Ecuador

This last week we traveled to Guayaquil, Ecuador for the "Let God's Kingdom Come" District Convention in English (this is the closest English Convention to Chile)! Here are a few highlights from our trip:


1) We had the privilege to be hosted by a family with our friends Brad and Amanda Hammer who are serving in a Spanish Congregation in Tandapi, Ecuador (between Quito and Santo Domingo). We found out the day we left that the witness family owned a hostel  that they would be opening up to the brothers and sisters for the Convention and that's where we would stay. The hostel was down a long driveway lined with trees, as we approached the property we were welcomed with a lush beautiful yard arrayed with greenery and straw canopies dressed with flowers encasing the outdoor common areas. There were three white concrete bungalows with clay rooftops, that were housing approximately 12-14 brothers and sisters. We were pleased that we had a private bungalow with two rooms for the four of us. The last night of the Convention all the brothers and sisters got together and made dinner and enjoyed conversation. The whole experience way surpassed our expectations, only in Jehovah's Organization could we expect such generous hospitality.


2) The convention was indescribable! Being an English Convention in a Spanish speaking country many who attend are ones who have left their home countries, families, friends, native languages, and comfort levels to serve in a foreign field. Many have been serving in Ecuador from just a few years to many decades and you can feel that the English convention is definitely their highlight of the year. The enthusiasm, zeal, and joy of the brothers and sisters was so infectious. We were so encouraged to see even families with children at the convention, one family in particular is from Australia and they have a 12 & 14 year old boy and girl. They recently moved to southern Chile, are actively learning Spanish, and are serving in a Spanish Congregation. It is amazing to see everyone making the fullest use of their circumstances. The average attendance was 1,000 and there were two that were baptized Ernest from Nigeria and Steve from California; it was so heartwarming to hear the speaker repeatedly address them by their first names.


3) After our four days in Guayaquil for the convention we took a bus 6 hours southeast to a city called Cuenca. The City is encircled by the Andes highlands and is relatively a small city inhabiting around 260,000 within the city limits. Cuenca is full of character and charm, from the cobblestone streets and wrought-iron balconies gliding above, the city showcases quaint cafes, used-book stores, antique shops, a world-hertiage site, rivers, parks lined with trees and flowers, Gelateria shops, and more. To say the least we all loved Cuenca. One of our days we traveled to the Cajas National Park and did a day hike through this majestic masterpiece of Jehovah. At 13,000 foot elevation we felt the burn and the cold, but neither took away from the scenery and excitement the four of us had. From the lagoons, lakes, rivers, birds, swamps, trees, and llamas there was a lot to enjoy. 
Click this link for a full picture preview of our trip.... Ecuador Photos
Love to all our family and friends back home and abroad we miss you all very much... Love Ashley & Derek