This week we’ve been busy at the Campamento helping to (and learning how to) make fence posts to enclose the area. This involves creating metal structures out of wire and iron for them to be put into concrete. It has been challenging at times but we’ve enjoyed the hard work and it has been fun to learn from Hermano Milton and Pastor William, despite the language barrier.

We’ve also continued to teach at the local school. The children there have been making good progress with their English and we’re getting to know all of them really well. They seem very excited when we arrive each Tuesday and Wednesday and have even started greeting us with ‘hello’ and in the older class ‘how are you?’ when we arrive. Their progress is a wonderful answer to prayer.

On Friday, we headed back into the city, ready for a busy weekend! On Saturday morning there was a meeting in the clinic where we usually stay, so we spent the morning in a house opposite and enjoyed hot showers for the first time since we arrived in Ecuador! In the afternoon, Charlotte, Lily and Kate went to help with the kids club in Gran Colombia and enjoyed playing games and singing ‘Our God is so Big’. Please pray for these children, that they’d keep attending the group, that they’d remember the words of the songs and the verses they learn and grow to share our love of Jesus.

In the evening we used mattresses and pillows to set up a movie night – it was so nice to be able to relax and spend time together!

On Sunday, we went to different groups before the service. Lily and Jessie spent time with the 16-18 years group and heard about the blessing and peace of prayer and worship, while Charlotte and Kate were with the university group discussing the challenges that come with being a Christian at university.

After church, we all had a delicious lunch with Katy’s neighbour, who is an English teacher in the local high school. She was very eager for us to sing some British songs with her which was very fun!

In the afternoon we played sports again with some people from church, and after a tiring game of football, we took them for frozen yoghurt. It was lovely to cool off while continuing to get to know them all and practising our Spanish!

This weekend we were meant to be heading to Shell for the Latin Link Ecuador team meeting and then going on to have a few days holiday in Baños. Sadly, there are currently strikes going on so we had to cancel our time away. The strikes haven’t yet reached Santo Domingo, but please pray for our protection and safety during this time and for us to stay in good spirits despite the disappointment about the weekend. Also, pray for everyone in Ecuador affected by the strikes and the members of the Latin Link team that we aren’t able to meet up with.

We would also appreciate prayer for Abi and Jessie who have not been feeling very well this week and have had to sit out of a few things. Please pray for peace and rest as they recover.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

¡Gracias!

Jessie, Abi, Charlotte, Kate and Lily