Glenn and Susie on the Equator!

A January of New Beginnings!

2012-01-31T08:12:00.000-08:00

The month of January started off with a visit to Cotacachi- the town where CFC Missionaries, George and Linda Hege, were working with a team! We not only had the joy of seeing George and Linda, one of the first missionaries we'd talked to about our interest in missions over 20 years ago, but we met two CFC'ers we'd never met before from our home church in PA - one who is friends with our son Josh! We also began a new relationship with Washo, an Ecuadorian leader who is passionate about ministry!

Deb!

Chelsea!

George and Linda!

We participated in our first church work day - a "minga." Many from the church came to clean up the property where our church building will be built - Glenn worked outside and I helped in the kitchen - preparing lemonade through the morning and a huge Ecuadorian meal to thank the workers at 1pm!

before the work began...

the work in process...

after - a lot ready for construction!


The happy kitchen crew!

One of the Primero de Mayo youth, Alexandra, began her year of intense discipleship and training at Word of Life, Quito, this month! We're SO excited for her - and for all those whose lives she'll touch! Glenn and I got to visit her at the training center - the day before they left for further training and preparation at the campgrounds nearby!

We then visited with the PBU team who came to serve God in Quito! What a joy to see my friend/fellow Social Worker/PBU professor, Juliet, and to share with mission-minded PBU'ers HERE in Ecuador!

Our month ended with a Pastor's Conference - the bi-annual meeting of our association of churches' pastors and delegates - here in Primero de Mayo! Our church members provided and prepared the food for, and hosted overnight (in 7 different homes!), the 35 men and women in attendance!

The Pastors, delegates, treasurer and secretary pose in front of our church property with our NEW sign...

and in front of the building where the church will meet!

Gissela helps Glenn transport the food to the Community Center where we are currently meeting!

I learned a lot about Ecuadorian cooking from Dilita, Paty and the kitchen crew!

Church members served the food to the pastors - here, Orlando serves the food Cayambe is famous for - bizcochos - while in the background Lynford gives the Crossworld missionaries' report!

Every church and ministry represented gave their report...it was a long 2 days of meetings!

We added new touches to our home this month...a photo of Rachel and Josh, that they gave to us for Christmas, and two statues - a Christmas gift from our Pastor's wife here - so that "Rachel and Josh" could always be in our home! :)

The photo is on the wall between the windows...thought I'd show you how well it fits in our living room!

We also ended the month with the joy of starting a new Bible Study in the city of Cayambe! Glenn and Vicente, one of the Primero de Mayo Church deacons, met with 2 men last week and 6 this week! Thank you for your prayers!

Josh Visits and we celebrate a Cayambe-area Christmas and New Year!

2012-01-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

What a joy to have our son, Josh, visit with us Dec 19, 2011 - Jan 2, 2012! What fun to experience an Ecuadorian Christmas and New Year! Here's a review in fotos! Enjoy - we did! :)

We waited for Josh to join us to set up and decorate our tree...and we're glad we did!

We visited the Peguche Waterfall with Josh - just like we did with Rachel!

What a special place Peguche is now that we've been there with BOTH of our children!

Peguche and then Mount Mojanda were a photographer's paradise for Josh! He especially loved riding in the back of the truck on our way up to Mojanda:

Josh and Glenn loved climbing up one of the peaks of Mojanda...tho it was cold and misty! Susie stayed in the car and read...and listened to Josh hooting and hollering as they slid back down the mtn!

On December 22nd, the winter solstice, we visited the REAL middle of the world and posed on the equator - just 10 minutes from our home!

Then the ministry began! As a church, we helped to coordinate and present four Christmas programs and went Christmas caroling in our neighborhood - Primero de Mayo!

Before Josh arrived, we presented the Biblical account of Christmas at our pastor, Pablo's, place of work - a Rose Plantation!

What a joy it was to watch SO many children and their parents listen as the good news of God's love was clearly presented in skits and in songs - here by Pablo and his daughter, Estefany!

Pablo immediately saw Josh's potential as a clown and asked Josh to join him in the Christmas program at one of our church attender's nursery school in Juan Montalvo!

Josh, Glenn and I helped out in sharing the message of salvation from sin using puppets!

Our third Christmas Program was in the small, indigenous mountain community of Pesillo. One of our teen's friends is the director of a nursery school there and asked us to co-lead their program:

The team from our church once again began by making animal balloons - which the children received at the end of the program with a gift and a bag of cookies and candies - an Ecuadorian tradition!

