Kid's Programs and Parties and More. OH MY!!!!!

Round three... ding!!! It is once again time for the beginning of the next kids' program complete with fish and games and creation crafts and so much more!!! Only this go-round we were to do it in the morning. Just a little bit different. AND we played “fruit basket turnover” (figuratively speaking, of course) with our team assignments. Again a little bit different. But after all, variety is the spice of life, is it not?I think I can speak for just about everyone when I say that this week is going to be A WHOLE LOT SIMPLER.We have gone from the mass chaos of about 400 kids going every direction in Esmeraldas to the well-behaved bunch of about 120 kids here in Quito. I didn’t know quite what to do with myself. Last week Amanda Gaddis and I were focused on getting the most supplies for the crafts we could and praying the supplies and the time in which we had to do the crafts would be enough.This week Amy, Darlene, and I are trying to fill up time so the kids don’t get bored. Major difference!!!With every situation there are temptations, though. And this week it is the temptation to slack off and say, “we’ve got this” and forget that we are as much in need of God’s strength for the small group as we were for the large one. However, the day morning went “swimmingly.” The kids learned to “swim away fast” from temptation and I rejoiced that I finally got the hang of saying the phrase “swim away fast” in Spanish.Today was also special in that it was Susanna’s 18th birthday. So, we all sang “Happy Birthday” in Spanish and English about twenty times throughout the day. But that was only the beginning. Later on we went to see a really cool Cathedral and got our fix of photo ops. Then it was on to a really nice Italian restaurant (in honor of Susanna, of course) where we got our Italian fix (somewhat). Being, as she was, the b’day girl, Susanna got her own special ice cream cake like dessert which she graciously shared with the whole team.So back to Casa del Padre we went and Suzanna thought that the surprises for the day were over. However, unknown to Susanna there was a carrot cake topped with an odd assortment of Reese’s candies, Gummy bear vitamins, and (the crowning glory) a packet of Emergen-C . Not to mention the dining room was decked out in confetti, steamers, and balloons of all shapes and sizes. And last but not least were the b’day gifts. All in all, she seemed really happy and excited (but that is normal for Susanna) and she said she was surprised. We have to take her word for it. Either way, we had a super good time getting it all together and letting her know what a blessing she is to all of us.That about sums it up for Tuesday!Amanda Gayle, for the Ecuador teamNathaniel played the fisherman in today's shiny lures skit about self-control.John got the hook stuck in his head!Photo-op at the cathedralAmanda Forman with two of our wonderful friends and translators: Lily and AndreitaThe team leaders of this crazy, wonderful bunch of young missionariesThe square outside the president's palace in downtown QuitoFeliz cumpleanos a ti!