TEAM 176 JOURNAL
GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS QUITO, ECUADOR
MARCH 9 - 15, 2019
WWW.GLOBALVOLUNTEERS.ORG
GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS E c u a d o r
T e a m
T e a m
G o a l s
1 7 6
T e a m
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s Flexible
Accountable
To learn more about life in Ecuador To build relationships To contribute my time and skills to make a difference in others’ lives To improve my Spanish To be focused on others not ourselves To remember not to put toilet paper in the toilet
Ambitious
Non-Judgemental
Self-Aware
Supportive Good Listeners Caring
Respectful
Generous
Helpful Patient
Goal-Oriented Careful
Playful
Hample
Punctual
Empathetic
Calm
Kind Interactive Perseverance Observant Diligent Open-Minded Proactive 2
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D a y
Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. ~Â Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
March 10, 2019
T
ALLISON LOPRESTI
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
oday was the first day of our Global Volunteers trip to Ecuador. The team included 17 women from all over Medtronic, and today we all had the opportunity to meet one another as well as our Team Leader from Global Volunteers, Maggie. By the end of the day, I think we all felt like we had known each other for definitely longer than only the ten hours of orientation. Bonding as a team today was quite fun as we learned not only a lot about Ecuador and what we will be doing together for the rest of the week, but just as important learned about one another.
We had the founding women of FUNDAC come and talk to the team. Yolanda, Pilar, and Marujita spent time talking about their passion around building schools and helping all children. They talked so proudly about their families to include their children and great grandchildren. It was a very humbling experience to listen to all they have done for the people in Ecuador. They left us with gifts made from Calderón. Adorable handmade small bread dough pins that they took the time and placed on each of us. I am sure they will be the first of many amazing people we see this week. Throughout the day Maggie taught us about Ecuadorian culture, rules, policies, safety, and we ended the day with a fun but difficult (for most of us) Spanish class. Maggie was absolutely fantastic and kept our team on track all day. Maggita (Maggie) is so very passionate about Global Volunteers and Ecuador. So special to see and be around a person like her. Throughout the day she offered us a bunch of pearls about Ecuador and our time volunteering. One that resonated with me: “to remember to deposit trust in people throughout the week”. We had a team breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thank you, Héctor! The potato soup for lunch was amazing, the stuffed avocado was fantastic for dinner, and everyone loved the ají sauce. In fact, we already found the recipe. We found our social coordinator. Jennie is a gem and is organizing all our fun travels for the week. We all found the local market that we visited frequently during breaks. We ended the evening with a birthday cake for Sherry, "¡veintiséis! Sherrita", our baby of the team!
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The secret to living is giving.
~Â Tony Robbins
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March 11, 2019
O
MICHELLE REED
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
ur day started out practicing our Spanish introductions which was quite entertaining. We quickly learned not to say ANUS "(ano)" or that we were terminally ill. LOL. We hurried from breakfast to the vans to take us to Calderón. The drive was quite the experience from the front seat. I got a bird’s eye view of no turn signals, crazy roundabouts, U-turns, and horn honking.
Once we arrived at the early childhood development center, we went to our job posts watching children, scraping walls, and laying tile. My job was working with the 12 to 24-month-olds, which was right up my alley since I have children the same ages that I’m missing terribly. As a mother of small children, you’re always wondering if you’re doing it right - are they eating right, sleeping right, learning right, etc. You’re constantly wanting the best for your children and wondering how to make that happen. Observing other children in another country and seeing how they’re taken care of helps validate that as caregivers we are all doing our very best with what we have and that children given their basic needs can shine so brightly. " Y o u y o u r
’re
c o n s t a n t l y
c h i l d r e n
w a n t i n g
a n d
w o n d e r i n g
t h a t
h a p p e n . "
t h e
b e s t
h o w
t o
f o r m a k e
The women of the center are so passionate about children. They give all of who they are while they are with them. My biggest take away from today is women and mothers are the foundation, the cornerstone, the core of our global communities and with their strength, anything can be accomplished, especially the nurturing of our most precious gems, our children. 6
March 11, 2019
M
STEPHANIE LUNING
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
onday was our first full day at FUNDAC. We were well prepared and educated on what to expect from our full day of orientation. We arrived with open minds and ready to take on whatever the day ahead presented to us. Upon our arrival we were given introductions to the parents whom we would be working with throughout the day and took a tour of the facility.
