I haven't written in more than three weeks--the longest stretch by far since we began the blog a year and a half ago. It hasn't been my intention to be so silent. I simply haven't known what to say. This has been the hardest December we've ever experienced and our hearts have broken over the things that have taken place.
I don't feel that it's appropriate for me to relay the details here in a blog. Broadcasting the major and minor details over the internet would be condemning to many in our midst and it would certainly be an attempt to garner support for our cause. Who doesn't love sympathy? But where would that get us? We would be dirtying the reputation of others, we would be furthering the disunity among our community members, and we would be merely repaying evil with evil. How does that help our situation? I do, however, believe that it's more than appropriate to share the outcomes of these events, which of course is a much more powerful story and takes you to the root of all power and all solutions.
First off, in early December a friend told me that the Lord had shown her something regarding our family which might threaten us. Then, about two nights later, I had a dream--a dream that remained vivid in my mind long after I opened my eyes. The dream let me know in a very specific way that something evil was coming. I was a bit unsettled by it, but I told Doug and a couple other close friends about the dream. Third, when we went to church a day or two later, I heard a message delivered by the pastor that struck me as especially powerful and it told us how to fight against darkness. I sensed that the Lord was instructing us and bracing me for what was to come.
Then our work week began and so did our challenges. Within a matter of hours, things began to take a very hard turn and our hearts were devastated and our minds ran wild. We struggled to stay focused, to remain calm, to attend to the many things that needed our attention. It was the week of our school Christmas play, our field trip for caroling, our class parties, and a number of other things that had to take place no matter how we felt or what had hurt. The show simply had to go on. Didn't anyone know that it was supposed to be the Christmas season? Outwardly we accomplished many things; inwardly we were crumbling and so wanted to go home. I even priced tickets--$9,000 for six. An obviously closed door.
Ironically, we wrote our Christmas letter in early December, prior to all this heartache, but we had not sent it onward. Something about it had not let us consider it done. In it we had written that struggles are not a bad thing but are actually for our good and for God's glory. They help to shape us in His image. Before we could send it out, we had to wrestle with whether we really and truly believed our own words. Did we honestly see that these trials were of some value and we would come out on the other end more like Christ?
Well, before the month ended, we ended up with among other things sickness in our house, a broken microwave, a flooded laundry room, a bedroom fixture that refused to work, Christmas lights that wouldn't come on, a showerhead that wouldn't turn off, and a dead pet fish.
Thankfully we've hit January 1st and our month of December has finally ended; we've turned the page in this chapter of our lives. We have stepped away from the carnage of last month and have looked ahead with a newfound determination. We've done what Joshua, the leader of his people, did in the Bible: no matter what others do, we have decided for ourselves who we will serve--we will serve the Lord. As we walked through the events of last month, and as we battled against all the tormenting thoughts about what had previously been done to us the many months prior to that, we constantly knew that the Lord was with us. We knew that He had forewarned us, that He had spoken though others, that He had spoken through his word in the Bible, and that He had told us what to do and how to respond as each of the things came our way. God was present and He was in control.
When we look at everything now from this vantage point, we do see how the Lord has turned this struggle into something He can use. We held onto Him, searched for Him, and consulted Him. Now isn't that exactly what Jesus did when He walked the earth? If all this struggle did was to get us to be that much closer to our Lord, then yes, it was worth it. Today we're not sure that our troubles have ended. There are still those in our midst that we think will work against us, yet we know that the Lord too is in our midst and that He's more powerful than any foe. We'll trust in His truth and guidance and we'll walk each day as He calls us to.
Thus, may your year be one in which you seek the Lord with your whole heart and believe deep down that if you do, you will find Him waiting there for you.
Happy New Year.
Blessings, kim
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Papallacta (pah-pah-yahk-tah)
We've returned to one of our favorite spots in all of Ecuador. Last year we took a bus to get here in Papallacta where we're at 10,000 feet up in the Andes Mountains at the base of a volcano that reaches approximately 16,000 feet upward. It's very picturesque as long as the clouds don't obscure the view as they have in this picture.
