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)

hometown weddings and wigs

Well, here I am.... back in America.  When I arrived, it was springtime on the east coast.  That means apple blossoms and the dazzling greens of leaves unfolding.  It's the smell of freshly cut grass and berry fields kissed with rain.... / Cuando llegué a los Estados, era la primavera.  Esto significa arboles de manzana florecidas y los verdes increibles de ojas recien nacidas.   Significa el olor del cesped y campos de fresas, besado de la lluvia... 

It was me and the sock monkey on long, long highway. / Es mi y el mono de medias, andando por una careterra muy muy larga

By now, I've come to expect that my life will be busy and unpredicatable.... but this may have been my craziest month ever.   According to mapquest, since landing in NYC  I've covered more than 5,650 miles!  To put it another way, that's roughly like driving from New York to Egypt  ...and it's not over yet! / Ya he llegado a esperar que mi vida será loca y ocupada... pero, de pronto este mes ha sido más loco que nunca.  Según el mapquest, desde que llegué a Nueva York he viajado más de 9,092 Km!  Para decirtelo de otra forma, es casi como manejar de Nueva York a Egipto!  ...y no ha terminado todavía!

This is more-or-less what I did last month /  Donde he estado, mas o menos

I've spent my entire adult life living abroad, and living very, very far from my family.  So, this past month was a tiny bit of catching-up for lost time....  It was more than slightly crazy... but sometimes these are the things we do for the people we care about; and the things they do for us.  So, after going through customs in NYC, my next destination was Atlanta Georgia, for my brother's wedding. / He pasado casi toda mi vida adulta viviendo muy muy lejos de mi familia.  Entonces, este mes pasado fue para recuperar un poco del tiempo perdido... y fue un poco bastante loco tambien... pero a veces estas son las cosas que hacemos para nuestros seres queridos, y las cosas que ellos hacen por nosotros.  Entonces, despúes de pasar por aduanas en NYC, mi proximo destino fue Atlanta Georgia para la boda de mi hermano. 

Kayla Compton & Marc Taciak
May 7, 2011

The Taciak family...  /  La familia Taciak...

and, the FAMILY!  haha  There's a lot going on in this picture! / y, la FAMILIA! jaja  Sucenden muchas cosas en este foto!

Everything is so different here in America.  It's all shiny and polished; instant and automated.  Also there seem to be no stray cows wandering around anywhere!?  (It's very strange)  I guess the trip still always brings  a little bit of culture shock for me...  hard to explain....  I'm going to blame this photo on the jet lag. / Todo es tan diferente aqui en America.  Todo es nuevo y limpio, instantaño y automatico.  Y nunca encuentro vacas vagando por las calles! (¡que raro!)  Supongo que al viajar, todavía experimento un poco de choque de culturas....

the party / el baile

It was a treat to have four generations of my family together in one place.   That doesn't happen too often.  With my niece and nephew, it'll be 5 generations who've known Jehovah. / Fue algo especial tener 4 generaciones de mi familia juntos en un solo lugar.  Eso no pasa todos los días.  Incluyendo a mis sobrinos, será 5 generaciones de mi familia que han conocido a Jehová.

After the wedding, the Stringham family had a little reunion too / Despúes de la boda, la familia Stringham tuvo una pequeña reunion tambien

My mom got to wear this really amazing wig, so... / mi mama pusó se esta peluca increíble, entonces...

So we thought it was only fair that everyone should get to wear one! / pensabamos solo será justo que todos podran tener pelucas!

(That may not have been our greatest idea ever...?) / (de pronto, no ha sido nuestro mejor idea...?)

 a few of my favorite photos from that weekend / Estos son unas de mis fotos favoritas del fin de semana

Jim and Ellie (in their real hair!) / Mi tio Jim con Ellie (es su pelo real!)

My sister Jenny & her husband Byron / Mi hermana Jenny y su esposo Byron

My mom  (I'm pretty sure that's a chocolate coated vitamin she's holding.) / Mi mamá (esoy casi segura lo que ella tiene alli es una vitamina de chocolate)

My aunt Margie and Grandma Bev / Mi tía Margie con mi abuela Bev

Sir Isaac Newton's third law of motion states that 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction'.   Sometimes I think that must mean that for every good thing that happens to us, something bad must happen too.  At least, that's the way it feels some days.  The longer I live, the more I'm impressed with what Job said at Job 2:10 "Shall we accept merely what is good from the [true] God and not accept also what is bad?  In all this Job did not sin with his lips."  ...This trip has seen sadness;  funerals, emergency rooms, heavy hearts, and then some......   But there were plenty of  fun things too; like riding on roller coasters... / Señor Isaac Newton dijo, en su tercer ley del movimiento que para toda accion, hay una reaccion de fuerza igual y opuesto.  A veces pienso que esto tiene que significar que para toda cosa buena que nos sucede, algo malo tiene que suceder tambien.  Por lo menos, a si se parece a veces.  Mientras más tiempo vivo, más aprecio tengo para las palabras de Job 2:10  "¿Aceptaremos solamente lo que es bueno de parte del Dios [verdadero], y no aceptaremos también lo que es malo?  En todo esto Job no pecó con sus labios". Este viaje la visto tristeza; funerales, salas de emergencia, y corazones pesadas.... pero tambien pasaron muchas cosas alegres.... como subir en los rollercoasters....

