This is the place to be!

Hola!

Now that I've seen Ecuador in daylight I can say much more! First of all, the people here are wonderful. They are so sweet and kind. They've been helping me with my Spanish, of course and they are very patient. Also, the seminary has housing for married couples, and a lot of them have children. So there are children running around all over the place here! There are also rabbits here, cats, and dogs wandering around. I met a cute dachshund today named Dipo. He's my new friend.

Also, the view is amazing. All I have to do is open my door and right in front of me are the mountains. We can also see a couple volcanoes, but I'm not sure which ones those are, I just know they're there. Downtown is beautiful. There are stores lining every street, and when you get into the heart of the town, all the streets are brick. And there are people selling things all along the street. For instance, you can buy a dozen roses for $1. My favorite part so far was today. All of it was my favorite. :-) We went to church this morning, and it was the most incredible experience. It was a 2 hour service, but it could have been twice that and still been good. Everyone worshiped to the music...no exceptions...I was greeted with hugs and kisses on the cheeks, everyone said "Amen" all the time, we prayed after everything, and the ending prayer was so powerful. We all gathered in the front of the sanctuary and prayed and prayed and it just moved me so much. I have to tell you, if you think you're going to come here to minister to the people here, you are so wrong. You won't get anywhere that way. Instead, they have ministered to me so much already. I have something I can't want to take home and share with people at church. Church at home doesn't have passion or faith compared to the people here. I'm just so excited because through this experience I'll be able to take what God has laid upon my heart to minister to my own home church...something I didn't really expect.

All in all...I am one of the happiest people alive. The other NILIs (American students studying here) are already like family, living in a very close community with the seminary students who will hopefully be like family soon as well. The scenery is beautiful, the atmosphere is so welcoming and encouraging, I can't imagine spending my study abroad anywhere else! Just to rub it in a little bit more, I've added some pictures for your enjoyment. :-) I hope you are all safe and not suffering too much in the cold weather.

God bless,
Amy Jo