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"And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God." -- Philippians 1:9-11

Sunday, February 27, 2011

GUESS WHAT GUYS!


I’M IN ECUADOR!!!  WITH VALERIE!!!


And I can’t speak Spanish…  But I’m getting REALLY good at the whole “Yo no hablo español.”

I got off the plane yesterday earlier than expected, and through customs in like 5 minutes.  Not gonna lie it was somewhat terrifying.  Everything was in Spanish, and everyone was speaking Spanish, and I don’t understand Spanish.  There were ropes holding back the crowd all looking for friends and family coming off the plane, forming a gauntlet for me to walk.   Valerie’s bus was a little late, so once I made it outside I had a little while to wait.  The people are extremely nice here.  As I waited for Valerie three different people approached and asked if everything was all right and if I needed help.  I guess I kind of stood out…

Valerie finally came with two of her friends, and we took the bus from Quito (where I flew in) to Otavalo (where I’m staying).  Oh side note, two other groups from Northeastern were also on my plane to Quito, and the Alternative Spring Break group is actually working in Otavalo!  Maybe I’ll see them again later!  Anyway, by then it was bedtime and I was exhausted.

The next day we got up and went to the Baha’i Institute where an Intensive was in progress.  Valerie was one of the tutors, and thankfully they had a book in English so I could follow along.  They were working from the 5th Ruhi book, “Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth.”  I really enjoyed learning about the Baha’i faith, and reading from the teachings of Baha’u’llah.  Here are some pictures from the Institute:


The boys playing soccer

After the Intensive, Valerie and I took a little tour of Otavalo and then went back so we could leave with the rest of the group for a community: Uiancha.  We jumped in the back of a truck* and road through the winding paths to the Uiancha, a community living more of the indigenous lifestyle.  There we first walked around by all the houses, through corn fields, and on random paths through the fields to let everyone know we were there to teach the Junior Youth and Children’s Classes.  Then the students came to this tiny room in front of the school building, more of a warehouse really, and we taught the lessons of the week.  

The Junior Youth and most of the group from the Institute

The Children's Class - And me!
After the classes we returned to the Institute for an Ayyam’i-ha celebration.  Ayyam’i-ha is a celebration and spiritual preparation for the Fast, which marks the last month of the Baha’i calendar.  It’s a four-day celebration that began today. 

I have already learned so much here, and my eyes have been opened to a whole new side of the world (I can now say I’ve been to the Southern Hemisphere!).  Tomorrow I’m going to the school Valerie teaches at and exploring more of the area. 


*Something right out of a movie not even joking.  Like 10 of us packed into the covered bed of a truck bumping along the dusty roads everyone yelling and joking around in Spanish.  



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