Joy to the World!

Most people start out the Christmas season by putting up Christmas trees and decorating their houses. For us, the Christmas season begins when the team of people from the US arrive shortly after Thanksgiving and the Annual Extreme Response Christmas Outreach begins!

We welcomed 55 people from all over the US this past Tuesday and every day has been full of preparations, activity and details for the parties that Extreme Response gives in various poor communities around Quito.

Each party includes a Gospel message, carnival games, crafts, prizes, photos, and a gift bag - including a staple food bag for the adults and toys for the children. We also have a tent set up with the Jesus film being shown. Five parties in five days! WHEW!!!!!

We are so grateful to the team members who come down at this time of year (probably not an easy feat with all the holiday activity that they are leaving behind). . . providing the funds and toys for the these parties!

Even though I haven't been able to go to any of the parties (being over 8 months pregnant now, makes it kind of hard to do more than just the basic daily duties), I can feel the festivity in the air and also it's awesome to hear reports from the team members as they come back to from the various locations. I will share more after the week is over.

What a way to start out the holiday season - ringing out Joy to the World as we share the love of Jesus with over 6,000 Ecuadorians who might never hear about Jesus' birth otherwise. Next week, I'll post more photos so that you can see for yourselves!

Tomorrow, Sat, Santi will coordinating the volunteers at the entrance to the DUMP CHRISTMAS PARTY, receiving the 2,500 - 3,000 people that we expect to attend. Pray for patience, love and compassion as it's a long, hot day in the sun. And pray for the attendees . . . that the evangelism team will lead many to Christ during this outreach.

I've included some photos of the team preparing the 6,000 gift bags needed for the week. Soon I hope to post photos of the parties during the week!

Doctor Update & Christmas Outreach

All went well at the doctor's office yesterday! He said that I'm doing very well and things are moving along. He also says that I'm probably going to have a big baby! I'm not sure if that's encouraging or not!

My only problem is that lots of swelling has settled into my hands and feet (and probably the rest of my body). I'm feeling pretty much like a swelling balloon - kind of reminds me of that blueberry girl who blew up into a ball in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory!

But thankfully I'm still not developing any of the other symptoms that can be caused by preeclempsia - high blood pressure, headaches, blurred vision, etc. So the doctor doesn't seemed too concerned about the swelling - just telling me to try to take it easy as much as possible!

Which is not the easiest thing to do when the week ahead of us with the 60 person team arriving from the US to help with the week-long annual Christmas parties that are a part of Extreme Response's outreach into various needy communities here in Ecuador! The team arrives on Tuesday night and will be busy preparing for parties - packing 6,000 gift bags with items brought from the US - and providing parties in 4 different communities, plus our annual party on Dec. 1 in the garbage dump here in Quito! It's such an exciting week and I hate to miss any of it - but its looking more and more like I'll be on the one holding down the fort in the office while everyone is out celebrating the reason for the season!

Please pray for the the group arriving on Tuesday and for the various outreaches - that many would hear the message of Christmas through our actions and smiles and hugs!

And thanks for praying for our doctor's appt. Our next one is on Tuesday, Dec. 11.

Blessings and Giving Thanks!

We all have so much to be thankful for . . . . with so many blessings each and every day. We were blessed today to spend time with the family of one of Santi's co-workers at HCJB. Geoff and Tammy and their three children opened their home to us today as well as to another couple who work at the US Embassy here in Quito. My niece Cris was also with us today.

We enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings, including Cheesy Potatoes - a special recipe from Cris's side of the family (we had to adjust the recipe a bit to use ingredients we can find here, but Cris thought it tasted even better here!). It's definitely one of those delicious dishes that you probably only want to eat once a year because of all the calories! If you'd like the recipe, let me know - it's YUMMY!

We also played games - everything from Sequence to Cuarenta (a unique card game known only here in Quito - Santi has become an expert in teaching it to us gringos and beware because it is addicting! some of you in the states probably remember learning this game during our times together). We also learned two new games - Apple to Apples and Ticket to Ride. We'd recommend both of them.

We hope that you all had a nice Thanksgiving - our friends and family in the states are often in our thoughts and prayers during holidays!

