We were welcomed into week two of Ecuador with a thunderstorm and a power cut at the campamento! This led to an impromptu worship session where we praised Jesus with both English and Spanish songs. By Wednesday morning the power was back on and we continued our work attempting to install a water system in the camp. Each day, a member of the team stayed behind with Hermana Nelly and helped cook lunch for everyone, and we have loved learning how to prepare Ecuadorian meals.
On Saturday we spent the afternoon celebrating Mother’s day in the local community’s kids club. It was a fun afternoon of music, games, drama and dance. We were invited up to the front to perform a song for everyone, so we sang Our God is a great big God – great teamwork despite very short notice! It was a lovely afternoon getting to know the kids and we praise God for the relationships that are being built in that community.
On Sunday morning we had the privilege of being invited for fish soup (a traditional Ecuadorian dish) with the university students. While eating fish soup at 10:30 am isn’t something we’ll be doing again, it was so nice to bond with the students and learn more about their culture. We then went to church and continued to celebrate Mother’s Day and worship the lord in Spanish.
We thank the Lord for keeping us safe on Monday amidst the unrest nearby*. We were reminded of Isaiah 41:10, “so do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We would appreciate continued prayers for peace in the prisons in Ecuador and for the situation in Santo Domingo to be resolved. We arrived back at the campamento on Monday evening and look forward to the rest of the week here.
We’d also appreciate prayer for good health and safety when travelling around Santo Domingo, and wisdom in deciding our plans for the weekend in regards to the situation in the prisons. Please pray that our Spanish speaking abilities will progress so we can continue to make meaningful connections, and for energy and encouragement as we adjust to the heat and our busy schedule.
We thank the Lord for his answers to prayer this week as we settle here in Ecuador.
¡Gracias!
Abi, Charlotte, Kate, Jessie and Lily
*There was an incident in Santo Domingo on Monday involving a breakout from a local prison. The Step team and our other members in Santo Domingo are safe and the situation is stabilising. We continue to closely monitor the incident and to pray for those involved.
