The Eshes in Ecuador

The Eshes Are Leaving Ecuador

2009-03-26T07:16:00.006-05:00

Greetings dear friends and family. We are terribly sorry that we have not kept up more regularly with our blog. We lost our computer's hard drive in late December and sending out emails is difficult when you have lost all of the addresses. So if you did not receive an email from us, please send your contact information to joneshleman@gmail.com so that we can add you back to our list. However, that is no excuse, we apologize for not keeping you more up to date on all that has been happening here at Casa Victoria and in our lives here in Quito.

We'll keep this update as brief as possible. After a lot of long talks and a lot of prayer, we have decided to fulfill our commitment of 9 months and then come home. This means we will be leaving Quito on April 8th and heading back to Orange County. The visas we originally acquired afforded us the opportunity to stay in Quito up through the beginning of June (which would total about 11 months). However, we really felt that it was in our best interest, and the interest of the ministry down here in Ecuador as well, that we cut our time to just the original commitment of 9 months.

As we finish up our final days in Ecuador, we are excited to take the young men living in the house on a 3-day outdoor adventure retreat just outside of Quito. We look forward to a time of bonding and debriefing as we challenge ourselves on the ropes course, share meals together, and sit around the bonfire in the evening. For the South American guys, this will be an experience of a lifetime, as not one of them has had an opportunity like this. For the North Americans, we anticipate an incredibly rich time together, centered on the person and teachings of Jesus.

You may be asking, "What's next for the Eshlemans?" In all honesty, we are asking the same thing. For the last couple weeks, we have been coming to the Lord in trust, asking Him what He has next for us. We are looking at opportunities in Southern California and Washington D.C. where we have wonderful communities of friends. Anna is excited to get back into the classroom teaching elementary school and Jon is prayerfully seeking a job in full-time ministry. Though we're not in the states at this point in time, we are well aware of the poor economic situation and the lack of job opportunities. We are sure that you are all feeling this economic strain in one way or another. We covet your prayers as we seek out what we will be doing for jobs in the near future.

Above all else, we praise the Lord for our experience in Ecuador these last 9 months. What an incredible adventure He has given us! Though we experienced many difficult moments, we are already beginning to look back in thanksgiving as we see the direct result of the Lord's grace and mercy in bringing us through each day in victory. Each experience here has shaped our hearts and minds, brought us closer to one another, and ultimately drawn us nearer to our Creator. We are excited to share more of our personal experiences with you when we return to the states.

Thank you for being such an integral part of our journey here in Quito. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf and your prayers for the ministry of Casa Victoria. Please do not cease praying for this place. The 30 kids that come each day for homework club, the single moms that gather together on Wednesdays to share stories and life, the young men that are living and learning together in community, the 13 families that receive educational scholarships through Casa Victoria, the numerous neighborhood schools that visit each week - these things are evidence of God's faithfulness in this community - these things need your prayers.

Thank you also to those of you who financially support our ministry. Never once have we been lacking. Your generosity surely enables us to give of ourselves freely to the people of Ecuador and the world over. Thank you for giving of your life to make it possible to give of ours. As we return to California and look to engage our own culture as well as the work world and economic crisis, we ask that you would continue to pray for us as we make this transition back to the United States.

We look forward to times together in the future, when we can share more pictures and stories of God's incredible love for this place and all that he has done in and through us during this time!

Lovingly in the name of Jesus Christ,

Jon and Anna Eshleman

Our contact info in the U.S.
Jon cell: 949-285-1409
email: joneshleman@gmail.com

Anna cell: 949-280-1492
email: annaeshleman@yahoo.com

Address: 21 Hancock Street, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

You know you're in Quito when...

2009-01-27T21:57:00.002-05:00

We've been on quite the adventure here in Quito and we felt like there was more to add to the list that we made months ago. Hopefully this will give you a little taste of what our experience is like (and maybe even convince you to come visit!).

You have been called: reina (queen), querida (dear), preciosa (precious), mi hijita (my little girl), mi amor (my love), guapa (beautiful), gringa (white girl), mamacita... by strangers on the street

Queso Fresco just doesn´t cut it for grilled cheese sandwiches

Pizza sauce on pizza is a foreign concept

The tenth car in line at the stoplight is the one to honk the most

You´ve stopped laughing at the store names SuperMaxi and MegaMaxi...but you secretly still find them entertaining

You have your favorite bus vender and street vendor and can imitate them (Espumilla de Frutilla – diez centavitos!)

Old town Quito feels like a different city

The sun rises at 6am and sets at 6pm EVERY day

Nowhere will give you change for your $20 bill (even the bank!)

If the total is $5.15 expect to have the 15 cents ready too

The electricity goes out for apparently no reason

No hot water? Just wait for the propane tank truck to drive by, honk the horn, and you can run out to the street to buy more gas ($2.50 a tank)

You realize that Cui (guinea pig) doesn't really taste like chicken

Casual drinking on the streets doesn't get a second thought

Water and beer are the same price at restaurants

You can ride on the front bench seat with the bus driver

You’ve eaten boiled fish soup, bone soup, bean soup, and chicken head/foot soup in the same week

Mc Donald’s is for the upper class

You know the local landrones (thieves) by name – and they know you!

Empanadas are really starting to grow on you (Anna actually craves them now!)

The bus literally accelerates around mountain curves

You miss your friends and family more than you can express. We love you all!

change brings rest

2009-01-17T14:28:00.004-05:00

It's raining today - and it's become "that" kind of day. The kind of day when you don't want to leave your house. The kind of day when you eat pancakes for breakfast and lounge around in your pj's for hours. The kind of day when you just don't know what else to do except snuggle on the couch.

I'm thankful for that kind of day today. I'm thankful that no matter how far away I feel from home, a day like this in Ecuador can still calm my soul.

Jon and I have been so busy lately that we feel God's direct blessing when he gives us a rainy day and forces us to rest. It's SO like Him. He knows exactly what we need when we need it.

Our busyness comes from what's been happening at Casa Victoria.

First, I'll take you all the way back to December 16th when Jon's entire family (Mom, Dad, sister, brother-in-law, 2 nephews and niece) flew into Quito for Christmas. Add 7 people to a house of 10, and you've got your hands full! I've always loved being the hostess, but this was a whole new territory! Throughout the10 days with family here, we enjoyed everything to hiking Pichincha Volcano to going bowling to shopping at the Artisan market. It was quite the adventure. We shared Christmas morning under the Christmas tree (that we had to pot in a huge terra cotta pot - No tree stands here!), stuffed ourselves with a 32-pound turkey, and played with all our new games into the wee-hours of the night. We had an absolute blast and are SO thankful that we had the opportunity to share this part of our lives with some of the people we love the most. I would love to post pictures of our adventures, however, our computer isn't working. Once it's up and running, I'll be sure to add the best of the best.

In addition to the Eshleman Family Adventures, we've also made many changes to the internship program in the house. Upon our arrival in July, Jon and I felt strongly that there needed to be a newly-structured program instituted at Casa Victoria. Prior to this time, the guys primarily worked on the renovation of the house and were under the direction of the architect and contractors (and let me tell you, the work that happened then was incredible! We have a "home" to prove it). However, just before the summer, the renovation process had (more or less) come to a close. The guys were now desiring to grow deeper in their love for God while in community with each other and the neighbors. With broad desires like this, many of the details can get lost in the chaos; and things like cleaning and cooking get forgotten about. Hence the schedule. Well, after not working under a schedule like this for quite some time, then having a couple come in a turn things in a different direction - it was a difficult transition for the guys. Animosity came out in passive ways and the spirit of the house was not what anyone desired. We all knew there needed to be a change made. (Also, in late November, Casa Victoria hired a new director - Carolina Bueno. She is amazing and her heart truly desires to see a unified community working together for the Lord.) Come mid-December, we finally decided what needed to happen. We're trying hard to lead by example and live here as mentors to the guys (as opposed to being "in charge"). The guys are leading the programs themselves now! Ivan is creating schedules for "deberes" (homework club). Oscar is heading up the kitchen (alongside me - I just LOVE cooking for all these guys!). Esteban is leading meetings. Jon continues to teach during devotional times each week. It's been amazing. The spirit in the house is incredible. The guys are taking more ownership for the actions and are all together more excited to be here. Their JOY is evident as they get excited about the little things (taking care of a plot of the garden, teaching a new concept to some neighborhood kids, etc.) We praise God alone for the change He's made in all of our hearts and how His presence continues to make such a difference in this house. He is the sole reason we all are here. And we praise Him for making us rest, unifying us through Jesus, and giving us the greatest example of "loving thy neighbor" that there ever will be.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-30T23:25:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope you had an amazing Christmas celebration and are looking forward to a fantastic new year. As 2009 approaches, we am sure we are all thinking of the different things we would like to improve in our lives; it may be saving a little more money, eating a little healthier, exercising a little bit more, or spending more time with family and friends. Whatever it is, each of us is surely looking to become better than we were the year before.

Here in Ecuador there is a very unique and powerful tradition. Every year at this time you will see giant dolls lining the streets. These dolls are basically pants and shirts sewn up and stuffed with hay or paper and a stuffed head with a mask on it. These dolls are called the “old man.” Every year in Quito, on New Year’s Eve, people gather around and literally burn the “old man.” It is a powerful symbol of getting rid of the past/old and embracing the present/new. The disciples and followers of Jesus had a similar way of talking about what it was like to be “in Christ.” There is a dying that takes place - a losing of one’s own life in order to find new life. Behold, the old has gone, the new has come. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

We hope that this year, more and more that you will find yourself “in Christ.” You are the new creation! You are a temple of the Holy Spirit! What an amazing thought that is! You are a place where God dwells, a place where heaven and earth overlap! This is such a tremendous responsibility, but also a tremendous privilege. We are the salt of the earth, the city on the hill, and fountains overflowing with water that brings life. May our New Year’s Resolution be that we would all find ourselves “in Christ.”

