Fall in Missouri and some pics from Ecuador

I'm going to start out with some more pics from the agricultural project in Ecuador and then will close with some fall pics from here.
Here's part of a family with their little lamb...Maria had a little lamb. These pics were taken up in Chumillos, which is a community that has a church and we did the ag project there a couple of times.
I've put pics of these on before. They are called chochos and they look like bluebonnets but produce this bean that the people eat. Here's a Quichua (Indian) lady with her bull. You can see that she is wearing the Quichua traditional dress.
We visited with and helped this young man and his family during the project. I was able to ride this horse bareback and that was the first time I had ever done that. It was quite interesting.
Here's the team, a little bleary eyed, after a long day. Ramon is on the right. There is Gabriel with a couple of guys that came from his home area to help out. As I close these pics, I ask you all to pray for the people in Chumillos and specifically for Ramon as he continues to minister in the northern part of the valley. I called him last week and he seems to be doing well. He has started meeting with a group in Iguinaro, which is another community where we worked. I also ask you to pray for Gabriel and the areas where he is working.
Enjoy a fall in Missouri. We enjoyed the weather in Ecuador, which was springlike year-round but it was kind of monotonous and we missed the seasons some. It's nice to be back here for fall and especially to see all the brilliant colors in the trees.
These first two were taken at a park that is quite close to our house. It is known as Hyde Park. We went there with Jan, my mother-in-law and had a really good time. We also ate at a place right by that is baseball-themed, that has ice cream, bbq and burgers.


This third one was taken at 'The Bluffs', which is a nature preseve that is not too far out of town. It just takes about 10-15 minutes to get to from our house. I'm real excited about this place because I love to get out in nature. There are trails to hike on here and it is quite beautiful.
Here's Evan on the trail at the Bluffs.
Here's Mr. Whitebeard, who was eating rice cereal. It seems that more is staying out than going on...guess that's the way it is with a 5 month old. He seems to be getting something cause he is growing quite a bit.
Some more pics of Evan...










Psalm 118:8-9-It is better to take refuge in the LORD
Than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
Than to trust in princes.
I won't write too much about this but I think this is a passage of scripture that is very relevant for our country right now. I want to start off by saying that I know we have an obligation to be good citizens and I know that God has instituted all authority (as it says in Romans 13 and Jesus told us to give to Caesar the things that are his and to God the things that are his). I also know that we live in a great nation. By putting these verses, I'm just emphasizing the fact that whatever happens in our government and in our nation, our ultimate authority is God. A similar idea was shared by a pastor friend before the election who shared that many times we put too much hope in one person in their office (ie. the President) and not enough in God or what the church should do in their role of transforming society. Our ultimate hope and faith should be in God, who is all-powerful and whose kingdom is eternal...not in a leader that may only rule a few years and in a nation that is not eternal. And our ultimate responsibility is to honor and live for Christ, representing him and transforming society in his name and with his power.