▒ I woke up several times out of breath during the fast night's stay in Quito. This was to be repeated nightly. I later found out that the high altitude condition in Quito made the new visitors gasp for breath until their bodies acclimated to the altitude by making enough red blood cells to supply more oxygen to the body. Hmmm, medical trivia. Following the restless night, I woke up with the most intense sunlight shining through the large window-pane onto my face.

Disoriented from the exhausting travel the night before, I breathed in deeply. The cool morning air was mixed with fine dust from the Andean Mountainsides. The gusty winter winds had filled our room with the scent of the dry and ancient dust and covered the sheets that I had slept in. I looked out the window from my bed and I saw a sprawling city with bright two to three story buildings undulating along with the mountainous terrain. The city and everything around it was so strange and yet so familiar, I could not help but compare Ecuador to parts of Korea and Colorado at the same time. The sky was lit up in intense blue without a single spec of cloud. I imagined how the ancient Spanish conquistadors must have looked upon this beautiful and rugged place. I just thanked the Lord for allowing me to see the wonders of his creation and I prayed that I may be of use in the Lord's plan.

Not having any definitive plans for the mission trip other than knowing that we will be helping Pastor Choi, all four members of our church mission trip walked over to the fellowship area. There, we were greeted by the active members of the. As the elders spoke and smiled at us in timid yet warm manner, I was glad to be there, getting to know people that already shared in commonality, our desire to know Christ. Their dark and leathery complexion with deep-set wrinkles all told of the harshness of their living condition and harsh arid landscapes. The local church members all seemed glad to see us and also fascinated by us. The presence of Koreans who live in United States, limited in Spanish skills, undertaking mission work must have seemed very exotic to the locals.

A solemn yet warm breakfast ensued. The breakfast consisted of hand-made breakfast rolls, hard boiled eggs, sausage, and instant coffee. This was not the normal breakfast but a feast for the occasional guests. We were to receive much more preferential treatment throughout our stay in Ecuador. I felt wholly undeserving of such attention and lavishness when an average day's earning was less than four dollars. With my limited Spanish skills, the breakfast fellowship was kept to minimal cordial phrases. Seungjoon and Jaeyoung were deeply engrossed in conversation whereas Jihae had resorted to laughing and smiling with the Ecuadorian church members. At this point, I wondered what sort of contribution I could make. Within few minutes of fellowship, my stereotyping of the Ecuadorian economy and the health condition of the locals were already shattered. I was to gain more from treating the locals than the locals gaining from my volunteer work.

Walking outside in the intense sunlight, I was able to see the mission compound in greater detail. Wedged into the steep arid mountainside with plenty of gusty wind, three buildings stood with a single swinging gate, reminiscent of a cattle ranch, opened to the public.

Early in the morning, the poor elderly ladies in traditional Ecuadorian garb with dark-felt tip hats, single braided hair, and bright shawls sat or leaned against the steps waiting for food donations.

Daily, Pastor Choi had instructed the elders to bake additional bread to be given to the poor daily. There was much to be done in this poor fringe area of the Ecuadorian society. The locals needed much more than what my dental skills could provide...