This and That from Here and There: Aborted cemetery visit and making soup

May 26

◦ We had been soup for breakfast this morning in addition to our trigol. I quite enjoyed it. Laércio shared after breakfast. He mentioned those who sacrifice behind the scenes, like parents of workers. It was very nice.

◦ Picture of the visitors after breakfast. Actually, it was pictures plural, but it wasn't too painful.

◦ Helped Sue crack pecans at teatime and then chatted for a short while with Almansor

◦ Didn't have to leave until 11:30 for lunch so I had a bit of quiet time before that

Those who had farther to go to get to their lunch appointments got to ride part of the way in the truck. I was not in that group on this day.

Had a little time for a "tour" before we need to leave for lunch

Looking up at the house where I stayed from the meeting tent below

Steps up from the meeting tent

All set up and ready for meetings

That'll hold quite a bit of water.

Ladies' wash area

Inside the new house

The door to Beverley's and my room is the first one on the right.

The other side

The family slept upstairs.

Work lists natural and spiritual

◦ The son of the home where we were going passed by in his combi before we had walked too far and gave us a ride the rest of the way. Lunch was cuy with rice and papas (potatoes) and olloco (a bit like a little potato with a slimier texture) and lentils and salad. It was all quite good, but the plate was heaping. I managed to eat all of it with the exception of most of the rice. Then, after we had all basically finished, she brought over steaming plates filled with choclo (corn on the cob - NOT like at home). It smelled good, but I absolutely could not put another thing in my mouth. Those present at lunch were the couple of the home, Eduardo y Marina (Eduardo is a first cousin to Almansor and Héctor.), their daughter, Roxana? and her two children who came in from school when we were finished eating, their son, Norman? and his wife, and their three children, one little one, Fabiana, and two bigger ones that came in later as well, Almansor, Roder and Georgina (Roder and Georgina live in Bagua Grande, where I had been earlier in the rounds, and were with us for both Olmos and Coyunde) and me. Another young daughter came in, ate and went back to school during the whole process as well. We didn't sing!

On our way to lunch

Chicken ladder

Natural mortar and pestle

◦ My plan was to go straight to the cemetery when we got back and stay there for a while to try and think about tomorrow's meeting. I took a leisurely walk up that way, taking pictures as I went, enjoying the sunshine. When I got to the cemetery, I discovered that there was a man there and decided to not stick around, just because. I backtracked and found a cluster of rocks next to the path that I could sit on and enjoy the view. In this short span of time, it began to sprinkle. I stayed there for a while, hoping it would pass, but finally I had to head back to the grounds. I didn't want to get my bible out and get it wet; plus, I didn't want to be out if it started to rain hard as it sometimes does with little or no warning. Unfortunately for me, the sun didn't come back out the rest of the day. Maybe I can at least make a short trek up there tomorrow after the meetings.

The path up to the cemetery

With a gorgeous view off to the right

◦ At afternoon cafecito, I convinced Laércio to share his testimony, which he did, in Portuguese. I think I got most of it. Afterwards he asked me to share mine, which I did, and then Vitalina shared some of hers. It was quite a lengthy teatime but very enjoyable. Before we finished taking, Eliseo (Eliseo González used to be on the Ecuador staff, then married an Ecuadorian lady, and now they live back in Peru.) appeared, so when the others left, I stayed at the table for a while chatting with him. After that, I helped dry dishes and set the table for supper. We finished all this about 5:00, and supper was to be served at 5:30. Not much time, so I decided to clean my rubber boots to leave behind since I won't be needing them anymore.

Soup making for tomorrow: