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Extract from the book.... 

Once upon a time Tamarita Rachel and little sister Emily climbed into the pick-up truck.  They were very excited because Mummy and Papi had announced they were going to go visiting.  They bounced up and down on the back seat, impatient to be on their way. 

   As Papi drove off towards the village, Tamarita Rachel and little sister Emily looked back at their nice clean white house standing tall amongst the banana plants, and waved, “Bye, bye house, we will be back soon.” 

   “Who are we going to visit?” asked Tamarita Rachel, wanting to know where they were going on this fine sunny afternoon. 

   “We are going to visit some children who need our help.”  Mummy replied. 

   “Oh.” Tamarita Rachel stopped to think.  “I wonder what we can help them with.” 

   In the village they drove past the shops and up a back lane, bumping over the stony track.  Tamarita Rachel could see that these houses were not like the clean white house she lived in.  These houses were made of bits of wood and plastic.  The flies and bugs buzzed in and out, and the rain could get in too.  Tamarita Rachel wondered who they had come to visit here. 

   Papi stopped the pick-up truck, and they all piled out.  Mummy held little sister Emily´s hand as they carefully walked along the dusty track to a tiny little house on stilts.  Tamarita Rachel thought it was a very strange looking house indeed.  It was so teeny, tiny small.  It only had one room.  There were no bedrooms, kitchen, lounge and bathroom like in her house.  There was just one room that had to be all those things at once.  There were some rickety wooden planks for steps leading up to the door, and the windows were just holes.  They did not have any glass in them. 

      There was a little boy hanging out of one of the windows, and he waved to them as they approached.

   “Hello,” called Mummy, “Good afternoon, is anyone in?”

   A lady came to the door and called back, “Thank you for coming.  Do come in.” ... 

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FINALIST IN CLIPP AWARDS 2014

Judgement Calls

Pedro is a total disaster as a patient.  He has diabetes.  He eats whatever he wants – the more sugar the better – and does not take his medicines, despite being given them for free.  Yet, he persists in attending the health centre complaining of ever increasing weakness, poor eye sight and recurrent infections. 

He is the father of 8 children.  His eldest daughter completed primary school, then moved away to find work.  His eldest son is happy to swing a machete in the fields during the week and to drink his earnings away at the weekend.  So, when his next son, Jorge, on finishing primary school asked me for a sponsor so that he could attend secondary school, I was not convinced he was going to stick at it.  I turned him down in favour of another child. 

Jorge, then aged 12, did not go to secondary school that year.  He worked in the fields, and helped to support his younger brothers and sisters.  The following year he came to ask me for a sponsor again.  He said he wanted to learn to be a mechanic.  This time I decided to give him the chance to prove himself.  Delighted, Jorge began studying again. 

Four years on, I am so pleased that I changed my mind.

Deciding which children to help is one of the most difficult parts of the sponsorship programme.  We try to look for the poorest, those least able to help themselves.  We also want them to be those who will make the most of the opportunity to study.  Often that is a difficult judgement call to make. 

Jorge completed his first three years of secondary school without having to do a resit, despite his father´s ever worsening health.  This year, as his father is now unable to work much, Jorge enrolled in a mechanic´s course.  He attends the course at weekends, which means he can work to help support his family during the week.  He also has several assignments to complete for his studies each week.  I admire his determination and hard work, and pray he will achieve his goal of having a profession to work in.

This year we have 130 students receiving help for their education through sponsors.  I continue to pray for wisdom to know which new students to take on, as more sponsors come forward.  

Living in the Shadow of an Active Volcano

Cotopaxi volcano is erupting ash high into the heavens daily, and everyone fears it is building up to a catastrophic eruption.  The last major eruption was in 1877, when more than 1000 people lost their lives.  Now, the people who live closest to the majestic peak have been evacuated from their homes, and government warnings on the television instruct people on what to have packed in the event of a major emergency.  Livestock are dying, suffocating in the ash emissions, and crops are destined to fail. 

We live over 100 kms distant from the volcano, but ash reaches us daily, coating the plants and entering our houses, covering everything in a fine, black dust. 

There are more threats being prepared for in Ecuador this year as well.  It is a year with the El Niño phenomenon.  As I write the rain is belting down outside my window, in what should be the driest time of the year.  On the coastal plains of the country meetings are being held to instruct the inhabitants on what to do if flooding occurs.  The crops in that part of the country are expected to fail as excessive rains are predicted. 

Having spread like wildfire through the coastal towns, the Chikungunya virus is now making itself felt in Santo Domingo.  Many people are falling victim to this mosquito-borne virus which causes fever, rash and severe joint pains. 

Add to that the ever falling oil prices, and hence rising prices of every day essentials, and you could be forgiven for thinking that all is far from well. 

I am living in the shadow of a powerful volcano, and other problems.  But, I also “dwell in the shelter of the Most High and rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”  (Psalm 91 v 1).  It is easy to worry about the difficulties we think are on the horizon, but ultimately only God knows the future, and He holds it in His hands.  “Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of His wings.” (Psalm 36 v 7).  Whatever is facing us today and tomorrow, let´s trust our Heavenly Father to take us through it. 

