1998

Ron: It was late in the afternoon, and I was thirsty. I went to the kitchen for something to drink, and as I approached the counter a sharp pain, starting in the heel of my foot running up my leg, gripped me. This was a familiar sensation that I remembered from years gone by. I looked down to see the source of my anguish, and it was confirmed--there in the middle of the floor was the all too familiar duplo block (the large version of legos). Yes, we have a toddler in the house again. I'm sure the rest of the family will tell you a little about her, but let me say that God again has blessed us with the opportunity to serve Him as we attempt to make a difference in the life of this little one. At the present we are not sure how long we will have her. Her mother is not living, and her father, who is an alcoholic does not want to, or cannot, care for her. Yet we wait for the legal process to declare her abandoned. In the meantime we count every minute with her a blessing, as she will have as much impact on us as we will on her. The property purchase is advancing. We signed committment letters on Tuesday, and are waiting for all of the "escrow" type processes to be completed. We have a target date of January 21 for the final signing. Please continue to pray regarding this process--there are many stories we have heard about things not turning out as hoped when it comes to real estate deals here. We are, however, moving forward with as much counsel as we can find and of course surrendering the process (in particular the hidden things) to Him who sees and knows it all.

Sharon: Today I took down the Christmas tree, and packed away all the decorations. It's always a little bit of a relief, having the excess clutter cleared away, but also a little sad knowing that it is the end of a very special time of the year. Christmas this year for the Stiff family was one we'll never forget...our first in Latin America. Through God's gift to us of our new Ecuadorian friends we were able to participate in and enjoy some of the wealth of rich traditions of our new country. Though there were some moments of homesickness, certainly understandable on our first year away from family and friends, God graciously filled up the hours and days with fun, fellowship, and new memories to treasure. Christmas Eve was spent at the home of the Moncayo family, who we introduced to you in our last letter. Along with other family members, we shared in their celebration, which included a time of worship, focusing on the true meaning of the day. Nathan, Juan Fernando, and Pablo (J.F.'s cousin) put on a fireworks display that lit up the sky (and sometimes the ground!) which made Delila and I a little nervous, but was sure fun for them! We feasted on turkey Ecuadorian style after midnight, and finally came home at about 1:30 a.m.! It was a delightful evening! Christmas day was quiet, spent just relaxing and enjoying one another--and resting up from the night before! New Year's Eve was also spent with the Moncayo family, this time at the home of Fernando's brother in Cumbaya, about 25 minutes from where we live. The traditions surrounding the New Year in Ecuador are unique to this country, and were a lot of fun for us "gringos". The old year is symbolized by an old man, who is dying. The "old year", or ano viejo, is represented by a figure stuffed with woodshavings, dressed in old clothing, and wearing a mask (the favorites are faces of political figures--gives me some ideas for next year!). These figures are set up in booths all over the city, in front of homes and places of business. During the evening people gather near their booths, many with ropes which they stretch across the road to block cars from passing. People (men and women) dressed in costumes, most of old women (the widows of the old man)come to the car window begging for sucres (the Ecuadorian money) to help feed themselves and their families. You don't leave the house without being generously supplied with sueltos--coin! It made our trip to Cumbaya twice as long as it ordinarily would have been, but it was a lot of fun. At about 11:30, we watched another fireworks display, put on by the male cousins. Poor Nate wasn't able to participate in this, which was the one blight on the evening. Poor guy came down with a very bad virus a few days earlier, and was still feeling so puny he spent the evening sleeping in a room upstairs. Ron however was in his element! The hightlight of the evening came at midnight, when the "old man" was set on fire. Ron had purchased one on the street that morning, and had prepared him in his own fashion--loaded with fireworks! Almost immediately his head and hat disappeared--over a seven foot block wall! It was quite a show, and those of you who know how Ron likes that sort of thing can just imagine his face during it all--grinning from ear to ear! Scary guy! Again, dinner came after midnight, and we finally made it home--this time about 3:30 a.m.! I'm finally catching up on the sleep I lost during those two nights! All in all, it was a wonderful holiday season. In the middle of it, as Ron shared, God brought us a very special gift--little Blanca Romero. Babies and puppies will turn your life upside down, and now we have both! Of course Blanca is a little easier to carry, and certainly eats less than Rhino and Wrigley (our two 10 month old Golden Labradors). We are really enjoying our new little girl(very little--2 yrs. old and only 15 pounds!), being stretched of course, as any major life change will do, but confident that God has brought her to us, both for what we can do for her as well as what He will do in us through her. She has bonded with us very quickly, and seems to feel quite at home after just over a week. And quite a week it's been, with surgery on her foot and a case of bronchitis and an ear infection! Pray for her, that she'll get better quickly. And pray that God will continue to lead as He has, showing us "the next thing", and giving us the faith to step into it when it comes.

Nathan: Well, my first Christmas and New Year in South America have passed. They both were very fun and interesting. We did the Christmas program for the poor kids (which went very well), and had Christmas Eve dinner with the Moncayo's. Christmas morning was great. In between Christmas and New Years, I was very, very sick. I was not able to do much. Well, on our way to Cumbaya for New Years, many people stopped us and asked for money. They use ropes or bars or even tree branches to stop you. They have their little area where they put their old man, that symbolizes the old year. At midnight, we all eat and then set off fireworks and burn the old man. I was sick that night and missed it all. My dad stuffed our old man full of fireworks and set him on fire. His head and body exploded and there were a lot of wood chips all over the place. I'm better now and played basketball today. We have Blanca now. She is sick with Bronchitis, and has an ear ache. She is so sweet. Please pray that she will get better soon. The dogs are staying healthy and are keeping us company. Well, that's all folks. Love and miss you.

Emily: Hello! How are you all? Christmas was VERY fun! I got a bike and some plastic dishes and some china dishes from Nathan. They are very pretty. New Years was fun too. We went over to Cristina's cousins house, and we did fireworks. The tradition here is to dress up in costumes and ask for money. They have ropes and stop cars and ask for money. We got to do it once, but there weren't very many cars where we were. Tomorrow is the last day of vacation, and I'm kind of sad because it is. I've been playing with Cristina a lot and when vacation is over I won't be able to play with her till 5:00 because she has homework. We got Blanca last Friday, a little girl who is two years old. She is cute. I like playing with her, and I even help change her diapers sometime and dress her. I love you and miss you a lot! Ciao! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Friday, January 09, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Sharon: Greetings from a chilly evening in Ecuador! Ron is putting some hamburgers on the grill he's built outside in the driveway. It doubles as an outdoor firepit, and we've had some great times sitting around it at night, roasting marshmallows and just talking. Last night was such an evening. After I'd gotten the kids settled for the night (which with the addition of a third child is no small feat!), Ron and I spent some time beside the fire, talking about how we're all doing, now that we've been here for a couple of months. On the whole, I think we've made the adjustment fairly well. God has graciously smoothed the way in so many respects, that it hasn't been nearly as tramatic as I once feared, living in a foreign country. On the whole, I'd say we are quite happy with our home, our friends, our new addition. With all God has done for us, is there anymore that I could ask? I think so, but I also think that it is a desire that is in keeping with His will; that is to find a church body that we can become a part of. In this part of the world there are not the proliferation of evangelical churches that we are accustomed to in the States. Though there are a number of them in Quito, we would like to find one closer to home, where we could become involved on a deeper level than a 30-40 minute drive would permit. For us, church has always been much more than just a Sunday morning routine. It has been for us a source of nourishment which we are feeling the lack of now. Independant study of God's Word, and a personal devotional life are critical, but that study reveals much about the necessity of fellowship among God's people. I think I understand better now why the writer of Hebrews said in Chapter 10:24-25 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." There is something really special and powerful that takes place when believers meet together, forming relationships based on God's word--accountability, iron sharpening iron, encouraging mutual growth. I miss that, and ask you to pray with us that God will lead us to a body where we can both serve and be challenged in our walk with the Lord, through the teaching of the Word, and the fellowship of other believers. As you've heard, we are now a family of five. Right now little Blanca is waiting for Mommy to get her bathed and to bed...we have a big day planned tomorrow. By the way, I would love to hear from any of you other home school moms who have had to teach with a toddler in the house. As Emily says in her entry, "it's hard to do school with Blanca". Any suggestions would be most welcome!

Nathan: Salutations everyone! This week, I have to say, wasn't too exciting. We've been playing with Blanca a lot lately. She seems to be doing a lot better . I have gotten my new skateboard that I got for Christmas all put together, and have been using it quite a bit. I haven't been playing any basketball games for awhile. I still go out and shoot around a little by myself. My sister is real happy because she got this little hand held electronic puppy dog thing. My friends and I had a laser tag war at his house...it was fun, though a bigger area and more people would have made it even better. My mom and dad's anniversary went well. They went out all by themselves for a change! We barbecued last night, and we hope have another one tonight. Well, I have to go let our little(?) disasters out of the bodega (Rhino and Wrigley). So until next time...Ciao!

Emily: Hey! I am happy because the weekend is here, and because I got a dog that is electronic (it is a little computer toy that fits in my hand). Now that we have Blanca it's hard to do school. Last night we had a fire in the driveway. It was fun. Tomorrow night we are going to have a slumber party in the living room in front of the fireplace. Tomorrow we are going with los Moncayos to some places they want to show us. That's all. Love you and miss you a lot! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Saturday, January 17, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: I just finished some notes for a meeting Monday regarding the property purchase. You would think that the purchase price was $7,000,000 instead of the $70,000 that we agreed to! Our meeting Friday--one of many since the process started--had four attorneys in attendance. The problem is that they want us to commit the money after which there is a window of time when there would be the potential of a third party creditor leaning the property before we could take possession. It's not a long period of time, but the sellers have financial problems which are not only compelling them to sell the property but also make the property a likely target for creditors if it is found to be unincumbered and still within the rights of the creditor to attach leans. If we can't find a mechanism to protect against this risk, we will have to walk away from the deal. There are solutions to the problem, but we are working with the bank holding the mortgage and who's attorney would have to take responsibility for some steps beyond his current obliglation. The lawyer for the seller and the attorney helping us agree that the bank attorney is "old school", independent, and likes things his way. So, tomorrow we will not only find out if there is any flex in this guy, but we will also get an indication of whether this particular piece of property, at this time, is in keeping with the purposes that God has brought us here for. We do really think the property is ideal, according to our present view of purpose here. However as Elizabeth Elliot said, and I will paraphrase to fit this context, "in the end, you discover as you are following a leading of God, you could really only see as far as the next step, and often that step takes you in a direction that you are least likely to imagine". So we press forward, but are aware that "a man makes his plans, but God orders his steps". Please pray specifically regarding this business. We meet at noon on Monday and we are asking that God make "straight" the way, allowing us to take possession of this site that we might thereafter begin constructing the facility. For those of you who have internet capability, I have put a picture of Blanca in a place where it can be accessed by anyone who would like a peek at her. The address is: hotmail.com After you are in, type in the first box quitopictures and for the password, KIDS Look for the entry dated 1-17, and be patient as the graphic downloads. I may put a couple of pictures in, so after viewing one you'll have to open separately the second. As some of you know, mail delivery here in very unsure by conventional means. However we have a friend in a national bank here where mail is delivered with much greater certainty. The address is:

Nathan: Hello friends on the other side of the equator! On this side everything is going fine. It hasn't been raining much lately, with the exception of a little yesterday and the day before, and I've been able to do more outside. I've been skating muy mucho these past weeks, and playing basketall as well. School is going wonderfully, and I'm enjoying it so much (I'm being sarcastic as you all should know)! It is going better now that Blanca is not distracting us. My dad and sister went out on a little "date" Wednesday night. She got a little stuffed puppy dog. We are all going out this weekend to see the movie "Flubber". It just came out so we thought we might go and see it. We are going over to our friends house tonight. My mom and dad are taking our friends' parents out to dinner, so it'll be just kids. The Super Bowl and my 13th birthday are coming up, and I want to combine the two events into one. Like a Super Bowl/13th birthday, or something. My week does not have anything left to tell you about in it, so hasta-la-bye-bye!

Emily: Hello, this is Emily! I'm learning a lot of Spanish in school. We moved into the room that is going to be Nathan's bedroom to do school for me. We have a lady to take care of Blanca in the morning while we are doing school. Me and my dad went on a date. We went to the best hotel in Quito for dinner (they have a buffet). The dogs are doing good. Tomorrow we are going to a movie. It's the weekend now! I love you and miss you a lot! Bye!

Saturday, January 24, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: What a week! Part of what happened in it is sitting right in my lap. We have been writing about all the fun and exciting things that God has been allowing us to experience since we've been here, but we wouldn't want to leave the impression that we have found a level of existance under God's plan that is without trial. The Bible teaches that a constant companion of those who pursue God diligently is struggle. There are all kinds of reasons for why He would allow difficulty in meaningful endeavor. Some of those are revealed in the Bible, and as Job discovered, some are connected to the breadth and depth of God, and will not be comprehended fully until we see Him face to face. Job was made to see by God that all that was complex yet purposeful in God's universe was not necessarily comprehensible in order to be valuable. In spite of the blessings that you have read about, the simple fact is that ministry such as ours requires structure and structure is not easily accomodated in Latin America. Just about everything takes several times the effort that it does at home, and in the end you're still not sure what you've got. We're learning to adjust to this, but it IS an adjustment. We were hoping to have our property purchase completed early this week, but this is a project that requires six parties to complete with meetings where everyone is in attendance. Well, do I need say more? Blanca showed us a new angle this week. It seems that she at times adds the same intensity to a good cry as she does to everything else she puts her mind to. Sharon told me earlier in the day Thursday that Blanca had spit her milk out all over the place, and that when Sharon scolded her that she started a cry with one long exhale that in the end left her quite "blue in the face". Well I'd heard of kids doing that before, but I'd never seen it, nor heard of a case where they didn't eventually take another breath. That evening Blanca was out on the patio and as she was on her way in she tripped and fell on her bottom. She's usually pretty tough, but she did another one of these. Nathan picked her up but she just wouldn't take another breath. By the time I decided to step in her eyes were rolling back in her head, and she went limp. I took her over and laid her down on the rug to see if this was part of the process that I'd heard about in some cases where the child passes out and then relaxes and begins breathing again. Well, it didn't happen--she just laid there motionless. It was time to do something, and I am thankful for the training I had over the years, which began when I was in the Boy Scouts. One of the most prestigious merit badges, and the hardest to get, was first aide. We were fortunate enough to have Dr. Thompson provide the instruction over several weeks. We knew there would be a test at the end, and of course part of that was demonstrating C.P.R.. Usually this was done with "RESUSIANNIE", a maniquin divise made specifically for the purpose of practicing these techniques. Well, Dr. Thompson couldn't get "Annie", so we were told that we had to practice on our partner, the guy who we buddied up with in the beginning of the course. So here we were, a couple of 14 year old boys, who when they would go to the movies would always leave two seats between them, just so no one would get the wrong idea. What's more, my partner was Rick Boyd. Rick and I could tear a motorcycle apart and reconstruct it with the best of them. We did almost everything together, but this night we'd come to our limit. Rick had braces, and they were usually packed full of whatever he'd last had to eat. It was our turn, and I can remember it like it was yesterday; Rick laying down on the floor with a goofy grin, as Dr. Thompson instructed me to demonstrate the pulmonary technique. In the beginning we were told we had to succesfully demonstrate all the tecniques in order to pass, and did I ever want that merit badge. But the longer I stared at Rick's mouth the more I was sure that this wasn't going to happen. I don't know what he had eaten, and I was probably hallucinating from the tension of the moment, but when I thought I saw something wiggling in that mesh of metal, I sat back and declared that I was done. Well, I passed anyway, and before it was all over, over the years, I had taken lifesaving and Infant C.P.R.. I knew what to do for Blanca, and it is amazing how training can be valuable in a crisis. After I was convinced that she wasn't going to take another breath on her own, I pumped one into her, which was all it took to get her primed and on her way again. The next morning we all gathered for a lesson on this technique. As training for this situation with Blanca was useful in this time of trial, so too are the lessons taught in the Bible, and that God teaches us through experiences when we face difficulties and struggle from time to time.

Sharon: Yesterday morning during my quiet time I was thinking about the week, and about what I would say in this week's journal entry. I felt at a loss--couldn't think of anything my week had held that would interest anyone, or that I had any new spiritual insights to share. I know that anyone who has been a believer for any length of time has gone through seasons of spiritual dryness. Times when God's voice is, if not silent, at least not easy to hear. There can be different reasons for that. Sin can cut off our ability to hear from Him. Sometimes other things are crowding out His voice. And sometimes He is quiet for the purpose of teaching us something that we can only see or hear in the silence. I wish I knew the reason for this particular season, but I don't. There is, however, one thing I do know, and that is "that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him". Because of that, I will remain faithful to do that which I know to do--to spend time each day in His word, and in prayer. Even when I don't seem to be breaking through the confines of the ceiling, or when His words don't grip my heart as I know they can. I know that God in His faithfulness knows what I'm made of, and what is needed to make me grow to be more like His Son, even if that means spending some time alone in the "wilderness". I will continue to pray that He will place us within a church where we can find the encouragement and fellowship that I believe is necessary. And at the same time, I will continue to pray that He will take me beyond platitudes to the knowledge deep in my heart, that He is "all I need".

Nate: Hi all! My week has been fun and interesting. I'm one year older now. My birthday went really well. My dad took us to a hotel in Quito, where if it's your birthday all you can eat is free! We bought lots of toys for Blanca, so that she wouldn't continue to play with our watches. We've been trying to teach her the phrase "put your toys away", but she just takes them out again. Blanca cries like any other baby, but this week was different. She was playing on the front porch when boom--on her bottom she fell. She was cranky, and just went berzerk! She breathed all her breath out, and didn't breathe back in. She turned blue, and then passed out. My dad came to the rescue, and did mouth to mouth resusitation with her. She came back very quickly, and she hasn't done it since. Please pray that this will not happen again! I can't remember if I told you this, but if so, listen again! We've been to a place called Papallacta. It is a natural hot springs, heated by a nearby volcano. The water was perfect, and the day was very nice. The drive up and back was very beautiful; the clouds settling over the tree speckled mountains was very pleasant to look at. We've also been to a town called Banos. It's a resort town that is famous for it's waterfalls, which is what we went there for. We hiked down to the base of the largest one. The mud was very deep, but it was fun walking through it. The base of the waterfall was very cool, and I couldn't have been more than ten feet away. The Super Bowl is tomorrow. We are lucky to have friends that would invite us over for the game. We are going to have B-B-Q ribs and homemade ice cream. That is a wonderful blessing from God. I thank him that we have friends like that here. Well, that's pretty much it for this week. Love you all, and miss you mucho.

Emily: Hey! Estoy aprendiendo a hablar espanol. That means "I'm learning to speak Spanish."! Thursday we didn't have school, because it was Nathan's birthday. We went to the same hotel that me and my dad did for dinner. I fell off my bike this week, but Mr. Moncayo found me and took me to my house in his car. Please pray that me and my new sister will be good friends. I love you and miss you a lot!

Saturday, January 31, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
We are going to switch the order a little bit this week, and let the kids share their news first!

Nathan: Hi everyone! I can assure you that this will not be boring. It was probably the most exciting and painful weeek I have experienced here. The first exciting thing was the Christmas tree deal. My dad loaded up our dry Christmas tree with 36 firework rockets and set it on fire. The tongues of fire licked all around the tree, occasionally sending off a shower of sparks. Then the fire reached the rockets. It was BEAUTIFUL! The different colors of explosions were pretty neat. They continued going off for about a minute. It was lucky that the police didn't come and ask what was going on! The second thing was the Super Bowl. We had a rib barbeque and had tacos as well. I was expecting little prok ribs, but noooooo--instead of the little wimpy ribs, there was half a cow lying on the grill. You should have seen the size of the ribs! Unfortunately the meat was really tough, but the flavor was very good. The third and painful thing was a giant biff off of my skateboard. It started out when me and my friend Diego, who is 11, wanted to bo up and rump race on our skateboards. I said "sure", and we went up and raced down and down again. We both kind of got bored so we decided to find another hill. Sure enough we did. The street was really smooth, and I was about to try it when my friend saw an even better hill. It was longer, and I wanted to try it standing up. Bad idea. I climbed to the top and got ready to go down. My skateboard is really stable, but when I went down that changed. I started out slowly, but then whoosh--I picked up a lot of speed. My wheel axles started to turn to rubber, and my board was rocking back and forth. I had to be going at least 25 mph before I jumped off--another bad idea. Of course 25mph is a little faster than I can run, so I flipped after about three steps. I now am typing this letter with eight stitches in my right elbow. Please pray that it will heal up soon. Love you and miss you all.

Emily: Hola! Soy Emilia. Last Sunday we had a Super Bowl Party. It was very fun. Some people who came over to watch futbol (which is soccor--there was a game on before football) had a very cute dog. Her name was Hilary. She is small--a Shitzu. A couple of days ago Nathan lost a part of his elbow and had to have a plastic surgeon clean it up. He had to have eight stitches. We have a club here with Cristina, her cousin Stefani (who is in the States right now to have an operation), Catalina, who I don't know very well, but this way I'll probably get to know her better, and Lorena. She is one of my good friends, and she is seven years old like me. Today we have to do a dance as a present to the older group (Cristi and Catalina), and they are doing one for us. Then we're going to have a kind of lunch/dinner for just us girls. Please pray that I'll get to know Catalina better.

Sharon: Another beautiful week in paradise. Seriously, the weather here has been incredible...not typical for Ecuador's rainy season, but we sure are enjoying it. It's been a good week--with some "exciting" momemts, that though I would not want to see them repeated do make for "memories". Nathan's "adventure" is one we'll long remember. Ron and I were sitting at the computer typing some letters when I heard Nathan's voice from outside, calling "Mom!". He came in, his arm thrust out in front of him, looking a little pale. It wasn't a pretty sight. I am convinced that I would never have made it as a nurse! After a close look at his elbow, I had to sit down with my head between my knees to keep from passing out! Thank the Lord there is a very good hospital in Quito, with a plastic surgeon on duty as some major repair work had to be done. As he told me the story I couldn't help but remember what a good friend Barb Garza said once "One boy, one brain...two boys, half a brain...three boys, no brain."! (There was a third boy with them...little Miguel Moncayo who we've told you about, but to his credit I think maybe his brain was still functioning, as he decided his older companions idea was a little too crazy for him!) Anyway, I think the lesson is learned, and I don't expect this particular stunt will be repeated! Do pray for Nate though--he has to keep his arm straight for almost 3 weeks to keep the stitches from popping, and it is his right arm! I am thankful that the kids have so many new friends to play with though. I have really enjoyed watching them both improving in their use of Spanish, as a number of their friends speak no English at all. Nathan is beginning to correct Ron and I, and Emily is doing better every day. After our scare with Blanca last week, we had no more such episodes...until this morning. I was in the kitchen cooking breakfast and she was playing nearby when she hurt her foot climbing a step. I went to her as soon as she began to cry, but it was quickly evident that this was going to be another bad one. Within less than a minute she was lying limp in my arms, blue and not breathing. I was ready to take her to the sink and splash water in her face (which was recommended by some people) when Ron came in, took her and did artificial respiration again. She began to cry--and then did it again! He had to give her two breaths this time! Scary stuff! PLEASE PRAY!!! She's a very special little girl, and we want to be able to give her all she needs--even if it is beyond our range of experience. Even our dogs have given us some "excitement" this week! On the night of the burning Christmas tree, Ron planted one particularly large, loud explosive in the tree. Rhino and Wrigley have never before reacted to fireworks, and believe me there have been plenty around the neighborhood in the past few months. But the street in front of our house was a little to close, and when this particular "boom" sounded, they were over the fence using the chain we had to keep skinny Wrigley from getting through as a ladder! We no sooner got them back in the yard and they were over again! Well, we cured them, we hope. Off came the chain link, and on went more iron bars to keep Wrigley in. Then, they both had a visit to the vet (now they're both "it's") and they haven't had the urge to do any fence climbing since--until five minutes ago when someone right behind our house set off a firecracker! Hey, with kids and dogs in a missionary's life, who needs cannibals? We did visit the church we told you about last Sunday, and enjoyed it. We plan to visit it again tomorrow morning. Continue to pray that God will show us if this is to be "home" for us.

Ron: Well, we reversed the order of writers this week, because the more exciting stuff in an otherwise not very exciting week had to do with the kids, so we let them have their say first. The property deal gets more interesting with time, and I think by the end of this coming week we will know whether it's a "go" or time to pause and wait for guidance in how to proceed from here. If you remember our prior letters, our prayer has been that if there is anything "hidden" that needed exposing that God would provide in that way. I am convinced that Christian service is nothing more than a byproduct of the kind of relationship that God desires of us. For this reason, you can see providence as you travel a path that you believe He leads you in, and still in the end find yourself somewhere different than where you thought you were going. This is so, and agreeable with God (and should be agreeable to us) because it's the walk along the way with Him that He's after more than the destination. I got a call fromt he attorney who is helping us with the purchase, and he said that he had an urge to see who the prior owners were (before those who are wanting to sell us the property). He investigated, and to his surprise found that he knew the family. He said when he called "I have stumbled onto an incredible conicidence", and then he told me the story. I told Sharon "this is not a conicidence--there are two and a half million people living in Quito. This is God's answer to our prayer to expose what is hidden." He told me that he called his friend (the prior owner) and asked him what he could tell him about the property. The man told Mario (the attorney) that there is a lawsuit in the courts regarding the property, and that basically they were never paid by the current title holders. There is a claim that dates were changed on documents and that the title was taken in an illegal fashion. This property has been in possession of the current title holder since 1985, so there's lots of opportunity to watch something interesting unfold. Because we are offering cash we believe that we have the solution to the problems of three parties--the bank, the current titleholder, and the former owner. Each claims a substantial interest and each risks with high probability losing their entire position. We are suggesting a settlement between them due to the fact that this kind of solution will probably not soon again surface before a less agreeable one is forced on them. I can truthfully say there is no anxiety on our part as we consider the possibilities. Whether we come away with something regarding this piece of property or it is only a "walk in the way" with Him, we are enjoying His presence and His peace. If He allows us the land we will expect great things to be accomplished on it. If not, we will expect to see something else come along in a way that could only be from Him.

Saturday, February 07, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Back home I would often see a poem presented in a lot of mediums (plaques, greeting cards, etc.). It goes something like this "God, grant me the strength to change the things I can, the courage to accept the things I cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference." Now you don't see this poem here, and for good reason; it doesn't work (here). Here, the poem that would gain popularity would say "God, grant me the strength to change the things I can, the ability to pay someone to change the things I can't and the wisdom to know who to pay and how much". Monday we had the "big meeting" regarding the property purchase. At this meeting we were to review all of the documents and if all were in order to sign title change papers and pay the money. A very important document in this process is one that describes any and all ownership interests, leans, mortgages, and lawsuits. They don't have an escrow process here as we do in the States. You basically have to do the escrow elements yourself, trying as you can to create the most protection possible. The meeting started with our attorney reading all the documents, the last of which was the certificate from the property registry describing the things I indicated above. This is a stamped and certified document, but not forgetting the above poem we decided to do as much due dilegence as possible to safeguard our interests. Of course you can only do so much, because you can only ask the questions if you are aware of the premise for asking them. It is what is hidden that can kill you. It is for this reason that we rely on a counselor of a higher kind, and I shared with you last week the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a lawsuit involving this property. Our copy of the lawsuit, which the seller and the bank didn't know we had, showed the certification that the suit was filed with the property registry and that the seller and the bank had been informed of the suit. Still we thought it would be interesting, since it was the responsibility of the seller to present the certificate from the property registry, to see how the seller would approach solving the problem or would they attempt something so barbarous as to attempt paying someone off in an effort to have the information kept out of the certificate. They wouldn't do that to someone that was here to help their orphaned or abandoned children, would they? Well, Mario (our attorney) was finishing the last document, the property registy certificate supplied by the seller's attorney, when he got a phone call on his cellular phone. It was his office. I didn't know what was going on right at this point, but it seemed as though someone was going to send him a fax to be received in the office where this meeting was taking place. Mario continued to do his review, and the fax came. I knew that we would be looking at the certificte supplied by the seller, but I didn't yet know whether the language contained any reference to the suit. Mario read the fax, which I could see was identical to the certificate that the seller supplied (style of type, certification stamps, etc.). After reading the document carefully, Mario handed the faxed copy to the seller's attorney. Sure enough, Mario had requested his own certified copy which had not been ready until the moment it was faxed during this meeting. Without knowing the details, I knew something real interesting was coming down, and I'll have to say I've never had so much fun watching something that I really wanted potentially disintegrate. We knew what had happened, and they knew we knew, and this wasn't just a little white lie kind of deal, but the kind that when one is caught throws them into all kinds of interesting gyrations. For the next five minutes, we got to witness something that I hope I never see again. The date of the seller's copy of the certificate was January 29th. The one Mario got was dated January 26th. There was no room to wiggle out of this, and what people will say when backed into a corner like the one these guys were in is extraordinary. The timing of all of this was again God's own. Anyone following our journals, if they were skeptical about a God who involved Himself in the individual affairs of men, would have to be challenged in that skepticism. We have specifically asked God to expose the hidden things, and to take care of us in this wild place. I got a call the other night. It seems that the suit has good grounds, and that leaves the seller and the bank with the potential of gaining nothing (or to be more accurate, losing everything). The former owner, it seems, while having a strong position in his claim but not wanting to wait ten years or more to go to court, is willing to consider a settlement. So, we continue to prayerfully pursue this property, but we are also now investigating alternatives. Continue to pray with us, that God will have His way and that we will be content in however he leads.

Sat, Feb 14, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Happy Valentines Day!

Ron: Even though I'm at the top of the journal this week, really everyone else wrote before I did and I read their entries hoping for inspiration. Us guys have a tough time sharing more than mechanical things and with the property prospects in neutral I'm on the spot for something more subjective. The property deal we were pursuing still has possiblilites, as we are considering how to work out a settlement between the former property owner (who is suing the current title holder) and the current title holder. However a new possibility surfaced this week. It has many of the characteristics we felt were consistant with our vision for ministry here, with one exception and that is size. This piece is not as big, but has possibilites for expansion. What it does have that the other does not is a house partially completed. The owner wanted the house he is living in which is on a separate piece of property, connected to and below the piece we are considering to be a hosteria (something like a retreat or bed and breakfast inn). The house that is partially completed was to be his new home. Before he could finish he was divorced, and the house has been idle for a couple of years, maybe half finished. This provides us with some interesting prospects, because the house has most of the characteristics we were wanting for our guest house. The purpose of the guest house is to facilitate the crucial connection between the work here and those back home who want to come from time to time to participate in the ministry. Also, for some reason, the Ecuadorians are not keen on buying homes that are not finished, so while a lot of expense has gone into this property, there are the prospects of getting quite a lot of what is needed without extra expense. Well, above I said that it's tough for us guys to engage in the non mechanical, and this last couple of weeks have reminded me just how true that is. The question has come to me again and again--if I didn't have something to build or conquer, could I be content? As I study the Bible I see that the focus is on the personal and intimate relationship with God. The question stated another way is "can I sense that I am pursuing this relationship by other means than when I am creating something?" This question's volume gets turned up when I observe some who are in Christian service, sensing that they are doing something for God because they are so busy, but in reality the qualities of relationship are hard to detect. I'm content when I am in the middle of putting something together, and struggle when I'm made to be still and just be satisfied with the relationship. This last couple of weeks have squeezed me a little into evaluating priorities. Like I said in a past journal entry, if these things aren't worked out in advance, one should not think that indulging in some sort of service will force them to the surface. The reality is quite the contrary. It is often true that service will only fuel whatever was the state of things relationshipwise with God (on course or off) before the effort was begun. Please pray that we will be successful in finding property, but even more that we will be successful in accomplishing God's higher plan for us, and that is that we have the intimacy of relationship that He seeks.

