Ministry (?) Update

This morning while I was running on a trail along a river here in Puyo, I found myself thinking, "What are we doing here?" In Honduras, we had a goal of improving our Spanish and for the most part, it was a success. But when we came to Ecuador, our "goal" was not as obvious. We have thought about several things that we want to do and certainly there are needs that we can help with, but to be plainly honest our "ministry" at this point is best understood in these verses:

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake...
-1st Peter 2:13

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
-1st Timothy 2:1-3

Beginning the process to change our visas, renting a house, obtaining legal/notarized rent contract, learning how and where to pay the water bill, learning how and where to pay the electric bill, setting up and paying for phone and internet service, obtaining the proper, legal, notarized documents to process our visa, purchasing a vehicle, obtaining legal documents for ownership of vehicle, obtaining a driver's license,  correcting proper, legal, notarized documents to process our visa, having a baby (Noah), obtaining legal Ecuadorian citizenship for Noah, visiting the US Embassy to obtain US citizenship for Noah, setting an appointment to revisit the US Embassy to obtain US citizenship for Noah, attending a driver's education course so that I can take the driver's license test, recorrecting proper, legal, notarized documents to process our visa since the law changed as of 3 weeks ago (yes, it does not matter that we were in the middle of the process), being the proud parents of a card-carrying Ecuadorian citizen!

Are we still working to improve our Spanish communication? Yes, but we could still be more dedicated to our studies. Are we continuing to look for more opportunities to share the wonderful news of salvation? Yes, but we could certainly be doing more. Is there more that we would like to be doing? Of course! Are we caring for our children and family physically, mentally, and spiritually? Yes, but there is always room for more growth.

Do we sometimes get frustrated that our current outward "ministry" is simply submitting to the government's whims? Yes, but that does seem to be both important and urgent at this point in our life. So if you talk with me on the phone and if the conversation turns to what we are doing, don't be surprised if I simply quote to you 1st Peter 2:13!

Enjoy!
Taylor

P.S. - We return to Quito in a week to (Lord willing) finalize our recorrected documents and apply for new visas, and to apply for US citizenship for Noah.