riobamba.

I fell in love with Riobamba this weekend.

Friday the 29th (the day I fell in love with the city): We were free to explore the quaint city for a couple hours. That's when I tasted the best ice cream I've ever had, and we encountered the best parade I've ever seen (by my own terms of course). All ages of children and young people performed traditional dances in the street. During the evening we teamed up to do street evangelism with the youth group from Pucara Church of the Nazarene. What an experience that was because not only have I never done street evangelism, but I've certainly never done it in Spanish!

Saturday the 1st (the day I fell in love with the people): We explored Ecuador's tallest mountain/volcano, Chimborazo. Unfortunately I was still suffering the aftereffect of something flu-like and was unable go the full length of the hike with the group. You would never dream that with so much snow it would ever be warm enough to take off your jacket and lie in the snow in a tank top! In the evening we attended a special youth service that tickled me pink. What a beautiful church and a beautiful people!

Sunday the 2nd (the day I fell in love with the church): This morning we attended the church service at Pucara. How we packed 160 people into that tiny church, I'll never know. The building is without one of its walls too. It is undergoing construction as it bursts at the seams each week. The young church really does have a beautiful vision for the future. Pictured below is one of the young men from the church, Cristian, a civil engineer with a big heart who shares in the vision of his church. In the evening we attended an indigenous church near Riobamba. There the women sang and the children and youth danced.

Monday the 3rd (the day I fell in love with the school): Today, before leaving, we visited the Nazarene school. It includes levels from preschool to the 12th grade. The children are beautiful, and the school is expanding. There is nothing I would love more than to teach ESL at a school like that!

And that's how I fell in love with Riobamba. It was definitely the highlight of my semester thus far. I was sad to leave, and I may have even shed a small tear or two when we drove out of the city. I can only pray that God would be gracious enough to allow me to return.

If you want to see more pictures of my new favorite place in the world, click here.