Sharon: Greetings from WET San Rafael. The rain returned this week, along with cooler temperatures. As much as I was enjoying all the sunshine, it was drying things up a little too soon so I can't complain. It's been a good week--God has answered some of my personal prayers, and I am very encouraged in that respect. To begin with, we visited another church this past Sunday. It was recommended by some friends we spent the day with last Saturday (who are not even believers, but had heard a lot of good things about it). We went by to see it, and spoke with the youth pastor. It appeared very interesting, so we decided to check it out. It was just wonderful. It is a Spanish speaking church, and quite large--over 1,000 people, with two services on Sunday morning. Though the idea of a large church would not necessarily appeal to us ordinarily, here it has advantages. It has a lot to offer--an active youth ministry, home studies, and a range of other ministries as well. The worship was great--though in Spanish, it was in spirit very much like that at our church at home. The teaching was very good as well. We're really excited about it. But the icing on the cake for me was something I saw in the bulletin--an announcement regarding a ladies study that was just beginning, for women who were interested in studying the Bible in English. WAS I EVER INTERESTED!!! It is "Bible Study Fellowship", a well known organization with groups that are now meeting aroung the world. The woman who is leading the study is the wife of an American diplomat--a very sweet lady, that I am anxious to get to know better. I went this past Thursday, and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are about 40 women currently attending, the majority of which are English speaking (about 1/4 are Ecuadorian women who speak a little English). I am so thankful to the Lord for His provision, and timing in this. I have been struggling lately with a hunger for the fellowship of other Christian women, as well as for some spiritual nourishment in the form of good Bible teaching. At home there was so much opportunity for that, that I believe I often took it for granted. I don't think I ever will again! Though God has given us a gift in the friendship of the family we often write about, there is missing in that a spiritual connection, for though interested in the things of God, they do not yet share the depth of relationship with the Lord that provides for that connection. Besides that, the language though becoming easier, is still a great deal of work, and it is still difficult to get too far beyond the surface in sharing because of the lack of ability to put feelings into Spanish. Anyway, for those of you who were aware of my desires, and were praying for me in this regard, THANK YOU!!! We are studying the book of Ephesians, and already the time I have spent looking into this wonderful epistle has been a challenge and a blessing.

Nathan: Hi everyone! My week has gone better now that I can bend my arm. I'm going to get my stitches out on Tuesday, but still won't be doing much for another few weeks. I can play basketball though. Thursday my mom went to a women's Bible study. It's in English, so it's good for her. It is at a church that we like the best so far, and it looks like this may be the one we will continue to go to. We also went to the library that day at Alliance to return and get some new books, then to a movie and lunch. Our friend Fernando Moncayo graduated from the university here this past week, and we went over to his house to celebrate. He's hoping to go to George Washington University in the States this fall. Ater the party at their house we went to see a basketball game with Alliance vs. Marista, which is my friend J.F.'s school. My Spanish is coming along really well. It's hard sometimes to make what I'm saying sound right, but eventually everything comes out fine. My parents looked at another piece of property. If the first one isn't in God's will for us I know He will show us another one and continue to make our paths clear. We are also going to move all the bedrooms around. I am going to sleep in a room outside, my sister is going into my old room, and the guest room will be in my sister's old room (Blanca will sleep in there when we don't have company, and share with Emily when we do). I am really happy that we are finally getting this done--we've waited and waited to do it, and the time has finally arrived! I'm really looking forward to the visits from Ralph and my Grandma this spring. Love to everyone.

Emily: Hi! How are all of you? Today we put my new bed in my new room which WAS Nathan's room. Blanca got my old room, and my brother got one that is outside. It is bigger, but he has a smaller bed. We still have to get a bedspread for my bed and some new curtains. My dad looked at another piece of property, and liked it. He took my mom to see it, and she liked it a lot. Pray that the Lord will guide us in finding the right property. We visited one other church that we like a lot. Me and Blanca are becoming better friends. Rhino and Wriggley are doing good too. I need to play with them more. Wrigley jumped over the fence today. Our neighbors were having a party and were shooting off fireworks and it scared him. Wrigley was limping a little bit afterwards, but he's okay now. Today I was playing with Christy and her little cousin Ricardito and he wanted to go on to their grandmother's property (they live right next door to them). We went over on our bikes. I needed to go to the bathroom and told Christy to stay with my bike. When I came out I could hear something outside, like a hose running, but when I opened the door IT WAS POURING RAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!and my bike was still there. Sra. Moncayo gave me an umbrella and I went to rescue my bike in the rain. When I got there it was soaking wet. I got it, and started moving. When I got to the opening in the bushes between their houses I found Christy and before she could say anything I threw the umbrella on the ground and said "here, help me", and went to her porch where Sra. Moncayo was standing. Poor Christy--she went to our house and back, looking for Ricardito, who was with the older boys...and she didn't have an umbrella! Love, and Happy Valentines Day!

Sat, Feb 21, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: It's 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. It's getting harder to find a time when we can all get together on putting the weeks events into the journal summary. We think it's vital to stay in touch, so we'll be sure they go out, even if from time to time you get them a little late. We just got back from a full day with the Moncayo family. First to Papallacta, the thermal springs high in the Andes mountains, then back to the home of Fernando's sister. These are family people, and you know just how family they are when you have a dining room table that seats 18, and you still have to bring more chairs. This kind of relationship for us has deeper meaning than just the adventures that we have been enjoying with them. Fernando and Delila are well connected people, and able to move through a system of things here that is very cumbersome and that has meant that we have been well served in terms of getting settled here. Besides that, because of the type of people that they are, and their interests, we have been able to have positive influence on them as our relationship has developed. We know that God has definitely orchestrated this encounter, and it will be interesting to see where we end up. Well, we are on to another property deal. We will be meeting next week to iron out the mechanics of the purchase, but I have met with the owner and we have come to an agreement on the overall price. Also we encountered another piece of property next door to the one that we are now pursuing that is for sale at a very excellent price. The situation is that the property is right in front (that is on the other side of the street) from the community cemetary. Unless you went inside you probably wouldn't know what it was a because of the high wall surrounding it. But the Ecuadorians know that it's a cemetary, and while it appears that they're open to being planted there under certain specific circumstances, they don't want to have anything to do with being near it while they are living. So nobody wants to buy it, it appears, but me. Much of the character that we were influenced by in the piece that we are negotiating on is in this property as well. It's about half the size of the piece we're now trying to buy, but it is together that these two pieces provide us with the space to do what we have invisioned that we are here for. The owner of the first piece I spoke of is German, and I've been dealing with him directly. While the papers are in order, and the process looks to be a clean one, we are in Ecuador and after the last experience I plan to be even more careful about how we proceed. Please pray with us that God will have his way. I don't at all see the failure to put together the last deal as a breakdown somewhere between us and God. He molds us and shapes us according to the image of His Son, usually be means of circumstances connected with things that are very important to us. Also pray for Ralph Sargent, who is the president of our ministry corporation in the States. Ralph is coming here on March 8th and we will be looking at ministry here, planning, and hopefully preparing for some good exposure for you to see more clearly what we are doing, what we are planning to do, and what opportunities there will be for the people at home to come and share in this wonderful work with us. Also please pray for me. I may be traveling back home with Ralph to handle some business related issues and possibly arrange to, for the lack of a better discription, sell my business to someone who is very knowledgeable in the type of work that I did. Taking care of my clients has been an important consideration and while modern technology has made it very possible for us to handle things at this distance, we would very much like to increase our focus for which we came here, and if I can do that and take care of the people I've been serving for a great number of years that would be a wonderful result. So pray all will go well regarding this, and that God will direct regarding those things that require His wisdom.

Sharon: As Ron said, we just returned from a long day out. My eyes are a little blurry--5:00 came awfully early this morning! But it was a wonderful day...I hope we'll be able to share Papallacta with some of you some day when you come and visit. It's incredibly beautiful, and quite an experience to be sitting in a jaccuzi (without the bubbles) in the midst of some of God's most beautiful creation. It's been a pretty good week. We're all very excited about the possiblities with the property we're looking at. Personally I like it much better than the other, perhaps because I'm not as much of a visionary as Ron is. Here I can see something that has already been started, and from there I can more or less complete the picture. The other, though beautiful, required more imagination than I have. In any case whatever God has for us is, I'm sure, far beyond what either of us could either ask or imagine. (Eph. 3:20) In my study of the book of Ephesians, which I'm doing for the Bible study I've begun to attend on Thursday mornings, I've been struck by the fact that God's love for us, and His plans for our lives both here and in eternity, far exceed anything we can grasp with our minds, apart from the Holy Spirit. It helps me, when I can't see what is ahead, or why certain things happen, to know that there is an all powerful, all wise, and all loving God at work on my behalf. Blanca is doing very well. She's put on some weight, and is beginning to say more words--a mixture of Spanish and English--as well as to communicate in a language which none of us understand, but which I am sure to her has meaning. I say this because when she goes into one of her rather lengthy discourses in what to us sounds like gibberish, she does so with facial expressions, and gestures that carry a very definite message. We just have to figure out what that is! This weekend in Ecuador they are celebrating a "holiday" that I have yet to hear a good explanation for. It's known as "Carnival", and it seems that the only purpose is to get other people wet! They take this very seriously--the President declared it a national holiday, and so the schools, banks, etc. are closed through Tuesday. I've asked many Ecuadorians the significance of this rather strange, but widely celebrated occasion, but only one was able to tell me anything. Fernando says that it began many years ago as a sort of "flirtation" between young men and women. I fail to see anything even mildly romantic about having a bucket of water poured over your head, but then I'm not Ecuadorian! But my kids are loving it, and look forward to many water balloon wars over the next few days. We just have to make sure we drive with the car windows up--there are a lot of people out there waiting to "play carnival" with an unsuspecting victim! Please continue to pray for us as we pursue the property. Pray too, for me, as I am going to begin teaching Delila some English. Fernando is hoping to be accepted into George Washington University in the fall, and if so they will be moving there for two years. Though Fernando speaks English fairly well, Delila knows very little, and is quite nervous about moving to the States because of that. I can certainly relate--it's very scary, moving to a place that is so different, and where everyone is speaking a language that is foreign to you. To me, it is another evidence of God at work in our lives, putting me together with someone who is facing a very similar struggle to that which I had to face--only without the certainty that God is behind it and therefore will take care of her. Pray that this will be more than just an opportunity for "English lessons".

Nathan: (written Friday morning) Buenos dias, tardes, or noches, depending on when you get this. It's the weekend of Carnival here in Ecuador. It's four days of "try to soak everyone you can with water balloons and squirtguns until you drop". My dad got me and my sister the balloons, and now all we have to do is wait till Saturday. My dad took my stitches out on Wednesday, and now I can bend my arm without it hurting. Pray that the tissue will heal quickly. We invited the Moncayos to an Alliance basketball game Thursday night. All ten of us piled into the Land Cruiser (which wasn't very comfortable) and went to see the game. My mom is going over to the Moncayo's today to learn how to cook an Ecuadorian dinner. We will all go over to eat at their house tonight. Tomorrow morning we may to to Papallacta again. (Papallacta is the place where the volcanically heated pools are.) We have found another property. My dad made an offer and the man accepted. I like it alot; moreso than the first one. It already has a big house on it that is in the middle of being finsihed. Pray that God will show us His will concerning this. That is all that happened this week. Miss and love you all.

Emily: (also written Friday a.m.) Hola! Hi! Tonight we are going over to the Moncayo's to have dinner. My mom and Sra. Moncayo are going to do a thing where my mom does American food and Sra. Moncayo does Ecuadorian food. Tomorrow we will go to Papallacta again. Carnival, an Ecuadorian tradition, starts tomorrow. It is with water--there are several different ways you can do it...with water in a bowl, water balloons, with a hose, or with squirt guns. You throw, shoot, and spray water at any person. Another fun part about this is vacacion (vacation)--two days off from school! We have water balloons and bowls, but we don't have squirtguns. I'd like to get a big one. Please pray that I'd learn to speak more Spanish quickly. I finished one of my Spanish books (the 2nd one) today. Ciao! Bye!

Tue, Feb 24, 1998
If you have been reading our weekly journals carefully, you read in the last entry that I was heading back to California to transfer business interests to another who is knowledgable in the type of planning and insurance work that we have done over the years. While with modern technology we are able to service our clients as if we were still in town, the truth is that our focus has shifted and I am concerned that my clients get the same service that I promised them when we started together. I will be interviewing a man who has been working in the same planning areas as me for the last 25 years. He has been extremely successful in building his own clientel, and he works with the same insurance carriers as I have which has been a critical connection for us. I will give you more information soon, but I didn't want you to be concerned that you were going to be left without resource. I will talk to you later.

Ron Stiff

Sat, Feb 28, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for Guayaquil, which is actually the largest city in Ecuador, and located on the coast. The car I bought was registered there and while the rest of the country is connected to the motor vehicle computerized registration system in Quito, Guayaquil is the one exception. So, in order to get the car 100% legally in my name, I have to go to get it set up in their system. With the exception of a couple of excursions within 100 miles of Quito this will be the first big trip out of town (almost 8 hours). Before I started writing I read what Sharon had written, and part of what she said has been on my mind a great deal lately. As we have been working toward securing property and doing other things toward establishing our work with the kids I have been thinking about what it all would mean without having had the opportunity to pass on to those with whom we've had meaningful contact the evidence of a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. For those who don't know Him, even though there is rarely a sense of full satisfaction in doing so, the only significance in life is usually connected to endeavors of various kinds. Those who are in Christian service are not immune to feeling as if God's purpose for creation is not something, in part, connected with what we can manage to accomplish. I believe the Lord's disciple Peter finally came to understand what Jesus wanted in terms of a relationship with Him, but I am struck by how Peter struggled as he realized that his perspective wasn't God's ideal when Jesus asked Him "Peter, do you love me?". Peter wanted to say that he loved Jesus in the way that Jesus wanted to be loved, but he found that his experiences thus far allowed him only the ability to declare something less. One of these days the property we buy and the buildings that are on it will all belong to someone else. If the family that I brought here to Ecuador and the kids that walk the halls of the institution we are building are ever to know what it means to love Jesus and to fulfill His purpose for their being, it will probably be because someone was able to model that kind of love, and somehow communicate that in spite of all that they may accomplish the component that adds meaning is in knowing Him who wants only that we love Him.

Sharon: It's been a quiet week, really. We finished off "Carnival" on Tuesday, though I think God got the last laugh, as He doused everyone with a major rainstorm on the last day--guess He likes to play too! The property deal is looking very promising, and we're beginning to make some plans regarding some work that needs to be done on it, all the while knowing that "man makes his plans, but the Lord directs His steps". We are excited though, about the possibilities. We're very much looking forward to Ralph Sargent coming to visit us in about a week. Also we're excited about my Mom's visit, which will be in March. She'll be coming back with Ron, who is going to be in the desert for about 10 days taking care of some business. I'm NOT looking forward to him being gone, but knowing he'll be bringing Mom back with him will make his return extra special. I mentioned last week that I was going to begin teaching my Ecuadorian friend Delila some English. We've met twice now, and are really enjoying the time. I've really enjoyed my friendship with her; she's a very special lady. It's been interesting to learn how much we share in common as women, and yet how different we are because of our cultural backgrounds. I've been challenged as I've considered some of the things I've shared with her, certain at the time that because I am a Christian that my viewpoint was as well. I don't think I've said anything that I don't believe is true--I'm just not sure how much of it comes from my "North American" mindset. We're all effected by the things we're taught from the cradle up...whether true or not. And as believers, we need to recognize that some of that may come from a system of thought that is NOT based on what is taught in God's Word. In my study of Ephesians, we've been looking at the importance of being grounded in "The Book". Only by really knowing what it says; by studying it's truths and making them a part of us will we be able to recognize things that are contrary to it. I don't want to introduce Delila to an "American Jesus", but to the Jesus of the Bible. To do that, I have to not be first an American, but rather first, last, and more than anything else, a follower of Jesus Christ. The lives that we will have the opportunity to impact while we're here--The Moncayo family, Blanca, and all those who will follow--need to know Him. To introduce them to Jesus, we first need to have an intimate relationship with Him ourselves. Pray that we will grow in our knowledge of Him daily, and that He will show Himself to others through us.

Nathan: Hi everybody! This week wasn't super duper interesting, but I will try to make the things that did happen interest you. Carnival was great. It wasn't really sunny, but it wasn't cold either. We had a water war with my friend's sister and her cousins and my sister. We eventually were soaked to the skin and had to stop. We probably drained half of Ecuador's water supply! The weather here has been so-so. It hasn't rained much this week; only once really, but it was a very, very hard rain. Blanca went to the doctor on Thursday, and he thinks she might need surgery on her arms and hips. She can't rotate her arms very well, and she has a problem with her hip that will effect her when she is older if it's not corrected. Pray that if surgery really is necessary (my dad doesn't think it is) that it will go well. My dad will be going to Guayaquil on Sunday to get the car matriculated. Pray that the 8 hour drive will go weel, and that he won't have any problems. Well, time to go. See you next time!

Emily: Hey, this is Emily! This was not a very exciting week, but I will tell you everything. Monday: I played Carnival with my friend Christi and her cousins, then they went home and then the boys wanted to play Carnival. Tuesday: I went to Christi's and it was the last day of Carnival, so her family was going to play carnival. We went to buy water balloons from a store close to her house. But when we got there we played Carnival by ourselves--it was POURING RAIN AND HAIL!!!!! Wednesday: Nothing happened! (except we started back to school.) Thursday: We went to QuiCentro, a mall. We were going to see a movie, but it was in Spanish. Friday: We were going to go to dinner and a basketball game, but we just got to go to dinner. We went with the Moncayos. Goodbye, I love you and miss you!

Sun, Mar 08, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: I found a restaraunt in Guayaquil with authentic Mexican food, with an authentic Mexican chef...a hard thing to find in Ecuador. First thing that he brought out to us (because I told him that we live near the Mexican border in California and enjoyed "real" Mexican food) was a plate full of stuffed jalepenos. They were delicious. On the one hand I didn't want to stop, but on the other I was starting to suffer, and I knew that the experience would find itself somehow into the next day if I didn't quit. I've been finding my experiences here in Ecuador a lot like eating those jalepenos. It is a thrilling experience to drink in God's creation here, BUT there is a sting that comes along with that experience that after awhile, if you don't find a way to take a break, you are sure to suffer some repercutions from. You don't really comprehend the meaning of "culture shock" until you are experiencing it within the context of living in it as opposed to just visiting it. When you visit another culture, you are often insulated from what makes up the "shock" of the equation. Like those jalepenos, there is a aura of excitement and adventure that comes with living here that is absolutely exhilierating. But in the day to day components of making life work here you find yourself excising thorns that you hardly pay attention to until you are literally covered with them. In short, nothing much works here. There is the illusion of a system, but it is really one's effort to fill the holes in the system that brings any success. Ralph will be here (one of our board members and corporation president) in a little over 3 hours. When he sees what we have accomplished in the time that we've been here his first impression will be that it's "just like home". Well, we've strived for that affect. But it takes a much different effort than it does in the States, and coming back to the point I was making above, in time that effort, like those jalepenos, brings you to a point where you had better adjust your approach, or life becomes a little uncomfortable...no, A LOT uncomfortable! My trip to Guayaquil, which was supposed to be for business that could be accomplished in half a day in addition to the eight hours it took to get there, turned out to take 3 days, and cost almost $1,000 just for registering our car (in a country where the average construction employee makes $7 a day). It was one of the most picturesque and beautiful trips I've ever experienced, but like one stuffed jalepeno too many, the cultural sting that went along with it sent me back home ready for a fight with somebody. Unfortuately the only ones in proximity were Sharon and the kids, all of which were ready to send me on another trip--any trip--by the end of the week. We had dinner with a friend last night who has been here for eight years, and he basically said it this way by implying the question "Where do you think the adjustment is going to come from--you or the system of culture here?". Well, we want the same results that we've been getting, and we do expect the system to be broken for longer than we will probably be here, but in order to survive we will have to learn to expect defects that are not tolerated at home and then supply whatever is lacking without thinking that we ought not have to. If you work at it, you can get what you need. It's the effort and the expectations that have to be adjusted. This is not a insignificant issue among those who work in a culture like this. In reality, we've heard of more than a fair number of casualties. Still, we think the crucial component for success comes down to the reality of one's calling. God will not call you to what He is not also very willing to enable you to do. Like any trial, the shock of another culture shows us our weakness, not that we might fail, but that we would look to Him who is the real strength in any lasting endeavor. Please pray for us as we adjust to life here, and pray that this week with Ralph Sargent will be a blessing to him and to us as we plan together the next steps of this ministry.

Sharon: Right now as I'm typing this I can hear my kids and Ron playing in the culdisac in front of our house. Ron and Nathan are playing 2 0n 2 (basketball) with Fernando and J.F. Moncayo, and Emily and Christi are twirling batons, practicing for their show. Wonderful sounds, the sounds of relationships in action. What a blessing these new friends have been to us. I can't imagine what these past few months would have been like without them...or what it will be like in the fall if they do end up going to the States for Fernando to attend university. I want what is best for them, certainly, and know tht the education would benefit Fernando's career. But it will be a difficult goodbye, if it comes to that. Thursday night they came over to use our computer to call the States. Delila's sister and niece are there right now, and Stefanie, who is 12 years old like Christi, was scheduled to have surgery on Friday to remove a benign tumor from her brain at U.C.L.A. Medical Center. They called to give her their love and encouragement for what must have been a very scary thing for a young girl. Afterwards we joined hands and prayed for her. What a special time that was, as each of us in turn offered up our petitions to the "throne of grace" for her, some in English, some in Spanish. Isn't it amazing that we serve a God that can understand both? And the perhaps thousands (or more) other languages spoken in this world? That He can hear, and really listen, to millions of prayers, many at the same time, and not get stressed out (like I do when Ron, Nathan, and Emily are all trying to talk to me at once!). And not mix up one petition with another, like some kind of overworked waiter? That He knows what we need before we even ask, but allows us to participate in His work on our behalf or that of others through our prayers? What a blessing it was for us to listen in as Moncayos called the States once again this morning to talk with Stephani, who answered the phone in the hospital room herself. To know that the success of the surgery was in part affected by those prayers we offered up three nights earlier (as well as those that were prayed for several weeks leading up to it)! Those of you who have been praying for us over these past eight months are every bit as involved in what God is doing here as we are. And we are involving ourselves in your lives, as we pray for you. As far away as we may be geographically, there is a connection made in the spiritual realm as we pray for one another. In my study of Ephesians this past week we looked at some human relationships. I saw something that I never really realized before. That is that our relationships are much more than simply emotional, or physical, or based on blood ties. There is a spiritual aspect to them that we seldom recognize. How we relate to eachother is an indication of whether or not we are walking by the Spirit of God. When we are walking according to the principles of God's Word, empowered by His Spirit, we are living representatives of Jesus--and as He loves and values the people in our lives, so will we. I know I have a long way to go in that! But from my heart, know that I love and appreciate each of you who take the time to read our journal each week, and especially to pray for us. For those of you who take the extra time to write, and to share with us what God is doing in your lives, and how we can pray for you, thank you! What better way to share in one another's lives, but to take eachother before our Father in prayer, knowing that what we cannot do for eachother because of the distance between us, He can do for us in an instant...what a great God we serve!

Nathan: (written Friday afternoon) Hello once again everybody! This week has gone by fast because my dad had to be in Guayaquil for half of it. Now he's home, safe and sound, and everything is back to normal. School has gone pretty well this week. We've been able to do in outside several times due to the wonderful weather we've been having. I'm looking forward to Ralph Sargent's visit a lot. Sunday is only two days away, and I can hardly wait. We went to my favorite restaraunt--T.G.I.Fridays--on Thursday after my mom went to Bible study. It was exactly the same as in the States, and it was opened only three days ago. The only problem was that they didn't have a few things. My dad ordered the soup of the day, and the waitress came back and said "Lo siento, pero no tenemos la sopa del dia" (I'm sorry, but we don't have the soup of the day). Oh well, it's a new restaraunt! I don't know if we mentioned a 12 year old girl named Stefani. She is the cousin/niece of the Moncayos. She is going to have surgery today to remove a cyst from her brain. Please pray that all will go smoothly, and that she will recover rapidly.

Emily: (also written Friday) Hi everyone! How are you all? I haven't been playing with Christi a lot this week because she has had a lot of homework to do. I've had to entertain myself. My dad was gone for four days to Guayaquil--he was only supposed to be gone for two. Just like my mom always says, take what he says and multiply it times three (two, this time)! He got home at 12:30 Wednesday night. Yesterday I went out to the property with my dad. The man who we're buying it from is named Juaquim. We went to his house, and guess what he has? A monkey and a parrot! I touched the monkey, but just on his hand because he bites. Have you ever heard of a monkey who bites? His name is Pepper, I think. He was cute. When I first saw him he was in a tree. I'm probably going to get a monkey when we get our property. I will take care of him, and name him "Mr. Nelson" like in Pippi Longstocking. We are reading a book about monkeys and apes for school. Ralph is coming the day after tomorrow. I'm excited to see him. Tah tah for now! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Sat, Mar 14, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Well, it finally happened! The property deal has closed. It was two hours after office closing time on Friday that we finally shook hands, signifying the success that we had been looking for over the last three months. The process had been a trial right down to the important signature that was finally secured late Friday. Now that this is behind us, we will focus more on the mechanics of how to make good use of the property now that it belongs to the ministry. First however, I will look forward to a little rest. Tomorrow I leave with Ralph Sargent to return to California to take care of some business, so I guess the rest and relaxation will have to wait until I get back on the 25th. For those of you who have been faithful in your prayer for our success with the property, we want to thank you and hope that your reward can be sharing in the success of the ministry as we continue to press forward. This last week we have had Ralph with us. It was a treat to have him present when the property deal was signed on Friday. It's been a busy week, besides the business I mentioned above as we traveled a few hundred miles to share with Ralph some of the world's most beautiful examples of God's creation. There is a lot that we could share, but we just got back from visiting an indiginous area of Ecuador. We've got some packing to do, and some rest to catch up on, so we'll try to give you something fuller next week. However adding to our journal this week, are some thoughts from Ralph regarding his time here.

Ralph: This week has been a real blurr, though I have taken some time to read The Gospel of John. I believe it is for us as John wrote in his epistle, that we are to walk in the same manner as He (Jesus) did. As I have read the Gospel, Jesus said "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to acomplish His work" John 4:34. I have had to come to a point to examine my walk in regard to that. Am I doing his will? The last couple of years the Lord has place a desire for Missions upon my heart. The opportunities are great. Don't get me wrong the mission is at home for some, for me I believe it is abroad. The work that has begun here in Quito is awesome the the fields are white! Pray for me in that direction and for Ron, Sharon and family. In all this week has been great, I would encourage you all that you would spend a week or two out on a short term mission, and this one place you could!

Sharon: As much of a blur as Ralph's week has been, so are my eyes right now! But I wanted to take a minute to share what a blessing this week has been for us. Having Ralph here with us was like bringing a bit of home here to Ecuador. Hearing first hand of what is happening in our church at home was a real treat, and being able to fellowship once again in person with this very special brother in the Lord has been wonderful. We have been VERY busy, but it's been great. I know Ralph is as anxious to come back as we are to have him. I hope his experience here will encourage others of you at home to come and visit us here, and to see for yourselves what God is doing. As Ron shared, the property deal closed, and we are now "duenos" in Ecuador--property owners! Of course we all know who the real "dueno" is--God Himself, for whom and by whom all things exist. We are just very thankful that He has seen fit to let us manage this beautiful piece of land, and to begin to build on it a work that we pray will bring Him much glory. This next ten days is going to be as quiet for Nathan, Emily and I as this past one was busy. Ron will leave tomorrow with Ralph, and return on the 25th with my mom. We're looking very much forward to that. Please pray for us though--Ron in the desert, taking care of some business, and sharing in person with some of you at home--and for the kids and I, as we manage here on our own. We wish we could come with him, but know that will happen soon enough, as we are planning a trip up there in May. Know that our love for you travels with him! We'll share in a little more detail next week, but for now we know you are praising God with us for the answer to our prayers--both yours, and ours. The kids also send their love, but are now sound asleep. It's been a busy week for all of us!

Sat, Mar 21, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Greetings from Sunny Southern California! The effort to tie up business seems to be going well, in spite of the fact that I didn't seem to have all of the energy I wanted to do everything that was planned. Still, the important things were accomplished with whatever is remaining to be handled via the internet after I get back to Quito. We've concluded that taking things back to Ecuador will be best accomplished a little at a time as friends come and visit and we return after our family trip here in late May. There is a pretty hefty tax when you send a container full of stuff from here. But a little at a time we can move most of the really hard to replace things without any import tax. I met with a real estate person yesterday so that the house can go on the market, the proceeds of which will be needed to continue construction on the new property that was purchased. We have no price threshold, because our focus is on misnistry and continuing with what we feel God has been leading us in. If He is directing, then there will always be sufficiency. Still, we want to do the best that we can so please pray that God will guide our steps as we proceed with this. It was a lot easier packing everything up when we left last July, thinking that one day we might be selling the house. But today, as I walked through looking at this and that, which Sharon and I have accumulated over the years, I think I felt for the first time the things that Sharon was experiencing last July as we prepared to leave. Back then the excitement of the adventure was the overshadowing emotion for me. Now, having that experience behind me, the impact of letting go of what we spent twenty years putting together is an experience that I am not sure I was anticipating. My prayer had always been that the Lord would call us into a work like that we are pursuing and that He wuld call us away from what it would be hard to leave, rather than circumstances that might make us wonder if we were running away from something. The friends, the business that God gave us for all these years, or home and the things in it, have all been a focus of mine as I spent the time here this last few days. God has ansered my prayer, and now the reality of the other edge of this sword is being brought to bear. Ralph Sargent, who spent a wek with us in Quito, will be showing slides of his visit, which include the ministry location and what visitors might expect when they come to see us (which is the other half of our vision). I will be sharing about our ministry plans, and I hope everyone who can will make it. It will be a worthwhile hour with us. This will be at Calvary Chapel Indio, on the corner of Ave. 45 and Auto Center Drive at 6:00 p.m. Please come out if you can on Sunday.

Nathan: Hola, todos! I am going to insert a little thing I had to do for Language on the robbery that took place at our house: STIFF FAMILY ROBBED A missionary family in San Rafael, Ecuador, was robbed Monday night while they slept. The items that were taken included the following: Gas tanks, a bike, tables and chairs, a stroller and a baby push car. A neighbor saw a truck parked outside the house around midnight Monday, and friends reported that they experienced a similar robbery of gas tanks before, and believe the thieves to be the same as those who robbed the Stiffs. There have also been several dog poisonings committed during the past week, which could be related because of the alarm the dogs provide. There was no evidence to show how or where the thieves could have entered. There was a pair of bycicle tire tracks in the grass, however. Residents are advised to take caution, as these thieves could strike again. There you go! Now I will get into the not-so-nasty details of the week. My dad left for the States last Sunday. I miss him a lot. The time doesn't pass quickly with him gone. He's been pretty busy but still has time to write. Well, the week didn't have much more in it than that. "So now it's time to say goodbey to all our company..." Bye!

