Even though I am only teaching one class, life has been surprisingly busy, but in a blessed way. I’ve been able to get to know more people in Cuenca and enjoy a little more of the city as well.
Last week I went to the zoo in Cuenca (it’s been here for about a year). The zoo was not incredibly large, but seeing and observing the animals reminded me of the beauty and complexity of God's creation. Overall, the afternoon was a blast! I went with some new friends and old friends, Cuencanos and Americans. To make it through the zoo, we had to walk up and down dirt paths. We were able to walk underneath the trees the monkeys were jumping from, and we got pretty close to some of the parrots. Although it does make me chuckle that deer and squirrels are in the zoo here:) What I was really thankful for was the Christian fellowship. God has been so kind to answer prayers!
Saturday I was able to go to Ingapirca, an Incan ruin site, with two girls. That night I ended up helping serve at a Jewish dinner that La Capilla does every few months. This was part of the Spanish ministry at the church, so I had the privilege of getting to know some more people from the church. I love the idea of doing something like this, to realize a little more the depth of what took place at the Last Supper. Oh and guess what? One of the girls that was helping serve from the church actually studied at St. Ambrose in Davenport, Iowa. I was quite surprised! She’s the first Ecuadorian I have met that has actually been to Des Moines.
Sunday was another great service, being challenged from John 1. I was reminded of the importance of challenging/encouraging family (stemming from how Andrew brought Peter to Christ). God has placed us all in our families for specific reasons. Even though I am far away from my immediate family, I can pray for them and share with them what God is doing here in Cuenca.And Lord willing, I will meet individuals who will come to the family of Christ through my time here. My dad taught me the importance of being a fisher of men; I pray I can follow in his example.
After church, I went out with a group for lunch. I get to hear all kinds of stories through these lunch outings, as usually there are always new people I don’t know. I must admit, I love it! There are not very many people my age at the church, but I think God has placed these individuals in my life for a reason. Hopefully I can meet people from work to invite to church to grow the young population of the church, but in the mean time I am enjoying all the listening I get to do.
Later that afternoon, a group of us went out for coffee and walked downtown. We tried to hand out some tracts at the park. I must admit street evangelism has always been a stretch for me, but I was able to sit down with an elderly lady named Rosa. We had a good conversation, and I was able to share the Gospel with her via my Dad’s testimony ( the fact that my dad use to be Catholic comes in so handy in a country were over 95% are Catholic!).
This week I have kept busy with teaching and taking my Spanish class in the morning, and my afternoons have filled up with visiting different people/attending a Bible study.
Life is starting to take form here, which is exciting. God has given me a place to live (hopefully roommates and furniture are soon to come!), a job where I can teach in a low-key setting, a church that is a joy to be apart of, and opportunities to share the Gospel. I think God is easing me into things. My full load of teaching will start in the end of September. I have to admit I am a little nervous at what that will look like, but then I have to remember how much God has done and is doing. Half the time I walk down the streets and have a grin on my face because I can still hardly believe everything that has happened. I get to live in Cuenca. What a joy and privilege it is to follow my Great Father.
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