Tis the season!

Awesomely obnoxious blinking lights that line the streets and climbing tempretures only mean one thing here...tis the season in Duran, Ecuador! With Christmas programs, parties, and a flood of family and friend visitors, it is starting to feel a lot like Christmas. That is, besides the fact that we are singing Jingle Bells in scorching weather. I continue to be humbled and honored by the the numerous families that have offered to adopt us for the upcoming festivities, and those who do not have loved ones coming to visit are looking forward to experiencing Christmas Ecua-style, and most importantly, deepening our relationships with our neighbors in celebrating Jesus' birth.
As of Friday night, Arbolito and AJS have both been adorned with Christmas decorations in the form of those aforementioned blinking lights (how can we resist?), christmas trees (yeah for artificial, Charley Brown- looking-trees) and crafty homemade decorations (its amazing what Marissa can do with a lil construction paper!).
Other than the seasonal festivities, we all are starting to wonder what exactly we will do with ourselves once gym classes, Nuevo Mundo and all of our other classes end for summer vacation...maybe everyone could join the running club, which is still in tact, though its makeup has changed quite a bit. We are now joined by none other than Jorge, the ice cream scooping king of Penguino (the AJS ice cream store that feeds our habit for Sanduche) and another friend of his. Jefferson, a Nuevo Mundo garderner and AJS vecino, has also joined our lil group. Fun and sweaty times ahead as the morning runs become more and more hot and humid.
Also, please keep Diego and his abuelita in your prayers, as she is still in the hospital. Visiting her is quite a feat, since only family members are permited to see the patients...and seeing how us gringos don't exactly look Ecuadorian, things get a lil tricky at the Luis Vernaza gates. But it is quite amazing how a Nuevo Mundo teacher uniform when paired with a rosary around the neck can give the impression of a nun. And what hospital guard could possibly deny a sister of the Lord admission into a hospital...not that any of us have tried that or anything.
So while instead of "chestnuts roasting on an open fire," it is more like plastic bottles and other waste roasting in the piles of burning trash...it is all the same really! From our houses to yours, we hope you have a blessed Christmas season!