Trembling out of Bed

Trembling out of Bed
I experienced my first earthquake this morning! That goodness Jenn and Marita woke me up, or I would have snored straight through it. We must be pretty far from the epicenter because it was just a minute of minor shaking. What a way to start the day! Aaron and Jeff made us girls (who tend to take advantage of every moment of shut-eye) eggs and toast this morning. We are enjoying our first day off today - the Duran volunteers are discerning their job placements as a group today. We Monte Sinai volunteers got to listen in on the discernment process last night. They have to work out as a group of 11 who will work at each site for the mornings, then divide into three afterschool programs, designating the directors and logistics coordinators. Diffucult task. Needless to say, I am delighted to be sitting in the Cyber right now.

The last few days, we have been exploring the different work sites. My lucky housemates got to accompany me (aka translate for me) two 3 hour long orientations for Hogar de Cristo. Needless to say, we now know a lot about this organization. It looks like I am going to be running the EKG clinic for the time being. (Not nearly as grandiose as it sounds). I had one 5 minute run-through on how to run a test on a machine with make-shift suction cups that are haphazardly taped on. My ´clinic´ is in the back of a classroom, behind an office divider. What have I gotten myself into this time...haha. I am also in charge of organizing a variety of ¨projects¨ throughout the year. The education department sends representatives to schools to identify families and kids who are struggling. If there are medical issues at home, I get to join the team to visit the home and develop a case, explaining the situation, and present it to Hogar de Cristo in hopes of getting free health care in the area, food baskets, etc. This will definitely be the hardest, but BEST part of my job. Most kids who perform poorly in school or stop attending school do so in order to work (often selling water, candy, or newspapers in the streets). Women are often left home to raise kids, while men are either working or out of the picture. Even if the man is working, the money often times does not come home. The situations get even tougher when there are developmental disabilities, infectious and cronic diseases, etc. Lack of sanitation, dirty water, and low nutrition cause many of these problems. The new clinic at my work place will hopefully be finished in two months. (In Ecua time, it could be another 6 months). However, they are interviewing doctors next week - so the situation looks promising! The will have ginecology, emergency room, minor surgury, dentistry, and general medicine services. My supervisor (Veronica) wants to train me in some surrounding clinincs to get a feel for the environment before our clinic starts up. Veronic and Dolores are in charge of me for the year. They are incredibly warm and friendly and super patient with my Spanish. It is going to be a phenomenal experience, no matter what I end up doing.

My four housemmates have sweet placements as well. I think I mentioned that Marita with be working with the San Felipe school right down the street from us. Jenn will be working with the Casa Don Bosco -- a street kids program in Guayquil. She will be organizing after school programs, doing some social work, and possbily teaching a few classes. Jeff will also be working with street kids, similar to Jenn´s placement. He is a phenomenal guitar player, so has much to offer in those respects. Aaron is working at a small medical clinic called Sonrisa Naranja (Orange smiles). Two Dutch doctors started this clinic two years ago. As they bring stories home from their placements, I will be sure to share them with you!

We only have four days left of orientation. Two days ago, we had the big bus quiz. It was a 10 hour scavenger hunt through Guayaquil and Duran. Megan (our in-country coordinator) was waiting in the middle with pizza and cake (Tres Leches!!). We ended at Las Peñas, a lighthouse downtown, which looks over the entire city. The day wore all of us out. But gave us a much needed tour of the city.

This was a short update, but I will have more coming soon.

Thanks for reading

Darkness Has Not Overcome

A trip to Ecuador,
south of the United States;
11 students, 3 staff,
1 God ready to fill our plates.

We hopped on a plane,
dreaming what God had for us as we roam;
Secretly wondering, ‘How we could survive a week,
without our cell phone?’

Touching down in Duran’s sticky hot mess,
The bugs make our group squeal;
We ride home in silence, taking it all in,
not sure how we should all feel.

Shacks with no floor, kids with torn soccer balls,
a muddy and unpaved street;
Intense poverty, like nothing I’ve seen,
leaves me squirming in my seat.

While hearing strange noises,
I lay thinking in my bed;
How would people here receive us,
silly fears dance in my head.

Yet, our neighbors welcome us in
with words from God above;
We lounge in their hammocks, play games,
and receive this rich love.

How could our new friends, choose to lavish us Gringos,
they live with so much less;
Where do they find their smiles of joy,
what gives them reason to radically bless?

