Day 3

Day 3


This day we took a us ride to the extension project of EC109 in the town of Machachi.  This was over an hour bus ride.  As we were riding out there, I couldn't help but think about the ladies from Quito who do this trip every week three times a week and the pastor who comes out there every Tuesday and every 15th day.  These people have such a passion for their calling.  They don't let anything keep them from doing God's work no matter how far they must go to do it!  They are rock stars in my book.


Once we got there, the children of the Compassion program made us wait downstairs so they could finish the preparations.  We then were greeted by all the children and their tutors with smiles and songs!! It was so sweet.  They then made us join in with the hand motions to their songs, which we all gladly did.  Once again we were blown away with all the preparation they had done just for us.  They decorated, prepared a program, and then shared their hearts with us.  Why do we find it so hard to be open with one another. I pray that all of us can learn to stop hiding behind false walls and just be who we are; new in Christ Jesus!!  After the program, Ms. Anita( yes the pastor's wife is in charge here too), explained to us in more detail how the Compassion program works at the project. 


Then is was time for us to give back to them.  We did VBS for this group of children.  And again, we were blown away by how well behaved the children were.  We had such a great time with the children.  After VBS, we went to a park to play! Just another example of how a kid is kid no matter where they are geographically.


After the children went home, the group went to three different homes for visits.  These are such precious times to love on the whole family.  We all come away from there loving this people group even more! At this point I can say that our whole group is in love with the people of Ecuador!!


The home that I visited was a 12 year old little girl named Gladys.  She lived with 8 other family members.  Gladys was shy at first.  I don't think she liked all the attention on her.  This immediately gave me a connection to her.  She had won my heart without saying a word.  Which is why my heart was grieved when I asked her what she liked to do for fun.  She looked puzzled for a moment then said,"Nothing, I don't have time for fun."  Gladys gets up with your two nephews at 5 a.m. to take care of the chickens, cows, and guinea pigs before she takes two buses to go to school.  When she gets off the bus after school, she walks to your cousins home to take care of them.  Her family cannot afford for her to be child.  You would think this is enough to make her life seem tragic, but the dysfunction that is attacking her family is even worse.  Their family shows the typical male persona.  The father and brother-n-law are having affairs with other family members and women in the community.  What's even worse is the men don't hide it from all the children.  This family is so broken.  The mom broke down in tears while we prayed for her.  I don't think she has anyone to support her emotionally.  God sent us to her to be arms that day.  We all hugged and kissed her to comfort her.  It's not much, but it is all we could do.


The other two homes had similar tales.  The financial poverty is not the worse poverty that these families deal with.  Please be in pray for them.


In Him,
Angie Logozzo