A big thanks to our Communications Coordinators for capturing these playful moments. Photos from top to bottom by Andrés Barreno, Patricia Calderón, Sarah Jane Velasco and Javier Cárcamo.
Showing posts with label Quito. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quito. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
An Unconditional Friendship
If you’re a pet lover like I am, then you know that pets just make life a little nicer. It’s a shared human experience to care for other animals, and whether you live in a large comfortable home or one made out of discarded materials like many of the families we help, pets offer loyal companionship that can’t be bought. A stray dog or cat, a fish or even a turtle can be the perfect thing to bring a little bit of happiness to a poor child; a friend and playmate who loves them for who they are, regardless of the poverty they live in. Their situation doesn’t diminish their ability to love and care for a pet in the least. Just take a look at these children and the pets they adore.
Fausto in Quito, Ecuador carries his puppies everywhere.
Antony, Juan and Julieth in Barranquilla, Colombia play with turtles in their neighborhood.
Brothers Vincent and Charlie show off boy’s best friend in Tabaco, Philippines.
Wilmer in Rural Guatemala takes great care of his cat - even if the cat will never admit it. (Wilmer is also waiting for a sponsor to care for him. Hint. Hint.)
A big thanks to our Communications Coordinators for capturing these playful moments. Photos from top to bottom by Andrés Barreno, Patricia Calderón, Sarah Jane Velasco and Javier Cárcamo.
A big thanks to our Communications Coordinators for capturing these playful moments. Photos from top to bottom by Andrés Barreno, Patricia Calderón, Sarah Jane Velasco and Javier Cárcamo.
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Hoarse Drum
This is the fourth and final legend from the field in our series of Halloween stories. Andrés Barreno, Communications Coordinator brings us a tale from Quito, Ecuador.
In the dark of night the drum produces a hoarse, distant sound, usually accompanied by the melancholic sound of a small flute. It announces the beginning and the end of the procession of doomed souls and demons who travel south through small Andean towns to the highlands of Ecuador. Two ghosts dressed in red play the drum as a coffin and packs of howling dogs follow.
Sounds of the drum can be heard from far away, warning those who wander the night to beware and return to their homes as quickly as possible. If they fail to heed the warning, they could be taken by the souls of those who have risen from their graves. Some people even say that the devil himself plays the hoarse drum...
Let this be a warning to all those sponsors who wish to visit their sponsored children in Ecuador. Enjoy your time with your child in the daylight, but when darkness falls and the faint sound of drumming can be heard in the distance, make haste back to your hotel room and lock the door behind you. The hoarse drum is calling, and the doomed souls have come out to play.
Have a safe and happy Halloween from all of us at Children International!
The picture (courtesy of Nicolás Herrera at nicolasherrera.com) depicts the funeral procession of the hoarse drum.
In the dark of night the drum produces a hoarse, distant sound, usually accompanied by the melancholic sound of a small flute. It announces the beginning and the end of the procession of doomed souls and demons who travel south through small Andean towns to the highlands of Ecuador. Two ghosts dressed in red play the drum as a coffin and packs of howling dogs follow.
Sounds of the drum can be heard from far away, warning those who wander the night to beware and return to their homes as quickly as possible. If they fail to heed the warning, they could be taken by the souls of those who have risen from their graves. Some people even say that the devil himself plays the hoarse drum...
Let this be a warning to all those sponsors who wish to visit their sponsored children in Ecuador. Enjoy your time with your child in the daylight, but when darkness falls and the faint sound of drumming can be heard in the distance, make haste back to your hotel room and lock the door behind you. The hoarse drum is calling, and the doomed souls have come out to play.
Have a safe and happy Halloween from all of us at Children International!
The picture (courtesy of Nicolás Herrera at nicolasherrera.com) depicts the funeral procession of the hoarse drum.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Evelyn from Quito
Sponsored child Evelyn is a girl who knows exactly what she likes and what she wants to be:
"I have fun doing my homework, especially when I have to do drawings. I like school. I would like to be a teacher. I could be a good teacher, because I used to help my friends with their homework. School is very important."
Photo and reporting assistance by Andrés Barreno, Communications Coordinator in Quito, Ecuador.
Monday, July 28, 2008
A Little Pilot in Training
This is Sergio from Quito, Ecuador. One look at that sweet little face and you’ll know why his sponsor picked him. Makes you want to pinch his little cheeks and give him a big hug, doesn’t he?
He may be small, but Sergio’s got big plans. “I would like to be a pilot to fly a plane. I play with my toy plane toy, and I am the pilot.”
Until then, Sergio is lucky to have a loving sponsor to continue giving him the benefits he needs to reach for the sky.
Photos and reporting assistance by Andrés Barreno, Children International Communications Coordinator in Quito, Ecuador.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Meet Anghelo from Quito...
