and are preparing to move to an area about 4 hrs south of here to minister to the Quichuan people of that area....those are the indigenous people native to Ecuador. Manuel and Marcela are Colombians and they hosted us for a "cafesita", complete with coffee that would make Juan Valdez proud. They presented us a gift of a bag of the Colombian good stuff...and I am referencing coffee.
Those of you who know details of my culinary preferences know that I don't drink coffee. But, last night I drank 2 cups....with sugar, no cream. Those were the first cups of coffee in mi vida...in my life. Of course, Darlene, a coffee lover was excited about the quality of coffee. It was a special time for us to practice conversation, mutually share some of our histories (we have more of that than they...history, that is) and share hopes and dreams for ministry. Manuel y Marcela are great folks with a strong and refreshing commitment to Christ.
Well, the missionaries are ready to go, so Hasta luego!
However, early this morning our friend, Rev. Dwight Rich who is the Mission/Field coordinator came by the apt. He told us that since this weekend is "free", they'd like to invite us to go to a part of the jungle where they are holding services this weekend. So, true to the mantra noted above, we eagerly said "Sure", or maybe it was "Si!" Anyway, it looks like we'll get 2 jungle sightings, or at least we'll get to see another part of the country than otherwise planned. It's in the SE part of Ecuador.
Last night from about 9-11:30 p.m., we had a great time of fellowship, laughter and prayer with a young married couple who are completing their studies here and are preparing to move to an area about 4 hrs south of here to minister to the Quichuan people of that area....those are the indigenous people native to Ecuador. Manuel and Marcela are Colombians and they hosted us for a "cafesita", complete with coffee that would make Juan Valdez proud. They presented us a gift of a bag of the Colombian good stuff...and I am referencing coffee.
Those of you who know details of my culinary preferences know that I don't drink coffee. But, last night I drank 2 cups....with sugar, no cream. Those were the first cups of coffee in mi vida...in my life. Of course, Darlene, a coffee lover was excited about the quality of coffee. It was a special time for us to practice conversation, mutually share some of our histories (we have more of that than they...history, that is) and share hopes and dreams for ministry. Manuel y Marcela are great folks with a strong and refreshing commitment to Christ.
Well, the missionaries are ready to go, so Hasta luego!
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Flapping Over to the East Side of the Jungle (Maybe)
Today, we went to the premier anthropological museum in Ecuador today (with archealogical artifacts from about 3000-4000 yrs or more ago...) quite amazing except for the "unamazing" fact that I only understood about 60% (maybe at the most...you know, this is part of the immersion experience) of what the tour guide was saying.
We are scheduled to take a drive/fly combo viaje (trip) for a few days leaving the lofty altitude of the Andes and go to the jungle for a few days. But we received word this evening that they don't know if there will be fuel for the MAF Cessnas when we get to the jumping off town for the flight into jungle.
I guess we'll just be flexible and wait and see. we're supposed to drive 5 hrs east/south of here into what is called the Orient (it's where the jungle begins....much more tropical) to a town called Shell Mara (named after the oil company who came to the area when oil was discovered back in the 50s ?) It's said to be a laid back little city with the central plaza. Shell is home to a missionary doctor-staffed hospital/clinic that serves both the townsfolk and people from villages further out in the jungle. This is the same town/area where Nate Saint, Jim Elliot , and Co. (End of the Spear) lived and ministered and were martyred. So, this will be a meaningful experience in more ways than one.
The plan is to give us an opportunity to fly in a Cessna (for 16 people this could take a squadron) out from Shell into the "selva" or jungle....there we are to get to do a jungle hike, eco-hike kind of thing and then also whitewater raft.....but we may have to reschedule or go with no guarantee of flight to lack of fuel. How can they have no fuel when the drill for it in that general area? We'll have to ask that.
This will bring back memories for Darlene, as her travels to and from high school (boarding school) in the mountains of Papua New Guinea was by Cessnas flown by MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship) and JARS (I think this stands for Jungle Aviation)....we are looking forward to this experience!
We are scheduled to take a drive/fly combo viaje (trip) for a few days leaving the lofty altitude of the Andes and go to the jungle for a few days. But we received word this evening that they don't know if there will be fuel for the MAF Cessnas when we get to the jumping off town for the flight into jungle.
