And....it's begins

So I planned on going to Ecuador...and I romanticized about the people I'll meet...the things I'll be working on---heck, I am going to change the world, right?!

WRONG! Reality has truly hit. Ecuador has so many structural problems that it would be impossible to change the problems of the entire country, nevermind the "barrio" of Duran that I'll be living in. Now, I don't want people to think that I am feeling defeated, or as though I have taken on a task that I cannot handle, but here are some of the realities of Ecuador..

1. Almost 50% of the country lives in poverty...about 65% live below the poverty line...and about 10% live in extreme poverty. Those stats in themselves are overwhelming...

2.Almost half the country is underemployed...and 15% are unemployed. Take that, and the idea that a family of 4 needs about $315 a month to live, and most families are making $250 a month. So jobs are hard to come by, and even those that fund jobs aren't making enough to feed their families. Now, whats the solution to that?

3. The country itself is $17 million International debt. WOOF!

4. Education: 24% of Ecuadorians who enter primary school do not reach 5th grade. "Public" schools are not really free...schools may higher two teachers for 200 students..... These schools than ask for "voluntary contributions"...if you don't make that contribution, you're not going to school. End of story. Sorry.

5. Children: Ecuadorian children bear the impact of poverty/migration. 23% of children have stunted growth. 12% of children ages 5-14 are effected by child labor. There are over 200,000 orphans. These numbers are unreal.

6. Health Care: So, it's government run...sounds great, right? WRONG. Medical care is free, but most public hospitals don't have any resources...so a man with a gunshot wound can come in for care, but if he doesn't have the supplies needed to take care of his wound, he's out of luck. The poorest in the country lack access to the options and means necessary to take care of themselves.

7. HIV/AIDS: If you look at documented cases...it shows there is only a 1% hiv/aids rate. But lets get real, the stigma is daunting. The prevalence has more than quadrupled since 2001. In the Guayas province, where I will be living, the stats are as follows: Cases- 71% and Deaths-83%

This is just some of the "beginning information" we received. So needless to say, there's a lot to hanlde. My optimistic "I am going to help create change in Ecuador in one year!" has totally been snapped back to reality.

Orientation and my community has grounded me, letting me know that we are a part of the process. Rostro de Cristo truly believes in walking side by side and and working with the community of Duran and Mt. Sinai. This is the true beauty of what I will be doing. Orientation has touched on the importance of building relationships, a--this is exactly what I love to do, and look forward to doing...the truth behind it is that it's all about BEING. As Americans we often don't take the time to be...we constantly do do do...I know I'm guilty of it.

Anyway, I am kind of rambling. My community mates are amazing--I am headed down there with 15 other people, and I will be living with 4 others, Tasha, Mark, Beth and Celso. We seem to get along really well, and I am excited to get to know them more. We will be living in Duran, in the Antonio Jose de Sucre neighborhood--this is the most developed neighborhood out of the three we work in. Rostro has had a strong presence there since 1994, and they have seen the community truly develop--they have an on-site daycare through Nuevo Mundo ( a partner organization), a majority of their roads are paved, they have a newly developed playground/soccer field. All things, which were not there when the program entered. I am so excited, because now that these changes have come over time, Rostro believes the community no longer is in need of our assistance, so we may be the last volunteers to live in the community. I am intrigued to see what that is like.


My Community Mates and I


We are currently one week away from heading down to Ecuador and I cannot wait. I have been on a roller coaster of emotions...I am at times filled with excitement, joy, nervousness, homesickness....ahh it's exhausting! But I am more than ready to take on this challenge. I am unsure about where exactly I will be working, but those details are to come once I get to Duran...here's a quick idea though--there is a new work site where I could potentially be working with young boys in a juvenile detention center (It's ok Mom and Dad, I'll be fine!!). Who knows though....I'll have to wait and see!

Love and miss you all! I'll carry you with me on my adventure---thanks for your love and support :)

-J.mess