Emily: Hi! How are you all? This week has been very exciting! That's because we were robbed! I awoke Monday morning hearing my mom asking Blanca if she wanted to watch T.V.. I shot out of bed happily to watch T.V. with Blanca. After about ten minutes my mom called from the kitchen "WE WERE ROBBED!!!" Thinking I didn't hear her correctly I called "What?". She came into her room and said "We were robbed". I just stared at her. Then she said "Your bike, Blanca's stroller, and our plastic table and chairs." A little while later whe she was talking on the phone with our friend Delila, she saw that there were no gas tanks outside. A couple days later, my mom found Blanca sitting on her little lego car trying to ride it. Then she found her little push car was gone too. I really miss my dad, but I know he will be back soon--with my Grandma!!! Ciao! and Goodbye! Fairwell! and So Long!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOOXO

Sharon: I've put the kid's entries ahead of mine this week, so you'll know the "big news", and I won't have to repeat it. From their commentaries, you can tell that they were pretty "impressed" by this event. So was I! It was not a great start to our time without Ron here! But through it, God has shown me some things that make me able to "give thanks to God for EVERYTHING, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ". First of all, there is an analogy here that I think is important. The things that were taken SHOULD NOT have been left outside--they were like bait. And while in a perfect world things like this wouldn't happen, we don't live in a perfect world--not in the U.S. and not in Ecuador. So leaving them out in front in plain sight was a careless thing to do. But it was just "things" that were taken. We ourselves were unharmed. The analogy is this: When we choose to step outside of God's will, and play around on the edges, we will suffer the consequences. God won't protect us from the results of our wrong decisions. But God is so good...when we are faithless, He is faithful, and "NOTHING can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus"! He will not allow anything to take us so far from Him that there is no coming back. Another thing I am thankful for is something that occured to me in retrospect. For one thing, the dogs were locked in the bodega (storage room) for the night. This was perhaps not a wise thing to do, but they often play pretty noisily during the night. They can play all they want now--they're going to be out! However looking back, knowing how sensitive their hearing is (they start barking when we are halfway down the street, before they can even see us), I believe it was more than a coincidence that they heard nothing that night. Also, a number of the things taken were stored right next to the room outside where Nathan sleeps, and he didn't hear a thing! When Ron is gone I seldom sleep soundly. If the dogs HAD started barking, or if Nathan HAD heard noises outside, who knows what would have happened. Anyone who would watch a house and wait for an opportunity to rob it would have no qualms about doing harm to someone who got in the way. And as everyone around here seems to believe it was someone who lives in this neighborhood, that could have had much worse consequences to follow. So I believe with all my heart that God put us all into a sound sleep, in order to protect us. Was it God's will that we be robbed? No, not any more than it's His will that we trifle with sin...both happen because of wrong choises and decisions, and because we live in a world where Satan has dominion over those who don't belong to God. But God is faithful...and His promises are true. As we read Psalm 91 together later Tuesday morning, we all rejoiced at what a great God we serve. To those of you who prayed for us as a result of the "Prayer Chain" request I put in, thank you. I believe there are some mighty big angels standing guard outside our gates now! The week with Ron gone has been LLLOOONNNGGG!!! We all miss him incredibly! But I know this trip, and what Ron is doing there in the States is another step in what God is doing in our lives, causing us to release to Him things that tie us to what we were, in order to free us for what we are to become. As Ron indicated, that is not always easy--even painful at times. But as Oswald Chambers says "True surrender will always go beyond natural devotion...beware of stopping anywhere short of total surrender to God". Pray for us that that surrender will be complete...and that we will "live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way,; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God" Colossians 1:10

Sat, Mar 28, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Please forgive the brevity of this week's journal. Catching up on business and more importantly the family since arriving late Wednesday we've pushed writing off till today, and then we lost power until just a few minutes ago. Coming home was very sweet. I felt like I was home, and all the time away from the family as a foreigner in my home town. Before I left on the 15th I got the construction crew going on putting the roof on the big house at the new property. They are doing a great job. The roof support are large eucalyptus beams that weigh so much that it takes five to six people to get them up in position. They have to get the beams up to a point where they can begin to place the full strip "tongue and groove" wood panels. After a section is completed they must then put the water proof covering over the wood to keep it dry against the inevidable afternoon rain. What a process! And what a crew of guys all working together under the direction of the "maestro". Speaking of the "maestro", ours has some unique qualifications in that he has a four year technical degree in contracting and building techniques. Today I also discovered another characteristic of his. I was taking Patricio (our metal working contractor) up to the property to look at putting doors on the storage sheds. On the road up I noticed somebody in street-clothes sitting in the mud off the side of the road in what would be our equivalent of a rural gutter. As I got closer I thought "by golly, that fellow looks like Juan Carlos" (the maestro). Oh, but it couldn't have been. Juan Carlos is such a gentleman--a businessman--and besides, he doesn't even live near the property. I drove by, thinking how much this guy looked like my builder, so when we were returning to the valley I was anxious to see if he was still in the mud. He wasn't--instead I found him a few hundred feet below sitting on a patio beside a little barrio store. I asked the people what his name was--he didn't look quite like Juan Carlos, but at the same time he looked very much like Juan Carlos. The neighbors all know what's new, and they knew I was building on the property at the top of the road, so the answer was very directly "well, he's your maestro". Oh, great!!! I suppose I'll have to wait until Monday to get his side of the story, but what a sight! Nice slacks, sweater, and wingtip shoes, all covered in mud. No, he wasn't hurt, and did I mention it was 9:00 in the morning? Juaquim, the German I bought the property from, told me about Friday nights in Ecuador, and in particular in these country pueblos. They make a liquor out of sugar cane that can be substituted for fuel if you ever ran out of gas. Ecuador continues to show us interesting characteristics that make real the meaning of the words "endurance" and "perseverance". I'm convinced that our building project will be completed in good form, but the journey to that point will be an interesting one.

Sharon: THEY'RE HERE!!! Ron and Mom arrived Wednesday night, to a very happy me! It has been wonderful having Mom here for a visit. So far we've kind of "vegged"...sitting around catching up on the past nine months. We will be doing some traveling around, seeing the sights this next week. But it's been nice just to sit around the kitchen table with a cup of coffee or tea just chatting. The kids have been thrilled to have Grandma here...Emily is sticking to her like glue, and Blanca really seems to love her new "abuelita". She's going to get very spoiled while Mom is here! Ron enjoyed his visit home. He brought back lots of pictures of family and of friends from our church. What a blessing it was to see all those faces! I have to admit that I shed a few tears looking at them, but also felt a lot of joy, as I saw people I have been praying for over these months, looking well and happy. It is evident that God has been at work in your lives, as He has in ours. I continue to believe that one of the strongest links us that connect us, even though we're so many miles apart is our bringing of one another to the Lord in prayer. For those of you who were able to go to the church on Sunday evening to see the slides, and to hear Ron and Ralph share, I hope you now feel a little "closer" and that what we've been sharing with you through our letters is a little more real to you. And most of all, that it has whet your appetites to come and visit us here, and to see for yourselves firsthand what God is doing in this little corner of the world. THAT would beat pictures any old day!

Dee: Where do I begin....I guess to say hola...and to tell all of you that I love and miss you, but am so very glad to be here with my loved ones in this beautiful place. My mind is boggled by what is taking place here. First of all, to hear the whole Stiff family speaking such fluent Spanish; especially the children. They amaze me! I have gotten a chance to practice a smattering of the language and it's kind of fun. Nobody makes too much fun of me. Blanca took to me right away, and I to her. She is a real tiny little bundle of energy and very loving. I of course am eating up all the hugs and kisses that I've been missing from my dear Miss Em. Nathan is just as witty and fun to be around as ever. The kids were with Fernando Moncayo at the airport when we got through customs. Then all sorts of welcomes awaited us when we got to the house, not the least of which was my beautiful daughter. We went out to see the property on Thursday and it is absolutely beautiful! The view from every angle is awesome!!I know that God is going to have a wonderful impact on this part of South America and I hope that you all will continue keeping the Stiff family in your prayers as they begin to build on the vision that God gave Ron so many years ago. There is so much more I could say, but there would be too many pages in this week's journal. So I will close with love and thanks for all your prayers for a safe journey for Ron and I.

Emily: How are y'all? I went to Miguel's birthday party today. It was very fun. They had clowns, and we did games with them. I won one of them. We did a pinata, but the clown said that there were many problems with them, so they dumped the candy and toys on our heads instead of letting people break it with a stick. It was fun--we got confetti all over our heads! Since my Grandma has been here it has been much better, because she is part of my family. I love having her here. Next week we will probably go to Papallacta, which is a hot springs. It is very cold there, but the pools are WARM! It's nice, but I want to go swimming in a regular pool where the weather is hot and the pool is cold. When we go back home to visit I want to swim lots of times. Miss you all very "mucho"! It helped when I saw the pictures that my dad brought home, but it's not the same as seeing you. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Sat, Apr 04, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Over the last few weeks I have been writing about how activity--even the spiritual type--can be a distraction to what I believe God is truly interested in, and that is an intimate personal relationship with Him. Another thing that activity can distract from is your family and in particular the one God has made you one with. We've heard of the casualties that have resulted from not keeping things in their fullest perspective. We are aware of the dangers and it is up to us avoid becoming part of the statistics. Toward that end I have decided that certain priorities have to be carried out and I am not taking the position that Christian service holds a higher rank than the other responsibilities that God has given me as a husband and a father. Well, I've come to look at all of this square in the face because I am very vulnerable to the idea that Sharon and the kids can survive if I get myself up to my ears in the project that we are working through here. The reality is that they can't wait, and they ought not wait because there is no room for waiting if I want to fulfill the Biblical recipe for ministry among those who have made the choise to get married and to have children. Paul alluded to the fact that the man who wants to be fully absorbed in ministry ought not to be married if he considers a wife and family as a part of his Biblical responsibilities. I don't believe, as some have thought, that Paul was down on marraige. Rather I believe he was simply pointing to the way a man serves God when married as distinct from service by one who is single. The married man serves the Lord by first serving his wife and kids. My thoughts on this were not my intention when I started writing. I was looking for a way to lead into saying what a great couple of days Sharon and I had as Sharon's mom covered the kids for us so that we could get away. I'll leave the details to Sharon...well, not ALL the details! But I wanted to share what a valuable time that was for us, and to encourage those of you who are also busy to consider the priority of thinking of spouse and family as the first course in ministry.

Sharon: Yesterday on our way home from our wonderful time ALONE, Ron and I stopped at the home of a missionary couple who were selling some items in preparation for returning to the States. He said they were going home "to get their lives back together". Some conversation with her revealed her fatigue, having been in the country for almost three years, and having her husband away for almost a third of that time, doing "ministry" things. Were they called to be here? Probably. Did they learn some things that God will use in their lives in the future? Surely. Did their ministry bear fruit? Maybe. But the cost of that fruit and those lessons was high. By God's grace they are still together, but are in a definitely weakend state, going home to nurse their wounds and to heal. How sad that is. But what a challenge to me, and to us. This was not the first case we've heard of, nor unfortunately will it be the last. But as Ron said, there are things that we must do--choises we must make, to avoid becoming a statistic ourselves. I am very thankful that God is allowing us to see these things now, early in our calling, so that by His grace we will not find ourselves on a path leading to burnout or a breakdown in our family. To that end, and with Grandma here to care for Nathan, Emily and Blanca, Ron and I "escaped" Thursday for 24 hours of "just the two of us" time. It was WONDERFUL!!! We had a room in a very nice hotel in Quito (God provided an excellent room rate), ate lunch in a Mexican food restaraunt (boy do we miss REAL Mexican food at home!), saw a movie, and had dinner in a beautiful French restaraunt at the hotel. I even got to soak in a nice hot bubble bath--something I've really missed, as all we've had since coming to S.A. are showers! It was a 10+ time. This may not sound like very "spiritual" stuff; after all, we're supposed to be missionaries, right? But you know what? It is very spiritual--it is nurturing the relationship that is the basis by which we will be able to do the things that God called us here for. If we are not connected--if our relationship is not strong--niether of us will have the energy that will be required to withstand the pressures and difficulties of ministry here in Ecuador. God did not call Ron here, apart from me. And He didn't call Ron and I here apart from the kids. He called us here together as a FAMILY, to serve Him from that context. And we must do everything we can, "struggling with all His might" to keep that unit strong. Pray for us in that, would you? And for other families you may know that God has called apart to full time ministry. There is an enemy out there, seeking to devour those unsuspecting ones who think that because they've given their lives to the service of God that they will be safe from Satans scheme to render them ineffective through destroying their families. Pray for a hedge of protection around us--but also for wisdom to make the choises that will keep us there, within its safe boundrieds.

Dee: Hello again from Ecuador... I can't believe how fast my visit here has gone by. There has been lots to do and hardly a day that we don't see another interesting and unique (at least to me) part of this area. There are a lot of older ruined buildings and just a few blocks away are high rise modern buildings. There is a lot of history and rich culture here. I am going to go out on a photo excursion before I come back home so that those of you at home can see just what I mean. Each day that passes I have enjoyed being here and love of course being close to the Stiff family, who we have missed so much this past nine months. Last night I had the kiddoes all to myself and Sharon and Ron had a night out to themselves. There have been so many things to see and do that time and space doesn't permit me to tell you all. Suffice it to say that I am so grateful for this chance to be here and hope that all of you at home are well and that you are going to continue to keep the Stiff family and the work that God has called them to here in Quito on your prayer list. Until I see you back in the USA, may God bless you all.

Emily: Hi! How are all of you? Tonight we are going to have a barbecue with the Moncayos. Last night my Grandma took care of me and my brother and sister while my mom soaked in a bathtub with bubbles up to her neck. It's been a lot better with my grandma here. But I still want to see all of you. Tomorrow we're going to Otavalo; a place where they sell only Ecuadorian things. Monday probably we will go to Papallacta. I went out to the property with my dad today. It is VERY pretty. And I love the house. Well, the Moncayos are here, and I have to finish cleaning my room before I can visit with them. So, fairwell! XOXOXOX

Nate: Hey everyone! Please don't be angry at me for not writing last week. It was raining cats 'n' dogs and I was stuck at my friends house. I promise this will never happen again.........I hope.:-) It's great to see my Grandma again. We will be doing the "routine" with her, like taking her to Papallacta and all those other places. We've been going out to the property a lot. They're doing the roof on our house now and are really making progress. I can't wait to move there. Well that's basically all the "dirt" from this week. Hugs to all. Bye-Bye Now.

Wed, Apr 15, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Okay, okay, I know the journal is supposed to come out on Friday or Saturday...what is this middle of the week stuff? And where was last weeks? Hey, after you read this weeks entries you'll understand! We promise to be back on track next week!

Emily: Hola! This has been the most exciting and painful week. The day that my Grndma left here I cut my hand and had to have ten stitches. I fell in some water when me and my friends were trying to catch tadpoles (we caught a couple, but they died). Anyway, I fell in and cut my hand on re-bar. I was trying to catch that to brace me from falling in. It's been a week since it happened. It's just now starting to heal up. I can't write in school--I can write numbers for math, but I can't do any other writing. I've got three new friends!!!! One is seven, the second is eight, and the third is twelve. They are sisters, and their names are Mercedes, Monica, and Marsela. They cannot speak English. That is good for me to practice my Spanish. I'm doing good in my Spanish now. We play in the afternoons when they're done with their homework. Some people had a key to the lock on our big front gate, so they opened it. But fortunately Mercedes (our maid) and Christi and her cousin came over and rescued our house. Christi's cousin came back. Stefani was the one that was in the States having an operation. She's fine now. Ciao!

Ron: I'm taking a break to write this between excursions into town to buy parts to fix the car. We had car problems at home from time to time, but there was always a second vehicle to keep things up and running. This morning I left early to catch a ride with Fernando on his way to Quito for work. He dropped me off in the center of our pueblo where I contracted with a taxi (and its driver) for a full day's work. That might sound like a lot, but for just $22 I can keep my schedule and continue checking things off my "to do" list. It's been an exciting week, with Emily cutting her hand and for the second time getting one of the kids to a plastic surgeon to repair a rather nasty injury. We also had for the second time someone interested in carrying off things from outside the house. This time the dogs were out and alerted the neighbors who chased the bandits off. It seems that the whole neighborhood knows that we have things in the house and they can't help but know when we all leave because our house is at the end of a long street and when we go out everyone can see that no one is left in the fishbowl. I'm not thinking that our neighbors are stealing from us, but it seems sure that we are watched closely enough to know when no one is here. From now on we will be letting the dogs out front, considering anything that they might want to eat in the way of plants and flowers of lesser importance than the house full of things that we have accumulated since coming here. We'll do all we can to secure our possessions because we think ourselves to be good stewards of what God has given to us by doing so. Then we will remember why we are here and who brought us, looking to Him to protect us so as to allow the work that we have started to be completed. We are vulnerable only to a point in what really matters most, and that is where the work of God starts and ends. Emily has found new friends and together they really seem to enjoy themselves. It tickles me to hear her chattering away in Spanish with the girls. "Las chicas" are free to go out into the countryside to play (which is where she got hurt), however we did put a stop to the taunting of the bulls (that feed in the grass between wehre we live and the river where the girls play) in order to provoke a chase. Dad has loosened up a little here in terms of doting over the kids. There is a Huck Finn kind of adventure here for Nate and Emily. For Sharon and me it's just a matter of how much of this we can release them to. The house is coming along, with the roof 50% completed. It's been a challenge trying to keep the wood dry when it has been raining almost every afternoon. We are in the rainy season now, boosted by El Nino. The beams for the roof come right out of the forrest and onto the house. However the ground has been so soggy in the forrests that the trucks haven't been able to get in and pull up trees, so we've been running here and there picking up beams where we can.

Nathan: Hi everybody on the other side of the equator! We weren't able to get the summary off sooner because we've been really busy. I went out with my friends last week into Quito on the bus. It was a lot longer than taking a taxi, and it was kind of uncomfortable. It was a smooth ride, but we were kind os scrunched. It was my first time using the bus system, but now I will know what to expect. My Grandma left last Wednesday, and I already miss her a lot. My sister had to get stitches--the little copy cat! She was walking down by a river, fell, and grabbed some metal while trying to save herself. She cut her hand open and had to get ten stitches! Stephani, the girl we asked you to pray for who was having an operation in the States is back home. She got here on Wednesday night. She has recovered completely, and is happy to be back. We went to Latacunga with the Moncayos last Saturday, a town near the volcano Cotopaxi, where they make really good Ecuadorian food. We are a typical dish called Chuchucaras, a kind of pork that is really good. I have tried a lot of Ecuadorian food, but none as good as this. We also went exploring a little bit. There was a rock the size of a small house that we went to that used to be at the base of Cotopaxi, ten miles from where it is now. The force of the blast (over a hundred years ago) threw it that far. That's pretty powerful! While we were out someone tried to rob us again. Rain was pouring down real hard, so I guess they thought that nobody would notice. They started to opened the lock on the gate with a key that they somehow got ahold of, but Christi Moncayo (who had stayed home to be with her cousin) and Stefani looked out a window at Stefani's house (on the third floor) saw a truck parked outside the house. Apparently the robbers saw the girls at the window and took off. They came back later and the dogs started barking. Mercedes (our maid who lives in the house behind us) came out and asked them what they were doing. They said "nothing" and left. I doubt they were doing "nothing" when they had their truck backed up to our driveway! Fortunately they didn't take anything. Please pray that these guys will not come back again. We went to an Easter party this week. Some people from the church we're visiting invited us. It was okay, but I like the ones that we have at home more. The eggs here were plastic, and there was no REAL Easter involved. I like being with the family more too. Oh well, I did make some friends there, so it wasn't a total loss. Our car over-heated and my dad had to get a mechanic over here to fix it. He was here all day, going back and forth from the stores to get stuff he needed. Nothing much more has happened this week. Love and miss you all, and can't wait to visit. Ciao!

Sharon: I'll try to keep this brief, as some of the entries are a little longer than usual. I'm trying to teach the kids not to just give news reports, but to really bring you here with us with their words. I hope you enjoy their entries this week. It has been exciting--though not necessarily in a positive sense. Emily's adventure is one I could have passed on--especially since Ron wasn't home when she came screaming through the front gate! She was crying "I cut my hand really bad!" I thought "Oh how bad could it be?". When I saw it I nearly lost it! It took us awhile to get ahold of Ron...he was out at the property. He's getting a cellular phone!!! Another proof that my calling is not medical! Poor baby, she was very brave once she got over the initial shock. At the hospital she was just chatting away with the doctors and nurses--in Spanish! She's just taken off in her language learning lately. It's really fun, listening to her. And it's been such a blessing, how God has brought her some new friends. We were a little concerned, as lately Christi has begun to feel the age difference and hasn't been available to play. Now Emily has three new friends, and they are sweet little girls, daughters of the woman who helps me here. Speaking of language learning, we just hired a tutor for me. Ron has much more opportunity for language learning and practice, as he is out and about all the time. Besides that, I'm more of a visual learner, so having a book in front of me will help. We'll be meeting three afternoons a week for two hours. I believe that God has more in mind for this association than just language learning though. Guido and his wife are young Christians, and have been struggling this past year in their marraige. He was very open about it, and seems to sincerely desire help and counsel. His wife is also very interested in the kind of ministry we are here for, though Guido recognizes that he has some real adjustments to make before he is ready to commit himself to ministry. Who knows what will come of all this, but please pray. His wife's name is Suzi. As for the attempted robbery, what I felt more than anything was MAD!!! It's frustrating to think you can't leave the house without someone waiting to break into it. But God brought us here, and if we truly believe that everything we have comes from Him, then we need also to trust him to take care of it. We will do what we can, using wisdom and prudence. From there, we'll trust Him. Please pray with us though, for His protection, both for our property and ourselves! Also, please pray that God will make it possible for us to bring Blanca with us when we come home to visit in June. We have learned that there is a way to do so, if all the details can be worked out. In a system like the one here though, God will have to provide the connections! We've seen Him do that before--pray that He will do it again!

Sat, Apr 25, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: In the past I've written quite a lot about the culture here in Ecuador and how one needs to adjust one's attitude in order to survive. It never occurred to me that it might be the uniqueness of our American culture and how our attitudes have been formed by it that has made the adjustment here the challenge that it is. In reading the newsletter from a fellow worker among kids who is raising support in Nevada in order to work with some other friends of ours in Bogota, I found something interesting in the story she was telling. (Kathleen is writing about experiences relating to a recent conference in London England.) "They are a stoic people (referring to the English). We waited on hard wooden benches in a cold little room one morning for a late train. The station master stuck his head in the door every few minutes to tell everyone the train was delayed by twenty, then forty, and finally, sixty minutes. Each announcement brought a polite nod, and a chorus of thank yous from the people waiting. By contrast, we arrived in San Francisco on the way home to find our plane delayed by torrential, El Nino rains and mechanical failure--not a difficult concept to grasp. But the well-dressed, middle class passengers screamed very bad words at the ticket clerk, demanding he produce a plane instantly so that they wouldn't miss a minute of their gambling weekend in Reno. Sue (Kathleen's friend) rolled her eyes at me--we were definitely back in the USA." I'm getting a cell-phone. It's almost impossible to find a public phone when you need one here, and when you do find them they either require a pre-paid card to access a line, or the phone simply won't work at all. Sharon's Spanish teacher works part time with one of the major phone providors here, and offered to help us get a phone. He needed a rather exhaustive application completed and copies of my passport, visa, and censo (national identification). When he took everything in he was told that the application couldn't be accepted because I'd signed the application "Ron Stiff" instead of "Ronald Lee Stiff" as I had signed on my passport, and the other documents. One of the adjustments to make in Latin America is getting used to the big things going really wrong while all the while the system here likes to definitely "major in the minors". Really, I am adjusting!-----I spent more time this week up at the project than I have in quite a while. The neighbors are getting to know me, for the most part because whenever I head up or down the winding road between the house and the main street through that part of the valley, I offer a ride to whoever might be making the treck on foot. The assent is a beautiful one, as the valley becomes visible with its green meadows and forests, but it's also a killer on foot, especially if you're carrying a baby or a load of corn on your back. This last Sunday afternoon I went up to get something at the project and the whole neighborhood was out on this pretty rock road with tools in hand, obviously doing some maintainance. On the way up they all stood by and waved, but had a look as if they had something to say. On the way back I rolled down the window and stopped in the center of the crowd and what was probably the neighborhood leader came over to the car to tell me what they were doing, and how it was a custom of the community to provide support, and he wanted to know if I would be willing to help. It almost had the feeling of a challenge towards something that they were not expecting me to be agreeable to, as if to ask (in spite of their friendliness otherwise) "do you think you are too good to join us in taking care of our street?". Well, I replied with an enthusiastic "You bet I want to be part of this!" And then I asked them when the next work effort would be, and I told them that I would be there. It was evident by their response that they wanted me to be approved in this challenge, as they all wanted to shake my hand and they poured me a small glass of their campesino beverage, a form of distilled sugar cane (remember my work foreman that I found on the side of the road a few weeks ago?). The wealthy Ecuadorians do not associate except in an employee-employer relationship with the lower economic class here. Some have suggested the poor really don't want a relationship any more than the people of means do. But I don't think that's true. When you show the people that you don't think you're better than they are and are willing to demonstrate that attitude, the usually very shy and timid country people here come alive, expressing an enthusiasm and a genuine desire for friendship. What an opportunity for making disciples for Jesus Christ.

Sharon: Right now it's almost 11:00 p.m., and it's finally my turn! It's been a busy day (following a very busy week), and I've been typing everyone's segment catch as catch can through the day. It's really quite nice--the house is quiet, with no one calling "Mom!" every five minutes. Even Blanca has learned that technique, and all day long her little voice can be heard hollering through the house in search of me, "MOM!". Speaking of Blanca, we met with an attorney Wedneday evening to discuss the requirements of bringing her home to the States with us for our visit in June. Though there are a number of requirements, it seems very "do-able". Please continue to pray though, as there is not a lot of time left to get all the needed paperwork, passports, identification, medical releases, etc. together before our departure date. We really want to bring her with us to share with those of you at home. As I said, it's been a busy week. For one thing, God answered a prayer of mine, a very strong desire that I had. I have been asked to participate in the leadership team for the Bible Study Fellowship that I've been attending for the past few months when it resumes in the fall. The study we're doing now is a pilot program--kind of a temperature guage to determine interest. The full program will begin in September, with a team coming down from national headquarters in Texas to direct the first year. Anyway, I am very excited. Studying the Word is one of my very favorite things to do, as well as ministering through it into the lives of women. For this week and next week it entails going to a leaders' meeting on Tuesday mornings, in addition to the regular Thursday morning study. After that it will be over until September. Additionally, I began meeting with my Spanish tutor three afternoons a week (M-W-F) for two hours each time. I think it is going to be a real help, as I know from teaching my own kids at home that one on one is an excellent way to learn. I am doing alright in my Spanish--I'm managing to make myself understood, and am able to understand more all the time of what I'm hearing. But I've never been one to be satisfied with just "getting by". So if my brain can handle the extra taxing, I hope to improve to a more than tolerable degree. My teacher, Guido, is already becoming a friend, and has been able to help us with a number of ministry related things. Please do pray for he and his wife Susi, as I believe God has more in store for them and us together besides just my improved Spanish. Susi has a heart for ministering to disadvantaged children, and Guido appears to have some real administrative gifts. Who knows what God is up to! Other than being awfully busy, rabies vaccines and getting stuck in a ditch, this has been a pretty good week. Nate will share more details about these. The vaccines, by the way, are preventative--we aren't being treated for bites. There just happen to be about a bizillion dogs in Ecuador, and many of them do have rabies. (They are also the UGLIEST dogs I've ever seen--too much cross breeding or something.) Emily's hand is much better--Daddy pulled the stitches out--so it's back to full fledged school next week! Not much longer though--vacation is in sight! We are very much looking forward to seeing many of you in just over a month. It will be a tremendous blessing to be able to share with you in person all that God has been doing here, and to hear what God has been doing in your lives. Again, pray that all FIVE of us will be able to make the trip!

Nathan: Hi everybody! This week had some adventures that I will tell you about. We had five infrared sensors put in all over the house. So far it's working good. We also had a B-B-Q with the Vaughns last Saturday. They brought a two month old baby named Johana with them. She was so pretty and had the biggest eyes! She has a twin sister that they didn't bring with them. She was in a very poor family, with a number of other kids. The mom couldn't take very good care of them because she was so poor. She's given the twins to the Vaughns so that they could be taken care of better. The Vaughns have a ministry for babies called "Para Sus Ninos" (For His Children). On Thursday we also had an adventure. Rabies shots! Ahhh!!! I was nervous, and so was my sister. You really need these shots when you live here. We went to the hospital, and my dad went to ask where the Rabies Clinic was. They told us that it was in the sub-floor. We got in the elevator and started going down. When the doors opened I expected to see a nice area like the 1st floor. I didn't get to see that. There were men with hammers and tools hacking at cement walls. The place had a real dirty floor, and the doors were old and beat up. We walked a little further, and what did we see? A sign that said "MORGUE" on a door in big black letters. "How nice," I thought. "We're going to get shots with dead people!" From there we went up a few more yards to the rabies office. I was surprised how painless it was. They shoot the shot into your skin so you can hardly feel it. Blanca, however, almost passed out. After that we went to the library to do school (Mom went to Bible study), then to an Italian restaraunt called Spaghetti. It was really good. Then we decided to take a trip out to the property. The house is really coming along. I can't wit till all the casitas and everything are done so we can start ministry. Anyway, my parents went in and looked around, then came back out. We needed to back up a little in order to get out our driveway gate. We started backing down a rock road when we dug into the side of a dirt hill, and our left wheels fell into a ditch. We had to push a lot, throw dirt, sand, and rock under the wheels, use a jack which kept falling over, and finally "Pop", out came the car. We got home just in time to see Promised Land. That's about everything that happened this week. Love and miss you all. Ciao!

Emily: Hi everybody! This week I learned four new Ecuadorian games. They're very fun. The best part of the week was when my stiches came out last night. My dad did seven last night and one today, but now they're all out. The worst part of the week was waiting for my stiches to come out. I could not play with water while my friends were. Segundo, a man that's working on the property, mowed a little field for me and my friends to play on. Segundo and his family just left from a B-B-Q with us. We roasted marshmallows. Please pray that Blanca will able to come with us to the States when we visit in June. Ciao.

P.S. You've heard us talk about our friends the Moncayos, who have been such a great blessing to us since we've been in Quito. We have been talking with them about our plans for an exchange program for high school kids who from the States would like an experience in South America with a native but very accomodating family, and for the opportunity in the reverse for a teenager here to experience our home in the States for all the experience would mean to them there. The opportunity would include at least a few days per week at the project for work in the ministry. There are additionally 101 things to do here, not the least being exposure to a language learning opportunity of the first order. As of now, we are under construction and we have just one child in the ministry. However we don't want to miss the opportunity to do a short term exchange this summer (in the future we're hoping for a full year). This next week we will put out a profile for an exchange with the candidate on this end being Juan Fernando, the Moncayo's 16 year old son. The Moncayos have offered a place in their home for the summer for someone who would like to come spend that time here, doing the things referred to above. This does not have to be a family to family reciprocation, rather we will be looking for the best opportunity for Juan Fernando and independently considering the best fit for a young person from home to come here. Please look for the information early this next week.