What a privilege to share God's Word here! As an indigenous community, their belief in the spirit-world is strong. This nursery school had just added a new building and their part of the Christmas program included a "huasipichai" - a ceremony to clean out the evil spirits and inaugurate the use of the 2 classrooms.

Then we participated in the Primero de Mayo Christmas program, where the community president, Rene, presented the Christmas angels and their court!

Our church's part of the Community Christmas program involved Pablo and Josh as clowns, our Biblical-Christmas skit and puppets, and our youth, including Josh, singing Christmas songs!

That night we gathered with some of our amazing neighbors to celebrate Christmas together!

Later that night we went Christmas caroling with the youth of our church in 1ro de Mayo!

On Christmas Eve day we decided to go up Mount Cayambe!

Although he struggled for breath due to the altitude, Josh made it to approximately 16,000 ft with his dad and enjoyed making a snowman!

We got home that evening and enjoyed watching our neighborhood's Christmas Eve celebration:

Besides a soccer game, there was a greased-pole with gifts on top - an activity they repeated on New Year's Eve!

We celebrated Christmas Day as a threesome and were blessed to be able to talk to Rachel and others in our family via Skype! We joined our church in an afternoon of praising God for the gift of Jesus - and salvation and thus hope in Him!

The next day the three of us took off for the beach - and to Isla de la Plata - the "poor-man's Galapagos!"

Blue-footed Boobies were EVERYWHERE on the Island and we saw 3 other species of birds, sea turtles and, while snorkeling, tropical fish! God's creation is amazing!

We came back to Cayambe and Glenn got to know some of the neighbor boys when they joined he and Josh in a game of soccer on the lot in front of our apartment...

And then Josh and Glenn had the joy of helping to build our church's "monigote." The New Year's Eve tradition here is to build a representation of someone or something that represents the old year...

Our church, under the direction of our artistic pastor, Pablo, built a Papa Smurf! When he was done, three of our church members cars paraded him around Cayambe! Here they are, with Josh, passing our apartment building (on the left) while our neighbors were beginning their New Year's celebration!

He was brought to the center of the basketball court in the Primero de Mayo Community Center, where we celebrated New Year's Eve with the church and community!

It was a great night getting to know the community. Our church sponsored a monigote contest and Josh participated as one of the judges!

It was a cold night, thus the bonfire, but the community participation was great!

Besides the monigote and old-year-widows' presentations and prizes, Josh had the joy of sharing his testimony of how God transformed his life!

After a great church-sponsored fireworks display, the community left and our church remained to say goodbye to the old year, by burning our monigote (another Ecuadorian tradition), and to pray in the new year together! What a different, but special New Year's celebration for us!

On the way home we drove through Cayambe and Josh counted at least 150 monigote fires!

Back at home, on the lot in front of our apartment, some of our neighbors continued in their New Year's celebration, burning eucalyptus trees and dancing to loud music through 3am!

On New Year's Day we joined with our church again in the afternoon to thank God for the New Year. Josh got to play soccer for his 3rd and most favorite time after the service.

Besides playing soccer, climbing Mount Cayambe and serving God with us, Josh wanted to eat "cuy" - guinea pig. Our good friends, the Vivas family, gave us the FULL experience, MUCH of which I won't show you here:

Finally, it was time for Josh to return to PA...we were sad but SO thankful to God for the great 2 weeks with him! Thanks for your ongoing prayers for us here in Ecuador - and for our family in PA!

November In Ecuador!

2011-11-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

What a great month we had! God continues to give us great opportunities to get to know the Ecuadorians, the country and the ministries here! At the beginning of the month we participated in a Couples'/Family Retreat with our association of churches in Valle Hermoso...

We had a great time getting to know everybody and studying the Bible together, but we especially enjoyed our extended time with the only other couple from our church who attended...Dilita (with me here sporting the seeds from the guava we just ate!)...

and Vicente (one of our deacons) - here with the fish we ate at Dilita's mom's house on our way back to Cayambe!

Then we joined Crossworlders Dan and Diana McKeen - who are involved in ministries in Borja - in a visit to the home and ministries of Crossworld's Linda Arens and Martha Craymer in Chillanes...

Dan taught the pastors and leaders from the area's Quichua churches and Glenn led the devotional time each day. The men, and women, were hungry to learn and have already requested another conference!

