Troubles in Jadan

Last week the group that goes to Jadan got stopped on their way out of the town.  A group of 30 people surrounded their cars and told them that they were not welcome there.  The priest had gathered all them together to threaten the brothers and sisters.  They informed them that they were only going to warn them once...  what a great Christian attitude, eh?  The brothers said that they didn't want to cause any problems and that they were going to continue coming in peace to teach those that wanted to study the Bible... we'll see how it goes.

Oh the joys of Carnaval

So, it's Carnaval time here in Ecuador... What is Carnaval?  Well, is is essentially is the Ecuadorian Mardi Gras.  It leads up to lent and is celebrated by lots of drinking, throwing water balloons at passersby, squirting them with water guns, spraying them with foam, pulling them in to fountains, or, my personal favorite, dumping buckets of water on them from balconies.  Yep, last Saturday I got a BUCKET of water dumped on me in service.  I was dripping wet and my literature was soaked, but I laughed hysterically because it caught me off guard.  Every day this week I've been ballooned or squirted and I also got all out attacked with foam, guns and balloons on Friday.  The Ecuadorians that were with me insisted I walk apart from them so as not to attract attention to them :o)  Everyone wants to get the gringa!  The water tradition has something to do with washing away evil spirits... needless to say, I cannot retaliate... otherwise those kids would have no hope!  Haha.