Those who would be working with the children split off and those of us who were working with labor were paired off with our chaperones for the day and were instructed on how to prep the walls for tiling indoors or how to scrape and sand the exterior walls of the facility so that they can later be painted. " B e i n g l a u g h
a b l e a t
o n e
t o
p r a c t i c e
a n o t h e r b r e a k
t h e
w a s
t h e
a
l a n g u a g e g r e a t
a n d
w a y
t o
i c e . "
All of us worked diligently throughout the morning until a much-needed break at lunch, while the children were napping in their beds. After lunch, we had the opportunity to practice our "español" with "las profesoras" of FUNDAC. We all enjoyed a laugh at the others' mispronunciations or phrases in our non-native languages. We met some name sake sisters and other determined women who follow the mantra "Soy soltera y hago lo que quiera,” like so many in our group! Being able to practice the language and laugh at one another was a great way to break the ice and set a foundation for building strong relationships in the week to come. Unfortunately, because we had such great discussion at our “getting to know you session,” we ran out of time to practice English with the teachers and had to postpone until tomorrow. 7
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In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.
~ Les Brown
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March 12, 2019
JENNIE NOVELLINO
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
oday was our second day at the center. I know I felt more comfortable and more familiar with the children’s routine. It's a beautiful thing to watch how organized the center is and how the teachers work together to get everything done. You can also tell that the children are accustomed to their routine and it is impressive to see how self-sufficient they are. Now that I know the ropes a bit better, I can’t wait for the rest of the days this week! To quote Leigh, “This is organized chaos.” To quote myself, “I love it.”
These kids are a gift. When I think back to what Maggie said on Sunday - this lowincome daycare was founded because parents didn’t have a place for their children and they were in the street. FUNDAC is such a blessing. These kids have a foundation for education, meals, stability, and people who love them. I feel overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to participate in this tiny window of their lives. I wish I could pick a favorite thing, but I kind of love it all; singing and playing, making sure they eat, getting them in bed for their nap, and putting their shoes back on afterwards. Also, restyling their hair after they have slept is too cute! I do remember a moment in the bathroom today when Allison, Catherine, and I all had an assembly line of children washing their hands after they did their business. Maybe that was my favorite – it was at least the most fun assembly line I’ve ever been in! "These kids are a gift."
Today was the first day we got to have a formal English lesson with the teachers at the center. Holly did a great job in the Intermediate English speakers’ room and our team also supported her lesson. I remembered what Maggie said about the teachers having
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that time to invest in learning and themselves. As a life-long learner myself, I was so glad we got to be part of that. These teachers also give all day long and work so hard, I am happy we get to have time with them and give them an adult break. "These teachers also give all day long and work so hard, I am happy we get to have time with them and give them an adult break."
The tile in the downstairs room is looking so good! I am very proud of this team! I’m hoping another team member will elaborate on the tiling because I haven’t been down there for much of it. All I know it that it is a huge need that is being filled to block the mold and it looks so pretty! Speaking of the others on my team, today was Day 3 of us being together and I feel like we are all getting more comfortable and getting to know the people on the other side of the table. I just keep going back to how blessed we are to be in this position, we get to travel, serve, and meet incredible and talented women from all over the country. Each person has something special to contribute and as the week goes on I look forward to continuing to get to know my teammates. Every time I do something like this, whether it is a volunteer group or some type of training, I always feel that somehow I end up in the best of groups. I find myself feeling that way again. We are the best group!!! "The days are long but the years are short and they go by so fast."
Lastly, to echo Leigh’s inspiration from this morning, every second counts. We all have a finite amount of time to live, love, laugh, drink wine, eat good food, work, play, explore, and make a difference. The days are long but the years are short and they go by so fast. Every day I think about how I want to live my life and what kind of person I want to be that day, because I realize that every day adds up to a lifetime. I ask myself, “When you look back at your life when you are 90, what do you want to see? Be that person NOW.” When I thought about deciding whether or not to come on this trip, I asked myself if my 90-year-old self would be glad that I went, of course the answer is yes! I am also so happy you all decided to take time out of your busy lives to be here because I am going to need strong, intelligent, and inspiring women in my life forever.
