Coping

There have been so many challenges for me since being in Ecuador, but many that I have been able to cope with. I have had my clothes go mouldy in this humid climate, adapted to delivering Speech Therapy in a small, dark, concrete room with stray dogs coming in and out, working in another language and living in a different culture. However, one thing I can not cope with is cockroaches. Once it gets dark they are everywhere...literaly. There are huge ones outside that you practically trip over when you walk down the path, and slightly smaller ones in the kitchen, everywhere. I have no idea why God created them!

Swimming 3

Weds 6^th Oct:

Today I really appreciated my swimming lesson. It was a strange evening as the mist had come down really low, hovering just above the water. I enjoyed the time to myself this evening. I could only hear my breathing and the sounds of the water. I just love being in the water. It was nice to switch off from the noise and busy-ness of today.  Although it has been a good day, I definitely needed the time out from people and to have a bit of my own personal space.

It was a typical afternoon in Laura Flores; working in the small, hot, dark concrete room, not knowing which children would turn up. As usual I have older children “helping” me and today there was a 2 year old joining in too. One girl in my group has made fantastic progress and I am so proud of her! She is now able to sit and maintain attention to a task whereas before she would just grab all the items in the activities. I still struggle working with another girl who just can’t wait her turn in the games/activities, and who constantly grabs/snatches/throws the toys. It is so hard to teach her to wait; to wait for her turn to have a go with the toys. In a way I can identify with her. I sometimes find it hard to wait. I have been thinking a lot of my friends and family this week and I have to wait to see them in April. This week, April has felt a long way off, however, at the same time I am so pleased to be here, privileged to be working with these children and I am excited to see how much more I will experience in my time here and what I will learn.

Hebrews 6 v 15

“And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.”

Swimming 2:

I really enjoy my swimming lessons. I don’t know why. Perhaps it is just some time-out time. I have to completely switch off and just concentrate on what stroke I am swimming and counting the lengths. I have been reminded of so many things when I’m at the pool. I like it when I get to swim in the farthest lane as it reminds me of something specific. This lane has a floodlight at the end of it. When you start off the water is fairly dark, because my lessons are in the evening. As you get further towards the other end it is really light. You don’t notice at the time that it is getting lighter, until you are in the brightest end and realise how dark the other end really was. It reminds me of a time that I went through when I felt like it was really dark - a time when it felt like I couldn’t see any light. Life seemed to be really difficult and it was quite a low time. I didn’t realise how dark it was until I came out the other side and seemed to live back in the light.

I thank God that he brought me out of that dark time.

Beautiful

People have asked me if i have had a good week. It has been. Last Saturday i went for a walk/hike to a beautiful place called Pululahua, which is a huge crater. It is really stunning. It was so amazing to walk through it, knowing i was practically on the equator line.

Swimming

At the start of every swimming lesson we all have to do a quick warm up. Whilst stretching I noticed a couple of people looking at the tree. To me it was really strange so I went and took a look...
ANTS!
There were huge ants everywhere. It was fascinating. There was a trail of ants climbing up the trunk, to the leaves, taking a part that was double their body and then walking back down and across the path. They had set a trail that was just like a little road, an English road actually! They went to the tree on the left hand side, up the tree and came back down with their leaf, on the right hand side of their little trail.
I wonder who began their journey? Who chose the route?
It was amazing to see all the ants walking together, following each other. It was safe for them to do that. It wouldn’t make any sense to go their own way. I hope they are there next week so I can take a photo!
(Unfortunately I can’t take a photo of them because when I went back they have eaten ALL the leaves off the tree!)

Chatting

Thursday 22^nd:

Today has been a good day, in so many ways. Today I had such a nice long Skype call with a family who I really love. I felt really excited to speak to them and felt happy for the rest of the day. It was so cool to feel like I was sat with them in their living room, having a chat and catching up. I miss that; popping round someone’s house for a cup of tea and a chat or going for a walk and a chat.

It is interesting how people can have an effect on you and lift your spirits. It made me wonder how much of an effect I can have on people.

Privileged:

It is a privilege to be here:

To be learning a new language within a beautiful Spanish speaking country,

To swim outside under the night sky

To eat Ecuadorian food

To represent my country (even though most people think I am German!)

To literally get my hands dirty and work with some of the poorest people in this town

To be a small part of a life changing charity

To give hope to parents

To work with special children who make me laugh and smile on a daily basis