Posted on behalf of Scott Cotter.
Even though this is my third trip to Ecuador, I don’t think I could ever tire of it. It’s a great place that always has the power to surprise – and shock – me.
The two cities we’re visiting this week are Guayaquil and Quito. And they couldn’t be more different. Guayaquil sits at sea level and is typically quite hot and humid. But August is the coolest month here so the temps will be in the mid eighties, which is actually a brief respite from the near 100-degree heat we’ve been having in Kansas City.
The people in Guayaquil are as warm as the temps that bake this port city. Even the poorest of the poor have an inescapable enthusiasm and grace. Meeting them I’m often saddened and fascinated at the same time.
Quito is near 10,000 feet and much cooler. Sweaters will be a necessity as we head out to the slums every morning. On our way, we’ll have a view of the Pichincha volcano and dense forests that surround the beautiful city. The people are friendly, but they are quiet and reserved compared to those in Guayaquil.
In sharp contrasts to the beautiful colonial architecture and green mountainsides of Quito, or the colorful adobe houses and bustling shopping districts of Guayaquil, the slums that dot the outskirts of each city are as bad as any we’ve ever visited.
We hope to share some of what we see, hear and learn with you while we’re here. So please join me, Kevin, David and Jennifer as we post updates this week from the field. Until next time…
8 comments:
Thanks for the video of Ecuador! It brings back wonderful memories. I went on my first trip to see my sponsor child Ricardo and his family in Guayaquil this past December. It was a great experience! Thank you to the CI staff who took time out of their busy day to help "break the ice", translate, drive us to the local mall with Ricardo and his grandmother so we could finish our Chrsitams shopping and for showing us true Ecuadorian hospitality.
Thank you for the info on Ecuador. I was there 3 years ago to visit our children. I am planning a return trip. The families were wonderful and I fell in love with them and the country. The staff at Children International were wonderful and drove us where ever we wanted to take out children, and of course we chose the mall. They had a great time picking out a few toys and shoes. Thank you children International for all you do. Pam Tynan
I would love to meet other sponsors. pamtynan@hotmail.com
Thanks for sharing your stories about visiting your children in Ecuador. We hope to do that too someday. Has anyone gone to Quito to visit? Johanna
Thanks for sharing the photos and video! I'll be watching the blog as you travel through Ecuador, my sponsored child lives in Guayaquil!
If you meet Jonathan Tigrero and his family in Guayaquil please tell him that his sponsor Andrea Matheny says hello!
I enjoy reading about Ecuador. Thank you for letting us know about that country. I am sponsoring a child, Cristhian Simbana Cuzco, who lives in Ecuador, close to Guayaquil I think. Could you please tell him and his family that his sponsors say hello and we hope they are all doing fine! We will be looking forward to future blogs about this country!
What a wonderful virtual tour! We have a sponsor child in Guayaquil named Tais Cedeno whom we love dearly. We realize the need for donations, but to see how life really is for the poor in Equador is astonishing. Despite their poverty, they are a happy people. We pray for them and all who help them out. Thanks for this informative blog.
My name is Ron Harry and i have sponsored a child from Guayaquil the capital of ECUADOR for 5 years now and i have never been so proud of any person in all my life.
She really strives so hard to achieve good grades at school .
Her home is just one room and that houses her entire family. To me this is incredible that my sponsored child is such a happy carefree teenager who loves music and adores her family.
God bless you Jennifer Karina Quinonez Zambrano as you are my hero.
Thank you Children's International for these great Blogs, please keep posting them as it brings me so much closer to my sponsored child.
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