Though it's a nice place to be, the getting here was not so much fun. This trip for Thanksgiving required four hours of winding roads, three barf bags, two times of washing down the outside of the van since someone chose to use the window option, and one mid-way washing down of the interior of the van to remove the spray that never made it into the bag or out the window. All three of our boys couldn't stomach the curves (pun intended). It's no understatement to say that we don't enjoy traveling in Ecuador. We love being in different places, we just profoundly dislike the getting there.
Once we arrived on the day before Thanksgiving here in Papallacta, it's been fun and games ever since. Twenty five of us have filled up this nine bedroom house with the most amazing view and terrific fireplace and woodpile. We've eaten well and laughed much and the boys even played a game of flag football on an open soccer field here in the very small town where we are. (You're pretty much looking at the entire town as it sits on the other side of the field.)
Yesterday we borrowed this field for a spell so the kids (and men) could get out some of their energy. We noted a horse tied up at one end of the field and a young bull at the other. The guys quickly forgot about the animals, and they harnessed themselves with belts and flags for a game of football. That was until the horse came trotting across the field with his rope dragging behind him about twenty minutes later. We weren't sure how he came unloosed from his stake. We just stared as he tried out his new-found freedom and finally spotted the bull tied up at the opposite end of the field. All play stopped for all of two minutes as the men assessed the situation. During that time the horse approached (or should I say 'ran toward') the young bull which caused this poor wide-eyed animal to run and snap his own rope from it's stake in the ground.
Now we, the feminine spectators, looked on with a bit of concern for the bull who appeared to be afraid of the fairly aggressive horse; yet we had an even greater bit of concern for our husbands and sons who never moved from the field. They just kind of stood in their spots, completely amused at the fact that these animals were no longer tied up. My friend Sarah and I discussed how we knew that when the animals came loose the game would naturally come to an end. Isn't that what we, the ladies, would have done? Kind of like: "Alright everyone...Game over....Wild animals on the field....It's not safe any longer." And then everyone would have slowly moved off of the field and headed home. Made sense to us.
Not so with these die-hard football players. They just kept playing since they noticed that the horse and bull were really only interested in each other. The show must go on. So, as the guys went through down after down and touchdowns began to accumulate, the horse continued to harass the bull and the two paced about and chased each other. Only once or twice did the guys actually look up to see what the animals were doing.
This happens to be one of the shots I caught when they were looking--and the only reason, I think, they were looking was because it appeared that the young bull was about to take off with the soccer ball.
Funny. Thankfully no one was hurt and the two animals eventually left each other alone. The guys finally concluded their game when we ladies hastened them to stop for the dropping temps and our need for the restroom. Reluctantly they conceded and we all departed later in hopes that our game had not stirred the animals too much and we'd not made enemies of the land owners--whoever they were.
Our time in the mountains has since come to an end and now we've returned back to Shell. The trip home was looking a bit troublesome too when Darius asked only 20 minutes into the drive if he could get out for some fresh air. Yet, I'm happy to report that our kids' Dramamine took effect and none of us ended us being sick. We made it home in four hours with all barf bags intact and unused. Praise God. (But, the drowsiness we experienced from that nausea medicine sent me to bed that night at 8 pm and I didn't wake up the next day till 7 am! Yet I'll take sleepiness over nausea any day.)
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
Once we arrived on the day before Thanksgiving here in Papallacta, it's been fun and games ever since. Twenty five of us have filled up this nine bedroom house with the most amazing view and terrific fireplace and woodpile. We've eaten well and laughed much and the boys even played a game of flag football on an open soccer field here in the very small town where we are. (You're pretty much looking at the entire town as it sits on the other side of the field.)
Now we, the feminine spectators, looked on with a bit of concern for the bull who appeared to be afraid of the fairly aggressive horse; yet we had an even greater bit of concern for our husbands and sons who never moved from the field. They just kind of stood in their spots, completely amused at the fact that these animals were no longer tied up. My friend Sarah and I discussed how we knew that when the animals came loose the game would naturally come to an end. Isn't that what we, the ladies, would have done? Kind of like: "Alright everyone...Game over....Wild animals on the field....It's not safe any longer." And then everyone would have slowly moved off of the field and headed home. Made sense to us.
