2/1/05 (Tuesday)

7:15 AM. I slept good last night but awoke with a headache that began yesterday as we were approaching Quito. I think the altitude is the cause of the headache. I am pushing fluids and waiting on my body to acclimate to the thinner air. I had this same headache when I arrived at the front end of this trip and it went away when we descended to San Lorenzo. It came back when we came to Quito to pick up Rob.

I noticed my name is changed. On the board listing the guests here I am listed as Dr. Island. The Spanish pronunciation for the letter e is what we say in English as i. So when Damarys called and gave them my name, the guesthouse director spelled it Island. I remember a song we sang in high school choir for graduation, “No Man is an Island.” I guess that is not true anymore! I am now officially registered as an island.

8:45 AM. I had a delicious breakfast of french toast, banana, strawberry and melon. A missionary family from Rochester, MN, was here returning from furlough. They are on their way back to Shell. We had a good conversation. Now I am preparing to go meet Jane and then go see the hummingbirds.

Lord, thank You for the good night’s sleep and this new day. The sun is bright and the sky is blue – Your gifts to us. Lord, I pray for the missionary family as they return to Shell. Thank You for them. Please be with them as they travel. Give them safety on the road. Empower them as they resume the work You have called them to do in Your service. Lord, I pray for our day today. Maybe I am selfish but I am excited about the opportunity to see some of Your creation – the hummingbirds. Lord, You must have had fun just thinking about the little hummingbird. You made them special with special needs and abilities. Watching them allows me to see a bit of Your glory, a bit of You. Thank You, Lord, for giving me this incredible privilege.

Lord, I pray for Phyl. Be with her today. Thank You for bringing her into my life. Thank You for my family and how they bless me. Lord, You have been so gracious to me, so loving, so kind. I don’t deserve any of it but You chose me and gave me Your love. Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to walk with You every day. Thank You for accepting me back after I wander from You. Lord, You are an awesome God! Amen.

A beautiful hummingbird

Three birds feeding

Two booted racquet tails

A couple other hummers

Eight birds feeding

A beautiful view

5:20 PM. Back in Quito. The trip to Tony and Barb’s house was wonderful. We saw all sorts of hummingbirds, especially the booted racquet tail. I got a picture of 8 of them on two feeders that were close together. We saw different ones than I saw 6 months ago. They were beautiful. I could stand within 2 feet of a feeder and they would still come in and feed. I could see their tongues as they would lap up the sugar water. What a great time!

On the way back we stopped at the equator monument. Jane took a picture of me standing straddle the equator with one foot in the northern hemisphere and one foot in the southern hemisphere. We were at the middle of the world!

Jane has a meeting and then she will come by and pick me up. We are going to the mall where we have eaten before and try Archie’s Pizza. That sounds good tonight.

6:10 PM. I just finished reading Acts to lern about Paul and all his letters to learn what he taught to the believers and churches. The central theme and truth through all of this is that of God’s love expressed through His sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, so that all who believed, including me, would have eternal life. I believed this before now and have tried to live my life as a testimony to this truth. Having read these Scriptures, I believe it even more strongly. I cannot fathom the amount of love God had to send His Son as the Savior of the world, especially when the world was rejecting Him. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. He came to earth and was the perfect sacrifice for payment of all my sin – past, present and future. Why did He do this? He loves me. Love drove Him to the cross for me. Love allowed Him to endure the pain of the nails for me. Love also drove Him to die for me. Love empowered Him to conquer death for me. Because of what Jesus did for me, I, too, will conquer death. My body will die but my soul will live on forever in the presence of God. Oh what a hope this is!! A glorious hope that defies any words to describe it. And this hope is available to anyone who believes in Jesus. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your love for me and all mankind. Thank You for the blessed hope You give to me. Thank You for the joy that fills my heart. Thank You, Lord Jesus! Amen.

10:00 PM. Jane picked me up and we went to Archie’s Pizza for dinner. The pizza was very good. We had a good conversation, especially about San Lorenzo. I really want to return to work with her again…maybe in August again this year. I am now in bed and ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow, we are going to visit another clinic up the mountain overlooking Quito. this clinic is similar to San Lorenzo. It also looks over the city and I should get some good panoramic pictures of the city. I will walk over to Jane’s office around 9:30. She has a meeting at 10 so I’ll take my book and read while she is at her meeting. Also, I’ll be able to send some email.

I am packed for my flight on Thursday. I will need to be at the airport by 5:30 AM.

Thank You, Lord, for this day – a day to view Your creation, especially Your hummingbirds. Thank You for allowing me the opportunity to serve You here in Ecuador. This is a beautiful country and You love the people here dearly. I feel privileged to be an extension of Your love as we touched and served the people in San Lorenzo. Please, Lord, be with the people we treated, especially the post-op patients. May they heal appropriately and their function restored. Protect them from any complications. I pray for Maria Luisa, Angelita, Jorge, and Gonzalo as they work in the clinic and support Jane’s ministry. I pray for John and Mary Doerfler as they work there the next several weeks. I pray for Jane as well. Give her wisdom as clinic director, physician and surgeon. Keep her healthy, Lord. Enlarge her territory and equip her to reach out in Your name to the people of San Lorenzo. Thank You, Lord, for Your unfailing love and bountiful grace. To You goes all the praise! Amen.