As I recount the many memories that my trip to Ecuador this summer encompasses, I figure I'll start right out with our time in Quito - I think I did an adequate job of recounting our time in Miami while we were still there (http://followinggodtoecuador.blogspot.com/2011/06/students-have-been-here-since-monday.html - if you want to read more about it)
Ministry Day 1:
We started our first ministry day without our entire team. Our team was split into 4 or 5 different flight groups and there were delays on almost all flights except the one I was on. While most groups made it to Quito for our first ministry day (one group arriving at 2 am, I think), one group dealt with more cancellations and travel changes than the rest. One student and one leader from my team were on the delayed flight. They didn't arrive in Quito until Friday evening. As frustrating as everything was for them, they made the most of it. I only heard a few of the stories, however.
We went out on our first ministry day lacking one of our mimes and had to make some adjustments so that the show could go on. It just wasn't the same without Cierra and we were quite relieved to have her back the next day!
We gathered in the hotel lobby after breakfast and team time (two separate times for everyone...except me - I grabbed breakfast on my way to team time) and headed out into the city with our 4 amazing translators. For our first day we went to a plaza at Santo Domingo, in Old Town Quito. It looked familiar to me, but I don't remember a specific time going there last summer.
We set up our sound equipment and tied all of our bags together. While everyone grouped up into "pods" and went out with the translators to invite people to the drama, I took charge of watching the bags. There were a few others who stayed close to our "base" against a gate and we talked with a few people who came to see what was going on (I'm sure we looked quite strange to them). Everyone jumped right into their part in the ministry - so much fun to watch!
After a while, we set up to perform the drama for the first time. I sat by the bags at the back of the "stage" and just loved watching the students perform the drama that they had worked so hard to learn! Here are a few of my favorite snapshots from our first drama performance:
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| Sin separating the Toymaker and his Son from the Toys |
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| The Toymaker sending his son into the world |
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| Crucifixion of the Toymaker's son |
After we finished the drama, someone from the team would get up and explain the connections between the drama we had just performed and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They would then share their testimony and invite people to pray to accept Jesus as their savior.
Once we were done with the presentation, we spread out with the translators to talk to people again. I just loved seeing how eager everyone was to share God's love with the people of Quito! One of the students, Sammy, came over to me so excited because two guys who had been whistling and cat-calling girls were now sitting on the steps reading Bibles that he had just given them! There were also many prayers for healing among the people - and many answers to those prayers! At one point, I was invited along with a group to act as their "translator" and they wanted to pray for healing for a man's leg and asked me to pray for him in Spanish - definitely not my best work yet, but God knew my intent.
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| Praying with the Ecuadorians |
That's all I have for now regarding our first ministry day. I'll continue to share more over the next few weeks - there's so much to share and I hope you enjoy hearing it all!!
Amy Lynn
Amy! :) Can't wait to hear the rest of your stories. <3
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