Our first farm stay during Christmas

We have celebrated Christmas in many different ways in the past. This was the first time we were invited to stay in a farm during Christmas. My student, Rosa invited Peiru and I to stay for 3 days from Christmas eve to the day after Christmas. We managed to pray together with her family and share more of the Bible with her husband. Thank God for the fruitful time we spent together! :)

Rosa picking guavas from the tree to welcome us!

 

Peiru with the family of Rosa at Atuntaqui

 

Cows at the farm of Rosa

 

Global leadership summit 2014

It was a privilege for our leaders and us to attend Bill Hybel's global leadership summit in Quito this year. It was a 3 day conference and we learned many things. Pray that we are able to apply what we learn about leadership in our lives and ministry. Thanks! :)

Last class with Anna Paola & Juan Xavier

As I am going back to Singapore for good early next year, I am passing over my classes to other teachers. Here are 2 photos of my last class with Anna Paola and Juan Xavier. :)

With Juan Xavier

With Anna Paola

Chicberry

We discovered a new hangout place with healthy yogurt ice-cream near our house. It has nice decoration and sofas too. There are great promotions here as well! :)

Outside of Chicberry

2nd level... colourful painting on the wall

Big and comfortable chairs

Car mechanics

It was interesting to learn about car mechanics from our instructor, Paul today. In Singapore, I only drove but did not know much about car mechanics. In Ecuador, everything is so hands on. Thank God for Paul who dirtied his hands to show us the different fluids and oil in the car engine! :)

Paul answering some questions

Looking at the car motor

Close up on car engine

Water baptism of the twins

The twins finally got water baptized! Emilia and her twins have been in Hope Quito for about 8 years, longer than Peiru and I. The twins, Mauli and Melanie, shared  their testimonies before their water baptism. It was great joy to see them growing in God! :)

Emilia and her twins with the water baptism certificates

Sweet and Coffee

This is the place near our house where discipleship take place - Sweet and Coffee

The definition of friends on the wall... I like the 4th one: the family we choose

Celebrating Mid Autumn Festival in Quito

Peiru and I found a USD$10 box of mooncakes and they taste surprisingly good with Chinese tea! :)

Mooncakes found in Quito

Inside the box

Eating the mooncake with Chinese tea

Kick boxing class

Peiru and I are enjoying our kick boxing class every Monday night. Our instructor Fabricio is an excellent instructor. He has also been more regular in church. We are thankful to God for this new hobby. It has made us stronger physically! :)

Before class...

...after class

Birthday celebration 2014

Thank God for church members who cooked for me and celebrated my birthday together this year! :)

Lagsana cooked with lots of love by Claudia

Birthday dinner with Alejo, Lucy, Katty and a few others

 Peiru baked a cheese cake for me! 

Agus and Caro prepared lunch for me

Greek food prepared by Agus and Caro...really healthy and refreshing! 

Rose as a reminder

A rose was given out to everyone in Hope Quito as a reminder in the sermon to pray for someone. I encouraged our people to put it in their house and watch it die. As they watch it die, pray for a friend who is dying spiritually to come to know Jesus personally. Jonah 4:10-11 "But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Rose given out during sermon

Doing artwork as a souvenir for sermon

Peiru taught last Sunday and asked me to prepare a little souvenir for people to take home after the sermon. She was teaching on Jesus being the light of the world so she asked me cut the colour papers and paste the candles on it. On this little souvenir is a verse in Spanish from John 8:12 " When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." Indeed, Jesus is the light. May His light lead us to where He wants us to go! :) 

Footprints on the colour paper

Final products ready to be given away after sermon

Peiru bakes cookies for the first time!

Peiru baked oat and raisins cookies for the first time and it was very delicious! Thank God for Peiru who tried baking cakes and cookies recently. She also tried a few new dishes like drunken chicken in beer and steamed fish in sweet sauce. I am so priviledged and grateful to have a wife who cooks and bakes well! :)

Oat and raisins cookies

Drunken chicken in beer

My favourite transportation in Quito

Thank God for the cycling system in Quito. It was $26 per year but it was just annouced to be free  from last month onwards. I signed up in Nov and have been cycling to work since then. It is faster and I enjoy cycling. Peiru and I cycle at the Carolina Park too. It is great exercise! :)

Cycling in Quito

Live session with Bill Hybels

It was a a divine appointment that Ps Jeff, Timothy Yeo, Shawn, Peiru and I get to attend a live training session with Bill Hybels in Quito. I have read Bill Hybels' books but this is the first time we get to see him face to face. It is really a rare opportunity to learn about leadership from him. :)

Us at the training session

Bill Hybels in action

World Cup 2014 here we come!

Watched the match between Ecuador and Uruguay in our house with Shawn, Shufeng and Trung. We won 1-0! That means we will most likely enter World Cup 2014 as we are in third place in the South America table with only one match left. The top 4 teams in South America will enter World Cup in Brazil next year. Looks like there will be many evangelistic soccer events in 2014! :)

Our victory cry after Ecuador won 1-0 over Uruguay!

Our favourite breakfast in Quito

This is our favourite breakfast from the Korean restaurant. Bread with beef inside, 2 fried eggs and unlimited coffee. Only $2.90! :) Sometimes we do our devotions at the Korean restaurant as the owners are Christians and they play worship music in the morning. I think we will miss doing devotions with this breakfast when we go back to Singapore in the future.

Korean breakfast set at $2.90

Treasures on earth

Peiru, Shawn and I found a second hand English book store in Mariscal area and we bought a number of books together. There is a variety of books and we were surprised to find a section on Christian literatures. It is really difficult to find English books in Quito so we are happy to find a bookstore that sells second hand English books. The price of the books are reasonable too! :)

Lighted word "Books" from outside the bookstore

Shelves of books to choose from

I am currently reading a book bought from this bookstore called "Just like Jesus" by Max Lucado. It is really a good book about the heart of Jesus. I am also reading a classic "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I bought it from Amazon.com. The English is rather difficult but the content is very rich. Thank God for books which help us to know Him more. They are indeed treasures on earth! :)

Gold for IPPT

If you have read my earlier post, you would have known that I had been training for my IPPT in Ecuador. I visited Singapore for 2 weeks in July and took the army fitness test. Thank God for the training in Quito, I have got full points for all the stations in my fitness test and ran 2.4km under 10min. The thinner Quito air in the high altitude of 2,800m above sea level surely helped me to be stronger and faster. Below is the summary of the results:

My IPPT results

Alfredo Seafood Pasta

This was one of the rare times I cooked. Surprisely it turned out quite nice. I cooked the sauce with prawns, mussels and green beans, then poured it over the pasta. A simple tasty dinner and my wife liked it too! :)

Alfredo Seafood Pasta