What do you want to be when your grow-up?
"I want to be a bricklayer because I see a lot of them in my neighbor. My mother told me that bricklayers build houses and I would like to build my own house someday."
"I want to be a bricklayer because I see a lot of them in my neighbor. My mother told me that bricklayers build houses and I would like to build my own house someday."
Monday, September 24, 2007
Weathering the Storm
Posted on behalf of Scott Cotter
A gentle rain started falling and everyone just ignored it. The drops made a rhythmic lilt on the metal rooftop of the Quito community center. Looking out one of the windows, we could see that most of the families queuing up to receive school supplies were getting wet but they hadn’t sought cover…yet.
Maybe living day in and day out with Mother Nature in almost total control over their lives and belongings tempered their response to the rain.
Then the sound started getting louder. Much louder. As the drizzle turned into a downpour and finally mixed with hail, the families ran for cover; and as floodwaters started pouring into the community center and staff scrambled to help the children and parents, I ran for the window with my recorder so I could report on what I was seeing and hearing.
Along with the audio clip I recorded while watching that storm dump sheets of rain on Quito, CI photographer Jennifer Spaw tried to capture, as best she could with limited mobility, what that storm was like.
A gentle rain started falling and everyone just ignored it. The drops made a rhythmic lilt on the metal rooftop of the Quito community center. Looking out one of the windows, we could see that most of the families queuing up to receive school supplies were getting wet but they hadn’t sought cover…yet.
Maybe living day in and day out with Mother Nature in almost total control over their lives and belongings tempered their response to the rain.
Then the sound started getting louder. Much louder. As the drizzle turned into a downpour and finally mixed with hail, the families ran for cover; and as floodwaters started pouring into the community center and staff scrambled to help the children and parents, I ran for the window with my recorder so I could report on what I was seeing and hearing.
Along with the audio clip I recorded while watching that storm dump sheets of rain on Quito, CI photographer Jennifer Spaw tried to capture, as best she could with limited mobility, what that storm was like.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Mother Nature Pays A Visit
Being from the midwest, I'm no stranger to the forces of Mother Nature.
Thankfully, we weren't physically shaken by the devastating earthquake in neighboring Peru, however our communications coordinator, Andres, frantically tried to reach his father via cell phone in Lima. Several hours later we learned that his father was safe and the weight of not knowing was lifted for Andres.
Mother Nature, however, paid another call today. Just shortly after returning from the rural hillsides of Quito, we arrived for a break at a local community center. Clouds shielded us from the intense, but cool, rays of the sun for most of the morning. Suddenly, the skies opened up and rain began to fall. Not in a gentle, picturesque way, but in a deafening roar as the raindrops and then hail pounded the metal roof over our heads.
The center was full of parents and children who were lined up outside waiting to receive school supplies. As the rain went from a trickle to a torrent, our staff quickly moved them under a small tent. Conversations soon stopped because you could no longer hear the person sitting next to you. Looking out the window, the dirt road we just drove down suddenly became a muddy river. We noticed a steady stream of water entering the third floor where we were. Thinking we were dry from the storm so far up, I quickly discovered that there was a road at third floor level on the opposite side of the center. As water poured in from the road, we scrambled to get our cameras off the floor before they got wet, then realized that along another wall sat dozens of boxes of school supplies. We immediately moved them so they wouldn't be ruined and the children wouldn't have to go without them.
As the storm pounded down on us, all I could think about were the familes on the hillside we just visited. They had little or no protection from the cold wind, rain and hail. How does a mother keep her children dry under a rusty tin roof and walls made of loosely fastened scrap wood? I could only picture them huddled together in a corner, trying to stay dry and wait the storm out.
Twenty minutes later the storm passed and daily activites resumed as if nothing ever happened. Hopefully, the families on the hillside braved the storm without troubles. If they did, luck was definitely on their side. This time.
Thankfully, we weren't physically shaken by the devastating earthquake in neighboring Peru, however our communications coordinator, Andres, frantically tried to reach his father via cell phone in Lima. Several hours later we learned that his father was safe and the weight of not knowing was lifted for Andres.
Mother Nature, however, paid another call today. Just shortly after returning from the rural hillsides of Quito, we arrived for a break at a local community center. Clouds shielded us from the intense, but cool, rays of the sun for most of the morning. Suddenly, the skies opened up and rain began to fall. Not in a gentle, picturesque way, but in a deafening roar as the raindrops and then hail pounded the metal roof over our heads.