As 2008 comes to an end we have so many things to be thankful for. We have seen God moving in so many ways here in Quito. We are so blessed to be a part of the work that he has been doing here for several years. Casa Victoria has been growing in so many ways! Each of you is a vital part of the body of Christ and your prayers, love, and support help us to be able to be a part of the growth here. We cannot thank you enough. Please know that we are so very grateful for each one of you in our lives and for all the support that you give us.

God has been taking such wonderful care of us and our needs throughout this year, and we lack for nothing. However, we are finding ourselves with some added expenses and could use a little extra financial support at this time. If you have already been giving, the please don’t feel obligated to give more, we understand very well the issues of the economy. However, we would ask that some of you prayerfully consider a one-time gift of $25, $50, $100 dollars or more. We would love to send some pictures with this email, but our computer isn’t working now, so all our pictures are locked up until we can find someone to recover our hard drive. Please pray that we can recover all the data on the computer. To participate financially in our ministry you can make your tax deductible donation to “The International Foundation.” You may send your donation to : The International Foundation, PO Box 23813, Washington, DC 20026-3813. If you send a check, please write in the memo: 876001 "Ecuador Volunteers" to ensure the donation goes to our account. We also attached a direct deposit form if that's easier for you. (Note: If your check is dated for December 31, 2008, it is tax-deductible for the 2008 fiscal year.)

Also, we covet your prayers as we transition into 2009 with the Casa Victoria community. Please continue to pray for unity amongst our “Casa Victoria Family” and for the leadership of this foundation to continue to meld together in the name of Jesus.

Once again, thank you for every ounce of love that you pour out onto our lives. We are so grateful for each of you and wish the very best for you and your family in 2009.

Grace and Peace,

Jon & Anna Eshleman
Casa Victoria
Quito, Ecuador

Jon and Anna Eshleman

Fundaciόn Casa Victoria

1124 Loja y Imbabura

Barrio San Roque, Quito

Ecuador

www.EshesInEcuador.blogspot.com

www.CasaV.org

The latest...

2008-12-03T20:24:00.008-05:00

This is a video from Charlie Beck...one of the guys living with us in Casa Victoria. It captures moments from his family visit and Thanksgiving. The video is too good not to post.

Thanksgiving in Quito from Charlie Beck on Vimeo.

To see more of his journey (and ours) in video form, check out www.charbeck.net (blog).

Lots of love! More blogging to come...

So...it's been a month.

2008-11-20T14:19:00.014-05:00

Where do I even begin? It's been WAY too long... Jon and I have been in Ecuador for coming up on 5 months. It's unbelievable! It's been quite the journey...ups, downs, joy, frustration, and lots and lots of learning.

Nov. 15 - 19: Montañita, Ecuador

From under our umbrella...

Jon and I have been dreaming about the ocean since the day we left it in California. It finally got the best of us and we splurged on tickets to the coast (a 45 minute flight and 3 hour bus ride). Only after having to cancel our original "Anniversary" trip in late October (due to my health), the airline was incredible and agreed to switch our flight without a problem. So, we packed our bags and made our way to the airport.

The traveling went off without a hitch and we arrived in Montañita in record time. The town is SO tiny and SO sleepy and the most perfect place to relax - there's nothing else to do except that! We slept in, took naps, surfed, ate and enjoyed Jon and Anna time.

Jon - back in his element.

It was difficult to return to Casa Victoria. Not because we don't love this place - just because we had a taste of what life was like without living with 5 young guys. But...here we are. And it is here that God is teaching us what community looks like and how He wants to see it lived out. We're in this - for better and for worst - and we have incredible trust that, through this experience, God is forming our hearts and lives to be more and more like His. And for this, we give Him praise.

Random Funny Story...

One of my (Anna) biggest pet peeves here in Ecuador is this: faulty English translation! There are thousands of proficient English speakers, readers, and writers living in Ecuador. Really, it's amazing. Yet, time and time again, I find misspelled words, grammar mistakes, and incredible screw-ups in the written English language in Ecuador. For example: a permanent sign reading: Seuweteres (sweaters). Seriously!?

While in Montañita, however, I met my most favoritest mistake yet...

We went to a small little restaurant one night to grab some dinner. While looking at the menu, I noticed that the owner had obviously used Google Translate to create a bilingual menu. So thoughtful. I immediately recognized the grammar mistakes, as Jon and I often use Google Translate to ROUGHLY translate long emails. It's NEVER perfect. So, translated on the menu in Montañita, on the coast of Ecuador was...

ChocoBanana: I Collide Banana

So, if you're not a Spanish speaker, this might not make any sense to you. Let me explain. Chocar is the verb meaning: to collide. When conjugated to choco, it means: I collide. What they MEANT to say was... ChocoBanana: Chocolate Banana Shake

October: The month of the hospital

So...this needs some explaining. Near the middle of October, I found a small bump on my lower back. A few days into it, the bump really started to hurt. I couldn't sit comfortably, lie down, or do much of anything. So, Jon and I went straight to the clinic. We found out that I had a cyst on my lower back that had formed an abscess. Gross, right!? Just wait.

The doctor gave me some pain meds and sent me on my way to the hospital. After much anxiety, I finally laid down on my stomach and let the doctor do his thing.

"I'm going to give you a couple shots to relieve the pain." (Thank God!) 4 shots of Novocain in my back and he felt like he was ready. The incision was small, but let me tell you...Novocain should only be used by dentists. The pain I felt with this incision was ridiculous. I was screaming at the doctor, squeezing Jon's hand purple, and using all my Spanish to plead with this crazy man to stop the pain. "Tranquilo..." was all I heard. Relax! Relax?! You've got be kidding me!

He worked on this cyst for 20 minutes...packed it with gauze and taped a huge bandage around the entire thing.

5 hospital visits, 2 weeks, and ONE shower later, he removed the final bandage and sent me on my way. They found a Staph infection and E. Coli in the culture of the cyst. Oh Ecuador...I love thee.

I'm feeling great now. He said not to worry. For some reason, I trust this man that tortured me for 2 weeks. My husband was by my side the entire time...helping the doctor, calming my anxiety when the 5 interns came in to watch, and nearly fainting right alongside me.

Thanksgiving:

So, it's been done. I've cooked my first Thanksgiving. The menu was as follows:

Gingered -Butternut Squash Soup

I couldn't find Butternut Squash at the open-air market, but I did find a pumpkin looking thing. I made do.

Canned Cranberry Sauce

Can you believe it!? They imported this to the stores just for all of us Americans here!

Homemade Stuffing

Made with fresh rosemary from the Casa Victoria garden, bread from the local baker, and left over stock from the soup.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

When I shop at the Smarket up the street, I bargain with the vendors for whatever fruits and veggies I'm buying. I bought 35 pounds of potatoes. They literally were JUST pulled out of the ground - mud and all. The guys washed and peeled ALL of them. Oh, I love cheap labor.

Sauteed String Beans

Again, fresh from the market.

Lemon-Rosemary Turkey

A 20 pounder! She made it out nice and toasty...even though my oven is calculated in Celsius and really just cooks like a stove in a box.

Mora Berry-Apple Cobbler

So Yummy!

Cake

Edwin the baker and his family (Cecelia, Cesar, Camila, and Sophia) shared Thanksgiving around our table. They brought a FABULOUS cake along with them.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Bernardo (a CV Board member) and Chiqui, his wife, also shared this meal with us. They brought along a scrumptious pie to share. Thanks!

All in all, the meal was fantastic. The kitchen help was incredible (thanks Ang, Robyn, By, Syd, and Seth). But above all else, the sharing around the table is what we'll all remember.

There really are no words to fully explain what happened that night, but we're all in agreement when we say, "God's grace is good and His spirit was present". Every member of our "family" (of 25), rich and poor, young and old, shared what they were thankful for. Simple enough. Yet His spirit was so evident that I've never experienced a family meal quite like this one. There were tears, indescribable JOY, love, laughter...

My wife and kids. I love them. I don't tell them that enough.

Casa Victoria.

My family around this table. My true family.

Food.

Thank you (In English from a Spanish speaking 6 year old girl. The most precious heart.)

My husband. His patience. For how he loves me.

Our friends - near and far.

The money to provide this food for this family.

This moment. This journey.

A moment remembered always. This night, this moment...this is the mission of Casa Victoria. This is why we are here.

Thank you to each one of you for your prayers and support. We love you, are thankful for you, and wouldn't be here without you.

Love well,

Anna and Jon

Family and Fun

2008-10-21T21:21:00.014-05:00

October started out on one of the best notes possible. Family showed up on the 1st. Perfect.

With my birthday on October 3rd, we had LOTS of fun things planned.

(Please view the previous post for a full rundown of the day's events.)

I was completely blessed by all the thoughtful gifts that were given to me.

Some of the most indulgent:

1. My favorite Licorice from Trader Joe's

2. Magazines in English

3. Candles that smell like Salt Creek Beach summer days

4. New clothes (I haven't gone shopping in over 3 months.)

5. Incredible perfume (thanks to the hubby!)

6. A beautiful white Alpaca wool coat (that I'd been eyeing) that the Casa V boys pitched in to buy me. (The one gift that brought tears to my eyes. Thanks Boys.)

I decided that bowling would be the perfect birthday activity. Being the bowling is just right under soccer in popularity here, we settled for the only open bowling alley in Quito (of 2 in the city. The first was having the National Bowling Championship!)

Look at that form!

Since family was here, we also had a great excuse for some amazing tourist activities throughout Quito, and beyond...

First - ride the bus. It's always an adventure, and unbelievable that they only charge you 25 cents for such an exciting ride!

Second - Pinchincha Volcano. This volcano is located just to the west of Quito. A few years back, the city hired a French company to build a gondola. Now, you can RIDE to the top of the mountain for only 3 dollars! It's gorgeous, cold, and full of open land for the boys to throw the frisbee around. Also, as a birthday gift to me, they had LLAMAS at the top of the mountain. These are currently my favorite animal - it was a special treat. How thoughtful of them.

