I'm in Ecuador. Here's how it happened.

Let the Fun Begin

About 17 hours after arriving at the airport in Cleveland I finally touched down, grabbed my 2 bags, each 45 pounds and bulging with a year's worth of clothes and supplies, and made it through customs. I reached in my bag to carry out what seemed to be step 149 of a 150 step process of just getting to the branch in Guayaquil. I grabbed an issue of a WT magazine, displayed it in my luggage cart and rushed through the crowds of people waiting for arrivals hoping to stand out like a sore thumb to whoever was there from the branch to pick me up. About 30 seconds later I spotted a young brother holding up a piece of paper with my name on it. I was SO happy to see him and I told him that but No Ingles - of course, I'm in Ecuador, what could I expect? So, during the ride home he struggled to communicate with me while I struggled to remain calm and that was apparently obvious to him because it seems the one English word that he knew was "relax".

After we pulled up to a sleeping branch facility, probably around midnight, Miguel heaved one of my bags out of the van and showed me to my room but in the mean time commenting, "muchos ropas" (a lot of clothes)! I reminded him of the bag still in the back of the van. "Otro? No". I said, "Si". He said, "No". I said, "Si", silently praying that the bag had not somehow stayed a half hour away on a cart in the airport parking lot. He went back and found it.

The room smelled just the way I remember the smell of the coast of Ecuador. A little bit beachy, a little bit earthy, almost musty. I love it. That night I went to sleep with tropical birds chirping in the background and a warm breeze on my face.

Do Drink the Water

I woke up to tropical birds...ok, you get the picture.

Morning worship at a Bethel branch is a real privilege and I wouldn't miss it. 6 a.m. the alarm rang and I got ready to go. Go where? Had no clue even though the night before Miguel said "Breakfast", making a big gesture and a swooshing noise while pointing down the hallway. I found a couple people to follow and made my way. I was seated at a friendly table but Ingles, un poquito, so I was instantly reunited with an old friend of mine, the Learning-a-new-language-cold-sweats except in Guayaquil it's really humid so it's basically just plain sweating and it's really embarrassing. I poured sweat, butchered the Spanish language and just sat there and ate my breakfast which was hitting the spot if only I knew whether or not I could drink the water. I was so thirsty but just kept flashing back to the time I thought the water would be safe at the Estonian branch and without getting graphic, it wasn't. I had some coffee thinking that was boiled so it must be ok, I hoped.

By the time I finally got around to meeting an American who I felt comfortable enough to ask about the water situation it was about 9:30 a.m. and I was parched! The American I met was a missionary sister doing reception work at the front desk. She was just lovely, made me feel right at home and urged me to stay the day and another night at Bethel and just enjoy myself because at this point I was itching to get out of there and go see Jordanne, AJ and Miha plus, I had no idea what I was supposed to do there all day and was getting more nervous by the second. So, that is just what I did. I enjoyed myself all over the branch. It's a beautiful place with about 180 beautiful people. Each is friendly and helpful and I am so glad I stayed. I took a tour, met new friends, ate 3 Bethel meals, learned all kinds of Spanish and just relaxed. Oh, and, yes you can drink the water till your heart's content (thanks to the onsite water filtration plant). In fact, I'd venture to say it's the only place in the country you can do that and leave your room door open all day long without a care. What a beautiful place.