November 14th

Our flights went really well and we made it to Guayaquil on Tuesday afternoon!  We were greeted at the airport by Jim and Jill Tank- some friends of Tait's uncle Gary and aunt Beth. The Tanks have been serving as missionaries in Guayaquil for 18(?) years now.  They remember Tait when he was just a little boy visiting his uncle Gary in Kentucky.  We were so happy that they came to welcome us.  We made our way to the branch, had dinner, and slept.  The branch is absolutely beautiful!  There are 150 in the bethel family plus 30 or so international volunteers.  Most of the volunteers live in a little compound just off the branch, but Tait and I will be staying in the main building.  Wednesday we had our Orientation- a tour in the morning, then Laundry, Kitchen, and Housekeeping training- (2 hours each)  and at the end of the day we got our work assignments...  It sounds like Tait will be doing a little bit of everything.  I'll be working with Tait Monday through Wednesday and in the Kitchen Thursday and Friday.  Thursday was our first work day and our first meeting.  Tait worked with a crew that is prepping to pour a parking lot for visitors.  They were digging ditches, making forms, tamping the ground- all in the hot sun.  He quickly learned he's going to need to reapply the sunscreen more often :-)  I worked in the kitchen washing and prepping produce.  There are two other sisters from the construction group who work in the kitchen Thurs. and Fri. as well.  We had a lot of fun working together!   We are assigned to a congregation called Corales.  Of course, the brothers are so warm and welcoming.  Tait was immediately assigned a Speech Quality, and I avoided the School Overseer like the plague :-)  Sunday we'll be going with a group to a seldom worked territory to help with the tract campaign and then to the beach in the afternoon.  We are loving it here already, and really looking forward to the days and weeks to come.  More photos and details to come...