Walk to School

Doug left for school with the boys as usual yesterday morning but he took the camera along to snap some pics along the way.  It's a nice walk that takes about ten minutes.  We're guessing that it's about a half a mile.  First we walk past the hospital (we live behind it) which is about the size of an elementary school building. 

On the most bright and clear day, you can see Sangay, a perfectly symmetrical volcano, off in the distance.  This was our first time to witness it since on all other days the clouds have shrouded the mountain and kept it from view.

El Altar, a string of mountain peaks is just a little further off to the right.  These we see with just a hair more frequency but still the clouds obscure our view on most days. 

This is the view into town on our right as we walk to school.  Down the hill where the truck is unloading is our small grocery store.  Apparently more items from Quito have arrived to restock the shelves.

Then we walk down the road toward the bridge.  The bridge was constructed several decades ago and connects the area around the hospital's compound with the other compound where the Shell guesthouse is located.  One can only enter with a key.  So, the kids have to either walk with me, with Doug, or with someone else who has a key.  Today Sethy awaits at the gate.

Usually, when I cross the bridge, I have to look straight ahead with only the occasional glance around. The rest of the family--not so much.  The kids, less afraid of heights, peer over the railings as if this is a walk in the park.  Meanwhile, I'm trying to steady my breathing to keep from hyperventilating and get across as calmly as possible. 

When we cross, the stream trickles about 75 feet below.  That would explain why we feel as if we're among the treetops (as you can see above).  Sethy got a head start going across.

 

When many people cross the bridge at the same time, it sways and feels as if it tilts to one side.  This is my least favorite part of the walk.

 

 

After the bridge, one enters the other compound where we'll find the guesthouse, a watertower, a few small buildings, and a couple of duplexes where some of the teachers and other HCJB missionaries live.

 

 

We cut through this compound and out another gate.  For fifty yards we walk on a lower sidewalk along the busy road which leads from Shell to the bigger town of Puyo.  Then the school finally comes into view just beyond the last locked gate.

 

 

This is the center courtyard.  All six classrooms and the office/teacher workroom face this small green space. 

 

 

From this location, if you turn around, this is a view of the cancha (covered play area) where the kids play and on Fridays have lunch. In the grass on the right there is a swing set and monkey bars.  Then, on the other side of the fence, there is the street leading to Puyo.  Beyond that, as seen in the picture, are airplane hangars and the airstrip.  So, with classroom windows open all the time, the kids listen to buses and trucks, and on sunny days, the continual departure and arrival of small airplanes.  

 

 

I caught one on camera taking off this morning as we were just outside our house headed toward town. 

 

Finally, here's a picture of Jacobey who has decided to learn to play soccer.  You know what they say, when in Rome....

Blessings and thanks for checking this out.

Kim

 





Fresh Day

Sitting at the kitchen table this morning, there are many things to celebrate.  You see, yesterday was an exceptionally dreary day here in Shell.  It rained buckets the whole day and by the day's end, it was sloshy everywhere.  Selah and I had gone to the butcher to pick up our requested items.  We had bundled up in our raincoats with hoods up and close around our faces; both family umbrellas had gone to school with the boys.  When we arrived, the carne (beef) was not ready so we waited and moments later noticed that one of our new friends had shown up in the rain too.  We chatted together and I picked up some new ideas on things to cook.  I found almonds, breadcrumbs, and a marinade--all things I thought I'd be living without this year.  Meanwhile the owner helped another customer.  Barehanded, he grabbed a few slabs of beef, set them directly on the scale without any covering and put them in a bag.  When he was contented with the weight, he handed her the bag, received her $5 bill with the same hand, opened the cash register, dug through the coins, and handed her the correct change.  My American eyes took in the whole transaction and better understood why our stomachs are so susceptible to illnesses when we arrive in foreign lands.  The germs they pass around nonchalantly are new and surprising to our systems.  I resolved to cook all my beef, chicken, pork, etc. well for the duration of our stay.  Ground beef cost a buck and a half a pound; beef tenderloin is just over $2/pound.  What a deal.  So much for thinking we'd cut beef out of our diet.  Too cheap to pass it up.  Oh, and did I mention that all beef here is 97% fat free?  Ecuadorian cows are not grain fed nor pumped full of chemicals.  Therefore, they're lean and better for you than they are back home.