Not so with these die-hard football players. They just kept playing since they noticed that the horse and bull were really only interested in each other. The show must go on. So, as the guys went through down after down and touchdowns began to accumulate, the horse continued to harass the bull and the two paced about and chased each other. Only once or twice did the guys actually look up to see what the animals were doing.
This happens to be one of the shots I caught when they were looking--and the only reason, I think, they were looking was because it appeared that the young bull was about to take off with the soccer ball.
Our time in the mountains has since come to an end and now we've returned back to Shell. The trip home was looking a bit troublesome too when Darius asked only 20 minutes into the drive if he could get out for some fresh air. Yet, I'm happy to report that our kids' Dramamine took effect and none of us ended us being sick. We made it home in four hours with all barf bags intact and unused. Praise God. (But, the drowsiness we experienced from that nausea medicine sent me to bed that night at 8 pm and I didn't wake up the next day till 7 am! Yet I'll take sleepiness over nausea any day.)
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
Saturday, November 15, 2014
The Journey
Just as we ladies were leaving Puyo with a truck full of things, the men called and asked if we could come collect them from wherever they were. We had to report that there honestly was no space for three men and their three bicycles among all the things we had purchased, our three selves, plus the one other passenger we had picked up while we'd been gone. Julia said that if they truly needed assistance, she would come back for them once she'd dropped off all people and purchases on the compound. They just needed to give her a call back.
Well, at a little after 1:00 the ladies and I returned to the compound in the midst of a huge rain storm. The wind blew furiously and the rain came down in buckets. If we weren't accustomed to the impromptu storms that take place here, we'd certainly be concerned. Yet, we unloaded Julia's car, checked in with all of our kids that had remained behind (for me it was only Selah), and began the job of unpacking and putting things away. I also began soaking fruits and veggies in the cleaning solution, and then I inquired about whether the men were back yet or had they called for assistance. Negative on both counts.
A full hour passed and no word but my boys showed up from their birthday party and so we discussed their time and the events of the morning. The rain had died down some so I knew they would be coming home any minute. Finally, the second hour passed and I considered inquiring with Julia about any updates but in the next moment I realized that I had not talked to my parents in a while and decided that I should not let any more days go by without a call.
It was while I was on the phone with my dad that I looked out the window and beheld the "Three Caballeros" straddling their bikes looking greatly spent but contented with their ride. Their purpose had been to 'get a little exercise' and I believe without a doubt that they'd done just that. We all laughed when we realized though that the promised "hour and a half ride" had actually produced a "four and a half hour outing". (Doug, thankfully, had gotten back just in time for his basketball game!)
We now know that Martin is really an adventurer at heart and simply underestimates the demand. So.....when we go to the mountains with him and a few other families for Thanksgiving a week and a half from now, and he suggests a short hike, we'll pack a lunch, plenty of water, and consider bringing a tent along. (Smile)
In life, it really is the journey and not just about the destination.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Fresh Eyes
About a week ago we invited an Ecuadorian friend and her daughter over for an American dinner at our house. I decided to make bar-b-q sandwiches out of a large piece of beef tenderloin that I'd kept in the crock pot for nearly 24 hours. We bought fresh buns, cut up a pineapple, sliced cucumbers, steamed cauliflower, and Doug created a fresh batch of home-made salsa. Then we did as all good Americans do and put every condiment known to man on the table: mayonnaise, two kinds of mustard, ketchup, jalapeno sauce, three kinds of bar-b-q sauce, salad dressing, Lowrey's Seasoning, Morton's Kosher Salt, Tabasco, black pepper, garlic, and probably a few other things I've forgotten by now. We had more options for seasoning than for food. It was a bit of overkill but we wanted to introduce them both to the promised land.