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U
HOLLY FRANKENBERG
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
pon arriving at FUNDAC, we were warmly greeted by familiar faces as well as the new set of parents we’d be working alongside with. The tiling team picked up right where they left off, and their project is coming together beautifully. The painting team started their morning by finishing the scraping/sanding we had left, then we finally got to start painting. Once we got the right combination of water and paint, everyone grabbed a roller or a brush and jumped in. I got more comfortable using my Spanish to ask Joel what our next task was (rather than asking Maggie to ask Joel for us), and I learned that the Spanish verb for “to sand” is “lijar”. We also got to meet Evita, another woman of FUNDAC, who greeted us with an air kiss and we debated on whether we’re supposed to touch cheeks when we air kiss or not.
After lunch, we got to officially start our first English lesson with "las profesoras de FUNDAC". Cheryl led the basic level class, and I led the intermediate level class. I was excited for this portion of the day because after college, I seriously debated teaching English abroad for a year. I had a friend who spent a year in Italy teaching adults English, and she absolutely loved it. But because of student loans (and various other excuses I made up), I never did and instead got an entry level position at this great company called Medtronic. "Laughter is truly something that can bring people across cultures together."
We started off with going over how "estoy" and "soy" are both “I am” in English, and how “I am” is used for age, feelings, etc. It was so great to see the teachers’ personalities come out when we taught them more fun uses of “I am” like “I am single and I am hot.” Laughter is truly something that can bring people across cultures together.
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The afternoon went by quickly, and before we knew it, Raúl arrived and was ready to take us to the equator. We got to the French monument around 4:30 p.m., and Raúl said we had to be back to the bus around 4:45. Since time was of the essence, Annie quickly paid $5 for everyone to get in, and then it was RAPID TOURIST SELFIE TIME. We jogged past the busts of some probably important French dudes, but we had no time for reading placards and learning about their lives. Once we got up to the monument, we quickly formed a system to ensure each person got a picture of themselves on the equator line. At 4:42, we literally jogged back down the monument where Raúl was waiting for us in the getaway van. I’m sure the security gentlemen at the entrance were surprised by our record time monument experience.
We then went to the Intiñán Solar Museum just down the road, where the actual measured equator is. The museum had a lot of beautiful plants and flowers, as well as cool decor and structures that made you feel like you were in the Amazon. Miriam was our lovely comedic tour guide, and she taught us all about the Amazonian tribes, how to make a shrunken head, and of course, penis fish. She also showed us a cool Coriolis Effect demonstration (or lack thereof), had us balance an egg on a nail, and tested our strength on and off the equator line. If you were able to balance the egg on the nail, you received a certificate with a Mitad del Mundo stamp on it (which they can also put in your passport). Thank you to Jennie and Annie for covering entrance fees and transportation for the group, it made things much smoother and was very much appreciated. "Even though it
’s
only been two days, I already
see that strong connections are forming between us and the Calderón community."
Even though it’s only been two days, I already see that strong connections are forming between us and the Calderón community. I’ve enjoyed living out tenet six of our Mission with everyone, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for our team.
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M e s s a g e
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What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.
~ Aristotle
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March 13, 2019
CATHEY MASSEY
J o u r n a l
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s we had breakfast I had to step away but when I came back I learned that my conversation with Joel was somewhat colorful. What we think of as hot in the U.S. is considered something perhaps inappropriate in mixed company. "Our day was filled with connection, service, and some fun."
While some of you might not know the time story, I have been going through a personal journey and know that I am in the right place/time in being here and to see how I can serve God more deeply. When we face the unknown that is where we grow/learn what God/universe is showing us. This is my mantra to serve, resilience, and live a purpose-filled life. Our day was filled with connection, service, and some fun.
We painted, tiled, and played with the kids. We took time to have meaningful conversations with each other. We took time to go to the dough lady where Cecilia showed us her place and told us how it all got started. Some of us bought her beautiful items and some had ice cream. "I am thankful for all of you, the lessons learned, and our journey together."
Five of us went to the hot springs. The drive was lovely among the clouds and seeing the country side. The springs were amazing and we had the whole place to ourselves for a while. We had an amazing time and finished it off with a bottle of wine and dinner. I am thankful for all of you, the lessons learned, and our journey together.
