Craziness in Quito: lightening and hospital visit

Trip Start Mar 17, 2005
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Trip End Mar 13, 2006


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Flag of Ecuador  ,
Monday, October 31, 2005

As we were boarding the plane to Ecuador we had a very exciting surprise - we were upgraded to first class! The flight was eleven hours long, so this special treat was double great. Our backpacking bodies were pretty spoiled with unlimited food and too many movies to choose from as we sat in our reclining chair bed. The flight came to a scary ending as our airplane couldnīt land into Quito because of a huge storm and lack of computerized equipment at this airport. Our pilot attempted to land four times and in the process we were struck by lightening twice after we ascended on our failed attempts!! Seriously....we were struck by lightening....twice. We had to land in another city in Ecuador and stay the night (in a five star hotel!!) and depart midday the next day to Quito.

Once in town, we met up with some new friends of a friend named Jose Luis and Carolina Viteri Amy at the hospital
Amy at the hospital
 . They are Ecuadorian missionaries who are refurbishing a house in downtown Old Quito named Casa Victoria. We had been connected to them from someone we met briefly in Uganda. Over dinner with them we were surprised to realize that we have some of the same friends from the States. Casa Victoria is a home that will house a Christian mentorship program modeled after the Little White House program in D.C. and similar to the program where Courtney Usher lived after college. Carolinaīs mom works with The Fellowship which runs the National Prayer Breakfast in D.C.. We wouldnīt be surprised if some of you reading this blog may even know one of them or her mother as well. It was wonderful hearing about their ministry and to get to spend time with some of the mentors from the program a few times during our stay in Quito at church and around town.

During our second day in Quito I (Amy) ate something that I was allergic to and broke out in hives on most of my body. Iīm not allergic to anything that I know of, so it came as a big surprise and ended in a all day trip to the hospital. Jose Luis was gracious to spend the day with us in the emergency room translating to all the doctors about what could be wrong with me. After some very strong shots of Benadryl and Cortisone I was back on my feet after a few days and luckily only had to stay in the hospital for 5 hours. Still not sure what caused it...but Iīm avoiding Ecuadorian ham and herbal tea for the time being Are you interested in buying a bible?
Are you interested in buying a bible?
 !

We got to experience the true culture of Ecuador on November 2nd during All Souls Day when everyone visits cemeteries to honor people in their family that have died. Indigenous communities keeping an old pagan tradition of taking along their favorite food dishes to share with their loved ones by their graves. More modern traditions of the majority of people include spending time at the graves for the day, eating guaguas de pan (bread baked with frosting in the shape of children) and a beverage called colada morada (thick berry juice somewhat like non-alcoholic sangria). We walked around the cemetery for a few hours with Jose Luis, Carolina and three mentors from their program. It was a memorable day seeing how the local Ecuadorians spend this sacred holiday. We didnīt see another tourist the whole day and it was great!
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