Jon at the top of Pinchincha Volcano.

Can you find the frisbee?

As yet ANOTHER birthday gift, Russ and Janet (aka. the fam) took Jon and I out of Quito for a few days. This was a bigger blessing than we had imagined. Being out of Quito was (literally) a breath of fresh air. Being with family was just what we needed.

Russ braved Ecuador's roads and rented a car for the 3 hour drive to ARASHA. After an hour of "the scenic route" we finally drove out of Quito, through the middle of the world (where Russ and Janet thought they were the village chiefs), and DOWN, DOWN, DOWN into the jungle. Remember, Quito is located at nearly 10,000' elevation. We ended up at 2,000'. It was quite the drive. The flora and fauna that we drove through was breathtaking and unbelievable. We found leaves bigger than umbrellas, treetops that reflected the sun to look white, hydrangeas multiplying along the highway. Incredible.

We arrived at Arasha just before dark, checked in, and made our way to our personal cabana. What a gift. With dinner being all-inclusive, we ate like royalty. Steak one night, shrimp and salmon the next. We were truly indulged.

We hiked through the jungle (day and night), discovered glowing tree roots, swam in a river, hunted for frogs and GIANT ants, mini-golfed, and endured hour-long massages. This place allowed us to breathe deep and allow every thing of joy penetrate our souls. It was an experience we will not soon forget. Thank you to Mama and Papa.

After 3 days, we made our way back into town. We enjoyed one last dinner in La Ronda (5 minutes from Casa V) and sent Russ and Janet on their way back to California.

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes. It was truly one of the best yet.

Anna's 27th Birthday!!

2008-10-05T09:49:00.001-05:00

Anna Esh's 27th Birthday! from Charlie Beck on Vimeo.

the latest...

2008-09-30T20:56:00.003-05:00

The thing with living in another country for more than a few weeks, is that you get used to things that are normally completely abnormal. (see previous post "We're Still Here")

Yesterday, however, we we're shaken back to the abnormalities of third world life.

Just down the street, in front of Blanca and Raphael's salchipapas (hot dog/french fry) shop, viewing distance from our front porch, at 10:15 in the morning, while Jon and I were shopping for a guest room bed...

...a murder took place.

The shock you feel reading this can only be multiplied by 100 to equate what Jon and I experienced when we read the news from Charlie's text message...

..."Bro, flippin gnarly. Some guy just got shot 3 times in the head outside of the bakery on the corner. He's dead, so they covered him in newspaper."

Supposedly, what we've learned from the radio, is that the guy had 3 unpaid debts (equals 3 shots). The police have caught the culprit, who after shooting the guy in broad daylight, on a bustling street corner in our barrio, went RUNNING down the street to "get away". No car. No gang. No place to hide.

After the man lay dying on the sidewalk for minutes, the ambulance arrived. Upon them finding him dead, they covered him in newspaper and drove away. Soon after, the coroner showed up with the police and news cameras to record the event. An hour and a half later, the body was finally removed.

All the while, the bakery 20 feet away continued to do business, the woman selling watermelon on the corner continued to yell, "Sandia. Vientecinco Centavos..." The neighborhood children continued to run through the streets without ANY adult supervision...

This is life in Barrio San Roque.

Jon and I walked home from dinner last night. Two blocks from our house, a man stopped us and said..."Ten cuidado. Este barrio es muy peligroso." (Be careful. This neighborhood is very dangerous.) To which we responded..."Nos sabemos. Vivimos agui." (We know. We live here.)

Thank you God, that the murderer is behind bars for at least the next 30 days (the minimum for ANY offense here...even a traffic citation) and that everyone we know is safe.

We're still here and we're not going any where quite yet. We're safe and know many people in the community. We know that God is protecting us in each day, yet we pray for continued safety and wise eyes and ears as we continue to love on these people and this place.

As our community processes through this devastation, as we learn to love these people and this place in the midst of our fears, as these men's families grieve their losses, I pray this...

...a prayer of St. Francis of Assisi...

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek...

To be consoled, as to console.

To be understood, as to understand.

To be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.

It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

Fireworks.

2008-09-24T08:23:00.003-05:00

Almost every night, in any part of town, you can hear the sweet lullaby of fireworks as you doze off. Last night, however, we had the privilege of experiencing them. As Jon, Char, and Seth and I made our way home after dinner at Vista Hermosa, we saw in the distance, bright, colorful fires lighting up the sky. Obviously, they drew us in. We made our way up the block to see what the commotion was.

The celebration of la Virgin de Merced a la Iglesia de la Virgin de Merced.

Obviously.

Who wouldn't want to celebrate the 'birthday' of their church with fireworks?

I only wish we had our camera. My descriptions will do it no justice. But imagine...2 bamboo structures, 40 feet high. Fireworks spinning from the sides, the tops, the insides and spontaneously shooting out the top. At times, an exploding spinning ring would shoot into the sky, only to fall back into the crowd below... cinders and all.

To top it all off...there was a marching band.

Just thought I'd share a piece of our nightly entertainment with you.

...and to think - free admission!

I love Quito.

small stories and prayers

2008-09-22T19:22:00.004-05:00

I was taking my "siestita" today and thinking a lot about what's happening here at Casa Victoria. We've had so many exciting events recently (as Jon so wonderfully shared), yet we've also had some very difficult transitional moments. Let me share some of our praises and prayers with you.

* School: Jorge Meza (see previous post) has enrolled in school! This has been a huge prayer of ours, as Jorge is 18 and needs to finish a few more years of high school. He is attending on Saturdays and is currently trying to find a job to help support his mom and 3 siblings. Please continue your prayers for Jorge as he continues to find the Truth about himself through following Jesus.

* Safety: Esteban, Javier, Ricardo, and a few friends from the neighborhood went on a wonderful hike on Saturday. They wanted this time to be a time of reflection, prayer and sharing. Once at the top of the mountain, they met 3 people who were also on a hike. They all sat together for 20 minutes of sharing about the Lord until one of the 'strangers' stood up and shared, "I believe in God too, but I need money." With this, he pulled out a gun and proceeded to rob the guys and friends from CV. This was an incredibly frightening moment (obviously) for everyone involved. Crime is a rampant problem in Quito - it's frustrating, scary, and unbelievable at times. Many places are becoming more and more unsafe. Please pray for all of our safety, and for the hearts of the youth that are so caught up in crime. Just so you know, everyone in safe, no one was hurt, and the landrones only got away with a few cell phones, money, and a camera. Also...Casa Victoria has a great alarm system. We're safe here.

* Christmas: The Eshleman family is coming! YAY! Thanks for everyone who made this possible. It's a incredible blessing.

* Health: For the last 2 months, there has not been a day when everyone in the house has been completely healthy. Join us in prayer for the complete healing of EVERYONE'S health at Casa Victoria. We long to serve this community fully, yet it's difficult in the midst of sickness.

* Furniture: We bought a couch! This is the first couch that Casa Victoria has seen since it's beginning. Through the wonderful donations from friends in Santa Barbara, we were able to purchase an L-shaped couch, chair, ottoman, and table for our living room. We're already breaking it in during movie nights, house meetings, and reading/prayer times. Thank you! Thank you! We're only about 1/5 of the way to furnishing this house completely. If you're interested in donating to the Casa Victoria "Couch Potato" fund, please email us and let us know. We are grateful for ANY help at all. We're still looking to purchase: new mattresses for the guys, a queen bed for the guest room, a new LARGE dining room table, rugs, etc.)

* One on Ones: Jon has been taking the afternoons with each of the guys for one on one time. We're blessed to have a wonderful cafe (Cafeto) down the street from us - a perfect meeting/retreat place. I truly believe that this is one of Jon's greatest gifts from the Lord. He's an amazing listener (lucky me!), and a wise counselor. The guys have been able to open up and share their lives with Jon in incredibly vulnerable ways. I trust that the Lord is using Jon to speak truth into these young men's lives. As we continue to flesh out our purpose here, we continue to be reminded that "loving God and loving our neighbor" covers over any other purpose we might see. Our prayer is that God would continue to soften our hearts to these guys and that we would be able to REALLY love them. Also, because we're still in the language learning process, please pray that God would give Jon ears that can hear, as he tries to dig into the lives of Spanish speakers.

* Cooking: I am right in the midst of an incredible blessing that I didn't know I would experience. At home, Jon and I loved to host friends for meals in our home. I thought I would miss those moments greatly, yet God has provided them here. I am blessed to be able to cook the meals for the guys and friends in the house each day. Breakfast is nothing creative...eggs, fruit, coffee, oatmeal, etc. Lunch, however, is my time. I have taught myself to make homemade mac and cheese for 12 people. I make an Ecuadorian soup called Locro (potato-cheese with avocado). I LOVE to feed people. Food seems to make everyone SO happy and I love experiencing the JOY that comes with that. At times I think..."Lord, is this what you've brought me here for? To cook and clean? To be "Mama Anita"? What about the community? Am I not supposed to be getting my hands dirty with the rest of community?" Yet, daily, I'm reminded that I'm just supposed to love those I'm with - and if that means cooking yummy meals...then, by all means - take me to the market! I praise the Lord for slowing me down...erasing my schedule...and allowing me to find peace and JOY in the kitchen. (If you have any great recipes to cook for 10 guys...please share!)

* Date Nights: Jon and I make a goal each week to take one night away from the house. This is difficult as we get caught up in the Casa Victoria activities and the nights escape us. For all you married friends, you know how important it is to take time away to nourish your marriage. Please pray that the Lord would help us carve out some time for this and that our times together would be rich and live-giving. We're coming up on 2 years of marriage on Oct. 28th. Can you believe it? We're just so thankful that God has brought us to Quito together. This truly is a dream come true - and our marriage is growing more than ever. Praise the Lord!

* Reading: I've just started a wonderful book called Radical Hospitality: Benedict's Way of Love. (Thanks to the Becks!) I LOVE what the authors have to say about hospitality and LOVE. I marked these few sentences in the book and am making them my prayer this week.

