Not at all "a-lous-y" place

We are in the middle of a 10 day ministry trip with our NILI university students and several Latin students from the Seminary. I think there are about 19 of us in total. We´ve been doing some children´s outreach events, evening services and some work and witness type experiences such as painting the interior of a church and working on the roof.

We´ve journeyed south from Quito several hours. We stopped in Riobamba and visited a enormous vegetable and fruit market. Trucks galore. We learned that 80 per cent of the produce of Ecuador passes through this market. Vegetables and fruit, some familiar, some unfamiliar were displayed beautifully. It was a visual smorgasboard of color.

Riobamba is surrounded by mountains, with 3 large volcanoes in view in various directions. We drove up to one, Chimborazo, the highest peak along the equator in the world. It´s over 20,000 ft, and we were able to climb on it for a few hours. We began our climb at over 16,000 feet, so oxygen was in high demand. Some in the group climbed about 1500 or more vertical feet, so we were up in the range of 18,000 is my guess. We´d stop to check our pulse and you could just feel it in your chest and didn´t have to put your finger to the neck or wrist. We eventually were hiking on a glacier, though the top was covered with cinder. Darlene and I turned back when our fingers became numb (packed the jackets and the stocking cap but forgot the gloves). about 6 or so pressed on to the area where the glacier wall was above or on top of the volcanic cinder. Needless to say, it was a good aerobic day.

We then spent a couple of days in a little pueblo called Alausi (sounds like, She had a lousy day....with the emphasis on the last syllable). It´s located on the side of a mountain, and is actually named San Pedro of Alausi. There´s a 100 ft statue of St. Peter on a hill at the edge of town watching over the city. It´s made of those very small and colorful ceramic tiles. Peter is holding what looks to be the keys to heaven or maybe they are to his room at a local hostel, and also what looks to be a Bible. But the NT hadn´t been written during his lifetime, so maybe it was a forerunner of a Grisham novel?

We loved that town...peaceful, easy to walk (except for all the series of stairs!) around and visit with people. On Sunday, we were responsible for the church service, but it didn´t occur until 5, so we visited the markets....went to the animal market about a mile down the hill and watched people barter with each other over horses, sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, etc. No auctioneer, just one to one waving and gesturing, standing in the middle of the pens. Some were eating ice cream (the people) while standing in the middle of all that....well, you know.

We went about town inviting people to church. The pastor wanted to take advantage of having a cast of gringos present...so we hit the streets to pass out literature and invite people. Several told me that they´d be there, but I didn´t have high hopes on return for my investment, as folks here don´t like to offend directly so they might say "yes" to a commitment and then just not show up.

3 folks that I invited did arrive early to peer in to listen to the praise band or team practice. However, when the pastor arrived, I tried to introduce him to these 3 and he kind of just brushed on by to enter the church. None of them stayed, and I can´t say as I blame them. 2 were little guys, shoeshine boys. On Saturdays and Sundays little guys about ages 7 to 12 from up in the hills come in to shine shoes in the plaza for some change. They work long hours. They are often dirty from the polish or from just plain lack of care.

Throughout the day, about 6 different little guys approached Darlene and me about a shoeshine. We were wearing our hiking shoes, so black polish didn´t seem like a good idea. But, these little guys really tugged at my heart, so I took each of them aside and thanked them for their long hours of work and their effort. I gave them each a $1 as a thank you for their work. I checked with one of our Ecuadoran leaders to make sure I wasn´t encouraging begging, so when she gave me the thumbs up, I went about the business of trying to encourage them. I hoped that 2 of them would come to the church service, but I think they were too intimidated, or maybe they had to keep working. They said they had to work til sometime after the service started. At 8 to 10 years old that´s pretty long hours.

There was a rooster/cock fighting event that afternoon. We didn´t make it there, but we did see the bull fighting ring or arena that´s used in special holiday festivals.

We did seem some butterflies and moths that looked to be taking steroids (they were very large) and we did spot some more colorful birds, which made me very happy.

The next day, we enjoyed a ride down a steep mountainside to an interesting scenic point called El Nariz del Diablo....the nose of the devil. Actually, you can take a train. I´ve seen a National Geographic special on this ride, and we hoped to take the train. But, the train line is over 100 years old and the weight of the train often spreads the track rails and the wheels slip off the rail. Plus, tradition is that folks ride on top of the train. Well, they´ve had some deaths.

Things came to a "head" apparently about a year ago, when 2 Chinese tourists we decapitated while riding the train down the steep 2 hour journey. They apparently were taking photos and didn´t duck when the train entered a tunnel or passed under some piece of equipment. Anyway, the government paid out 20 million and decided that riding on top was no longer an option. They have since decided to repair the rail lines as it will enhance tourism, and have closed the line for 7 months. So, maybe next time. But the ride down was very scenic, reminding us of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Darlene´s home. Taking in such an experience with college students in an adventure in and of itself. Love it.

The two days of riding south have been some of our favorite during our journey. Mountainous, pastoral, with patchwork gardens covering the mountainsides, in many cases almost to the crest. I think that Ecuardian cattle must have interchangable legs. The downhill set needs to be a bit longer than the pair of legs on the uphill side. When I was in Argentina for student mission corps back in college, I noticed that the beef was very tender and learned that Argentina is famous for the quality of it´s beef. On the other hand, the beef here in E is quite, well, durable and long lasting when chewing. I think I understand the difference. The cattle of Argentina enjoy living and dining on the Pampa, which is lush and FLAT, while the Bovines of the Andes here in Ecuador have to climb-climb up Sunshine Mountain, and down the mountain, and across mountains to graze. These bacas have muscled up, hence the opportunity to savor a long chew when we get to enjoy beef.

Well, since Alausi, we´ve been in the beautiful Spanish colonial city of Cuenca, site of 3 days of ministry and 1 day of sightseeing. Much to say about this experience, but I´ll let my blue paint encrusted fingers take a break and post those reflections later.

Last night at the church service, the students did a great job of leading in worship...with the congregation singing with gusto....and joy. Then, Stephanie, an ONU senior who is on her way to Notre Dame for grad school, preached in Spanish and did an excellent job with such a warm spirit behind her words. A couple of guys (Kyle and Freddy) shared their testimonies in Spanish. They are all part of the Advanced group of students. I´m swimming along in Intermediate land, but hopefully am improving. Anyway, they did great and the Spirit of the Lord was apparent and the bond of fellowhship between believers from different cultures was touching....plus they served us some tasty Ecuadorian dishes afterwards. So, church potluck Ecuadorian style ended about 10 p.m. with smiles and hugs all around.