Our Upcoming Adventure To Ecuador...

Dear Friends:

Only nine more days till we take off to a new adventure -- to help poor kids in Ecuador!

We're embarking with Causes For Change International, Inc. (www.causesforchange.org) Through one of his dental patients, my husband, Joel, discovered that this program needed dentists. It's a bonus that Joel also speaks fluent Spanish. (They have adult translators.)

My son, Andrew, Andrew's buddy, a college student friend, and Joel will all be leaving on July 23rd, and we'll be joined by about 25 other people. I have a feeling this will be an experience of a lifetime.

Joel will be one of five dentists, along with two doctors, a nurse, and a variety of other volunteers -- both youth and adults -- who will provide free healthcare to kids who have never received any care at all. From our team meeting last Sunday, I know we'll definitely have many eye-opening experiences.

We'll be visiting four different remote villages, and staying in a modest hotel in Narajal -- about 90 minutes from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Zully Alvaredo, the director of Causes For Change was a poor orphan from that community, who almost died as a child from lack of adequate nutrition and healthcare. She wanted to give back to the villages, so no child would have to suffer as she did. We were told that in one village, we'll be visiting an Indian tribe, the Shuar (not sure of spelling), who were just discovered by the outside world in the 1980's!!!

There will be NO electricity, so the dentists will be doing strictly oral surgery - pulling teeth. The children are mostly elementary age, and have never received medical or dental help. As a non-medical/dental volunteer, I'll be asked to help out in different ways -- from keeping the kids calm as they wait in line to doling out small little gifts to the kids after they receive treatment.

Thanks to an email blast, along with a local article in the Pioneer Press, we've gotten a tremendous response in gathering small stuffed animals for donations! THANKS to all of you who have helped us out! I believe we'll now have close to 1000 toys! Whooooooeeee! The anticipated total of kids who will be treated is going to be TWO THOUSAND KIDS!!!! (That's just in one week -- with five dentists at work from early morning till evening.)

So -- that's my corner of news for now... Will do my best to keep a journal while we're there. A van will take us to each village -- and they're about an hour away... so I'll have a little time free on the van. I'm excited to see another part of the world and help these kids. The organization is even going to find a little guitar for me to play for the kids.... Nice, huh?

Looking forward to sharing more...

All the best,
Lynn