Martha, Linda, Diana and I visited the final day of the conference and were able to enjoy one of the delicious meals that the Quichua women prepared each day for the men!

We had a great day with our neighbors one Sunday...our 1:30p lunch date turned into an adventure to the forest & to see the Cariacu waterfall near Ayora...I'm hoping we'll have pics to share with you soon!

Finally, we celebrated Thanksgiving with our Primero de Mayo church planting team a week before Thanksgiving (again - I'm hoping to have a pic of that for you soon!) and again with the ten in-country Crossworlders on Thanksgiving Day. We had a traditional Thanksgiving meal in our house, beginning with a craft focused on giving thanks to God for our many blessings here in Ecuador...

Here are the 10 us - blurry, but content with all that God is doing here in Ecuador and for the privilege of serving Him here!

The day after Thanksgiving we celebrated CHRISTMAS together at the Meyer home! We all joined in on a great Christmas gift scavenger hunt and then in making Shish Kabobs - a new, but wonderful Christmas meal! We ate many of the leftovers from the day before, plus an assortment of amazing sweets...

and we celebrated the birth of our Savior - God's gift of love to us - by singing Happy Birthday to Him!

Grandma and Grandpa Regier made sure Daniel and Luke had a piñata, and we played ALOT of Mexican Train dominoes - what a great time as a Crossworld family! Thanks for your ongoing prayers and support!

October 2011 with the Primero de Mayo Church

2011-11-01T03:31:00.000-07:00


We started out the month with a teen girls' "pijamada" to introduce the new Bible Study groups

and to just enjoy being together - eating spaghetti!

The highlight of the month was the church's baptism service...let's head there together...

Glenn preached on baptism...

Eleven people were baptized!

Here's our new church treasurer being baptized by Pablo and Glenn!

Of course we had great food...

and TONS of fun! Soccer...

Ecuavoli (Glenn has been learning by watching since we moved here and finally got to play!)

and tossing people in the pool - "involuntary baptisms" ! We had a great day!

We were honored to host the celebration of Carlito's birthday!

We had a sports day...futbol first but THEN "American Futbol!" was requested! The teens learned quickly and played well!

Gissela led a teacher training in her home...

the same Saturday that the men had a "minga" to get Diana's family set up in their new Primero de Mayo home!

We had our first Guagua de Pan...store bought..

Glenn had fun decorating it!

God blessed us with a vehicle - Vicente was SO helpful in the process!

Susie is enjoying her Bible Studies with the teen girls (and with the women!)

We ended the month by celebrating Pastor Appreciation Day. Pablo and David and their wives, Lourdes and Brenda, were honored and personally thanked for their labor of love! God has blessed us as a church!

A bit of our life in Cayambe and how God is at work!

2011-09-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

God is at work in Ecuador, in Primero de Mayo, in Cayambe, in us! Here's a bit of our life and our testimony of God's work:

Flowers from a new friend - new neighbors. God is giving us great opportunities to meet and befriend neighbors and store-keepers in Cayambe!

Hospitality - God is using our home for His service! Eleven guys from the Primero de Mayo Youth Group spent the night in our living room and weekly 7 women meet here for Bible Study and training as Bible Study leaders!

We had great meetings with our Crossworld President and his wife, with our International Director (who spent two nights with us!) and with most of the Crossworld-Ecuador team!

Our new beds arrived too late for our International Director to enjoy, but we love them!

We're also pleased that God is building a friendship between Glenn and the man who made our new furniture!

CHANGE OF PACE...let's go on a walk! Because we have yet to purchase a vehicle, we walk alot! Here is what we see on our approx 1 mile walk back from the city of Cayambe...school-children, farm animals and the "cobblestoned" streets!

These sheep graze on the hill between a local school and a soccer field.

Our buddy - who paused from eating long enough to grunt at us!

There are so many beautiful old homes in Cayambe and on our walk home!

We're getting closer to home now - that's our apartment building up ahead on the left- but we keep our eyes on the grass so to avoid stepping in cow pies!

Right before we open the gate to our apartment building, we visit our newest neighbors - 3 lambs have been added to the fold! They remind us of God's work in the Primero de Mayo church - where 3 new believers have just been added to God's Kingdom! Praise God with us and please pray for Diana, Werner and Laura!

Home sweet home! After our walk back from Cayambe, we climb up to the top floor and are happy to be home! Thanks for walking this journey with us - especially as we seek to bring God's love to life here in Cayambe, Ecuador!

