Baptism and Sigsig

It's been awhile (again) but the time got away from me, plus my camera is not working right!!!

I'll be getting another one soon hopefully.

 

Also I had a surgery and although I was a little apprehensive about being in a hospital in a foreign country,  I'm very grateful for the doctors and the care that I received.

 

 

We just had another baptism and fellowship dinner. 

It is amazing to see lives changed and young people making decisions to serve Jesus. 

We still haven't mastered the language but God is working, should I say,

in spite of all our inadequacies.  Five people baptized this past Sunday night.

 

 

 

 

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Now at the end of June we took a day trip to Sigsig to see where the

Panamanian Hats are made. 

 

Yes,  I can hear you already.  This is not Panama, but I can assure you, 

Ecuador is where the hats originate.

 

The week before the trip we were very happy to be able to spend time with Francisco and Lety. 

They were launched out the conference in Mexico are pioneering Quito.

We took them to see the town of Chordeleg. 

 

Quito's population is around 6 million, Cuenca comes in at only 485,000.

Pastor Francisco preached a Wednesday night service for us.

 

I think that I will start a page that just features all the unusual churches that we come upon as we

drive around the country.  Remember, Ecuador is comparable in size to the state of Colorado, so a lot can be covered in a day.

 

Unique!

 

These little ones were on their way home after school. 

The girls are wearing the traditional skirts and hats.

The entrance to Sigsig! 

 

We arrive at the hat factory.  No real directions to get there, just drive around

peer in doorways and look for bundles of straw, you'll find it. At least that's what we did.

 

 

 

Yep, this must be the place.  This giant hat is woven.

 

 

 

These alien looking things are woven hats waiting to be pressed into a form we recognize.

 Here is the pressing machine. 

All the different types of forms can be seen on the shelves.

 
 
 

Now this is the end result.  A great looking Panamanian Hat!

This is the old fashion way, I think......

From here the hats are shipped world wide.

 Alongside the road, in front of a little shack, there is pottery on display. 

With a little investigation, we found that the entire operation is just a few precarious steps down 

and away from the edge of the highway.

 

Here is process they use to fire it.

 

 

 
And two more pictures for the beautiful flor of Ecuador.

Bird of Paradise