Back to Normal...

Well, Chad got home on Thursday and so things are returning to "normal" here in our house! It certainly was a crazy 3 weeks while he was gone!! I had Sara and Kami with me to keep me company...and you know how it is with 2 single girls in the house! Everyday was action-packed! Then, the last week, I got a call from a brother here in the city, that there were 2 Austrailian sisters visiting Cuenca for the week and would I like to have them stay with us? SURE--why not? So, for a week we were a party of 5! We had a blast! They really were sooo sweet.

The last week we tried to do some sight-seeing with Sara because she was going home. So, we went to Ingapirca (the incan ruins) and we went to a hostel about an hour out of the city that has fun activities like horse-back riding, paddle boats, a cable swing across the pond, pool tables, ping pong and beautiful views. So, we went and spent the afternoon there. Monday, we took Sara up to Guayaquil because she had to be at the airport early Tuesday. Tuesday, Sara said goodbye and we got back on the bus to come home. There had been torrential downpours here on Monday night, so the roads were pretty treacherous coming home from Guayaquil and it took us 5 hours instead of 3 1/2. Wednesday, was a normal day of service and meeting. Then, Thursday, Chad came home! So, things, as I said, have finally settled back to normal. We still have Kami with us (and the poor thing is sick).

It has been nice to get back into a service routine again. On Monday I went out in service up in Banos. It had been a while since I had had a really good experience. Well, "really good"in ecuadorian terms! haha The first door Jenny and I walk down into a longer building that looked like it had different rooms rented out. As we were walking in, a younger woman with 2 kids was walking in behind us. So, I stopped and talked to her. It turns out that she used to study with a sister in the congregation a long time ago. But, said that for whatever reason, they just haven't studied. So, I asked her, "Do you want to continue the study?" She says, "Sure! When can you come back?" So we made arrangements for the following Monday at 10. I had noticed other rooms, so I asked her if there were other families that live there. She said that there were, and went to get the other family. I could hear her saying, "Come outside, Jehovah's Witnesses want to teach you the bible!" So, another younger woman comes walking out with a bowl of uncleaned fish in her hand. She proceeds to clean the fish under the faucet outside, and BOY did it STINK!!! But, she was very conversational and listened to me. The first woman was standing there also. I asked the second woman if she had ever tried to read her Bible, and she said "yes, but it was hard to understand" so she got discouraged. Then she looks at me and says, "Could you come and help me understand the Bible?" UM, YEAHHH!!!! The first woman that had studied before then says to the other one, "People say that Jehovah's Witnesses have a different Bible, but the woman that I studied with before let me use my own Bible and it really isn't that different. Just a few words are different. So, you can use your own copy of the Bible for the study if it makes you more comfortable!" I just had to stand there with a smile and let her set up the study for me! So, we will see what happens. I am supposed to go and study with both of them on Monday!

Chad got back on Thurday, as I mentioned, and so Saturday night was his first meeting back with us. And, what a welcome back he got! On his way walking to the meeting, he got a call from Doug saying that there was no speaker, could he give the talk? So, he ran back home, grabbed an outline, and gave the talk! Nothing like trial by fire! He did really well, but he did seem a little more nervous than usual (understandably)! Nothing like going from not speaking spanish for 3 weeks, to a public talk!! Well, soo much has happened in the last month...busy, busy, busy...I can't possibly write about it all! But, I am attaching random photos for you to see! Miss you all and thanks to all of you who took good care of Chad while he was there!!!

One day we went to visit the Assembly Hall so that Sara and Kami could see it! The sister that I am standing with, her and her husband are the caretakers of the assembly hall. Very sweet!

Playing "Mexican Train" at the Ochoa's house!
We taught them this game and they (especially the mom, are addicted!)

The "crew"! Here we are with the girls from Australia the morning we had to leave for Guayaquil with Sara.

One of the many parties we had at our place!

Kami took this cool photo of Josue spashing Fernando with the paddle!!

There is a restaurant here in town that we rarely go to, but it is very "americanized". We can get burgers, wings, french onion soup...and of course...my favorite...Margaritas!!

Kami went to the zoo and took this picture of the "monkeys"

When we got to Ingapirca it had been raining, but as it cleared up, the views were spectacular!

Kami finally fulfills her life-long dream of "frollicking with the llamas"!

The "temple of the sun" in Ingapirca.
I think I have this same photo with each guest that comes to visit us!

The goat milk doesn't get any fresher!!! These guys drag their "about to explode" goats around the streets selling the milk. If you want some, just approach with a bag or jug or container, and he milks it for you right there!