So, true to Ecuadorian form, my sweet friend showed up to dinner half an hour later than expected. Thankfully, true to Thompson form, I didn't have dinner completely ready at the appointed time and appreciated the extra few minutes. All parties were therefore quite happy about the arrangement. When we finally sat down to the table and re-introductions were completed, both Nelly and her daughter Daniella ate more than their fair share of food and were complimentary about it all. Ecuadorians are the best hosts and the best guests.
All through dinner we each put our Spanish skills to use and had a very lively and enjoyable conversation. I really didn't have to translate very much and we had to bring Doug up to speed only every once in a while. I was proud of our kids for trying their best to welcome this friend of mine, and proud of my husband for suggesting this dinner invitation. It ended up being way easier than I had predicted.
After dinner we introduced them to two of our favorite card games knowing that language would not be a barrier during either. We played Dutch Blitz with them (which is kind of like playing Solitare but with others playing on your cards and you on theirs) and did our best to keep the game really slow so they would not be overwhelmed by the speed of play. Once we did a few hands of that, we then brought out the big guns and played Pit. If you've ever played Pit, you know it can be obnoxiously loud and fun. We did our best to break them in slowly before getting too rambunctious but then after a few hands we let it all hang out. We were laughing hard before too long and when Nelly said it was time for them to go, eleven year old Daniella was sorely disappointed and wanted to play just one more hand.
The whole night was a really sweet affair--what stood out though and will stick with me the most was the way in which Nelly's face lit up when I gave her the tour of our little house (1000 square feet) with it's painted cinderblock walls and write tile floors. To us it's a real downgrade from our home in the states, but to Nelly who lives in a one-room apartment up on the roof of an apartment building, it's a mansion. Nelly's bathroom is not connected to her little home. She has to walk outside to reach it. She does her laundry in a sink on the roof as she looks down on the people below. Then she hangs her laundry out to dry on one of the many clothes lines that hang across the length of the flat roof. And, her place only has room enough for a double bed, stove, small fridge, table, and a clothes rack--there's not even a closet. The place she and Daniella live in is approximately the size of our master bedroom here. So, when I gave my dear friend the tour, she thought I lived in luxury--and when I thought about the tour she gave me when I visited her at home a couple of months ago--I knew she was right.
We are blessed beyond measure.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
So, true to Ecuadorian form, my sweet friend showed up to dinner half an hour later than expected. Thankfully, true to Thompson form, I didn't have dinner completely ready at the appointed time and appreciated the extra few minutes. All parties were therefore quite happy about the arrangement. When we finally sat down to the table and re-introductions were completed, both Nelly and her daughter Daniella ate more than their fair share of food and were complimentary about it all. Ecuadorians are the best hosts and the best guests.
All through dinner we each put our Spanish skills to use and had a very lively and enjoyable conversation. I really didn't have to translate very much and we had to bring Doug up to speed only every once in a while. I was proud of our kids for trying their best to welcome this friend of mine, and proud of my husband for suggesting this dinner invitation. It ended up being way easier than I had predicted.
After dinner we introduced them to two of our favorite card games knowing that language would not be a barrier during either. We played Dutch Blitz with them (which is kind of like playing Solitare but with others playing on your cards and you on theirs) and did our best to keep the game really slow so they would not be overwhelmed by the speed of play. Once we did a few hands of that, we then brought out the big guns and played Pit. If you've ever played Pit, you know it can be obnoxiously loud and fun. We did our best to break them in slowly before getting too rambunctious but then after a few hands we let it all hang out. We were laughing hard before too long and when Nelly said it was time for them to go, eleven year old Daniella was sorely disappointed and wanted to play just one more hand.
The whole night was a really sweet affair--what stood out though and will stick with me the most was the way in which Nelly's face lit up when I gave her the tour of our little house (1000 square feet) with it's painted cinderblock walls and write tile floors. To us it's a real downgrade from our home in the states, but to Nelly who lives in a one-room apartment up on the roof of an apartment building, it's a mansion. Nelly's bathroom is not connected to her little home. She has to walk outside to reach it. She does her laundry in a sink on the roof as she looks down on the people below. Then she hangs her laundry out to dry on one of the many clothes lines that hang across the length of the flat roof. And, her place only has room enough for a double bed, stove, small fridge, table, and a clothes rack--there's not even a closet. The place she and Daniella live in is approximately the size of our master bedroom here. So, when I gave my dear friend the tour, she thought I lived in luxury--and when I thought about the tour she gave me when I visited her at home a couple of months ago--I knew she was right.