Sun, May 03, 1998
Ron--Yesterday (Saturday) got exciting right at the time that we were planning to prepare the journal. So, it's Sunday morning and hopefully early enough for those of you who have been distributing our journal at your churches will have it before you leave. It's only 5:30 AM there as we prepare this. My secretary this morning is Nathan. While he likes to talk his way through a session like this he is an exceptional typist, and can get us through this in the absence of Sharon ten times faster than I could type it myself. Sharon took a naproxin yesterday and is obviously allergic to it. Her reaction was so severe that she took some Benadryl layed down for a nap. While Sharon was sleeping I decided to take the dogs for a long over-due walk. While in the way, I saw someone in the distance calling my name. Turns out it is one of the employees at our ministry project, Juan Pedro. He'd been looking for my house, which he's never been to before (and is about four miles from the project where he cares for the site at night) and interestingly enough got pretty close obviously. He was there to tell me that the owners of the chain saw, that I had confiscated the day before, had come to the project with the money that they owed us and were looking for the return of their chain saw. Two and one half months ago, when we first started the roof on the big house at the ministry site, we contracted for the big beams that would be needed in the roof structure. It's been wet with thunder showers almost every afternoon, so many of the forest owners have not been able to get into their forests because they can't get their trucks out due to the slippery conditions and the potential of getting stuck in the mud. Well, you can't get a roof built without these big beams (which are actually whole eucalyptus trees shaped to keep a consitant size. Some weigh as much as 600 lbs. It's really something to see this guys lift these huge things up onto the second floor, and then again, up onto the cross-beams almost thirty-five feet above the ground in some places). So, we searched all over and found beams in the valley of Tumbaco on the other side of the mountain that our project property is at the base of. Well then, we needed our money back from the owner of the forest that we first tried to buy the beams from. Each time we went for it he told us that he would have it the next day. They were obviously getting trees from somewhere because there was always activity whenever we went to the depostitory. So, after the fifth time or so, after he told me that he would have the money the next day I told him that if he didn't we would be happy to leave with his chain saw. He shook his head in reluctant agreement and off we went. I guess you can figure out the rest of the story regarding the collection effort. Really the entertaining part would be describing the exchange that took place when we went back and found out that they still didn't have the money, but maybe we could tell that another day. Well, back to yesterday. After counting the money and getting it into Jaun Pedro's pocket, I left Jaun Pedro and the owners of the chain saw waiting while I took the dogs back and got the saw out of the shed. I didn't want them to see where our house was just in case they didn't think, after all, that somehow all that had taken place was just and fair. After I hauled the saw out of the shed, Mercedes, the lady that helps Sharon in the house (and lives behind us) shows up with these guys on our driveway. So the whole neighborhood knows the chain saw story, and after all, the owners of the chain saw, nevertheless know where the "Gringo" lives. At this point, knowing what a long way it is back to the depository for these people, and how heavy this comercial chain saw is, it only seemed right to give them a ride home. I decided to check on Sharon and just as I approached the front door it opened and, whoa, who was that standing there? With lips and cheeks twice their normal size it looked like someone else in a Sharon suit. Obviously the over the counter strength of Benadryl wasn't doing the job, and now Saturday evening and I have to decide what the next step is. She says she feels better but I didn't like the looks of things. Not wanting to scare her I decide to have her lay back down, take the car load of people home, and on the way, think about what to do next. With Nathan and Emily's trips to the hospital I knew where we could go, but this was forty minutes away in the north of Quito. So, on the way to dropping the people off I am quizing Juan Pedro as to where the nearest clinic would be so that I can take Sharon to be looked at. At about this point in our conversation we're passing through El Anga Si (Angusee), a small pueblo on the way to the sector where the ministry property is. Juan Pedro responds "Well there's one right here." "Where?" I still don't remember seeing a sign, but I walked through a lit door into a room where I found an examination table and a couple of ladies talking. "Is there a doctor here?" One of the ladies replied, "Yes", and I explained what the situation was, half wondering if I was really talking to a doctor and if she was really a doctor would she be able to fix Sharon's face. So she threw a buch of stuff into a bag that looked like doctor things and off we went. She explained what the systemic response was and the treatment, and by the time we were at the Pharmacy, I knew that she knew what she was talking about, having had experience with this before myself. They don't keep the medicines they need to treat people in the offices where the patients are seen, so you have to buy the stuff at the pharmacy. The three vials of benadryl and three syringes were now in my hands and we were on our way back to the house. (These medicines are very inexpensive here. The total cost for the three sets, one for now and two for reserve, was just over three dollars.) Doctora Dora (that is her name) examined the patient, who was surprised by this unusual visit, and then gave her an intravenious injection of the benadryl. I took the woozy Sharon (mostly the effect of the injection which the doctor warned us about) into bed and took Doctora Dora home--or to work or wherever that was I found her.

Well, in order to try to get this out in time (with Emily sitting at my feet with a bleeding toe to tend to) I'll sign off and the rest of the family will try to get their journal entries out later today.

Sun, May 03, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
While Ron's week included more than yesterday and was pretty interesting even without those events, we decided since he already wrote this morning that he'd have to save his stuff for next week.

Sharon: Well, it is now Sunday afternoon, and with the exception of a few remaining hives I am back to normal. So much for a relaxing Saturday, which is what I'd planned it to be! I'd taken the medication Ron mentioned for a very stiff and sore neck I'd woken up with. Before I took it I had a little concern, not knowing exactly what it had in it. I know that I am very allergic to asprin, and that many of the anti-inflamitory pain medications have warnings for those who are asprin sensitive. I should have listened to that little voice! It was kind of scary--especially when I woke up from a Benadryl induced nap and saw myself in the mirror! AAAGGGHHH! (Ron's comment about "someone in a Sharon suit" refers to a scene from the movie "Men In Black"--if you've seen it, you'll appreciate the humor.) My lips, tongue and throat were very swollen, as well as the rest of my face...not a pretty sight! But thankfully my lungs were not affected, which was a big concern, because my first asthma attack occured as a result of taking asprin, and we are not too close to any emergency facilities here. Oh well, I'm fine now and the lesson is learned! But thank the Lord that some doctors still make house calls! The rest of my week was busy, but good. We finished the last study in Colossians at Bible Study Fellowship, and then had a luncheon at the teaching leader's home for the leadership team. It was a wonderful time, with some very godly women...many of which, unfortunatly, won't be back in September, due to other committments or to the fact that they'll be leaving the country. (That is one thing that will be tough here--the transience of many of the people here on business or with missions--they come and go every few years.) But I am excited about the team that will be coming in August, and look forward to the opportunity of working alongside them. My Spanish tutoring is going well. I'm enjoying the time, and believe I'll learn a lot. Nathan will begin meeting with Guido for an hour each day after my classes beginning tomorrow. He's doing well in his Spanish, but I think the extra help will take him a long way. Emily's getting hers firsthand from her new friends. She plays with them every day, and is the happiest I've seen her since we've been here. She's getting a view of life that is very different than what she's been accustomed to as well. These are poor country people, who cook out doors over a fire, and bathe in cold water outside their tiny home. But they are sweet girls, and have accepted Emily into the fold joyfully. So goes another week with the Stiff family in Ecuador! Please continue to pray that little Blanca will be able to join us when we come to the States. The red tape here is quite long and tangled, but as a friend said "God had big scissors!"

Nathan: Hi everybody! We had more rabies shots yesterday. I don't like them very much. We have to go and get one more in two weeks, and then we're done. The house is doing well. They're almost done with the roof. A shipment of roof tile is supposed to come today, but hey--we're in Ecuador! My dad kind of ran over a dog a few days ago. He was coming back from the property when he saw a dog in the middle of the road. He honked at the dog to get it off the road, but it wouldn't move. He was getting close, so he decided to stop. He hit the brakes, but this car brakes slowly. The tires started squeeling and he was still moving. He went over the top of the dog, and it rolled over under the car. My dad finally came to a complete stop, and the dog ran out from under the car. He wasn't hurt--probably just real shaken up. I'm going to start meeting with my mom's Spanish tutor on Monday. It's a three day a week thing, and I'm looking forward to it. It will be a good way to expand my vocabulary. Well, "that's all she wrote" for this wekk. Love and miss you all. Please pray that Blanca will be able to come to the States with us. Chao!

Emily: Hi everybody! How are you all? This week I played with my friends a lot. They have little puppies we play with sometimes. They're cute. My friends are pretty poor. Their house is very small--it's just a room. They don't have a stove or a refrigerator. They have a little T.V.. We've been playing outside their house, but just yesterday I went in their house because it was raining and they weren't allowed to get wet. We had our rabies shots yesterday. We just have one more to go. My hand is doing very well. I can't wait to go back to the States and see everybody. Please pray that we will find out about our tickets soon. Chao!

Sat, May 09, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Today we'll be broadcasting from the home of our friends the Moncayos. No, there is no grand event taking place there--just a telephone that works with a line to which I can attach our computer. For some reason our line is dead (yes, we paid the bill) and it won't be until next week before somebody can get out to repair it. So it's an hour long project or so to unhook the computer, haul it over to the Moncayos, and then hook it back up here again. Please continue to pray that all the paperwork will come together so that Blanca can come back with us when we visit the desert next month. I have hired our Spanish teacher to handle some administrative matters with an eye toward evaluating him for future use as project business administrator. Here it is critical to have somebody who is effective at problem solving working through the miriad of details that are necessary to continue moving forward with the project. I feel that I am good at this type of thing, but it is not the best use of my time. Therefore I am hopeful that Guido will prove himself capable. So far he's been doing tremendously well. ----- The building project is advancing. Our objective is to get the roof completed on the big house so that it is protected, and then to get moving on two or three of the "casitas" (the houses where the children will live with the Ecuadorian house parents who will be giving themselves to this ministry). Our hope is to begin two or three of these houses, with some teams coming from the States according to the stage of the building project and the particular discipline of the team. We'll have more information out about this in the near future, but what we see is the possiblity of teams according to the following: foundation and concrete, framing, plumbing and electrical and finishing detail. Our hope is for a week long committment from each, and a team large enough to complete each category within that week. I have my Ecuadorian team here who can prepare in advance for each team that comes and pick up any loose ends after a team is finished. Yes, this will be great for us to have the help, but it will also be a great adventure for those who participate. Again, more information on this will be out in the next few weeks.

Sharon: I admit it--I'm an e-mail junkie! We've been "off line" since Thursday, and I'm suffering withdrawls! I just hope the "next week" they promised on Friday will be early rather than later. It's a rainy afternoon (how unusual) in Ecuador. We have had a little sunshine the past couple of days, which I've really appreciated after weeks of almost none. But summer (they only have two seasons here--rainy and dry) is on it's way, so I guess I can hold out for my Vitamin D a little bit longer. Anyway, we'll be getting more than our share of sunshine when we get to the desert next month! It's been a good week--kind of busy with several trips into Quito. Tuesday I was invited to lunch at the home of a woman I met at B.S.F. the first session, with a group of four other ladies, all of whom are here because of their husbands work with oil companies. Then Thursday we had a surprise tea for Anne, our B.S.F. teaching leader, who is leaving the end of this month for her husband's new assignment in Mexico City (he's with the American Embassy). It was a really special time, as about 20 of us gathered to share and to pray with her. It's interesting, the common bond this group of women share. All of us have left somewhere to come here...pulled up roots, and said difficult goodbyes. Many of these ladies have done that many times, as their husbands move around the States and the world on business. For some it has become a lifestyle, and they've learned to adapt more easily I suppose. In thinking about these ladies, and wondering about what part they may play in my life this next year (or myself in theirs), I realize that whatever part it is it is temporary at best--a season of friendship. So what will I do with that knowledge? Will I invest only enough of myself so it won't hurt too much when the inevidable goodbyes must be said? Will I keep it light, friendly but casual, not letting anyone too close or not trying to know them too well? I don't think so. I think that I have been learning something in these days--these months--far from home, and far from friends. I have been learning it first about my relationship with the Lord. And that is that if I want to know Him--REALLY know Him, with the level of intimacy that is possible, it will require much of me in the way of time. As lonely as I have been for human friendship here at times, I have been coming to know my Lord in a whole new way, as He fills the lonely places in my heart with the best--Himself. Now that He is opening doors of friendship here on a human level, I must not allow the relationship that is blossoming with Him to suffer as a result of thinking these other friendships can take it's place. They cannot. But I CAN allow my relationship with Him to enrich those human friendships. I can allow Him to be Lord of and in my friendships with other women. I can allow our mutual relationship with Jesus to be the most important part of our friendships, and seek more than a good time or mere social interaction that has little real value, to see both them and me built up in our individual relationships with Him. The friendships that will bring the most joy are those in which Jesus is the center, and the most important thing we have in common, especially knowing that the time here in Ecuador will, for many, be a brief one and that goodbyes will have to be said. But we will be able to comfort one another with the knowledge that it isn't ever "goodbye" among the family of God, but only "I'll see you later". Life here at home has been a little less "exciting" this week. Thank you Lord! The kids are on the final stretch in school--only three weeks to go. Keeping them focused with our upcoming trip will probably be a challenge. Blanca is doing great. We made the decision to speak only in English to her, in an attempt to get her started talking more (more intelligibly). She seems to understand (when she WANTS to--she IS two!), and is beginning to say a few words that at least we can understand (water, thank you, please, NO!, etc.). We're also embarking on the great adventure known as "Potty Training", which we've had a measure of success with. Just as with my own two, consistancy will be the factor that will determine real success--sometimes (except when you have to change the really icky ones) diapers are just easier! We do ask you to continue to pray that we'll be able to bring her with us--you'll love her!

Nathan: Hi everybody! I had a kind of painful week. I sprained my ankle last Saturday while I was playing basketball in a park in Quito called La Carolina. I landed hard on another person's foot, and SNAP! My Spanish is going will with my new teacher, even though he gives me a lot of homework. My mom went out to several things for the Bible Study Fellowship. I'm really excited that she will be able to be a leader. My mom is gone again today with my dad. They went out on a date. I think that's good for them to get away from us sometimes. It's been cloudy this week, with almost no sun (except for today). I went out to the property yesterday. The house looks different every time I go out to see it. Please pray that my ankle will get better. Love you all, and can't wait to see you all again.

Emily: Hi everybody! How are you all doing? It's been raining a lot here, but today there's some sun. The clouds are already coming over though. I've been playing with my friends a lot. They have a dog that's named Porky. We play with him sometimes too. My hand is doing good. The best part of the week was that Marcella (the 12 year old sister) could play too. She usually can't play becasue she has to work all the time. We play outside. I'm doing good in school. I'm looking forward to going back to the States. Chao!

Sat, May 16, 1998
Dear Friends and Family:
Ron: It's been a long and exciting week. The big news is related to our effort to bring Blanca home with us when we visit in June. What makes the story "big" has to do with seeing God do the kinds of things that you know only He can do. As a whole, we knew that God would have to be part of this effort if it were to succeed, solely based on the number of complex steps that would have to be completed if Blanca were to be approved for the tirp. To start with, like a lot of poor Ecuadorian kids, Blanca was born somewhere other than in a hospital, and as a result had no birth certificate. The first step in the process of getting a visa is that you need a passport. To get a passport, you have to (for these purposes) have permission to leave the country. To get the permission to leave, you need a national identification card, which you can't have unless you have a birth certificate. Well, our process started with the birth certificate. We've hired an attorney wo used to work with a government organization that oversees the more important aspects of this process. We got the birth certificate, the national identification card, and the story I want to tell brings us up to where we were this week in pursuit of the permission to leave the country. There is a tribunal of judges under the above mentioned organization that are given full power in approving a variety of different types of requests made to them in behalf of children in this country. We were told that the way had been paved for us to pass through this part of the process without trouble, but we discovered that this was more the Ecuadorian style of optimism than of knowing for sure what the results would be given a certain effort. Wednesday, when we were at the tribunal, the attorney Marcelo told us that of the three judges one was flat out not approving this type of exit permission request(for foreigners who are not adoptive parents to leave the country with a child is a tough thing to get permission for in the first place). The second judge had been stung recently by having approved a similar request, with the result being that the child did not return. The third judge was out indefinitely, and the medical director was acting in his behalf. I couuld see on Marcelo's face that he didn't have the same salesman-like enthusiasm that he had earlier in the process. We knew that regardless of the general circumstances, we would be required to provide some sort of guarantee that ususally is in the form of a large ($really large$) deposit in a protected account--sort of a bond. With the purchase of the property, ther roof on the big house on the property, and all that we spent getting set up here, we knew that this wasn't going to be an option, unless our house sold in the meantime and we didn't think that was going to happen for at least a few more weeks. So, what to do? Marcelo suggested that wwe demonstrate our likelyhood of returning with Blanca by showing the public deed for the property that we pruchased. Sounded good, and it should be ready right, since the purchase was completed 10 weeks ago? NOT!!! Well yeah, they had it the next day after we told them what it waas we had a meeting for and how bad it could be if we didn't have it. Well that was Thursday. This was Wednesday, we didn't have it and we had a meeting scheduled at the tribunal at 3:00. I took a copy of the "promise to purchase" for the second of the two lots where the ministry work is located and for which money is already allocated but for which we are waiting for a subdivision to be completed separating the lot from a larger piece that isretained by the German man we bought the property from. This was not a public deed; only a certified agreement, but I was hoping that $30,000 fine for non-completion was sufficient to show the judge that we were permanantly in Ecuador. The scene at the tribunal was a lot like most goverment offices here; dark, dirty and very much in disrepair. As we entered the hall to the judge's office, we stopped to get paperwork prepared by the judge's secretary, a man in his early 40's who's main tool for work was a manual typewriter that looked like it was 30 years old. Using only his forefingers, for the next 15 minutes or so he plucked out whatever it was that we needed to go in to see the judge. We were ready to go, and in a rather informal way we rounded the corner to his office and walked up to his desk. (Sharon and I taked later about which movie character this guy reminded us of. We settled on a toss up between the street lord in "City of Joy" and Jabba the Hutt.) We walked up tho the judge, and Marcelo, in a very weak kneed approach, told him what we were wanting and gave him the basic paperwork that we needed. The response was very negative, with the judge more or less shaking his head and saying "even if approved, you would need a guarantee (the bond I mentioned earlier)". At that, Marcelo pulled out the "promise to purchase" and pointed to the map showing the section that we bought and the adjoining section that was subject to the promise to purchase. I chimed in, and pointed out that the map showed the existance of the purchased piece, and then I showed him the clause in the agreement for the $30,000 fine for non-completion. The judge sat forward, shook his head negatively and basically, in his own words, said "I don't think so." Just then, Sharon noticed something that was sitting on the judge's desk, and also on the secretary's desk, and she hurried to take hold of it and bring it over to show the judge. The people who sponsored our visas and who have the foundation where Blanca had been cared for before coming to us had calendars made, and apparently distributed them everywhere they went (we had seen several in various places since coming here). Not only does this calendar have the name of the foundation on it, but there, right in the middle, is a picture of Blanca. Sharon held this up in front of the judge and said "the picture of this girl on your desk is this girl (pointing to Blanca, who was in a pack on Ron's back) for whom we are asking permission to leave the country." And then I pointed out that the foundation is the name in our visas as the organization that sponsored our coming to Ecuador. Well at this, the judge sat back in his chair (probably the part that made me think he looked more like Jabba the Hutt) and said "yeah". Well, Marcelo's knees seemed to firm up, he got a big smile on his face, and I knew then that something substantial had just happened. Afterwards I told Marcelo, not having time yet to determine his religious persuasion, "Marcelo, I don't know if you have a belief in God, but by the time we're through you will know that He is real, and He cares about what we are doing here". Well, the rest of the week was full of interesting things, but there is only so much room and I have used three times more of it than I should have. Chao!

Sharon: What a week!!! What a God!!! Ron has already shared the big news for the week, so I won't repeat it. I will add though that when we heard about the fact that we had only one of three judges (and the luck of the draw so to speak as to which we'd get) who could possibly approve the permission for Blanca to leave, we stopped right there on the sidewalk in front of the tribunal and went to the One who holds all things in His hands in prayer. We knew that only He could do it--and that if it was His will, He could move the hardest heart. He can, and He did! It was amazing! When I saw the calendar sitting on the table, I knew it my heart that it was Him. I wish you all could have been there to see (and feel) God at work in that room! Besides that, and the neighbor's chicken somehow jumping? flying? over our fence to meet it's demise at the jaws of our dogs, and stabbing myself in the hand with a knife (guess it was my turn!--no stitches required though--just a puncture wound), having the power go out for eight hours today (just as I finished typing Ron's entry into the computer--I lost it too, and had to retype it!) it's been a quiet week. Ron has been very busy though, working long hours out at the property (even had to work today), trying to keep the guys on track. He's going to be ready for a vacation! We bought our tickets this week, and will fly into L.A. on Tuesday, June 2nd, at about 5:30 p.m.. Boy are we excited! By the way, if anyone knows where we could find a portacrib or playpen and a car seat to use for the three weeks we will be there in the desert, it would be greatly appreciated. We'll be there until the 23rd. Well, I want to get this "in the mail" before the power goes out again--one never knows! Pray for Ron this next couple of weeks, as he trys to wrap up the work on the roof and all the other things that need to be done before we leave. Pray that God will give him the strength (and rest) that he needs.

Nathan: Hi everyone! It's been a good week, with a few adventures to tell about. Wednesday morning I went outside, did my basketball practive, then came inside to take a shower. I heard my dad say "I think they've got a chicken (referring to the dogs)". I went out to see, and sure enough, there was Wrigley chomping down on a dead chicken. I had to go back there and get it from them, but every time I grabbed it by the leg, Rhino would chomp down and not let go. I finally succeeded in throwing it over the fence. (I won't go on describing how sick it was, though.) Also on Wednesday Fernando had his birthday. He chose to have a basketball gave with some of his friends. It was a lot of fun. Then we went over to his house to celebrate. Tonight we are going to take him and his family out to a Chinese restaraunt. Thursday we went to get our last rabies shot, but when we got there they told us that we weren't due for the shots until the next week (they'd written the date down wrong). That was okay with me thought, because it meant we could go get doughnuts sooner! My dad got a cellular phone last night. Fernando got it for him. I'm glad that he got one so that we can call him while he's out on the property. We are also going to have a B-B-Q with some people that we met at church. Please praay that we will be able to get Blanca's visa and passport soon. Love and miss everybody. Adios!

Emily: Hi everybody! How are you all? First of all, I read a book that has some things in it that reminds me of Ecuador and of my friends' house. It's called "Growing Up Where Jesus Lived". It reminds me of Ecuador and my friends' house for instance because the floor is the same as the floors back then. And here too are all the dogs that don't have owners that live on the streets of Ecuador. The houses in Bible times and their house only have one room. Their stove is just a stove top, and they have to wash their laundry and bathe outside. They go to the bathroom in an outhouse. They have one doll that they share. Monica and Mercedes share a bed. I feel a little sad when I see thier house, but they don't seem sad--they seem very greatful. They are Catholics and they have a lot of pictures of Jesus when he was a baby in their house. I'm going to get a pig, and so is my whole family. We're each going to get one--Blanca too! Blanca is doing really good here. We're probably going to be able to bring her to the States. I miss you all very much! Chao!

Fri, May 22, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Will the busy days never end? Looking at our calendar for our three weeks in California it appears that I may have to wait until we get back to Quito before we can get some rest. My friends used to think because I had a successful business and could still manage to be home every afternoon between 3:00 and 4:00 that I didn't have the workaholic tendencies that some of them struggled with. I think the reality is that anyone could find themselves out of balance in this area if they really love what they do. During the last two to three years in my business I think I was home early because there were a lot of other things I would rather do. When you like what you're doing for work or ministry it has to be a purposeful decision to order your time in a way that fits God's plan. If you want to maintain a close relationship with the Lord and if you are married, with your wife and kids, the Bible outlines concisely the priorities for living this way. Like just about everything else that is meaningful it comes down to making a decision as to whether to pay attention to that guidance or to ignore it in favor of whatever else is drawing your interest. Until lately I haven't really had a problem with this. However as I said above, there now appears no end in sight for the opportunity of busyness. My resolve has been to do the "next thing". Now I have to add to that the resolve to do it after the "best things".------------- For the time that we will be in the desert we will need transportation. The thought was that we would have to rent a car for that time. But I also thought that maybe one of you had an extra car that we could get around in. It doesn't have to be anything fancy.-------------Well, Sharon wrote before me, and I see that she has told you that we have had success with getting Blanca a visa to come home with us. I really can't wait to share her with you all. With her coming into our lives, not only have we had to make some big adjustments (kind of a test as to whether we really are called here for the purpose of discipling kids for Jesus Christ), but God has encouraged us with more than just a few miracles in relationship to this little girl.-----Please pray that we will be able to close things up here in advance of our plans to leave, and that we will find some much wanted rest (since our schedule will still be busy, I'm hoping that the saying "a change is as good as a rest" is a true one.) when we get to the desert. Chao!

Sharon: Greetings from sunny (well, it was sunny until the sun went down!) Ecuador. Summer is here! We have been enjoying PERFECT weather this past week, with no rain since last Sunday. We were ready for it! Being from Southern California all that rain was nice, but it got a little old after the first few weeks! The summer here, which will last until about September, is Ecuador's dry season. The temperatures are in the mid 70's to 80, with the bluest skies you could imagine. The mornings and nights are quite chilly though--kind of like being in the mountains, with a sky FULL of stars, especially here away from all the city lights. Last night we went out to the property for awhile and sat around a fire, enjoying a beautiful clear night. We'll be doing a lot of that this summer I hope. We'll pray for you desert folks, especially during July and August! Of course you could always come and visit us! But first, we're on our way there...all five of us! We applied for Blanca's visa today, and will pick it up on Tuesday, after which we'll pick up our tickets, and start packing! We are very excited about our trip, and very anxious to see everyone! It's been a busy week, with several trips into Quito (shots (rabies)-- now we can bite you and you won't get sick!, passports, visas, etc.), and some long days for Ron out at the property. He was out there till midnight last night, working on the wall we're building. He's gotten pretty involved in the construction process--no more pencil pusher's hands for him! Trying to get the roof finished before we leave has kept him busy. But we're making progress, and Lord willing it (the roof) will be done by the end of next week. After that, I think he's due for a break!------------ Thank you to all of you who responded with offers of carseats and cribs. What a blessing! Please pray that this next week will go smoothly, and that we'll be able to check everything off of our "to do" list with time to spare--the 2nd will be here before we know it!

Nathan: Hi everyone! The week has gone by fast, and I hope the next one will too. We only have five days of school left including today. We had the Behals (friends from church) over for a barbecue last Sunday. (We have a lot of B-B-Q's, don't we?) They're real nice people, and their daughter and my sister say that they're best friends. I think it's great that Emily is making so many friends. My ankle is practically all better. I still have a little pain though. I played a few games of basketball Wednesday night with Fernando, his son and their friends. They are going to play every Wednesday night, so that will be cool. We went and finished our rabies vaccinations yesterday. I'm glad they are over. We are going to Otavalo on Saturday to buy gifts for some people back home. The weather has been awesome this week. Nothing but blue sky. It's a nice change after El Nino, but I'm sure that we will want some rain after returning from the States. Pray that we will get Blanca's visa on Tuesday without any trouble. Love and miss you all! Hasta Luego.

Emily: Hello everyone! How are y'all? I'm doing juussst fine! Today I didn't have school, because I don't have enough work to do for all of the week. I'll only have four days next week too! I'm doing pretty good in school. I have a new friend named Julie. I met her at church, then they came over for a barbecue. Now we're best friends...that is here. My other friends and I play a lot still. We talk, play house, and play games. We had our last rabies shot yesterday. It hurt a little bit more this time. Then we went to a place called the "Donut Cafe". It was supposed to have a lot of flavors, but it didn't. I like "Dunkin Donuts" more. It's been VERY sunny here in Ecuador. I love it--before it was just rainy, rainy, rainy! Please pray that we can get everything for Blanca soon! Chao! Hasta Luego! Buenas noches!

Sat, May 30, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
This will be our last Weekly Journal Summary until we return from our trip to the States. The purpose of the journal is to keep you updated on what is going on with us here in Ecuador, and our time in the States will be a time of rest for us. Look for our next journal summary somewhere around the 26th of June.

Ron: Yesterday, at about three in the afternoon, we climbed down the ladders from on top of the roof of the big house with celebration, as we finished positioning the last of the big structural beams. The thought was to take the rest of the day and today if needed to put the "duelas" (the tongue and groove wood planks that make up the roof base and the ceiling in this exposed beam house). We did a count on the duelas and found that we were short. For just about half a second, I thought about arranging for the purchase of the pieces needed to finish, and then I thought to just cover the exposed areas with plastic sheeting until we get back in late June. I was pressing for having the entire roof completed, but it seemed at that moment right to just wait until we return, keeping today through Monday open to be with the family and prepare for our trip home. ------ As busy as I've been with the project, I needed to take an even more active roll this week because I had to let the construction team leader (the maestro) and one of my own employees go after they decided to go have lunch together, which turned into a drinking session that lasted for the rest of that day and all of the next. This was a real shock to me. First, that they would do such a thing, and second because I had just prayed for them that morning that God would allow me to have a good influence on them, hopefully leading them into a relationship with the Lord. Well, I thought, what kind of an answer to prayer was that? How can I influence someone if they're not around? Personally, I didn't want to fire them. They're good workers, and I really like them; maybe because they laugh at my jokes. This last week in my Bible study I was looking at the situation where God was described as "slow to anger" yet one who "will not leave the guilty unpunished". I thought about the meaning of the word "wrath" that was also in the context of this study, and I wondered what that really looked like from God's perspective. It's not that I think that God intends for us to see, in this life, all that is in His perspective, but I think He answered my wondering as I had to deal with these men. I had told them twice before that this part of their "social life" could not come in contact with our work at the property, or affect the development project in any way. I also told them that the result of their failure in this respect would end in the severing of their relationship work-wise with me. I wasn't angry. I really felt more sorry for them than anything. I also had a reason to be concerned about finishing the project, because five of the men in the work team were under the direction of Juan Carlos (the maestro and one of the men that I'm talking about). However, I had warned them, and everyone knew that I had warned them, and I also knew that if I didn't act on what I had said there would be repercussions of several kinds. First, the problem here in Ecuador (and elsewhere for that matter) is that the focus is to blame anything and anyone other than the one who's actions are the proximate cause of something bad that happens. There is no accountability. God's economy of things says that "a man reaps what he sows". We see the work of grace throughout the Bible, but that doesn't mean that this principle isn't at work all the time. I don't think God gets "spitting" and tantrum throwing mad when His kids don't act the way He would like them to. And, while the concept of grace seems to indicate that whatever the consequences are of God's anger and wrath, there is a measuring of a sort that takes place as God contemplates His response. There is a response that is always just right, and that to a limit is designed to restore and not just to punish the one who has done the wrong. I said that there appears to be a limit, because we have the examples of Sodom and Gomorrah and Nineveh. In the case of Juan Carlos and Juan Pedro I didn't know how the "restoring" and influencing for the cause of Jesus Christ would come into play. But I was sure that I needed to follow through on what I had promised and would have to trust God to take care of how things would go forward from here with regard to what I had prayed for these men just that morning as well as with the project. Secondly, the other guys were watching, and everything that happens in the area where we live is everyone else's business. So, I knew that to head off in the wrong direction on this issue would be hurtful to us in the future and that the right response would serve us well. Well, two days later Juan Carlos showed up to pick up some of his tools, and he happily declared that he'd found work for the meantime. When I let J.C. go, I told him that if he attended his Alcoholics Annonymous meetings and could bring me a letter to that effect when we got back from our trip to the States, that I would consider taking him back then. He told me that he knew that he was responsible for his situation, and that he'd already attended one of the A.A. meetings. He also expressed his appreciation that his men weren't without work, and that he was looking forward to my coming back and his returning to the project. In God's spiritual economy, everything adds up and "all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose".

Sharon: In 72 hours (almost exactly, God willing) we will be landing at LAX, eleven months and one day after taking off from there for Bogota Colombia. Eleven months--nearly a year. Wow! Is that ever hard to believe. In many respects that year has gone by quickly, perhaps because it has been such an incredibly full one. Last night we were visiting with the Moncayos, going over some things we need them to take care of while we are gone, and reflecting on the past year and all that it has held. Those of you who have been following us through this weekly update have kind of walked with us through it all. It's been an adventure, to say the least! All that has taken place; the miracles we've seen God accomplish as well as the trials we've struggled through have, I am sure, changed us forever. Some of the changes are visible. I have quite a few more gray hairs (which you won't see, because despite what the Bible says about gray hair being an honor and a sign of a righteous life I'm still not ready to surrender to it). Ron has a few more lines around his eyes and callouses on his once soft hands. Nate and Emily are a little taller and speaking very good Spanish for only having really started learning the language seven months ago when we arrived in Ecuador. Most visible will be the addition of little two year old Blanca, who came to live with us five months ago. (We got her visa and ticket yesterday, so she's ready to go!) But while perhaps not quite so evident to the eye, the biggest changes are those that have taken place inside of us--in who we are. We have learned (are learning) to know and depend God in ways we never experienced before, in our "normal" life back home. We have come face to face with the fact that we are NOT in control of things, and are very thankful to know that He is. We have learned the truth of the scripture "man makes his plans, but God directs His steps". We have learned that living one day at a time in dependence on Him is far better than trying to order and organize our lives to make them fit some idea we have of what makes for success, in life or ministry. There is much more, and perhaps we can share some of it with you when we're in the desert. But one thing that has NOT changed is our love for you. Though God has brought us here, and is creating for us a new life in this place that is so far from home, a part of us will always be there with you, the family and friends who have, through your prayers and letters, held us up and supported us through some of the tough times here, as well as rejoicing with us to see God's hand at work. And so now, just days before we see you face to face, I feel like a chapter is ending; the first chapter in this new life of faith that God has placed us in. Please, stay tuned...it's not over! We'll be back in three weeks!