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March 13, 2019
T
CHERYL FERKANY
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
here’s nothing like starting out the day with a good laugh. Our day began with a Spanish lesson. Maggie taught us the difference between the words "caliente" and "calor". On Tuesday, Cathey had remarked to a few of the men that were working at the childhood center on the painting project that her husband was hot and used the word "caliente" to describe him. They began snapping their fingers at her. This morning we learned from Maggie about the word "caliente" and that while it means “hot” in Spanish, it refers to the temperature of a thing. "Calor" is for describing the weather. When used in the way that Cathey said it, she was in essence, telling them that her husband was horny! Ah! The fun of language and translation! "There
’s
nothing like starting out the day with a good laugh."
We arrived at the center and had a brief meeting outside the gates before starting our work for the day. Prior to going in, we saw a glimpse of the dog who guards the center and lives on the roof. The dog must especially love it when volunteers are around. She has been fed our lunch leftovers each day!
The group then split up to their assigned duties: painting, tiling, chairs, and children. Jennifer shared with me her experience of working on the chair project with one of the local fathers who came to help. He didn’t know any English and Jennifer doesn’t speak Spanish. It was a two-person task. He was drilling while she was holding the wooden chair seat in place. Yet the two of them worked together as a team, communicating through smiles and hand gestures to complete their project, demonstrating the great work that we can do when aligned on a common goal. Day three for me was spent with teachers Cecilia and Jhenny in their classroom. It melted my heart to have the little children run up to give me hugs. After their Spanish lesson on animal names, we danced to music and did yoga. (Yes, yoga!) Yoga with twoyear-olds is like herding cats. It was an amusing task to say the least. I shared with Cecilia and Jhenny the "caliente" story – they couldn’t stop laughing. 15
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After lunch, we teamed up with the teachers for an afternoon English lesson. In the basic class, Fonda was working closely with Blanqui on key phrases: "My name is Blanqui, I am __ years old. I was married but now I am single." Some way, somehow, this then morphed into them (and the rest of the class) raising their hands in the air singing Beyoncé’s “All the Single Ladies.” After class, we all went to the Ecuadorian folklore store run by Cecilia. This is the woman who had made bread dough art pins for us that we received on day one by the ladies of FUNDAC. She explained to us how she started making the pieces for Ecuador’s Day of the Dead, but then expanded her business to make figurines for other holidays. She’s been making bread dough art for over 50 years. Cecilia showed us how she makes her pieces and gave us each a piece of dough to try our own creations. After a 30-minute shopping spree and some tasty "helado", our group split up for the evening. For some it was a hot springs adventure, for others it was a gondola ride up to Pichincha where the views of Quito were magnificent. The comradery of this Aspire group is a wonderful thing to encounter. Seventeen women, most of whom were strangers on Saturday when we arrived, have this shared experience, which we will remember for the rest of our lives. To see this bonding and these genuine friendships emerging, is truly something to treasure. "Seventeen women, most of whom were strangers on Saturday when we arrived, have this shared experience, which we will remember for the rest of our lives."
I end this journal entry with one last thought. I can state that I was compliant with the no-toilet-paper-in-the-toilet rule. I packed tongs as a precaution because I knew I was likely to forget. They were a wise investment and were put to use!
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To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else, is the greatest accomplishment.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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March 14, 2019
A
SHERRY OLLER
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
fter doing labor for the first three days alongside our team and the parents, I decided to switch it up and spend the day upstairs with the kids. Although I was hesitant to do this because I’m really not around kids a lot and I assumed the language barrier would make it tougher, I knew that I’d regret not experiencing it if I didn’t give it a chance.
"Seeing all their little faces put a deeper meaning behind
’
why we re doing what we are."
Seeing all their little faces put a deeper meaning behind why we’re doing what we are. Thinking about the fact that if the ladies of FUNDAC didn’t work to get these buildings funded and up and running, that these kids would potentially be alone at home or roaming around the street is terrifying. This center provides kids with ample food, with education, and gives them the chance to be in a socialized, safe environment around people who will love and nurture them. I can’t say enough about how amazing the teachers are and everyone that is involved with FUNDAC who work tirelessly to better their community and set these kids up for a good transition into school. And I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside them and help make a difference. I’m also grateful for my grade school gym teacher who taught me how to juggle. Because of her, I will always be able to entertain kids, even if we don’t speak the same language.
