there's no place like home

Well, I was getting back on an airplane.  That much I expected.  

But where I landed... now, that part was something of a surprise.  

As soon as my feet hit the ground, I could  instantly I feel the temperature of my blood begin to rise. This was the land of big mountains... of roasted plantains... of really really loud salsa music.  This was Ecuador... and I was home.

Well, for a visit at least.  I had 12 days to run around the country like a madwoman and see everyone- It was an amazing time!

I had first met Leane when she was a bible student in Pedernales.  Later she and her husband both came in the truth, and eventually we all end-ed up serving together where the need was great in Flavio Alfaro.  Their enthusiasm always contributed so much to the group there.  I'll never forget the day they rode their bikes to my house in a torrential rainstorm and dragged me outside for a football game... hahaha...  and how we sat on my front porch afterwards, eating cookies and laughing like kids.  Sadly, her husband Darío passed-away unexpectedly about a year ago, and is greatly missed.  It was a special time for us to be together again and to see how well the family is doing, despite their loss.  Leane and her oldest daughter Karen both serve as regular pioneers and generously give their free time to others.  Some of the friends back in North America had given me a suitcase of clothes and other things to share, and I was very pleased to be pass along those gifts.

They all traveled many hours on a bus so that we could spend a day together.  Thanks guys! 

This is Merci, who took me in when I was new and was patient with me when I could barely speak spanish... and who has always made me feel like a beloved member of her family.   They don't  have a lot, but they're happy to share whatever they do have.  Her hospitality is legendary, and if you ever go there, she will cook you  (I'm quite sure)  the most amazingly fantastic fish dinner on the whole entire planet!  

She inherited, among other things, my red sunglasses from cambodia.

Another dear friend, Carolina, came on a bus all the way from Santo Domingo so that we could see each other.   She and I were in the same congregation when I first moved to Ecuador in 1999, and we've stayed friends ever since.  Around here, anything is an excuse for a party!  When the sun goes down in Pedernales... we gotta dance!

My next stop was Tabiasa... 

That was one of the first places I served here in the country, back when it was just a tiny isolated group in the middle of nowhere.  To get there, I jumped on the back of a pick-up truck and headed into the hills...

When the truck stopped a few hours later, I started walking...

and walking...

and walking...  (there's something strangely familiar about all of this)

One thing I haven't missed are these fine bamboo bridges!

(p.s. My latest inexplicable passion: red shoes) 

...and then walking some more.

 I eventually came to this house.  The home of the brother who serves as the only elder in the Tabiasa congregation.

If you think the outside of the house looks cool,  wait until you see the the inside!

This is Brother Washington with his wife and daughter.  It takes a lot of hard work out here in order to earn enough to support a family.  Add to that the workload of being the only elder in an isolated congregation  (and currently there are no servants either)  Needless to say, this is one HARD working guy!  He moved out here to help where the need is great, and has been loyally sticking to it for nearly 9 years now.  

Isn't she just TOO cute!

It was just incredible to be there with everyone.  To see all the things that have changed... and all the things that have stayed the same... and to be reunited with dear old friends...  

Not the pig though.  He and I had just met. 

Before & After....

This is an old photo I dug out, from back in 2000...2? (about). You can see the way our kingdom hall looked when I first moved here: a wood floor, tin roof, and no walls.  Just a few planks behind the stage...

And this is that same kingdom hall as it stands today.  They've added walls and doors, and the inside is decorated with flowers and curtains.  This year, they've even been able to have electricity!  It's small and simple-  it's also one of the nicest buildings in the territory.  BUT...

Thanks to Jehovah (also a bulldozer, and a whole lot of electrical cables) Tabiasa has been approved to have a real kingdom hall built for them by the brothers of the RBC!!  Heavy machinery was made available to come fix the road and level a plot of land where the hall could be built.  Also contributions were made to help the brothers run cables with 220v electricity out to the construction site to run the machinery (according to my best guess, it's about 15 miles- that's one long extension cord!)  For many weeks and days prior to the build, the brothers painstaking brought out loads of supplies in trucks... bags of concrete, piles of crushed stones, tile, paint, rebar, food....  everything!  It was no small feat, and that's only the beginning...

This is  going to be a "real" Kingdom hall, with cement walls, microphones, and tiled bathrooms where water comes out of the faucets!  Maybe that doesn't sound like such a big deal at first, but this Kingdom hall will be the first building of it's kind out in these hills, and a tremendous shout of praise for Jehovah and his loving world-wide brotherhood.  

