This n' That

The Ecuador branch asked all the congregations to have Internet installed for special events like the annual meeting, etc.  The photo below shows how it's done here.  A dish pointed at a tower, mounted behind the Kingdom Hall.  Just installed 2 weeks ago.

Below - Our congregation singing the new Kingdom song during the service meeting.

Below - Our friend Raphael O with Chloe during filming at Patterson AV in October, when January's JW Broadcasting was being produced.  Chloe was used in the scene of a sister standing in line bringing her offering for sacrifice.  Fortunately Chloe didn't get offered up.

Below - Friends over to our home enjoying a meal with us.

Below - Chris made supper from scratch for us.  Spaghetti, sauce and meat balls.

Below - Not sure what Inca Kola is?  Chris brought it.  We'll get up the nerve to open it one day soon.

Below - Occasionally we'll awake to snow on nearby Mt.Cotacachi.  It always melts away by midday.  Seems strange to see, being that we're on the equator.

And the same morning in the opposite direction was snow on Mt.Imbabura.  Both mountains are extinct volcanoes.

Below - A record!  Since we arrived December 1st., the high temps in the shade barely make 70F.  This day we hit 72F.  A little warmer in the sun.

Annual Pioneer Meeting

Todays annual pioneer meeting was the largest ever.  Top picture shows all in attendance, the congregation's regular pioneers, visiting regular pioneers and local elders.

Bottom picture is of just the local pioneers (2 absent).  A large group considering the congregation's size is approximately 65 publishers.

Once a Year's Enough!

Time to pay yearly house taxes at the Otavalo municipal office.  The process takes about 2 hours.  It looks like mass confusion in these photos but everyone gets a number when they arrive.  Taxes for the year being only $29.13 is a consolation offsetting the wait.

And then there's paying the water bill in a Kichwa village.  It takes about 1 hour but the bill for 1 month was only one-dollar.  The water is metered at every residence too.

Photos of their water filtration / pumping plant construction last year.  This plant brings fresh, potable drinking water via new plastic pipe to our area in the countryside as well as the Kichwa villages.

An day with Edgar Puerres

Yesterday we were invited to visit with Bill + Judy Elliot, Canadians who've served in International construction around the world for years and now in their mid 60's have an apartment on the ground floor of an Ecuadorean witness family's home, Edgar + Cicelia Puerres.  They live in Ibarra.

Edgar is a professional musician who had his own band playing native Ecuadorean music around the world in the 1990's.  It was not uncommon for him to make more than $1,000 / day performing and selling CD's while on tour.  Edgar first heard the truth first in Calgary, Canada on one of his cross country tours in 2001.  He accepted the truth and made rapid progress upon returning to Ecuador.  Since touring took him away from home for periods of 4 months at a time with a young family left behind, he made the decision to give that lifestyle up.  Today he's married with 2 sons and serves as a ministerial servant and regular pioneer in his congregation.  Presently he works part time as a gardener making $400 / month.  Quite a lifestyle change.

We had the privilege of enjoying a meal with the Elliots and Puerres' yesterday.  Afterward, Edgar took us into a small room in their home where he has a studio set up.  We were treated to a private performance for about an hour.  The link below will take you to a 6 minute excerpt of his music.  His son Israel accompany's him.  The instruments he and his son are playing were made by Edgar.

Interesting side note:  The Ecuador Branch has arranged for Edgar and his son to play for 6 full days at the Quito International Airport for the arriving and departing International delegates.  Can you imagine all the worldly people coming and going there and what they’re in store for?  He'll be playing both Kingdom songs and traditional music.  Enjoy the link below.

The Music of Edgar & Israel Puerres

Pizza in the New Wood Fired Pizza Oven

We enjoyed 4 pizzas from the wood fired oven he and Bill made.

Odds n' Ends

Not sure what this flowering bush is, it resembles lilac.  The fragrance of the flowers is very nice.

While in field service we found this man who turned out to be our brother from the Spanish congregation.  He works from home producing leather products.

Leather belt production, hand made, one at a time.

Taco Bell?  Yes and no.  Last year we found one in Otavalo, this year the owner opened this additional one in Cotacachi.  He's an Ecuadorean that lived for a time in California, liked the Taco Bell concept then came back to Ecuador and opened up his own restaurants using the franchise name but having nothing to do with the Taco Bell we know.  While it's a copyright issue that's never challenged, we ate there and the food was both delicious and cheap.

International Convention Preparation

A welding team is fabricating frames to hold the jumbo LED video screens for the Quito International convention site and satellite locations.  These 2 brothers are working next door to our home in the congregation secretary's garage / driveway.

New Song at our Service Meeting

Singing the new Kingdom song at our service meeting last evening.

One Donkey & Seven Horses

Outside our bedroom balcony is a large horse pasture.  George Senn, a regular pioneer who moved here from Wisconsin 1 year ago, enjoys feeding the horses oats.  Relaxation for him / treat time for them.

When parks and lawns need cutting Ecuadoreans use a grass trimmer, no matter how large the area.  In this video you'll see a worker in the building lot next door beginning his trim of that property.  It's more than 2 acres in size so I'm guessing some days later he'll finally be finished.

In the days leading up to New Year's eve the custom is to buy a dummy to burn.  Here's one dummy going home to an untimely end.