When we accept, we take an open stance to the other person. It is more than merely piously tolerating them. We stand in the same space and we appreciate who they are, right now at this moment, and affirm the Sacred in them.

We love you all. Thank you for joining us on this journey. It's so much of a blessing to do this alongside our friends. Please continue the emails, notes, Skypes, etc. They continue to encourage us and give us the strength we need. We miss you.

Love,

the Eshlemans

We're Still Here!!

2008-09-13T10:40:00.008-05:00

What? You didn’t get our last few blogs? They must have somehow been erased. Or perhaps they were never written. Woops...

One thing we have noticed after having been here for over 2 months is that some things that were originally shocking, no long have the same shock value. For instance, for many of you it may be strange to see an 8 year-old walking around town at 10:30 pm selling cigarettes (By the way, you can buy one at a time if you don’t want an entire pack). You might also find it strange to find people selling otter-pops on the bus. Or, you may be frightened to be involved in a bus race! Let me explain. There are probably over a thousand buses here in Quito, all competing for clientele. Thus, it is not uncommon to be traveling down the same road as another bus and end up in a race to get to the next group of people waiting. Bus fare is $0.25, Diesel is $1.03 per gallon...it’s not like these guys are getting rich, yet this is their livelihood. Sometimes while you in the midst of a race, it feels rather unsafe. Taking corners at 30 miles per hour...it just doesn't feel that secure. All of this to say, things like this have become commonplace for us, and so we sometimes wonder, what would we say this week in the blog? Well, fear not, we found some great material to write about.

So much has happened in the last month here at Casa Victoria and in our own lives. First of all, we have some changes in the house in terms of who lives here at Casa Victoria. Let me break it down for you: Jon & Anna Eshleman, Esteban Jaramillo, Javier Cuchipe, Seth Ludwick, Charlie Beck, and Ricardo Navaraez. As some of you may know, Rigo and Rocio and Rocio’s family have moved out of Casa Victoria and relocated to the northern end of Quito. Rigo is still working here at Casa Victoria finishing up some things and doing maintenance on the house. Anna and I were sad to see Rigo and Rocio and her family leave, but we are thrilled to continue to have a full house with Seth, Charlie, and Ricardo here. So it's just the seven of us here at the house now. If you are female and you are reading this, I am fairly certain that Anna would love for you to come visit. So check tickets to Quito, Ecuador and get down here pronto. (Anna says: Living with 6 guys is hard! I love them all and love to serve them. They make me laugh constantly. But, girl time is ALWAYS desired.)

With the arrival of Charlie and Seth from Santa Barbara and Ricardo from Ecuador, the house has kicked into gear with a new program. With the departure of Rocio, Anna has been very busy with the cooking, shopping, laundry, mom’s club, kids club, and the library. I have been busy implementing the new schedule and spending some quality time with the guys in the house. Everyday consists of at least 2 meals together, a time for prayer and reading, cleaning, cooking, and then alternating days for sports, reconciliation, house maintenance, and neighborhood walks. I have had the privilege of meeting with each of the guys for coffee during the week as well.

We have also had a number of visitors come through the house over the last month. First, we had our new friends Jesse and Cassidy Scherba from Chico come to stay with us. They are a young couple that we were connected with through a mutual friend, Amber Rader. They came to Ecuador for two months to travel and study Spanish (and spend some days of rest at Casa V). They left just a few days ago to head back to the Chico. Next we had Whitney Trump from San Francisco come spend a week with us. Whitney came to us by way of Joel Tarman. Anna really enjoyed having another girl in the house to keep her company. Whitney is studying for her Ph.D. in American Literature at Stanford. (Yeah, we were pretty impressed as well.) She came to study Spanish and fell in love with Casa Victoria as a result of her time here. She is currently enjoying some time with her father in Buenos Aires. And finally, we hosted three adventurous girls, Jordan, Lalia, and Laura. These three brave girls are on a South American adventure in search of seeing the Gospel lived out. We were connected with them through Charlie’s parents, and they brought great enthusiasm to Casa Victoria. (Plus, Laura's french toast was a major treat!) Anna and I have been thoroughly blessed by all the visitors that have passed through the house, and our hope is that they have tangibly felt the love of Jesus as a result of their time here.

In other great news, as many of you know, the Eshleman family was having difficulty figuring out how they were going to be together for Christmas. Well, as a result of the email we sent out, in less than 10 minutes the Lord answered our prayers and the funds were provided for us all to be together to celebrate here in Quito! We cannot fully explain how grateful we are to the families that are making this possible for us. It is such a privilege to have so many wonderful friends who take such great care of us.

I must also mention that this last Saturday we had a number of delegates at the house from a corporation called “Ecuador Mi Pais.” This foundation raises money to give to poorer families (especially single moms) who are seeking to provide a good education for their children, but do not have the financial means to do so. We invited all the families and children of those that are receiving scholarships in order that they might express their gratitude. It was a very memorable occasion. 'Ecuador Mi Pais' was very impressed with how we're implementing their program, and we're praying that they will become more involved in this part of the Quito.

So much is happening here at Casa Victoria. So much is happening in our own lives. Anna is battling a terrible stomach infection (yucky parasites!). I am learning to care for her through all of this. We are both learning how to love and live as Jesus would love and live if he had our lives to live. We are so grateful to each one of you and all the prayers and support that you provide for us. We know that this would not be possible without all of you!

Blessing to all of you!

"los Eshlitos"

You Know You're in Quito When...

2008-08-17T14:39:00.004-05:00

(This is especially for those friends who have lived, been to, or hope to come to Quito, Ecuador.)

- multiple children run up to you at one time to shine your shoes (flip flops, converse, green suede vans..)

- Futbol is more important than anything

- If you don't have nausea at least once a week, you must not be eating.

- If the doors on the bus can still shut, there's still room for more

- Milk and eggs aren't refrigerated

- You can't breathe at an intersection

- You have memorized the names of the Ecovia stops

- $3 for lunch is really expensive

- No vehicle (car, bus, police motorcycle, ambulance, bike) stops for a pedestrian. They do however honk to let you know they're coming.

-You can buy 100 limes for $1 on the corner, the bus, the street...

- You carry your umbrella with you everyday

- You can go from sweating to freezing in 30 minutes

- You can recognize the bus drivers/helpers by their yell (La Marin, La Marin, La Marin!)

- You can get 120 songs on one CD for $1

- New release movies (still in the theater) are $1.50 on a DVD at the store on the corner

- Rice is served at every meal, every day

- The view of the mountains never gets old

- Coca-Cola is the new water - and even tastes better

- Old Town Quito feels like a different country and time period

- Pinguino Ice Cream - they sell Magnum bars!

- $1 for 25 roses

- Old ladies and children are the best pick-pocketers. Watch out!

- Most buses have curtains and tassels - classy.

- KFC is one of the most popular restaurants in Quito

- You have your "own" panaderia, pirated DVD store, movistar man, and tiendita where you know the workers by name

- Halls cough drops are considered candy

- Aji makes everything taste better

- Regaton is played at all hours of the day/night

- Only 80's-90's top 40 music has made it on the radio here

- Even the poorest of the poor have cell phones

- You have never thought white bread could be so tasty!

- There is a different key for EVERY door in your house

- Family dogs always seem to be hanging out on the roof

- You throw your toilet paper in the trash, not the toilet

- You have been involved in a city bus race

- You have witnessed a political protest

- You haggle with Taxis for a mere 50 cents

- You get turned down by taxis because "it's too dangerous there" or they aren't headed that way

- It takes three days for your clothes to dry because they got caught in three rainstorms on the line

- You put popcorn in your soup

- You drink juice with every meal

...I'm sure this list will continue . This just gives you a taste of life in Quito. The quirks are what make this place magical. Come visit.

We love you! Don't forget to keep in touch! We love the emails and comments and talks on Skype. They keep us going.

xoxo,

Anna and Jon

Classes, Friends, Doctors, Etc...

2008-08-10T00:51:00.009-05:00

Jon and Anna at the "Top of the World"...Quito is below!

Well, it has been a little while since our last blog, so I thought I would get things started. This is Jon writing, just to let you know, so if you're an Anna-blog fan, then you can just skim.

Actually, you need to read this. So much has been happening here at Casa V. and we are excited to share with you just a little bit through our eyes.

Casa Victoria in all its beauty.

Cursos Vacacionales:
First of all, as many of you know, we have been having a vacation school going on here at the house for the last 4 weeks. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday our house floods with about 35 children and 15 volunteers at 8:00am. It is non-stop from the time they set foot in the house to get their breakfast (usually bread and fruit and juice), to the time they leave at around 1:30pm, when their moms come and meet them at our front gate. Our vacation school directors, Maria Jose Iturralde and Ana Lofredo-Rota have been absolutely phenomenal at organizing this amazing program. They run a tight ship here and do a great job of getting everyone involved while maintaining their own sanity at the same time.

Ana Julia teaching the Art Class

My sweet wife Anna teaches English on Wednesday and Friday mornings. She is stellar at this and the kids adore her. On Friday she was taking them through the old "Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes" routine. They were eating it up like pancakes. The faster she did the little song, the more fun they had. It's great to hear the laughter of children throughout the house. The kids have also been labeling the house with all the English words they can think of...Cafetero = Coffee Pot, Ventanas = Windows, etc. It's been incredibly helpful to everyone! We're learning Spanish and everyone else is learning English!

New Friends:
We also hosted some new friends from the States for about a week. Anna Livingston-Coe Wagner and Mollie Elena Walker came from Costa Rica to spend a week with us at Casa Victoria. After they travel back to the States, they will leave again in a few weeks to embark on a 2-month trip around the world! First, they wanted to come to Central and South America. Good choice girls! We are so glad they did. Annie is from Maryland and Mollie is from Virginia and they were roommates in college. Having just graduated from James Madison University, they were ready to see more of the world. They were such a blessing to us here. They were very encouraging, always seeking the Lord's will and contributed in so many ways to the community here at Casa Victoria. It was so fun to see them teaching English together to the kids at the vacation school (on their first day in Quito!!). They were so brave. They also helped decorate and furnish(!) our guest room. So, when any of you come visit, you will have Annie and Mollie to thank for the nice plush accommodations.