An Awesome Visit and part of our Ecuador Orientation with our daughter, Rachel!

2011-08-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

Rachel visited us here in Ecuador from Aug 5-26th...here are some fotos of the time God gave us together - in no particular order!

Rachel - enjoying her vacation!

Glenn and Rachel went horsebackriding!

Rachel and Susie just b4 doing the Canopy - yes, I was scared!

Rachel agreed to zipline first and Glenn went last so he could takes the fotos!

I was smiling - but scared stiff! I ONLY did this b/c I promised Gissela I would!

double proof - I really did the canopy!

The after zipline/canopy hammock rest!

Visitng Las Cascadas de Peguche with the Vivas family!

Glenn and Rachel got super close to the Peguche waterfall!

We took a tour of an indigenous cave and Condor Rock!

Visiting the Peguche campgrounds

Rachel and Dayana

back in the Peguche parking lot...Rachel finds more animals to befriend!

Rachel helped make our house a home with her amazing meals...

and by making "curtains" out of Susie's birthday roses!

We toured Cochasqui and saw the pre-Inca pyramids and this reconstructed home

on one of our two LONG walks...Glenn and Rachel race to pick fruit!

Rachel brought Elmo everywhere....and missed her boyfriend who gave Elmo to her for the trip!

Rachel meeting our neighbors across the street!

At the Las Octavas festival with friends from church!

Rachel decorated an action packer for us so we could entertain guests the nite we got our sofa-bed!

We had special mom/daughter times here - watching Gilmore Girls!

that's Rachel bundled up on the left - with David Meyer and some youth - about to climb Mt Cayambe!

Glenn and one youth climbed the highest - over 15,000 feet!

Glenn's view from where he hiked to on Mt Cayambe - that's Rachel and Susie way below!

After being super cold on Mt Cayambe, the next day we went to the beach with the church-planting team!

Pablo and Glenn made a sand dolphin so Rachel and I wouldn't be afraid of dolphins after our scare!

Beach roomies - Rachel, Estefany and Gissela

At the beach in Same...missing Josh!

Next we took a bus to Rio Muchacho Organic Farm - our open air room!

The dining area - the food was amazing!

Rachel did the tour and got to see and taste the fresh coffee beans - they're sweet on the outside!

The view from our Rio Muchacho bedroom- SO peaceful!

Rachel making chocolate - a happy girl! She shared with us - delicious!

The steep steps to our bedroom- saving space!

Our 2nd LONG walk - this time with luggage!

Elmo joined us for the walk- so Rachel was content!

Our final trip with Rachel was to Mindo - we stayed in a treehouse!

No hot water and the house moved when you walked - but it was beautiful!

Awesome!

Another set of steep stairs!

The best part of our time in Mindo was this hot tub...our treehouse cabin in back!

The sunset from our treehouse - amazing!

we all tasted "chicha" - a fermented corn drink- at the Las Octavas festival

with Estefany -at Las Octavas - notice the Phillies hat :)


some of the many traditional dancers at Las Octavas


The Primero de Mayo church-planting team on our team-building retreat! This is why we're here...thanks for your prayers!

One Month In Ecuador!

2011-08-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

It´s been a busy but great month here in Ecuador...here are some fotos of what we´ve been up to! If you´d like to get our e-newsletter and prayer updates for more info and other pictures, please email Glenn at: glenn.wittmann@gmail.com

We had a special welcome at the Primero de Mayo church on July 3, after a warm welcome the night before at the Quito airport! We were surrounded by the church leaders, prayed for and given a basket of Cayambe goodies...what a wonderful start to our time here!

After just one full day with a great team who was here doing a Kids Camp, we had a week with an amazing team from the McLean, Virginia area! It was an honor to work alongside them as they attended to the medical, physical and spiritual needs of the Santa Monica community! Glenn and David Meyer made good contacts with believers in the community and plans are in process to begin an ongoing ministry there in Santa Monica with the Primero de Mayo team!

Glenn takes a break from meeting with the adults to read the Bible to some children outside!

Gissela (our co-worker in Primero de Mayo) teaches the children while they wait to see the doctor!

The team's children's program director in action - what a joy to work with her all week!