Nate: Good afternoon, everybody. It's a cloudy afternoon here in Ecuador. We've had a few showers today and yesterday. It's kind of annoying after a week of beautiful days. We finished school today (Thursday) for the summer. I'm glad that is over. I am really looking forward to visiting all of you back in the desert. I hope the remaining days will go by fast. We went to the American Embassy to pick up Blanca's visa. I never want to get another visa again! It takes so long, and with all the lines and different places you have to go it is just too much. We were there for about two hours, doing nothing but waiting. But that's what we had to go through in order to get Blanca to come with us, so it was worth it. My sister was sick this week with a bad bug. She is pretty much over it, however. Please pray that we will not catch the bug, and that my sister will get fully beter. We went to the Behal's house for a B-B-Q last Sunday. I got to see their dog have one of the four puppies that she had. It was pretty cool. She is a German Shephard named Sadie. Some people that work at the Embassy came to the B-B-Q, and with them they brought...MOUNTAIN DEW!!! It's the first time I've had it in a year. They have three boys that are all close to my age. I'm kind of bummed though, because they are leaving for Mexico City, which is where their dad's next embassy stop will be. That's pretty much all that happened this week. Love and can't wait to visit you all back home.

Emily: Hello. My week has been pretty boring, so there haven't been a bunch of things happening in this very boring week. Why my week has been boring is because I am sick. First I came down with a sore throat, then came a snotty nose, then a stuffy nose. Pray that I'll be better before I go to the States. I did go to a barbecue on Sunday at the Behal's--my new friend Julie's house. We roasted marshmallows and ate hamburgers and hot dogs. I had a hamburger of course. We had a lot of fun. I haven't played with my other friends, 'cause I was sick all week, starting on Monday. Yesterday and today (Thursday) I've been doing school, and I finished it. In July I have to start up again, but not with everything--just math and reading--because when we have a vacation me and my brother's brains go dead! There wasn't a lot more about this week, so I'll have to sighn off now. I can't wait to see you all--three more days to go! Chao!

Sat, Jun 27, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Back in Ecuador, and is it time for taking a break? I think so, but as I wrote before, making it happen is a decision and not just waiting for a time to come along when there is nothing to do. Well, you'll have to keep me accountable because I didn't start very well. We got back Tuesday night, and by Friday I had run down all the materials that we were lacking in finishing the roof on the "big house" and we had equipment on the property to excavate pads for the two "casistas" that we are now ready to begin. I think the way that this (the break) will be accomplished is by keeping our construction team small (six men) so that the rate of progress will allow for time to rest a little and enjoy our visitors in the month of July. So much to do, and so much that I really enjoy doing that it's going to take some discipline to take a break during this time. ---- The refreshing that we received while in California came from those of you who we were able to get together with. It was a very encouraging experience, and in all respects affirming in the way we were admonished regarding the work that we are doing here. Next time we plan less business (I will try to handle that in a couple of separate trips during the year) and more time with all of you. It does take more effort than you can imagine to uproot even when you have tried to arrange a simple existance. I think I've concluded that the words "simple" and "existance" don't go together in modern Southern California society.---- We thank you all for your prayers, and the interest you've taken in our work here. We would never want to leave the impression that the support we feel is in relationship only to the gifts that we've received since coming to Ecuador, and in particular this trip home. However we feel that we were the beneficiaries of some sacrifice on the parts of some of you, and we want to acknowledge sincerely our gratitude in the way God has used you to meet some very specific needs of ours. We came in need of more than just material things, and those needs were met too. And again, thank you.--- Oh, did you see the article in the paper? We haven't seen it yet, but the "Sun" came and took our story and pictures. A couple of corrections; We are not yet ready to move to the project site--we are only, as I said, prepared to begin the two casitas (children's houses). Also the golf clubs in the picture did not come with us, but were waiting for a friend to come pick them up. It's not that it wouldn't be okay to play golf here, but I had just played that week and I'm convinced that I don't need the aggravation! If you're a golfer you'll know what I'm talking about!

Sharon: Well, we're home. We had a wonderful visit in the desert, though awfully busy. A vacation it was not! But a great time, and such a blessing to see those of you there who have been following our saga this past year. It was nice to be able to share with you in person all that God has been doing here in our little corner of Ecuador, as well as to hear how He is at work in your lives there. In our last journal (a month ago now), I wrote that I felt the first chapter in our story was coming to an end. Well, I suppose then that the new one now begins. And what a different beginning this one has! For me, it began by a real sense of "coming home" to Ecuador. We landed at Quito's airport and were greeted by friends joyful for our return. Walking into our house here in San Rafael had a feeling that for the first time I did not experience when we entered our house in Indio several weeks ago. While I felt like a visitor there, here I knew the sense of belonging. I went to the States expecting to have to go through the painful feeling of being uprooted all over again. But God had a surprise for me! He'd done a work in my heart that I didn't even know He was doing. I have a new friend here, who I've spoken of a couple of times. Her name is Pam Behal, and she and her family are here in Ecuador with Mission Aviation Fellowship. She told me before I left that she would be praying for me while I was in the States that I would have a wonderfully rich time there with friends and family, but that at the same time God would give me a sense of closure there, and a knowledge that when we came back here to Ecuador that we were coming home. God answered that prayer. I know that shouldn't surprise me, but it did. But it also blessed me to know that God loves me that much, both to give me a friend to pray that way for me, which I don't think I could have for myself, and also that He would answer that prayer so thoroughly. Well, home now includes a slightly larger family! For the next ten days I am the "mother" of three teenagers (including Nathan) as well as Emily and Blanca. PRAY FOR ME!!! Seriously, Betsy (a 16 year old girl with a heart for ministry from our home church in California )and A.J. (a friend of Nathan's from Bogota) are great kids, and I know we'll throughly enjoy them. I am really excited about having Betsy with us for the summer. I know God has great plans for this very special young lady, and I count it a privilege that God has given us the opportunity to participate in her life. Pray that God will bless her time here, and do the work in her life that He brought her to Ecuador for.

Betsy: Greetings in the name our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! (no, I'm not going to write another epistle =P) What a wonderful country Ecuador is. They say first impressions are the most important, and if a land could do so it made a great one. As we walked out of the airport terminal somewhere near eight people literally swarmed on us, and I don't think I've ever seen people get excited like these did. It was like a laugh that was spread out over 15 minutes. I tell you this though, these people have got the "greet each other with a holy kiss" down cold. It's quite an experience. This country is so beautiful, there is so much green and mountains. Not at all like the desert mountains though, more like grassy hills that decided to grow into enormous peaks. With all the grass though, there sure are a lot of animals. I'm almost used to waking up and seeing cows and horses walking down the road and grazing across the way. Chickens and dogs also just roam the streets, and hey, life goes on. The Stiff family is the best. I think if I wasn't with my family these people would be the closest thing to it. Ron and Sharon are like parents, and Nathan, Emily, and Blancita are like siblings. I have not truly understood yet why God has brought me here, but I know in His timing he will show it. I've really learned that our plans are not always his, because what I thought I would be doing isn't possible because of how the ministry is still being constructed. But I know God worked to bring me 7,000 miles, so what will be done, will be done. (and be His will done) Enough of my ramblings. Later!

Nathan: Hi everybody. I am now back in Ecuador after a nice trip to California. It felt the same as when I left except everybody was bigger than I was. Maybe it's the Ecuadorian milk? I had a great time seeing all the people that I have missed so much. The weather has been great here. A little break from the heat back home. The flight was a smooth one. The only problem was that two of are bags didn't arrive until the next night. We retrieved them and everthing was still in them undamaged. Betsy loves the weather, likes the people, and says she likes the family she's staying with which is a good thing. My fried A.J. from Bogota arrived this morning. He was a good friend in Bogota and it's good to see him. He will be here with us for ten days before heading back to Bogota. Love to all and a hug to my Great Grandma Cooper.

Emily: Hello everybody! How are y'all? Our trip to the desert was very fun. I wish I'd had more time with my friends there. It seemed like we were just there one day and then we were coming back to Ecuador. I was glad to be coming back though. I wanted to see my friends here. The Moncayos and some of their family picked us up at the airport. Seeing all my friends was fun. They gave me lots of presents, and I gave them some too. We played till the end of the day. I like having Betsy here. She's like a big sister to me. We made cookies together, and she taught me to make some bracelets. See ya later, alligators!

Fri, Jul 10, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Sorry to have missed last week. We had a VERY busy weekend, and weren't able to get the journal out. Thanks, those of you who wrote to say you missed it! That's always encouraging. We have some extra contributors this week, as we've got some visitors. Hope you enjoy hearing about things from a new perspective! Because of the extra entries this week Nate and Emily will save their contributions for the next edition.

Ron: Sorry we missed you last week. We've had visitors since we got back, and that on top of getting the project back on line has taken the time. It's great having the Finches here--it's always a treat to see this beautiful place that God has given to us through the eyes of those who visit. Speaking of "through the eyes of those who visit", it has been a real eye opener to have Betsy here. I am particularly good at projecting an image when I only have to work at it for a short period of time. However when a visitor is sharing your house in the same way as the rest of the family, you can only perform so long and the "real" is soon going to be seen. How I am in this situation as a husband and as a dad is not measured by how I feel about myself after a good performance in front of an outsider, but more by what is true regarding who I am. Having Betsy here, knowing what a bright young lady she is, and how observant she can be, I've been watching who I am through her eyes and have been challenged by the opportunities I see to be a better husband and dad. Well, how did I get into that? Maybe to say if you ever want to see yourself more clearly as you attempt to be more of what God would like you to be, invite a bright and observant outsider to come live with you for awhile!

Sharon: It is late Friday evening, and the Moncayos just left, having spent the evening with us, barbecuing and enjoying some time around the fire. It is raining again, and quite chilly outside. Guess El Nino still isn't finished with us! We've been having a great visit with the Finches, showing them some of our favorite spots, and introducing them to some of our friends here in Ecuador. Last night my friend Pam Behal and three of her daughters (she has four) came over for dinner (barbecue of course!). Her husband Brian who is a pilot with Mission Aviation Fellowship is in Haiti this week, so unfortunately he couldn't join us. (We (Pam and I) have also been getting together for the past two weeks to share and to pray for one another. We are discovering more and more that we share in common, which is exciting and encouraging.) Tomorrow the Finches and ourselves are headed to Otavalo, another of our favorite places to take visitors. Then Sunday we will take them to a church we visited last week for the first time. It is an Ecuadorian fellowship, with what appears to be solid teaching and some great worship. We hope to get Gwen out to the property on Monday so she can see what is happening out there, and to give her an up close look at the vision God has given us. We're enjoying Betsy a great deal. She's been staying busy with some new friends, but is really missing the ones at home as well. I certainly can understand that--I remember well those first months away from home. But I know too that being away can be a very good thing, as we learn to depend on the Lord more than people. I believe she will grow a great deal through this time, in ways she never expected. Pray for her, that she will remain encouraged, and faithful to the knowledge that God has indeed brought her here to Ecuador, and that He will be faithful to complete what He has begun.

Betsy: Wow, they weren't lying when whoever said that this has been a busy time. Many of the things we are doing are still new to me, such as shopping in streetmalls, like Wal-mart, Mervyns, and Circuit City all under tents along the road. Ron took Nathan, his friend A.J. and I on a tour-de-the city. One thing in particular sticks in my mind, it was a visit to a Catholic Church that was recently completed after 100 years of construction. I couldn't help but feel sad because so much effort went into the building of that place, and yet it is only a building of stone and brick. I have to say thank God the church is really people, the body of Christ, which gives more glory to God than a crumbling building. Amen? Amen.

Gwen: We arrived in Ecuador a day later than our plan but obviously it was God's plan. I am sure that many of you heard that my passport expired in September 1998 but Ecuador's "rule" is it must be valid for six months after entrance to the country so the airline company would not allow me on the plane. I tried to convince Ron to go on without me but he said "no way". We took a shuttle back to our car and off to the Federal Building in LA we went....by 2:00p.m., Tuesday afternoon I had my passport that is good until 2008. Sure hope Jesus comes before this passport expires. The trip was uneventful... Ron even met us at the airport on time and then we were warmly greeted with fresh baked banana and a fresh pot of coffee by our wonderful hostess Sharon. It has been great visting with the Stiff family and their Ecuador friends. And Betsy has added a special touch from home. I am looking forward to attending church on Sunday...I know I won't understand a thing but look forward to seeing the Ecuadorian believers worship our Lord and to study His precious Word... I am sure the fellowship will be sweet.---

Ron F: (That's because there is a Ron S.) Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We are having a wonderful time and enjoying the great company of the Stiff's and Betsy. I hope I do not repeat what Gwen has said so forgive me if I do and I will try to keep it short (sound impossible?) I have been with Ron to the property twice now and have had the opportunity to get my hands into the project a little bit. I helped Ron hang a shelf in the storage shed! I am amazed as I watch the crew work on the building. They are hard workers but beyond that they are skilled at getting to high places without hydraulic lifts or sturdy metal ladders (in fact, they are dare-devils in my opinion). For all those who helped send tools here to be used in the building project, I can say they are definitely being used and very much appreciated by the workers. I am interested in the small towns and how the people live. Reminds me some of India or even Mexico, but not as much poverty. Today (Tuesday) found us enjoying a beautiful hot-springs area which is 12,000 ft. high. The hot mineral water was enjoyed but the trout lunch really hit the spot (heart of this guy). It was GRRREEEAAAAT!! I told Ron that the only additional thing that could have been added was that I would have been the one who caught the trout! We are looking forward to Sunday and worship with Ecudorian Believers. Pray for us as we visit with various people. We do want to be a wonderful witness for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and display His presence in all that we say and do. We have found the Stiff's friends to be wonderful, delightful people. Juan Fernando will be returning to the States with Gwen and I, and I want to encourage all the teens to gear up to show him a wonderful, fun-filled, Christ-centered time. You will love this young man. A great example of a wonderful family. See you soon and blessings!

Sat, Jul 18, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: We got an offer on our house this week. It is within the acceptable range, and if the fine details are worked out we will have pulled up the last of our roots--at least materially. Please pray with us that God will have His way regarding this. Sharon and I know that we are where we should be. Still, it's hard to forget the blood, sweat and tears that went into putting this house together; from building it ourselves to remembering the events surrounding every big purchase as we attempted to make it into a home. We committed to buying only what we had cash to pay for, and for that reason we can remember every business project that led up to the things we bought. --- We've completed the floor plans on the casitas that we are about to begin construction on here. We are blessed to have an American engineer and contractor helping us. Judd Johnson has been building here for the past twelve years, and has learned to combine the best of the local building style with what he feels is necessary in terms of technique from the States. He has introduced several building technologies that are now being used as a standard in the better construction projects here. Judd wants to be helpful, and will act as an advisor as well as provide us with skilled supervision from his team as it is needed. Since we plan to keep the same plan for each of the casitas, after the first couple I'm confident that we (myself and my lead men on the project) will be able to duplicate the process having the experience with Judd's techniques on these first two.--- This afternoon while I was waiting for Nathan and Betsy to come out of the youth program at the church I had a nice chat with a nine year old Ecuadorian girl who was also waiting for someone. She told me about her family, and in the course of the conversation talked about her twelve year old sister who had been recently killed in a freak accident at home. It seems that they were working with some kind of electrical appliance near where there was some water. I thought, as we finished our conversation, how much I am looking forward to trading in the cement and steel for the opportunity to invest myself into the lives of these young people that God has brought us here to share our lives with. I'm enjoying the development and construction, as those who know me would be sure that I would, however I'm anxious to have the processes bring us to the point where we can start bringing children into the project.

Sharon: Having a little quiet right now, as Ron just left to take Nathan and Betsy to the youth group at the church we've been attending. We've really enjoyed it and are hopeful that at least for the time being we have found a "church home". I am particularly excited for Nathan to become involved, especially as he's suffering a little "friend withdrawal" right now, with A.J. having gone home to Bogota, and J. F. in the States for the summer. It seems a pretty solid group of kids, and a very warm and friendly atmosphere (he and Betsy were invited to go last Sunday). Anyway, Blanca is napping, and Emily is outside (as usual) playing with her friends. She is thrilled that they are now on vacation and will be more available. The Finches visit went very well I think. It was fun to share some of our new world with them. We look forward to the Sargents' (Ralph, Irene and Albert) arrival tomorrow night. It has been/is/will be a busy month for us, but we're really enjoying it. Pray that we will be gracious hosts, and that we'll be able to keep ourselves under the Spirit's control, not allowing tempers, busyness or fatigue to get the best of us. With the offer we've received on the house comes the knowledge that August may be a little crazy too, as if it does go into escrow Ron will have to travel back to the States to settle things there; selling furniture, packing up the remaining things we want to bring back to Ecuador, and doing some minor repairs at the house. When we received the news about the offer, I admit I shed a few tears--just another "letting go". But I know that it is the "next thing" in the process of moving us toward what God has called us here for, and I am thankful that the tears were quickly swallowed up in the excitement of what is to come. So, onward we go. Pray with us for God's perfect will in this, and that all will go smoothly.

Betsy: This week was one of a different stroke, because I spent it away from Quito, the Stiffs, and all else I've known since coming here. What? Well, from Tuesday to Friday, myself and a new friend and acquaintance, traveled to Rio Bamba to spend the few days helping out at an orphanage located there. This is a town a few hours away by bus, our means of transportation. What an experience that was. This orphanage is run by a Canadian family with ten of their own children, plus another twenty or so orphaned and abandoned children, all in one roof, can you imagine. The excitement level reminded me of my houses on days when all seven of my family plus half the neighorhood were home; I fit right in. =P Those were some busy days though. I and my friend, Ingrid, spent the days laying sod, scrubbing and scraping floors, and caring for the babies. The last was probably the most meaningful of the trip. With eight or so babies, four or so with either down syndrome or cerebral palsy, any extra love and attention they could receive was really good for them. And they were the sweetest children. I'm not one much for immediate bonding to babies and toddlers right off the bat, but these children grew on you, like you wouldn't believe. I kept thinking all the while of how Jesus called the children to Himself and of how Paul wrote that true religion is to care for orphans. I think sometimes I forget that ministry doesn't always have to be work; I knew as I held little Rosalia and made her laugh that Jesus was smiling at her too. These children are so precious to Him, but so cast down upon the earth, especially more here.

Nathan: Hi all. The Finches arrived in Quito last week. It was a good time. We went to Papallacta and Otavalo. I think they enjoyed the time spent here. They left last Tuesday with my friend J.F. He's in Indo and will be there for two months. I'm going to be so bored. Then Betsy took off to a town in the mountains called Riobamba. She went to an orphanage there and stayed for 3 days. She got to scrub floors and landscape. She seemed to have and really good time. I think that was a good experience for her. Me and Betsy are going to a youth group at a church called El Inca that we have been attending. I hope there will be some kids my age. We had a mouse living in our kitchen for a while while the Finches were here and some time before that also. It was frequently seen running behind the stove and we weren't fast enough to catch it. But the night before my friend J.F. left, his family and the Finches where over. Me and J saw the mouse run behind the stove. I ran over to see were he was, and he was behind the dryer. I told my dad and he went and got the B-B gun. As he was aiming Blanca said "Uh Oh." and everybody cracked up. Then PAP!! Dead mouse. That's all that has really been going on. Hugs all around.

Emily: Tuesday morning, dark and early my dad woke my brother up to go to the airport to see J. F. off, and Ron and Gwen. After that I went to sleep with my mom, because I was sleeping out in my brother's room. I've been changing rooms around a lot. This week I'm going to be sleeping on the couch! I enjoyed Ron and Gwen's visit a lot. Then I was SICK!!! I had a very sore throat, a cold and a fever. I think I got it from my friends. I'm better now. We had the Behal's over for the day (except for their dad--he was in Haiti), and they ended up staying for dinner. I had fun with Julie. Now that I'm better I've been playing with my friends. They are on vacation now--it just started yesterday. Good-bye, my friends!

Fri, Jul 24, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
As last weeks journal did, this week's contains some extra entries from our guests, Ralph and Irene Sargent. It has been our commitment to keep the journal as brief and as concise as to our experiences as possible. So if this is longer than usual, please keep in mind that we will try to give you as much information as possible without writing a novel. So indulge us just a little, as we allow our guests to share their impressions regarding their stay with us.

Sharon: As I write the rest of the family and guests are outside blowing things up! En serio! (seriously) The boys (young and old) bought some fireworks today, and have been shooting some of them off; scaring poor Blanca half to death, and nearly burning down a house up the hill from us. (Actually the rocket fell short of the house--but not by much!) Hopefully I'll be able to drag them away (one at a time) for their contributions! Our week with the Sargents is going well. We're having a great time showing them around "our" Ecuador, letting them experience a little of what we've come to love about this beautiful country. Today we drove to Papallacta, where all but Irene and I enjoyed the hot pools. After shivering outside in what was probably 45 degree weather I wished I'd decided to go in! Tomorrow we'll go to one of our favorite spots--Otavalo, the indian market where you can find just about anything in the way of the native arts and crafts. Monday we plan to drive to Riobamba to visit an orphanage there (the one Betsy helped at last week). We're keeping them busy, and I know they'll have lots of stories to tell when they go home. The sale of our house in Indio continues to look positive. Please pray, as we know that it is necessary for us to continue moving forward here.

Ron: Well, so that the journal is not so long that you won't want to read it, I will just keep my entry brief.--- We have been made very interested in the orphanage in Riobamba due to Betsy's stay there and how she was so impressed by what she saw and experienced. We will be visiting it ourselves this coming Monday to see first hand how this couple with ten kids of their own are managing to care for 20 more abandoned and orphaned children. What is clear is that when we have all of our paperwork completed and the first of the casitas built we will have absolutely no trouble finding what seems to be an endless supply of children who have no one caring for them. We are very excited about what we might learn from this trip.--- In terms of our effort, we broke ground this week on the construction of two new casitas at the project site. We are now doing the water control work and as soon as we feel we have the platforms protected we will start getting some walls up. We are planning some work groups to come here next summer (July and August) with the objective in mind of constructing the third and fourth casitas during this time. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN INFORMATION REGARDING HOW TO JOIN US AT THIS TIME TO BE A PART OF ONE OF THE TEAMS THAT WILL BE COMING, PLEASE GET BACK TO US EITHER BY E-MAIL OR CALLING DEE COOPER, OUR MINISTRY ADMINISTRATOR (760) 347-7442. THERE WILL BE WORK THAT ALL CAN DO, BOTH SKILLED IN CONSTRUCTION AS WELL AS UNSKILLED. SO, IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US, DON'T HESITATE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE.

Ralph: It has been a joy to be back in Ecuador, especially with my wife Irene and our youngest son Albert. It has been fun to watch their expressions as we have traveled. The opportunities abound here for ministry, spending time sharing with Fernando the things of the Lord and how great he is. We will be traveling on Monday to another orphanage about four hours from here, this is the same one that Betsy had spent some time at. Any way we are having a great time. Pray for us as our Lord reveals his will to us!!

Irene: Ecuador... cool cool Ecuador ...what can I say... It's a beautiful country. It will be hard to return to the desert heat. We arrived very late on Sunday, with no luggage until very late Tuesday night (Belk's you're not alone) :) and the plane experience for me was one I will never forget, as I told my sisters when we started to taxi out to the runway at LAX, I knew everyone had forgot about praying for me. I knew God was in control, but boy did I feel in faith was in my socks with my heart.. But by the time we landed in Houston and took off again I was a pro, no fear had a great dinner and good nap. God has done a wonderful work in my life and has brought me a long way, I could have never made this trip without HIM.. Those of you who have been here and know me, the driving in Ecuador is something else.. fast, fast, fast. We have had a wonderful time with Ron, Sharon and the family, they have been very gracious in taking us all around and showing us what God is and can do here. We did get a change to visit a orphanage here and it's hard to see all the children who have no family, very little ones up to teenagers, they were all very glad to see us and show us around, I have lots of pictures to share. Well everyone is waiting in line, so got to go, love to all, see you sometime late next week. We will be heading home Thur July 30th at 8:00am (6:00am your time) love to all.

Betsy: Well, this week has been busy, busy, busy. After a much delayed flight, (in which Sharon and I sat up till 12:30 waiting) the Sargents arrived, and I don't think we've stopped since. Nate, Albert, and I have been having lots of fun. We've spent a few days in Quito, gone to Papallacta, and I even tagged along for a skating expedition, that was interesting. Thursday Ralph, Irene, and I visited an orphanage in Quito. It was really neat, but mostly I enjoyed it because I got to play interpreter for the first time. I only made a fool out of myself once, so I guess that is a good score. Just a few minutes ago we tried to blow up the neighborhood with some fireworks. I think Ron needs to work on his aim. Sorry to ya, tree. Our attempt at sending a tissue hot air bull to the sky failed; that cow didn't jump over the moon. Tomorrow at Otavalo the action will not stop, I have a HUGE list of people to bring back something meaningful, yet not souvenirish, for. Is that possible? I hate playing tourist. A hug to everyone.

Nathan: Hi todos. We have had a rather nice and busy week. The Sargents arrived and we've been going none-stop since they've been here. We went to the skate park, we went to a movie, and we've been in and out of Quito all week. We went to Papallacta this morning and had a fun time there at the pools, and tonight we shot off some fireworks. Let me tell you a little bit about that. We got some fire works to show the Sargents, along with a tissue bull. You lit a little candle that was under the bull (but attached) and waited until the bull was filled with hot air. The candle thing was small so we decided to put a bunch of newspaper with gas on it on top of the candle. It filled fast with hot air and lifted out of our hands. When it was about ten to twelve feet off the ground it caught on fire and fell to the ground. Tomorrow we head to Otavalo. It's fun going there and seeing all the cool Ecuadorian stuff that's for sale. We will be going to the Behal's Sunday after church for a B-B-Q and on Monday my parents and the Sargents are off to Riobamba. I hope to spend some time there soon. God bless. Nate

Emily: Hello, everybody! This morning we went to Papallacta. We just got finished doing fireworks. And now we're roasting marshmallows and sittin' out by the fire. We bought a tissue paper bull and we shot it up into the air. It sort of died before it got too far up, but it was fun. My dad tried to do it with a garbage bag, but it melted. Anyway, we went to a park in Quito called Carolina yesterday. I've been playing with my friends a lot. Chao, amigos!

Sat, Aug 01, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Sharon and I are at this moment discussing whether or not the weekly summaries have been too long to make them as readable as possible for most of you on our mailing list. So I thought to ask you--what do you think? Please let us know if you have an opinion. We got real positive comments when we were back in the States this past June, but of course you're going to hear from those who have affirming comments more than negative. So let us know.----Tonight we are trying to figure out how we're going to sleep with one of the very loud "fiestas" going on at the house right behind us. We live in a nice development, but our property backs up to a neighborhood of what were probably "squatters". These people are our friends, and there children are the kids that Emily plays with every day. However they are distinct when it comes to parties! They usually save all year long and spend the full year's savings on just one of these events. They hire bands who bring in stacks of loudspeakers as tall as a house, and they pour every ounce of wattage into these until everyone is too drunk to continue the festivities. There is no refuge from the sound, so fortunately we've only had two or three here this close to us since we've been here. ---- The project is moving along, with the retention walls and rainwater control structures being completed. One of the highlights of the trip to and from the property is in the anticipation of encountering one of our neighbors walking the steep road on the way to the project. I have met almost all who live along the way, and they always seem to greet me warmly. Thursday on my way down from the project I came upon two ladies, whom I know well now, who were bringing down from the mountain very large gunny sacks of corn. Our property is at the base of a mountain that I estimate reaches 2,000 ft above the valley floor. These ladies have their fields near the top of this mountain. Last year I climbed to the top, and even though I'm a runner and was in good shape this climb got the best of me. But these ladies (one of them in her 60's) left at 4:30 that morning by the light of the moon and were now returning with these big bags weighing approximately 60-70 pounds (I know, because I loaded them in the back of the car and couldn't believe that these gals could even lift these things, much less bring them down from the top of the mountain). They run a long band of cloth around the bottom of the sack, and then the top of the band is positioned across their foreheads with the load supported there and on their backs. These are very hard working people, and they have my greatest respect as they use the available resources and the means necessary to take care of their families; some with three and four generations living under one roof. Please pray that we will continue to enjoy the friendship of these people and be able to bring something positive to them as we go forward.

Sharon: I'm typing in time to the Ecuadorian music that is so loud the house is practically vibrating. I will sleep tonight (I hope) with our "white noise" machine, ear plugs and still will be able to feel the music, even if I can block the sound. As Ron said, these people are hard workers, and when they "party" they do it with the same intensity! The kids are on the floor in the living room, as far as they can get from the music, as their rooms are backed right up to the yard where the party is taking place. I know two labradors who are going to give the expression "dog tired" a whole new meaning tomorrow--they've got no where to escape to! A little while ago a chicken from next door tried to escape the festivities by jumping the fence, but met with Rhino and Wrigley and decided to hustle back over and take his chances with the party, leaving only a few feathers behind (he had better luck than the last one).--- Our household population has decreased a little this week, as the Sargents left on Thursday morning and Betsy has gone to stay with the Moncayos for the week. As the people in the desert are enjoying Juan Fernando, his mom is missing him a lot. I think Betsy is filling a gap for them right now, and it will give her some good "cross cultural" experience. She said when they came by this evening for a while that she is getting A LOT of Spanish practice.---One of the highlights of our visit with the Sargents was a trip we took with them to visit the orphanage in Riobamba where Betsy spent some time a couple of weeks ago. What a place, and what a family. With ten children of their own, ranging from 2yrs. to 20, they have taken on an additional 20 orphaned and abandoned children, all living in a four bedroom house. Some people have asked us about where the kids for our work will come from. The Allens told us of their experience when they went to file for the papers that will make them a legal foundation. After receiving a long list of requirements, they prepared to leave, thinking it would be some time before they were able to take on any children. Before they got through the doors they were approached by a social worker with a baby in her arms asking them if they could please take her. By the end of they day they had two more. And they just keep on coming! Just after we took in Blanca we had her to the doctor for a bronchial infection. The doctor, a pediatritian who also works in a hospital in Quito, hearing what we were in the country to do, told us to let her know when we were ready, because there were abandoned babies in the hospital all the time. No, I don't believe that there will be any difficulty at all finding the children. Pray though that God will give us the resources--particularly in the way of people (houseparents and other workers) that will help us to care for them, and to make disciples for Jesus Christ.----Nathan and Emily are taking the week off--they'll write next time!

Sat, Aug 08, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: For the first time in what seems to be since we left California for South America 13 months ago, we are taking time this weekend as a family to do absolutely nothing. Well, we're playing some games and watching movies, but compared to the pace we've been at lately it feels like nothing, and I kind of like it. --- I think the big news of the week is in what Sharon has to say about their project in Atucucho, a small pueblo on the mountain above Quito. Still, there is other news. It looks as though our house has sold, with the escrow closing in approximately four weeks. I'll fly back to the desert on the 1st of September and be there until the 19th. We have our furnishings to sell and the business of tying up the sale that will keep me busy. We've brought a lot of stuff here; both ourselves and others who've come to visit. Still, we have the big things that we cannot bring to find homes for, and we will be sending out a list to everyone in hopes that some of you will want what we have need of selling. We will set these proceeds aside to furnish our home at the project site. We have some pretty nice things so keep your eyes open for a letter from us. --- We found another church that we really like. Best of all, it's here in the valley pretty much between the house we are now living in and the project site. This church expresses an interest in the type of work we are preparing for, and also in a ministry connection between the church here and those of you from back home who are interested in reaching out somewhere in Latin America. In every way we like what we've seen and heard, and now because of the great proximity we hope to put a lot of energy into developing relationships there. --- At the project we are grading the pad where the two casitas will be built and building retention walls and water containment. We're also working on a system for bringing more water to the site. The project site is at the top of the sector where it is located. Additionally, the change in elevation is somewhere between 500-700 ft.. The result is, as the water travels up to us, that we get the leftovers after everyone below fills their cisterns. The plan is to take the water from the street below us, which is on the other side of our neighbor, and put multiple large valves in along with a high pressure pump to send the water to the top of our property (along approximately 1,200 ft and up 150-200 ft). A project like this always has surprises. We trust God that if this is what He has led us to, for every surprise He will supply the solution. We are thankful that the prior owner has made the land ready for most of what we will want to do. He spent over $30,000 engineering the site out of the side of this mountain with it's moguls and canyons. The soil here has a component that the locals call CON-GA-WA. I needed a little leveling for the pad and I made a deal with a couple of guys with the municipality that were cleaning up some roads with a D-5 caterpillar bulldozer. They set the blade down on this hard soil and it just bounced on the surface. So, we had them fill the small amount that we needed on the low side and again were thankful for all the work that had been done to make this site perfect for our use. Well, for those of you who are thinking along with me, the German who sold me the property spent three months on a D-7 with a ripper in order to get the job done.

