Guayaquil Bible Camp, Iguana Park, First Winter Rain

We spend part of the morning visiting a large and beautiful Catholic church and the Iguana Park, which is just a short distance away. The church was open to visitors. Inside were many statues, altars, places to prayer, and stained glass windows with images of important people in the local church. Believers of the faith were in prayer in several parts of the church but didn't seem to notice us tourists.

Inside a huge and beautiful Catholic church.

 

A monument to Jesus our Lord and Savior

 

Antti, Aino, Avis and Paulus at the iguana park.

 

Above three pictures: iguanas enjoying the heat and sun.

 

After lunch at a sidewalk café, we headed to the home of Michael and Marianela Mite for the weekend Bible Camp.

Guayaquil is very hot and humid. Eating outside felt good.

 

Antti opened the 'camp' with a prayer and then proceeded to his presentation on baptism.

Antti read his presentation and Paulus translated it.

 

Baptism: Water plus the Work equals the sacrament.

Question 1: If a person is not baptized, can he be a believer?
Question 2: What effect does baptism have in my life?
Question 3: What is the significance of the baptism festival?
 Is it only to give someone a name?
Question 4: Who can perform a baptism in a time of emergency?

 

The presentation was in PowerPoint format translated into Spanish by Paulus. Before Antti could finish the presentation, a major rainstorm came through. The noise from thundering and a driving rain on the corrugated roof was so loud as to drown out the voice of presenter and translator. To make matters worse, the roof leaked profusely and pots and pans had to be strategically located. The electronic equipment had to be unplugged and placed in a dry location. The furniture and floor were soaked.

The first winter rain was a severe storm.

 

Aino helped with the clean up.

 

Avis cared for baby Mia while Marianela helped clean up the water.

 

Paulus couldn't resist a quick shower after translating.

 

After waiting for about one and a half hours, we decided to reschedule the remainder of the camp to tomorrow and hold a devotion service now instead. Antti spoke from Matthew 18 on the need to be childlike. After the service some questions came forth on baptism. "If a person has been baptized in another faith and becomes a Laestadian Lutheran does he need to be re-baptized?" "What happens if a baby dies before it is baptized?"

Antti kept a devotion.

 

Marianela listens closely to the devotion.

 

Marianella had prepared a delicious supper of fish and rice so we ate. After eating, we headed "home"-  that is to the Hotel Sol de Oriente. We will relocate the activities tomorrow to Alfredo and Gladys' home. It was a long, action-packed, and tiring day.

Hotel Sol de Oriente or Hotel Sun of the Jungle

 

Walt and Avis