Monday in Ecuador was projects and orphans

Comments from our team:  {please put name first}

Wesley Friesen: Today was our second full day in Ecuador, and the first day where we have actually started our service work. We spent all morning doing misc. projects around casablanca, such as tree trimming and rock moving. I got to sweep the leaves off of the roof, which was really a lot of fun, and it was great to bond with all my team members. We spent the afternoon at an orphanage, which was really an eye opening experience. The kids are so sweet, and despite not knowing the language, they absolutely love being around you. Hearing them laugh and scream of happiness gives me such a great feeling, because you know that it's because of you that they are so happy. We do so little, but a little goes such a long way with these kids. Ecuador is everything that I expected, and so more. It's my first time outside the continent in a completely different culture, and I am having so much fun. Mom, I'm alive... no need to worry! Dad, I sure hope the Sharks are doing well. They better be playing when I come back!

Joanne Yeh: Hi Daddy, Mommy, Janice, Jessica :) I'm having a great time in Ecuador and today was our first day in missions. First we did misc. construction projects around Casablana. My team of girls helped clean up Casa Elizabeth and I think we did a very good j ob. First we organized the living room and mopped and swept the floor over and over since people kept walking over it...then we moved to the kitchen and helped mop and wash lots and lots of dishes. After this was completed, we went to the dining room and made usable again! We also oganized the other living room and vacuumed the carpet. Once we finished lunch, we went to a orpanage and played with the children. They were SO cute, and I held two babies, Valeska and Sofia for like two hours. I wish we could have stayed longer...well anyways, I am having a great time but I miss you all. Love you everyone, have a fun time in LA! I can't wait to come back and tell you everything that I have and will experience!

Grant Chang: Hey Mom and Dad! :)I miss you guys soo much. I hope you guys are having a great time in Suzhou without your nagging son :) having to hear about me talking about college all the time! hahah. Ecuador is soo much fun and very exciting. Yesterday we went to an Ecuadorian church and observed the smiliarities and differences between Ecuadorian and American churches.  The sermon was spoken in Spanish and I understood the basics of it and many sayings were very familiar to me! After the service, we went to eat Empanadas, which was very delicious! In the afternoon, we went to visit the equator near the nothern part of Quito. I always thought it was an imaginary line, but there's so much more to it. I'll tell you more about that when I come back. Today, I worked on the roof with the rest of the team and cleaned the whole roof that was piled with leaves. It was great! I took many pictures. Then, we went to the orphanage which was the best experience of the day. The kids smiles were ineffable and they liked us a lot. Well, I hope you guys are having a greattt and relaxing time and I will talk and see you sooonn!!! Love you guys very much!

P.S I love the devotions! Thank you so much for them. They are greatly appreciated. I showed the pictures to Senora Kadle and she loved them and thinks we're the coolest  family ever! :) hahah

Emily Ha: Hi all! It's been one wonderful day!! We started the day, after devotions and french toast for breakfast, with some work around Casablanca. One group shoveled and moved rocks, one group chopped wood, while my group cleaned 4 rooms of Casa Elizabeth - we dusted, swept, mopped, reorganized, vacuumed, and made the rooms look so much cleaner and fresher. It was loads of fun - even though I hate cleaning my own house, cleaning other people's house was really fun. After lunch, we headed to the orphanage. At the orphanage, we sang songs, did a drama and a puppet show, and also crafts. While we were there, we also played a lot with these kids. We went to their little playground and everyone had a lot of fun! Since a lot of us had cameras and we were using them, the kids wanted to play with them...and they took some really good pictures! They kids were really attached to every one on the team. When they came up to one of us, they woould not let us go for a really long time! I also felt my heart go out to them. Most of them were there because their parents aren't able to take care of them. It was so sad to see some of them. And I saw one of the little girl's mother outsid the locked gate. She reached her arm in, and her daughter was reaching up saying "mama, mama." then when she was let in, the little girl ran to her mom and said "Mama!" and her mother hugged her and carried her all the way up to their visiting room. It was sad to see the poverty that some people have to go through. I really didn't want to leave the orphanage, but I'm glad we get to go back tomorrow!! Keep praying for us and God Bless!

Rick Palm:  Hi family, and extended TKA family!  We had a great day - exhausting but wonderful.  We did several projects at Casablanca in the morning.  I helped cut up branches cut from their Eucalyptus trees.  Our women did a great job running the chain saw, using axes, and cutting small limbs with a machete!  After lunch we went to the orphanage.  We did songs, a play, a puppet show, and a craft.  As always, I had a rough time understanding all the kids were telling me, but I had fun with Jonathan.  He loves riding on my shoulders, enjoys games and his yoyo, and mostly enjoyed trying out a digital camera.  I'm sure there are LOTS of interesting photos on some of the team's cameras!  Dinner was a delicious, thick potato soup with a wonderful fruit juice and toast.  It was a great day, and I will definitely look forward to a long visit with my pillow tonight!  (PS to family:  THANKS for your devos.  They mean the world to me!)

Sam Campbell: HEYYYO! This is probably the best experience I have ever encountered! It has been amazing and every moment I have learned something new about myself or something else. I tried empanadas yesterday and I have to say-I wish they were more common in America cause they are the bomb. Today I got to help clean Casa Elizabeth.  I also got to play Jesus in our puppet show and that was a lot of fun also. Today was an adventure I will never forget. I am looking foward to the rest of this trip and getting to know my Ecuador Team aka mi familia. TE QUIERO(I love you).


May God bless you.