It's been officially more than a week since we've
returned from Ecuador. Can you believe it? Everything I see, hear, smell, or
taste reminds me of Ecuador. It triggers a memory -- a beautiful memory that
makes me smile, then cry (because I miss it so much). It seems to be the little
things that I miss... those little memories are the most precious. Like...
- · Spanish murmuring around me (that I don't understand). It's weird hearing English -- funny, right? I grew so accustomed to the Spanish language that now English seems foreign.
- · All the kisses. I love how Ecuadoreans greet you with kisses on the cheek! It's such an intimate, friendly gesture that I miss dearly.
- · Pedro's hugs. Pedro was my buddy during the week. He is 92 years old and perhaps the most suave person I have ever met. I loved hearing his stories and sharing my own stories with him. He really made an effort to speak articulately so that I might understand him. A special bond formed between us... and the hug he gave Liz and me at the goodbye party was the best hug I have ever received.
- · Driving around with Manuel. Manuel was our designated driver for the week. He took us around town and joined us at meals. He was sweet, charming, and friendly -- and an AWESOME driver (it's tough to navigate the streets of Guayaquil!).
- · Sister Annie's contagious energy and positivity. There are no words to adequately describe Sister Annie's charismatic personality. One day she hopped into the van and said, "Woo-eee! I have a lot of energy today!" Our response: "Annie, when do you NOT have energy?" :-)
- · Reflection on the roof. Above our guest house was a beautiful courtyard terrace that overlooked the city. Each night we had reflection there. It was the perfect spot for meditation -- especially with the HUGE Jesus statue in the distance.
- · Practicing Spanish with Anny. Anny was a guest house employee. We helped her with her English and she helped us with our Spanish. Oh... we shared so many laughs, especially when it came to pronunciation.
- · The guards greeting us at Damien House. So sweet. Some of the male patients work as gate guards. It was such a wonderful sight to see them open the gates for us when we arrived... especially because they never stopped smiling.
- · Helping the children at Semillas with homework. Math was our favorite subject, and most of the kids' as well. We loved math because it involved a universal language -- numbers. This made it easy to communicate with the children.
- · Counting Barcelona jerseys. There are two major fútbol teams in Guayaquil -- Barcelona (yellow) and Emelec (blue). Sunday, Barcelona had a game and a TON of Ecuadoreans were sporting their yellow jerseys. We counted over 400 people wearing Barcelona gear! Barcelona ended up winning the league championship. The streets were full of fans celebrating the team's win.
- · Pretending to be "monos" (monkeys) with Ricardo. It was difficult to understand Ricardo, so we came up with inventive ways to interact with him. He particularly liked it when we pretended to be animals.
- · Wheelchair racing with León. Boy, that man can move FAST! Us girls didn't stand a chance against his speed.
And most importantly, I miss the SIMPLICITY of life in Ecuador. No deadlines, no stress, no
extravagant things... simply LIVING, embracing the moment and
going-with-the-flow. It's refreshing. Simplicity is one little way I can try to live in solidarity with the people who
changed my life.
The motto
I never realized one
trip could influence me as much as our trip to Ecuador has -- and in such a
short amount of time. I will never forget the people I met, the sights I saw,
and the things I learned. My heart is fuller, my faith is stronger, and my
thirst for justice and service is unquenchable. Ecuador... you will forever
hold a place in my heart.
Abrazos y besos (hugs and kisses),
Talia (Jane)
Ah! This picture captures the
moment so perfectly. Lizzie and I talking to Pedro and Sister Annie dancing in
the background :-)
Pretending to be monkeys with
Ricardo
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