Annie and Mollie in action! English class is F-U-N!

The TeleferiQo (Gondola) ride to the top of Volcan Pinchincha

Medical Clinic @ CV:
About a week and a half ago on a Friday, we had a couple doctors come to the house to give FREE eye/ear exams, and overall checkups for the kids in our community. I haven't seen the house that busy since the inauguration. There were kids everywhere, moms waiting with their children, and volunteers trying to help out in any way they could. It was pandemonium, but there was a method to the madness. Each child was given a number and each one was able to obtain a free exam from the physicians. What a blessing it was to be able to offer this service to the community. Anna listened in on a few few visits and heard recommendations for nutrition and medicine and other great advice to many (single) moms in the community. This day was a great vision of the potential of Casa Victoria. We had over 30 kids there in the morning for the Summer Vacation School. We had 25 visitors from the United States working on Casa Victoria during the morning. We had over 15 Ecuadorian Volunteers helping out throughout the day. And in the evening we had over 70 children and mothers here for the free medical care. It was great to see Casa Victoria being used so well.

The Casa Victoria waiting room

Spanish School 101:
On Monday, we began the somewhat treacherous journey through intensive, 4 hours a day, 1 teacher-2 students, Spanish school. We're about to embark on our THIRD day and we've already (re)learned the past and future verb tenses. For all you non-Spanish speakers, that's pretty much like trying to learn a language in 2 days. It's SO crazy...yet SO good. It's actually exactly what we need. We've needed a teacher to kick our butts into gear and force us to learn to the language. Our maestro is Mario. He's 36 years old and has been teaching for 15 years. He's a great teacher, fairly patient, and straight forward with what we need to learn. The (second) best part about our school is that it's situated on top of the most quaint cafe "Mango Tree". I (Anna) am especially found of the cinnamon rolls that remind me of my grandpa's. (Note to the Blinkinsop family: these really don't come close, but being in a third world country...I'm pretty sure Papa would be proud. They bring back some great memories.) Wish us luck as we continue through school. As fun as it is, it's a ton of work and our brains are so tired at the end of the day, that we barely have enough strength to make a few grilled cheeses and plop into bed (with our new electric blanket!) and watch a movie.

Prayers and Praisies:

* Cursos Vacionales is over on Friday. It's been a great opportunity to be with the kids and really dig into this community. Please pray that the families that have been connected to CV through this program will continue to be present as we continue to open the doors. We're also really excited to be able to have some more one-on-one time with the guys in the house. Cursos Vacionales has been a huge priority and we're really looking forward to a little quiet time.

* Please pray for one of our guys, Jorge Mesa. Jorge has been living here for over a year now and we're ready to see him continue his journey. We're praying that we find an appropriate high school for him - as he is 18 years old and has yet to complete school. Also, his mom, Jenny is struggling financially. As a single mom, she is supporting two kids in school and has a precious little newborn girl, Genesis. Jorge has been helping her out with the small stipend he receives from Casa Victoria, but what he has is not enough. At this point, she is not working and we're not fully aware of that situation. We're going to encourage her to go back to work, but it's very difficult with a newborn and no family in town. Please pray for this situation, as it is heavy on our hearts and we want to see this family get back on their feet.

* The Library: The CV library is undergoing some major work in order to be ready for the new school year. It's been a difficult journey thus far, as we've had three different librarians that have been consulting for us. It seems like once we get all the books inventoried, a new consultant comes in to tell us we've done it all wrong. Then, it's renumbering 900 books. We're on the 4th round right now. It's a bit frustrating and everyone's on edge. Please pray that we would find more volunteers to help us out in these next few weeks. We can use all the hands we can get!

* Our health. Jon and I have both battled a few stomach bugs and are trying to keep one step ahead of the flu. Pray that God would give us the strength to continue on and a little extra time for rest.

* Living in community demands clear communication. The language barrier doesn't help us, and on top of that, no one in the house is GREAT at communicating clearly. So...obviously, there's a lot of room for misunderstanding, confusion, hurt feelings, frustration, etc. This is probably our biggest struggle at this point. We are praying for God's peace and love to continue to seep in and out of the walls of CV and that that peace and love would then fill our hearts. For out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Amen!?

* Financially - our personal needs are being met. Thank you for the financial support that many of you are providing. What we're looking to do, however, is furnish this big empty house. At this point, we have NO couches or sitting areas to "hang out". This has been a huge burden on our hearts. We really want to be able to build into the lives of these guys, but it's very difficult to do that with no where to sit down and talk/watch a movie/read together/play a game, etc. If you'd like to contribute to the Casa Victoria Fund, please email me at: joneshleman@yahoo.com.

Blessing to you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Jon & Anna Eshleman

The view at the top of Volcan Pinchincha. Anyone up for a hike?

Highlights in the Highlands

2008-07-29T19:39:00.007-05:00

Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world): About 30 minutes from Casa Victoria, there's a huge monument for the middle of the world. 200 meters from that, there's a wonderful museum with the "actual" middle of the world (supposedly calculated by GPS). Lot's of cheesy experiments to "prove" that we were actually ON the equator. Some of it...a crock. Others, somewhat believable!

Showcasing my blow-dart skills at the Equator

Jon and I in the middle of the world!!

Salchiches: A few weeks back, a couple of our volunteers wrote to a meat company requesting a donation for the kid's camp that we run here at Casa Victoria. They were so gracious and donated a refrigerator FULL of...HOT DOGS! We're estimating close to 1,000 of the yummy little things. For the first week, we had hot dogs (salchiches) with EVERYTHING! Salchiches con huevos...salchiches con pan...salchiches solomente. You dream it up and we'll make it happen! After the first week, we'd only made a minuscule dent in our supply. Thus, we decided to use them for fundraising. You see, people all over Ecuador are constantly selling their goods. Whether they be frutas y vegetales or pirated DVD's (more on that later). So, we thought... "Why can't we sell hot dogs? We could make some good money for Casa Victoria!" So...last Friday night, it was no date night for Jon and I. Instead, it was..."HOT DOGS...estilo Americano...un dolar! Lleve sus Hot Dogs!" I will let the pictures do the talking...

Get your Hot Dogs!!

by the way...we made $18 in just 2 hours.

Our first sale!

Salsa Night: About a week ago, Jon and I were invited by our new local friends to go to a LEGITIMATE underground salsa club. Much to Jon's pleading NO...I could not resist. What a trooper my husband is. The best way to picture this evening is through a movie. I will let "Along Came Polly" do the talking...

Ben Stiller = Jon Eshleman//Jennifer Aniston = Anna Eshleman

It was AWESOME. We will be back soon.

Bus ride to Plaza de las Americas: So...public transportation here is not like it is in the states. You jump on a bus acouple blocks from our house and you can pretty much go anywhere in Quito for 25 cents. In order to find the right bus, you watch the windshield as the bus pulls in close to see if your place of interest is listed. You can also listen for the bus helper to lean out the door and YELL the list to you. "a Estadio Olimpico. a Estadio Olimpico..." They speak in hyper-speed...so we choose to watch the windshields. The other day, Jon and I decided to make the trek to the movie theater to see "Hancock" (very funny, by the way). It was 6:30pm and we wanted to make it to the mall in time for some dinner and an 8:00 movie. We finally found our bus and made a running leap to get on (the buses don't really seem to STOP here.) After about 20 minutes, we arrived at a corner with big bright lights. "This is it Honey. Let's go." (Everyone else was getting off...I thought 'this MUST be it'). We paid our 50 cents and jumped off. To our absolute surprise, we were not on the right corner. With our broken Spanish, we asked a few young girls where Plaza de las Americas was. "Es muy cerca... (it's very close)..." they responded with TONS of laughter. So, we humbled ourselves, stepped off the curb and walked the couple blocks to the mall.

45 mintues and 2.5 miles later, we made it.

Hint: when riding public transportation in a foreign city, look at the map in your purse BEFORE your destination...or...wear walking shoes.

Batman - The Dark Night: We own it. $2. Included: a full DVD menu, English AND Spanish, subtitles, and only 4 people who get up and walk in front of the video camera during the movie.

Well worth our $2.

MEGAmaxi (ie: We NEED our comfort food!): Our favorite finds at MEGAmaxi: Mint Milano cookies, Kraft Mac and Cheese, Pringles, Starburst, Twix, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar.
Electric Kettle: Today, I had a rough day. Living in another country is hard sometimes. So, Jon and I went for a walk and he bought me the most wonderful gift ever...an electric kettle! I get to make hot tea and coffee right in my bedroom now! It's the small things that bring me such great joy these days. (We also had fresh juice on the way home. yum yum.)

My reading today: "All that we have and are is one of the unique and never-to-be-repeated ways God has chosen to express himself in space and time. Each of us, made in his image and likeness, is yet another promise he has made to the universe that we will continue to LOVE and care for it." - Brennan Manning, The Signature of Jesus

Thanks for all the LOVE!

We miss you.
Anita y Juanito

THIS IS ECUADOR!!

2008-07-27T16:58:00.012-05:00

So many things have happened in the last couple of weeks and it is so difficult to decide what to tell you about, but there are some things that I must definitely include. This is Jon writing by the way! Anna had the pleasure of telling you all about our adventures at Village 235 or Naranjilla as they call it. I am going to fill you in on some of the mishaps and nuances that have added to our overall experience up to now. I'll begin with after our adventure in 235.