Sharon: After saying good-bye to our guests last week I was expecting to spend a quiet week at home playing "catch up". NOT! But the week I did have was far richer (and tiring!) than anything I could have thought to do myself. My friend Pam had been planning a Vacation Bible School type program in a neighborhood outside of Quito where she works in a clinic as a nurse on Fridays. Knowing she was short of help (she had just two of her daughters and a couple of other volunteers), I offered to do what I could to come alongside her. I really had no idea what to expect. I've worked in a number of V.B.S. and other children's' programs before, but nothing prepared me for what I found in the little pueblo of Atucucho. Traveling up winding narrow dirt roads we arrived outside the clinic/church. I didn't expect anything fancy, but the concrete and block structure of this part time medical facility took me by surprise; one room, with the examining area (a narrow cot, chair and old desk) divided from the rest of the room by a sheet suspended from a wire. We carted the benches stored in the clinic (used for church on Saturdays) up the hill to the sight of our planned V.B.S., a narrow dirt street and waited to see who would show up. We didn't have to wait long. By fours and fives they began to arrive, the children of this poor community. Most dirty, poorly dressed but with smiles that lit up your heart. By the end of the first morning there were about 75 of them. By the end of the week there were over 100. The program was simple--no bells and whistles--just a makeshift flannel graph, songs written on a write and wipe board, some simple crafts, tang and animal crackers. But we told them about the God who sent His only Son to show how much He loves them. I hope they saw some of that love in us. I hope some of the people (parents and neighbors) who lingered, listening and watching heard and saw the message as well. But looking back, I have mixed feelings about it all. Do I think it was a mistake to go? No. I would not trade the time there--the hugs, the joy on those dirty faces, the sound of their voices singing about God's faithfulness (Tu fidelidad es grande--a beautiful song) for anything. But another part of me aches, knowing that soon this week will be just a memory for them. The church has no pastor--just someone from another church who comes there on Saturdays, and the attendance is very small. I kept thinking of what it says in Matthew 9:36-39. "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.' " Pam wants to go back and to offer more than just her nursing care. But she can't do it alone. I don't know what part God would have me to play in that. I know my plate seems full already, with B.S.F. and home school and the development of our ministry to orphaned and abandoned children. But I can't forget those faces, hungry for love, hungry for hope. Pray that God will show me if I'm to play a part of the continuation of what was started there this past week. And if not, pray that He will send those who can.

Nate: Greetings from Ecuador. I've had a rather good week with my sister Blanca. My mom was helping her friend Pam Behal do a vacation bible school in Quito. My dad, as usual, was out at the property overseeing construction, and I was at home with Blanca. I got to get closer to her and she and I became good friends over the week. She got on my nerves sometimes as all toddlers have the gift to do. But she was a rather good girl (except for a couple poopy diapers). My mom had a good experience with the kids, even though it wore her out a little. My sister's birthday is coming up in a few weeks. She's real excited about that. That's about all that happened this week. It may not sound like a lot, but if you think about it, a thirteen year old taking care of a toddler for 8 hours a day for five days is a lot to me. God bless!

Emily: Hello everybody. It's been a looong week! The week started out with an earthquake. It was a rolling earthquake. This week I've been having to get up at 6:45 to get ready to go to the Vacation Bible School. I have to get up early to get ready to go on the Vingala, which is a bus. I had fun there. First we played games, then we sang, then we did the story and then crafts and then the snack. I wasn't in the V.B.S., I was helping with it. The times Julie came we stayed in the car some, but most of the time I was out. This was a different Bible school because we did it for poor kids. The most special one to me was one named Monica. There was something about her that was just special. One morning more than half of them were waiting for us when we got there. They did a water balloon toss the last day for one of the games, but the balloons wouldn't pop--they were too tough! But they had fun anyway. T.T.F.N.--tah tah for now!

Sat, Aug 15, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Sharon: We're a little short on contributors tonight, as Nathan and Betsy are in Riobamba and Emily is on her way to bed. She's been up a little too late the past two nights and is very sleepy. Me too! Nate and Betsy are helping out at the orphanage where Betsy worked a few weeks ago. They left on Wednesday and will be coming home tomorrow morning. They'll share their experiences in next weeks journal. For me it's been a good week--quiet, and much more relaxed than most lately. I've had a chance to play catch up on some things, as well as to begin planning our school year--we start in two weeks. I'm ready to get back to something of a routine, as I always am after vacation. One of the highlights of our week has been our involvement in the new church we're attending. We've been going there for a couple of weeks now, and we're really excited about it. On Monday, because it was a national holdiay (the day the new president took office), they had a gathering for soccer and volleyball. It was a lot of fun--Nate played some soccer, and I played at volleyball. Yes, I said "at"...it was pretty funny. There were six of us women "playing", using a nearly flat soccerball, a very high net (which they tend to use here) and very little talent. But we enjoyed ourselves. Then Thursday evening we had the pastor and his wife and kids over for dinner. It was a great evening--they are really special people. Last evening Ron and I went to a couples get together which they apparently have every two weeks. It was a great time of worship and teaching. The subject matter was relationships between husbands and wives. It was particularly exciting to me to hear an Ecuadorian man teaching very scriptural principles about fidelity and biblical relationships. In a culture where that is not necessarily the most common thing it is great to know that the power of the Word of God can penetrate a culture that often scorns such things as husbands being faithful to their wives. On Saturday afternoons they also gather for sports and fellowship. Today we took the Moncayos over to introduce them and show them the place where we are now worshiping. Fernando ended up playing soccer, and Delila and I visited with the pastor's wife and sister. Delila asked a lot of questions--I know what she saw there and what she's heard from us has made her very curious. Her contact with evangelical Christians has been pretty limited. Lately she's had more exposure, close up, as Betsy "lived" with them for about 10 days. The other night she described Betsy as very special--"a light" she said. I know that the light she saw in Betsy's life was Jesus. From what we have heard about what Juan Fernando is experiencing in his visit to our church in the desert He will be bringing that "light" home with him as well. That is very exciting to us, both for him and for what it will mean in his family. Pray that they will see it in him--and that they will desire it for themselves.

Ron: It's almost 9:30 p.m. as I start my entry. The air tonight is again alive with the sound of a fiesta going on behind us. These party times are as frequent as there are weddings, baptisms, first communions, etc.. Because this is the time of year when these type events are planned we are expecting a lot of the same in the coming weeks. --- This last week we sent out a letter regarding the furniture for sale from our house in California. The server at IBM was down for a few days and after it came up something wasn't quite right and you all got the gobbledegook result. We will redo the letter in a week or so. Dee (my secretary) is out of town until the 20th and won't be able to show the things until after that date. --- The project is advancing, however I am adjusting my expectations to fit the culture here. We are doing as much pre-planning and advance work as we can in an attempt to keep things from bogging down. Still, the pace is much slower than we had anticipated. Our hope was to have the first two casitas open and ready for children by the first of the year. It is now looking as if we will be ready for some of the finish work by the time some of the groups come next summer to help at the project. Next summer we are planning to start two more casitas and our hope is that we can accomodate several groups, including some of you, who will come to do a variety of projects related to finishing the first of the casitas and starting the new ones. This week I met with an architect and an American engineer who has been building here for 12 years. I've been running the project myself so far. While I was in school I worked in construction and I built our house in California 10 years ago. However while I feel I do a good job qualifying the work that's being done there are some disciplines like plumbing and electrical that we will need help with in this size of project. Marcos, the architect, is more like the general contractor is in the States. He can draw plans, but usually hires that work out. His value will be in bringing us the right people to do the technical things when they are needed, and he will also be able to help me with quality control. Marcos has agreed to allow me to continue to run the project and to act as a consultant only as he is needed. It is not easy to build here and reach U.S. specifications. Most of the stuff built here is not made to last. However we are committed to building something that will stand for 100 years or more and I am learning the patience that it is going to take to be as good of stewards with the resources God has given us as we possibly can. We need two more knowledgeable men for our team as we enter construction on the casitas. Please pray that God will send us just the right guys for the project.

Sun, Aug 23, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Sharon: It's a beautiful August afternoon. (Those of you in the desert can't even imagine such a thing!). We're getting ready for Emily's birthday party right now. She's eight years old today. Somehow this helps the fact that we've been here over a year to seem more real, as we celebrated her 7th birthday in Bogota, Colombia. What a lot God has done in this past year for my little girl. In in she's grown taller, lost some teeth, learned to speak Spanish, and made many new friends who speak no English at all!. I don't think I've ever seen her happier than she is now. It blesses me to the core every time I see her with her friends here, chattering away in her new language. She's already starting to correct her Mom! --- Betsy will leave very early tomorrow morning to return to the States. We'll miss her--she's been a tremendous blessing to our family, the Moncayos, and the family who run the orphanage in Riobamba. I know that because God brought her here for these two months that He has accomplished much in her young life (besides much improved Spanish!). I pray that she will be the first of many who make the trip down here in the summers to come to help us in our ministry as it progresses.--- Next week we start school. I was planning to start when Ron left for the States, but my kids actually asked to start early! How could I deny them that? Actually I'm ready to get back to a more normal routine. Almost three months of being without much of a schedule is more than enough for me. I'm looking forward to spending undistracted time with my kids, teaching them and just enjoying them. Blanca is doing great. Still chattering away in "Blancish", which we can only understand about 5% of. But she's growing taller, a little rounder, and funnier every day. Right now she's sitting in a box with some of her toys with a blanket over her head! She will turn 3 next Saturday, so we will be celebrating another birthday then. Well, I need to get some more things done before being "invaded by 6-8 little girls in just a couple of hours! We're also having a family we met at our new church over for dinner, so it's going to be a busy day!

Betsy: Well, it's been three weeks since I've "journeled," and sadly enough this is my last entry for tomorrow I'm hitching a plane ride to head back to the good ol' US of A. I have to say I have some mixed feelings about going. I'm happy to be going home, but I'm not happy to be leaving "home." I've discovered that a home is where you love and are loved, and I think that just about defines here. But then, I sort of consider myself as having two homes here in Ecuador: one with the Stiffs, and one with the Moncayos. My time I spent with the Moncayos, two weeks in all, I consider one of the highlights of my time in Ecuador. Besides showing me a bit of real Ecuadorian life, and taking off for five days at the beach, I discovered in them some true kindered spirits. It's not often I can meet some people and be so suddenly comfortable with them, but this is how it was with the Moncayos. Saying goodbye tonight was really difficult, like I was leaving my familly.--- Before I get too sentimental, let me chat a bit about Nate's and mine Riobamba trip. It went great. I was actually surprised we made it there, because he had never taken a long-distance bus before and I just the one time when I went to Riobamba before. So after wandering around the station, we found our ticket booth, and managed to board a bus headed in the right direction. This trip in Riobamba I didn't do as much caring for the babies as I did before, mostly because the permanent volunteer was back from her visa trouble in Canada. But I did do a lot of cleaning! For three days straight I scrubbed windows and cabinets, taking off quite a bit of skin in the process. That's one way to lose weight. =) Still, I think that I was able to minister to them just as much this trip as the last, and this is what I wanted to do. The children, especially the older ones, were happy we came too. After my said weeks with the Moncayos, I was secure enough in my Spanish to attempt conversation, and so I found out a little more about them. Nathan and I were even able to share a little bit of what God was doing in our lives on Sunday morning at their where-two-or-more-are-gathered in-my-name-I-am-with-them church. And I did it in Spanish! I was so proud. I'm praying that one day it will be in God's plan for me to return and minister for a more long term trip. --- To be honest, I'm trying to think of now something truly wise and outstanding to say to sum up two months in Ecuador. It's just not coming though. I guess that means I'm not wise or outstanding. Oh well. Really, I have to say I think I've changed since coming here. I feel older and more sure of myself. I think it's from having to stand on my own for so long without any of the "props" of family, church and friends who knew me so well I didn't have to know myself. But here I had to decide who I was, and in the process decide what about that needed to change, or what about me was a sign of the "old man" or just plain immaturity. I learned here as well a few things about God as well. He showed me that I can't rely on the works and fellowship I had in the States as a measuring stick as to how good of a Christian I am. I have to measure it by where my heart is before Him. Are the Ephesians 5 characteristics of the Spirit apparent? Singing, thankful, talking and thinking about God, having a spirit of submission? How when I pray, am I just talking or am I receiving answers? Do I really consider God my friend? Do I miss Him when I miss a daily time with Him? These things He has shown me. I learned that God will only come if you want him to, He will not press Himself on you. I guess it could be said that I learned a bit more about how to walk in a way pleasing to Him, and how to examine my heart more intently to see where I stand. Lastly, I know I formed some relationships here that are as valulable as their wieght in gold. I already mentioned the Moncayo family, and as well of course there are the Stiffs. Nathan and I have gotten to be very good friends, we have been playing around a lot. It actually works quite well, since he is the kind likes to have the attention, I'm always willing to watch a person who will perform for me. By the way, he cut his hair, it looks nice. Emily and I too are going to miss each other. The last two days I have been giving her cake baking lessons as we baked her birthday cake. And of course I'm going to miss little Blanquita Wawita, she and her funny things she does. Just tonight she climbed into my suitcase, tangeled and buckeled the straps around herself, then closed herself in it. Go figure. I think she'll miss too brushing my hair and how I would give her spoonfuls of my coffee every morning. Sharon and Ron have been great to me. I'm going to miss my teacup talks with Sharon, and watching Ron play with his laser at Pizza Hut. I never knew he was such a prankster. Yes sir, these have definetily been some impacting, changing, and wonderful months in Ecuador. I recommend to anyone who feels that God may be calling them to such an experience not to doubt it or consider it out of reach. He is more than able to provide, and the benefits are far reaching. I didn't know if I could handle two months away from my world, but I'm so glad I did because now my world is bigger.

Emily: Hello everybody! Today is my birthday! We are making face paints right now for my party. I've invited Julie, my friend that lives in Quito, Andrea and Joanna, my new friends from church, and Mercedes, Monica and Marcela, my neighbors (and maybe some of their cousins). I'm having a "Smiley Face" party. Me and Betsy are doing cakes and lots of stuff. Cristy Moncayo is going to help with the party too. The party is going to start at 3:00. It's 12:40 now. I'm really excited about it! Last night the Moncayo family came over and we celebrated my birthday with them. I like our new church a lot. My friends are really nice. Well, I've gotta go help! See you later! Bye!

Nate: Hi everyone. I am sitting at the computer typing my part with a totaly different haircut. It's really short and spikey. I really like it and it seems that everyone else does too. My sisters birthday party is today. Betsy is making the cake, I blew up balloons and hid clues for a treasure hunt, and Emily is bouncing around. I'm now going to tell you about Riobamba. Betsy and I got up last Wednesday packed our bags and got into the car for the start of our adventure to Riobamba. When we arrived in Quito, my dad said good bye and drove off to the property. We hailed a taxi, hopped in and told him "To the bus station!!!" It was a pretty long drive to the bus station but we got there. We arrived at the bus station, paid the driver and went off in search for a bus headed for Riobamba. Well we found one and boarded, and soon we were off. We arrived about 3 hours and 45 minutes later at Hotel Los Alamos and began walking towards the Allens house. Naomi, (one of their daughters) and greeted us with a "hello." The kids were getting ready for school and they were all outside so we got an opportunity to meet most of them. Then we went inside and met Ron and Glenda Allen. They're really nice people and welcomed us warmly. Then we walked of the the house were we were going to be sleeping. It's three storys tall and very skinny. After we got settled we walked back over to the house and started watching the babies. That night we played monopoly. The second day, Betsy cleaned windows, and I sawed wood for the fire with a dull saw. That night we watched Mr. Bean and then we hit the sack. The next day, Betsy scrubbed cupboards all day and I sawed and watched babies. I think that day we went to the store to get some stuff for the birthday parties that were going to take place the next day. That night we watched The Princess Bride. And every day we watched "Veggie Tales". The next day I scrubbed cupboards with Betsy and I helped with the babies while Betsy continued to scrub. Then the birthdays. It was fun watching the kids opening the presents. There were four kids that had a birthday that day. That night we watched Mister Magoo and then we went to our rooms to pack. The next day we gave testimonies about our lives, and said our good-byes. I want to go back again, and when God says go, I will go.

Sat, Aug 29, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: In between gathering information on whether my flight will be leaving in the morning (Sharon will tell the why of that below), I have been trying to tie things up at the project and prepare for another project that waits for me in California. I built our house almost 11 years ago from plans I drew myself. We put a lot of blood, sweat and love into that house, and it's going to be a mix of emotions as I take care of the details in closing out the escrow and selling the contents of the house. In my business I had an element of income that was steady, but it was the big projects that we furnished our house with. Sharon and I can walk around the house and point to an item of furniture or some other article and remember the name of the project that made the purchase possible. We were committed to buying without credit. We felt that if God wanted us to have something He was just as able to provide in advance for the thing as He was after the purchase. Sharon and I feel that having the freedom that came from that approach has a lot to do with why we had the liberty to do what we are now doing. Still, there is a part of us in all that I will be heading back to dispose of, and while I am excited about where we are heading it's hard not to think about where we have been as we put a for sale sign on what we've accumulated over the last 20 years. ---- There are a lot of things that we will be selling that I didn't put in our furniture letter, from camping gear to all types of household items, except for what we are going to bring back with us, it will all have to be sold. So, if you live in the desert and you'd like to come take a walk through the house and see if there's anything useful, give me a call at 347-0888. This is a number still at the house where I will be until the 15th. --- I'll be leaving the men at the project to work alone during these three weeks. Believe me, it's not too small a thing to ask you to pray that these guys will complete the tasks we have planned for them, and even more to do the work well. I have a good crew, but they show themselves to be a little lost from time to time when I can't be there to supervise them. So this is a serious request--please pray that my men will be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us during this time that I am gone. I'll see some of you when I get home. Oh, one last, and probably most important thing: please pray for my family. They're not used to me not being here. Pray also that they will be protected and kept busy with interesting things to do while I'm away.

Sharon: It's a busy Saturday afternoon, trying to get Ron ready to fly out tomorrow morning, if the runway has been cleared of the debris from the remains of the Cuban jet that crashed at the airport in Quito this morning. We haven't heard all the details of the crash, except that many were injured and some killed. It was a tragedy, in any case. But if planes are allowed to land tonight, Ron will be leaving tomorrow morning for his three week stay in California, selling off furniture, making repairs, and tying up the final paperwork on the sale of our house. The kids and I will be starting school Monday morning, which should help time go by a little faster.--- Today is Blanca's birthday. Right now she's sitting beside me in a little blue chair that is a part of the miniature patio table and chair set we got her for her birthday, "talking" on her toy phone. I have a feeling she'll be spending a lot of time at it (the table, not the phone!)--and for a LONG time, as little as she is. As much as I know she's grown since coming to us almost 8 months ago she's still a very tiny thing, smaller than any three year old I've ever seen! Poor thing had a rude beginning to her birthday, as Daddy had to lance her tiny little foot which has become infected. She stepped on something awhile back, and we haven't been able to get out whatever went in. Pray that Daddy's "surgery" this morning will have taken care of the problem, because the next step is a visit to the doctor, and I KNOW she wouldn't like that! It took Nate, Emily and I to hold her down for Daddy...she's 20 pounds of dynamite!---Last night Ron and I hosted the bi-monthly couples get together for our church. It was a wonderful time of worship and teaching, followed by food (naturally)! There were 26 people crowed into our living room, including Fernando and Dalila Moncayo. It was a neat opportunity for them to see and hear people expressing in their own language what the difference is between religion and a relationship with Jesus. Pray that it will have kindled the spark of interest we've seen growing in spiritual matters. Pray for Ron this week, as he handles the task of dismantling our home of 10 years, leaving it to someone else. And pray for the kids and I, as we handle things here in his absence.

Nate: Hi all. It's been a good week with not a lot of action. I went out with my dad Thursday and Friday. Thursday was a day spent at the property watching work being done. Friday was a trip to Quito where my dad took me to see Armageddon (good movie!!!) and then to lunch. Blanca is playing with her new birthday present as I'm writing this. It's a table with three chairs for her and her dolls. It's fun to watch her pretend to make food. My dad is leaving home tomorrow. All you folks in Indio better treat him good or I'll have ta whoop ya. I'm going to miss him but when he comes back it'll be him and J.F. Hugs to everyone.

Emily: It hasn't been a very exciting week this week, but I'll tell you all that was in it. I have been playing with my friends a lot. Yesterday me and Mercedes made hammocks out of sheets on our front porch. That was fun! Last night our church had a thing over at our house, so we had to stay in my brother's room and watch T.V.. Today is Blanca's birthday. We got her three chairs and a little table for her present. Tonight we're going over to Moncayos to celebrate Dalila's birthday (her real birthday is tomorrow). It's a SURPRISE!!! They're ready now, so I'd better sign off. Chow!

Sat, Sep 05, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Sharon: I'm writing Saturday morning from a beautiful but very lonely Ecuador. Ron left for California last Sunday, and will be there for two more weeks doing minor household repairs, closing escrow on our house and selling many of it's contents. Although I envy him his opportunity to see many of our friends and family members during this time, I do not envy him this task. I know that it has not been easy for him, as prepared as he thought that he was. But for me, I don't think I could have done it. As much as I know that God has done in me spiritually over this past year, allowing me to release the past to embrace His future for us, there is still a part of my heart that has yet to catch up with my spirit. To watch our home of the past ten years empty of its contents and become someone else's is not easy, even from this distance. To watch others bidding on what I know are just "things", but have been the accumulation of 20 years together would be more than I think I could handle. So while I miss Ron tremendously, I would not want to trade places with him.----Our week has been quiet. We started school on Monday, and that has gone fairly well. It is of course an adjustment, as brains which have relaxed over the past three months (the teacher's included!) have had to be turned back to the "think" mode. Blanca is still not used to the idea of staying with Mercedes, nor Mercedes of taking responsibility for Blanca during school time. But we'll all adjust, and a few weeks from now I'm sure the routine will be better established. Of course ever flexible, we're already going to be interrupted from our routine this next week, as Nathan will leave tomorrow for a youth retreat at the beach, about 8 hrs.. southwest of here. I'm excited for him, for several reasons. The poor kid has had a pretty boring summer with his friend Juan Fernando in the States. He's due for some fun. Also it'll be a great opportunity for language learning, as he'll be immersed in Spanish for the entire time. Thirdly, he will be able to develop some stronger friendships among the young people of the church. And last, but certainly not least will be the opportunity for spiritual growth. There is nothing like the concentrated time of camps and retreats for getting a hold of a heart, and for adding depth to what is already there. Pray for him this next week, would you? This afternoon we're planning to take the bus over to the church for the Saturday afternoon fellowship time, where the church gathers for sports, prayer, worship team practice and youth group. I'm ready to be around some big people for awhile! Speaking of which, Bible Study Fellowship is just around the corner. I will be going into Quito next Thursday for a workshop, then the study itself will begin the following week. Pray that God will enable me to juggle the balls of home school and the study. I know both are things He's called me to, and so He will enable. But new things always require adjustment, and His grace will be needed I am sure. Please pray for Ron this week, as he finishes up his work there at the house. And pray for his family here in Quito, as we "carry on" in his absence.

Emily: Hello everybody! We started school this week. I'm doing a lot more than I was in 2nd grade. I like doing school a lot. My favorite subjects are reading and math. It's been really lonely around here without my dad. I miss him a lot. My friends haven't been able to play this week because they've been sick, so I haven't been able to play a lot. Yesterday Christy came over to take care of me and Blanca while my mom was away registering Nathan for a camp he's going to with our church. Me and my brother have been sleeping in our living room a lot this week. Gotta go! See ya!

Nate: Hola familia y amigos. It's been a good week here in Ecuador, and I have some good news. I'm going to a church camp at the beach. I'm really excited about meeting more people and finally getting to go to the beach. My mom just left to go get me some dishes and bottled water. My dad left for the States last Sunday. The house is kind of empty without him. Dad, if your reading this, Hi. He will be coming back in two weeks with my friend J.F. Hopefully some of you in Indio have gotten a chance to meet him(J.F.) Later this afternoon my family and I are going to go to the church to play soccer, volleyball and other stuff. They have a gathering like this every Saturday. Love and miss you all.

Sat, Sep 12, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
This week's journal comes to you from two different continents. Ron's entry was sent to me e-mail from California, and the rest of the family is writing from Quito Ecuador.

Ron: I'm just about finished packing and cleaning after a busy week of selling the contents of our house and doing minor repairs. At the same time I felt the emotion of watching things we've bought over the years go out the door, I could sense the freedom Peter must have known when Jesus called him out of his boat and into a whole different life.--If you live in the desert and I haven't connected with you yet, hopefully I'll have an opportunity during this last week of my stay. I have seen some of you however, and I trust that those encounters, while not planned, had a purpose of God's in them. I have on my mind two friends who have been diagnosed with cancer. One of them, Pete, has a decision in front of him of whether or not to have surgery. The alternative is a radioactive seed implant. Surgery is a sure eradication of the cancer, but the side effects of the surgery are significant. For John, who has cancer in his lymph system, there is only one hope to be cured, and that is in the power of God alone. John is in Japan (a missionary there to the island people of that country). Could you please take a moment now and pray that God will give Pete the wisdom to decide which of the options is best for him and his family. For John, pray that his faith will be strengthened and his body healed.---Well, we sure have a lot of stuff that we want to take back to Ecuador. If we do it a little at a time , we can save on shipping and customs charges. So, I'm packing up large storage boxes that can be taken as are by those of you who will be coming to visit. --- If you're interested in coming to see us, we should have facilities ready by springtime. We are planning work crews throughout the months of July and August. If you have any interest please let us know what your thoughts are. Also, pray for Pastor Jonathan and his wife Teresa, pastors of the new church that Sharon and I are attending. We are planning a trip to Santiago, Chile in November for a pastors' conference. Jonathan likes our concept of providing young people with a way to experience the mission field, and he wants to make the church ministry available for outreach activities for those who would like that kind of experience. We see (Jonathan and I) a natural compliment with our ministry objectives among children and what Jonathan wants to accomplish through the church. The church is only five minutes from our project, and the church people have been expressing a genuine desire to be involved with the ministry among kids. So again, please pray that the experience in Chile will be positive and encouraging as we explore how to help one another in accomplishing what God has called us to.

Sharon: I am sitting here in a chilly Ecuador waiting for Nate to return from camp. It's been quiet around here without him! I am very excited to hear all about his week, and I know he'll be anxious to share it with you as well. He'll have to sit down and type up his entry as soon as he gets home! This week has passed much more quickly than last week, I am sure because it has been busier. I've had two trips into Quito, one for a surprise birthday lunch with a friend (though the surprise was on us--she didn't show up!), and the other for a workshop in preparation for BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) which begins next week. Both were enjoyable; opportunities to enjoy some grown up company! But the one which impacted me most was Thursday's meeting with the leadership team for the Bible Study. I was excited before, but now I'm jumping up and down inside! For the first time since their arrival in Ecuador just two weeks ago I was able to meet the team of people who have come to start the study here. My impressions go far beyond favorable, as I see the dedication and commitment of these people who have committed themselves to leaving behind hearth and home to come and minister here to us. The woman who will be the teaching leader, Dianne, is a widow of just under three years who has embarked on an adventure few women in her season of life would even consider. She's a wonderful lady, and I am very excited about sitting under her teaching. The others are terrific as well, and I feel blessed and privileged to have the opportunity of working with them. I have to confess, though, that when I learned about the group to which I've been assigned as "Discussion Leader" I experienced some (a lot of!) nervousness. The women who will be in my group are for the most part (8 out of 11) Ecuadorians, who speak English as a second language. They are also women who indicated little Bible knowledge on their registration cards. The reason this makes me nervous is that the study is pretty challenging, even for native English speakers. For those who are only learning the language, there will be additional challenges. But also, as a discussion leader in Bible Study Fellowship, my job will be to ask the questions (from the week's homework), and to keep moving through the material so we're able to cover it all in the time we are allotted. I am not able to contribute beyond that. If a woman has not done her homework, she is not allowed to share. That may seem kind of harsh, but really serves the purpose of creating accountability--the study accomplishes nothing if it isn't done! So what happens if the homework is too hard for some of the women, and no one has anything to say (or their insecurities born of not having done much study) keep them from sharing? SO PLEASE PRAY, BOTH FOR THESE LADIES AND FOR ME! I spoke to a number of them on the phone today, and they all sound wonderful. There will be opportunities to relate on a more personal level at monthly fellowships as well as in the study itself, so I am excited, and truly believe God has put this group together. But I know that I will have to rely on Him in a whole new way.--- Well, as Ron said, our house is just about empty. As I said last week, watching the things go out the door probably would have been too hard for me. But it's funny--now that I know it's happened, I am completely at peace about it. There is no regret. It has changed my perception a lot, this experience of letting go of the past. As I was looking around the house here in Ecuador the other day at all the things we've accumulated since coming here and I realized that none of it has me--that if we were to have to give it all up tomorrow I would do so in a heartbeat. "Things" will never have the same meaning to me again. --- One more prayer request. As Ron said, we are planning a trip to Santiago, Chile in November with our pastor and his wife. Some of the most important things we left behind in California are grandparents! We don't have the option here of packing the kids off to our folks for the week! Pray that somehow God will provide for care for our three kids, as we truly believe this is something we need (and want) to be able to attend.

Nathan: Hi! I'm TIRED! I have just come back from a long but very fun trip to the beach. Probably the most interesting parts of the trip were the buses. Well, we boarded fine at the bus station, threw our bags on, and got in. About two hours later nature kicked in and I had to use the bathroom. Luckily there was one in the bus, so I mosied on back there and tried to open the door. Adventure #1. It wouldn't open. We ppuulleedd, and ppuulleedd until finally we gave up. I walked to the front of the bus and asked one of the attendants to open the door for me, but they told me it wasn't locked. I told them I couldn't get it open. So finally an attendant walked to the back of the bus with me and smacked the door with his palm, and it flew open. So I was finally in the bathroom. I closed the door hard so it wouldn't open while I was in there, and when I was finished I went to open the door and, Adventure #2--NOOOO! I couldn't get it open! I stood in there for about a minute yanking on the door with all my might, until my buddy Marcos shoved it open from outside. I was free!!!---The beach....we arrived at 12:00 noon at Playas, unloaded our stuff and made ourselves comfortable in a neat little house. The accommodations were primitive. The first day we had water, then we had no water and had to get it out of a cistern that was just out the front door. We used that water to wash dishes and bathe. The beach itself was different. The only problem was there was a lot of trash, but the water was warm and the waves were nice. The days were warm with sunshine. The food we had was delicious--shrimp and fish, all different kinds of soups and drinks. The devotional time was a good experience, both for my Spanish and for my walk with God. We had group and individual devotions, and at various times we had games that applied to the message. Over all it was a great time. I got to know the youth at the church better and found out that one of them even speaks some English. I'm very glad to be home though--I have to say I'm a "mama's boy"! God bless!

Emily is pretty tired tonight--she stayed up till after midnight with Christy Moncayo while I (Sharon) went to the couple's get together at church, so she won't be writing this week. She'll "talk" to you next week!

Mon, Sep 28, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Before we start, let us say that we realize that there is a problem with our address list coming up before and after the journal. Now that Ron is back we'll be looking into solving that. We hope you are finding the entries in the meantime interesting enough to hang with us, if you have to print off two longs lists of addresses.

