So we had our first retreat this weekend. We left Duran on a Friday morning. The 10 of us filled up a van and a pickup truck and made our way to the beach. The streets were crowded while everyone was on their way to work. We waved to our neighbors as we left Arbolito. We have the opportunity to escape this city.

After getting on the Pan American Highway (that stretches from Alaska down to Chile), we started making our way North through Guayaquil. The City is immense. Cane houses completely cover hills that can be seen on the horizon. Imagine the green rolling hills of Virginia, and their beuty that can be seen for miles on the horizon. Or even better, Vermonts majestic hills that last month radiated with a mosaic of green, red, yellow, and orange along I89. Now in Guayaquil, we have the same hills here, but they are blamketed in grey from the concrete. Smoke from burning trash rises in the grey skies. If poverty had a color, it would be grey.

The city´s poverty is rampent and can not be hidden away. As we drive stop at every traffic light, we are undoubtedly approched by a gang of street vendors who try to sellce peanuts, oranges, lottery tickets, sunglasses and every other want you could imagine. The men are and instinctively flock to the truck filled with gringos. We have money, and its no secret.

Passing through the Guayaquils Grey Hills (this is not there real name) my sense of smell is being put to the test. The industry, polution, and lack of sewage in the city make me cover my nose with my shirt while I drive. Its cloudy today, but is this just because of the smog? The exhaust from these trucks is black. Trash dances in the streets. People play Frogger to cross the highway. There are crowds of 30 every quarter mile who are waiting for their bus. Everyone seems quiet, but the highway is deafening. After about an hour of driving through these concrete hills, we make our way of the city to the beaches that line the west coast.

I am back to the Pacific.

Away. Away from the roosters calling at 3am. Away from the stray dogs barking in the streets. Away from the street vendors´ microphones. Away from the noise. Away from the crowded streets. Away from the crowded buses where personal space is a memory. Away from cars honking their horns incessantly. Away from the smell. Away from speaking Spanish for a weekend. Away from those buses. Away from the children. Away from the life as a volunteer-that can take its tole on any optimistic graduate.

I can hear the waves bringing in the tide. I can walk barefoot and feel the sand. I can see the miracle of a sand dollar. I can swim in silence and taste the salt water. I can feel the sea pull me out with the current. I feel nature. I have time to be quiet. To nap. To write. To draw a pìcture of home. And this weekend, I had time to connect with my new community. To talk about the importent things. To re-energize. To reconnect with our purpose as volunteers. To be thankful for this opportunity.

Ive been back for about a week now. That weekend at the beach was so important for me. To take a break and get away from it all. To recharge my battery. And when I came back, I was surprised with a couple packages from home. Candy, books, CDs, and cookies are really the best way to tell someone you love them.

I am glad to be back here in Duran. I am glad to be back with a new appreciation for my 5 senses (Thanks Ethan). And a new appreciation for this opportunity to be here. Coming back, I have come to realize that I have been taken into this community at this point. Three months ago I was in a sea of unfamiliarity. I know names. I can read signs. I know where people live. I can speak. This is my second validation of the theory-you really have to get away from a place to fully appreciate it.

Images from Arbolito

A piece of our garden

Regulars at Semilla's

July and our cancha at Semillas (concrete soccer field)

Neighbor's laundry

Typical Bonfire on our street

Sunset from our roof, my favorite hobby everyday at 6pm

Damien House's Story

Whats been keeping me busy at work...

In 1987, Annie Credido went to Guayaquil, Ecuador to teach pre-school at the foundation school Nuevo Mundo. Although she found great joy in the classroom, Annie was introduced to the patients living in an abandoned Hansen’s wing of the Infectious disease hospital. In seeing the horrendous conditions and disheartened spirits of the patients, Annie immediately felt God’s call to be a presence and advocate for those otherwise forgotten by society.

As it was found, the wing demanded immediate changes. The nearby disposal of hospital trash caused serious rat and roach infestations. The sewage pipes were eroded and damaged, leading to flooding in the patients’ bedrooms during the rainy season. Screens and windows were missing, and the hospital was rarely cleaned. The little food offered was often contaminated. Patients lived without dental care, resulting in worn down gums and difficulty eating. Due to the lack of water and nursing care, bed ridden patients were often dealing with scabies, lice, and bed sores. Basic medical care was nearly impossible to receive. Even worse, if a patient complained, they were asked to leave.

Annie did what she could with limited resources and prayed for help to meet these extensive needs. Her prayers were answered when she met Suzanne Belz over a cup of coffee. Suzanne asked “What do you need?” After that gesture, she then wrote the bylaws and handled the legal work with her husband Ed Belz, and Damien House Inc. was founded.

When donations started coming in from the US, the hospital wing began to transform. The plumbing and sewage was modernized to guarantee clean water while preventing flooding and rodent infestations. A nursing team and an Internist MD were hired and finally offered patients the medical care they deserved. Broken bed frames were repaired and new mattresses purchased. Clean bedding was provided for every patient. A nutrition program was initiated to ensure the food was clean, healthy, and appetizing. Visitors came, and started to paint vibrant murals over the grey walls. Flowering plants started to fill the empty hallways. Little by little, the patients’ spirits were uplifted. A newfound joy came from knowing that others cared about them and they were not abandoned. The positive atmosphere was contagious and evident to all. Meetings were held where the patients could speak freely about what their needs were, without the fear of being asked to leave. The patients were finally given a voice!

The non-profit organization channels tax exempt donations to Ecuador. All donations are used for the 24 hours a day, seven days a week, holistic care of the patients. The doors never close, and no one is ever turned away! Through the balance of wonderful friends and partner foundations, Damien House has become the home and refuge for our friends affected with Hansen’s disease.

Viva

I have a beard.

It hasnt rained since Ive been here.

I went to 2 fiestas since I last blogged. I am still convinced that there is no better way to meet people than during celebrations. The rule, as a volunteer, is that I cannot drink within my community. But there are no rules against listening to musice, dancing, and celebrating. The fact that I wasnt drunk, made it even more of a new experience for me.

The music here is so different. Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton. The dancing is very different too, but I feel that I can still adjust, even if I look like an idiot. For me, life is about learning by jumping in head first.

The music was deafening, but I managed to maintain conversations in Spanish. I was in a group of all older guys (my security guards, the DJ, and a couple of complete strangers to me- I was easily the youngest), who were getting hammered, talking about philosophy. Yes, philosophy and religion. I was really happy that, for the first time since Ive been here, I was just hanging out with the guys. I couldnt understand everything, but I was able to slow them down and explain. I wanted to hear what they were saying about their lives and experiences. This time, I wouldnt settle for confusion. I kept up a conversation about Frued, then transitioned to Taoism, and eventually Christianity. We concluded that life is about balance. We concluded that we are all brothers and sisters in this world. We concluded that life is about celebration and helping each other out. We concluded that life is good.