When Selah, Victoria, and I finally headed out and down the street, the rain had picked up considerably, so Selah jumped under the shelter of Victoria's umbrella.  Along the way, Victoria pointed out a place that one could get a haircut for two dollars.  Nice.  The kids could all get theirs done for less than $10.  Then we saw chickens in the street and I had to relay to Victoria that many of our jokes in the US start with the phrase, "Why did the chicken cross the road?"  She smiled; I think something got lost in the translation.  I still chuckled as I watched chicken after chicken cross the road and thought, "...to keep from getting hit by a taxi."

Next was the bakery where we picked up some fresh buns for twelve cents apiece.  I tried talking the young girl at the counter into putting chocolate in some of the rolls (like Panera does it) but she just smiled.  Guess I will have to live without that.  Sad.

Finally we made it to the little market which contains the largest selection of goods in town.  It's about the size of a corner gas station without all the refrigerated goods.  It has only one fridge which is far smaller than anything any of you have at home.  I collected some basic school supplies for Selah, a couple of cans of tomato sauce (at a staggering $1.91 each), some salad dressing (at home it would be 99 cents; here it is nearly $3), and a liter carton of chocolate milk (almost $2 a liter which means approximately $8/gallon).  So, you see, some things are really cheap, some things are outrageously expensive.  Pretty much anything imported from the states is three to four times as much.

Loaded down with goods, we trudged home in the pouring rain grateful that the walk was only another three blocks. 

The rest of the day went almost without anything else newsworthy until the kids put a video in the computer and Doug set work on the phone.  We watched the Jim Elliot story, a Torchlighters cartoon rendition of a missionary's life (which Mrs. Krista had shown the kids a couple of summers ago), and became more and more interested as the tale unfolded.  You see, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and three other men in their twenties and their families lived here in Ecuador in the 1950s serving as missionaries to the indigenous people of the jungle.  The kids and I watched as the video portrayed his life and his seemingly untimely death at the hands of the most savage and murderous tribe of the Amazon.  This story captivates us like no other because we live where Nate Saint lived.  Their school is the school by his house.  We live today where he died sixty years ago.  His legacy is our life.  We'll share more on this soon.

Meanwhile Doug spent time rigging up a way to bring our phone line from the pole under the carport, to the window of our laundry room/pantry, to the shelf above the washer and dryer.  At nearly 10:00 we tried it and finally found that we could call the US and receive calls.  I could swear I heard the angels singing the Halleluiah chorus in the background.

At the end of the day we collapsed into bed, windows shut for the first time since we arrived because it was so wet and cold out, and slept through the night for lack of sounds penetrating our sleep.  In the morning, this morning, we awoke to the most beautiful sky filled with blue and only small renditions of white puffy clouds.  It is a beautiful day and we can hear from family and friends at will. 

Later today we'll add pictures of the school and the most interesting walk on the way there.  So check back....
Blessings, kim

A new haircut

After much begging, Selah finally got her wish and received a haircut that somewhat resembles her friend Elly back in Katy.

 

Today Selah started school since she's now been allowed to come daily just in the afternoons for the last two hours of the day.  She was terribly excited to be a part of the pack.


 

The Shell Zoo

While cleaning up the kitchen this morning, I saw a familiar face peek in the window.  Tracey had come by to invite Selah and I to the zoo.  Not knowing anything about it but certain that it was a rare opportunity since it's located on the Shell military base, we accepted and were ready in no time. 

We drove the less than two miles to the base, were allowed entry, and crossed over the airstrip--making sure to look both ways and up in the sky!!  We then passed through the housing complex composed mostly of rundown buildings and next we meandered down a dirt/rock road which led deeper into the jungle.  Once we parked the car, we stopped at the small hut to surrender our entrance payment of $3 and off we tromped down the path which paralleled a small winding stream.

Over the next half mile or so we encountered about seven huts constructed to depict the different native tribes found in the Ecuadorian jungle.  Each hut was extremely small, made roughly of the same raw materials of sticks and leaves, and reminded me greatly of how spoiled I am even in my cement block house.

The stream we followed eventually became a short waterfall in one spot and then a larger one in another.

 

 

We eventually did see some animals--much, much fewer than you would expect. 

Some were in cages...

 

 

And some were not. 

 

This monkey took off with a piece of unsupervised sandpaper when no one was looking and later tried to harass a few visitors including yours truly. 

