Ecuador 2007 - Production Trip Report!

As many of you all may know, I just went on my first overseas trip, May 14-18th. The company I am working for, Franklin Films, was hired to produce a promotional video for Compassion International in Ecuador. I was asked to be one of the two camera operators for the trip. I had a blast! Keep reading!

God's Faithfulness

The Lord was so good to allow me this opportunity and to show Himself strong on my behalf. Flying really isn't something I look forward to. In fact, I have be able to avoid it for 14 years! I trust the plane; I trust the pilots; I don't mind the heights; I just have a very, very, sensitive stomach and inner ear problems, so take-offs really bother me! I praise the Lord for getting me through all six take-offs and also helping me deal well with the high altitude during our stay in Ecuador.

Overlooking Quito, Ecuador ~ Elevation is 10,000 Ft.
Population around 2 Million

Houses in Quito - They just build on top of each other!
Click to see a better view.

The Land

Quito, the capitol of Ecuador, is at an elevation of 9,500 feet and is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. Quito's population is around two million. Tuesday morning, we visited a Compassion project in the urban area of Quito. I was shocked to see 100+ children lined up singing and waving flags and decorations they had made just for us. They have so little, yet they give so much. We then traveled to Otavalo where we stayed the next couple of nights.

The Volcano in Otavalo!
We got to stay at a resort on the lake right next to it!

It is amazing to see the contrast between the Puertolago
resort and the surrounding community.


Director of photography: Mark Schlicher. HE ROCKS!
Here we were taking some still photo shots while the HD camera
was getting some time lapse of the clouds over the volcano!

Standing over the Equator!
Thankfully my blood in my head didn't start to go
the other direction when I crossed the line! :)

One of the cabins at Puertolago, the resort we stayed at for two nights.

Compassion International

From working with Compassion over the entire week, I must say I was extremely impressed with how Christ-centered they operate these trips, as well as how they operate the various projects helping people to sponsor needy children. The Lord is using them in a mighty way to reach these people with the Gospel and also to provide them with the opportunity to learn and to grow physically and spiritually. They have made a huge impact on the country as evidenced by the numbers of children who have grown up and are now serving in the same towns that they were raised in.

Some of the Compassion staff talking to a merchant on the street

The bus we rode in for many hours during our four-day trip



View from the window of the bus

Oh, did I mention that the roads there were very, very narrow? :)
It is amazing that we didn't fall down a mountain!

The People

The Christians in Ecuador are very gracious and loving. The love of Christ shines though their lives in the mist of their suffering and poverty. It was amazing to me to hear testimony after testimony of how God provides for them and how they view life. I heard one little girl say, "We have God and so we have everything."

Children looking on as we prepare to leave a Compassion project

A man looking down the street as we passed by in the bus

A lady tilling her land by hand

The Ecuadorian Indians are very hard workers.

After shooting video all day...
it is really relaxing to shoot some still photos!

Ken Carpenter, Director for the production shoot,
interacts with one of the little ones

The Impact

When I think back to my trip, it is difficult to put into words how I was changed by what I saw and experienced. I think if I were to boil it all down to one common thread, it would have to be: God's Faithfulness! This was evidenced as I saw the Lord Jesus the same in Ecuador as He is here in the USA.

He provides food, clothing and shelter to the poverty-stricken people of Ecuador. He is the source of comfort and peace to the believers in Ecuador.He shows Himself strong, as each child that Compassion is able to reach, grows up and begins to give back to his or her community.

The Lord IS there for these people. The Christians know that they indeed have everything because they have the Creator of the world living inside them.

By the way...
I had a blast taking photos when I had chance!

Me at our last Compassion project~
Thanks to Mark Schlicher for taking this photo

I took most of these photos through the bus window as we traveled.

It's only by God's grace that they turned out.
(Canon 30D 18-55mm)

Thank You!

This trip was bathed in prayer. I know many of you prayed fervently for me and for our crew. I sensed it. God gave me strength for the trip. He protected our team as we traveled. Thank you for praying!! Your prayers were answered and I hope this post was an encouragement to you in your daily lives as you think about God's goodness and His unrelenting faithfulness in each of your lives.

In Christ,

Nathan B.

The children loved the cameras!