Family Weekend

This weekend is Family Weekend at the Foundation. On Saturday, students and parents gathered at the church to celebrate the end of the school year. Students are very excited about this day because it signals an end of the school year and the beginning of vacation, even though we technically still have two weeks of school.

The celebration began at 8:00 on Saturday with praise and worship led by some of the teachers. We watched a movie, The Grace Card. The story of the movie is very powerful and encourages everyone to forgive each other even when it is hard to forgive because Christ has forgiven us. This movie was broken into two parts with an intermission. Young people from the community performed skits and juggling routines. The students loved every minute of the movie and the other forms of entertainment. 

Earlier in the week I had made plans with Mallory, the intern from the upper part of the Foundation, to go into San Luis to watch a movie on Saturday afternoon. I had no idea that I would watch two movies in one day, but I was looking forward to spending time with Mallory and going into San Luis. She and I decided to see Anna Karenina in English because it was an "epic love story." This movie is based on the novel by Tolstoy. Although the movie has apparently won many Oscars, it was quite an interesting movie to say the least. Luckily, the company and popcorn were good because I would not recommend this movie and am unsure why it won so many awards. Isn't that always how it is with movies that win Oscars? As we left the theater, we laughed about the movie and joked of the irony of seeing a Russian movie in English in Ecuador. :) 

Earlier in the week I decided to buy a coffee maker at Mega Maxi. Waking up at 5:00 without caffeine is brutal, and to say that I am caffeine deprived is the understatement of the summer. After shopping around, I found a small coffee maker for $20.00 and decided to buy it. I was super excited to go home and make some coffee. However, it is just my luck that the coffee maker does not work...bummer! The coffee doesn't filter into the pot for some reason, so the coffee just sits in the filter. I tried three different times, and I can't make the coffee filter into the pot.  I am going to try to take it back tomorrow. I hope Ecuadorians do exchanges!  At least it gives me another excuse to go into San Luis tomorrow. 

I also have been looking for a simple sweatshirt that says Ecuador. I'm not exactly sure why I wanted a sweatshirt. It may be because I love sweatshirts, and I prefer them over a jacket most of the time because they are comfortable and cozy. It also could be that mornings and evenings are cool here, and i didn't bring a sweatshirt with me. I went to the Artisan Market in Quito with the church group this past week, but unfortunately they didn't have sweatshirts. As Mallory and I were walking through the mall on Saturday, Mallory spotted Ecuadorian sweatshirts. I found the perfect one! :) 

At the Artisan market, I did buy magnets and a blanket. This type of blanket is very popular in Ecuador and comes highly recommended because it is so comfortable. It is comfortable, and i'm glad I can say that I bought something at the Artisan market. I'm still on the lookout for an elephant figurine. I guess you could say that I collect them because I have many of them from different cities or countries that I or another member of my family visits. I've just always been lucky enough to find one because what can I say? No matter where I go I'm always looking for a reason to say "Roll Tide!" 

This is a picture of the sweatshirt from the mall and the blanket from the Artisan market. 

Here is a picture of Margaret and I during a break at school. All the kids thought we were sisters all week because they thought we looked alike! Jennifer is the sweet little girl beside Margaret. She has become one of my favorite kids. She always tells me, "Amanda, no te vayas" (Don't leave) when I leave the houses for any reason, even when I assure her I'll be back in an hour or two. 

Margaret and the team from the States went home on Friday, and another team arrived to help the missionaries on Saturday. On Sunday, the Family Weekend celebration continued with activities for the kids and games for the mothers and fathers at church. The day concluded with dancing in the open area in the center of the houses. 

I know this picture is somewhat far away, but the kids and even the director are dancing to a what I think is a popular song in the States (gangnam style, anyone?).

I guess I better get going for now because I just noticed I'm a little late for dinner with my house family. I hope we have some of the french fries leftover from lunch. :) Thank you for all the prayers. God is good and is answering all of them. Take care, and I'll write more later...