 

Tracey's brother, Zack, tried to shake hands with this monkey but he was less than friendly to a perfect stranger.  I don't honestly think these monkeys were part of the zoo; they simply live where the zoo happens to be situated.

 

One of my favorite parts about the zoo, however, was the fact that we were able to get right down to the Pastaza River's edge.  Here is flows fairly strong but is rather shallow in comparison to what it will be in high rainy season.  (We've heard that that annual rainfall here is something like 24 feet.  Yes, you read that right. 24 feet of rain falls here annually.)  In the distance is Banos (said ban-yos), hidden by the clouds, where I took those great pictures on our move here.

 

My other favorite picture is a little hard to see.  In the photo below down the middle appears little pieces of green.  Each of those pieces are tiny bits of leaf which are each being carried on the back of an ant.  This line of ants stretched more than five feet long.  When I looked in the grass from where they came, it looked like the grass was wiggling. 

 

Though we did not see much wild life in cages, we did see a good deal of 'wild life' native to here.  Thanks for reading!  Blessings, kim

First Day of School

Jacobey, our normally very late sleeper, woke at 6:45, dressed himself, grabbed a quick bite, and decided to depart with Doug a full hour before he needed to.  As they were walking out the door, Darius awoke and got himself ready for the day.  Sethy, usually our early riser, awoke to a very different scene:  people gone, others ready for the day....what to do?!  He quickly prepared himself and was frantic to depart as well.  "Going" to school yesterday was an absolute delight for the Thompson boys (Dad included). 

At 8:15 Doug hosted the first "Chapel" at Nate Saint Memorial School for the 2013-2014 school year.  He welcomed the students and parents, since everyone is invited the first day, and established much of the years' expectations from the principal's perspective.  Before the group, he seemed comfortable, well-prepared, and downright happy--welcome sight after several months of angst and difficulty. 

Selah and I lingered a little to chat with other parents and to steal a glance here and there of our family members who were in a new environment.  We finally headed for home where we encountered shortly thereafter a neighbor who dropped off many requested items she'd picked up for us in Quito, and then another neighbor who came to lend a hand with something else. Twenty minutes before their arrival, I finally found the time to throw together a lunch for our boys who would be around for an hour. 

All came busting in, having run the entire way, with smiles on their faces as they began peering into the cabinets and fridge.  When asked, "How's your day been so far?" they each replied positively with many details to follow.  It was an exciting moment for a mom.  Doug finally arrived and reported similarly.  All meals were scarfed and then, much to our surprise, kids were ready to head out the door to run back to school!  They enjoyed it that much?!  That was an even prouder moment for mom and dad.  They apparently like their new school, teachers, and classmates.  Since there would be no one there to receive them, they were eventually convinced that staying around would be the best idea--though it was not their preference.

Everyone returned to school leaving Selah and I to our own devices.  We started on her kindergarten work, cleaned up around the house, and did some odds and ends.  Finally the boys returned from school and went straight to their homework.  It was glorious!  When all was done, they walked into town (two blocks) and bought themselves each an ice cream on a stick to celebrate. 

Doug came rushing in at 5:00, changed his clothes and rushed back out to go on a bikeride that he'd been invited for.  After almost two hours, he came home beaming with stories of things he'd seen and trails he'd taken.  Needless to say, he'd had a great day and was happy to report it as such.  That was a proud moment for a wife.  Ahhhhhh.  A long time coming too. 

So, at the end of the day, I've found some peace in handing over the responsibilities of education of my boys to others.  For six years I've homeschooled and have been the primary provider of activity, information, and skill development for these kiddos of mine.  We have loved it and have learned so much.  Now it appears that they'll leave with their day each day and he'll be the one to monitor their development and maturation.  Kinda nice to pass off the torch.  Yet, I'm sad to see them leave--almost a "first day of kindergarten" experience for me that I've delayed six years later.  No tears here but a similar sentiment.  I only pray that they'll love it all the other days ahead, and if they don't, they'll learn how to be great students and classmates anyway. 

