COVID-19 Reducing our Missionary Force from 188 to 12!

Missionary work as we know it has come to a grinding halt!  As mentioned in last week's blog, the country is under quarantine until March 31st.  Curfew hours have gone from 9 PM to 5 AM; then from 7 PM to 5 AM; and now from 2 PM to 5 AM.  Fines and jail time are the consequences for breaking curfew.

This small grocery store across from the mission office has been opened everyday, all day, and into the evening throughout the quarantine..... until today, March 25th.  It closed at 2 PM.  Quito feels like a ghost town

Shopping is only allowed on certain days according to the last number of your passport or ID card.  Nothing is open to shop at except for grocery stores and pharmacies.  Elder Lewis and I can shop on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a face mask.

Elder Lewis reluctantly wears a face mask!

Saturday shopping experience at Supermaxi began with a Policia Nacional van parked out front.

A police officer was controlling the number of people going into Supermaxi.

Social distancing while waiting to shop at Supermaxi on Satuday, March 21. 
There was also a vendor at the end of the line selling face masks and latex gloves to shoppers.

We are going into the office for a few hours each day and we are working to follow instructions to evacuate missionaries as flights become available.

In February, we had 188 missionaries serving in the Ecuador Quito Mission.  Twenty-six (26) missionaries were sent home last week and by Friday we will have sent home another 35, leaving us with 127 missionaries.  That number will continue to decrease as travel arrangements are made.  The only missionaries remaining in our mission will be those missionaries from Ecuador.  Right now, we have 12 Ecuadorians - 1 sister missionary and 11 Elders.  We expect numbers to climb back up when Ecuadorian missionaries serving in other countries return to Ecuador, self-quarantine for 14 days, and then get reassigned to one of the 5 missions in Ecuador.  However, I don't see the mission returning to a 188 missionaries for a long time.

North American missionaries are the first to leave because of the State Department's humanitarian flights departing from Quito.  We are still waiting to see how Latinos will be returned to their home countries.

As Charles Dickens wrote......"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair." -- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities --

Life's pendulum continues to swing; we are experiencing all of those things here in Ecuador, and yet we are optimistic.  We are confident that God will help us do the work that needs to be done and in ways that will offer his blessings to his children. 

Each day we are impressed by how the young missionaries are managing the disruption and uncertainty.  They are truly young people of faith and obedience.  They trust in the Lord and in his chosen leaders.  They respond with alacrity when asked to do challenging things, and they continue to work together in unity and love.

We have great respect for President and Sister Barlow, who are working around the clock to follow the instructions that they have been given, even though they are also quarantined and not able to leave the mission home.

This past Sunday, we enjoyed the company of the office elders for dinner - Elder Felix and Elder Tolman.  Later in the evening, the 3 sisters who live in our apartment complex - Sister Bartholomew, Sister Beeler, and Sister Eslava joined us for a simple, but meaningful sacrament service. 

Sharing Sunday dinner with our current office elders (L-R) - Elder Felix from Peru and responsible for housing;
Elder Tolman from West Haven, Utah responsible for most everything else. 
Two amazing young men who have worked some very long hours these past two weeks.

We are amazed by how seamlessly we've transition into Sunday worship at home. Knowing our efforts are guided my prophetic counsel and enhanced by available resources, is another witness to us that God is very mindful of his children and the circumstances we face today.

Elder Lewis and I appreciate our phone conversations and check-in calls with missionaries as we all navigate the unprecedented challenges of today's situation.  Yesterday, I received a call from two sister missionaries - Sister Millet and Sister Lopez, who had used some of their quarantine time to learn to play the ukulele.  They wanted to sing me a song that they had learned.  Hearing their beautiful harmonized voices with ukulele accompaniment was the highlight of my day.

Many of you have asked about our plans for the future.  With careful thought, prayer, and the support of our family, we have made a written request to stay and complete our 18-month assignment.  President Barlow sent our request to the Church's missionary department who has forwarded it to the Area Presidency.  We are waiting for their response, and we are hopeful that we will be able to stay until January 2021.  We still need to learn Spanish and my hair continues to fall out, but we feel impressed that this is where we need to be at this time.

We send our love to all of you.  Thank you for your prayers on our behalf.  Please know that they are reciprocated!  Global challenges and changes strengthen our appreciation for the goodness of humanity and the blessings of meaningful relationships.

Love to ALL!
Elder & Sister Lewis

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