Atlanta-Ecuador Central Seeding Mission Trip
Team members are: Lynne Bryan of St. Francis in Macon; Chuck Burdick of St. Mark in Dalton; Laura McNeill and Cherlyn Mitchell of St. Luke in Atlanta; Sally Stenger of the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta; Melanie Struble of St Matthias in Toccoa; and Ron Cobb, Donna Burton, Gini Peterson, and Reid Peterson of St. Matthew in Snellville
DAY 2-Sept. 17, 2009
Greetings again from the Ecuador Mission Team in Quito! This is our third day here. We have spent a very full day working, learning and enjoying the Christian community of ourselves plus those in Ecuador.
We went back to the Cathedral School this morning. Lynne had substituted for the English teacher yesterday and the children greeted her and all of us with joy as we entered the school area this morning.
One of our main projects is to tile the computer room. Yesterday we moved all the desks, swept up all the dirt and purchased the tiles, cement, etc. Today the first two rows of tiles were laid. One member of our team, Chuck Burdick, is working closely with a local workman named Alberto to get the tiles down. It is a hard job that takes a long time but we are making good progress!
Many of the rest of us spent the time spackling the walls of two bathrooms and painting portions of these bathrooms. We couldn’t believe what a long job this was! We are slowly getting it finished.
We’ve taken many pictures to share with all of you showing every step of our project.
We had a late lunch at a wonderful little restaurant. We had an Ecuadorian dish called ceviche which was fantastic! Fr. Granja from the Cathedral went with us. Later in the afternoon we went to a museum that featured indigenous artwork from the various groups in Ecuador. Finally tonight we had a wonderful dinner back at the Diocesan Center.
We leave early tomorrow to go to Ambato which is high in the Andes Mountains. We will visit a mission church there.
We begin each day with devotions and end with compline. All of you in the Diocese of Atlanta are in our prayers. Please keep us in your prayers as well.
Love & God Bless,
Carolyn Coil for the Ecuador Mission Team
DAY 3 - Sept. 18, 2009
We had a wonderful day today! We started the day bright and early with another delicious breakfast prepared by Ceci at the Diocesan Center, morning devotion, and then we headed south to Ambato.
After driving through beautiful mountains and lush country side, including a peak at the snow covered vocalno, Cotopaxi, we reached Ambato where we visited San Salvador, an Episcopal Church and school. Fr. Raul Herrera, Fr. Angel, the staff, and children warmly greeted us with hugs and kisses. We enjoyed a snack of fruit and crackers and a short visit with the children. How welcoming and inquisitive the children are!!
From Ambato, we climbed even further up into the mountains (13,300ft) to La Hondonada, the highest Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Central Ecuador. The church is a mission church in a very small indigenous community where Fr. Raul Herrera is the Priest. The church has been painted, tiled, and pews have been provided through the support of our diocese and others. As we drove into the community, the parishioners came to greet us. We visited the home of one family who successfully raises geese. Fr. Raul is hoping to establish a larger geese farm for the community which would bring employment and generate revenue for the inhabitants. We received hospitality in their home of fresh hardboiled eggs. It was a humbling experience of generosity. After many hand shakes and well wishes, we said good bye and descended down the mountain to a town called Salcedo.
We ate lunch at Rumipamba de Las Rosas, a lovely hacienda in Salcedo. Although Salcedo is famous for its ice cream, our schedule did not allow us to stop for ice cream today. We hope to try Salcedo ice cream some other time while we are here.
We had a long ride back to the Diocesan Center, and we were greeted by our 11th team member when we arrived back to the Center. We look forward to having her work with us at the Cathedral School tomorrow. We had a light supper of juice and soup cooked by Ceci, and once again delicious.
We finished the day with Compline. Please continue to keeps us in your prayers, as you are in ours.
Gods Peace,
Melanie Struble, Ecuador Mission Team
Day 5 - September 19, 2009
Today we accomplished mucho. Chuck and Alberto have completed about two thirds of the tiling of the computer room. It`s looking really good. Alberto plans to work on it some tomorrow. I hope we can keep Chuck with us tomorrow; he`s really taking this project on. They hope to tile the baseboard Tuesday and do the grouting.
Spackling continued on the outside of the bathrooms and outside the “kinder-room.” We finally got started painting the top half of the kinder-room. It`s a light ivory color. We will see Tuesday if we need a second coat.
We had a great lunch prepared and served by members of the Cathedral mission. It was a lasgna made with spinach and chicken with a white sauce. We asked Alberto to eat with us and he was very touched.
