This morning, we walked to La Iglesia Mennonita Anabautista Cristiana de Quito (Quito Mennonite Church). We walked on the Rio Amazonas, a high-way that is closed down on Sundays so people can walk, bike, and enjoy being outdoors. Quito Mennonite Church has an attendance of about 40-50 people and many of those attendees are refugees aided by the Church’s refugee aid program. Several days a week, refugees come to a church to receive services and clothes. Ecuador is facing an influx of immigrants because of its open door immigration policy.
Because of my Mennonite background, many parts of the service felt familiar. We sang many songs and it was powerful to see the strong involvement of the congregation. Half way through the service I had the opportunity to read a scripture passage in front of the congregation. I was very nervous to do this because I only had a few minutes to read over the passage to make sure I knew how to pronounce all of the words. Despite being unsure of my pronunciation the congregation was very gracious and welcoming. The members of the congregation prepared us lunch before we boarded lunch to Tena. We were grateful to see another side of the Mennonite Church.
By Clara Unzicker
