Hartford to NYC to Philly

Travelling South West from Connecticut with our GPS at hand, we made an un-planned, spontaneous visit to our friends Brian and Kristin in Brooklyn, NY.  We had seen them a week ago when they picked us up from the airport, but it was only about 25 minutes out of our way to visit, so we swooped into Brooklyn to find Brian a little under the weather.

Get well soon, Brian!

From there we headed South West to Philadelphia to stay the night with our friends, Ben and Kate.  Kate was away, but we visited with Ben, and had a great time catching up, talking about Mercy Ships, and breaking a sweat playing Wii.

We had lunch with Behzad, a friend from Cornell, who is also living and working in Philly.  He had to go back to work like most "normal" people, so we got a chance to tour his lab at Penn University, walk the campus, and just hang out at the Penn bookstore.  They have a really nice bookstore.

It's a great blessing to visit so many of our friends:  people who have made a great difference in our lives for the better.

Next episode:  Washington DC: Wild-Asia meets Metro-Urban at the DC Zoo.

Road Trip III

Today marks our second day on the road to Texas.
We have been planning this trip for months, and finally we are on the road.  Our first stop, Jeff and Tatyana's new home in Hartford, Connecticut!  They just moved in last month.

We arrived at around 6:45PM to see Jeff chatting with one of his new neighbors, Tom.  We had a great night of getting acquainted with their new house, which is a beautiful old English Tudor style home, and having great conversation.  Unfortunately, Tatyana is in her residency and was on the night shift while we were there, so we didn't get a chance to see her much.  She'll be a great doctor, and when she gets established, who knows?  Maybe she'll come volunteer with us in Africa!

Jeff gave us a walking tour of their new garden which he has been feverishly planting and preparing.  We ate some of the first fruits, which were three perfectly ripened strawberries from the patch he had planted recently.

It's amazing that even though the garden is very young, it is already producing fruit and flower.  I have a feeling the next time we come, there will be all sorts of fruits to enjoy.

Jeff has the uncanny ability to make people feel welcome.  We know he and his wife, Tatyana, and soon their new baby who is due in a few months, will certainly be a light in their community.  We are so glad to start our trip with them.

We'll be updating more as we go.  Please stay in touch!

Keep on Grillin' Jeff! We'll see you again real soon!

Ecuador, Deep and Colorful

We´ve been in Quito, Ecuador since Tuesday, May 4.  We´ve seen and done much, but mostly we´ve just been living here with the family and enjoying the rich experience of being in the hot sun of the day and the cool breeze of the night.

We´ve gone to a parade held by the school where Edwin, Cecilia´s brother, teaches. 

The parade was set to begin at 10:00 AM, and sure enough, people were arriving, getting ready, and assembling on the street at 10:00 AM sharp.  Parents and locals gathered for the procession of the yough. 

The parade began with the ¨War Band¨setting the beat.  All drums, some snare, some bass. 
The batonistas surrounded the drummer boys in front and behind, twirling their batons. 
The valedictorian of the school and the two other best students led the procession bearing the flags of the nation, the school, and the city. 

Following was a display of the many cultures, dances, and people groups within Ecuador.  The entire school from the youngest first graders to graduating high-schoolers had a part to play. 

In the park nearby, some kids were setting off firework rockets that boomed overhead, and seemed to match the beat of the drummers.  One mis-fired and landed in a half-constructed building across the street from where we stood watching.  Lucy it exploded on the ground behind a brick wall, hurting noone, just setting off a few car alarms.

We watched from the shade of a building, Cecilia, Nate, and the moms, Maria and Christine.  It was a seemingly endless parade of children, bands, and cars dressed up to portray the rich culture of various different parts of the country. 

I was struck by the amazing fact that here in Ecuador, the culture, the history, the dances, and the people are connected and celebrated by all.  It´s not for the tourists to come and pay to be entertained.  It´s close to the heart of the people, and it´s celebrated in the streets far far away from the tourists with their cameras.  To be there was like being included in a procession that has been marching along since the distant past, before the spanish came, before there were written records and recording devices to capture the moment forever.  It was like being invited as a very special guest, and I will always remember it.