A Busy Week Part One

I can’t believe that it has been more than a week since my last blogpost! However, it did seem to be a busy last few days so I guess that I will have to accept that it has been. We spent the first four days doing something that we will probably be spending a lot of time doing during our time here – acting as hosts.

Jose and Ivan came out from Bastion Popular to begin work on some of the things that need to get done before the next camp season begins in February. First up was the last of the four main cabin blocks as it, although having been mostly completed, still lacks bathrooms. The sinks, toilets and showers were no more than roughed in last year and space was a bit tight without the four rooms in this cabin. It was up to Jose and Ivan to build the sink counters and install the sinks and it was up to us to look after Jose and Ivan for the four days that we were here. Sounds simple right? However, you have to remember that we were trying to do this with our Spanish running at probably around 60% - 65% of where it used to be ten years ago – and harder still – Kelly had to try to remember how to cook for Ecuadorians, who like their rice just so. We decided to jump in with a leap of faith that somehow things would work out just fine – as did Jose and Ivan who were stuck living with us, miles away from their own homes, for four days.

They arrived at around 10am and we showed them where they were to sleep. We gave them a choice of either one of the cabins, or the spare room downstairs that is slated to be an office but for now sleeps four in two bunk beds. They chose the latter which was fine with us as though it gave us all a little less privacy meant that they had access to the washrooms and showers immediately underneath our deck, the cabins currently not being connected to the water system as the main pump is down and in need of repair. They then immediately got down to the typical Ecuadorian order of the business – “Un poquito de agua por favor?” “A little water please?” This involved more than just your standard glass of water but necessitated providing them with a twenty liter jug of water, a stand with a tap to place the jug on, and two plastic cups, one red and one blue so that they could tell them apart for the week. Access to an ample supply of water is of course a major requirement for the average Ecuadorian worker and they happily took theirs down to the aforementioned cabin block and tested it out. A couple of deep draughts and contented looks were the result.

Ivan was then directed to sweep out the rooms as Jose and I then spent the next half hour or so checking out what was required in the way of building supplies. This should have been a simple job but I was very quickly reminded of how narrow my knowledge of Spanish vocabulary is. Ask me about simple bible stories, biblical concepts and theological definition and I can still hold my own but I have no idea what a screwdriver, hammer, and table saw are as they are not words I ever needed to use before! Thankfully Ivan seemed to know what he was looking for in and around the “bodega” or “storage room” which turned out to mostly involve “cemento” or “cement” (that one was easy); “madera” or “wood” ( a little harder but I was proud I knew what that was) and trowels, rebar, wheelbarrow all of which he thankfully found without my help. Interestingly enough I still don’t know what any of those are called so I guess I will have to check my dictionary.

Next up was a trip to the local ‘ferreteria’ or building supply/hardware store. I knew that we have accounts with a couple of the local stores in Playas and I even know my way around town well enough town to find them. We went up to the first one, “Disensa” where Jose is well known from previous construction projects at the camp but unfortunately they did not seem to have what he was looking for and I could not seem to catch what it was that he asking for. We then went across the street and down a bit to “Ferreteria San Fransisco” which unusually, was closed. Now Jose was getting a bit worried as we were heading into less familiar territory and he was unsure as to why they were closed. “You do have some money if we have to buy these right?,” he asked. “Dale said you would if we ran into any problems.” “Yes, I have some money,” I answered confidently although still not sure exactly what it was we were looking for. “Fregadora” he replied as I asked which I guessed may have something to do with washing as the verb for ‘to wash” is “fregar.” It was at this point that I managed to put two and two together and come up with four which is unusual for me as it turns out that we were actually looking for the sinks themselves. By way of confirmation Jose informed me that yes, we were looking for “fregadoras”, “lavacopas”, “lavamanos”, which means that I now have three new words for a sink! This was as we were on our way to “El Chino” the third ferreteria which is a little off Jose’s usual radar screen and will probably remain that way as they told him that they would not have any until Friday at the earliest. It was also here that we found out that “Ferreteria San Fransisco” had been shut down for 11 days – something to do with their paperwork! From here it was all downhill as none of the remaining two stores had the required sinks. We ended up returning to the camp with nothing more than a bag of cement and in Jose’s case a plan F as B,C,D and E had failed to work. As for me, I returned with a warm fuzzy feeling inside as I knew that I was for sure back in Ecuador! Stay tuned for more!

Verse For the Day: Psalm 136:3,13
“Give thanks to the Lord of Lords: His love endures forever. To him who divided the Red Sea asunder; His love endures forever.”

Why is it that when I look out my bedroom window I doubt that we can see a church established here in El Arenal? After all if God can part the Red Sea in a far more spectacular fashion than Hollywood ever dreamed possible, surely He can do such a small thing as gather together a group of His people here in this hot, windy, dry and dusty, corner of Ecuador.