Settling into our new home

We have accomplished quite a bit in the last couple of days:

- Bank: we just use our debit card to withdraw cash, no problem.

- Groceries: 10 minute walk from our apt and a modern grocery store. However, you cannot take pictures of items in the store as I found out. A security guy with a gun in his holster came over and told me not to, ha ha.

- Kingdom hall: About 15 min walk. Went to meeting last night, Laguna congregation. There are 97 pubs. Greg met two brothers with the first name Segundo (which means second).

- Internet: Still a problem. We only have a dial up stick so it is very slow. They keep telling us it is going to be installed "mañana" (tomorrow) but that could mean ... well, who knows how long? There is a real problem uploading pictures so we won't be able to post any for awhile unless we get the new service.

- Cell phone: Got one but it is very complicated to use because there are 3 different providers down here and they don't make it easy to call the competition (costs more). One brother came up with his own solution - he carries 3 cell phones.

-Our apt has a washer and dryer. Bonus!


Today we went in service. Lisa worked with a Beverly who is from Australia. She and her husband have been missionaries in Ecuador for 27 years. Greg and I worked with a couple (Patricia and Fernando) and their two daughters who are joining the Quichua (indigenous) group. There is a total of 18 pubs in the whole of Cuenca and there is a big need. They invited us to go in service with them on Sunday in Quichua so that will be a real experience!!

After service we took a bus with the same family downtown and went for lunch - $20 for 7 people, not bad eh?. Patricia bought some yarn at a store to make scarves for Lisa and me. She made Lisa's scarves by using just her fingers and then she showed Lisa how to do it and Lisa made one for me. It was so funny because all these Ecuadorian people were standing and watching as Lisa was making this scarf while Patrica was unravelling the ball of yarn. They took us to the market and we all bought sombreros. The sun is very strong here and we Gringos need protection.

A strange thing happened today. We were walking down the road and all of a sudden Greg was "bombed" from a passing car with a balloon full of water. Lisa got wet too. Apparently it is close to "carnival" time and this is what they do here during carnival - pelt people with water balloons, so they must be practicing for that. We think carnival is next week so we will have to mantenganse alerta (keep awake) for this, ha ha.

Guess that is all for now. I will try to post a few pics later.