Day 16-”Mining for souls”

We went to preach in San Carlos, a mining town @ 30 minutes from the house on a pretty rough road. There were 17 of us, 8 hermanos y 9 hermanas (should've taken a pic-sorry). So we covered the whole town pretty much in 3 hours.  It's one of the farther territories & they only get here once every several months. It hasn't been preached nearly as much as Cumbaratza & the church seems to have a stronger influence on the people. So it was a little tougher, but we still had listening ears. Mining for gold is hard work, but even a little nugget produces satisfaction. “Mining for souls” is also hard work but even when just 1 person responds it brings joy.  Leah worked with an unbaptized publisher, Rosa, and her little son Pepito and granddaughter, Alondra. She took the bus there and got there around 7:30 am (for 8:30 service) so u can imagine what time she got up-what effort & appreciation! She's planning on getting baptized at the assembly in March – so we may get to see that.  I worked with Wilmer, a ministerial servant in the congregation.

Also there is a brother who lives there who has a lot of health problems and is in a wheelchair so we got to meet and visit with him too.  He lives up above town and has a beautiful view but I'm sure feels somewhat isolated, so hopefully the visits from the different friends was encouraging to him.  He was given an award for his artwork and was recognized by the city as an exemplary citizen who works despite being severely handicapped.

After service the Romero family (Raquel & Damaris) invited us for lunch at their house.  They live outside San Carlos but alongside the river and the dad does mining to support his family.  It's hard work and on average he earns $20 a day (which is higher now bc the price of gold is up).

Damaris (9), Samuel (13), Raquel (6)

Shawn, Veronica, Damaris, Carmen, Cesar, Raquel, Samuel

Carmen, his wife, made a delicious lunch. First, a soup w/pasta (dicen fideos), papas (potatoes) and mani (peanuts). We were content with that and then she plopped down a huge plate with ground plantains, rice w/peas, turkey (that they raise) and a salsa/salad of cucumbers, onion, cilantro, & lime. They gave us each a leg which was a show of great hospitality. Turkey is super expensive compared to chicken here so it was very generous of them. We were stuffed and practically falling asleep on the way home.

Cutting up sugarcane for us with the machete

Poor Shawn can't find anything his size in Ecuador

We had a few hours to spare before the meeting at 5:30, which was good for me bc I needed to finish my Atalaya and a NAP! - Yes, I've adapted to this land of siestas, not every day, but de vez en cuando.  Erik, not so much.

A brother from Loja Oriental (East) Congregation gave the talk.  He is originally from Italy and was VERY enthusiastic. There were 53 at the meeting including an older man named Segundo.  Erik & Shawn had talked to him in the calle (street) earlier in the week and invited him to the meeting. He showed up for his first mtg (bc he said he couldn't make it Thursday) and gave two comments during the WT study.  I think he enjoyed it bc he said he'd be back.

We came home from meeting with 7 still-flopping tilapia in a bag and Ryan had a cong matter so he couldn't help Veronica clean them - & the three of us gringos definitely don't know how to “raspar pescado”. The closest I come is buying fillets from Wegmans. But Veronica was kind enough to give us a “hands on” lesson-from quitando las escalas (removing the scales) to sacando las tripas (yeah it's just what is sounds like-well, maybe only Shawn did that part).  After an hour or so they were all clean and waiting for us in the fridge, staring at me every time I go to get a snack.