Thanks for reading!
Blessings, kim

A regular day

This morning started a little harder than the others.  I know that's to be expected, and nothing is really terribly wrong, but you know how it is when there's a lingering sense of frustration and you don't know what to do.  Last night's sleep challenged both Doug and I who found ourselves both awake from one a.m. till two.  Doug had not slept yet and I probably had dozed a little prior to then.  Doug's got a cough which is slightly similar to the one he had last year at this time (which eventually led to a hernia); and I'm still itchy from my Typhoid immunization taken four weeks ago--the side effect that simply will not go away and has been around for three weeks thus far).  Add to that the lack of internet and phone (local and long distance) at our home, our gas (which provides hot water and therefore allows me to wash the sheets, the dishes, and myself and the rest of the household) ran out today too. We have bugs, still aren't crazy about the milk here, have no car so I have to walk absolutely everywhere, Doug's overwhelmingly busy at work, and the cloud cover is thick today, so much so that we can't see the mountains that we normally gaze at throughout the day.

So.....I've had to decide all day how to handle my reaction to each disappointment.  I catch myself getting fussy and realize that that's not exactly helping things.  In fact, it's making things that much harder.  I've decided to be grateful for the cool weather, the kids' chance to play outside all day long, the visit of the veggie truck to our driveway which delivered strawberries, pineapple, tomatoes, green beans, spinach, peaches, zucchini, avocadoes, garlic, carrots, grapes, and ear of corn, and of all things, mora (black raspberries)!  I got all this for $13 and didn't have to carry it home from the market in town.  I have great help here in the way of new friends, one of which is a pediatrician and can help me through some of my toughest binds, and another asked me if I would join them and their Moms in Touch group each Monday as they pray for the kids at the school.  I discovered that the radio station that I've been listening to in Spanish is actually, get this, located in the house across the street from my home!  How cool is that?! I'm thinking that necessitates a fieldtrip sometime.  And since I began this message, we've gotten internet hooked up in our house (I'm actually typing at our kitchen table!!!), Doug came home at 4:00 instead of after 6:00, and he's now working on getting the gas situation fixed. Never thought I'd be so excited about my opportunity to do laundry.  Praise the Lord!

In essence, life is full of frustrations which are to be expected.   The only thing that is not a given, is my reaction to it all.  I get to choose that, and choose I will.  "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," or said in today's language "Thompsons have decided to tough it out for Him." 

Thanks for reading this less than interesting entry.  It was therapeutic for me..... ; )
Blessings, kim

Our new home

 



Our home is a modest one-story ranch style house mainly constructed with cement bricks on a flat slab.  This sidewalk takes you past the front door and many colorful flowers growing along the path.

As we stand on the front porch, we can see the mountains in the distance just above the housetops.  We just discovered that we have orange and lime trees next to our house.  And bananas apparently grow just a few feet further away.  Below is the back of our house with a bodega (storage room) built under the carport. The ladder leans against the wall because the boys love climbing on top which they have fondly named their clubhouse--no worries though--there is a fence all around the roof of the bodega so they cannot fall off. 

Below is a picture of the kids' play area which consists of all the backyards put together.  It's an awesome area for playing hide & seek, green ghost, tag, and a multitude of other games.  I'm sure soccer, kickball, and baseball are also in our future.  We as well have a covered cement area where there is a permanent Ping-Pong table set up. 

 

Inside the house you'll find four bedrooms with Selah's being the smallest by far.  I took this picture standing in her doorway.  On the far left is her closet which is where she loves playing--like a miniature playroom.

 

This is the view from the opposite wall so you can see just how tiny it is.  She loves it though.  And, her friend Chloe gave Selah the pillowcase on her bed for her birthday.  It matches the blanket perfectly. 

 

 

This is a picture of our kitchen as I stand in the breakfast area.  Doug took the cabinet doors off of both sides of the cabinets so that the kitchen wouldn't seem so small.  Yes, those are dishes sitting on the shelves.  You can see too that our fridge looks as if we've been living here for years. 

The picture below is of our master bedroom.  Quite cozy with our favorite books and some candles on the shelves. 

 

This is the look from the other side.  The previous missionaries were the ones who made this place look so welcome.

 

Finally, this is our living room which is much nicer than I could ever expect.  The big red rug is where the kids play Tetris Link, Pit, Apples to Apples, and Lego.

 

I didn't include pictures of the boys' rooms since theirs were filled with unmade beds.  : )

Thanks for reading along.  Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to share more of the story.  Still no computer or phone in our house but we're hopeful.  It does make it quiet.  However, I have discovered a good Christian radio station in Spanish which has a nice mix of music (even some songs which I recognize which are sung in Spanish) and talk.  I listened to one pastor's sermon yesterday as I made dinner and he was quite good.  I was simply thrilled that I could even keep up with the language.

Blessings, kim