Missing home - and enjoying the UK.

We are now half way through our two month tour of the UK, promoting the work of Project Ecuador.  When I stumbled off the plane in Birmingham a month ago, and enjoyed our first few days in Coventry, it was wonderful to feel clean and not sweaty all the time, to hug my siblings and my nieces and nephews, and to eat salmon and lamb.  Coming back to the UK after ten years of living in Ecuador does still feel intrinsically "normal", and yet Ecuador has now become where I refer to as "home".  So here are some of the things I am missing from Ecuador - and some of the things I am most appreciating as we travel the UK.

5 things I miss in Ecuador:

• The heat - summer has not arrived in Scotland this year yet!
• The spontaniety, flexibility, and last minute plans. 
• Meeting with the Girls´ Brigade lasses and sharing their fun, joys and sorrows.  
• Living outdoors, swimming in the river and the simplicity of life. 
• The affection and warmth shown by family and friends.  

 5 things I appreciate in the UK:

• The kind folk who have opened their homes to us and gone out of their way to make us feel at home.  
• The many people who have taken time to listen to our talks about Ecuador and found it in their hearts to respond and help.  
• The wonderful opportunity my daughters have to see so many parts of the country and learn through travel.  
• The organisation, infrastructure and efficiency.  
• Being able to worship in English with so many other Christians.  Using my heart-language is a release and a joy.  

 Perhaps the most wonderful part of visiting the UK is of course meeting up with so many dear friends and family members.  It is actually very emotional.  Meeting so many people who have been, and continue to be, such an important part of my life, in such a short space of time, is amazing.  Having to part from them again, feeling we have only touched the surface of what we wished to communicate to each other, and not knowing when we will meet again is sad. 

But I am so glad I am able to have this experience in the company of my husband and daughters, for all these shared moments and memories.  It is a special chance to spend time together as a family and for me to share my heritage with them.

Photo by Claire Durham

Dreams Coming True!

The past few weeks have been very busy as we try to have everything ready for our 2 months in the UK.  It has been a time of completing tasks, and for me, that has been quite emotional. 
The eleventh and twelfth houses to be built by Project Ecuador are now complete.  I walked around this house, which we have built with 3 bedrooms for the family of 9, who until now have not had any house to call their own, and imagined them eating together in the spacious living area.  It brought tears to my eyes to think that this humble family have been helped in this way.  They now have solid walls, a safe house, hygienic bathroom and space to grow bananas and raise pigs.  They have been given a helping hand, a step up in life, and the little children will be healthier and, we hope, happier. 

In the health centre the majority of patients come for leg ulcer dressings.  It is such a delight to be going away knowing that some of these patients have healed limbs.  However, patients who have healed in the past are now returning, months or years later, with worse ulcers and injuries.  Diabetes destroys their limbs, kidneys and eye sight, and so many do not take their medicine regularly, eat as they should or do exercise.  One man came this week with a terrible foot infection.  I told the family to go to the hospital, which they did, and he had 2 toes and part of his foot amputated.  But the family then took him out of hospital because the surgeon told them he needed a foot amputation.  They had him at home without adequate medication or treatment, a raw wound in his foot.  They came back to me, hoping I could heal the foot, because we treated a hand wound successfully last year.  I told them he needed to be in the hospital, but I don´t know if they will take that advice. 

On the plus side, government health services have improved vastly in the past few years.  This is why I see fewer and fewer general patients.  They can obtain free treatment elsewhere now, and that is excellent.  I think I will be of more use in the area of prevention in coming days. 

Another task that has been completed this month is the giving out of sponsorship money to the sponsored children.  They began classes again at the beginning of this month and need to buy their shoes, stationary, art materials and PE kits.  It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm as they start back at school.  It is inspiring to see them having the opportunity for an education, when so many of their parents did not have this chance in life.

Jenny, a sixteen year old who has started a new school for her final, 3 year bacherillato programme, made me smile.  She bounded into my office to receive her sponsorship money with a huge grin on her face.  "I love my new school," she exclaimed. "I can specialise in accounting now, and I just love numbers!"  Jenny is from a very poor family and would not be able to study without the help of a sponsor.  We wish her all the best in her studies this year, and hope she will go on to achieve great things. 

Juan and Mishel graduated from secondary school last month.  Both have single mums who have raised them on a pittance.  Both have studied hard and resisted the temptation to give up.  So many boys go and work in the fields instead of sticking at their studies, and so many girls fall pregnant and drop out.  Juan and Mishel have achieved their dream of a full school education, and hope to now find work and save up to attend University.  We wish them all the best for the future. 

And finally, to show us that it can be done, Carla, Mishel´s big sister, who graduated from Secondary School a few years ago, also with the help of Project Ecuador, is starting her final year of University.  This year she has won a scholarship to help pay her fees.  She also works in an ice cream shop.  It is simply wonderful to see her going on to achieve her dreams.  Well done Carla!