Mini-Convention in Ecuador Draws 165 Women

ZULETA, ECUADOR (May 19, 2003) - More than 165 women participated in a recent mini-convention at the Magdalena Covenant Church in Zuleta, representing every part of the country - from Tulcán and Ipiales (Colombia) in the north to Guayaquil in the south.

The groups of Quechua women joyfully sang praises in their dialect, some clothed in dark blue pleated skirts with red velvet stoles, and others in melon-colored sweaters with beige stoles. They were a delight.

Zuleta is about 45 minutes distant from Ibarra, following a cobble-stoned road and then progressing one-half mile up a hill - a brisk hike for those who didn't rent a special bus. That didn't matter to the women dressed for church, some in high heels!

The women of the church had killed and roasted a whole pig so that everyone could have "hornado" - roast pig with a piece of the crisp skin, plus hominy, potatoes and a tomato/onion salad followed by cake for dessert.

No one minded that the meetings went from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. They were sad to say goodbye to their sisters who had come from so far away. The next meeting will be in June in the Coastal District in Manta.

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