Missions

So, as you know i went to Ecuador for 2 weeks. one week of medical mission work and the other week of just vacation. it was so amazing and has made me miss it so much. the minute i stepped off the plane i felt like i was back home. all the random things that i had forgotten about living there came rushing back, like how i couldn't just drink the water for fear of acquiring vichos, or how crossing the street becomes a sporting event rather than a simple action, what with all the darting and dodging of cars. or how an accepted mode of transportation is piling as many people as you can into the back of a pick-up truck. one event that happened right before i left was when my friend was dropping me off somewhere in the city and he took my on the back of his motorcycle... while talking on his cell phone...and running red lights...and driving on the sidewalk! all while passing a police officer! seriously, only in Ecuador could someone get away with this. but don't worry mom, i was wearing a helmet.

The week of medical work was awesome though, it always is. we went to the same city that we have been going to the last 4 years and many of the same communities that we have gone to before but every year is so different from the last. there are certain things that you can count on, how everyone will have A)Vichos (parasites), B)Scabies C)Ringworm and D)will want vitamins. that being the case we know that our biggest supplies will be vermox and vitamins along with creams for the scabies and ringworm. it's how the people will react to us that is so unpredictable. the number of hearts that were touched can't be counted, our lives were changed by them even more than theirs were changed by us. and it's always good, especially now during lent, to be reminded how many things in life aren't really necessary. like this woman here, this is her whole entire house. that's it. that's her bed, her kitchen, her "living" area...everything. and chances are she doesn't live alone. i am always so humbled when i see how much of the rest of the world lives and then think about how much i "think" i need. obviously we can all get by with just a little less than we already have.

there were so many children who touched my heart while i was there, i didn't want to leave the country (and almost wasn't able to!). i would really like to be able to go back in the next few years, after i get the proper nursing experience, and then get our clinic up and running. when i was working with operation smile and i got to help with that it was so awesome to see these lives changed and that's what our clinic is trying to become. we've got almost everything we need to start operating we're just lacking a few key things such as money, supplies ...and nurses. that last one was brought up more than once to me...i wonder what they could be thinking? actually that's not true they flat out asked me to stay, not even go back to the US to pack up my stuff, just stay. i was even promised a hudband, that was an awkward moment.

in other news, the heat is stuck on in my apartment and it is now a whopping 90 degrees. i have been wearing my bathing suit with all the windows open as a way of compensating and i seem to be losing the battle.