Special Joys In Ecuador

In my last post, I shared the unexpected challenges at O'Hare Airport before our healthcare mission to Ecuador through Causes For Change International.

Now, I'd like to share some of the special joys that we encountered.  We were staying in an area called, "Canton Playas," only a block from the beach.  In the busy season, I was told that local tourists come to stay there.  The hotel was simple, with hot water (hooray!) and a spacious room.  Even though water dripped from the ceiling onto the tiled floor, and we were able to move to another room where the water only dripped outside our door, we still felt our room was comfortable.  

For the first few days, we would travel by bus to a town called, "Posorja," about a half-hour ride from the hotel.  In this area, a majority of children had disabilities. We were informed that a nearby tuna plant had toxins in the air, and pregnant women working there would then deliver babies with physical ailments.  I had never seen so many children with so many difficulties.  Yet, even in the midst of their problems, most of the children were so happy to see us.

Since Andrew and I arrived a day late, and we would be working in the same town for the next few days, we had the opportunity to get to know some of the children personally.  I also had the wonderful experience of getting to know Michelle Christian Corp, an actress from Los Angeles, who would be working with me in doing activities with the children.  Her bright, smiling, loving face naturally attracted all the children.  I was amazed at her ability to memorize everyone's names so quickly.  While I seemed to struggle over remembering Bernice's name, and kept calling her "Bernadette," Michelle easily could call on each child by name... even up to about 30 kids at a time.  Amazing!

Many of the most challenged children never came to our activity area, that was under an outdoor awning.  From a distance, we saw them with a parent, waiting in chairs to be seen by my husband or the medical professional.  Sometimes though, a number of these children with disabilities would wander over... especially if our activity intrigued them.  

As best as I could, I used a borrowed guitar and sang in Spanish, "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes."  Sometimes, Vincente, an Ecuadorian volunteer would be nearby and help with translating.  We played all types of singing games -- Hokey Pokey, "Walk & Stop" by Ella Jenkins, and Old MacDonald Had A Farm.

After awhile, feeling drained from the sun, we brought out plain paper and colored markers.  Suddenly, a swarm of children and mothers flocked to our area.  (It was something that almost anyone could do... and they were excited by the colors.) We didn't have enough for everyone to have a box, so we urged children to just take one color at a time... and please return the color!  (Otherwise, we'd have nothing left for the rest of our trip.)  The children just loved it.  Some scribbled aimlessly and others drew very beautiful scenes -- with a sun and children playing.

When we took a lunch break, most of the children ran off.  A young boy hung out near us, and I suggested to him in simple Spanish that he might want to go home for lunch.  He told me he didn't have food for lunch.  Naturally, I immediately wanted to give him my food -- mostly white rice with some chicken and few veggies.  I was told not to do that -- because we didn't have enough for all the children who would then appear around our table.  I can't tell you how sad that felt.  It's one thing when you donate money to a charity and don't see the faces before you... it's another to actually see a child right there...

Anyway, the afternoon brought other surprises.  As you can see in one of the photos, I was told about an 8-year-old boy named Pablito who had no legs.  Zully was able to raise money and surprise his family with a special tricycle.  It had pedals for the hands, so Pablito could sit in this trike and move around by pedaling with his hands!  Beforehand, he was using his hands to "walk" in the dirt.

How much better for him to be moving around at the same level as the other kids! I got to meet Pablito, and involved him with the group in a relay game.  We invited the children to form two lines, and pass a beanie baby over the heads and back again.  We did other types of passing -- to the right side or the left -- just to keep Pablito in the game.  He looked so happy, so radiant.  

As the afternoon wore on, and less children remained, I brought out the ten recorders, and taught the children how to cover the holes with their fingers.  I showed them how to make sounds using their first, second and third fingers.  Then, I did my best to teach them "Hot cross buns."  I repeated over and over the simple fingering, "one, two, three... one, two three... three-three-three-three, two-two-two-two... one, two, three."  Some of the kids actually got it.  What joy!

There were no phone distractions.  No computers with emails.  No technology at all.  Just simple things.  Passing out toothbrushes.  Pulling infected teeth and comforting children who were afraid.  And teaching songs and games that brought a smile.  

It made me realize -- how much we all have within us to touch a life.  Love is a universal feeling... a connection from heart to heart that we all can appreciate.