We discovered that we had did not have the paint (an almost dark mustard color) for the bottom and sent a group off to purchase it. Fortunately the hardware store had not charged us for it. The group returned and we will start on the bottom Tuesday.
We started painting the bathrooms this afternoon.
A really fun part of today was working with parents and children of the school. They worked on painting the sidewalks with brightly colored hopscotch, circles with vowels, geographic directions, numbers on a caterpillar, etc. They were a great addition to our Saturday workday.
We left the school at 4:30, dropped some of the group off at the Diocesan Center and seven of us went to Quicentro (a mall close to the Center) where Gini and Reid Peterson, Ron Cobb and Donna Burton met with Javier and Maria Guerra. Javier was Bishop Ramos driver and drove for several mission trips. Javier is facing a double hip replacement soon. We are keeping him is our prayers.
We returned to the center, had dinner, Compline and are getting ready for tomorrow, which will start early.
Peace and love,
Donna Burton, Ecuador Seeding Mission Team
Day 6 - September 20, 2009
Journey to the Center of the Earth
This morning we got up bright and early to eat breakfast at 6:30 am, then left the Diocesan Center about 7:15 to arrive at the church at Ibarra about 10:00a.m.. We travelled by way of the Panamerican Highway (“Panavia”) and those of you who have been there before will be happy to know that the road is looking in good shape. There are lines painted in the center of the road and part of the road has guard rails. The route was as beautiful as ever, winding through the mountains of the Andes, and affording us a view of the snow-covered volcanoes of Cotopaxi and Cayambe.
The church we were visiting was originally named after the town in which it is located, San Miguel de Ibarra, and changed its name to San Felipe after receiving assistance from The Cathedral of St. Philip. This church has a special meaning for me because I was involved in three mission trips to San Felipe for the construction of their church. My last trip was 8 years ago and I was interested in knowing if it had ever been finished. I was pleased to see that it looked just as beautiful as it did the last time I saw it. The church has now been painted a light blue and the sanctuary has been finished to the point of being secure against the elements. It also has a new tile floor which was donated by one of the churches in Connecticut, covering what had been an unfinished concrete floor.
After the Spanish church service (which was the same as the one in the Book of Common Prayer except that it is in Spanish instead of English) there was a short presentation in which the team members were recognized and a plaque was presented to our team leaders, Gini and Reid Peterson. Then we were given a brief tour of the church. Some items that remain to be done toward finishing the church are beautifying the restrooms and the church offices. Interestingly, the yard outside the church was being used to grow vegetables, for example, tomatoes, onions, corn, fig trees, etc.
On our way back we ate lunch at Hosteria Chorlavi and then went to the market at Otavalo, which is famous for its textiles. Continuing home, we stopped at the newly-designated site at Cayambe marking the equator. At one time a different site had been identified as the center, known as Mitad del Mundo, but with more precise measuring instruments, it has now been determined that the previous location was in error and a new spot has been officially designated. The guide gave us a short talk and we took pictures.
Following our journey to the center of the earth, we resumed our way homeward and arrived safe but tired at the Diocesan Center.
Peace and love,
Sally Stenger, Ecuador Seeding Mission Team
Day 7 - Sept. 21, 2009
The Mission Team had breakfast this morning at 8:30 AM after a long trip the night before with our nightly discussion of the day’s events. Jorge, our driver, and Dolly arrived at 9:30 AM for a trip to Cristo Liberador in the northern suburbs of Quito, a well attended mission where Father Raul Guillas, the Priest gave us a talk about the history of the mission and a tour of the facilities. Chris Morck, a Deacon in training for the Priesthood at Cristo Liberador, greeted us also on arrival to translate the message given by Father Raul. It is a mission that services a very poor area of Quito, but is quite active in the community. It is well attended by the people that live in the area. They have a senior citizens program, similar to our Marriage Encounters Program, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday which is well attended. Each one brings food to share after their program.
Cristo Liberador also operates a nursery for the workers in the community, mostly single mothers or fathers that have no one to keep their children while working. Since these workers have low paying jobs, they are offered the services of the nursery at a scale according to what they can afford to pay which is very little. Roseo, the wife of Father Raul, operates the nursery which can handle 61 children. Previously, it handled as many as 81 children but they cut back because they could not handle the emotional problems of the children at the nursery with their sparse personnel. It was very invigorating to see how they could do so much for so many children under 5 years of age with so little resources. This was sincerely a heartwarming experience for us. It was also a welcoming experience for Cristo Liberador to have us visit them in this seeding mission. The nursery school is named Centro Infantil El Portal de Belen, translated as the Child’s way to Bethlehem.