The building project is set to last 7 weeks.... being out there, I didn't want to leave.   Over the years,  I had put so much of myself into the building-up of this congregation... I felt like I would've traded just about anything to be able to stay and help construct the building too.  But, sadly, there was no time.  I had just one day there.  Well... I was glad for what I had. 

Here is another old picture of two women I used to study the bible with, Dolores and her mother-in-law Señora Cruz...    In this picture, Cruz is holding Dolores' newborn baby Merci, and they are crossing a river on their way to the meeting.

And this is the family today...  Dolores is in the green shirt; she has 3 children now and the whole family serves Jehovah.  Her little baby Merci (all grown-up) is the girl in red.

And here is the Señora Cruz with some of her other daughters-in-law and grandchildren, some of whom also study the bible now.

There was only one person there who didn't really seem to appreciate my visit...

But we did eventually make friends

One of my favorite things about the Ecuadorian landscape are the Kapok (or Ceiba) trees.  Every one seems to have it's own personality and unique story to tell.   Along the coastal road that leads to Jipijapa, you can find miles and miles of dry hillsides peppered with these trees.  Often they're drapped in spanish moss; almost wearing it, as if they were a troupe of eccentric stage performers in costume.  The Kapok have a secret that's the key their survival in this often harsh climate... it's their green color.  During the dry times, (that may be most of the year) the tree will shed it's delicate leaves to conserve moisture, and the plant can continue to photosynthesize through the chlorophyll in it's green branches and trunk. At first glance they look mostly dead, but they're actually thriving!  Isn't Jehovah's creation amazing.... !

The English District Convention... 

...held at the Branch in Guyaquil was another one of the highlights of 2011.  At Malachi 3:10 it reads: "test me out, please, in this respect," Jehovah of armies has said, "whether I shall not open to YOU people the floodgates of the heavens and actually empty out upon YOU a blessing until there is no more want."   When I think back on this convention, and I look at the smiling faces of the brothers and sisters...  outstanding people who's examples and encouragement have inspired and guided me...  My friends have, by far,  been the greatest blessing of my life.  I can think of no better testament to the truthfulness of that scripture than this:

After the convention on Saturday we had a special dinner  with friends to celebrate Dave and Daniella's 4th anniversary.  It was like a little mini international convention. There were guests from Italy, Peru, Ecuador, U.S. Scotland, Canada, Australia... I don't even know how many other places.  

Jacques always has a smile to share.  She's German + Scottish...  = Germish?

And then it was back to my old hometown of Puerto Lopez...

 Time was short, and I had just one day to see everyone.  So, needless to say, we danced!

Before I knew what hit me, it was time to say goodbye.  This had been a rare privilege... to return to this place after so long a time, and find the piece of my heart that I had left behind.  My suitcase was nearly empty, but I left with so much more than what I had come with.




Meanwhile, back in New York..... 

Another  highlight of July was time spent with friends near Albany.  I used to live around here for a short time. It was only about a year, but the bonds of friendships that were formed then have remained so true, and so strong, that being back always feels like coming home.  (Jen, I can honestly say I have learned SO much from you!!  harmonicas, home decor with red duct tape... and now this! :)

Marie and I had been in Ecuador together, in Cambodia together, and now here we are once again in New York.  It is a small world, after all :)

She had a gathering at her family's camp up at the lake...

It was a day for friends....  swimming, kayaking, ultimate (water) frisbee, eating, singing, and my personal favorite...  learning to shoot at stuff with a giant  potato cannon!

It was great to see Kim again too!  She serves as a pioneer in a Sign Language cong. in Nicaragua and we're almost never on the same continent at the same time.  But happily our paths collided here this time around.  (BTW, Kimmie you are my HERO!  Thank U for saving my life again & again!!)

And then Lee Center NY...

back to the place where I had grown-up.  Back in that field behind my grandma's house where I used to lay awake, and watch the stars light-up the night skies.  We lit and a huge fire (even though it was kinda raining)  and practiced our golf swings in the wet grass, and...

other, um... 'upbuilding' activities.  It was good to be home. 

There are so many good stories and good memories... I could type on and on, and not even scratch the surface...

This world-wide interweb is just not big enough to hold all of the smiles and memories from this trip.  Thank you guys, for being such great friends and making all of this possible! 

Last, (but by no means least) this is one of my grandmothers:  The always-beautiful Barbara Taciak

She is the ever-wise, undisputed matriarch of the Taciak family.  My favorite Barbara quote from this month:  "People say that we're just a like, Melissa.  But the truth is there's nothing like you in all of God's creation.  You're like one of those things they find deep in the ocean, bring to the surface and say "What IS this thing?!"  

Ha!  Well, like I was saying...  "there's no place like home"!

  (where ever that home may be)