I guess we'll just be flexible and wait and see. we're supposed to drive 5 hrs east/south of here into what is called the Orient (it's where the jungle begins....much more tropical) to a town called Shell Mara (named after the oil company who came to the area when oil was discovered back in the 50s ?) It's said to be a laid back little city with the central plaza. Shell is home to a missionary doctor-staffed hospital/clinic that serves both the townsfolk and people from villages further out in the jungle. This is the same town/area where Nate Saint, Jim Elliot , and Co. (End of the Spear) lived and ministered and were martyred. So, this will be a meaningful experience in more ways than one.
The plan is to give us an opportunity to fly in a Cessna (for 16 people this could take a squadron) out from Shell into the "selva" or jungle....there we are to get to do a jungle hike, eco-hike kind of thing and then also whitewater raft.....but we may have to reschedule or go with no guarantee of flight to lack of fuel. How can they have no fuel when the drill for it in that general area? We'll have to ask that.
This will bring back memories for Darlene, as her travels to and from high school (boarding school) in the mountains of Papua New Guinea was by Cessnas flown by MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship) and JARS (I think this stands for Jungle Aviation)....we are looking forward to this experience!
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Darlene esta en la cocina!
Most of our meals are provided in the seminary's cafeteria, which allows for conversations with students from the seminary and staff. So, that's a great way to practice Spanish while building friendships. However, desserts are not a common occurrence in the dining hall, so Darlene decided it was time to do something about it.
Following class today, she decided to make some of her world famous cinnamon rolls. She consulted with a couple of the missionaries about what adjustments would need to be made given the 9300 ft altitude here in Quito. I knew that all was well when I could smell that familiar (and cherished) aroma outside our apartment. But, what to do with 30 or so cinnamon rolls?
Open house, or open apartment was the answer. We spread word to fellow NILIs that we had some treats and suggested that they drop in and also invite their Latin roommates to drop by sometime this evening. There were about 20 or so students drop by for dessert and conversation. This gave us a chance to extend some hospitality to those seminary students and NILIs that were able to spend some time with us. They seemed to enjoy Darlene's culinary creations a LOT (who doesn't?), and we enjoyed their laughter and joy. We hope to this occasionally. I would like to find a bbq grill so I could cook up some burgers or chicken. I haven't seen a grill around here yet, but will be on the lookout. Too bad that I didn't have room from some of my favorite bbq sauces to pack in the suitcase. For some reason, KC Masterpiece or Carolina Treat have not been spotted in the stores that we've frequented.
Speaking of NILIs, I don't think I've mentioned our new friends. There are 14 people here from the U.S. studying. 10 university students (8 from ONU (Kyle S, Beth, Freddy, Sarah, Jessica, Nelli, Kyle K, Stephanie), 1 from SNU (Alicia...yeah for the home team!) and 1 from MNU (Aaron....yeah for the alma mater!). Then there are 4 of us that are called "Professionals". Dan is a pastor from Michigan, Linda from Orlando, FL and Darlene and me. We are really enjoying being a part of this group.
Tomorrow, a break from class to go to a famous anthropological museum of Ecuador. Ancient indigenous cultures, Incas, Spanish colonial period and more. Should be a good learning experience.
Following class today, she decided to make some of her world famous cinnamon rolls. She consulted with a couple of the missionaries about what adjustments would need to be made given the 9300 ft altitude here in Quito. I knew that all was well when I could smell that familiar (and cherished) aroma outside our apartment. But, what to do with 30 or so cinnamon rolls?
Open house, or open apartment was the answer. We spread word to fellow NILIs that we had some treats and suggested that they drop in and also invite their Latin roommates to drop by sometime this evening. There were about 20 or so students drop by for dessert and conversation. This gave us a chance to extend some hospitality to those seminary students and NILIs that were able to spend some time with us. They seemed to enjoy Darlene's culinary creations a LOT (who doesn't?), and we enjoyed their laughter and joy. We hope to this occasionally. I would like to find a bbq grill so I could cook up some burgers or chicken. I haven't seen a grill around here yet, but will be on the lookout. Too bad that I didn't have room from some of my favorite bbq sauces to pack in the suitcase. For some reason, KC Masterpiece or Carolina Treat have not been spotted in the stores that we've frequented.
Speaking of NILIs, I don't think I've mentioned our new friends. There are 14 people here from the U.S. studying. 10 university students (8 from ONU (Kyle S, Beth, Freddy, Sarah, Jessica, Nelli, Kyle K, Stephanie), 1 from SNU (Alicia...yeah for the home team!) and 1 from MNU (Aaron....yeah for the alma mater!). Then there are 4 of us that are called "Professionals". Dan is a pastor from Michigan, Linda from Orlando, FL and Darlene and me. We are really enjoying being a part of this group.