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After work today we reflected on our experience with our fearless leader, Maggie. And then departed to Old Town with our lovely tour guides where we enjoyed beautiful views, learned even more about the culture, and enjoyed "canelazo." Lastly, I want to thank all of you who have taught me so much during this experience. There is nothing that pumps me up more than being surrounded by strong professional women. Hearing your stories, laughing together, learning together, and working for the same cause - to give back. As I’m still in the process learning who I am and setting a solid foundation for my future, I can say to each and every one of you that your stories, experiences, and advice have definitely impacted me for the better and I’ll never forget any of you! "Hearing your stories, laughing together, learning together, and working for the same cause - to give back."
I look forward to our day of celebration and surprising our new friends with welldeserved gifts!
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S
March 14, 2019
SHERRY OLLER
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
o rewarding to see the interior and exterior building coming together. By the time we left the center yesterday afternoon, the tiling was almost complete. Almost all the interior and exterior walls were finished, after several hours of scraping, sanding, painting, cleaning, and sweeping. The steel grates over the windows and door were also finished after being cleaned, sanded, and painted.
Both levels of Conversational English classes incorporated American pop songs to facilitate the learning experience. These no doubt made things more fun and memorable! "Children who are unable to express positive cues, either by choice or inability, are the ones who need love the most."
Allison, Cheryl, Liz, and Michelle continued assisting the teachers with the children. The immediate feedback of a child’s smile, affection, or look of utter contentment is the reward. Children who are unable to express positive cues, either by choice or inability, are the ones who need love the most. This is where true grace from the caregiver has to be present. I witnessed only love, patience, and compassion in the interactions volunteers had with the children. Three kiddos had woken up from their naps during Conversational English. Up until today, I had no direct contact with the children. I was handed Mathías, a 19-month-old toddler. The opportunity to hold him in my arms for those brief 15 minutes was a live, warm, tangible reinforcement as to why I was there. I will always wonder what journeys the children at the center will travel. At first I wondered "how could the brief five days I spent here and the monetary donations I made possibly make a difference?" However, after remembering that we are just one link in a long line of Global Volunteers, the passion of the foundations, the dedication of the teachers, of all those who preceded us, and of all those who will follow, it put things into perspective for me. 20
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If the first woman was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back and get it right side up again. ~ -Soujourner Truth
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March 15, 2019
SANDY HICKEY
J o u r n a l
E n t r y
t's hard to believe today was our last day. It seems like it went so fast yet the connections we made are long lasting. "My heart was filled with pride seeing everything that was accomplished."
The day started by some of us going to work with the children and others cleaning and getting the newly tiled room ready for the celebration. Together as a team we were able to help complete painting of the outside building, tiling, and painting the walls of the main floor, and assisting the teachers with the children. My heart was filled with pride seeing everything that was accomplished. FUNDAC put on a celebration to thank us for our work.
The celebration consisted of exchanging of gifts and having FUNDAC perform their native dances. By the group’s donations, we were able to supply clothes for the children, floor mats for the classrooms, and Pediasure for a year for an underdeveloped child due to malnutrition. It was inspirational to see the love and appreciation they had for the center and the children. They expressed their gratitude for what we gave in time and resources yet what we all discovered is they were the unsung heroes. Seeing their commitment to their cause and giving hearts made us all better. What they gave us was far more than anything we could ever give them. I think we all would agree this trip was life changing and a reminder to focus on what is important. Giving and sharing our talents to those in need. Doing what you can to make the world a better place. Our Medtronic team arrived as 17 strangers and left as 17 friends bonded by a cause bigger than ourselves. I think Helen Keller says it best: “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.”
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T
BECKY FOX
March 15, 2019 J o u r n a l
E n t r y
oday was bittersweet. The day started off like all the others, but deep down we all knew it was our last breakfast together, our last team meeting, and our last day at the children’s center. Upon arrival, I surveyed the freshly painted, two-story ochre building and the inside tiling and painting jobs. After just one short week, we saw a transformation of the Our Lady of Carmen Early Childhood Development Center #2. Our projects were near completion and they looked great! I was in awe, and remember thinking to myself, WOW, we did all that! It’s amazing what can be accomplished when you put a loving community and seventeen amazing and determined women together!
After settling our belongings inside, we finished up the teacher appreciation cards and then scrambled off in different directions. There were still odds and ends to finish up, cleaning to be done, and children to attend to. A few of us broke off to set up a display of all the donations we collected for the center. There were clothes galore, toiletries, crayons, puzzles, Pediasure, and puzzle mat flooring. We had quite the display!