Ron: It's good to be home. For the last year, I would have to qualify what I meant by home. However during this last trip to California we closed a chapter there in the selling of our house. I want to thank all of you who gave of yourselves in helping me conclude this difficult business. Without the help of my mom and dad I never would have been able to get out from under all the work that needed to be done by the time escrow closed. Thanks, Mom and Dad! I'd planned to spend no more than half the time there working, and the other half seeing many of you. But we pulled the last things out of the garage and got them into storage the day before I left for the airport. If there was one regret it was that I didn't have time to visit. --- We are, as I know we've already written about, really enjoying the new church here. The people have warmly taken us in and we feel like we're part of the family. Our ministry is not just to orphaned and abandoned kids, but also in the things God puts in front of us. I've been praying for my employees at the project that the work there wouldn't be just like any other, but that God had them there for a special reason. Well, that's what Jonathan (the pastor of our new church) told these guys when he was out at the property during lunch time on Wednesday. Jonathan is starting a Bible study with these guys who have been around religion all of their lives and who claim to believe in God but know nothing of the Bible or have evidence of a relationship with Him. He told them that they weren't there by accident; that there are big crowds of people on the street corners in the morning looking for work. He asked them to consider why it is that they had the job security that they have at the project. Was it just luck? Jonathan told them to ask themselves if there might be a bigger purpose surrounding why they are there. He talked to them for about a half and hour in the way of introducing what we would be doing each Wednesday. I've never seen anyone so capture a group of people that were not looking to be captured. The next morning they told me that they are all looking forward to Jonathan returning next week. It's certainly not something that we had been definitely planning for, but I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't have a very strong beginning of a church right in our own neighborhood within the next year. The people here really want something beyond the weak religious tradition that they've grown up in. When the power of the gospel touches them they genuinely are no longer the same people. Now with a church who has a heart for reaching out with the gospel so close to the project, I am anxiously anticipating the good things that are certain to come.

Sharon: It's been a busy but great couple of weeks. Sorry about not sending out a journal last week; we were getting ready for Ron's homecoming, and catching up after he got here. We were sure glad to have him home (and still are!). Well, we are now without a home in the desert--feels kind of funny, but good at the same time knowing that we are now "free" of that kind of attachment. I'm glad that some of you were able to purchase some of our things, and now have little bits of "us" in your homes--hope they'll remind you to pray for us! I've been keeping busy this past couple of weeks with school and Bible Study Fellowship. Our schedule is kind of interesting, but is actually turning out to be a very good one. Since I have to go into town on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we do the bulk of our school work on the other three days of the week, just finishing up and doing corrections (the kids have independent assignments to complete while I'm gone) on the afternoons of Bible study days. I really find that I'm fresher and more eager to do school having had the time away with "big people"--especially when that is in the context of studying God's word and fellowshipping with others who love Him and are seeking to know Him better. As I mentioned in my last entry, I was a little nervous about the group that I'd been assigned to as discussion leader. As it turns out, I couldn't have hoped for a more wonderful group of ladies. Ten of the thirteen women in my group are from Latin American backgrounds; one from Mexico, one Colombian, and the others Ecuadorian. Many of them speak limited English, and most have never studied the Bible before. It is going to be so exciting to see what God does in their lives over the coming year. I feel so privileged to have a part to play in what He is going to do! The biggest challenge for me will be not to try to teach them, but to allow them to learn for themselves. The role of discussion leader in Bible Study Fellowship is more limited than what I've experienced in the past as a teacher--pray for me that God will help me to control my urge to answer the questions for them! --- Church is going great. This week Ron and I went to a "cell group" for the first time, which is a small group home Bible Study. It was wonderful, and we're anxious to go back. Then last night we went to the twice a month couples' get together, which is always a neat time. Last night the topic, which always centers on marriage and family, was communication between husbands and wives. It was interesting (and often funny) to hear that here in Ecuador couples struggle over the same things people do at home. Men and women are wired differently no matter what country they are from ! Each time we get together with the people in our new church we feel more a part, and more at home. God is so good!

Nate: Hi everyone! Just got back from youth group. I'm enjoying the time with my friends and the teaching. It is helping me to get closer to friends and God. I'm happy that we have finally found a church that we will stay in. My dad has returned and so has my bud J.F. It's good to see him, and the change in him. I really what to spend some time talking with him. My mom has started her Bible study again. She seems happy that she is doing it again. My parents are heading over to the Moncayos' house to have dinner with them. We get to stay and take care of Blanca. My grandma sent me this thing called a "Thinkling". It asks useless questions and gives you the answer. Here's a question for you: How long was the longest hiccup fit? I'll give you the answer next week. Time to sign off. GOD IS GOOD........................... ALL THE TIME.......................... Nate.

Emily: Hello everybody! How are y'all? Tomorrow my friends and I are going to do some dances and dramas for our parents. We are doing a drama in Sunday school that kind of gave me the idea. The one we're doing there is about the blind man who was asking Jesus to heal him. Sunday school is a lot of fun. We sometimes do races and things outside in the back yard (our church is in a big house) and do dances sometimes. There are more girls in my class, and more boys in my brother's. I've made two good friends there--Andrea and Johana. They are 7 and 8 years old, and in the third grade. I'm doing good in school. T.T.F.N. (Tah tah for now!)

Friday, October 02, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: The charcoal is getting ready on the barbecue for some "pinchos"--the Latin American equivalent to shish-kabobs. A distinct cultural difference between the Ecuadorians and Americans (or at least Californians) is that we like to do things outdoors, and they, for some reason, are more comfortable shut up inside the house--and I mean shut up-- with all the doors and windows closed. We set up to show them an American style barbecue with the table set up outside, which they seem to like okay as long as we can keep them warm enough after the sun goes down. Here, when it's 60 degrees, the Ecuadorians dress like Eskimos.--- There are several classes of people here, and each has it's own cultural distinctives. To do well is to be versatile and adjust when necessary. Near the project the people are more "campasino" (country folk). Our church, however, is made up of mostly professional people. The hard thing is to recognize how difficult it is for the different classes to be comfortable with each other. Therefore, when we do certain social things for our friends, we have to be careful about how we mix the company if we want all to be at ease. Making friends with the people who live near the project has been a lot of fun. But it also comes with a difficult side. We want to make an impact for Jesus in our neighborhood, and of course that starts with getting close enough to the people to make a difference. But once you cross a certain line of closeness you open yourself up for being asked for favors that are not always do-able. The problem is that it is easy to scorn these people if you can't come through on one of their requests. They all want to work for you, want you to allow their cows to eat your grass, grow stuff on your land, give them your firewood, and on it goes. Our German neighbor below solves this problem by not interacting at all with his neighbors. Well, that's not our style, and we trust that we'll find God's way of living for Him in front of them, and at the same time find a gracious way to say "no" when we can't do something for them.--- Jonathan was at the project again on Wednesday. He had the men read certain passages in the Bible--passages that spoke of God's calling on our lives and the effect of our answering that call. The men asked questions and Jonathan (me too) answered them by letting them hear what the Bible had to say about the subject. At the end of our time together, all but two of the men approached Jonathan, indicating that they were open to what God wanted for their lives and they also indicated a desire to follow Him. The other two watched with great interest the way that their buddies were responding. They wanted to make sure it was known that they weren't "checking out" on what was obviously going on. It's exciting to see God work this way and how hungry for God these men seem to be. In the coming weeks we will concentrate on sharing with them more of what the Bible says about pursuing God in the way that pleases Him best. The Bible talks about the different soils that the seed of the gospel falls on. Please pray with us that the soil of these men's hearts will be properly prepared for a fruitful harvest.

Sharon:. Just now, as I reflected on my week, I realized that in the telling of it it it could seem very similar to life at home. School, Bible studies, church, kids and their friends...just the "normal" activities of life. For some of you reading our journals it might seem that what we are experiencing here is not really much different than the life we lived back home in the States. In some respects that is true. But while much of it is the same in it's content, the actual experience is VERY different. Probably the biggest difference of course is the language, since we're living in a Spanish speaking country. Maybe that distinction, because it is assumed, fails to convey the significance of the difference to a family of North Americans, who've been raised in an English speaking country where everything is, in that respect, easily understood. Here, we go to a Spanish speaking church, so we hear the Bible taught and we worship in Spanish. Ron works with Spanish speaking employees, and so much of his day is spent with these guys. He has a whole vocabulary that is still foreign to me--construction terms don't have much meaning for me in English, but in Spanish I'm completely lost! Most of our friends are Spanish speakers, so when we have one of our barbecues, or when I'm sitting down chatting over coffee with a friend, it's usually in Spanish. Except at home and with BSF, all my personal contact is in Spanish (and as most of the ladies in my group are Spanish speakers, some of that contact is as well!) Besides that, there is the transportation. I don't drive here--Quito is pretty crazy, as those of you who have visited us here can attest to. Since Ron is usually gone during the day, that means I have to take the bus into the city on Bible Study days, or when I need to get into town for any other reason during the week. I walk to the bus stop, which is about 1/2 mile from here, early in the morning to catch the "Vingala", a great bus line that runs back and forth between the valley we live in and Quito. I can get there for about 40 cents American (2,400 sucres) in about 45 minutes. Once in town, I flag a taxi which takes me to wherever I am going--the church, the library, a friend's house. It made me really nervous at first, going into the city alone, but now I'm used to it, and actually enjoy it. There are other things that are a little harder to adjust to, but after a year we are getting used to it. We experienced one of them yesterday--a "paro". This is a city wide strike, where workers protest something they don't like that the government is doing. It's always planned, and one knows when it's going to happen, and when it will be over. But it's never convenient, as it pretty much shuts down the flow of traffic into and out of the city. Yesterday's Bible study was canceled because of it. This time the protest is over the recent decision of the new president to do away with the subsidizing of gas, propane, electricity and water. As a result, prices on some of these things has or will jump as much as 400%. That's a big increase for people who's salaries are not increasing to compensate. It was a necessary decision, as the country can't afford to continue these subsidies, but it has a lot of people, particularly the poorer element, up in arms. The people of Ecuador are very concerned about the future of their country. It is an interesting time to be here. This month they are planning to begin rationing electricity, so we are expecting to be without power for anywhere between 2-6 hours a day. The hydroelectric plant that generates energy here is in an area that has had very little rainfall this past year. Of course there is more--Ron and I went for a walk the other afternoon, and we were kind of laughing about the things we were seeing--very different from a stroll in the desert at home; cows, chickens, pigs, horses (and dodging the little piles they leave behind!). But I think what I wanted to do was to give you a little glimpse beyond what you may have perceived from journals past. The kids entries are always full of the fun stuff, which is real and wonderful. But they, like Ron and I, are getting used to a different kind of "normal".--- I'd like you all to be praying for the Moncayo's, Dalila in particular. She is asking more questions all the time about spiritual matters. Yesterday as we talked over coffee (in Spanish of course) she was commenting on all that she has seen God doing in and through our lives here. She said we were like ants; always busy; but not in a negative sense--she sees that things are happening that we could not accomplish on our own. I told her that we were just doing the "next thing"--seeing where God is at work, and joining Him. I sense that she desires to experience that kind of a relationship with Him, but that the tradition of her religious background makes her fearful of taking a step toward Him that she perceives as being away from what she has always believed to be true. Pray that she will know that God is calling her to Himself, and that she'll know the difference between religion and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Nate: Hi friends and family. I have been busy with Juan Fernando all week long. We've been going out skating a playing basketball like we used to. It's good to have him back with us. My boredom has ceased. I was over at his house all of Sunday catching up on what he did all of the two months he was in my home town. I'm really enjoying the youth group.Last week I really had to wrack my brain. The pastor asked 112 questions, fast and in Spanish. It was a personality test. It was cool but it kind of fried my brain. Hopefully Juan will be able to accompany me tomorrow when I go. The property is looking good. They got all the walls up around our house in a really short time. I think the workers have finally got the American construction method down. I think that it's great that the workers are receiving a Bible study. It will help them think before they do something that may not seem right. Pray that they will see the need for God in their lives. I gotta go finish my math. Love and God bless.

Emily: I've been playing with my friends a lot this week. Only I've been playing with them one at a time, because we've been having some problems. Sometimes we have trouble getting along when three of us are together because one always gets left out. We did a show for our pastor, his wife and some other friends last Sunday. They were here because we were having a barbecue. That was fun. We did a drama. Me and my friends from church are going to do a drama for our whole church this week. My Sunday school class is from age 6-12. We haven't had a lot of rain this week except for Monday. That was a really rainy and cold day, with hail and everything. There was a strike in Quito yesterday, and it's still like that today. A strike is a day of protest. They empty garbage on the streets and burn tires and sometimes people get hurt, so it's not a good time to go into the city. My dad moved my bed yesterday, and I moved some furniture. So now I have more room to play. Well, I'll have to sign off. Chao! Hasta luego! See you later!

Saturday, October 10, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: It's been an eventful week. Besides the kind of thing that Sharon writes about this week, which is really just a different kind of the same excitement that there always seems to be here (the volcano), we personally have a couple of interesting things to share. Sharon has written before last night's couples get together with the people in the new church that has been a real blessing to us. This was at the Moncayo's house, and Sharon goes into more detail in her part below. But what a sight it was to see what was going on, considering where it was taking place--a rich time of worship and study of the Bible in relationship to couples and the biblical solutions to conflict within a marriage. The Moncayo's have grown up in the religious tradition that is prevalent here in Latin America--Bible based, but where the Bible really is never taught. In II Timothy Paul says that it is these Holy Scriptures that are able to make one "wise" and which lead to salvation. Peter says in II Peter that the instruction of the Bible is "more certain" than his personal experience when he was on the mount of transfiguration and heard the audible voice of God there. All through the Bible the case is made as to why this inspiration in God's communication to people should never be confused with religion or tradition. The warning is that the results will be the failure to recognize God's full purpose in His relationship with mankind. Regarding religion and tradition, Paul wrote that there is "a form of godliness" but absent is the power that comes with accurate knowledge. Again, the scriptures make a case for themselves that this knowledge is only available through God's Word, the Bible. Well, it was all there last night--the Word of God, and the power of God. The sights of the setting however caught both mine and Sharon's eyes. Oh sure, we've been at the Moncayo's countless times, and it has been interesting to see all that makes up the decor of a home where the owners take great pride in sophistication and social image. But somehow the large painting of the nude beside the fireplace and the stylishly well stocked bar took on a different appearance as we lifted our voices in praise of the One that we were there to celebrate. It will be with pleasure and anticipation that we watch how God works in the lives of these "religious" people who want to know God, have thought perhaps they have known Him, and are now discovering that their pursuit of Him had more of a superstitious flavor than that of the relationship that the Bible says God is in pursuit of with those whom He is calling. --- Hey, we may have bought a car! I have been looking for a Nissan Sentra and we made an offer on one Thursday. Our Toyota Landcruiser has been very useful at the project, which makes it (Sharon, who is taking my dictation says "very dirty") not very useful for other purposes. It's aging, and needs attention from time to time. Besides having something clean and economical to get around in, it will keep us up and running when the Toyota goes down. The new cars here (which this Nissan is not--it's a '95) have the appearance of the cars back home, but to keep them from being priced out of the market, what is inside is what we had in the States maybe 20 years ago. Even the luxury cars are standard shift transmission type, and they make them with the minimum of sophistication--very few have power steering, brakes, windows, and all the stuff that pretty much comes standard in cars at home today. Still, this '95 simple version with about 28,000 miles will cost us $8,700. This is a good price, as the new ones are over $13,000. But keeping me from too much pride over my deal making, I'm reminded of what I sold our cars for before we left for South America. Do you think God involves Himself in affairs such as buying cars? I do, and if you agree with me please pray with us that God will be in charge of the process as we look toward closing the deal the beginning of next week. We want to trust Him in all things, and whether it's buying a car or looking to Him in the most simple of situations for guidance, we feel that He wants us to include Him in all the affairs of our lives.

Sharon: Just another week in Ecuador....sunny mornings, rainy afternoons, and volcanos preparing to erupt! Many of you have heard that Pichincha, one of several volcanos near Quito, is on the verge of eruption. At this point it is on "yellow alert", but the volcanologist are predicting that it will do it's thing (whatever that may be) within the month. The last activity from this particular volcano was over 300 years ago, but apparently it is on the same fault line as a number of other volcanos that have recently errupted in Central and South America. Guess it's just our turn! They are not expecting any major disaster, but the city of Quito is being prepared in much the same way as we Californians have been trained to prepare for earthquakes. The biggest concern will be the falling ash and possible mudslides, as the volcano is filled with water and the hills are already soft due to recent rains. For us here in Valle de los Chillos, outside of Quito, there is no danger at all. But since I have to go into the city twice a week for Bible Study, I'm packing a few necessities "just in case" it decides to blow while I'm in town. We have some friends in the city who have indicated that they'd like to head this way when and if the alert level changes to "orange", as the time till "red" can be very brief. I imagine many people will evacuate the city at this point, just because of the fear of the unknown. Don't have many folks around who remember the last one! Anyway, please pray for safety and sanity for all here in this area.--- Bible Study is going great. I am falling in love with the ladies God has put in my group. They are each very special, and I feel so privileged to have a part to play in their lives. Ron and I had the leadership team over for dinner last weekend. It's been really special getting to know them, and I wanted my husband to meet these people I've been talking about so much. I was VERY excited to learn this week that my mom will be attending a Bible Study Fellowship in California. Because of the way BSF functions, we will be studying the exact same thing each week. There are times when being so far away from my mom has been tough, so I feel very blessed that we will be able to share this in common. I think it will give us a great point of connection.--- We had a very special surprise last Sunday, when we called to invite Jota Moncayo to church. We found that his whole family had decided to go! (Some of you have written that you've been praying! We're seeing the results of that!) Since that time Ron has had an oportunity to talk more with Fernando, who is asking a lot of questions. He has indicated a desire to talk with Jonathan, our pastor. At the end of the service on Sunday we had a brief meeting with the couples of the church to determine where this week's get together would be, and guess what? The Moncayos volunteered their home! It is tonight, and in a little while I'm going over to help Dalila, who is very nervous, get ready. She's planning to serve "tamales", which are similar to the Mexican variety, but are cooked in large leafs from a plant that grown here. I haven't learned to make much of the local fare yet, so this will be fun. Please continue to pray for these very special friends, that God will continue to work that he has obviously begun in their lives.

Nate: Hi friends and family. I've had an overall good week. Not very exciting, but good. There are actually a couple exciting things happpening here though. For staters, a volcano is going to erupt in a couple weeks. It's not going to be a big toast-the-whole-country kind of eruption, but there could be some mud slides and falling ash. The second exciting thing is that the Moncayos' joined us at church last Sunday. Even their nephew Pablo, an 18 year old, accompanied us at church. Pablo even came to youth group. J.F seemed to really enjoy youth group and I think he is looking forward to going tomorrow. My sister and I decided to go and do something yesterday that we had never done before. We slid down a big grass hill on skateboards. It was just like snowboarding except, no snow. Well gotta sign off to eat breakfast.

Emily: Hi everybody! How are you all? My week's been sort of exciting. 1. The volcano Pichincha is going to errupt. It is on "yellow" now, and when it turns to "orange", the Behals (some friends from Quito) are going to stay with us for awhile. That will be fun! And when it turns to "red" it will EXPLODE! That's scary! 2. Me and my friends have been playing a lot. 3. I sort of am sick. It started with a sore throat, then a runny nose. 4. Yesterday me and my brother went sliding down grass hills on his skateboard. We're going to do that right after I'm done with this. That is REALLY FUN!!! Gotta sign off! Chao!

Sat, Oct 17, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Sharon: It's been a week. Not a bad week at all, just an "interesting" one, with the normal activities punctuated here and there with some events that were not quite ordinary. Some of them were humorous. The other night when we were lying in bed reading, Ron said he saw something running across the floor--a mouse maybe (or a very large bug!). Wonderful! I decided right then I was not getting up in the middle of the night for anything or anyone. The next evening when the kids were watching television they saw the mouse (I say THE mouse, because I was not ready to accept the possibility that there was more than one) running across the living room and behind the couch. They called for Ron, who went to the rescue, not with a mouse trap--no, too conventional. "Bwana", the great white hunter, stalked, encountered, and conquered the two inch long rodent with his b-b gun, shooting him then carrying his little corpse outside by the tail. My hero! And then last evening, as we were relaxing together in the living room, I saw--ANOTHER MOUSE! He ran across the wood floor, into the dining room. Once again, the hunter grabbed his weapon, and the chase was on. This time the mouse escaped, running outside under the kitchen door (where he probably came in in the first place). I think it's time to put some new weather stripping on the bottom of that door!---Saturday mornings are usually the only time we eat breakfast together as a family (including Dad). This morning Ron had gone out to the property to do his morning walk, and was late returning. The french toast and sausages were done, and I was a little miffed, because there was no way of keeping it warm. Our electricity had gone out about 6:00 a.m., I assume due to the rationing I mentioned a couple weeks ago. Anyway, I was telling the kids that he'd better have a really good excuse (I won't tell you what I said that could be), when Nate heard a car outside. He looked out the window, and there was Ron being delivered by some neighbors. He came in and said that the drive line had fallen off the Toyota! I forgave him, deciding that qualified as a legitimate excuse! He's with a mechanic right now getting it fixed. --- I got an e-mail from my mom last evening letting me know that my dad had been admitted to the hospital for tests after he had an extreme episode of P.A.T. (rapid heart beat). She said he is stable, and seems fine, but my daughter's heart sure feels the miles between us right now. Please pray that he'll be okay and released quickly. --- Continue to pray for the Moncayos as well. Right now they are at the church, attending the Saturday afternoon sport and fellowship time. It's been exciting to watch what God is doing in drawing this precious family to Himself.

Ron: I'm writing after reading Sharon's entry. It is true--the drive line fell off the Land Cruiser, and into the street! Some of you might think that it was prophetic, and others that I cursed myself, when I wrote last week that one of the reasons that we were looking for another car was that the Toyota is a work vehicle and takes a lot of punishment and needs attention from time to time. Yep, we bought the car. And it was very handy in chasing down the parts and getting someone to the Land Cruiser to fix it. Well, neither prophetic nor a curse that I brought on myself, but just recognizing that all but one thing in the universe is in a constant state of deterioration. The Bible suggests this all started in the beginning when Adam and Eve made some decisions that affect us to this day. Our bodies, possessions, and even our family relationships, are affected by the same spiritual principle (that is without attention, our relationships with our spouses and kids don't improve by themselves). There is only one thing that runs contrary to this law of deterioration, and it is available to all who put their trust in Jesus Christ. For those who love God and are pursuing Him intensely, the Bible says that though they are still living (in their spiritual nature) in houses made of clay and subject to deterioration, what is inside those houses is being renewed and made better daily, until perfection is reached on that day that we will be with Him where He is. The effect of what is renewing on the inside of this house is able to influence how the outer house will be affected by the deterioration process. The Bible says that the "fruit of the Spirit", which is the outworking of this renewing process spoken of above, will have the character of "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness..." and other like qualities. These things are good for our physical bodies and emotional makeup, say scientists and psychologists, and you don't have to be a P.H.D. to know that in a marriage relationship and in dealing with your kids these attributes will go a long way in making a house a refuge amidst a sometimes unfriendly world. No, I'm not a prophet, nor under any more of a curse than the rest of you. Stuff breaks, and part of surviving in our new environment is trying to figure out how to keep moving forward in a place where characteristically stuff breaks more and is harder to fix than it is back home.

Nathan: What a good night I've had!!!!! Youth group was awesome tonight. We studied about being filled with the Holy Spirit. I felt something different tonight. It was a good feeling, and I felt full. We also have got a new addition to the family. A new red Nissan!! It's nice to have a family car instead of the work car\tank to go to places in. Last Saturday I went with the Moncayo family to a village near a mountain called Ilinisas. It was called Cuturibi. (I think that's how you spell it.) We visited some friends the Moncayo's had made in their journey there. They are poor farmers and shepherds, but they have an awesome work place and a super view. We spent the day there, and then we had my favorite Ecuadorian meal... Guinea Pig!!! (its not my favorite favorite, but it is good.) We've had a few mouse dilemmas this week, but now they're all in mousy heaven. My dad is a pretty good shot with a b-b gun, especially when the mouse is under the couch. I kind of feel sorry for them, though. They're just living like they know how to live and then.....PAP!!! It's all over. It's getting late and I am about to fall asleep on the keyboard. This is Nathan Stiff, signing off.

Emily: Hello everybody! It all started with our new "Ex Saloon" (our new car--in the States it's a Nissan Sentra). It's red--VERY RED, and it has an alarm. It's a very loud alarm. The car runs very smoothly. It's our nice car--the other one is a work car for my dad. Last night I went with my dad to pick up some pizza. It was WONDERFUL (the car, not the pizza). It was my first time in it. The work car is too bumpy. The other night there was a mouse in our house, and Mr. Daddy sir killed it with a b-b gun. And so now, bye bye mouse! I've been playing with Mercedes, my friend, this week. Today we went to church and I played with my other friends, Andrea, Rebecca, and Anita Belin. We played and rode bikes. That was fun. Well, I've gotta go now! See ya later!

Sat, Oct 31, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Some have written, wondering why we haven't said more lately about the progress at the project. In reality, progress has been very good. We have completed, except for some cosmetic components, the walls and retention walls (for water control). The retention walls were finished just in time. We've had some incredible rain and hail these last few days. Without this work being done, anything that we would attempt would be full of mud. When the water control work is done well, the rain is welcome, and we really enjoy it a lot. The reason, however, that we haven't said more is that we are presently developing a web site for the ministry. In the web site there are numerous links that describe in text and in picture what we are attempting to accomplish here. We tell about the work that has been done and give our projections for the work to be accomplished in the near future. As soon as the web site project is completed, we will provide a link to the site through our weekly journal so that you can all see exactly what we've been up to here. From our declaration of purpose to current weather in Quito, we will have it all for you at your fingertips. We'll even have a link that can be accessed weekly to see pictures and text relating to current happenings that we think are extraordinary or interesting. MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING HOW YOU CAN SHARE WITH US IN SUPPORTING THIS MINISTRY. I HAVE BEEN ASKING YOU TO BE PATIENT AND THAT WE WERE PRAYING ABOUT HOW TO GO FORWARD IN THIS WAY SO AS TO BEST HONOR THE LORD. IN THE WEB SITE IS A LINK TITLED "SUPPORT". HERE WE DESCRIBE OUR ATTITUDE ON THIS SUBJECT, AND WE HAVE OUTLINED WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND WHAT RESOURCES WE PRESENTLY HAVE TO MEET THEM, AS WELL AS WHAT IS CURRENTLY STILL NEEDED AFTER CONSIDERING THOSE RESOURCES. --- If you've been following past journals, you know that we've been having a Bible study on Wednesdays with 10-12 men who work at the project. Last week we brought Bibles for all the men, and challenged them to memorize the order of the books of the New Testament so that as we studied they could more easily find their way around. I was so proud of them. All of them but one (whom I found out later could not read) recited perfectly the New Testament order. Not only was I proud, but you could see the pride in them as well. One of the men told me today that he has been so excited about the study that his wife has been reading his Bible and they have been talking about what they've been learning. --- Along with the wet season starting is the season to plant by those who's only form of irrigation is the rain. Some of our employees have cleared some very good land at the project and have begun to plant potatoes, onions, and a very strange variety of corn (kernels as big as marbles). I thought I would try some Southern California growing technology that I learned from my farmer buddies and clients, and that is to cover furrows with black plastic to attract and hold the heat and protect from the force of the rain and hail (which was so intense yesterday that the temporary plastic roof over the workshop looked like someone hand emptied a whole box of shotgun shells into it.). We planted some seed that I brought from home for "real" corn and some of the mutated stuff that they plant. Right next to this we planted the traditional way so that we could see what the advantage of the plastic is. If they could learn how to extend their harvest season, it could be a real advantage to those who could afford to invest in the plastic. We'll keep you posted on the project.

Sharon: Sorry for the lapse last week. We keep saying that we're going to get the journal out on Fridays, because if we wait until Saturday we find our time consumed--guess that's what happened last week! I shared a couple weeks ago that my dad had gone into the hospital with some trouble with his heart. He's fine now--thanks for your prayers! It's tough being away when something like that happens, but I know that because of the people who were praying for him here in Ecuador, as well as those who receive the journal summary that he was thoroughly covered!---A few weeks ago on my bus ride into Quito I met a young Ecuadorian woman who is studying English. She lives in the valley here near us. We talked all the way into town, and at the end of the ride I gave her my phone number and offered my help if she ever felt she wanted some practice or extra tutoring in English. She called me last week, and we arranged for her to come over this past Monday. She brought a friend, a girl who is studying with her in the city. I had a great time, chatting with them in a mixture of English and Spanish, and we have decided to meet weekly on Monday afternoons. I am excited about this, because I felt from the time I first met Alexandra that God had something in mind there--that the meeting was not "coincidence". I feel that even more strongly now, and am really excited that she has brought Lorena along with her. Please pray that I will be able to develop a relationship with these two young ladies (21 and 22 years of age), and that I will be able to do more than tutor them in English--that I will be able to share Jesus with them.---The Bible study is going wonderfully. God has been working in my own life through it, and I have seen Him at work also in the ladies in my group. There is one in particular that came to know the Lord a number of years ago, but has drifted away. God is really drawing her back to Himself, and I feel so blessed to be able to play a part in that, through praying for her and sharing with her. I think one of the most exciting things that I've seen lately, are all the opportunities God is giving us to minister in the lives of people right where we are now. Me in my Bible study, with Dalila, and now with these young ladies. Ron with the workers out at the project site. Yes, God has called us here to minister to orphaned and abandoned children. But while we are in the process of seeing that ministry become a reality, we are not left entirely in a "hold" pattern. He has allowed us to be involved in what He is doing right here, right now, in the lives of the people we see every day. His call to us--to all believers--is to see where He is at work, and to join Him. We are all sent. We are all missionaries.

Nate: Hello from rainy Ecuador. I have never seen so much rain in my life. Every afternoon in starts to sprinkle, then......Boom! The sound of thunder fills the air and it starts to pour down in buckets full. But, I guess I'll have to get used to it because it's like this at this time of year. School has been going good this week. My algebra problems just keep getting harder and harder. The Moncayo's came over for a B-B-Q last night. It was a good time. It was kind of like a farewell B-B-Q because Fernando left for San Francisco this morning to go a conference on a computerized human resources program called "People Soft". Pray for my friend J.F. He will be going to a kind of Juvenile Hall every Thursday. Pray for courage and strength for him as he walks in and sees the need for God in the lives of the teenagers in there. He's doing this for a school project, but I think it will be a great chance to witness to the prisoners. Love and blessings to all.

Emily: Hello, friends and family. This afternoon we went to Quito as a family. We had lunch and went shopping. I spent some of my birthday money. I bought some shoes, perfume, and some candy. That was lots of fun. The weather has been wet! I wrote a poem about it for school, and this is what it is:

Sat, Nov 14, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: As we were planning, we made our trip to Chile last week. As we flew at 30,000 feet, it was striking to see the mountains almost reaching up and touching us where we were. Not all of South America is green and tropical. As we flew across Chile, the landscape reminded me of what it looks like flying between Los Angeles and Houston, particularly the mountainous parts of the Sonora Desert. As we flew into Santiago, it looked just like we were coming into Phoenix. My stereotypical thinking of Latin America will forever be changed by the sights and sounds we experienced there. Santiago appeared to me like a combination of Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, and Auckland, New Zealand, all rolled into one; respectively, the grand old architecture, the park like and cosmopolitan appearance, and cleanliness were characteristics that I really had trouble seeing in a Spanish speaking environment. The Spanish had, to me, an accent at times that sounded French, and at other times Italian, but at all times, the people talked as though they had a big wad of cotton in their mouths. After landing in Santiago and spending a little time there, we headed off to Vina del Mar, where the conference was being held. We did some sightseeing along the coast, and found the land and seascape much like that of the rugged coast of northern California (complete with seals). Chile was interesting, but Sharon and I were both more than happy to be heading back home to Ecuador. As the travel books will tell you, Ecuador is not exceeded anywhere in the world in terms of the beauty of its landscape and the variety of its types. Even more missed was the warm culture of the Ecuadorian people. If you come visit and meet someone for the first time, you will be greeted with a warm embrace and a kiss on the cheek, making you feel immediately like you are "one of the family". --- We enjoyed tremendously our time with Jonathan and Teresa. There is no doubt in our minds that these people are servants of God of the first order, and Sharon and I are enjoying as much watching God forge out His plans in their lives as we are watching Him work in our own. I think what was most impressive to me was observing the depth of wisdom which has come from experience, yet in one so young (not yet 34). Having been raised in the home of a pastor who had (at the time) the largest church in Quito, with all the challenges that come along with such responsibilities, by observation you can tell that Jonathan learned a lot from just living this experience. Then at only age 27, starting a brand new work which less than 5 years later had more than 3,500 people in it, gave Jonathan an opportunity to practice what he'd been exposed to growing up. (Jonathan was part of a pastoral team in this church, leading worship and the youth ministry in the coastal city of Guyaquil before sensing God's calling to Quito (actually the valley communities just outside of Quito) ). Add to the experience the commitment to complete both Bible college and seminary with a very well respected school, you can expect to see the fruits of what God is going to do in the life of this man and his ministry as we report to you from time to time. We are, of course, called to Ecuador to make disciples for Jesus among the orphaned and abandoned children of this land, but no ministry of this type can expect to be effective standing on its own, without the support of and involvement in the local church ministry. We are excited that God has crossed our paths with this vision filled couple who are now our pastors in our "home away from home".

