WORK DAY 4

Posted by ERIKA on Thursday, July 15, 2010. Tag: Ecuador

HOLA,

TODAY THE MEDICAL TEAM SAW 100 PATIENTS.  WE HAD ANOTHER CASE OF THE MUMPS.  VERY STRANGE TO HAVE THREE CASES IN ONE COMMUNITY.  THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM FINISHED THREE AND A HALF MORE WALLS.  TOMORROW IS OUR LAST DAY SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET THE REST OF THE FIRST FLOOR WALLS COMPLETED.  WE PLAYED A SOCCER GAME WITH THE VBS KIDS TODAY FOR TWO HOURS.  THAT IS A VERY LONG TIME TO RUN AT THIS ALTITUDE.

TONIGHT WE WERE TREATED TO A SPECIAL DINNER AND A SURPRISE RIDE THROUGHOUT TOWN BY THE SIFAT TEAM.  WE ATE DINNER AT A RESTAURANT THAT HAD WINDOWS AROUND THE ENTIRE ROOM.  THE RESTAURANT LOOKED DOWN ON THE CITY.  IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.  AFTER DINNER WE WALKED DOWN TO WHERE THE BUS WAS PARKED, AND INSTEAD OF THE BUS THERE WERE TWO TROLLEYS WITH BANDS ON TOP!  THEY DROVE US AROUND ON A TOUR OF QUITO, ALL THE WHILE PLAYING MUSIC ON TOP OF THE TROLLEY.  WE SAW AND OLD CATHEDRAL NAMED THE BASILLICA, THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT'S HOUSE, AND WALKED DOWN A STREET FILLED WITH STORES.  WE ALL WHISTLED ALONG WITH THE BAND ALL THE WAY TO THE HOTEL.

THE DAYCARE LEADER, CECILIA, WAS ROBBED TODAY.  SHE WAS GETTING MONEY OUT OF THE ATM FOR THE CHILDREN'S LUNCHES FOR NEXT WEEK AND WHILE SHE WAS WAITING FOR A CAB A MAN CAME BY AND SNATCHED HER PURSE.  SHE HAD 300 DOLLARS IN HER PURSE.  THANK GOD THAT SHE WAS NOT INJURIED DURING THE ROBBERY.  SHE IS A VERY VALUABLE MEMBER IN THIS COMMUNITY AND SHE DOES MUCH WORK IN THE NAME OF GOD.  PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE HER PEACE. 

BUENOS NOCHES,

ERIKA

Lima Work Day 1 and 2

Posted by Diane on Thursday, July 15, 2010. Tag: Peru

Hola,

Well we started our day yesterday at about 8:00 am.  On our way to the work site we were requested to go by the mayors office for a conference.  This was apparently a much bigger deal than any of us knew.  The news people were there and they filmed our visit.  The mayor thanked us for all the help we were giving the people of the Santa Rosita community.  He said other communities were starting to notice the difference as well.  He then gave us a tour followed by a photo op.  We are supposed to be his guests for lunch on Saturday. 

Next, we went to the work site.  The improvements in the community were quite impressive.  They have roads now ....WOW what an major deal.  The people were very glad to see us.  We saw a lot of familiar faces and a great number of new ones as well.  We passed sand until lunch, played soccer with the kids, and then passed more sand in the afternoon.  We ended the work day @ 4:30 and then we had to go to the grocery store filthy dirty to get our food for the rest of the week.  They gave us thirty minutes.  That may sound like plenty of time but it is not when you are in a foreign country buying foreign food from a store where you have no idea where everything is.  It is enough to make you a nervous wreck.  Paola had the hardest time and the Pearce/Browne family and the Fitzpatrick's were the last ones out. 

We returned to the hotel and had 40 minutes to wash the grime from the day off and get back downstairs to go eat dinner.  Chinese ... good Chinese!!!

Today the work day started at 8:00.  We arrived @ the work site at about 9:30.  It was great!!!!  We carried panels up the mountain and passed sand until I thought my arms would fall off.  Everyone worked really well together and no one got hurt.  Yippee.  At about 2:30 we stopped doing the construction work and did a bible story and craft with the children.  One of the young ladies with us, Natalie, read the story in Spanish to the children.  It was WONDERFUL!!!!!!

We witnessed something new and interesting yesterday and today.  In the afternoon, I heard this noise in a neighboring community that sounded like a fire truck.  About 30 minutes later, this huge garbage truck drove into the Santa Rosita community and the siren noise began again.  Suddenly, all of these children and adults came running down the mountain carrying garbage bags full of garbage.  It was amazing.  Apparently they have pick up everyday. 

The smells are not as offensive as in the pasts.  Everyone witnessed some pretty poor living conditions in the area we went to today.  We have been told we are building a community center "way up high tomorrow"  Hummmmmmmm .... I wonder what that means. 

Please continue to pray for us. 

PS HEY ECUADOR TEAM ...... WHERE ARE YOU AND HOW ARE YOU DOING!!!!!

MUCH LOVE

DIANE

Our 1st Two Days

Posted by Shellie on Thursday, July 15, 2010. Tag: Peru

We have been having a great time working alongside our Peruvian friends. The last two days we have started construction on 3 different houses, and they are in different stages of completion. Our easiest task is to form a sand line and pass bags of sand from person to person to get to the homesites. They are not accessible by road and are up the mountain so this is the best way to get the sand to the site. We have been working with mothers with babies tied on their backs, children and others. It is a good way to get to know each other. We have almost 40 Americans working, but we are easily outnumbered by the Peruvians. Today we ran into a glitch when a large rock had to be removed from a homesite. We weren't able to totally remove it so they moved the footprint of the house so the rock is close to one wall. We also moved wall panels and tin up some steep trails. We divided into groups and passed off to each other. This afternoon we had a craft for the kids. It was a huge success. After they listened to a bible story they decorated colorful crowns. Even the adult Peruvians had fun working with their children and our group loved it.

A few Peru photos from day two

Posted by Bryan on Thursday, July 15, 2010. Tag: Peru

The view from one of the home sites.

Craft time with the ninos.

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