Almost a week since Ecuador

Well, it's been almost a week since we've returned from Ecuador and each time I share with someone our experiences, I get a warm - fuzzy feeling. The trip was so amazing, for so many reasons. One was just simply anticipation. For at least 5 years, I have been yearning to take this trip. Sister Cindy has visited the parish about 3 times since that first trip and each time, asks me: "When are you coming to Ecuador?". Finally, I was able to go. For me, this trip was all about experiencing the work that is done by the Working Boys' Center. Each year, the children and their families in our Faith Formation programs save coins for the WBC. So for me, to see, first hand, how our pennies, dimes and nickels help to support that work that they do was incredible. Seeing how the people live happily with so little was a real lesson for our group.

The other was the warm welcome and greetings that we received. Seemed to me that every Ecuadorian we encountered was happy to see us! From people driving by us, whether we were walking or driving by in a bus, people would honk and wave, shouting "hola!" out their windows to us. I got so used to the greetings, it became a habit! Almost every child we meet at the Center greeted us with hugs, some jumping into our laps or arms to be held some just snuggling up to us on a bench. Or some, like this little guy, playing and joking with us!

Or, when we visitied Casa Damien in Guayaquil and Sister Annie greeted us with hugs and kisses at the airport and took us back to the clinic. She set a beautiful example for us or hugging every single patient she saw. She explained that one patient had gone home to God, just the day before, so the patients were a little sad, but that when they saw us, it would brighten their day. We visited with the women and men and all were happy to see us.

Living in community with not only our twelve other St. Matthias group members, but also the groups from New York, New Jersey and Wisconsin and the long-term volunteers. Learning their stories, and being able to share these experiences with them was amazing. Watching and listening to our kids saying, "wait, say that again...you have a funny accent" and "what kind of shoes are those?" observing them make these observations about the differences in speech and dress amongst groups of teens in our own country while being present in a foreign country was eye-opening. Watching them learn and play other games and be "unplugged" from the technology of their normal daily lives was great as well.

I think that we were all changed in some ways by this trip. For me, this change is a greater appreciation for my friends and family, a change in my attitude. It was all about going with the flow (being on Ecuadorian time), doing what was asked of us (even if I didn't agree with the methods) and learning to be grateful for everything, the experiences that I have had.

This next weekend, July 17 - 18, we will be sharing some of our experiences with the parish. Please come and listen!