Sharon: As I write, it's beginning to rain outside. Probably before too much longer it will be raining in here too, as we have a number of leaks in our roof and the rain can come down in absolute sheets. But the hills are certainly showing the benefits of all this moisture, as they have turned a beautiful shade of green once again. --- As Ron shared, he and I spent last week in Santiago, Chile. It was very interesting--nothing like I would have expected in a Latin American country. Very impressive, actually--much more like I'd expect Europe to look. Chile is a much more economically stable country, and much more sophisticated than the other countries of Latin America that we have visited.. One thing that struck me as we looked around in the hundreds of stores that surrounded the hotel was the quantity and variety of THINGS to be found there. Everything one could find back home was there, though at a higher price. It made me think though, that although here in Ecuador we are much more limited in what is available, we do have everything we need. We may not have all the kinds and brands and colors and styles to choose from (I think there is only one brand of small electrical appliances sold in the entire country!) but sometimes too much is just that...too much. The number of people on the streets, even late at night, was also a surprise. I've never been to New York City, but I imagine it must be a lot like that. If anything, though interesting, it was a little overwhelming, and I was glad to get back home to Ecuador. Though it was a wonderful time getting to know Jonathan and Teresa better, and great to have some uninterrupted time with Ron, there is only one think I'll miss about Chile--they know how to eat ice cream! In Ecuador, when you order ice cream you get a little tiny scoop about the size of a ping pong ball. They look startled when you ask for a double! In Chile, there are ice cream shops on every corner (and some in between), and everywhere you look people are eating it! And the size of the scoops is more like a baseball! But it's left it's mark--the Chilean people are a little rounder than the Ecuadorians (and I think I was too, when I got home!).

Nate: What a week!!!! I was staying at the Moncayo's for 7 full days while my parents went to a pastors conference in Santiago, Chile. It was a packed week and it was lots of fun. We went to the zoo, which was awesome. They had lions, tigers, and bears...Oh My. They also had huge tortoises, condors, pumas, wolfs, jaguars, eagles, and a whole bunch more animals that I can't remember. Then we did a tradition Ecuadorian thing called the Colada Morada. The kids and the adults make little people out of home made bread, and the adults make a special fruit cocktail drink that is serve hot with the bread that we make. It was really good, but I think I ate enough of that bread to last me till next year. Fernado Moncayo had to miss out on it because he was in San Fransisco. He came Sunday night, at about 12:30. Now I'm back in my casa and every thing is back to normal again. Like a whole bunch more school work. Love and prayers to all you readers. God bless.

Emily: Hello everybody. How are you all? I'm fine. Last week I stayed with the Moncayos for the whole week while my parents went to Chile. We went to the zoo, and we saw lots of animals. The monkeys were the funniest. First of all, the little monkeys were getting more of the attention, so the Spider Monkey was trying to show off. One of the little monkeys wanted a piece of plant that was outside his cage, so Nathan helped him. --- We made some bread that was called something like this--"wa-wa's" de pan. "Wa wa" means baby in Quichua, and "pan" means bread. We had to make it into shapes with our hands. It tasted mas o menos (so-so). Mas menos que mas (more less than more). But it was fun. I'm very glad that we're home now. Good bye!

Wednesday, November 18, 1998
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and we have more than we can recount to be thankful for as we think back over the approximately one year that we have been here in Ecuador. We've received a lot, but we never want to be so distracted on the "getting" side of things that we forget that God sent us here to pour His blessings through us to those whom He has brought across our paths.

Meet Michelle and Humberto. They are building (or rather their parents are building) a house near our property. Michelle and I (Ron) have become good friends over the last few months. When a family decides that they want to build a house, they don't save up and do it all at once. They literally do it one brick at a time, and sometimes it never gets finished. The most critical part of the construction of the house is to get the exterior walls up, and then to tie them together by pouring the concrete columns. Otherwise the walls usually end up falling down. Thankful for how how God has sent those alongside of us as a blessing, we wanted to share a little of what we have received with our neighbors. It won't always be in this form, but we want to make part of our ministry here that of sharing with those who God has settled us in the midst of.

In this case, we sent a crew of men over to Michelle's house where they errected the walls and prepared them for the concrete columns. We got a lot done in the two days that we were at work there, and while we are not at all wanting to buy an interest in our friendship or the gospel, the result is certainly that we do have friends, and I think hearts open to hear the message regarding a wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ.

Saturday, November 28, 1998
The casitas (little houses) are on their way up. As you can see, we have started the foundation work. This site consistes of two casitas, connected in duplex fashion in order to get them both on the pad. From the outside it will appear as one large house. Each of the casitas have three bedrooms, each with its own bath. They will each have their own kitchen and living room area.

Our approach is to build a quality facility that will last for years. The style of the house will be brick, with wood columns and beams in order to maintain the Swiss/German architecture that was invisioned by the property's previous owner. Accompanying are some photos of the site, and maybe, if it scans well, a floorplan of the casita prototype which we will use throughout the project, with the only changes being the external design and elevation.

To see more about the project or participate in the development of the facility, please click here: Project Status

Sat, Nov 28, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: Ole'! It's "Quito Days", starting today and ending next Sunday. I'm not sure we're all up to speed on the roots and significance of this festive time, but it appears to be Quito's version of Mardi Gras, complete with bull fights. So, we went to our first--and probably, most likely, maybe definitely--last bullfight. We were invited by a very enthusiastic Moncayo family. This year some of Spain's very best would be there, and this, above all else, would be the time to take in the spectacle. Well I grew up hunting, and some of the associated aspects of the experience I handled fine, but Sharon and Emily didn't do so well. When the bull went down, Emily burst into tears, and we counted the event as having fulfilled our covenant to take in and participate as much as we are able in the culture here. Nate and I stayed with the Moncayos through the rest of the events, but I sent Sharon and Emily off to lunch together and to grab a bus home. While I was contemplating Emily's reaction, I couldn't help but notice how the other (Ecuadorian) children were responding to the same experience. With great energy, they were whistling and chanting, and entering in with enthusiasm to this event, the very same that left Emily repulsed and in tears. Then it occurred to me that there is a lesson in life that is a lot like this as it relates to the kinds of things that we allow our kids to be exposed to as they grow up. As parents, we struggle a lot with all the pressure to let our kids watch movies, listen to music, and hang out with friends that they probably ought not to. "This is real life" some parents say, "and it's dangerous to be so protective because one day they are going to be out from under our wings, and then what?" I thought, as I continued to contemplate this, "No, I want my kids to have the same kind of response that Emily did to what she witnessed today when there comes the time that something approaches them that beckons them contrary to the virtues that we want them (and that we think that God also wants them) to value." There is a lot out there that is dangerous to the spiritual health of our children. If they can grow up knowing what "healthy" looks and feels like, when they encounter that which leads to death (spiritually speaking) I believe their response will much more likely be a type of that which I saw in Emily today, and not at all like that that I saw in the children that grew up in this experience. --- Have you visited our web site yet? Some with A.O.L. have written that their system wouldn't enter the site just by clicking on the address. Some entered the address directly through their internet access. Here's the address again, if you haven't seen it. Click here http://www.itsaboutkids.org or enter this address, or just itsaboutkids.org where you gain internet access, and then let us know what you think. For those of you who have been in to see, thank you for the great comments that you have sent. We believe that most of you are enjoying staying in touch with what is going on here, and the interactive components of this site will help paint the picture even more clearly. For those of you with "JUNO" who cannot access the site, we will attempt to send to you the text from the site so that you can hear about what everyone else is able to see. Also, for those of you who receive this by mail, we will try to get you something in color that shows you what's at the web site. If you have JUNO, and want the full color version, please send us your mailing address and we'll get the full color version out to you.

Sharon: What a week! The past seven days have been full of "events", the first of which was the second birthday that I've "celebrated" in Ecuador. I say "celebrated" because I'm not sure the word is appropriate anymore! Tolerated might be a better one! However I "tolerated" it much more easily this year than last, when being away from home was still very difficult for me. Thanksgiving this year was also a big improvement over our first in Ecuador, when the four of us (b.b..--before Blanca) spent a rainy evening eating dinner in an italian restaurant here in town. This year we feasted (glutted?) at a table filled with friends, truly thankful for what God has done for and in us in the past year. It was really special sharing the significance of this special day with our friends, the Moncayos, who have shared so many of their rich traditions with us.-- One of those "traditions" however, I will in the future appreciate from a distance (as in complete absence!). As Ron mentioned, today we went with Fernando and Miguel Moncayo to the bullfights. My going in the first place was with great reservations, only wanting to honor our friends' enthusiasm in wanting to share it with us. I have vivid memories of seeing bullfights on television at my aunt's house as a child, and finding them frightening and very sad. Seeing it "up close and personal" was even worse, and I felt myself fighting back both tears and nausea. Though it broke my heart to see Emily's tears, I was thankful for them, because it gave us an excuse to escape after only the first fight--four more followed. As she says in her entry, we left the arena committed vegetarians! (At least until the images fade!) While the sight caused Ron to contemplate what we allow our children (and I might add, ourselves) to be exposed to, I was reflecting on what we have been studying in Genesis at my weekly Bible study in regards to the animal sacrifices in the Old Testament. The picture, like the killing of the bull today, is a gruesome one, and I don't think I have ever really understood or appreciated it like I do now, after what I've been learning. Yes, it is ugly. But unlike the bullfight, which to me is senseless violence, there was a purpose for the violence of these sacrifices. It is a word picture for us to see the awful cost of sin. Sin deserves death. We deserve death. In the Old Testament times, the shedding of animal blood was substituted for that of the people who sinned. Not fair, no. But what a demonstration of God's mercy, in not requiring the blood of those deserving to die. But also, it was a picture of what was to come, when Jesus Christ, the perfect "lamb of God" sacrificed once and for all His life for ours, shedding His blood so that we would not have to. Not fair. And I am so thankful that God is not "fair", but is merciful and full of grace.

Nate: Hello friends and family. I have had an interesting week. Let me tell you about my adventure to the grocery store to buy butter and soda for our Thanksgiving meal. Well I set off on the bus to the store to get the groceries. Everything was going like a normal trip to the store until the box boy got ahold of the groceries. He put the big package of butter on the bottom and then dropped the two liter bottle of soda right smack on top of the butter. SMOOOOSHHHH. the butter exploded a bit and butter was squished out the sides. He then dropped the other bottle of soda into the side of the bag upside down, and I guess the top of the bottle cut through the bag. I then began to walk out to the bus stop to catch a ride home. While I was waiting for a bus, the bottle of soda fell through the bag, the whole thing broke open and the butter fell on the only pile of dirt in the plaza. The butter was all dirty and had a rock and a weed squished into it. Then I had to find a way to get the stuff home. I put the little unmaimed butter in my shirt pocket, but the other one was to big for any of my pockets so I had to smash one end to make it fit into my jeans. Finally the right bus came I boarded with two bottles of coke in my hands and melting butter in my pockets. I think got on the only bus that doesn't have a rail to hold on to when you get on. The driver must of been new too because he crushed the gas peddle through the floor. Everybody boarding flew toward the back of the bus, and one of the soda bottles fell out of my hands and bounced and rolled down the isle. I got it after a few minutes of scrambling and sat down in the front row. Then I remembered the toll. I had to take the butter out of my pocket and get the money out and then shove the greasy thing back in. My hands were greasier than the butter, and holding the soda was like trying to hold a ten pound bar of wet soap. I got off the bus and very slowly made my way home, balancing the soda in my slimy hands, only to find out later that evening that they had butter in the store that is only a few blocks away from home.

Emily: Hello everybody! I'm a vegetarian. And I mean it!!! An experience. Well, let me put it this way. Bullfighting is not a thing for me. We went to see one. I HATED IT!!! Poor things. After the first one me and my mom decided to leave. We took a taxi to "Suisse Hotel" and we got a Vingala (the bus) home and went out for pizza. That was fun. --- Thanksgiving was nice too. We had the Moncayos and Mauricio, a good friend, over for the occasion. We ate till we were stuffed. Instead of pumpkin pie we had apple pie. The day after that my mom and I made a pumpkin pie with a REAL pumpkin from our own garden. It is DELICIOUS!!! In fact I'm going to have some more tonight! --- I'm going to be in a "Living Nativity Scene" at church for Christmas. I am Maria (Mary), and Miguel Moncayo is Jose' (Joseph). Well, I've got to sign off now. Adios!

Sat, Dec 05, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Sharon: Another Saturday night in Quito. In a couple of hours, the neighborhood will be filled with the sounds of music, via a disc jockey rented for the evening by the homeowners in the area in celebration of "Fiestas de Quito" (Quito Days). The "baile" (dance) is for the whole family, so we'll wander over for a little while to mingle with the neighbors and experience a little "culture". Since it will be held only about a block away from us we might as well--we'd feel like we were right in the middle of it even if we stayed home! If it's anything like any of the other parties we've experienced here in the neighborhood (from inside our home) they'll have speakers that are about as big as a house, and the sound will reverberate for at least a mile in every direction! Between that and all the noisy fireworks that have been going off all week we're getting pretty accustomed to noise. Usually this is a very tranquil area, but the holidays here bring out a whole new side to these people! --- Speaking of cultural adjustments, it has been interesting this past couple of weeks seeing the ladies who have recently come here from the U.S. to start the Bible Study Fellowship I am working with, going through things that very much remind me of myself not so very long ago. We've been studying the life of Abraham, and how God called him to leave behind everything that was familiar to him to go to "the land that He would show him". It has brought to the surface a lot of emotions for these women who have so recently done just that. How well I remember. For myself, I am thankful that I am studying it now, rather than when I was in the midst of the turmoil of homesickness and culture shock. I'm not sure I would have been able to handle it! For them, I am thankful that I can by my own experience be an encouragement to them now. God is faithful. Yes, there is a cost to following Him. And though He tells us to "count" that cost before answering His call, I'm not sure that we can really comprehend that cost ahead of time. But neither can we appreciate the blessings that come as a result of obedience until we have experienced them. I know that God will bring these new friends to a place of joy, peace, and contentment in this country, despite the challenges, loneliness, and adjustments that they will have to make. I know...because He has done that for me.

Ron: My dad came this week. It's great to have visitors. Everything we do we can experience through their eyes, and that always adds to the enjoyment of our effort in hospitality. I took Dad to the bullfights. Not because I thought he would enjoy them any more than I did, but probably all the visitors to Quito from out of the country were there for the same reason; to take in the culture and absorb a little of the festive atmosphere that surrounds this time of the year. I couldn't recommend taking in a bullfight just for the "sport" of it. However if there is ever a chance to see the Spanish do their matador routine on horseback, THAT is worth seeing. I've seen show horses run through their routines, but that's just what they are--routines. However inside of the bullring, which is just a little over 100 ft. in diameter, seeing an angry bull try to run down a matador on horseback is anything but routine. Everything that the horse does is in response to the unexpected course of events on the part of the bull. The horse and his rider have to be "one" in order to accomplish their objective, which is to excite the crowd, keeping the sharp horns of the bull from touching the horse and rider, but never allowing the bull to be much further away than 6-8 inches; sideways, backwards, jumping and twisting--I've never seen a horse in such maneuvers. It was truly an art form. --- We have just about finished the exterior wall foundation for the two new "casitas". The week before we started I wondered how we would ever get under way with two inches of rain falling each afternoon inside of a 15 minute period. Dry ground turns quickly into a lake with that much rain, and you can't hardly walk through the mud that's produced, much less dig footings and pour concrete. We garnered a strategy, nevertheless, and as soon as we stuck the shovel tip into the ground there started a dry period, which has now lasted more than two weeks. Do you think God would do that just so we could work? Well, this is what I think: that His plan accommodated our need, as He does "cause all things to work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes" Romans 8:24. For those of you who haven't visited the web site yet, or know that we have a weekly entry with pictures profiling recent happenings, click here and let us know what you think: What's New This Week. If you haven't been into the site yet, this link will allow you to visit all the links of the site by entering here. We have heard from some of you with A.O.L. that the address we are posting is not showing up in color, indicating a direct link by clicking on the address. If any of you know the reason for this please let us know. But you A.O.L. guys can still enter the site by manually inserting the address. Those of you who have sent us all the great comments, we have very much appreciated the encouragement. For those who have responded to the needs we indicated, let me say that Sharon and I have been blessed that you have been coming alongside of us in this matter of ministry. We promise to be the best stewards we can, and to be accountable by reporting on the progress as it relates to the needs we have shared.

The kids have had a "bug" this week that they are apparently both now getting over. However their sequestering has limited their experiences, and anything meaningful to share, so they both will be back next week.

Monday, December 7, 1998
For those of you who have been following us this last year, you know how we have been thankful that God has brought to us friends who have made Ecuador a home for us away from home.

We have mentioned many times the Moncayo family, but only a few of you have their faces in mind as we write. Well, here they are for you to see.

This is a picture of Nathan and his friends Juan & Fernando. Many of you who live in the desert may have met Juan when he was there this past summer.

Emily is said to have no accent at all as she is probably now the most fluid of us all in Spanish. Where does she learn it? This is a shot of Emily and her pals with whom she spends many hours a week (Sharon says many hours a day!).

Lastly, the project is advancing well with the exterior footings now complete. This morning we poured an underground beam that will support the house over soil that is not native, which means that it is very soft. In order to prevent the house from sinking at this point, we poured enough concrete to consume 30 sacks of cement (for those of you who can imagine this quantity of material). We'll work now on the interior wall footings. Since all walls are of brick we treat them all in the same way that we would construction at home where there would be a "bearing wall".

Sun, Dec 13, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: (After writing this and re-reading it I realize what a boring, business-like entry this is. Having just gotten the web site on line however we are wanting to make sure that we are making the best use possible of this wonderful communication tool to all who want to follow what we are doing. I think we have everyone now just about up to speed, and I will get back to our personal format next week.) --- First of all, let me say that we will be looking for a way to eliminate the long list of addresses in our future journals. We're preparing this via Netscape Communicator. If any of you know how to send our letter to our list of addressees without each receiving the entire list, I would appreciate some instructions on how to do this. In the beginning we thought it would be good for all of you to see how the following of the ministry was growing, but the list has gotten so long that we are aware of the aggravation of scrolling down through to get to the letter. We've cut it in half once, due to the server not taking the entire list, but we need to do better. So, if you can help us, let us know! --- Some of you (and when I include all who receive this by regular mail and the other forms of distribution the number is substantial) have not been able to access our web site and have continued to ask how to support the ministry here. In the web site, there is a link on support, and this has been a wonderful way to share what the needs are here with the project development. However, for those of you who have an interest in coming alongside of us in this work and have not been able to enter the site, I will prepare a special letter this next week outlining where we are with the project, what is left to be completed, and what the specific needs are. We will provide you with an address and phone number if you want to respond. --- In our "What's New This Week" link, I attempted to accommodate those who have expressed appreciation for the story we tell via pictures in the web site but have asked why there aren't any pictures of us and of our friends who we have written much about. So, click here and see! Again, for those of you who have AOL and do not have the address coming up in a "clickable" manner, (usually in a blue color and allows you to click on the address and go directly to the site) you can enter the address directly and find the site. We're making great progress on the first two of the "casitas" (children's homes). The site also has updated photos of the project.

Sharon: Are you awake? Well, the "business" side of things taken care of, we'll move on. Today Ron, his dad Norm and I went Christmas shopping. For those of you who think the malls are crazy at this time of year, "you ain't seen nothing!". We went to a section of the city called "Ipiales", a giant market where you can find everything from underwear to televisions. Covering about 3/4's of a mile square, this area is filled with vendors selling their wares at about a quarter of what you'd pay elsewhere. With Christmas only two weeks away it was probably one of the busiest days of the year there, and we wound our way through a crowd of at least 100,000 people. Not all of them were there to shop. Unfortunately there are, in those vast numbers, certain ones who are there to benefit from the bargains that others are finding. Ron "met" one of them today, but fortunately the encounter happened before we'd done any real shopping. I was following about 10 feet behind Ron when I saw a man with a with a baby pouch (the front type) pressing up very close behind him. The pouch didn't appear to have anything in it, and since there weren't a lot of other people nearby at this particular spot, I couldn't see any reason why he'd need to be so close. I called out a warning to Ron, but he told me I was being paranoid. A little while later, when he went to put something we'd purchased into the bag he'd been carrying on his back, he noticed a long slice in the side of it. We knew then that my suspicion had been correct. From that point on, Ron carried the bag in front, and we stayed very close, single file. Though we got some good deals, I don't think we'll go back during a weekend again until after the holidays! --- We are really looking forward to celebrating Christmas this year. Those of you who've been "following" us for awhile, know that last Christmas God blessed us with the Moncayo family, who welcomed us into their celebrations. We'll be spending much of the holidays with them again this year, this time including more of Dalila's extended family. We're looking forward to sharing some of our own traditions with them, celebrating the true meaning of the season. Exciting thing continue to happen in this special family, and we feel blessed that God has allowed us to participate in His plans as He draws them to Himself. Also we are very thankful to have Ron's dad here with us--it brings home a little closer at this very special time.

Nathan: Hi everyone! We've had another gringo visitor with us this past week....My grandpa!! It was good to see him and to get to hear about the life in the desert. I hear it's getting pretty cold in the Coachella Valley. My grandpa has been pretty busy this week helping my dad and observing how the Ecuadorians work.. It's just perfect here, with all sunshine and just a few drizzles every now and then. I'm back on my keyboard lessons, with my pastor as my teacher. He handles the keyboard like a pro and also several other instruments. I've been taking some visits out to the property these past days and it is really coming along. The roof is almost done and we've started to lay the outline of the first of the casitas. I can't wait until we can get it all finished. Well, so finishes a busy week and I need a rest. God bless and have a wonderful holiday.

Emily: Hello everybody! I can't do it! I can't be a vegetarian. I tried and tried, but it still didn't work. I'm back to eating meat now. All kinds. Chicken, hamburger meat, steak, sausages...yum!!! Well, back to my personal life. Mercedes has been able to play more than her sisters, because they are older and have more responsibilities. Marcela turned 13 yesterday and Monica is 11. I'm making a new friend too, out at the property. Her name is Sandra, and she and her parents are watching our house while it's being built. They have kittens, and they are going to give me one. But it will have to stay out at the property and I will go visit it as much as I can. I am in a Christmas program at church like I said last time I wrote. I am Mary, but I don't have to say anything--I just have to walk around. There is a group of older kids that are going to be singing behind us while we do the drama. We are doing it next Sunday and my mom has to make my costume! Goodbye everybody!

Week through December 18, 1998
We've written before about our friend and pastor, Jonathan, and the Bible study that he is leading at the project. We're providing lunch and one of the ladies at the church prepares it each week. She is now preparing up to sixteen lunches for the Wednesday study. This last week Jonathan wanted to show the men the value of worship in the Christian experience. I didn't know how the men would respond, but I think the pictures tell the story. Some of the men can now be heard singing while working at the project.

One of the best places to shop is right in the center of the colonial section of the town, which was built by the Spanish in the 1500's. The pictures will show some of the architecture that accents this very lively market enviornment. The last picture is Sharon looking for gifts for Emily's friends who live in the neighborhood. These are poor people, and we're not quite sure of all that they are able to make of the holiday, but the simple pleasures that we take for granted, such as a Christmas tree, are luxuries that most of these people do without because they can't afford them. Well, what do you do when these people who are now so close to us see how we are preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior? We're only guessing, but to share with them a little seems to be the way for us to love them best.

Sat, Dec 19, 1998
Dear Friends and Family,
Ron: If you remember, last week I said I was going to send out a letter for those of you who have been interested in knowing more about how to support "It's About Kids". Well, I still want to do that, but the timing will probably be after Christmas. --- I've written about our Wednesday Bible study, and I thought you might be interested in seeing what that looks like. So, if you'll go to the "What's Happening This Week" link in our web site we have some pictures and text to share with you. I also thought you might be interested in what Christmas shopping in Ecuador looks like. There is a way for those of you who have A.O.L. to click on the address and go directly to the site, but I don't have it in this week. You can enter the address directly. Remember, the pictures are in a "slide show" format, so wait long enough to see the full rotation. --- We finished the interior wall footings on the two casitas (children's homes) this week. We will, from this point, prepare for a pouring of the slab right after Christmas. The technique of preparing plumbing and electrical so that the slab can be poured in one step is foreign to the building format here. The method here is to pour a rough floor then put in all the installations, then pour another layer of concrete over the top that is level finished so that the flooring can then be installed. We want to save a step and pour the whole thing at once. We introduced a new method of installing the interior footings that the workers, as well as my architect friend, seemed impressed with. We saved at least a week of labor (8 men) and probably $300 in materials. The interior walls are all made of brick, and unlike the wood and drywall construction common in the States, because of the weight of the brick we have to provide support for all the interior walls. Also this week we received a truck load of furniture making wood from the jungle. From this we will make on site all of the windows, doors, cabinetry, and anything else made of wood. Thanks to all of the tools that we received and brought here, as well as some heavy machinery that we have made for the project, we are completely outfitted for doing every kind of woodworking necessary. Our carpenter, Manuel, is WONDERFUL!!! I have an agreement with him until June of this next year to trade him free rent on the smaller house on the bottom of the property in exchange for him making all of the cabinetry and furniture for that house. In January Manuel's brother will be joining him at the project with a primary responsibility of building furniture. These guys are well paid by the standards here, and still they get less than $50 per week. If we buy the materials right and can manage our labor we will be able to furnish the various buildings with attractive pieces at a very reasonable cost. --- You won't hear from us again until after Christmas. We have been counting down with the very traditional Ecuadorian approach to the celebration of the holiday. Our friends, the Moncayos, have again taken us into their family practice, and while the focus is distinct from how we would engage this special time of year, our participation with them has had the effect of making the event one that spreads over several days as opposed to just one day of the year; besides, tomorrow we will be hosting the evening and intend to share with them our advent wreath tradition, and what is most meaningful to us about the celebration of Christmas.

Sharon: It's Saturday night, and Emily, Blanca and I just returned from Dalila's sister's house, where we were celebrating the "Novena". Ron, his Dad and Nate should follow shortly. It's been a busy week, as we have celebrated this tradition with her family on several evenings. Tomorrow night we will have them all over here to our home, and will share with them some of our own Christmas traditions; in particular the Advent Wreath. It's been a very special part of our Christmas celebrations over the past few years, and we look forward to sharing with these friends. While the birth of Jesus is an important part of their holiday tradition, it is more in it's historic context than one which affects their lives every day...somehow they've left Him in the manger. --- Last night Ron and I went to a Christmas dinner at our church. It was a wonderful time, sharing with these new friends. I was asked to bring a salad (for 40 people!), and so I made what I like best--a fruited spinach salad. OOPS!!! Ecuadorians are NOT used to eating spinach "crudo" (raw). They smiled politely, picked the fruit out, and the rest remained on their plates. Oh well...I'll know better next time! --- Last Sunday we had a little excitement, which the kids will tell you more about. But let me say this to any of you kids reading this (or you parents can pass on this little tidbit of advice to them). Those helmet laws they have for bicyclist these days--those are GOOD LAWS!!!! And when your parents tell you not to ride on the handlebars of your friends bikes (or let a friend ride on yours) LISTEN TO THEM!!!! A bicycle has one seat--for good reason!!! Laws like this are for your protection--believe it! There are three kids in Ecuador who learned this the hard way (though there are no such laws here). Learn from their mistake, okay?

Nate: Hi everyone. We had kind of a trauma last Sunday. Three kids on one bike (dumb!!) came zooming down a hill and found the back of the car with their heads. Up till then, it was a normal Sunday. We went to church, then out to lunch, and were on our way home when my dad wanted to look for some trees for the property. We went to the town called Nayon and when we got there we stopped to asked a lady a question. All of the sudden the car shook violently. We looked behind us and didn't see anything until a young boy ran out from behind the car holding a bleeding 3 year old. My dad got out and took the little girl to the car. The boy, the little girl, and two sisters hopped in and we rushed to the hospital. The little girl had a huge gash in her forehead. The the girl's brother and I had to continue to ask her questions to keep her conscious. Another girl in the car with us had a tennis ball sized hole in her knee. We got out at the hospital and took them to emergency. The boy and the little girl stayed over night in the hospital and the other two girls went home. So.....next time you think about riding on the handled bars of a bike, wise up and don't.--- We've been going to a Nine Days of Christmas thing the Ecuadorians celebrate. It is the first nine days before Christmas and we gather and different houses to thank God, pray, and sing. Tomorrow it will be at our house and we'll get to show them what Christmas is to us. Well Merry Christmas and "God bless us, every one."

Emily: Hello everybody! We had quite a scare last week. We were parked in a place called Nayon, when a bicycle came really fast and hit our car. The little girl that what was on the handlebars had a huge cut on her forehead. The boy jumped up and started crying hysterically "Don't let my sister die" about fifteen times. Then when I looked back, I thought she was dead, but she wasn't. We took them to the hospital "Voz Andes" and got them stitched. One of the other girls (14) cut her knee really badly and had to get stitches. It was HORRIBLE! --- Anyway, we got a Christmas tree the next day, and it is beautiful! It's tall, and fat. We got the Christmas presents under it a couple of days ago. We've been going to a thing called the "Novena" at our friends houses. It's a thing that they do every year on the nine days before Christmas. We're going to have it at our house tomorrow night, only we're not going to do the Novena, we're going to do the Advent wreath. Tomorrow is the Christmas program I told you about--I'm going to be Maria (Mary). --- I have a kitten out at the property. I have to keep it there until we move into our new house. At least I can go visit her a couple times a week. Well, I'll have to sign off now, because I've told you all about my week. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and to all a good night!

Christmas in Ecuador:
Christmas does look a lot different here. However while we have attempted, as best we can, to take in the traditions of our Ecuadorian friends, (such as the Novena, which is the traditional Catholic celebration here starting nine days before Christmas) we have also been able to share with them some of our traditions. We've decorated the house as we normally would at home and we have continued in our own tradition of the celebration of Christmas starting four weeks in advance, each week spending time together around our advent wreath (reading passages relating to Christ's birth and the reading of Christmas stories).

December 31, 1998
Last year Sharon and Dalila put on a Christmas party for the poor children surrounding our neighborhood. Sharon didn't know any of these kids last year, but this year many of them are children of our help with the project and Emily's friends.

The first series of pictures are children (with their mom's) of men who work out at the project site. These mom's are at home with their kids while Dad is helping us put together the site. We are hopeful that these will be the first of the parents who will be taking care of the kids in the casitas we are building. All three dads have shown a real desire to know God more deeply, and two of them are showing independent pursuit in their relationship with the Lord. Pray for these men. These men are also profiled in the support link of our web site. If you go to this link, you'll see what the related needs are.

The second series are Emily and her friends. These girls live behind us, and while they take great pride in their appearance whenever they leave their property, these are very poor people. Emily is not only learning Spanish and is now speaking without an accent, she is also learning to appreciate the way people live here. As far as her day of play goes, she seems quite content living as and doing whatever her friends choose to do. Emily still has her "things", but she seems enough unattached to them that she has no trouble freely sharing and giving to her friends. She went out and bought Christmas presents for each of them and paid for them with her own money. As far as the family goes, this experience probably tickles Sharon and I more than any other.