Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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Do you know how easy it is to get a tan when you're this close to the equator? It may be 60 degrees out, but don't kid yourself!

Well, I’ve been spoiled for month one!  I have internet, a shower, and my own bed (in a room shared with 3 beautiful God-loving women).
 
In review : I spent 5 days in Dulles for the last of training, and to introduce my parents to my team (such a blessing!). We then flew into Quito, Ecuador (I got to see the Panama Canal at night from the plane- beautiful!). Our contact picked us up that night from the airport and took us to our location.
 
 We are working with Pastor Fernando and his church assistant Johanna.  I fell asleep to ownerless dogs on the streets barking. I woke up to soak in some of the view from the team’s space above the church- a city scattered among the Andes mountains, and the neighbor's pet cow (yes, it roams their backyard, and is constantly harassed by dogs). This morning Johanna and some on the team helped make breakfast- homemade melon juice, eggs and bread. Then we were off to the market, a rather unique experience if you’ve never been in markets of other countries. The streets were strewn with dogs searching for the best rotting vegetation scattered across the streets.  Baskets and trucks were overflowing with fruits and vegetables, and meat hung out in open air, while whole chickens (and by whole I mean all but the feathers) lay 

on tables for the

 picking. A ride in the back of the pick up back to the house led to a full lunch (dinner is the lighter meal here). I helped prepare, and soon realized that I was no expert cutting of chickens’ heads, or toe nails (something tells me when Jesus talked about foot washing, he wasn't talking 

about giving a chicken a pedicure!)…but it’s all a learning experience right? Lunch was homemade sweet tomato juice, garlic rice, homemade French fries, fried plantains, and a cucumber/pepper/tuna salad. Our team then 
prepared some songs for the youth service, 
where we met a group of Canadians that helped 
us lead service. We played games, some shared  heir 
testimonies, and we sang music.  Let me tell you, 
there is something magical about a group of 50 or so people gathered together singing the same song in 2 different languages at the same time (Open the Eyes of My Heart , if you 

were curious).  I met some lovely young ladies that I will get to see often for the next few weeks. We were then sent to dinner at a church members’ house and began our walk up a steep hill in the rain (Random fact of the day: the hills in Quito are VERY steep, and even if I was in shape, the elevation change 
made it hard to climb…). Fortunately Fernando’s car returned a short time into the cascent, and a long walk became a 10minute ride in the rain in the back of the pickup.  Good

start to team bonding. Dinner was delicious- chicken, tomato salad, potatoes, rice, and mango. We had great company and conversation, the Ecuadorians have been very hospitable.  The team ended the day soon after that, we've been rather exhausted, and we must save energy up for Monday's construction.


"So let me life be the proof, the proof of your love, Let my love look like You and what You're made of."- For King and Country