Services but............

Once we completed our walk through the refuge part of the park we decided to hold a service in an open area. The service guests sat at the end of a raised platform used for various celebrations. Walt and Paulus stood on the ground.

Walt and Paulus at the start of a devotion.

 

Services guests (l-r): Milton, Alvia, Teodoro, Alicia, and Lisbeth

 

Alicia and Lisbeth

 

Lucia Rodriguez

 

Alfredo, Gladys and Cesar

 

Marianela and Mia

 

We got through the opening prayer, the reading of the text from Genesis 3:1-15 and started the study of the text. At that point an older gentleman appeared and told us that no activities are permitted in the park. He said we have five minutes to end it. Within two minutes an armed guard came to tell us it was all over and to relocate to a different area.

Paulus inquired as to what was meant by activity. No answer. Walt asked twice why the activity, "services" are not permitted. The armed guard looked from Walt to the elderly man for a reaction and back to Walt. It was impossible to know if the guard was puzzled, startled that someone dared to ask why or if he was on the verge of taking physical action. No one talked. No answer was given. Silence. We left to a different area a few hundred yards away still in the park but for some reason permitted there.

We found an unoccupied shelter with benches to continue the services. Before we started Michael informed us that the driver of the rented van called and said we have 20 minutes left on the rental. We considered paying another $10 to have him wait but Michael said it was no use. So Walt completed the sermon in about ten minutes and we began our walk back to the van.

The shelter we used was open on the sides and adjacent to it was a twin shelter with a group of young people sitting in it. We were all within 15 feet of each other. The young people listened very closely to the sermon as evidenced by their silence and expressions. The Word had an effect on them but it is unlikely we will meet any of them again. Why did it happen?

We returned to the parking lot. The driver took the Mite's, Alfredo and Gladys and others. We got in with Milton, Alicia, Teodoro, Paulus, Lisbeth, and Cesar. Walt felt that he could ride in the box of the truck as both Teodoro and Cesar are 'pushing' eighty. They reluctantly agreed. There were already three people and luggage in the back. Try as he did Walt could not fit in the remaining space. He tried the pretzel position but the others thought it not wise.  Teodoro who is much smaller was able to fit. In the rush of it all left undone was discussion of the coming meeting next Saturday with Michael Mite and Alfredo.

We then drove around Guayaquil for awhile looking for what I don't know. We ended up at the water front where there is numerous small "restaurants" where food is available. We ate, fetched our luggage from Milton's truck and took a taxi to the airport. We caught our flight to Quito. A taxi was waiting, Ivan a familiar driver took us back to our apartment.

Later after returning to Quito we related the incident to Veronica. She didn't think the action was taken because it was a service. She related of incidents over the years and how it is forbidden to gather in groups of more than ten people. We had over twenty. In the past people have been beaten by the police because they were in a group. They were accused of speaking against the president. Could it happen in America?


Walt and Avis