As we dig deeper we unveil the source of their joy,
comes not from anything we see;
Rather they are dependant for provision from above
and through God’s community.

They live tightly knit with family,
defying U.S. laws of ‘personal space’
For they are stronger together,
a picture of God’s sovereign grace.

Our group marvels as we find God
alive in our hood;
However, the full picture
would soon seem much less good.

One child in particular
made our reflection headline news;
For he had spent the afternoon with us,
while wearing two left shoes.

Another stands out
in the way he looked at our faces;
“I want to play soccer,” he says,
“but I’ve got no laces.”

Corrupt government structures,
with mayors that have great greed;
That promise clean water, install pipes,
yet fail to succeed.

This leaves all the poorest people
on the streets at 5 in the A.M.;
Screaming ‘AGUA, AGUA,’
praying the truck will stop for them.

It’s a paradoxical tension
that we are all trying to fight;
We experience the darkest mess,
yet we see God’s light.

People with Hanson’s disease,
alone and rejected by all of society;
Yet there’s a sister with compassion,
who creates a warm space to heal their anxiety.

Boys wandering the streets
begging and sniffing glue;
A rich community and shelter,
a place to start their lives anew.

A woman living by drugs and standing water,
her husband drunk and long departed;
A warm welcome, fresh fruit, hospitality,
and a powerful new connection is started.

Kids wearing donated clothing,
looking tattered and torn;
Yet their simple smiles of joy,
seem to overcome all that we mourn.

We ask God together,
‘how is this possible… how could you allow this?’
These people are amazing
and need not be dismissed?

Jesus you heal lepers,
God sends his people to restore;
Now we see this clear suffering,
and we ask ‘HOW MUCH MORE?’

It takes great faith
to look in the face of intense grief;
And proclaim, ‘We believe you are good God,
help our unbelief.’

This pain we found in Duran,
struck a chord deeply in each hearts;
Now we return home,
hoping we will do our parts.

Living in the United States,
this trip is challenging our story;
Calling us to turn our lives
from striving for our own glory.

Our lives are geared towards doing,
our self worth wrapped in a to-do list;
Yet it seems God wants relationship
to be the reason we exist.

How will we respond to God
after He has expanded our world view?
Will we shrink back to former selves
or seek the face of Christ at A.U.?

Guaderia

In the soft morning sunlight the Arbolito guarderia seems to shine with excitement and wonder. The children rounding the corner with their parents catch a glimpse of their magical oasis and grow in excitement knowing that once they cross the purple threshold they enter into their very own special place. A place where the children are cared for on an individual basis, where they are given nutritious food and snack, where they have access to an education as well as a healthy environment in which to grow, and most importantly where they are treated with love and respect. At times I too have to stop myself and think “wow, this guarderia really is top of the line.” So for those of you who worked at the guarderia, or passed by it every day, or maybe knew a child who went there, know that it still is a peaceful, loving and positive place in the Arbolito community.

Now although I say that the guarderia is a peaceful place I would like to stress that I do not mean that one will find themselves at peace while inside the walls of the guarderia. In fact it's quite the opposite and rightfully so since 60 children, ranging from ages 2-4, will leave you drained of everything you have both mentally and physically. There is never a dull moment, and you can never let your guard down at the guarderia. Just the other day I was helping Diana, the maternal teacher, cut out classroom decorations while the children played with play dough. As we were working we heard a loud crashing noise from the bathrooms. We both stopped what we were doing and looked around the classroom to see if it was one of our “ositos” could have been making the noise. Within an instant Diana jumped up from her chair and ran to the bathroom.

Seconds later I heard Diana scream, “Eric, no!” When I ran to see what had happened I found Diana standing in the last stall with tiny 2 year old Eric. She had him by the hands with a shocked looked on her face, Eric had a mischievous grin. Diana looked at me and then pointed to the toilet. When I popped my head in I saw that the heavy porcelain toilet bowl lid had been cracked straight down the middle. Apparently Eric was lifting and then dropping the lid as hard as he could until it broke. Luckily nothing happened to Eric but now the guarderia is down one toilet and all the teachers are unsure of what to do with the “terremoto” that is Eric. The latest idea was to put a short leash on him and have him always connected to Diana, but that didn't seem to go over to well with some of the teachers.

The story of Eric is just one of many from my morning job at the guarderia. It seems as if every day the children are perfecting their mischievousness and shenanigans. If anything gets me out of bed in the morning it’s the knowledge that I will most likely come home with another endearing story about the chaos that is the guarderia.