We are blessed beyond measure.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Hiking
Today we were invited to go on a hike that was about 45 minutes from our house. It was up in the Andes Mountains just where the climate is cooler and the terrain is more like mountains than jungle. We headed out of our house at 9:00 a.m. (forgoing church for probably the first time in I'm not sure how long), and we reached our destination about an hour later. Once we all assembled, which took a while since in our group we had two infants, one toddler, two preschoolers, our youngest three kids, and eight adults including two that were sixty--sixteen of us in all, we took a bus about 3 or so miles away from our parked cars so that we could catch a 'tarabita' (cablecar) ride across a huge gorge. We wanted to hike on the opposite side of the gorge and make our way back to the car. Our friend told us that he'd taken this route about 20 times previously so he knew it well and we'd enjoy this hour and a half hike.
We somewhat reluctantly took the cablecar ride (the drop from there is very, very far below) across and then we began our hike. Two from our party decided to take the zipline across instead so we waited for them on the other side. (This is what the 'safer' cablecar ride looks like.)
Jacobey had wanted to take the zipline as well but we discouraged our fearless child from making the trip that way. This is the view that we were headed toward on our way across:
And this is the view as we looked to the side on the way across:
It was a beautiful view--as long as you weren't distracted by the dangerous drop. Below is the Pastaza River which comes from quite a distance away and heads very far into the interior of Ecuador.
We actually ended up on some man's property--we thought the trail took us through there so we stopped in to say hi. He ended up charging us a dollar/family for our funny detour but we didn't mind too much because he shared some great homegrown fruit with us. We call it snotfruit because the seeds inside have the consistency of such, but that's not it's real name. Regardless, it was a nice way to take a rest and to chat with one of the locals.
We somewhat reluctantly took the cablecar ride (the drop from there is very, very far below) across and then we began our hike. Two from our party decided to take the zipline across instead so we waited for them on the other side. (This is what the 'safer' cablecar ride looks like.)
It was a beautiful view--as long as you weren't distracted by the dangerous drop. Below is the Pastaza River which comes from quite a distance away and heads very far into the interior of Ecuador.
Once our friends finally crossed the gorge, we all began the journey heading east back toward our car. If you look at the above picture again, you'll see that the area on the right is where we hiked heading away from the camera, following the river. What we thought would be an hour and a half hike turned out to be more like four and a half hours. It was on a pathway that at times really was only as wide as our own bodies, or was along the side of a fairly steep drop down the mountain, or took us through the muddiest terrain in which we at times had to tug our shoes to pull them free from the suction of such thick stuff. Thankfully we took plenty of snacks, a quite agreeable group of kids, and lots of sunscreen. The weather cooperated, and we saw no animals with the exception of a few cows, a donkey, a family of turkeys (perfect timing for November), and lots of moths.
We actually ended up on some man's property--we thought the trail took us through there so we stopped in to say hi. He ended up charging us a dollar/family for our funny detour but we didn't mind too much because he shared some great homegrown fruit with us. We call it snotfruit because the seeds inside have the consistency of such, but that's not it's real name. Regardless, it was a nice way to take a rest and to chat with one of the locals.
The kids really were little troopers. We walked about five kilometers or more which is roughly three miles (I'm guessing it's a bit more though) along the side of the mountain and they were content till just about near the end. When we finally reached our destination--at 3:30!--we decided to have lunch at the only place available which sold fresh fried trout--head and all. We ordered twelve plates so they got their nets out and caught the fish right then out of their trout holding tank. The food was great and we scarfed down every last bite--I draw the line at the eyes--I won't eat those. This is Sethy showing off my fish with only the tail, head, and connecting spine left.