Our 2nd weekend here a fantastic team arrived from Indiana and we joined them in fixing up the Primero de Mayo Community Center, where the church has been meeting, and in pouring into the youth of the church via an English/Sports/Bible Camp! What a joy it was to get to know this team, to minister alongside of them and to get to know the youth and members of the Primero de Mayo church!

The Community Center BEFORE...

and AFTER...the new-improved Community Center!


The Townsend Team and Primero de Mayo teens - being silly!

Susie with one of the teens - her family started attending church the week after we arrived!


Glenn pitching in the end of camp baseball game!

Susie with Dilita and with Vicente and daughter at the team/church bonfire!

sightseeing with the team as a part of our orientation!


We went with the team to a traditional festival "Las Octavas" that lasts 8 weeks!

This past weekend was super special! After spending a wonderful month living with our co-workers, David, Brenda, Daniel and Luke Meyer, God blessed us with an apartment to live in! We moved in on Saturday night and then Glenn preached at church on Sunday! Here are some 1st fotos...we have much to do yet to make this ¨home¨ but we´re thankful for a place to live and to welcome our first out-of-country visitor - our daughter Rachel! She arrives on August 5th!

Estefany (the pastor's daughter) helps Glenn in his sermon illustration!

Moving in...up 3 flights of stairs...

Our living room...currently being used as a dining room with borrowed furniture!

Our kitchen - with just-purchased stove and refrigerator!

Our office area - looking out through the living room to our small balcony!

The view from our bedroom! Mt. Cayambe/ "El Nevado".

Last Stateside Blog Entry - We're Ecuador Bound!!!

2011-06-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

YES! We fly to Ecuador on July 2, 2011! God sent us a great couple to rent our home, we got our visas and our tickets! We'll keep in touch from there, but, besides packing, here's what we've been up to...spending time with special people!

On May 21 we had an amazing day as a family at Philippe and Laurie Sadio's wedding! Glenn and I were thrilled to be in the wedding and to have Senagalese attire provided for us for the reception!

praying for the new couple

Our children, Josh and Rachel

after the reception - with Josh

On Memorial Day we were able to reunite with two of Susie's college roomies, Kathy and Pam, and their families! What fun we had together!

On June 11th we said goodbye to our neighbors and they met our new renters at our moving sale. That night we were honored to have a small goodbye party coordinated and hosted by Susie's sister and our good friends Stan and Sandy Nagahashi. What a joy is was to be surrounded by those who love us and pray for us! Our children, Rachel and Josh, and Susie's dad were among the wonderful guests! Thanks to our "adopted daughter" Allison for setting up this pic from that special night!

Finally, we've been "spending time with" our nephew, Eric, via letters, but Susie's sister Gail recently sent us a picture of him...PLEASE continue to keep him in your prayers as he goes through Boot Camp with the Army! Your ongoing prayers for us are appreciated too! We'll write from Ecuador soon! :)

Family Times!

2011-05-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

As Glenn and I seek to spend time with people and say goodbye before we leave for Ecuador, God blessed us with a wonderful visit with Susie's extended family! On our way home from visiting the Westmoor Church Of Christ family in Wilkes Barre, PA, we dropped in on Susie's dad's sister and her husband (Aunt Jean and Uncle Eddie) in Topton, PA, and were happily surprised to find that Susie's TWO 2nd cousins, Kris and Jenny, and Kris' family happened to be visiting! It had been over twenty years since we'd seen any of them! We had a great time catching up!

We also had the blessing of having the four of us together for our now-traditional Hibernia Park Mother's Day Picnic and hike! What an amazing family time! We're cherishing every moment we have together these days!

Finally, we celebrated Josh's 20th Birthday in the traditional style (Glenn's Fettuccine Alfredo dinner followed by miniature golfing with the Stells at Village Greens) and had a send-off for Eric - who left for Boot Camp with the Army on May 16. We LOVE famly times and have been SO blessed by living SO close to the Stells here in PA!

Please continue to pray for us as we say our goodbyes and make decisions about selling or renting our home so we can leave for Ecuador asap/in God's timing! Thanks!

March Celebrations!

2011-04-06T09:24:00.000-07:00

Susie's father turned 80 in March! We celebrated with the Schille/Stell/Wittmann family, Dad's neighbor, and our cousins - whom most of us hadn't seen for 20 years! What a great day we had together and what fun it was filling Gail's house with through-the-years pictures of our Dad!! We're SO thankful for the blessing of our dad and our great family!

