Back home to my dear Helen...

After two months away on the other side of the world, I'm going back home to my dear Helen.

It's painful being away from the person you love, and missing them on a daily basis. Thank God for email and Skype, that's all I can say! I can't wait to spend every day with her when I get back home, and we look forward to visiting her family in the Zhengzhou province of China next year...

Salud!

Mucho amore siempre,

Joe, from Quito

           Jose-Luis, now on his own two feet (2 years ago, he needed a walker)

      Tia Maritza watches over the special needs children with much love and care...

                                             Tia Lupe feeds Veronica (our oldest resident)    

                                               Tia Magdalena darle comida Zaccharias

                                         Andean dancing (Otavalo) - what joy!!

--

The first great and primary business to which you ought to attend every day is not how you might serve the Lord, or how you might glorify the Lord, but how you might get your soul happy in the Lord. (Roger Steer, “A Living Reality: George Müller's Experience of God”)

see Jeremiah 29:11-13

Latacunga Hospital

Tuesday morning. We (tia Patti, tia Moni, and myself) head to the hospital in town with Angel, Josue and Alejandra. We wait for a long time before we can see the doctor/s...I guess this is the same any country you go to. There are always more sick people that need attending to than there are doctors.

After a few tests, it is discovered that Alejandra is walking properly (even though her right foot points outward – but this is due to her hip rather than her leg). Josue's groin is not inhibited in movement, and Angel gets checked out too (for what I'm not quite sure).

I was responsible for Josue at the hospital. He is one of the most difficult kids to mind. So fidgety.

He will climb on things he is not supposed to climb, sit on things he is not supposed to sit on, pull plugs out, and touch things he is not supposed to touch. Even going to the toilet had to be an adventure...

After going pee pee and flushing the toilet, we found a plastic cup stuck in there. Josue of course had to play with the cup, and all the water in there. After what seemed like an eternity, I had to get him to take the cup out, by pulling it out myself. Man, I stuck my hand in a toilet bowl for that kid...it just isn't funny!!!

                                Angel and Josue, with their shoelaces tied together...

A little bit of grace...

I think something we often overlook is God's grace.

When we receive something, even though we've done nothing to deserve it.

The staff let me sit at the head of the table when we share lunch together each day.

If it were for only one day, I would understand – it is because I am a volunteer and a guest, and the only male to sit on the table. But everyday...and I get to eat from a full plate, whilst everyone else eats from their soup bowl. I get a chicken drumstick to go with my rice as well!

What makes me so special? Nothing. I don't deserve this treatment, this generous hospitality.

I owe it all to God's grace...

Why am I popular with the kids? I've done nothing to deserve their love or affection.

Two of the boys actually try to kiss me on the cheek. I asked one of the Tias if it were common for men to kiss each other in Ecuador, and well, the answer is no if you were wondering...

The kindness and care that I receive - I owe it all to God's grace...and I must give thanks to Him.

Angel I think is a special needs child...or a child who pretends like he doesn't need anything.

By his appearance, I'm guessing he has Cerebral Palsy or Downs' Syndrome. I just haven't asked anybody about it yet, because I shouldn't treat him any differently because of it. I think the tias tried explaining it to me – but hey, it was all Spanish to me!

You know how there is always someone who stands out - that one person who requires a little extra grace? Well Angel is that person for me. He'll put dirt in his mouth, refuse to have his shoelaces tied, climb all over you asking to be carried – and when he is in your arms, he'll slap both of your cheeks (not softly, either!) He won't give you his bowl when he's finished with it.

I just don't get it. Totally different from all the other kids. He was throwing gravel at me the other day. Josue then came over and pushed me. Had I been neglecting them? Were they starved of my attention and affections?

It's amazing how children can teach us by their behaviour. I feel Angel is that special person God is using to shape me in this ministry. To test my patience and question how I am treating all the kids.

To be fair and equitable - not to play favourites. To treat each person differently according to his or her own unique needs.

When I struggle, all I can do is pray to God and ask Him to show me some grace...

Salcedo!

Just 10 minutes' drive away...

                                           First, let's get the babies comfortable...

                                          Taking turns...