We finally took another cablecar ride to get back across the gorge and so I captured a photo of the late afternoon sunshine on the western mountains as we rode across:
Though it was a very long day and we were all zapped at the end, we had had a terrific time and felt like we'd gotten to see a part of Ecuador that we'd not experienced before. It was great. Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
Sunday, October 26, 2014
You know it's your child in class when
This year two of my students in the classroom are my own two kids: Seth and Selah. I'm finding myself thinking often, "this would never happen in another teacher's room." I find humor in them but some are just nutty and I'm hoping to extinguish at least one of these behaviors before long.
So, you know that it's your child in the classroom when....
10. you hear, "Mommy" more than you do "Mrs. Thompson".
9. your mug of hot tea slowly empties before your eyes.
8. you're being asked what snacks you packed for the day.
7. you nearly get tackled with a hug at the oddest times of day.
6. you're begged to see the principal (Daddy) so that an especially good grade can be shown off.
5. you're asked if another classmate can come over to play while the school day is still going on.
4. you're told about a bowel movement that took place moments before in the restroom.
3. you get tears when it's the Monday morning Spelling Pre-Test and the child doesn't know how to spell 'city'.
2. you're asked to help someone zip up and button their pants after each bathroom break.
But my favorite, or possibly least favorite, is this one:
1. you look down and your child is chewing his own toenails while you read aloud to the class.
Oh My! I didn't know whether to be embarrassed, mad, disgusted, or envious.
Regardless, I'm loving that they're in my class and that they're learning and growing every day. What a blessing to be a part of their story.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
So, you know that it's your child in the classroom when....
10. you hear, "Mommy" more than you do "Mrs. Thompson".
9. your mug of hot tea slowly empties before your eyes.
8. you're being asked what snacks you packed for the day.
7. you nearly get tackled with a hug at the oddest times of day.
6. you're begged to see the principal (Daddy) so that an especially good grade can be shown off.
5. you're asked if another classmate can come over to play while the school day is still going on.
4. you're told about a bowel movement that took place moments before in the restroom.
3. you get tears when it's the Monday morning Spelling Pre-Test and the child doesn't know how to spell 'city'.
2. you're asked to help someone zip up and button their pants after each bathroom break.
But my favorite, or possibly least favorite, is this one:
1. you look down and your child is chewing his own toenails while you read aloud to the class.
Oh My! I didn't know whether to be embarrassed, mad, disgusted, or envious.
Regardless, I'm loving that they're in my class and that they're learning and growing every day. What a blessing to be a part of their story.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings, kim
Sunday, October 19, 2014
New Arrivals and Old Friends
Just this week we received a new family here into Shell which excited us to no end. They've come for the year (or more) and are to take on a few roles which may bless us immensely. The head of the family will be doing so much of the maintenance work that is sorely needed around our small community, his wife will teach our school kids art and music, and their daughters will attend the school for at least a little bit of the time. However, this is not what we're most excited about. They've come with a deep sense of love for God and a great desire to bless those around them. They want to connect, to learn, to grow deeper. What a humble family they already appear to be. We had lunch with them today and they were simply so grateful for the food, atmosphere, and camaraderie. We were grateful too.
We truly are blessed because we as a community get to know entire families well. That, I don't think, is very much the norm anymore these days in the US. There, we usually meet one family member--at the gym, in the office, at school, or in any number of other places--but then we never encounter the rest of their household. We never see family dynamics in play or watch couples interact and operate as a duo.
Where we live in Ecuador, we get to know the family as a cohesive entity and we can learn from and enjoy them as a whole. We are privy to the interplay between husband and wife, father and children, mothers and kids. Here we've gotten to know a number of singles, couples, or families on a fairly intimate basis and have come to really learn greatly from those around us. In fact, we've enjoyed a meal with more people over the past two months than we normally would in an entire school year. We have averaged about four or five meals a week with others.
