January 16, 2004
Quito, Ecuador

Saw this list of things 'iraqi' from friend Joe Park today:

1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq.
2. Mesopotamia which is now Iraq was the cradle of civilization.
3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.
4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.
5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq.
6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor which is in Iraq.
7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.
8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.
9. Assyria which is in Iraq conquered the ten tribes of Israel.
10. Amos cried out in Iraq.
11. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq.

Also read today that suicides among US soldiers account for nearly 14% of all deaths there.  It is nearly a third again higher than in other conflicts. Wow... that nearly brought tears to my eyes.  And people still think we should be there?  Well, yeah, I guess its a little hard to pull out now, eh?  Say a prayer for the soldiers today, will you?  Imagine for a moment that you're in Iraq getting shot at daily for a cause that most of the people there don't even support... that's its so bleak you feel the need to take your trusty M-16 and put a bullet in your brain.  While you're at it, say a prayer for the Iraqis... after all, they're the ones being occupied by a country being run by a lying madman.

(By the way... who the heck is this Lord Hutton guy, and why the hell don't we have one over in the US?)

I'm done with Quito... might leave tomorrow.  Put up a web page for my Spanish Teacher, Mariana today.   I heartily recommend her...

Last night, drove out into the country and had dinner at her house.  She lives in a little unfinished, unpainted concrete and brick shack 20 minutes out of town... nice by ecuadorian standards.  3 rooms.  She lives with her husband and their two kids.  their hospitality was amazing.  they live very simply, but fixed me a generous meal of potatoes and a chicken and mushroom dish, which was delicious.  i got the feeling that meat was for special occasions.  i pay mariana $5 an hour, and i know that right now she doesn't have any other clients.  She might bring in $250-$300 a month tops.  her husband is working, but it is at a school for street-children in southern Quito, and only part time.  I'm sure he's not hardly making anything either.  Still, by ecuadorian standards, that is probably middle class.  Her 4-year old son pulled a scalding hot pot of milk off the stove last year... went all over his chest and legs.  he still wearing special bandages on his legs, and needs constant attention.  cannot leave the house during the day... any sunlight, even through clothing makes his skin boil.  what a little bundle of joy he is tho... the brightest eyes, and sweetest disposition you ever saw.  made my heart melt.