snow-capped mountains and a city in the
valley. Breathtaking!
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
After a two-hour trip to Ambato, we
had lunch and went to the orphanage
for boys. We had a lot of fun. Marian
jumped rope with the kids; Papa, Mama,
and I blew bubbles and played football
with them. Then we went to see the girls.
Nikki DeLong and
Taylor Maye with SATURDAY, JUNE 13
Ecuadorian friend
Wow! Today has been awesome! We
woke around 6:30, ate breakfast, and
Family Adventure
packed to go to the jungle. The trip to
Macas took over six hours. On the way,
to Ecuador
we stopped and got some sugar cane to
chew on and ice cream, homemade by a
■ by Wanda LeRoy
lady in one of the towns. The drive was
amazing. We were so high up, the clouds
What happened when two couples (Doug and Wanda LeRoy, Aubrey and Marian Maye)
touched the ground. We saw the place
each took a teenage granddaughter with them on a mission trip to South America?
where The End of the Spear movie was
filmed. After about two and a half hours
I
WANT TO take Taylor to the mission the Atlanta airport. Taylor had her 16th of driving, the paved road ended. It was
birthday in February. After talking and so rough! We all got banged around. We
Marian said. “Why don’t you and


field for a 16th birthday present,”
getting to know everyone, we got on the went through seven tunnels and crossed
Nikki go with us? It would be a great plane. About five hours later, we were several bridges. It rained all day.
granddaughter/grandmother experience.” putting on masks to walk into the Quito When we arrived in Macas, it was
“Sounds great,” I said, thinking in airport. (We had to wear masks because nice. The house we are staying at is amaz-
terms of an “established” missions area everyone was afraid of the swine flu.) At ing. We all thought we were going to be
that I was familiar with. the South American Seminary (SEMISUD), in the jungle, but we are only going there
As it turned out, however, the chosen Taylor, Mrs. Chryssie and I slept in in the daytime. Dean and Ron Johnson
destination was the jungle of Ecuador in Room 7. It was nice, but cold. It’s winter live here. Dean is really sweet and pretty,
the Amazon Basin. And instead of grand- here. When I woke up and looked out and Ron is funny. The food so far has
daughter/grandmother bonding time, the the window, there was Quito! Beautiful, been good. This trip is so amazing. The
grandfathers decided to go along also.
Initial research about such a trip was
Church and girls’
a bit daunting. Despite warnings about
orphanage in Ambato
insects, disease, high altitude sickness,
and other potential hazards, we prayed
and made plans with the help of mission-
ary Chryssie McBrayer and others who
knew the area. The trip proved to be a
wonderful experience for two 16-year-olds
and their grandparents. The girls learned
about an unreached people group (Shuar
Indians), interacted with missionaries,
experienced another culture, and saw the
effects of God’s miraculous power.
From the Journal of Nikki DeLong
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
We met Pastor Aubrey and Marian
Maye and Taylor and Mrs. Chryssie at
EVANGEL • JAN 2010 15
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