The center was full of parents and children who were lined up outside waiting to receive school supplies. As the rain went from a trickle to a torrent, our staff quickly moved them under a small tent. Conversations soon stopped because you could no longer hear the person sitting next to you. Looking out the window, the dirt road we just drove down suddenly became a muddy river. We noticed a steady stream of water entering the third floor where we were. Thinking we were dry from the storm so far up, I quickly discovered that there was a road at third floor level on the opposite side of the center. As water poured in from the road, we scrambled to get our cameras off the floor before they got wet, then realized that along another wall sat dozens of boxes of school supplies. We immediately moved them so they wouldn't be ruined and the children wouldn't have to go without them.
As the storm pounded down on us, all I could think about were the familes on the hillside we just visited. They had little or no protection from the cold wind, rain and hail. How does a mother keep her children dry under a rusty tin roof and walls made of loosely fastened scrap wood? I could only picture them huddled together in a corner, trying to stay dry and wait the storm out.
Twenty minutes later the storm passed and daily activites resumed as if nothing ever happened. Hopefully, the families on the hillside braved the storm without troubles. If they did, luck was definitely on their side. This time.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Guayaquil to Quito
The mountainous air of Quito feels especially dry, light and unsatisfying after waking up yesterday morning breathing the moist, chewy air of Guayaquil. Extra breaths are common. I’m told my body will adjust soon.
Last evening we had a nice meal with some of our Ecuadorian hosts: Andrés, Pamela, Pedro and María. They are naturals at hospitality. Andrés is our communications coordinator, (meaning he helps us find stories to tell), and Pamela, Pedro and María are in Sponsor Relations. If you sponsor a child in Quito and ever have an opportunity visit you'll more than likely meet at least one of these three.
They explained that when sponsors visit the field, meet their sponsored children and see the programs in action, they are unanimously impressed and more committed than ever to their child and Children International. As this trip is my first to the field to see this movement in action, I can relate.
I have seen with my own eyes the transformative power of what sponsor make possible:
-Sponsored mothers have shed tears of gratitude as they relay how relieved their son or daughter’s sponsorship has made them feel.
-A charismatic dentist made children crack up as he administered a fluoride treatment.
-I’ve met members of Guayaquil’s more than 50-strong Youth Health Corp and sat in on a lecture as three of them taught other youth about important issues they will face.
-I’ve observed children who come from dark and dusty places painting the prettiest scenes full of optimism.
-At one community center the medical clinic was drawing blood samples from some (somewhat distressed!) children to test for diseases and anemia.
-Youth tutors were helping younger children with their studies.
If a child is sponsored in Ecuador, the family affixes a two-foot by two-foot piece of painted wood by their front door. The white sign is carefully painted in blue brushstrokes and features a Children International logo, the child’s name and the service area centers information.
Since addresses and phones are not too common, this sign allows the hundreds of volunteers (who travel on foot), to communicate and reach sponsored children more efficiently. These signs are also a source of tremendous pride for families. They affix them to the left of their front door, to tell all who walk by that they are a part of something -- something important, something valuable and something good.
Last evening we had a nice meal with some of our Ecuadorian hosts: Andrés, Pamela, Pedro and María. They are naturals at hospitality. Andrés is our communications coordinator, (meaning he helps us find stories to tell), and Pamela, Pedro and María are in Sponsor Relations. If you sponsor a child in Quito and ever have an opportunity visit you'll more than likely meet at least one of these three.
They explained that when sponsors visit the field, meet their sponsored children and see the programs in action, they are unanimously impressed and more committed than ever to their child and Children International. As this trip is my first to the field to see this movement in action, I can relate.
I have seen with my own eyes the transformative power of what sponsor make possible:
-Sponsored mothers have shed tears of gratitude as they relay how relieved their son or daughter’s sponsorship has made them feel.
-A charismatic dentist made children crack up as he administered a fluoride treatment.
-I’ve met members of Guayaquil’s more than 50-strong Youth Health Corp and sat in on a lecture as three of them taught other youth about important issues they will face.
-I’ve observed children who come from dark and dusty places painting the prettiest scenes full of optimism.
-At one community center the medical clinic was drawing blood samples from some (somewhat distressed!) children to test for diseases and anemia.
-Youth tutors were helping younger children with their studies.
If a child is sponsored in Ecuador, the family affixes a two-foot by two-foot piece of painted wood by their front door. The white sign is carefully painted in blue brushstrokes and features a Children International logo, the child’s name and the service area centers information.
Since addresses and phones are not too common, this sign allows the hundreds of volunteers (who travel on foot), to communicate and reach sponsored children more efficiently. These signs are also a source of tremendous pride for families. They affix them to the left of their front door, to tell all who walk by that they are a part of something -- something important, something valuable and something good.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Once Again to Ecuador
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…
Friday, May 18, 2007
Meet María, from Quito, Ecuador:
"I would like to know my sponsor, because he is very generous to my family and me. I hope that my sponsor is very happy, and I would like to send him a big hug."
Photo by Andrés Barreno, Children International's communications coordinator in Quito, Ecuador.
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