Shopping in Santa Barbara

Me shopping in Santa Barbara. It was actually very cold that day. A cold front came in and I think we had some sort of a hurricane. These pictures just give you a glimpse of the town. The stores are really tiny here. It's almost dangerous trying to get around because the streets are so narrow, the cars go fast, and there are hardly any sidewalks.

People fix food right on the sidewalk and sell it. After I took a picture of this lady, she fixed me some green mangos, rubbed it down with salt, and offered it to me. I was told not to eat anything off the street, but I was kind of stuck after taking her picture, so I was forced to eat it and it didn't taste good at all! And she made me eat some more! So I said, "Bien, bien." So I lied, but I had to show my gratitude.

Church Ministry

This is how we travel to work, to church. If you saw the  roads you would understand why I’m showing you this. My first ride I did not understand the art of it.  Never sit on the bed of the truck....never! I was bouncing around...sprawled and rolled. The little kids had a good laugh. These people sit on the side, stand and barely hold on...its amazing

This is the little church in the mountains. They do a lot of memory work at this church.  I was put to shame by the fact that they learn a chapter a week!!  One 9 year old quoted  Revelation 14 last week.

This little 4-or-5-year-old guy quoted the first 8 verses of Ps. 91 this Sabbath and he can’t even read yet—his mother helps him.

This 15 year old memorizes 4 chapters a week...I think he’s one of those hidden prodigies or something....you ask him where almost anything is found in the bible and he knows.  In fact most people in this little church do.

I’ve heard some of the best sermons that I have ever heard from a 19 year old kid here.  Simple, unaffected and deep.

The Village

This is one of the mothers I was privileged to help in the village.
Even though the mountains are beautiful, there is great poverty here and life is hard.

We went up to the mountains with Elsa to minister to the children telling Bible stories.

This is the man with the beautiful face and kind eyes.
He works very hard up in the mountains with other men growing coffee.

These are the men coming home with their coffee after a long day's work up in the mountains.