This article was imported from our previous website, which many have broken some of the content. We apologize in advance for any strange formatting or broken links you may find.
Today was an interesting day, it started with two members feeling ill and staying back at the hostel to recover. They were missed but the group pressed on without them. We headed to a church/mission called Dios Es Amor to pick up the VBS kids. We took them on a field trip to the planetarium where the kids learned about God’s amazing solar system. Then we ate lunch that was prepared by Kati and Adrianna, a family that serves at the church. It was muy deliciosa! We played games with the youth for a few hours and got to know the kids we will be serving tomorrow. We will be insulating the roof for winter and painting the building. It was really fun trying to connect with the kids using our broken Spanish and over all it was a great day!
At the planetarium, we separated into teams and got to hang out and get to know the kids on a first name basis. There were 45 kids in all, between 5 -11 years old. Needless to say, it was pretty chaotic. The kids were all running around outside the planetarium. But the kids here seem to be more street smart so they figure it out. It's cool to see the kids smile, have fun, and experience something new. Part of the cost of the mission goes to fund these kids trips, which is cool to think that we helped these kids have such a good time. For most of these kids the bus ride itself was an exciting treat. Lunch was awesome, every meal here has been amazing...except the guinea pig (oily, stinky). The Ecuadorian’s have a way of serving you that makes you feel very welcomed and loved. We all were told its inconsiderate to leave food on the plate, however the portion sizes are very large, so I and a few others have put away a lot of the girls' food, but it's all good.
VBS was so much fun! We played some fun games which involved piggy back riding, some silly dancing, some screaming, and sitting on little kids. We all were laughing so hard, mostly because there were some awkward moments during the games but it really helped break the ice. I really look forward to getting to know these kids and speaking my horrible Spanish and loving on them for the rest of my time here. God is definitely at work here and I'm amazed and humbled by the people who I have served along side. Its been so awesome!
Todd Hiester, for team WSM Ecuador