In Ecuador the Cayambe church celebrated by baptizing NINE new believers! Pastor Pablo and Deacon Vicente had the joy of baptizing and then they turned it into a full day of celebration as a church family! We're anxious to arrive in Ecuador to help disciple these new believers!!!

Finally, the Young Adult Group at Calvary Fellowship Church gave a going away party for us at the end of the month! What an amazing time we had together talking, eating, praying and sharing about what God is doing in Ecuador! They surprised us with generous financial gifts towards our ministries in Ecuador and WE'RE now celebrating with God's FULL provision of our financial needs for Ecuador! He is SO good!

Please keep praying that we'll SOON be celebrating the sale of our home and the purchase of our tickets to Ecuador!! Thanks!

Panama and PBU!

2011-02-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

After 2 years of asking God to send us to Panama on a short-term trip, God opened the door in February!

Here's our team - Edyl Cunampio (his wife Kersten was on our team but stayed in PA due to her pregnancy!), Matt (our translator from Panama City), us, Owen and Amy Davison, Carl and Patsy Green

We were invited by Edyl's tribe, the Embera, to teach on Biblical Marriage. Teaching was a process! Owen, Carl, Amy and Patsy taught in English and then Glenn, Susie, Matt and Marianella translated into Spanish, and then Edyl, Bienvenido (the pastor), Cornelio, Loida, Elisabet and Leonora translated into Embera!

Glenn and I were able to shorten the process by teaching in Spanish...and then only needing the Embera translation!

Several weeks before we arrived, many Embera couples decided that they wanted to get married legally and in the church! Here are 12 of the couples patiently and happily going through the process of meeting with the judge and then getting fitted for their wedding bands!

While the couples were waiting, the wedding ceremony preparations began! Twelve children were "painted" - an Embera celebration tradition - so to serve as the ring bearers for the twelve couples!

Glenn and I were given the opportunity to be painted by Edyl's sister, Mara, both for the wedding and in preparation for our PBU Cross-Cultural Understanding Seminar! Wedding preparations continued, including the weaving of a palm branch wall to hide the food service area, the painting and decoration of the gazebo and the preparation of the food!

The wedding ceremony was finally ready to begin! Here the grooms pose with Edyl (who was beyond himself excited to see his father (below), grandfather, brother AND pastor get married!

Approximately 250 guests were present to hear Carl preach (and Matt and later Edyl translate) on Biblical marriage and then witness the 12 couples, who came forward three at a time, exchanging their vows and rings!

The youth not only did most of the wedding preparations, but they wrote and performed a song for the couples at the wedding ceremony!

After the wedding it was picture time! Above, Glenn and I pose with the family who allowed our team to eat every meal in their home! Below are the couples (minus Edyl's Grandpa who was taken home immediately after the ceremony due to his health).

The food at the wedding reception was incredible! Below is Edyl's sister Raquel serving yet another plate!

The Panama trip ended all too soon, but we were able to share what God had done with 30 PBU students as well as teach them some of what we learned in Portland in January!

What a joy it was to learn together with the PBU students as they shared their questions, stories and experiences, and participated with us in our teaching! Below Susie poses with two members of her Bosnia team after the seminar!

January in Portland!

2011-02-02T19:27:00.000-08:00

Yes, we spent the ENTIRE month of January in Portland, Oregon with these wonderful people!

The training was entitled "Creating Understanding"...the goal was to learn how to understand ANOTHER culture, while better understanding OUR culture, so that we can communicate Biblical principles in a way that is culturally accepted, understood and makes a lasting impact.

We did this by spending ALOT of time in the classroom, as well as in smaller study/project groups...here's our group doing homework (recording our observations) late one night...

We focused our studies on the Chinese culture in Portland and spent time in the community observing, interacting and learning! Here's a short video of our time in a Chinese tea room...

We have no pictures of the classroom where we spent MOST of our time, nor of the incredible foods we ate at the Worldview Center where we stayed...nor of all the amazing staff and residents who made our stay so enjoyable...but here's where Glenn and I slept and did homework...

In between classes or on Saturdays (our day off!) we got outside as much as we could! Because the Worldview Center is located at the base of Mt. Tabor, we often climbed it, and on a clear day we could see Mt. Hood!

We even got to climb to the top of Multnomah Falls which looks out over the Columbia River in Oregon!

God blessed us with the chance to study with a long term friend from our home church and with many new friends and MANY new tools to use to communicate His Word clearly in Ecuador! To Him be the glory!

