Hola Vida

To try to attract some visitors we had to show you some pics of a waterfall we went to a few days ago with some fellow missionaries who were visiting from Quito. It was a beautiful 20 minute hike out to the waterfall. And the water was COLD! But we got in anyways. Sam gets the award for the most passes under the waterfall.
We went in the morning on a national holiday and there were quite a few people there when we arrived. But as we left an hour later--busloads of people were setting out on the trail to see the waterfall. We are glad we went early, because it was like Labor Day at a park in the states---super busy! But beautiful all the same.
We'd love to take you to see it sometime. =)

Nate Saint House Dedication

Many of you have heard the story of Nate Saint and his fellow missionaries who come to this area of Ecuador 50 years ago to share the gospel and were killed by a group of indigenous people.

If you don't know the story you can learn more about it by watching the movie--the End of the Spear--or watching the documentary called Beyond the Gates of Splendor. It is an amazing story of sacrifice, forgiveness and love and since their death the Waironi people have left their violent ways and many have become followers of Christ.


Well, Nate Saint was a pilot and he built a house here in Shell when he was here to serve as a contact point, or base for their outreach into the jungle. The house was in disrepair and recently a mission group came in and restored the house.


There was a dedication a couple of weekends ago put on by MAF--Mission Aviation Fellowship-- that we attended. The kids even were involved because they painted rocks to decorate around the outside of the entrance. (Sydney's is the butterfly).
It was a special day, filled with emotion and history. In the pictures you can see the kitchen and phone that the Saint's used. One of the rooms is converted into a museum of sort of information about the 5 missionaries and the events of that time.
The first picture is one of Mincaye, the grandson of one of the Waironi men who killed the missionaries, who now is a Christian and a pastor among the Waironi people. It is a great example of how God can work amazing good out of the most horrible of circumstances.

Mike's trip to the jungle

Our clinic has been contracted by Compassion International to help with check-ups for their sponsored kids here in the jungle. So the docs are taking turns taking 2-night trips out to the jungle communities to check on the kids. They are usually accompanied by one of the Family Practice Residents from Hospital VozAndes in Quito who are doing their one-month rotation at our hospital. So last month it was Mike's turn to go to a community called Charapacocha.
He and Betzabe (a resident from Quito) traveled by plane 45 minutes south down the Pastaza river to this community. For Mike the flight was the highlight of the trip--because he has always wanted to be a pilot. But the experience of going to the jungle and living life there for a few days was very eye-opening as well.
Of course a visit to the jungle included the opportunity to drink,chicha , a drink made by fermenting yucca mixed with the saliva of the women. Yummy!

Fortunately, the kids were all doing well with the help and support of the Compassion program. Now just 30-some more communities to visit over the next few months and I (Heather) have to decide if and when I want to go out.