Tomorrow, a break from class to go to a famous anthropological museum of Ecuador. Ancient indigenous cultures, Incas, Spanish colonial period and more. Should be a good learning experience.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Of Buses and BBQ-Miscellaneous Thoughts
Well, I have to admit it. I'm missing BBQ. This is not exactly surprising to me, but tonight the longing was brought to the surface by 2 things. First, dinner and I were not best friends tonight. We'll try to make up and patch up our differences tomorrow. However, I was able to cope by finding my stash of peanut butter back in our apartment's kitchen, and my spirits were lifted and my hunger somewhat satiated, at least for a few hours.
Then, after studying for a couple of hours, I logged on to Facebook and encountered the 2nd of this evening's provocations that have brought my hankering for some BBQ to the forefront of my thinking.....yes, even in front of improving my use of the Spanish imperfect tense which is also vying for my attention. The advertisement that came up on my Facebook page (you know the location of those ads about finding long lost high school friends?) Well, just beneath the ad inviting me to search for names and faces from the class of '72 was a photo of a slab of baby back ribs, complete with a side of bbq sauce! Some OKC restaurant was tantalizing or maybe it was that the owners were just taunting me. Well, the quest for Spanish proficiency went out the window and I have been staring at that platter of BBQ for quite a while now. I need to stop gazing at them, because it's not making things a bit better....but I am kind of enjoying the thought of BBQ, I guess. Honestly, I try not to allow those thoughts to set up shop. It makes for a long, long evening.
After class today, about 1/2 of our group boarded a Quito city bus for the journey out to a ministry site. It's the one I mentioned previously....the Quito city trash facility. There at the "dump" there is a ministry to children whose parents labor in the trash and garbage. The ministry is a place of grace and encouragement to some precious children. We spend an afternoon each week singing, drawing and playing with the children, followed by the trip home on a much more crowded bus. This evening personal space and additional oxygen soon became prized (and scarce) commodities on Mr. Blue Bus. The cost of the ride was 30 cents, and the experience was priceless. At one point, 3 city buses were side by side, jostling at about 30-40 mph for position. We gringos were at the back of the bus. Since I am taller than most on the bus, I could see that the majority of those standing were pressed toward the back of the bus where we happened to be. Each time the bus stopped, few seemed to exit, but more tried to pack in and join the fun.
I saw a sign posted that the capacity was somewhere around 100 (seated and standing) and it was at capacity about 5:45. One dear lady dressed in the attire of Andean indigenous people and carrying an open bag of bread and "greens" of some sort boarded the bus from the back and was forced, due to lack of space, to sit on the back stairway of the bus. As more folks squeezed in, she too was squeezed until her face was "smushed" up against the vertical metal pole. It took a while for her to get free and on her feet, but we were able to make space so she could join Darlene on the back row. Taxis are more efficient and more expensive (though still cheap by U.S. standards), but travel by bus sure is entertaining. It can also be oppressively slow, but I'd prefer to focus tonight on the positive, especially since those ribs are out of the realm of possibility.
Then, after studying for a couple of hours, I logged on to Facebook and encountered the 2nd of this evening's provocations that have brought my hankering for some BBQ to the forefront of my thinking.....yes, even in front of improving my use of the Spanish imperfect tense which is also vying for my attention. The advertisement that came up on my Facebook page (you know the location of those ads about finding long lost high school friends?) Well, just beneath the ad inviting me to search for names and faces from the class of '72 was a photo of a slab of baby back ribs, complete with a side of bbq sauce! Some OKC restaurant was tantalizing or maybe it was that the owners were just taunting me. Well, the quest for Spanish proficiency went out the window and I have been staring at that platter of BBQ for quite a while now. I need to stop gazing at them, because it's not making things a bit better....but I am kind of enjoying the thought of BBQ, I guess. Honestly, I try not to allow those thoughts to set up shop. It makes for a long, long evening.
