On Wednesday, November 21st at 2:00am we finally arrived in Ecuador and it felt good to be back. It has been about 10 and a half years since we lived here and it has been too long. I don’t know why we didn’t make the attempt to come back for a visit at some point during that time but I do know that we should have. However, all that is in the past and although we did not quite feel that we were coming back home at least we had a sense of knowing that this is where we belong for now -that this is where God has placed us for as long as He needs us to be here. As the plane made its final approach I was reminded of our first arrival back in April of 1992. Then as now I was aware that Guayaquil from the air at night does not look like a Canadian city. A Canadian city illuminates the sky like some permanent Christmas tree with its gaudy overabundance of lights. Guayaquil does not. Yes, there is light but its brilliance seems to be burst forth from little oases scattered amongst swathes of poorly lit deserts of semi-darkness. It reminded me that Ecuador, much more than Canada is a country of contrasts between the have and have-nots.
We were welcomed at the airport by Dale Horst who has been working here for 2 years and a smiling Ecuadorian contingent of Rolando, Wilfrido and Felipe, all of whom we knew from our time here before. It was great to see them and allow them to grab our various pieces of luggage and load them into the sturdy little green SUV. We were quickly whisked off to Dale’s house where we visited for a half hour or so while munching on popcorn and water and then around 4am we made our weary way to bed.
We awoke to the familiar dawn chorus of chickens, dogs and noisy traffic and had a breakfast of pineapple, toast and coffee with Dale while we made our tentative plans for Wednesday. I say tentative because all plans in Ecuador tend to be that way. It can be difficult for we Canadians to get our heads around that but after you are here for a time you begin to accept it or go crazy from dealing with constant frustration. I prefer to accept it. However, we set off around 9am with a tentative plan to see if we could fire off a few e-mails, register our visas downtown, buy a couple of cell-phones and the aforementioned SUV, visit a little with someone, anyone, and make the hour drive out to Playas before it got too dark. To accomplish any one or one and a half of those things would normally be considered a successful day here but, amazingly we managed to do all of the above plus be in our first ever fender bender and watch Ecuador pump their first 3 goals past a distraught Peruvian soccer team as all of Ecuador went into raptures of delight for a team on its way to a 5-1 victory. I believe that it may well have been our single most successful day ever in taking care of the practical details of life here.
A typically crazy roller coaster/bumper car ride through Guayaquilenian traffic ensued as I took the plunge and drove us out to our new home at the camp. Dale navigated and Kelly held her breath and tried not to look. Our daughters will be delighted to know that as opposed to being one of the worst drivers in Canada I am one of the best in Ecuador and I say that with a certain amount of pride! We arrived at El Faro De Esperanza at around 7pm and were met by Janet Horst, her four sons, Burke, Alanson, Denzel and Selwyn. It was also great to see Nikki Horne a Canadian who is also a missionary here. We were given a warm welcome, a delicious meal and an initial tour of the facility. We talked long and late and but eventually fell into our bed around midnight with our heads spinning because of all the new sights and sounds.
Thursday saw us all up a little late from our various exertions but ready to get to know our new co-workers a little better. However, as it is time that we headed into town to hit the cyber café I will have to leave you hanging here until the next time!
We were welcomed at the airport by Dale Horst who has been working here for 2 years and a smiling Ecuadorian contingent of Rolando, Wilfrido and Felipe, all of whom we knew from our time here before. It was great to see them and allow them to grab our various pieces of luggage and load them into the sturdy little green SUV. We were quickly whisked off to Dale’s house where we visited for a half hour or so while munching on popcorn and water and then around 4am we made our weary way to bed.
We awoke to the familiar dawn chorus of chickens, dogs and noisy traffic and had a breakfast of pineapple, toast and coffee with Dale while we made our tentative plans for Wednesday. I say tentative because all plans in Ecuador tend to be that way. It can be difficult for we Canadians to get our heads around that but after you are here for a time you begin to accept it or go crazy from dealing with constant frustration. I prefer to accept it. However, we set off around 9am with a tentative plan to see if we could fire off a few e-mails, register our visas downtown, buy a couple of cell-phones and the aforementioned SUV, visit a little with someone, anyone, and make the hour drive out to Playas before it got too dark. To accomplish any one or one and a half of those things would normally be considered a successful day here but, amazingly we managed to do all of the above plus be in our first ever fender bender and watch Ecuador pump their first 3 goals past a distraught Peruvian soccer team as all of Ecuador went into raptures of delight for a team on its way to a 5-1 victory. I believe that it may well have been our single most successful day ever in taking care of the practical details of life here.
A typically crazy roller coaster/bumper car ride through Guayaquilenian traffic ensued as I took the plunge and drove us out to our new home at the camp. Dale navigated and Kelly held her breath and tried not to look. Our daughters will be delighted to know that as opposed to being one of the worst drivers in Canada I am one of the best in Ecuador and I say that with a certain amount of pride! We arrived at El Faro De Esperanza at around 7pm and were met by Janet Horst, her four sons, Burke, Alanson, Denzel and Selwyn. It was also great to see Nikki Horne a Canadian who is also a missionary here. We were given a warm welcome, a delicious meal and an initial tour of the facility. We talked long and late and but eventually fell into our bed around midnight with our heads spinning because of all the new sights and sounds.
Thursday saw us all up a little late from our various exertions but ready to get to know our new co-workers a little better. However, as it is time that we headed into town to hit the cyber café I will have to leave you hanging here until the next time!
On the plane!
The view from our living room window
Me having a little coffee
Downtown Playas
Local shrine to Mary
Included below are a pic of kelly and i at the shrine, our new 97 chevy vitara, pic of the dirt surrounding the shrine and kelly enjoying everything with her new sunglasses!
1 comment:
It does our heart good to see you two there and to get photos to boot! So good for my soul, somehow. I'm so glad you get to meet Janet and Nikki. And of course, soon, and eventually, so many of our dear friends from Bastion and Sauces. Tim just got back from Kingston this evening(preaching at Union Street Chapel).He enjoyed seeing everyone, said there were many new couples and students(place was packed).
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