Ecuador - the country...

I wanted to start by giving you a snapshot of the beautiful country that has now become home.
They say Ecuador is a microcosm of the whole of South America, there is city, jungle, coast and the stunning Andes mountains. I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring them all (obviously alongside hours of hard work and endless prayer meetings!)

Guayaquil is home, it is the largest city in Ecuador, although Quito is the capital. When I first arrived here I had a strong dislike of the sprawling city. It felt stiflingly hot, there wasn't much greenery, and I felt unsafe as everybody 'helpfully' told me horror stories of what 'could' happen to me as a single woman travelling around the city on my own. However now I have a genuine affection for the place, and a respect for the Guayaquilaneans who have made so much effort to improve the reputation of their city. As always, building friendships has settled me, and as soon as places became familiar I began to love it here. I often think that living in a big city, with good shops, cinemas etc. there are so many similarities to my life here in Guayaquil and how I used to live in the UK.

The Oriente (jungle region) really is as exotic as it sounds. I can't believe that I have to travel there as part of my job every two months! What a privilege! Although I am nearly always there for work, I find my time there feeds my soul. I often return to Guayaquil with renewed peace and the perspective of God's beauty in creation.

The canoes you can see in the picture are our transport when we visit the PEPEs in the indigenous communities. Last time we travelled in one of these for four hours down river clutching a plastic sheet over our heads to keep out the torrential rain! Such fun!!

The lifestyle of the indigenous, in the jungle communities, is obviously so different to those living in the cities of Ecuador. I feel that I am slowly learning about two very distinct cultures within the same country. We do need wisdom for the most effective way of introducing and empowering the PEPE programme to different people groups.

The Ecuadorian Coast is full of beaches. Although the temperature is currently 30 degrees, it is not 'beach season' here in Ecuador and people are shocked at the idea that foreigners are happy to swim in the sea at this time of year!

I haven't explored the beaches very much yet, but I did have one unforgetable weekend on the coast when I was able to go 'whale watching.' It was magical, awesome and terrifying all rolled together... the whales came so close to the boat!

The Andes Mountains run through the middle of Ecuador, this region is known as the Sierra. Everytime I travel to the jungle, my 12 hour bus journey takes me through some of the most stunning mountain scenery (if the cloud is not too low!) Very soon we hope to start the PEPE programme in churches in the Sierra. It can be freezing cold up here and the thermals always come out if I'm staying overnight in the Andes!

So that is a snapshot of this beautiful country.... well it's a glimpse of the scenery anyway. However for me it is always the people, their culture, and their individual stories that ingnite a deeper love for a country. More about that in another section on this blog!