After class today, about 1/2 of our group boarded a Quito city bus for the journey out to a ministry site. It's the one I mentioned previously....the Quito city trash facility. There at the "dump" there is a ministry to children whose parents labor in the trash and garbage. The ministry is a place of grace and encouragement to some precious children. We spend an afternoon each week singing, drawing and playing with the children, followed by the trip home on a much more crowded bus. This evening personal space and additional oxygen soon became prized (and scarce) commodities on Mr. Blue Bus. The cost of the ride was 30 cents, and the experience was priceless. At one point, 3 city buses were side by side, jostling at about 30-40 mph for position. We gringos were at the back of the bus. Since I am taller than most on the bus, I could see that the majority of those standing were pressed toward the back of the bus where we happened to be. Each time the bus stopped, few seemed to exit, but more tried to pack in and join the fun.
I saw a sign posted that the capacity was somewhere around 100 (seated and standing) and it was at capacity about 5:45. One dear lady dressed in the attire of Andean indigenous people and carrying an open bag of bread and "greens" of some sort boarded the bus from the back and was forced, due to lack of space, to sit on the back stairway of the bus. As more folks squeezed in, she too was squeezed until her face was "smushed" up against the vertical metal pole. It took a while for her to get free and on her feet, but we were able to make space so she could join Darlene on the back row. Taxis are more efficient and more expensive (though still cheap by U.S. standards), but travel by bus sure is entertaining. It can also be oppressively slow, but I'd prefer to focus tonight on the positive, especially since those ribs are out of the realm of possibility.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
These little piggies went to market
We experienced the colorful sights, sounds, aromas (food), and people of the Otavalo market last weekend. It is an extravaganza for the senses, to be sure. The region around this town about 80 mile north of Quito is home to artisans and crafts-people (men and women). If you've seen pictures of indigenous Indian people of the Andes and their stylish dress, then you have a basic idea of the people of that area. Their native language is Quichua, with Spanish their second.
We had 3 different market experiences. First in San Antonio de Madera (Wood), and we watched wood carvers in action there...then on to Cotacatchi which is quite famous for it's leather products. I had my eyes on a particular jacket, but the shopkeeper and I couldn't quite agree on a price (part of the experience is bartering), so I left it hanging in the shop, with reluctance, but with no regrets.
But the most entertaining was the Saturday Otavalo market. Artisans and vendors would leave their homes as early as 4 to travel with their goods, in order to be ready for business before 7 a.m. Darlene and I joined one of our college students, Beth from ONU for a 6:30 start....they were already open for business in the center market square and with all available spots taken, vendors' booths stretched down the 4 streets that led to each corner of the square.
Hand woven tapestries, alpaca blankets, hammocks, sweaters, table runners and table covers, clothing, embroidered blouses, jackets, handbags, jewelry, pottery, artifacts and crafts of wood and stone are examples of what was available. COLORFUL was the word for the day. If you'd like to see some photos, Darlene has them posted on her Facebook page.
The shopping was intense, as the vendors were eager to assist! :) Darlene thought I did not barter enough, and she did garner the better deals, I'm sure. I most enjoyed visiting with the people, meeting their families, taking pictures here and there. Watching the small of stature but strong of body men and women carry large loads of goods into the market in what looked like large coffee sacks on their backs was amazing and humbling. A little guy was pushing a wheelbarrow full of coconuts all day, offering a refreshing treat. A grandma was toting around a couple of mesh bags, into which we could see familiar shapes..... puppies for sale. We found some areas where we could hear chirping. Snooping around, we located little chicks in a box underneath a table with children watching over them.
Did you know that those famous "Panama" hats are actually made here in Ecuador? There were plenty of those available, and I garnered one for my use at a reasonable price. I was fond of the woven tapestries, while Darlene had fun shopping for handbags, fine scarves, table coverings, to name just a few items on her list. We treated ourselves to a plantain (banana) grilled over coals, while also finding our way to a wonderful pie shop during an afternoon break from the grueling shopping extravaganza.
It would be fair to say that we've not experienced any "market" experience quite like Otavalo. Did I say COLORFUL? Maybe a Google search of Otavalo, Ecuador is a good option for those interested in seeing more.
Our lodging was in a hostel that had a center courtyard with hammocks strung between trees. Our room was located immediately adjacent to the fireplace that bordered the courtyard. When guests lit up the fire late (very) at night the smoke fumes managed to find their way into our room (and others' of our group, too)....we hoped we wouldn't asphyxiate during the night as we said goodnight. We woke to the dawn and the music still playing from a nearby "club"....the hostel stay was a fun experience for the entire group.
On Sunday, we visited an indigenous church in a village up the mountain from Otavalo. The majority of the service was in Quichua. (as if Spanish wasn't challenge enough!) Women dressed in traditional Quichuan attire, men in blue ponchos with white pantalones with their hair braided in long pony tails. A large traditional drum was played during the time of singing praises, and after the service a traditional fare of some type of potato soup with rice was being served up on the front porch of the church.