So as many of you may know, Casa Victoria is home to a computer lab supplied with 8 new, working computers. In addition, Javier, one of the young men who lives here happens to have a computer repair shop that he runs out of the garage at Casa Victoria. So our house is at no shortage for computers. Because of the amount of computers and their worth, we have a very nice alarm system installed in our home. Well, last week we were able to do a live test of the alarm thanks to 2 thieves that attempted to break in to Javier's workshop below our house. Yes that's right, at approximately 4:30 am our alarm began to sound due to the motion sensors in Javier's workshop. I heard the alarm, but assumed it was a part of some sort of dream I was having at that time and just let it go.

The young guys however were up quick, putting their shoes on and yelling my name. "JON!!!" "WAKE UP!" "THE ALARM!!" So I slowly got up, tripped over some cords and went over to the dresser to put some pants on and try and find some shoes. Anna was up by this time, in a daze, her eyes barely open, with the look on her face that you get when someone turns on the lights and wakes you up from sleep. You know the look. "What's going on?" "I think someone tried to break in" I reply. She's beginning to become frightened and I'm trying to keep my cool as I slip on some green suede vans. I was cool on the outside, but on the inside I was thinking, "I don't want to go out there. What if they're armed? What if something happens to me?" But now I was dressed. "Be careful sweetheart." "Of course," I said calmly. I said it calmly, but inside I was a mess and wanted nothing more than to climb back into our warm bed and hide under the covers. Yes, very macho indeed. So I stepped out the door and looked around for one of the bats that we keep upstairs for protection. Both bats had already been taken. So, I carefully descended our stairs (which are really more like a glorified ladder) and looked around for something to defend myself with. I found a small hand axe that was nicely sharpened and decided that was good enough.

When I came into the main part of the house Jorge and Javier greeted me. They had already checked every room. They assured me that whoever it was had fled. I went back upstairs to check on Anna. I forgot my key so I knocked. "Who's there?" "It's me babe." Anna opened the door and I came back in axe in hand and sat down on the bed. "Is everything okay?" she asked not really able to take her eyes off the sharp axe in my hand. "Yeah, I think so." "Why do you have an axe?" "I don't know, all the bats were already being used." "Oh" she said. "Well what happened?" "I don't know, I guess I should go back down there." "Well, be careful."

So I headed back downstairs towards the front yard to find everyone. Axe in hand, I descended the front steps, went out the front gate and up the street and around to the side of the house where Javier's garage/computer fixing shop is. The thieves had somehow broken the lock to his steel door and were trying to get in to the computers, but were thwarted by the reinforced steel gate behind the door and the alarm that flashed lights and made loud noises!

This was all the evidence left behind. A piece of a giant padlock.

All that was left was a piece of the padlock. That is our only piece of evidence. The garage door was also a little damaged as well. The alarm company showed up finally and took the report. The police never came, which was a bit disappointing. But, we are all well and fine and ultimately feel very safe knowing our alarm system works. It's in these sorts of experiences that prayer is essential and we are becoming more and more aware of just how little we actually have control over in our lives. Things here are unfamiliar and we feel so much less in control than we did in Dana Point. But what we are realizing is that even in Dana Point there was very little that was under our control, but rather because of the familiarity of everything, there was a false sense of control over our lives. Ultimately, our faith is in Christ Jesus, and we are leaving the control up to Him. We are being responsible, but we are also learning to release whatever false sense of control we think we might have and embrace the fact that our Father in heaven cares about us and is "Emmanuel" "God with us." And so we see that our God is not a God who watches from afar, but rather just like in the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; our God is with us in the midst of the flames. Learning to become attuned to His presence is our responsibility.

Now some of you might think that there couldn't possibly be anything else all that interesting, but wait! There are other occurrences of which you have not heard. So maybe some of you remember that I took a little hike through the jungle when we were visiting 235. The place where we were staying was so captivating that a morning hike seemed the consummate way to usher in the new day. I set out on a trail that quickly became more jungle than trail. Foolishly, I thought my Rainbow sandals would provide adequate protection for my feet. Well, I was wrong. I was wearing trunks and sandals in the Ecuadorian jungle...and...no bug spray. Admittedly, not a wise move on my part. For the next few hours every bug, mosquito, and creepy crawler had open access to my fair gringo skin, and good heavens did they ever take advantage of that open window. At one point I counted about 34 different individual bug bites. When we returned to Quito I went to the pharmacy and picked up some Caladryl Clear for about $1.20 and started using that to relieve the itching and swelling.

After about a week, I began to notice a bug bite between my two smallest toes on my right foot. There were what looked like 2 different bites that were forming into blisters. I was putting the Caladryl on the bites, but it wasn't really having the desired effect. After another night of waking up in pain, I decided it was time to do something about my foot. The bites were clearly infected, my foot was swollen, and there was redness all around the bites. I was limping everywhere. I asked Mama Alicia if she would help me out and take me to the doctor. My Spanish is still very limited so I wanted someone there to translate. So we walked across the street to a little medical clinic...literally across the street. Dr. Jose Salazar was my doctor.

The entrance to Doctor Salazar's Medical Clinic.

So after about 30 minutes of waiting for the Doctor to show up for work (he was 45 minutes late), we finally got into his office. I sat down on his table and showed him my foot. Alicia told him my symptoms and he began to prod at it. Finally he grabbed some disinfectants and began to clean it. Then after it was nice and clean, he put on on a new pair of plastic gloves and proceeded to try to pop the two blistery bites on my foot with his fingers. Alicia was explaining to me that he wanted to get all the pus and liquid out of there so the infection wouldn't continue to spread.

After he got as much pus and liquid out as he could with his hands he still wasn't satisfied. He was thinking that I must have been bit by some sort of poisonous ant that had maybe tried to lay its eggs inside my foot. Yes...very gross. So he really wanted to get under my skin and scrape and clean. So he started to do that, but it really really hurt bad. I was doing my best to be a big boy, but once he started scraping under my skin I might have let out a little yelp and made a fist with one hand and hit the palm of my other hand like I was starting a game of rock-paper-scissors. Alicia relayed to the Dr. Salazar that what he was doing to me was painful. Thus, Dr. Salazar pulled out a nice big needle full of Novacain. He looked at me with the needle and in Spanish he said, "you're going to feel a little tingly, prickly pain." He started squirting a little Novacain on the wound and then stuck me once with it and it didn't hurt too bad, but then he hit me with it again and that one hurt. After my foot was numb he started scraping out all the "gunk" that was in there. Then he grabbed some scissors and started cutting off my skin. After that was over, he bandaged me up, wrote me a prescription and was ready to send me on my way. First I had to pay the doctor's fee of $8. Ouch...a hefty sum for a minor surgery. Considering my copay in the states is $40, it felt like a good deal.

My foot, post doctor's visit! Yummy!

So I walked across the street (literally) to the Sana Sana pharmacy and grabbed the medication. It was about $13 for the antibiotics, disinfecting cream, and bandages. My foot has since been on the mend and the infection is gone! But what an adventure! Thanks for your prayers, I know that the Lord is taking care of both of us during this time and we are so grateful for the support that you all give us!

The view of Dr. Salazar's clinic from my front porch.

This week I have been reading about humility and I wanted to share with you a little passage: "When you know you are absolutely accepted and valued for whom you are, not what you do, you are truly free. When you believe that all is God's gift, you are truly free. When you know, with your whole being, that there is nothing hidden from God's knowledge of you, and this knowledge does not alienate or shame, you are truly free. Free to not expect more of yourself than God does, free to admit your mistakes because you know that an error does not change your value, free to serve one another because you know God will not let you be with out what you need, free to exercise your talents and gifts for the glory of God and the encouragement of God's body. This freedom allows humility and humility builds community. In your community, you will serve and be served, give and be given unto, know others and be known by others, love and be loved."

I hope it speaks to you as it did me.

We love you all,

Jon & Anna

Prayer requests:

*Pray that Bill Swenson would get a job as a translator so he can provide for his family and still be able to volunteer at Casa Victoria.
*Pray that all those in the house and all those who work at the house would be unified in spirit!
*Pray for continued health and rest for Anna and I.
*Pray that God would continue to raise up leaders in the community for His work.
*Pray for our safety.
*Pray that God would continue to teach us to serve these wonderful people.

Village 235

2008-07-21T09:33:00.009-05:00

The 235 Welcome Sign

If you traveled 235 kilometers from Quito by train, you would land in one of the most welcoming, joyful communities on the planet. (Unfortunately, the train tracks were washed out in a flood a few years back and have yet to be repaired or replaced.) Naranjilla (or Village 235 as we like to call it) is tucked away into the valley of a postcard worthy mountain range, the Andes.

(To catch you up...Jon and I have had a very busy week and felt like this blog needed a section of it's own. Shortly after the Casa Victoria dedication, 29 of us left for a visit to 235. This was over a week ago now, but as I said...we've been busy little bees.)

With 14 of us squished into one van and 15 into another, we set off on our journey to the beloved 235.

Alicia, the CV founder, fell in love with this village when her dad was in office and she was traveling about campaigning on his behalf. This community is primarily made up of Afro-Ecuadorians. Throughout the history of Ecuador, these people have not received the respect they've deserved...so Alicia and her father, Sixto, set out to make a change. She committed to visiting the village often. She says many times, "I don't come to 'do' necessarily. I just come to 'be' with these people. That's what they really want, just to be told that they really matter." The people in this village ALL know Alicia as "Mama Alicia" and tell stories about how she's loved them and shown them that they do, indeed, matter. One time, during the presidency of Alicia's father, she arrived at 235 by helicopter and landed in the tomato field. The whole village came out to see the helicopter. It goes down in their history as "the time when Mama Alicia came down from the heavens." We all had a good laugh at that one.

The view from the "drop off point" to 235. Can you find the village?

With almost 30 of us dropped off on the side of the road (in the most beautiful middle of nowhere ever!) we began the 1/2 mile hike into the village. It was literally over the river and through the woods...with many grandmothers waiting for us. With us, we brought the groceries needed to make dinner for the village: a full, delicious Mexican meal. Jon and I carried 25lbs of rice in our backpack. As some of the group prepared the meal for 100+ people (with 1 knife!), the rest of us listened to stories from the people in the village, played with the kiddos, or participated in a rip-roaring soccer game (on a cement court on the side of a cliff). We had a blast!! I was way too tempted to bring two little chicas home with me. They immediately capture your heart!

