We had been told that Mass was at 5 p.m. We arrived at 5:02 p.m. Not bad for Ecuadorian time. Yet there still must have been some kind of misunderstanding, because as we walked into the church, a young boy was actively being baptized.


I recognized our Facebook friend Carol and quickly gave her my camera, as she had generously offered to be our photographer. (Carol is an American who teaches in the area, and we were introduced by Anna Taft of the Tandana Foundation. This was the first time we had met her in person, but we didn't have much time for introductions!

We rushed to the front of the church and took seats on the side of the beautiful gold colonial-style altar while the priest completed the crying young boy's baptism. Rosa and Antonio hurried off to purchase a baptismal candle and rosary. While they were gone, the priest called us up. Ummm...but...but...

We approached the font with Shina Tayanta, with Yupanqui and Sisa in tow. I picked up Shina and the priest asked her name. I told him, and he asked me to hold her over the font. We worried that she might be scared without her grandparents present. But she was great! Although she grabbed my traditional headpiece tightly, twisting it at a 45 degree angle, she didn't cry or anything. She is obviously very comfortable with us and trusts us. The priest asked me for the baptismal candle. I shrugged and said, "Lo siento...tarde" (I'm sorry...late). He said it was fine and we would do it later.

Author

Craig and Steph

Created on

Saturday 21 January 2017

Posted on

Sunday 11 March 2018

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• 2017 Ecuador

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Make

OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.

Model

TG-860

DateTimeOriginal

2017:01:21 17:06:21

ApertureFNumber

f/5.2