Day 2: A Life Changing Day, by Brendan E. Smith

Today was the second day of our pilgrimage in Ecuador.  We woke up bright and early to the same breakfast as always, eggs and toast.  Then we headed to Casa Damien and met up with the patients.  I went to the men’s area and was confused when I saw no one playing dominoes. Once I said the singular word “Domino” all the men got up and fetched their buckets.  After playing (and winning) both rounds of dominoes we headed to mass.  One of the patients plays the accordion and led the music in today’s mass.  Everyone was given a maraca or tambourine to play along with him.  It was the most fun I have had at mass in my life.  After mass we went to the kitchen and ate a delicious traditional Ecuadorian meal prepared by the staff at Casa Damien.  Once lunch was over we got on the bus and went to Nuevo Mundo (new world) school.  We got a tour of the beautiful campus and met Pat the woman behind it all.  The goal of the school is to give a quality education to kids who normally wouldn’t receive one.  We broke up into small groups and talked to the kids to practice their English. Nuevo Mundo is located in a city called Samborondón which is one of the wealthiest places in all of Ecuador.  Every house was a mansion and was located on a gated community with many armed guards at the gates.  It felt as if we were driving through Miami or Palm Springs.  I saw the most architecturally beautiful Wendy’s and McDonalds I have ever laid my eyes upon.  15 minutes later we arrived in Durán, which was in stark contrast.  Fifteen minuets separated people who use water as a decoration from people who would kill for a bottle.  The expensive houses were made out of concrete but were rarely finished.  Other houses were made out of Sugar cane or scrap metal.  The canals were filled with trash and the streets were littered with stray dogs and cats.  Many kids ran around without parents but very few parents were without kids.  The conditions that these people live in seem unbearable to me.  I don’t know how they do it and continue to be some of the nicest most hopeful people I have ever met.