Anna crossing the bridge to 235

Does he capture your heart like he captured mine?

Shortly after the meal, we were welcomed into the one room school in the village to dance. This village (the entire village) has a rhythm like I've never seen! The music was loud, the perfect limbo stick was found, and the party began! The most incredible part of it all was when a couple of the "grandmothers" placed FULL, glass bottles on their heads and started to shake their hips! This is a traditional dance in this village and it was incredible! Many of us gave it a try (with plastic water bottles), but to no avail! These people are SO incredibly special - in more ways than one!

235 by night

Limbo Time!

After a good hour of dancing, we made our way back to the side of the road, along the pitch black trail, to catch our vans and travel to the hostel in Bosque de Paz (the forest of peace). Jon and I slept in a room with another couple, a single guy, and a HUGE spider (who luckily lost its life just prior to our climbing into bed). The hostel is owned by a wonderful french man who fell in love with the area and decided to stay. We were blessed with an incredible breakfast, a hike (for Jon) through the forest where he encountered a magnificent bamboo forest, and a relaxing swing in the hammock overlooking the 'buena vista' (amazing view).

The Bamboo Forest

The "buena vista" from the hammock

On the return to 235 the following day, Jon and I decided to stay behind with the vans and Bart and Linda Tarman. We felt that we needed to take advantage of our time with them and time was running short. So, instead of walking the 1/2 mile to 235, we stopped on the bridge, sat down, and talked through our experiences and expectations thus far. During our talk, we saw encountered 2 surprising visitors: (1) a cow, dragging her 'leash' coming down the path right towards us. Just as we were about to jet across the bridge, she made a sharp right turn into the jungle. She was thirsty!! She had her drink at the river's edge and made her way back up the path. She wanted nothing to do with us. (2) A lovely old man making his way to 235. He lives in a village a little while away, but has his garden in 235. The soil is SO fertile!! We chatted with him for a bit before he made his way, following the cow, back up the path. Just 50 feet away, he stopped and yelled to us to come to him. Thinking he had some exotic plant or insect to show us, we walked up towards him. To our surprise (but not surprising) he had nothing to show us, but instead, something to GIVE us. Out of his pack, he pulled 4 fresh apples (surely his lunch) and gave them to us along with the most joyful smile. This act of generosity is something that we've already experienced many times, from strangers no less! We have so much to learn from the people here. Jon was reading this in 1st John and it really struck him, "Do not love the world nor the things of this world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life , is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." It really makes us think about what is important in this life, and especially when it comes to loving the people here.

Bart and Linda Tarman on the 235 bridge (class 5 rapids below!)

As the 1/2 the team returned to take the 1st trip home, we joined them and crammed back inside the van. We felt lucky to receive the faster of the two drivers and thought..."this 4 hour trip to Quito might only take us 3 hours! Awesome!!"

...

7 hours later, we arrived back at Casa Victoria. There was nothing wrong with the van, the driver, the passengers...This is Ecuador. And sometimes you have to be ready for a 4 hour trip to take 7 hours!

We would love to take you to 235 someday. Hopefully the pictures will give you a small picture into the love that permeates from that place. We had an amazing time and hope to travel back again soon...hopefully on a little faster bus.

...look at how beautiful it is, you know you want to come visit!!

Thank you for joining us on our journey. Forgive us for how long it's taking us to blog...we're still settling in.

There are more adventures to come!! Get ready!

Much love,

Anna and Jon

Prayer Requests:
* Please pray for completely restored health for both of us.
* Pray that God would raise up a laborer to be a director for Casa Victoria (preferably an Ecuadorian who plans to live the rest of their life in Quito)
* Pray for unity amongst all those that work at Casa Victoria
* Pray that God would continue to provide financially for us and for Casa Victoria
* Pray for safety for us, God's protection for us.

The Eshes (are finally) in Ecuador!

2008-07-15T13:21:00.015-05:00

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
- 1 John 1:6,7

The front of Casa Victoria.

It has been quite an adventure this first week! So much has happened that I am not quite sure I can fit it into something you all will actually read. This is Jon by the way; Anna is off to the market to pick up a few necessities (lotion for the dry skin in the 10,000 ft. altitude, clothespins to line dry our clothes, etc.) So, while she's gone, I'll take the chance to fill you in from the beginning.

We left LAX on Tuesday, July 8th at 2:15am. We had 4 bags,weighing 50 lbs each, and we each had a carryon that weighed 40 lbs each (good thing the carryon weight limit is 22lbs., huh?). So, with our 280lbs. of "necessity" we were on our way to Quito. (By the looks of it, you'd think we were MOVING there!)

We're here!!

By God's grace (and VERY nice airline workers) we made it onto the plane and arrived safely in Quito the next day at about 2pm. There, we were met by one of the guys in the house, Esteban. He directed us to the van and moments later we were plopping our bags down on the floor of our new room. We're in the loft of the house, along with the guys. We're in separate rooms, on the same floor. We love it!

Our new room.

As many of you already know, we arrived in Quito just in time for the inauguration of “Casa Victoria”, the house which hosts the ministry we will be working with for the next year. (If you haven’t checked out the blog for Casa V, you can find it at http://www.casavictoria.blogspot.com. It will give you a good overview of the ministry.) So, because of the inauguration we were busy since the moment we landed. Preparing the house, hosting visitors from the US, trying to settle in...Miraculously, in the midst of all of the chaos, Anna and I were able to slip away on Wednesday night for a little date night. We walked a couple of blocks to Plaza San Francisco where they just happened to be having an enormous concert (think...the best SNL skit of Enrique Iglesias). We found a little restaurant that had outside seating and enjoyed a nice dinner while watching the concert in the Plaza. It felt great to have this time together and reflect on the fact that this is our new home.

By Thursday morning we left for a hotel about 40 minutes outside of Quito to be with everyone from the US that had arrived for the inauguration. This was a great time of retreat, fellowship and building new friendships. Bart Tarman and June Michaelson shared during our times of worship. Anna and I have truly been sponges this first week; just soaking in every little piece of what we will be experiencing for the next year. There is so much to tell you all, that it is really overwhelming to choose exactly what to say.

Here's the short of it: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were spent at San Jose Inn about 40 minutes outside of Quito. During these days the people who are closely involved with Casa Victoria spent time together talking about Jesus, praying together, singing songs of praise, and enjoying fellowship. During the day on Saturday we all came to Casa Victoria to have the Dedication Celebration. It was incredible! People from all over the world and all over Ecuador came for the event. The house looked better than ever for it's grand opening. There was probably over a hundred people in and out of the house throughout the day. Luckily I got this wall painted just in time for the celebration!

Jon painting the back patio at CV.

In addition to the Dedication of the house, we we're surprised with a wedding ceremony for Rigo and Rocio. (Rigo, originally from Mexico/Santa Barbara, CA, moved to Quito 2 years ago. Here, he met Rocio. Rocio has lived in the house for 16 years - long before the house officially became Casa Victoria. They fell in love and wanted to celebrate their marriage with the people who love them and love Casa Victoria.) So...the wedding. After setting up the chairs, Rigo waited for his bride in front of the "chapel/prayer corner" in the house. We all anxiously awaited for Rocio to walk down the aisle. As we were waiting, Alicia (founder of Casa Victoria) ran to the front to let us know that they didn't have the 'wedding march' music and Jorge had ran across the street to buy a pirated version. Minutes later, the music began...The National Ecuadorian March! (Note: when buying any pirated music or movies, have the store 'test' it to make sure you know what you're getting.) Finally, the music began and Rocio (in all her beauty) walked down the aisle to her husband. The ceremony - perfect and holy. The champagne - bad. The dinner of prawns and steak at Mosaico in Quito - delicious!

The house: Esteban, Javier, Lenin, Anna, Rigo, Jorge, Rocio, Jon, Irene, and Irma.

The dedication of Casa Victoria. Mama Alicia is the one on the microphone.

We have felt so blessed to be a part of the massive celebrations this last week. We have spent such sweet time with our friends, participated in incredible joy and hospitality in the house, and been welcomed into homes of friends and followers of Jesus all throughout Ecuador. We couldn't have asked for a better way to start our time here in Quito.

There is SO much more to come. You just wait. Thank you for your prayers and support - we wouldn't be here without it. Please continue to pray as we "find our niche" in this community, get to know the city, and learn to love those that we are with (Especially...The guys: Esteban, Jorge, and Javier and The girls who work in the library and with the kids: Irene, Irma, Veronica, Ana, and Maria Jose.)

We love you and all and can't even begin to express how much we miss each of you!

con mucho amor,
Jon and Anna

SKYPE: the.eshlemans
iChat: eshy@mac.com
emails: annaeshleman@yahoo.com
joneshleman@yahoo.com

More Pictures Coming Soon!!

back home...?

2008-04-03T22:46:00.000-05:00

So. We're back in the states. An early goodbye (4:45am), bumpy flights, a standby ticket, late luggage...we're safe and sound. I must say, it's strange to be back home. I don't especially like the feeling of "jumping right back into things". It's much to fast - I need time to process everything that has happened in the past week. Yet...it's not a choice. I must wake-up to an alarm, jump in my car, and rush rush rush to be on time. There's very little time to stop. Listen. Pray. Think. -- So, I almost force myself to sit down tonight to write. This is such a place of peace for me. Letting my fingers do the thinking for me. (Jon's asleep already. A glass of wine in hand. Silence.) So here's my processing...

We already started to talk through things on the last leg of our flight home. Our conversation ended with both of us in tears, yet smiling wide. The conversation was filled with the anticipation of living in Quito and the fears that seem to intercept that anticipation just short of it taking us over.

Our Thoughts...