Back to classes and then, today, we spent part of our day at a ministry location that serves children whose parents work processing/recycling at the Quito city waste/trash facility. They care for (in a most wonderful way) and seek to educate children from infancy to 10ish years of age, on site at the trash facility. As one would imagine, these children hold great promise, but very limited opportunity. The ministry's goal is to help these children be able to enroll in public school and break the cycle of generations of working in such conditions.
Holding babies, playing with children, drawing pictures, interacting....it will be a weekly experience for the group....one of three different ministry locations. The others are a senior citizens home and an orphanage for children with special needs.
Signing off (for now) from Quito!
We had 3 different market experiences. First in San Antonio de Madera (Wood), and we watched wood carvers in action there...then on to Cotacatchi which is quite famous for it's leather products. I had my eyes on a particular jacket, but the shopkeeper and I couldn't quite agree on a price (part of the experience is bartering), so I left it hanging in the shop, with reluctance, but with no regrets.
But the most entertaining was the Saturday Otavalo market. Artisans and vendors would leave their homes as early as 4 to travel with their goods, in order to be ready for business before 7 a.m. Darlene and I joined one of our college students, Beth from ONU for a 6:30 start....they were already open for business in the center market square and with all available spots taken, vendors' booths stretched down the 4 streets that led to each corner of the square.
Hand woven tapestries, alpaca blankets, hammocks, sweaters, table runners and table covers, clothing, embroidered blouses, jackets, handbags, jewelry, pottery, artifacts and crafts of wood and stone are examples of what was available. COLORFUL was the word for the day. If you'd like to see some photos, Darlene has them posted on her Facebook page.
The shopping was intense, as the vendors were eager to assist! :) Darlene thought I did not barter enough, and she did garner the better deals, I'm sure. I most enjoyed visiting with the people, meeting their families, taking pictures here and there. Watching the small of stature but strong of body men and women carry large loads of goods into the market in what looked like large coffee sacks on their backs was amazing and humbling. A little guy was pushing a wheelbarrow full of coconuts all day, offering a refreshing treat. A grandma was toting around a couple of mesh bags, into which we could see familiar shapes..... puppies for sale. We found some areas where we could hear chirping. Snooping around, we located little chicks in a box underneath a table with children watching over them.
Did you know that those famous "Panama" hats are actually made here in Ecuador? There were plenty of those available, and I garnered one for my use at a reasonable price. I was fond of the woven tapestries, while Darlene had fun shopping for handbags, fine scarves, table coverings, to name just a few items on her list. We treated ourselves to a plantain (banana) grilled over coals, while also finding our way to a wonderful pie shop during an afternoon break from the grueling shopping extravaganza.
It would be fair to say that we've not experienced any "market" experience quite like Otavalo. Did I say COLORFUL? Maybe a Google search of Otavalo, Ecuador is a good option for those interested in seeing more.
Our lodging was in a hostel that had a center courtyard with hammocks strung between trees. Our room was located immediately adjacent to the fireplace that bordered the courtyard. When guests lit up the fire late (very) at night the smoke fumes managed to find their way into our room (and others' of our group, too)....we hoped we wouldn't asphyxiate during the night as we said goodnight. We woke to the dawn and the music still playing from a nearby "club"....the hostel stay was a fun experience for the entire group.
On Sunday, we visited an indigenous church in a village up the mountain from Otavalo. The majority of the service was in Quichua. (as if Spanish wasn't challenge enough!) Women dressed in traditional Quichuan attire, men in blue ponchos with white pantalones with their hair braided in long pony tails. A large traditional drum was played during the time of singing praises, and after the service a traditional fare of some type of potato soup with rice was being served up on the front porch of the church.
Back to classes and then, today, we spent part of our day at a ministry location that serves children whose parents work processing/recycling at the Quito city waste/trash facility. They care for (in a most wonderful way) and seek to educate children from infancy to 10ish years of age, on site at the trash facility. As one would imagine, these children hold great promise, but very limited opportunity. The ministry's goal is to help these children be able to enroll in public school and break the cycle of generations of working in such conditions.
Holding babies, playing with children, drawing pictures, interacting....it will be a weekly experience for the group....one of three different ministry locations. The others are a senior citizens home and an orphanage for children with special needs.
Signing off (for now) from Quito!
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