Tuesday and Wednesday in Portoviejo

On Tuesday morning, we went to a home for senior citizens and spent the morning finding new and creative ways to communicate with residents! We sang a bunch of songs, danced way more than any gringo should and attempted an unrehearsed dramatic presentation of David and Goliath. (Not our best work, haha!) But I think the residents appreciated the effort and I was very proud of our students. They kept trying new things and doing their best to connect and were rewarded with some special moments with the people we met.

Next it was off to see Montecristi, a beautiful mountain that is only a short drive from Portoviejo. Though we didn't have time to climb to the top, we got to walk through the museum and take a few pictures. And we left with enough time to go by the market to pick up a free souvenirs and then enjoy coffee and desserts at Dulce y Cremosa! ¡Muy delicioso!

Then Tuesday night, we had the chance to participate in a church service at a local church plant. They provided the worship and we did the rest. A few of the students shared their testimonies and I had the chance to preach. We even attempted an impromptu performance of 10,000 reasons (there are 10,000 reasons we should never do that again!) Nonetheless, the effort and attitude of the students couldn't have been better and we had an incredible night!

Wednesday morning, it was back to the same community where we spent Monday morning and afternoon to continue moving dirt for the foundation of a porch. After spending most of the morning doing that, we wrapped up our morning with machetes in hand, clearing more brush. It was hard work and we exhausted our water supply but the students served well and we are almost completed!

After lunch and a brief rest, we headed back to the same community for vbs with the kids and we had a blast! It was fun seeing the kids light up as they sang with us and watched the skit we put on. We did crafts with them too! We finished up by serving them dinner and a sweet treat for each of them. We learned that kid's are kids all over the world. They just need someone to love them!