Tag: Ecuador

Reflexiones de Moises: Blog 12; The End Is The Beginning

The celebration was amazing.  Over 500 people showed up for one of our “largest ever” dedications.  We had kids, adults, teenagers, dogs, and from every “walk of life”.  Agua Viva paid 21deAbril to purchase sandwiches for everyone.  A rather large team spent several hours making all of the sandwichs.  And, to drink???  Pure clean ozonated water for everyone.  And, boy, did they like it.
We passed out certificates to our newly trained operators and educators.  The first certificates these wonderful people have ever received.  We shook their hands, handed them their certificates, gave them a beautiful new Agua Viva hat… and well… we hugged.
The children all got their hands in the paint and left their handprints on the new banner which proudly hangs in their classroom today.
The choir from Promesa Divina drove all of the way from Colta Monjas to Flores to sing (in Quechua, of course).
We dedicated our water system to God… and then, we left.  Was this the beginning… or the end.  You decide.  The end of our week and our labor was the beginning of a new era in the lives of these people.  Where whole communities can, for the first time in their life, drink water free from parasites, free from bacteria, crystal clear, and very healthy… for the first time in their life…. Cheers !  J

Reflexiones de Moises: Blog 11; We Will Come…

Some things just can’t be expressed in words.  It is kind of like, seeing the Grand Canyon.  It is so huge, you just can’t describe it.  No one can understand how big it is without seeing it.  There are simply no words, no pictures, you just have to be there to fully appreciate it.
We humbly suggested to Promesa Divina that “it sure would be nice… if your choir could come sing at our Dedication Ceremony”.  You have to understand, that Promesa Divina is a long ways from Flores.  How is this even possible?  Transportation at 12,000 feet elevation and up and down the Andes Mountains is just very challenging.  Who is going to pay for gas?  Are you joking?
Well, they were not joking and they said, “We will come!”  It all started with a two hour bumpy bus ride up and down the mountains, but , “Wow” was it wonderful.  Singing in Quechua and in full indigenous dress, that wonderful group of ladies just sang their hearts out.  And, the hills were alive with the Sound of Music.  One community in Colta Monjas was reaching out to another community in Flores.  That was real magic.  They had never met before and now they are there to support each other AND themselves.  Lifting themselves up and lifting each other up.  This is perfect science in my book.
Yes, we will come.  Boy, I need to practice that!  Yes, I will come.  Yes, I will help.  Yes, I know I am busy, but I love you and I will comfort you.  And, I will come!

Relexiones de Moises: Blog 10; What Love is This…

Things started coming together on Thursday, just in time for the celebration.  In walks a gentleman with Senor Gustavo.  Calloused hands, skin like leather, a workman’s clothing, scorched face… He has lived a hard life.   Everything about the looks of this gentleman tells the story of his life.  Nothing comes easy in Flores, Ecuador.  He wanted to meet.
With his hat in his hand and tear in his eye, he proceeded to tell us, from the bottom of his heart, how much this water means to him and his community.  He could not thank us enough.  “We promise to take care of the water purification system.  We are going to provide water to all 28 communities.”
When we finished talking he stood up and hugged me.  There is just something about that moment; being hugged by a grown man, a man tough as nails, and so sincere.  Sometimes I wonder if I have ever been so sincere.  As we wrapped our work, we knew that something special was taking place this day.
What love is this?  Not romantic love… Not family love… Much deeper than friendship.  It is love born of service and sharing and sacrifice.  I am not sure I experience this kind of love anyplace else.  It is a really marvelous thing.

Reflexiones de Moises: First Stop; El Fortin, Ecuador

Saturday was our first day on the job.  After getting to the hotel the night before at 1:00 am, we were all glad to get up at 6:00 am for breakfast and a 45 minute bumpy car ride to our prospective site.  No doubt about the needs here.  Dirt roads, bamboo houses, and the faces of the poor pretty much tell the whole story.
For this needy community, a natural leader, Pastor Nino Medina, drives one and a half hours one way every day to care for them.  After a short conversation, we knew this young man had a heart for these people.  With vision, wisdom, and energy, Pastor Medina promised to begin with our Agua Viva water purification installation and build a thriving distribution system.  The elementary school,  one half kilometer away, would be one of the first to benefit.  The family across the street wants to help too, they said.
And, after a journey which started in Kansas City and lead us half way across the globe to the equator of Ecuador, Rotary and Agua Viva discovered a new opportunity to lift up and embrace the needy children of our planet.  During the coming days, plans will be finalized for a September 2015 trip to install microfiltration and ozonation  for our brothers and sisters in El Fortin.