The gift of sight

Not only did we celebrate the fiestas de Santa Rita but we held our very first campaña de lentes! For the past five months a group of youth and I have been working closely with a great NGO, Community Solutions and after months of trainings in how to give eye exams and identify various vision related illnesses we held our first campaign.

The youth gave free eye exams and also sold reading glasses, eye drops, sun glasses and protective eyeware for very very reduced rates. What is really cool is that when the people arrive they always assume that the gringos are giving the eye exams and the youth are assisting us but we get to say, NOPE- these very smart and capable young ecuadorians are in charge and we are assisting them.

We sold 24 pairs of glasses to people who had thought they could no longer read or sew because of near-vision issues and with the aid of reading glasses are able to enjoy those activites and in many cases earn a better living. (many women sew etc).

The youth involved also earn a small wage which can help pay their school tuititon and help their families. In the next months we will continue to set up these campaigns and travel to small communities where no health care is available. This is a great chance for people to learn how to take care of their vision and for many people who thought they were going blind- it an amazing chance to see again!!! So many great things are going on here! And what an amazing group of youth!!

Fiestas de Santa Rita

Sunday morning coffee and content to find myself here- Sunday. The past four days have been put to good use and I am tired and happy.
Thursday and Friday were the Fiestas of Palmar or the Fiestas de Santa Rita and Palmar knows how to throw a party. Lots of music, dancing, soccer, traditional games, parades, castle burning and crazy cows.
That is right–even crazy cows or vaca loca. The infamous vaca loca consists of a very brave man donning a metal cow head strapped with fire works and running into crowds of happily screaming party-goers. He shoots fireballs off and people run. After the vaca loca we burn the castle or quemar el castillo which involves a large structure booby-trapped with spinning wheels that spit flames and fireworks in all directions and various other types of fireworks and fire. It’s a rowdy display of light, color, sound and general festive glory. Meanwhile the traveling carnaval has set up camp and have built a rickety ferris wheel and constructed other childrens rides from scraps of metal and what I will call “pieces of vintage amusement park history”. In the sandy street runs a little train that looks like a worm taking laughing kids from one end of the street to the other. There are candied apples, fried plantains, pink popcorn balls and homemade ice cream as far as one can see and tents selling plastic jewelary, toy guns, hot wheels, teddy bears, tiny blue-eyed dolls and other plastic toys that kids everywhere just love.

It’s a beautiful haphazard world of lights, salsa music and families having a wonderful night with the ocean a few feet away and a sky awake with stars.
At the heart of this festival is the saint herself, Santa Rita de Casia. A friend recently gave me a book about the life of Santa Rita which I am still reading.

Scholarship Kids and Nuestra Señora de Fatima

The photo with the kids holding their school supplies are this years scholarship recipients. One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to help coordinate this program. We recieve the money for the scholarships via the catholic church. These scholarships allow for 24 children to attend grade school without this help they would not be able to go to school. Through-out the year i meet with their parents at least once a month to give workshops and discuss ways for them ( many of whom have not finished grade school or highschool) to support their children. I have now been working withthis group for two years and it´s been really great. Students recently entered classes again and it´s always a great time as they get their school supplies and i am always so excited to see their big smiles and their great motivation to be the best students they can be. It´s strange and sad to think that we only have two months left together as my time with the peace corps is starting to wind down but there will be a new volunteer to take my place and continue this work.



These photos are from the annual pilgramage dedicated to Nuestra Señora de Fatima. It is 20 km walk that takes place under hot coastal sun. Our youth group volunteers every year to help control the crowd so that we stay on one side of the highway. This is tough work. But after a long hot walk and a long mass-- it always feels good.