More December Blessings!

2010-12-28T18:08:00.000-08:00

Wittmann Family time in Florida!!! Josh with cousin Jessica and Aunt Laurie!

Glenn and his mommy!

Rachel, Glenn, Grandpa Wittmann and Josh at the Manatee Viewing Center!

Cousin Jason, Marley, Mya and Uncle Tim!

Josh, Rachel, Susie and Glenn on Clearwater Beach on Dec 22nd!

A Wittmann Family Christmas!

Then back to PA for Christmas Day with the Stell and Schille families (cousin game time!)

Lauren, Melanie and Rachel!

December Blessings!

2010-12-14T15:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a super-busy month so far, but also a super-blessed one! Let me share via fotos...

The month started out with some great friends helping Glenn put up the ceiling in the back side of our basement! Thanks Dave, Doug, Chris and Junior!!!

That same day we, the four of us, went to our favorite Christmas Tree Farm and got our tree! Great family time! We thank God for great kids!

Then we had the blessing of having TWO friends from Spain stay with us for awhile - TerriLynn - who's been a friend for awhile - and our new friend - Laura! What a wonderful time we had speaking Spanish, laughing, and learning about each other's culture and language differences! Rachel and Josh BOTH got to meet "the girls/las chicas" - but we only got a pic with Rachel! Fun!

Thank you God for family and friends!

Thanksgiving/Giving Thanks!

2010-11-29T18:04:00.000-08:00

Yes - I'm thanking God for my family! What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had together. What a wonderful family God has given me. Their sacrificial love was so evident to me this past week...they are fully supporting Glenn's and my move overseas...again. It is bittersweet moving overseas this time...leaving our wonderful kids, Rachel and Josh, behind - in college- thankfully both in PA...leaving my Dad, who moved to PA 2 years ago to be near us...leaving my amazing sister and her husband and my great brother and his wife...leaving my awesome nephews and nieces...yet they want us to go, because they know God is calling us to go. Thank you God for my family!

Gissela sent a new picture from our time in Ecuador!

2010-11-21T14:20:00.000-08:00

Pablo, Lourdes and their youngest daughter, Estefany, with us in Ecuador !

Pictures like this one make us long to be in Ecuador...please pray for our co-workers as they wait 5 1/2 more months for the Meyers to return to come alongside of them in the work in Cayambe, and six more months until we arrive! Please pray for our house to sell and our one-time outgoing expense need to be raised so we CAN leave for Ecuador in late May! Pray too for our hearts and for our families as we begin the goodbye process...again. Thanks!

Anybody wanna buy a house?!?!?!?!

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In order to get to Ecuador in late May, we need to sell our house! To best use God's money, we'd like to sell it by ourselves...and our realtor is totally supportive! We have until the Super Bowl (1st week of February) to sell it on our own...so PLEASE PASS THE WORD! Here are the basics:

House For Sale By Owner - Exton, PA/Marchwood

3 BR, 2 bath, 4/10 acre

Please contact Glenn Wittmann at 610.594.0520 or glenn.wittmann@crossworld.org

Thanks for partnering with us to get us to Ecuador! God bless!

Meet the Cayambe Team We'll Be Joining In Late May!

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Glenn, Vicente, Dilita, Susie, Fany, Lourdes, Gissela

Gissela and Estephany

Dilita, Gissela, Vicente, Glenn, Pablo, Lourdes

Brenda, David, Daniel and Luke

First-Time Blogger!

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Hi! Well, I did it...or I'm doing it...I'm blogging!

We decided that when God called us to somewhere new, that we'd do something new...so I created a blog!

God has allowed us to serve Him in the Dominican Republic for MANY years....some of those full-time while living there, and some of those part-time while living here in Exton, PA - bringing teams down with us! But NOW we're heading to Cayambe, Ecuador...just northwest of Quito...and we're excited! (we'll tell you more about that soon!)

SO...we'll SOON be sending out our LAST (we think!) paper newsletter/prayer letter (Wittmann Sampler) and we'll be beginning an email newsletter/prayer letter with the same name! Glenn and I still each have our own facebook accounts, but some of our family and friends aren't on facebook and would like to see our pictures...thus this blog! :)

Enjoy...feel free to give advice...and PLEASE pray for us as we have MUCH to do before we move, God-willing, at the end of May 2011! Yes, that's in 7 months! Until the next blog....