After a lunch back at the Diocesan Center or potato soup and sandwich, we went to the original Mitad del Mundo just north at the edge of Quito. This is where the French scientists had marked the Equator back in the 1800’s. Because of modern technology and the lapse of time, perhaps a gradual change in rotation of the Earth, the new center of the world is a couple of kilometres further north. This Mitad del Mundo has a observation tower, shops, bullfight ring, restaurants, and train when running. Since it was Monday and very cool, there were few people present late in the evening at arrival, after 4:30 PM. The Mitad del Mundo closes at 6:00 PM.
Upon returning to the Diocesan Center we stopped at an Italian restaurant for dinner, where some have eaten previously once or twice when in Quito. It is only two and a half blocks from the Center. After our debriefing session and Compline, we readied for bed.
We all are very concerned about the amount of rain, storms, damages, closures, and deaths in and around Atlanta. We hope and pray that everyone is safe and well. All of you in the Diocese of Atlanta are in our prayers. Please keep us in your prayers as well.
Peace and Love,
The Diocesan Mission Seeding Team
DAY 9 - Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Today was a very busy and lucrative day.. After a breakfast where we planned our day, we participated in a unique and particularly meaningful mass officiated by Father Marcos Mejia. The mass inspired us and we attacked our assigned task with enthusiasm and vigor.
As usual, we did not accomplish all that we wanted to accomplish. But we made significant strides toward our goals. We can really see the fruits of our labor.
Throughout the day, the Atlanta metro area, our homes and families were at the back of our minds and on our hearts. We prayed for them throughout the day.
We took a short lunch break and continued our diligence.
At the end of the day, we were weary, but feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Our day ended in prayer and we retreated to bed in order to revamp ourselves for a busy and productive day tomorrow.
For His Sake,
Cherlyn Mitchell
St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Atlanta
DAY 10 - Thursday, September 24, 2009
Greetings again from the Ecuador Mission Team in quito!
Today was our last workday at the Cathedral S chool. Thanks for all of your support and prayers in helping us accomplish these projects. We leave behind a school administration and staff, grateful for all we have done. It’s difficult to communicate the wonder we feel for being part of this small project. Our lives have all been touched.
Our dear friend in Quito, Javier Guerra (who used to be Bishop Ramos` driver) is about to have double hip surgery. Javier and his wife Maria invited the team to their home this afternoon. This was to show their appreciation for our helping them during this critical time in their lives. Join us as we keep them in our prayers.
Paz,
Chuck Burdick, Ecuador Mission Team
Relationships too precious for words
By Gini Peterson, St. Matthew's Snellville
Our companion relationship with the Diocese of Ecuador Central was begun in 1995 and continues through 2010. The activities of the early years set the tone for mutual respect and cooperation.
Missionaries and mission teams traveled to Ecuador Central to establish sister parishes, build churches, set up computer labs, and to build and conduct medical clinics. Missionaries were received in the Diocese of Atlanta. Women from Ecuador Central attended the Triennial Meeting of the Women of the Episcopal Church and journeyed to our diocese following the Triennial Meeting to visit churches and speak to various groups. Youth trips were made to Ecuador and youth from Ecuador came to Camp Mikell.
Under the leadership of Bishop Wilfrido Ramos, we are beginning to realize our vision. We have been to Ecuador Central four times since February 2007 and are organizing a diocesan Seeding Mission for September 2009.
Our trips have included representing Bishop Alexander and our diocese at the diocesan convention in Quito, a diocesan fact-finding trip, a St. Matthew’s, Snellville, work mission to Buen Pastor in Quito Sur, and a diocesan medical mission to Buen Pastor.
We believe in the people of Ecuador Central and we are enriched and blessed through our interactions with them. When we step out of our culture into theirs we are reminded of the Great Commission and the need to broaden our worldwide perspective. Through our vulnerability we are encouraged and welcomed. Relationships such as these are too precious for words.
Bishop of Ecuador Central - The Rt. Rev. Wilfrido Ramos-Orench
Francisco Sarmiento N39-54 y Portete
Sector el Batán
Quito
Ecuador
E-mail: ecuador_central@iglesiaepiscopaldelecuador.org
Office: +593 (0)2 252 225
Fax: +593 (0)2 296 08
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