’
"It s amazing what can be accomplished when you put a loving community and seventeen amazing and determined women together!"
The next chunk of the day was carved out to celebrate everything that was accomplished over the week and the connections we all made working side-by-side with one another. The ladies of FUNDAC, the teachers and staff, and all the children were downstairs for the festivities. While we were taking our seats, I spotted a few of the children running their hands across the newly laid tile. It was a gratifying sight and made me smile! As we sat there, the ladies of FUNDAC, with the help of Maggie’s translation, expressed their gratitude for everything we accomplished and the time we spent working within their community center. The ladies presented each of us
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with small bread dough figurines as a token of their appreciation. The celebration continued with Bomba and a few more traditional Ecuadorian dances. As the dancing continued, the ladies grabbed some of the women from our group to join them on the dance floor. It was a great delight being invited to take part in such a wonderful cultural exchange. Following the dancing, we presented the ladies of FUNDAC with our donations. As I looked around the room, I saw many eyes swelling with tears. I think in that moment, we all knew in our hearts that we had come together for a common good and done something bigger than ourselves, but we also knew that our hearts would be forever stamped by the love and devotion we had witnessed within the center. "We all knew in our hearts that we had come together for a common good and done something bigger than ourselves, but we also knew that our hearts would be forever stamped by the love and devotion we had witnessed within the center."
After presenting the ladies of FUNDAC with their donations, we all scrambled off in different directions again. I went upstairs to spend the last bit of time I could with the children. It was their lunch time, so back to the daily routine of chanting "come, come, come... traga, traga, traga" and walking the "niños" who were prematurely drifting off to sleep. It was amazing watching the children’s independence while eating, too! Particularly, with the soup. They had so much control and could even tilt their little bowls to get the last spoonful. Ha, thinking about it, I just cracked myself up a little. I was thinking about how well the kids ate and about all the times Stephanie spilled something or missed her mouth when drinking. Sorry to throw you under the bus, Stephanie, but I think the kids spilled less than you! ;) After lunch and after the kids were nestled in for a nap, we all congregated to share our last lunch together. Surprise, more rice! I can’t remember if there were plantains, but probably--LOL.
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Following lunch, we again congregated on the main floor to exchange gifts with the teachers. There were many heartfelt hugs, and, of course, we saw more tears. However, the tears were quickly replaced by laughter when the chorus of “all the single ladies” burst into song. Another stand out memory from the afternoon was one of the teachers confessing that when she saw that our volunteer group consisted entirely of women, she said to the other teachers, “Ηow in the world are they going to accomplish all the things we want to accomplish?” Well, I think we quickly proved that the ladies of ASPIRE can do anything put before us and anything we set our minds to do! As the gift exchange ended, the children began waking up from their naps. They were then taken to the “salón” and given their afternoon snack before being ushered down the stairs to their loved ones. As they filed down, I stood there by the end of the steps with an inkling of sadness, for I knew, this would be the last time I would see the children of Calderón. I would be saying “adiós” and not “chao.”
"You will all stay near to my heart and I will cherish all the memories and experiences made in Quito, Ecuador for the rest of my life."
Volunteering in Ecuador, in the parish of Calderón, has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. It was an experience like no other. And, to think, I was slightly hesitant about signing up for this trip because I didn’t know anyone. I would’ve missed out on so much had I not come. I came as an individual, but instantly felt like part of a family. For that, I have you all to thank. I’d like to thank Sandy and all the ladies of Aspire, Maggie and the people behind the scenes at Global Volunteers, and an extra special thanks to all the ladies of FUNDAC and the community of Calderón for allowing us the opportunity to share in their lives. Without each and every one of you, this would not have been the impactful, life-changing volunteer experience it has been. You will all stay near to my heart and I will cherish all the memories and experiences made in Quito, Ecuador for the rest of my life. Thank you!!
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TEAM 176 JOURNAL Quito, Ecuador March 2019
The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. ~ Oscar Wilde
Thank your
you
for
service. GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS
375 East Little Canada Road St. Paul, MN 55117-1628 USA (800) 487-1074 | toll-free (651) 482-0915 | fax globalvolunteers.org email@globalvolunteers.org GlobalVolunteers globalvolunteers globalvolunteers