                                              Little Terasita

                                               Anthony is all smiles for the camera...                                                  

                                            Anthony and Josue decide to go for a climb...

                                               Let's wobble!!                    

                                                          ...and away we go!!

                                                            Hasta luego!!

These children are crazy!! ...but I love 'em

Where do I start. There's Anthony (Antonio) who has the cheekiest smile – he's a good kid. Angel, who is obsessed with water – washing his hands, playing with water, splashing on puddles. Alejandra always has to redo her shoe laces, Josue will climb all over you, Carlos just wants your company...like all the time. There's little Teresita, finding her feet and her way amongst all the slightly older children, and of course the babies, Sarita, Alejandra, Giovanni, Joanna and Patti.

There's also Xavier (the only wheelchair bound child in Latacunga) and Gabriel, who has the sweetest look on his face, but can get up to mischief nonetheless.

No day is the same. I can be hauling five babies up the hill (in a cart, of course!) one day, and picking stones from the yard the next (so that the grass can grow). Sounds a bit like a prison sentence or school yard detention doesn't it? The only certainty is that the kids need to eat each day, and after dinner, they usually watch The Lion King (1, 2, or 3). I can't believe there are six sequels to The Lion King now...it's that popular! 

FHC Latacunga!

Veronica drove me and tias Isabel C. and Maritza P. to FHC-Latacunga.

With mountains everywhere, the scenery is absolutely beautiful here. It's literally blue sky and green plantation/farming land.

I'm thankful that the kids at FHC-Latacunga have warmed up to me in no time – asking my name, how long I am staying for, how old I am, etc.

Alejandra (5 yrs-old) is the oldest, and wasted no time in giving us a quick tour and telling us the names of all the children. Carlos (also 5) is probably the most outspoken one...and I've discovered one of the most needy too!

It must be difficult growing up without a dad. I can't imagine what that is like, being abandoned when you were a baby, and being an orphan your whole life. I guess when a male enters the compound, you feel the need to make up for lost time...

There are 19 kids here – during the day there are 4 tias, and this drops off to two tias in the evening. Each tia I've met has a heart of gold I tell you. Tia Martha (one of the older, more experienced hands) immediately prepared a lemonade mixed with orange juice drink (served hot) to go with cough tablets when I told her that I had been sick for 5 days. She also prepared a simple (yet delicious) meal for me for dinner after all the kids had gone to sleep.

Latacunga is much smaller than Quito, and it certainly whets my appetite for the simple life.

A lot of shops are still being built around the neighbourhood, and I'm told that it is unsafe to venture out at night after 6. Having been told (more than once) that there are robbers at night, I think I better heed their warning...

                                          The beautiful landscape!!

                                           For His Children, Latacunga 

       The staff at FHC-Latacunga: todo tias, with Walter (Security guard) at the back and Elizabeth (Administracion Assistante) at the front. Veronica (our Administracion Manager, Quito) is on the far right.

                                        From L-R: Gabriel, Josue, Carlos, Terassita (in front of Carlos),
                                                         Alejandra, Antonio, and Angel.
                                        Tia Christina is keeping a watchful eye over them in this photo...

Falling ill

It's Christmas Eve in Ecuador (Christmas day in Australia), and I have fallen ill. Maybe it's the long hours at the orphanage during the day, and the computer at night, the temperature and climate (it's wet season at the moment), or not enough sleep – staying at the Group House – I awaken to the sound of the special needs children crying or wailing. The phone or intercom will ring twice before I properly wake up after 7.30am.

After a week and a half in Quito, I will spend the next 3 weeks volunteering at FHC-Latacunga (newly named “Casa Bourdeau”). I'm excited by the change of scenery and what awaits me there, having mainly been in Quito on both my visits to Ecuador.

I'm going to the toilet and drinking heaps of water, because that's what you do when you're sick (and write journal articles for your blog page, of course). I've got two books on the go at the moment, “Have a Little Faith” by Mitch Albom, and a book about George Müller, which someone from St Stephens, Surrey Hills kindly gave me. Both are quite suitable for where I'm at, at the moment.

I'm looking forward to staying at the two-storey Colombian mansion that is FHC-Latacunga.

Stay tuned for the next update...