A DAY

Yesterday I woke up at about 4:30 am. My alarm was set for 5, but I guess I was excited to start the day.  I had been invited by the Guyton family (the friends that live downstairs that have helped me so much to get settled into my new home) to go with them to the country (el campo) to help a small congregation in their seldom worked territory.  This congregation has about 20 publishers, one elder, but their meeting attendance is always around 70-80, which shows the interest.
We left about 6:30. Four Guyton's, Mark, Heather, Jonas (12) and Rylan (10), Karina, and myself.  It would be about an hour and a half drive through some beautiful country.  We made it to the Kingdom Hall just before the meeting for service. The Hall was built about 2 yrs ago. Modest and small with decorative, open pattern bricks between the roof and walls to let in the air that is then moved around by fans.  The seats were filled by the many from our Spanish congregation and the English group that had come to help. The greatest help comes from the brothers who have vehicles so that they can make it out to the territory which was about an hour from the Hall. One of our English brothers even rented an SUV in order to help. When we left the Hall our vehicle had 10.
The terrain was up and down steep hills and dirt roads.  We climbed higher and higher with cliffs that just seemed to drop off the edge of the road. Then we stopped at the side of the road which seemed to be no where.  Our Spanish brother took off up a side road where he had spotted a couple sitting on the side of the road.

This is where we stopped and this is what we were all looking at over the edge of the cliff. Not easy to see, but those are howler monkeys.  There were about a dozen in the trees. The sound they make is unbelievable. I googled them and found a great YouTube, but the sound echoing in the valley is even more awesome. 

After waiting about 30 minutes for the brother to talk with these people (they were very interested and took a lot of literature) we drove up that steep road to find the one house that was up there. There were several open windows so while Alfredo and Heather were talking with this young woman there were other family members listening.  She had never heard God's name before and was amazed when they showed it to her in the bible at Palms 83:18. 

When we turned around in the driveway to go back down the hill these people were coming out of a path with large bags full of cacao. Our brothers jumped out of the car to talk with them.  Not included in the picture are another couple of the friends talking with some more who came out of the trees. Again, they talked for a very long time and placed much literature as these people have probably never heard anything about the bible, but they love God. Hard for us to believe in this day and age that there are still those who have not been contacted, but down the road a little bit we stopped and two of our brothers left us for a twenty minute hike back to a house where they found an older man who had never talked to witnesses before. He was very happy to have company, but very surprised that someone would make that trek through vegetation that harbored snakes.  Thankfully Brother Guyton isn't fearful, but the 40 minutes he spent in the bush not easy.  Slipped in the mud, climbed steep hills, etc. The other car group that was with us had stopped to visit 4 homes down one road. It took them over an hour as the homes were difficult to get to. Our sisters bravely climbed hills and encountered many critters.  I got to get out of the car one time.  The homeowner was not there which was very unusual but the dog was and it didn't like us being there. The Spanish sister I was with had suffered a bad dog bite so she was also very cautious.  The brother came out of the car and placed literature in the gate.  

By now it is after noon so we head back to the town where one of the sisters from the congregation has prepared lunch for us.  She made ceviche and a chicken with rice and spaghetti noodles.  Plantain chips and plenty of water or soda to drink.  We were tired and dirty, but were told that the congregation was planning a little get together for us, so we took a drive over to the brother's house.  We were so happy to be there. We danced and laughed and talked with our new friends, but the best part was eating fresh fruit off of the trees that were all around us.  We were dancing under a cacao tree. That is where chocolate comes from.  The brother opened one of the pods and I was so surprised to see the seeds were green with some fruit around them.  We put them in our mouth and the fruit is sweet and kind of tastes like mango.  When they are dried they turn the brown color we know as chocolate and that amazing flavor comes out.  We stopped at a little place where they sell the dried cacao. You grate it right off the bean.  I bought a piece that would probably cost about $30.00 at Whole Foods for just $2.50.

So, we danced and had a wonderful time and then the brothers started to talk to the crowd about their appreciation for the help.  There were experiences told and hugs and kisses all around.  They brought out a cake and I cried.  This was an experience that I had only read about or seen pictures in the magazines.  I was so blessed to be a part of it.  Two weeks in this country and I am able to see that Jehovah's promise that "this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth" (Matt 24:14) is being fulfilled.

Made the long trip back home.  Got detoured in town by a parade (any excuse here) for the Ecuadorian Soccer team. Stopped at a restaurant for dinner. Mark had the car washed by a guy on the street while we ate. So funny, these guys hang out at busy restaurants and they do a pretty good job.
Life here is great. I wish everyone I know and love could experience this.  I know that isn't possible, but I do believe it is a glimpse of the new world and we will all be living the "real" life soon.