September 2025
Visitors
27/09/25 17:09
They gave me twenty minutes notice: "Can we stay overnight at your house? We have to be at the airport tomorrow morning at 7:30am." "Sure, but I only have three beds." "No problem. We'll make do." And so they did. The group is from the same community as Danilo, who just spent a month with us for his eye operation. Of the group, one lady is returning to Spain with her two children. She came to see her father just before he passed away. They called me at 6:10pm and arrived at 6:30pm. We hold our Bible study the same night at 7pm. All in a day's work. Good to see them, even briefly. Also turns out that Oswaldo is going to need the same eye operation as Danilo. So we may be seeing him again sometime.
Pedro came by asking for food as usual. I made him a proposal: "You make bracelets to sell, but twice your 'friends' have stolen your loom and beads. Why don't we make another loom here; I'll buy you material; you make the bracelets here at my house, and then hit the streets to sell them." He agreed. The next day we picked him up from the park and went to buy the material. The following day he came and we made the loom. That done, he sat done to weave a couple of bracelets. Then he left and hasn't showed up yet. I presumed he would diligently make bracelets to sell, but a couple of days I've seen him in the park, hanging out with his 'friends.' Hard to get him to change. I keep praying.
Helping? Pedro
20/09/25 16:42
My friend, Brayan, at the hardware store calls me, "Some folks from the Welfare Dept are looking for Pedro." (Pedro is my alcoholic friend in the park.) Brayan calls me because I try to help a few of the alcoholics in the park. I go out to the park, meet the two fellows, and ask those on the bench if they've seen Pedro. Negative. I go to Pedro's "house," (Not much of a house, but at least a roof.), and no one answers. Back at the bench Carlos says, "I'll go get him." He returns with Pedro, who was sleeping under his "roof." I was interested in what the two fellows from the Welfare Dept would offer to Pedro, but after a 40 question interview, all they did was to give him a yogurt with crackers, and say, "Now you're in our register." I was expecting more. I would take Pedro into our home, but with our health situation, I don't have the emotional resources. I continue to pray for Pedro that God would work a miracle in his life.
Still Going Strong
13/09/25 18:46
Still going strong. Thankfully! Our friends, Hernan and Naty, who come Tuesday nights to our place, sponsored a "Samaritan Purse" event for an elementary school on the West hill "above Quito." (We looked down on the city from 10400 ft.) All of our plans changed because it turned out the school had a new director, and this one had no idea what we had come for. But we still "pulled it off" with God's help. Every child received a gift box from the US. My original participation was canned, but the unicycle and the accordion were big hits. On the unicycle I threw lollipops to the kids, and with the accordion I accompanied some singing. Still going strong! PTL!
Community service
09/09/25 10:49
Sometimes community service is just hard work. I do enjoy working with my hands, and this time no one else was involved. In the park in front of our house the water lines sprang a leak. Since I've done some plumbing in the park before, and since I maintain the water fountain working, I took on the job of repairing the water line. Now with experience, it only took me an hour and a half. The benefit of working in the park is that I meet people. Some are neighbors, others are from elsewhere. Yesterday I was working in the park, when one of Faby's doctors walked by eating ice cream! I invited him to our house for a short visit. Also, the local alcoholics are always in the park. As usual, they came by to greet me. (They don't usually help, unless I pay them.) I persevere and God gives the fruit in His timing.
Fruit from our labor
06/09/25 10:21
Our Tuesday night Bible study attendance is becoming more regular. A new family has joined us; our Bible studies have continuity; and everyone's enjoying the Fellowship. God gives the growth. We just persevere. 1 Cor 3:7-8
Then, to our surprise, our friend Oscar invited us to his house for lunch. He also invited all the folks who attended his church years ago. This is the congregation we helped form the music program. I check the hymnal I made for them and the date is 2015. Oscar wanted us to lead a time of music of all the songs we used to sing together. We had a good time of singing, and remembering old times. Good to see everyone continuing in their faith.