Viernes

Friday was our last ministry day and we had a later start.  We did not have to leave until 10:20!  Today I got to take a taxi to the Shimpis church.

We had an easy morning setting up and listening to the testimonies of Pastor Domingo and Miguel.  Pastor Domingo had been involved with communist guerrillas and with making and selling drugs.  He heard the gospel from a Russian in one of these groups. He escaped and was able to make it back to his hometown of Macas.  He was still using drugs and alcohol when he returned to Macas, however, he eventually accepted Christ, and then started going to and serving at the church in Macas where he is now the Pastor.

Miguel also had a powerful testimony.  He had been a shaman, or a witch doctor in the Shuar tribe.  He got involved with this because  he had problems with his arm that the shaman could not fix.  They told him that if he became a shaman, that he might be able to heal himself easier.  It did not work.  But he did become a Christian in Quito and then moved to Shimpis and became involved in the church in Shimpis.  He is the man whose house was burned down because of his faith.

Chickens are everywhere!

Nathan, Alexia, and Christian walking down to the river

This was a pretty river, but used to throw out sewage so not clean.  The clean water for the people who lived there came out of a pipe beside the river.

The path to the river.  There was a foot bridge that people used to get to the other side.

More birds

We then had lunch, pork chops and rice, and finished setting up for the block party.  While we were setting up, a lady and Pastor Domingo's son made wayusa.  We got to help by gathering wood for the fire.  It was interesting to watch!  They burned the brown sugar first and then added the leaves and water and let it boil.

Children starting showing up between 2:30 and 3:00.  At first there were just a few, but then more showed up.  I was in the salvation bracelet station and we got backed up as everyone wanted one.  We had laminated papers of what the colors in the bracelet meant.  I usually let the child read them out loud to me as I didn't want to butcher the verses by trying to pronounce the Spanish words!  We were able to get all the bracelets finished right before they called us into church! 

A girl reading about the salvation bracelet

  

Tattoos were also popular

Nail polish was fun for the girls

We also had a volleyball net set up.  All the nets we saw in Ecuador were very high and narrow compared to what we have in the US.  This was interesting as the people in Ecuador are generally shorter than Americans!  

The Shimpis pastor, Pastor Clemente, and Tony both preached during the church service.  Fortunately for us, there was an interpreter for Pastor Clemente.  The ladies of the church sang in both Spanish and Shuar.  At the end of the service,  the church presented Tony with presents; and Tony presented the church with a projector.  

Pastor Clemente

Presents and a plaque were given to Tony

Ortensia and Miguel

After the church service, we headed back to the Macas church for dinner in a chartered bus with air conditioning!  A treat for us Americans used to AC!  We bought a birthday cake from a bakery and went back to the hotel to have a surprise birthday party for the daughter of an American missionary named Emma.  We listened to her testimony, ate cake, and went swimming in the freshly cleaned pool.  

After swimming, everyone wanted a shower; but the water cut off!  Harrison, Mitzi, and Brittney were all in showers with shampoo in their hair when it cut off.  Brittney was yelling that it was not funny, but it really was!  Finally the water came back on and we all were able to shower and get to bed!  It had been a long week.  

Sunset in Macas

One of the hotel dogs

Church at San Miguel

I had several favorite things we did in Ecaudor, and going to church at San Miguel was one of them!  This church is also in the jungle, and the building is just a shelter without walls.  But the people there were welcoming and gracious and very happy to have us.

Before the service, we went to houses around the church and invited people to the service.  This was just normal invites to church except for the last house we went to. Our interpreter talked to the mom while I gave a "Cristo me ama" sticker to her daughter.  After just a moment of conversation, our interpreter told us that we needed to leave quickly; that the lady of the house had told him that we were in danger and we needed to leave immediately.  Apparently the people who lived near that house, or in that house, did not agree with the church at San Miguel and did not like them.  

So we left.  We had been told to not stay at houses where we were not welcome, and we obeyed that order!  As we were walking back, however, the little girl from the house ran after us and told us her mom had asked that we return.  We were all a little nervous, especially me since I was the adult in the group.  We were able to find the male Canadian missionary and he walked back with us.  When we got back, the lady told us she did not call us back, but the girl asked for more stickers.  I gave the stickers and we left.  Although we don't really know why the girl ran after us, I think it was because of the stickers.  And then during the church service, she came and sat with us.  My prayer is that since she knows where the church is, she will come again and learn about Christ.

 At the church, the ladies of the church had items to sell and I was able to buy a bracelet and a cup.  Many of the boys bought spears.  The people offered us grubs to eat.  They were big and fat and alive!  You had to bite them in half before you ate them.  And you were not supposed to eat the head.  I did not try them, although I did hold one.  That was squirmy enough for me!  

Tony had volunteered to preach that evening and because of that he had to dress in Shuar traditional dress....along with Raul as his interpreter!  Although we were proud of them for doing this, we also found it very funny!    

Tony and Pastor Domingo

The Shuar people truly welcomed us into their church and showed this by marking our faces.  They said we were part of their tribe now.

They sang and danced for us in their traditional way; and we also were asked to sing.  We sang in English, which was better for us!

The church presented Tony and Raul with spears.

Nathan was asked to step out of his comfort zone and give his testimony...he did it without any forewarning; but he did a good job! He was able to introduce himself with "Hola me llamas Nathan".  He is learning a little Spanish!

Shuar singing

After the service, the church made chicken and rice and wayusa (tea) for us.  Not everyone ate it, but those that did said it was very good, and they didn't get sick!  

As we were leaving, cars were in demand and it was starting to rain, again.  It had also rained during the service, which cooled it off!  During the drive home in the car I was in, Rocky had to keep wiping off the front windshield as the defroster did not work well.  Wiping off the window helped some, but visibility was not good!  

We made it to the church in Macas for dinner and then back to the hotel for family time.  But no pool time tonight because it was empty!  This was the second time this week, but it was for cleaning.  Since it was a natural water pool with no chemicals, they have to empty it regularly and clean it.  It takes all day!  

The one bummer of the day was that Michelle had to stay back with three of the youth who were sick.  I know they were sad to miss this day!

Tomorrow is a later start...breakfast at 9!