going to movies.... / veindo a películas...

and playing with really cool toys. / y jugando con juguetes super cheverísimos.

This is my nephew Aiden / El es mi sobrino Aiden

And my niece, Ellie / Y mi sobrina Ellie

One very important thing I learned from my sister: 

"Never leave home without your emergency clown nose! "

Una cosa muy impotante que aprendí de mi hermana

"Nunca sales de la casa sin tu nariz de payaso de emergencia!"

Going out in service here has been really fun too.  This area has a lot of international business and so you never know who you'll meet behind the doors.   Lately, I've been getting the opportunity to have some nice conversations with Muslim people; I even met a fascinating woman from Pakistan who gave me a copy of the Quran to read.  / LLendo a predicar ha sido muy interesante tambien.  Este area tiene muchos negocios internacionales, entonces nunca sabes quien contestará la puerta.  Ultimamente, he tenido la oportunidad de conversar con varias personas musulmanes.  Incluso conocí a una mujer muy intersantes quien me regaló una copia del Quran para leer.  

Over the last few weeks there's been meetings in Portuguese, phone calls in Cambodian, service in Spanish ....English, Sign, Karen and Cambodian too.   I've never had a problem getting my languages confused before, but jumping states and cultures so fast, has my brain completely scrambled! haha  Lately, there's no telling what will come out when I open my mouth! /  Durante la ultimas semanas han habido reuniones en Portugues, llamadas en Camboyano, predicacion en español ...ingles, señas, Karin, y camboyano tambien... Nunca antes tuvé problema con mezclar mis idiomas, pero brincando del estados y culturas tan rapidamente, tiene mi mente totalmente revuelto! jaja  Cuando abro la boca, no se sabe que saldra!

I made stops in Florida, Virginia, and DC to see family and friends.  There were quick breakfast rendezvous, leisurely diners on the water,  long, late-night chats by the campfire... / Tuve paradas en Florida, Virginia, and DC para ver familiares y amigos.  Habian desayunos rapidos, cenas relajantes sobre el agua, y charlas largas en la fogata...

Also... / Tambien...

I briefly considered a career change.
brevemente consideré un cambio de carera



Then, back in New York.... / Luego, en Nueva York...

Emma Thomas & Dan Ingalls

June 24, 2011

Another beautiful family wedding.  Except for the fact that it started pouring and POURING sheets of rain the at the same time the bridal party was trying to get to the hall, it seemed absolutely perfect. / Fue otra boda hermosa.  Solo que justo en el momento que la novia quiso ir al salón del reino, empezó a llover y LLOVER como nunca.  Bueno, aparte de esto, todo fue casi perfecto.

The Thomas house, the day before.../ La casa de la familia Thomas el día antes...

The day of.... / El día de...

And the Thomas house, the day after.... / Y la casa de la familia Thomas, el día despúes....

Man, if this tree could talk!  well..... we'd have to cut it down! :)  

Upstate New York has always been a nice place to come home to.  The brothers and sisters in the congregations around here are always so encouraging and supportive when it comes to serving where the need is greater.  I often get asked to share stories, show pictures, or give a little assistance to other pioneers who would like to go where the need is great too.  This year I had the really special privilege of being interviewed at the District Convention about what it's been like to pioneer in foreign countries.

  

The way the circuits were divided this year, I felt like really didn't know that many people in the audience at this convention.  But after the program,  I thought it was amazing how many people approached me with appreciation, or to share some exciting experiences of their own.   I find it inspiring to see people's eyes light up with enthusiasm when they talk about spiritual things and working for Jehovah.  I've really been blessed to be in the company of some amazing people here.  

Well, it's been fun, but  my time back is quickly drawing to a close.  But before I go, there's just a couple  of things left to do... / Bueno, ha sido divertido, pero mi tiempo aqui esta rapidamente llegando a su conclusion.   Pero, antes de ir, solo me quedan hacer unas cuantas cositas mas...

"Hope in Jehovah;  be courageous and let your heart be strong.  Yes, hope in Jehovah."  -Psalms 27:14-   "Espera en Jehová;  sé animoso, y sea fuerte tu corazón.  Sí, espera en Jehová."