Time Flies When Your Having Fun!

Cotacachi Volcano from our front porch.

 Another week has flown by.  It's amazing when you're not working how much there is to do.   We started the week meeting with Emma a senior from Tufts University in Boston.  She is writing a thesis on people who move to Ecuador from other countries, primarily North America.  She ask if she could interview us so we gladly obliged.  It was fun sharing and learning about her.

Later in the week we took a ride through the country with one of our neighbors.  They come from Idaho and moved in around Thanksgiving time.  They came for a visit the end of Sept...loved it, rented a house, bought a car and then went home to tell their family they were moving.  Because of their  car we were able to take our time and explore some back roads to a couple of the neighboring towns.  What beautiful views we had of valleys, farms,  and volcanoes.  It was time well spent getting to know each other and enjoying this beautiful country.

Wednesday we met with a couple from our church who we had spent time with on our first visit.  He is from Iowa and knows good friends of ours back there.  They are having a house built on the edge of town.  It was a wonderful time of sharing the many ways God has worked in each of our lives.  They ask if we would be willing to start a bible study with them so we will begin next week.   They had lived in Cuenca before moving to Cotacachi.  While there they had been part of a bible study with 4 other couples.  Because they had gained so much from those close relationships they have been anxious to experience a similar time here.  They feel as we do that God has lead them here for a reason so it will be fun to explore the possibilities together.

Had our first power outage yesterday.  The electricity was off for a few hours.  Ask our neighbor about it and he said he figured it would be on in the next 30 minutes because the Municipal building would be opening and they had to have power before then.  He was right...it was on in the next few minutes.  It is interesting to note that there is no one you call if your power is out.  It's not just an area..it's the whole town so you just wait.

Also got an email this week from the local network of gringos that there would be a gas shortage for the next 2 weeks so that affects our stove, hot water heater and dryer.  Seems they are doing repairs on the refinery and they are anticipating completion in a couple of weeks.  It's funny though, no one gets upset they just take it in stride.  They just say...remember, you're in Ecuador! 

The local flower man came yesterday.  He comes once a week and sells fresh flowers out of the back of his pickup.  Lillies and roses are your choices.  We bought 4 dozen roses for $6.  They are a little more expensive than the market ($1 a dozen) but after all he does comes to your door!  :-)

Also yesterday went down the road and cut eucalyptus branches for the house.  Our landlord puts them under the sink, on top of cupboards, in the bathrooms, under the bed,  etc.  It's a natural mold and insect fighter.  You cut the younger branches and change them every month or so.  Isn't it great the way God provides us everything we need.

Until next week...

Emma from Boston.

How's this for a bouquet of roses!