The Foundation

 Conocoto

 I have transitioned to the Foundation, an orphanage/foster care camp outside of Quito. My team from last week has gone home to Birmingham after a fun last day of cultural tourism inside the capital. We visited the volcano, Pichincha, by way of ski gondola and the amusement park at its base. I am so grateful for the Coe family who looked out for me during their trip and will miss them the rest of the summer. 

There is a new team with me from Texas. This small group consists of six from Wylie, Texas, plus three, including my roommate, who are from Duncan, Oklahoma. It has been such a joy getting to know them as we serve these orphans together. Our translator, Jamie, is such fun and we pick fun at each other constantly.

On Saturday I spent time with Eduardo’s family at their guest house in Quito as they hosted a group of Americans for their niece’s wedding that night. We went to local shops and one of the malls here looking for wedding shoes and salons with Eduardo’s wife, daughter, and son-in-law. It was such fun and a great experience to see the non-tourist parts of the city. 

The view from my window is AMAZING.We’re overlooking the suburb of Quito, Conocoto, and two looming mountains half hidden by clouds. The Foundation sits on a hill side with our rooms at the top so it’s a climb daily! 

On Monday our group painted some of the school buildings here at the Foundation where the resident children and some locals attend. It was such fun loosening up with my team- painting the walls, painting each other, threatening the translator with paint! A large gaggle of school boys sat nearby and pestered the girls in our group which was a laugh because their “favorite” girl is married! We wrapped up one building in time for lunch and then headed back down the hill to pass out shoes donated by FBC Wylie for each of the kids. It was hectic but fun getting all of the children in one room where the excitement rose and echoed in our ears. I appreciated getting to call out individual kids’ names and getting hugs from them as I gave them shoes. 

Our day then turned into an adventure. We piled into the Foundation’s fifteen-passenger van with Jamie volunteering as driver to take us to the Artesian Market closer to Quito. The market was brimming with so many brightly colored cultural treasures and trinkets and reminded me of Victoria Falls’ market in Livingstone, Zambia of last summer. Beautiful blankets, blouses, stuffed animals, bags, keychains, and trousers piled themselves in every nook and cranny of the stalls.  As we were readying to go, we learned that Jamie hadn’t had the best luck with parking the van and scraped up its side! He felt awful about it but only the paint was scratched. For dinner we headed to a little Colombian chain restaurant where I got to know the Foundations’ resident missionary, Mallory. She is a doll and we enjoyed talking throughout the meal of new and intriguing foods (Pan de Yuca!) 

Tuesday was filled with more painting of school buildings and afternoon VBS after our delightful siestas! The theme was Noah’s story from Genesis that the kids had mostly all heard before. The newbies were those new in from the coast who arrived here just this Friday. There are quite a handful of people here affected by the earthquake on the coast and prayers are needed. 

After the Bible story, coloring pages and water balloon fights ensued! I am so grateful for the opportunity to get to know the kids I did, especially little eleven-year-old Edward. 

Please be continually in prayer for us and the Foundation. Pray for Mallory as she lives here without any other Americans daily encouraging her. Pray also for those families affected by the earthquake. 

God Bless,

-my heart is not afraid