We're BACK!

Dear Friends:

We're back from Ecuador!

What an amazing, transforming, challenging, exhausting, fascinating, and powerful trip.
Imagine a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows... that was our experience in Ecuador.

I'm going to write different blogs... so I don't get overwhelmed in trying to convey it all.

First, let me thank you all for your loving support, encouragement and help before our trip. We gathered about 1600 toys -- both small stuffed animals and other stuff -- balls, tiny cars, even a few puppets and jumpropes. Everything was so appreciated by the children.... they don't have any toys -- not one thing. So you can imagine how thrilled the kids were to have anything.

We arrived in the Guayaquil airport with 19 packages in tow... four suitcases of dental supplies, along with boxes and suitcases of toys and lotions. By the time everyone from around the U.S., Jamaica and Australia arrived, it was quite late -- around 11:00 p.m. We then boarded a bus for a 2 1/2 hour ride to a tiny town called Naranjal. We stayed in the only hotel there -- Hotel Delicias... and that would be our resting place for the week. No tourists come into Naranjal, and we were told to be very careful with our belongings. If we wanted to see a little bit of the area, we could turn right out of the hotel, go two blocks down the street, make a left two blocks, and then another left two blocks. That was it! We weren't supposed to go left because it was dangerous. (Even the director's sister had been held up once at knife-point for money...)

So, we were careful. Each day, a bus took us for an hour or so ride to another small village, where we were driven to a school. An armed guard came with us in the bus and stayed with our group throughout the day. People traveled for hours and from miles around -- just to get our free medical and dental care. Five rooms in the school were set aside for our use. One was for the eye doctor, one for the three dentists, one for the "education room" (to teach toothbrushing), one for pharmacy (dispensing kid vitamins and anti-parasite medicine, along with some aspirin), and one for the occupational therapist and medical doctor. Lines of moms and their kids lined up to get care.

In the meanwhile, I provided musical distraction for the kids while they waited for hours in line. Since the kids had never seen a shot before, you can imagine the reaction when they saw the dentists. Screaming, crying, and just plain fear... I sang songs with them, danced, played ball, taught them jump-rope, showed them puppets or we waved scarves... anything that I could do to keep them occupied... while speaking in my broken Spanish. It was fairly exhausting from morning till the end of day... That's why I now have a sore throat and feel quite tired.

The kids were being checked for abcesses or infections, and were having "extractions" (the fancy word for getting their teeth pulled out!). Even though an adult tooth would grow back in its place, the kids were naturally scared. There was no electricity... no fancy equipment... no modern conveniences.

The kids received their toy after the dental appointment, and those toys were invaluable in giving them comfort and joy.

Will write more as I get more energy.... I'm very glad to have been a part of this trip. The Mayor and his wife in Naranjal honored us all in the evenings with wonderful meals and performances by local children and adults of Spanish dancing. It was all non-stop activity.

Amazing trip.... and also so glad to be back home to a modern bathroom. (that's another story...)

Feel free to drop me a note and give me your comments... :)