Reflections from Day One

During the application process for the trip, we asked everyone to reflect upon 5 qualities or characteristics that they wanted to live out during the trip. Everyone selected those 5 qualities and in preparation for the trip, I made prayer cards for everyone with those 5 things on them. Tonight, after our first full day here, we asked everyone to journal about the quality that they lived today.

For me, there were two moments that stood out especially.

 

 We began this morning with breakfast at 11am (we got a late start because we got in so late last night). Sr. Annie came over to have breakfast with us - scrambled eggs, juice (called tomatillo juice which was red and looked like guava nectar -very different from the green tomatillos at home used to make salsa verde), toast, cheese, and watermelon. After breakfast, we figured out what we'd do for the day. 

We decided that we'd visit Nuevo Mundo school in Guayaquil. A very interesting model for a school. Pat and Sonja (an Ecuadorian former BVM nun) started the school in 1979. The school is built on the model of educating two populations of children. Wealthier families send their children to school in the morning, and pay tuition. Less fortunate children send their kids in the afternoon, tuition free. The school is IB accredited and most students earn scholarships to universities upon graduation. The photo above is studetns in the 2nd grade. We also met a volunteer from the Rostro de Cristo community - college aged students who give a year of their life to volunteer and live in community as the poor do. His name is Gavin and he is almost at the end of his year, will go home to go Law School.

After visiting Nuevo Mundo school, which is Preschool - High School, we drove through the town of Duran, which is where many of the afternoon group at the school lives.

the area is completely depressed and undeveloped. Most people live in houses made of cana on stilts - because the area completly floods during the rainy season. Here's an example.

After driving through this area, we visited a Day Care Center also set up by Pat and Sonja which is part of the Nuevo Mundo Fundation. 

OPENNESS - was one of the qualities that I wanted to life out on this trip. At the day care center, we visited several classes of children. They had just woken up from a nap, so were a little groggy - but one class, asked to kids to sing and dance for us. There was one boy who was just sitting while all the others were singing and dancing. After a few minutes of trying to encourage him to dance, I went and picked him up and danced with him. I kept trying to get him to engage and he wouldn't, finally, a noticed that he had grabbed my crucifix and was holding on to it. When I put him down, he smiled. Yay - I had touched his heart! I was especially proud of Mark who moved out of his comfort zone and danced with us for the kids - he lived his quality of being a good ROLE MODEL and encouraged the children to sing and dance.

After visiting Duran, we went back to Casa Damien for dinner. The lovely staff made dinner for us - mora de lentajes, pollo queso and plantain fritos. Very yummy!!

Dinner was about 4:30 pm, then we served snacks and soda and met all the patients at Casa Damien before watching the game at 5:00pm

The other characteristic that I lived out today was SOLIDARITY - watching Ecuador kick Honduras butt in the Copa Mundial 2-1, with the patients and staff.

After we had served everyone once, Sr. Annie asked us to check on the women, as there were two who had not received their snacks. Laurel, Carrie and I took the soda, and snacks to the ladies - there was one women, Blanca who had been scared and alone, had heard the noise of people watching the game, but couldn't get out of bed herself. We helped her into her wheelchair, watched the game with her and chatted with her about her life. It was a special blessing to be able to spend that time with her while the others were with the men in their dining room. 

After the game, we went to the market to buy snacks for tonight and tomorrow. Then our reflection and prayer time which Sr. Annie joined us for. Tomorrow, we go back to Casa Damien for a work project, more about that tomorrow.