SACO BAY ROTARIANS HEAD FOR ECUADOR 

Months ago when planning this “fact finding’ trip it was far off in the future. Well, the day has arrived and we are headed to the unknown. What we know is, we are looking for a club to work on International projects with. A host club that will make sure the project is complete and will assist in the completion of the project.  A “hands on” approach which will impact many in the community.

January 7, 2005

This was our travel day. The 4 of us met at the local Park and Ride and started our journey. After a car, and 2 flights we landed in Quito, Ecuador around 8:30pm. We were greeted by the hosting Rotary Club and their families. We all looked quite disheveled and tired, and here total strangers were waving our names on placards and so excited to see us. We said our good byes to each other and were swept away in the commotion of our new “families” as they spoke Spanish and very little English and us understanding and speaking very little Spanish.

The schools in the mountains had no water or electricity. But the smiles on the children are the same, they we happy to see the “strangers” from America.

We saw four elementary schools, each one less stocked with supplies and furniture than the previous one. The schools in the mountains had no water or electricity. But the smiles on the children are the same, they we happy to see the “strangers” from America. As we smiled at them and noticed the yellow in their eyes and their little bellies bloated, this from lack of nutrition and the parasites
in the run-off water they collect for drinking.

January 9, 2005

This was a day to understand their Capital City – Quito. We were taken to Old Quito, seeing the first hospital of the city, and a building dating back to 1534. This was 80 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock!  We saw many churches and took in the local culture and history.

January 10, 2005

Our first stop today was at the Macarena School. A day care facility for children that have been incarcerated with their mothers. During the day they are able to have a good healthy meal, wear clean

                                            clothes and just play with other children.  Sadly, they are brought

                                            back to the prison come evening.

We then traveled to a facility that Dr. Jorge wants to build a workshop for adults with disabilities. He currently has a program in place, but another one would be able to assist the adults in that area of the community.

Our next stop was a part of Quito called Solander. This is a very poor section, where most of the people only get 1 meal a day. There is a clinic that is open 6 days a week for care, and a soup kitchen that serves a healthy noon meal to the elderly. They are looking to expand the facility.  We attend the Rotary Club meeting of our hosting club, for tomorrow we are off to see other parts of Ecuador.

January 11, 2005

We all gather and leave our host families about 8am and are headed to Latacungua. This is a 2 hour van ride. A very scenic ride, at time were some club members caught up on sleep. Latacungua is located in the providence of Cotapaxi. Named after the highest volcano in the world. We are met by 2 Rotarians at our Hotel and taken to see a project that they have been supporting for 33 years. A daycare center that is open during the week for the local children.

January 12, 2005

This was a non-stop day! We started off by seeing the local Fire Station. The local Rotary club looking for assistance in acquiring a rescue vehicle for the needs of the providence.  Presently, the first response vehicle is a motorcycle with 2 fire extinguishers on it.  We then saw a local nursing home that gets assistance from the club, they put in washing machines for the residence. After lunch we left our friends of Latacungua and traveled to Ambato to see more of Ecuador and meet more local Rotarians. In the city ofAmbato we went to a historic museum, then attended the evening Ambato Rotary club meeting. We had a great time, a fun evening and met lots of new friends.

January 13, 2005
Bright and early we headed out, to see the Cosmoploitian Ambato’s favorite project. It is a school  for children with disabilities. The parents and caregivers of the children have acquired space from a local school, and are able to give the children physical therapy and teach them things that will assist them in their daily living. We traveled thru town and saw the park of topiary trees, what a sight.
Then found our way to Quisapincha, a town known for its leather products. Squabbling over the prices was expected, and one of my traveling companions mastered that!   After lunch we said our good byes and headed for our hour ride to Rio Bamba.  Our next stop on our

planification. A word we picked up from our new friends
in Eucador.

January 14, 2005

With our guides in Rio Bamba we were taken to Cajabamba and Penipe. These are towns in the mountains and valleys towards the western side of Ecuador. We were shown beautiful landscape  and live volcanoes. A project that they were looking for assistance was to build a housing development for the poor. Another project was a convent, were children with disabilities are brought, for the nuns to takecare of for their parents lack the knowledge or the funds to do so. We saw beautiful waterfalls and the lush

                                                      grazing land of Ecuador.

January 15, 2005

After breakfast we headed to Banos. This was the farthest south we traveled, it borders the  Amazon. The ride was quite an adventure, from the deep gorges on the side of the road to the passing on mountain pathways. We were very happy to arrive in the hotel.
After dinner we retired for the evening, ready to do some sightseeing of Banos in the morning.

January 17, 2005

After breakfast we headed back to Quito. The three hour journey back gave us time to discuss what we had seen over the last week, laugh about things as well as wonder where we could make a difference.  After arriving back in Quito we were greeted by our Rotarian friends and brought to meet the District Governor of Ecuador. We then went to the weekly Quito club meeting, and shared with them the projects that we saw. We said our farewells, for very early in the morning we would be heading to the airport for our trip back home.  Words can’t describe all that we got out of our trip. Not only did we find two projects, which we want to get involved in. But we were left with the knowing, we can make a difference. Currently we have applied for 2 grants, both will for the children and adults with disabilities.

My traveling companions were Gary Hammond, Dennis Robillard, Curt Scamman and myself, Brenda Gregoricus.