"We need this challenge. We are sacrificing nothing here in Dana Point. -- Though the house is incredible and the people even more so,living at Casa Victoria will require sacrifice...the sacrifice will be in leaving what we hold so dear - family, friends, the ocean, convenience."

"It felt so natural. Being there. With the guys. In the house. It felt like we were already there to stay. That is so affirming. Anna...right in her element. Hanging with the kids. Laughing and learning to love the guys. Making new friends. Jon...hanging with the guys - who LOVE him by the way. Making new friends. Encouraging the guys in Jesus - challenging them in a whole new way."

"It's gonna be hard. But just imagine how our marriage will grow! And we'll get to talk to friends on Skype all the time. It's a year. We can handle this! How could we deny something that is sitting in our lap!?"

So...you see the processing. There is a BIG road ahead of us. We're ready to take it on. We're ready (or not!) for this adventure. The excitement that comes in following Jesus is what is carrying us.

Ecuador, here we come...

Thanks for the prayers and encouragement. We're still in need of them. We love you all.

Anna (and Jon)

T.G.I.F. in Ecuador!

2008-03-28T15:14:00.000-05:00

Well friends...this sure is an adventure. We had a full day yesterday and we're enjoying a small siesta now. (Thank you Lord).

Thursday: Here's the run down. We woke up @ 8am to Mama Alicia saying "Juan y Anita. Es tiempo para desayuno!" And one of the guys walking around ringing the "meal bell". (which is actually one of those metal triangle insturments from kindergarten.) Breakfast consists of fruit...fresh from the market that morning, bread...fresh from the panaderia (bakery) that morning...eggs...and cafe con leche. We all eat together around a huge table in the dining room and talk about the plans for the day. Alicia, sweet Alicia, asked Jon and I to share our story with the guys...in Spanish...at 8am. We struggled through verb tenses and articles and prespositions, but the guys understood the gist of things. Then, each one of them, 7 in all, shared their stories (how long they'd been here at CV, where they're from, and whatever else they wanted to share.) This was an awesome/challenging meal for Jon and I as we were confronted with our lack of Spanish head on. This, we feel, is our greatest challenge at this point. Thankfully, the guys are VERY patient and helpful and many of them are working to learn English. We're getting better each hour.

After breakfast, we went to work. Jon working alongside Esteban (a guy who's lived here for over 3 years) and I with Alicia - getting the run-down of it all. When we came back together, Jon and I both felt like that time was incredibly affirming of our desire to be here in Ecuador.

Later in the afternoon, Jon had the opportunity to help paint the library in the house (it's magnificent. we'll make sure to take pictures) and I was in my element, playing with Elias, the librarian's son. He and I read books that I brought down here (they're all kids books in Spanish), played a Spanish/English memory game, drew pictures, played hide-and-seek in the house, and practiced our futbol skills on the back patio (He took me down...). I fell in love with this little guy and was thankful for his forgiving spirit as I tried to interact with him in Spanish. He taught me and I taught him. I can't wait to get to know more of the kids here in this community. They steal your heart just walking past them. Jon is thankful that he has been able to play a small part in the completion of the house, helping out here and there with various projects.

Last night, we had the incredible opportunity to sit in on the CV board meeting at Alicia's parent's house in the city. (Her dad Sixto, was the former mayor of Quito and president of Ecuador in the early 90's.) Her family is AMAZING. We've already set up some time to play a new card game with them (Samba) when we return in July. Jon can't wait. (I told him to go easy on Sixto...I think the man might know a few people in Ecuador. You want to stay on his good side.)

Alicia, Jon and I then went to "Gringolandia". That's right, Gringo Land. We had a small dinner and talked more about our visions, roles, dreams, expectations, gifts, etc.

Then...home to CV. To bed in our room with our own fireplace. We're SO blessed.

Friday (today):

I'm getting a little tired of writing, so I'll give you the quick run down and fill you in on the details later.

8am: Breakfast (We all cycle through the cooking and shopping at the market. Two by two.)
9am: dishes...we all do them together
10:30ish: Rode in the back of a pickup to pick up some plants for CV. We actually dug them out of a yard of a friend's house who didn't want them anymore. When some (or most!) of you come to visit, you will be able to see some of the flowers and plants that we brought to the house and helped to plant. And you may just be enjoying some of the fruits of our labor. No pun intended...or was there?
12pm: Take the trolley bus back the center near CV. Stop for AMAZING fresh juice...they juice whatever fruits you want right in front of you. I had carrot, banana, and orange. Jon had orange and pineapple. FRESH for 50 cents each. This may become an addiction.
1:30pm: Lunch. Pasta with chicken or calamari.
Now: Siesta
Later: Jon's leading a devotion with the guys. In Spanish. Go Juanito!
Dinner: We're going over to Jose and Caro's house for dinner tonight. Such a treat. Then, the journey home in a taxi by ourselves. Let's hope we get back to the right place! :)

-- We can't thank you enough for your prayers and encouragement. This journey we're beginning is exciting, scary, and full of adventure. Following Jesus seems to bring those feelings out. We can't wait to talk with each of you about this time in Ecuador. We love you!

For those of you who are curious about the title of this blog...well, there is a TGIFridays in Ecuador! Double Bacon Ranch Cheeseburger with Avocado and French Fries and onion rings. If that doesn't convince you to Thank God and come visit...well then I don't know what will.
Love, Juanito y Anita

¡estamos aqui!

2008-03-26T23:03:00.000-05:00

We are finally here! It feels great to be at Casa Victoria. We left LAX last night at 2:20 am and arrived in Panama City at about 10 in the morning. We had an 8 hour layover, so we thought we would take the time to go tour around the city a little bit. We got outside the airport and were looking for a taxi to take us to the Panama Canal and show us around a bit, but they were asking 100 bucks...a little more than we were willing to spend.

So I (Jon) looked around and saw a surfer (who we had met in the customs line) who was waiting for a friend to pick him up and asked him for some help. His name is Magnum by the way, could he possibly have a more awesome name? He was on our flight and is currently living in Carlsbad, but he is a pro surfer on the Latin American circuit and is in town for a competition. He said, "Why don't you wait till my friend shows up and I will ask him." So we waited and almost immediately his friend pulls up and they exchange greetings and moments later his friend says, "We will give you a ride into the city." So we jump in our new friend Gary's Land Cruiser, throw Magnum's boards on top and we are off on an adventure. It turns out that Gary is also a pro surfer and one of the best on the Latin American circuit. He is housing Magnum and another young surfer named Manuel, who I met when I was surfing in the Domican Republic just a year and a half ago. CRAZY! Also it turns out that Magnum is sponsored by Quiksilver and knows my friend Chad Mitchell who works for Quiksilver and who I went to high school with. Also Gary surfs for Billabong, and the list of people I know at Billabong was long enough to have at least one common friend. It was a miracle that we ended up in this Land Cruiser.

All that to say, they brought us to the city, found us a cab driver (who incidentally recognized Gary from a RedBull billboard he has in the city) and sent us on our way.

We visited the Antigua part of Panama City and saw buildings from the 1600's. We went to an area known as the Coastway and saw where the President lives. We went to the Marina and had an authentic (Irish-American) lunch at Bennigan's with our taxi driver Eleuterio. Nothing like a lunch of a bacon cheeseburger and spanish lessons with your taxi driver in Panama! After lunch we went to the Panama Canal and visited the Miraflores Locks, which are the last set of locks coming from the Atlantic to the Pacific, or the first set if you're traveling the other way. We watched a gigantic freighter pass through and be lowered down 20 meters or so. It was amazing. Then it was back to the Aeropuerto and off to Quito. Both our flights were very nice and we arrived here feeling great. Jose-Luis was at the airport to greet us as soon as we came through customs and took us straight to where we are now, which is Casa Victoria. We met some of the guys living here and of course were welcomed by Alicia who originally had the vision for the house. We talked and toured and roasted the marshmallows we brought down over a fire in a fireplace in our room!! Now it's time for bed and we look forward to a full day tomorrow. ("Anna! Go stoke the fire!") We are certain more great adventure lies ahead and we will do our best to keep you updated!! Check back soon!

8 hours and counting...

2008-03-25T20:44:00.000-05:00

the bags are packed. well, mostly. i'm still trying to figure out how to transfer the requested cottage cheese down to quito. multiple ziplocs is my best idea at this point. i've been assured it won't spoil.

jon's teaching right now. i'm supposed to be picking up the house and double checking our luggage and showering...obviously i'm not doing my job. sshhh. don't tell.

we leave LAX at 2:12 am. brutal. a little 'tylenol pm' for anna and 'sudafed pm' for jon (he's getting over a sinus infection...fun!) and we'll be ready to fly.

we have 8 hours or so in panama...taxi...ir al canal! that will definitely start our adventure out on an adventurous foot. then, to quito. 9pm we arrive.

straight to casa victoria to settle in and ready ourselves for the next morning. i think right now our emotions are doing flip-flops. anxiety. excitement. exhaustion. anticipation. insecurity. freaking out!

honestly, we can't wait.

linda tarman (love you!) just sent us an email saying the following...We will be praying for your trip to Ecuador....that you will have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Lord is saying to you.

thank you linda. that is our prayer as well. this is a big big step in our journey. a huge step in our marriage. and an enormous step in following jesus.

here we go...

2008-03-21T01:25:00.000-05:00

quito, here we come. five days. this time is just for a look-see. a dress rehersal. a meet and greet. the emotions in the eshleman household are mixed. anticipation. fear. excitement. insecurity. we know the experience in quito will be wonderful. that's not in question. the fear, i think, stems from the unknown. will we LOVE it? will they LOVE us? will this be our home in july? are we ready? the unknown. fear. so, tonight, i remind myself that the fear i feel should not be there if i am trusting jesus in all of this. so i breathe. and continue to rest.

i'm on easter break now. that's a wonderful thing. truly.

jon is snoring, sick, and just worn-out. i pray that he is refreshed and renewed before our 2am flight on tues. night/wed. morning.

peace be with you all. we love you.