Field Trip

Last Saturday we went with the children from the after-school program on their end-of-the-year trip. There was a total of 55 children on the bus and 9 adults. We sat three to a seat, which wasn't bad considering many of the children are tiny, but it still made for an eventful bus ride. The trip took about two hours to get to some natural hot springs up in the mountains. It was beautiful and I believe the children had a wonderful time. It took some heavy persuasion to get me in the pool. Something about swimming with 50 children in a pool without chlorine made me think twice. I think Kaidan was the only child who felt the need to get out and use the bathroom the whole three hours we swam. I guess it's best not to think about such things and just have fun, which is what we ended up doing. Overall, it was a wonderful day and the children did great.
This week we are preparing for the medical campaign and another group that will be here next week. Ulf is showing us the ropes on how to plan meals and shop. It has been fun so far. Justin is still pushing on with his Spanish classes, I think he is really enjoying it. Kaidan is doing great. She went to a Birthday party the other day and they were playing a game where two teams were racing to see who could fill up a small bucket at the other end of the room first. The catch was they had to use a big spoon to carry the water from one end of the room to the other. Well, when it was Kaidan's turn she ran over to the counter, grabbed a big glass, dunked it in the water and proceeded to the other end of the room to fill her teams bucket. I was so proud! :)
That's about all for now. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. God Bless.

Parent's Day

Last Saturday, we had a Parent's Day. All the parents of the children who attend the after-school program were invited to come. We played games, ate food, made crafts, had a time of Bible study, and received input from the parents on what they have enjoyed about the program and things they feel could change. It was wonderful getting to meet some of the parents. Many of them expressed their gratitude for the program and how it has helped them and their children. Several of the parents explained how their children's behaviors have changed at home since their participation in the program. God is working whether we realize it or not. I know this time was encouraging for Justin and I because we saw how much potential this outreach has and are excited to see what God will continue to do with it.
This coming Saturday, the 26th, is suppose to be our last day for the program until September, when school resumes. However, after speaking with Ulf and the teachers, we have decided to continue the program through June and part of July. Summer here in Ecuador is like anywhere else, children get out for the summer but the majority of the parents still have to work. Therefore, we would rather provide a safe place for the children to be rather than have them home alone or roaming the streets. Please pray for the planning of this time. Some of the teachers are a little nervous because we are throwing this in at the last minute. If any of you have any suggestions for additional activities for the summer program please contact us with your ideas. We want to make this time beneficial and fun for the children.
Our family is doing wonderful. Kaidan is learning how to greet people in Spanish and has begun to give a selected few a kiss on the cheek when she sees them. (Ecuadorians greet each other with a kiss on the cheek.) We are proud of her and feel she is beginning to enjoy her time here. Justin continues to press on with his Spanish classes. He is now having to walk 40 minutes each morning and each afternoon to catch a bus. We were borrowing a van that belongs to my parents. However, it is having trouble. We had to leave it in Quito with them and are without a car. It will be an interesting challenge. Besides that we are doing well. Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement. I am still trying to figure out this blog thing. I need to learn how to respond to the comments you send. Any help would be appreciated!:) Oh, we also have a US phone number that you can call and it will ring here on our computer. Therefore you will only have to pay whatever your phone rate is to call within the US. We thought this might be easier for those of you who want to contact us but can't afford to pay international rates. It was very cheap for us to set up and we only had to pay a small one time fee. So, please feel free to use it. I'm not sure how secure this blog thing is, so if you would like the number just let us know and we can get it to you. Thank you again for your love, thoughts, and prayers. God Bless.

Kaidan helps me make a snack for the children everyday. She gets excited when we go down to the kitchen and make something for "the kids." It has been fun spending so much time with her.
Justin began Spanish classes on Monday and has been catching a bus every morning to Otavalo, a town about 30 minutes away..depending on how fast the bus driver goes. :) Justin is picking the language up fast...it is exciting.
We are loving being here. Everyday has been an adventure. God Bless.

First Weeks in Ecuador

Well, we finally made it to Ecuador! We are in our new home and doing our best to get settled. God has blessed us with a beautiful home and incredible surroundings. It is hard to describe the amazing view we have out our windows every morning. God is an amazing Creator and artist!
Our first days here were busy in helping with the children's after-school program and a slumber party. Ulf, decided Justin and I needed to learn to chop chickens. It was quite the experience. I can definitely say I took frozen chicken breasts for granted in the US!:) We are doing our best to learn the ropes, there is no doubt it will take some time.
Kaidan is doing well! The children that come for the after-school program love her. They all want to touch her hair and carry her around. She likes the attention most days however there are those days when the celebrity life gets to her. :) Overall she seems to be adjusting well and the language barrier doesn't seem to exist between her and the other children. They speak to her in Spanish and she says something back in English, they both laugh, and then run off to play. It has been exciting to watch her.
Our days here are spent preparing for the after-school program and then running it. We are doing our best to get to know the kids. There are about 25-50 that come for three hours every afternoon. We are planning a little get together for all the parents and kids the 19th of May. We are excited to meet many of the parents then. Please pray for that time.
Justin and Ulf have been working on putting electricity in the new clinic/meeting hall. Justin is amazed at the little support Ulf uses as a scaffold to run electricity in the high ceiling. I believe he has elected to be Ulf's go-getter on the ground rather than test the narrow boards 20 ft up. He has enjoyed learning from Ulf.
Justin has decided he needs to take some Spanish classes so we plan on getting those set up as soon as possible. He is doing wonderful with the people and is understanding more than most would with only being here a few weeks. Overall, our family is doing wonderful. We are excited about the camps that will be coming this summer and are looking for ways for them to encourage our surrounding community and shine Christ.
Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. We will do our best to update this at least once a week. God Bless.
The Reegers