Cayambe in June - Fiesta Time!

June is THE month of fiestas in Cayambe.  They're called the San Pedro Fiestas del Sol en la Mitad del Mundo (Saint Peter Sun Celebrations in the Middle of the World).  But before you join us in the celebrations, meet our newest neighbor ...what a joy to look out the window each day and see him!

And meet Allie and Santiago...Allie is from Philadelphia Biblical University (now Cairn U).  She is here for two months living in Cali Cali, Ecuador, where Santiago is from.  We have gotten together with them three times, helping Allie to experience life and ministry here, helping her to see if and how God is calling her to overseas ministry.  We're actually going to see them again today!

Okay, on to the fiestas!  They started with a "Pregon" - the opening parade...

The Diabluma - a main character/the representation of evil

A mom and daughter in typical dress dancing together

A Race of Wooden "Coches" was on the fiestas schedule...and I got excited thinking there would be carriages - one of the definitions of "coche" - but it was more like a go-cart race!  It was fun though, because I watched it while talking with Dayana, and then her boyfriend Victor, and Glenn joined us after their Bible Study.

We decided to move away from the race to a quiet ice cream shop to talk....but an UNscheduled parade came by the shop!  Glenn, Victor, Dayana and I still had a great long talk despite the noise!

 Then there was the Rose Parade...one of the most popular parades.  We went with our neighbors Luis, Ale and Vero, and Alejandra, her kids and the family of her husband, Santiago...

The recently elected Queen of Cayambe throws a rose to child who asks for one

A local school for Special Needs children participated in the parade including a girl from our church who danced!

Every day life here was well represented in the parade...

by the roses that Cayambe is famous for!

But the highlight of the parade for us was seeing our good friend, Edwin, and his son, Esteban...

and our good friend and neighbor, Santiago!  What fun to know people IN the parade!

We didn't fully understand the importance of this bull in the Rose Parade until later in the week!

After the Rose Parade, we all headed to the 2nd National Open-Air Galloping Competition!

We had a great time just being together...

and watching the horses together in a beautiful area of Cayambe that we'd never seen!

 Finally, we made it to the "Popular Bullfighting" event - the first of more than five scheduled events focused on bulls!  We found out that "popular" means 'not professional'...anyone and everyone enters the ring!

One of the bulls...waiting to enter the ring...

Some of the many people who entered the ring at their own risk...

and some of the many people, like us, who stayed behind the wooden walls that were built that day!

Living here in Cayambe is exciting, full of culture and full of opportunities to share God's love, truth and hope!  Thanks for praying for us and supporting us!