Tomorrow we have a check-up with the doctor to see how Baby Nathan is coming along. Only 5 more weeks to due date!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Weekend in Papallacta

Earlier this month, we were able to spend the weekend with friends in the small mountain town of Papallacta. Papallacta is located over the continental divide about 2 hours from Quito. We really enjoyed the peaceful and relaxing setting while also having fun with about 20 others. We stayed in the HCJB Guest House located on their hydroelectric plant site. So I guess you could say we were "wired" for the weekend . . . . at least we didn't have to worry about running out of electricity with the electric plant sitting right there. The power produced by the plant is first of all used to provide power for HCJB's antenna site located about 45 minutes away back down the mountainside. The additional power is sold to the electric company in Ecuador and income is then invested back into HCJB's radio ministry! A pretty neat combination.

While up there, we enjoyed unusually nice sunny weather (usually it rains most of the time) and also good food, fellowship and lots of games. Everyone there was part of the Extreme Response staff and we started our 1st Annual Extreme Games tournament with games such as soccer, volleyball, kick the can, redneck paintball (using marshmellows and ketsup and mustard - you probably had to be there to really enjoy it) and Inca Cola relay. The Red Bandanna team came away with this year's trophy - we'll have to wait until next year to see who the winning team will be!

Santi and I enjoyed the time up there, especially knowing that the next time we'll be traveling will probably be with Baby Nathan in tow along with all his supplies, equipment, clothing and who knows what else needed to keep a baby happy during a holiday!

Vaccinating dump workers in Quito

Many of you are aware of the project that Extreme Response has at the Quito City Dump. This year we have been excited to see our medical clinic there develop with a nurse and doctor coming on Tuesday and Wednesday to attend to the medical needs of the 200 +/- people who "mine" through the garbage all day long. The clinic was built out of a donated Samaritan's Purse container that brought down Christmas gift boxes. Samaritan's Purse asked Extreme Response if we could use the container and we said YES!

And how exciting to see this container being used as a medical clinic for the dump workers and their children in our day care center. One of the ways that ER is helping the dump workers is by a vaccination program . . . .

Here is an excerpt from an article that my niece Cris wrote in relation to this program. During her time here, she is helping the nurse at the clinic with the vaccinations on Tuesdays and Fridays.

When I was asked to work at the medical clinic at the Zambiza dump in Quito, Ecuador, I didn't really know what to expect. But upon arrival my first day volunteering I learned about the vaccination program, sponsored by Extreme Response, that was in progress. The workers from the dump and their children are given a series of vaccines for Hepatitis A and B and also a tetanus shot. Such a simple thing that I have taken for granted means so much to them. All the people are very polite and thankful for the vaccines.

Hepatitis and tetanus are a real threat as they sort through the garbage every day. As of November 6, 2007, 302 adults and children have been vaccinated. Many of these vaccines were done before I arrived.

What complicates things is that the Hepatitis vaccinations are a series and people must come back a couple of times for boosters. The nurse there, Ana, has been very busy keeping records, giving vaccinations, and helping the doctor with patients who come for other medical treatment. I can't imagine how she did it alone and I am glad I can be of help. It is encouraging to me to think I have had a hand in something that will have a positive effect on their lives for years to come.

All Saints Day - Nov. 2

On November 2, Ecuadorians celebrate a holiday here called "All Saints Day" - it seems to be similar to the US holiday of Memorial Day celebrated in May. They celebrate by making "guaguas de pan" - baby breads that are decorated (kind of like the idea of gingerbread men) and a special drink called "colada morada" (literally purple drink). It's purple because it's made out of "mora" berries and has all sorts of spices and flavors in it, including junks of fruit like pineapple and apples. For us north americans, the drink often reminds us of apple cider because cloves are used for flavoring.

Ecuadorians also take the day to visit the cementary and leave flowers at the graves of relatives who have passed away. In years past, traditionally, the guaguas de pan and the colada morada were left at the graves as well in order keep the dead spirits happy. In this sense, the holiday reminds me of Halloween.

At any rate, here you can see a photo of the guaguas de pan that we had one day in the office and also my niece Cris enjoying her cup of colada morada!