February 2018

Learning their reality

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Saturday, Sablog community, FLET program: I asked this young boy if his father was coming to review with us lesson #5. His answer: "My father went to Quito to work." This is typical in many communities. They still live in their community homes, but migrate to the cities to look for temporary work, usually in construction.


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On Sunday, we visited a new community called "Pachancho." The pastor has invited me to help them with music. I enjoy music and want to see the communities revive their folklore style, but the electronic piano and amplification are dominating their singing. I also see this as an opportunity to better understand how they think and learn, and adjust my teaching accordingly. This session I didn't use anything written, nor did I use the proyector. We played and practiced together, as I tried different combinations of instruments (two pianos and a guitar), and techniques. I learned a lot, and I think we made pretty good progress as to what works best for them.


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The drive to Pachancho always offers beautiful views as we drive by Chimborazo.

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Two Beginnings

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The first beginning was our training session for the project "Nuchanchik" held in Capulispungo. Luis gave a great workshop to fourteen eager to learn Quichuas. He expounded on three aspects of a leader: priorities, sacrifice, and influence. They are eager to continue the next session in two weeks.

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The other beginning was the wedding of a young couple. I have only performed two wedding before in my life, but this couple had come to us for counseling and so we had the privilege of presiding the ceremony. We pray and plan to continue our relationship with them in a discipleship process.

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Teaching in Capulispungo


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The church at Capulispungo is pretty well organized with its new Board of Deacons. They invited us to participate in their workshops during Carnival. We taught morning and afternoon both Monday and Tuesday. In the Quichua communities, Carnival is when the migrants return to visit their communities. So the church organizes special conferences for them. The new Board of Deacons was elected at the beginning of the year, and they are eager to include us in their plans for the coming two years. May God continue to guide and direct His work!


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Patience in the process


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It all starts with a visit to the community where we sit down and talk. In this case in a small neighborhood called, "San José de Barba," about a two hour drive north of Riobamba. Our friend José lives there. Most are small farmers with the same problem as in other communities: they are subject to low prices when they take their products to market. The goal is to unite resources, form a legal entity, and work together. So our Foundation offers them training to help them form their organization, and design a project. This first stage is just conversations, but we wait on the Lord and on them to agree to start the formal training.


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