There is one particular couple that stands out from the others. About seven weeks ago we received an invitation from them to go out for pizza. They collected us in their car built for four comfortably and without batting an eye we rode off to a brick oven pizza place six miles down the road in Puyo. After a great deal of food, laughter, and fruity soda, they then dropped Doug and I off at the "big" grocery store while they took our kids out for ice cream. By the time we arrived home, we thought we'd died and gone to heaven: full tummies, happy kids, and a chance to buy groceries all while being schlepped around by our very generous friends. They wouldn't even let us pay for our fair share of ice cream or gas money.
Well, we're pleased to report that that little tradition continues to this day. Faithfully once a week we do dinner out or at one of our houses with these sweet friends (who by the way had raised six kids of their own here in Ecuador). And with our encouragement, they have given us parenting advice, been our biggest cheerleaders, prayed faithfully for us, and have shared any number of stories about their lives and their kids' growing up years that we feel very fortunate to have this surrogate older, wiser brother & sister.
I guess the point that I'm getting to is that though eating alone at home is normally easier, quicker, and allows you to get to bed earlier, it's not always the best option if you want to grow, learn, laugh, or feel like you've connected in a meaningful way. I can say for sure that this time around, the investment that we're making in others and they in us is leading to a much more fulfilling experience and is teaching us more about heart issues and life in general. It's enabling us to make sure that the first-year teacher living next door has a home-cooked meal weekly, the visiting missionaries from the US feel welcomed to Shell, the single mom has a night off from cooking, the family that moved away to another city have a place to stay when they come around for a visit, and, it makes sure that we're being looked after too. We're living this adventure together.
If eating with others is out of your comfort zone, I challenge you to give it a whirl. You may be surprised at what you get out of it.....
Thanks for reading,
Blessings, kim
We truly are blessed because we as a community get to know entire families well. That, I don't think, is very much the norm anymore these days in the US. There, we usually meet one family member--at the gym, in the office, at school, or in any number of other places--but then we never encounter the rest of their household. We never see family dynamics in play or watch couples interact and operate as a duo.
Where we live in Ecuador, we get to know the family as a cohesive entity and we can learn from and enjoy them as a whole. We are privy to the interplay between husband and wife, father and children, mothers and kids. Here we've gotten to know a number of singles, couples, or families on a fairly intimate basis and have come to really learn greatly from those around us. In fact, we've enjoyed a meal with more people over the past two months than we normally would in an entire school year. We have averaged about four or five meals a week with others.
There is one particular couple that stands out from the others. About seven weeks ago we received an invitation from them to go out for pizza. They collected us in their car built for four comfortably and without batting an eye we rode off to a brick oven pizza place six miles down the road in Puyo. After a great deal of food, laughter, and fruity soda, they then dropped Doug and I off at the "big" grocery store while they took our kids out for ice cream. By the time we arrived home, we thought we'd died and gone to heaven: full tummies, happy kids, and a chance to buy groceries all while being schlepped around by our very generous friends. They wouldn't even let us pay for our fair share of ice cream or gas money.
Well, we're pleased to report that that little tradition continues to this day. Faithfully once a week we do dinner out or at one of our houses with these sweet friends (who by the way had raised six kids of their own here in Ecuador). And with our encouragement, they have given us parenting advice, been our biggest cheerleaders, prayed faithfully for us, and have shared any number of stories about their lives and their kids' growing up years that we feel very fortunate to have this surrogate older, wiser brother & sister.
I guess the point that I'm getting to is that though eating alone at home is normally easier, quicker, and allows you to get to bed earlier, it's not always the best option if you want to grow, learn, laugh, or feel like you've connected in a meaningful way. I can say for sure that this time around, the investment that we're making in others and they in us is leading to a much more fulfilling experience and is teaching us more about heart issues and life in general. It's enabling us to make sure that the first-year teacher living next door has a home-cooked meal weekly, the visiting missionaries from the US feel welcomed to Shell, the single mom has a night off from cooking, the family that moved away to another city have a place to stay when they come around for a visit, and, it makes sure that we're being looked after too. We're living this adventure together.
If eating with others is out of your comfort zone, I challenge you to give it a whirl. You may be surprised at what you get out of it.....
Thanks for reading,
Blessings, kim
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