Displacement is More Than a Word

As you may have noticed, it's difficult for me to blog about many of my experiences here.  The thing that has come most naturally for me is to write articles about isolated experiences which give you guys a bit of idea of the situations that I am dealing with.  Even still it's most definitely inadequate.

The following "poem" is something I wrote a while back after helping a refugee family move their belongings out of their apartment and into our project's "refugee safe house" after they had several frightening experiences which caused lots of anxiety and fear.  Here in Quito as he was waiting in line to receive humanitarian aid, the husband of the family spotted the same person from the Aguilas Negras (paramilitary group) who had threatened to kill him in Colombia.  Additionally, the mother of the husband, who is still currently living in Colombia, called the family in Ecuador saying that 2 anonymous men had knocked on her door and had asked, using the husbands full name, when he would be coming back from Quito (when the family left Colombia suddenly a few months ago, they only told 2 trustworthy family members that they were going to Quito).  Apart from this, they found out that in the neighborhood where they were living among other Colombians, there were several former members of paramilitary groups (this is one of the reasons that many Colombians are afraid to interact with each other here...you never quite know who you are dealing with).  It is also a difficulty for the government and for us as a aid project.

Anyhow, I dont know how much this piece will mean to you guys, but as I wrote this, each phrase came with a face, a name and a story.  Everything I have written is based on my observations, experiences and accompaniment to the displaced/refugee population here in Ecuador, but this poem is certainly not nor intends to be an exhaustive list of what is means to be a Colombian refugee in Ecuador.  As I wrote and reflected on people's experiences, I realized how the act of being displaced affects absolutely every aspect of one's life...I think that is what this poem reflects.

Displacement is More Than a Word


Displacement is more than a word.
it's a pickup truck full of belongings,
it's sleepless nights,
it's not leaving your house because of fear,
it's separation from family members,
it's tears shed and having no one to dry them,
it's being along,
it's a loss of one's identity,
it's not having food on your table,
it's desperation,
it's living in hiding,
it's dehumanizing,
it's begging for help,
it's uprooting roots,
it's instability,
it's changing jobs every month,
it's not trusting anyone, yet relying on strangers,
it's depression,
it's starting over and starting over again....and again,
it's searching for community,
it's hell,
it's always looking over your back,
it's the opposite of peace,
it's being afraid of even those you most love,
it's pain,
it's overwhelming,
it's feeling guilty about a situation you couldn't control,
it's the end to one life and the beginning of another,
it's feeling death on your doorstep,
it's lonely bus rides,
it's crossing foreign borders,
it's counting pennies,
it's long lines in immigration offices,
it's being "denied",
it's wondering what the meaning of "future" is,
it's doing anything to survive,
it's visits to the psychologist,
it's permanent,
it's a bad dream that you never wake up from,
it's learning to be uncomfortable,
it's sleeping on cold, hard floors,
it's working and not getting paid,
it's sharing space with others,
it's an invasion of your privacy,
it's losing loved ones,
it's haunting memories,
it's injustice,
it's being humiliated,
it's perseverance,
it's a complete lack of hope,
it's getting kicked out by your landlord,
it's losing everything,
it's saying good-bye,
it's changing your appearance,
it's paranoia,
it's feeling helpless,
Displacement is more than a word, it's a way of life for 5 million people in Colombia, hundreds of thousands seeking refuge in Ecuador and millions more around the world...


To contrast that poem a bit, here are a few beautiful photos that I took today from my window.

"If I Die Before You Do"

Click on the link to read an article that I wrote for the Episcopal News Service about my experience with Witness For Peace in Colombia:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80050_130040_ENG_HTM.htm

"Shoveling Water"

Interested in learning more about how policies in the US and Colombia affect farmers who grow coca?  Check out this video made by Witness For Peace by clicking on the link below.  It's well worth watching.

http://www.witnessforpeace.org/article.php?id=705

"Refugees Excluded in the Workforce"

This article was published in "El Comercio" newspaper on Sept. 11, 2011.  The subtitle highlighted that among the 53,678 Colombians who have been given official refugee status or the refugee visa in Ecuador, 99% of them are not working as hired permanent employees despite the fact that the refugee visa grants them equal labor rights in Ecuadorian society.  In other words, 99% of them either work in the informal sector of the economy or are working in temporary conditions.  

It's worth noting that this statistic and the article in general does not include the thousands more who are awaiting an answer regarding their application for the refugee visa, some of whom have waited more than 2 years yet continue in limbo with regards to their status in Ecuador (according to the Ecuadorian constitution, these cases must be resolved within 3 months, yet due to the volume of applicants, the government is falling terribly behind in this process).  This population in limbo is even more vulnerable to lack of work in the formal sector.

To read the original article in Spanish on the "El Comercio" website, click the link below:

http://www.elcomercio.com/reportajes/refugiado-excluido-campo-laboral_0_551944890.html

(I used google translator to put this article in English and briefly skimmed it checking for errors, but sorry for any grammatical errors and/or things that dont make sense :)

Refugees Excluded in the Workforce

Clara P. (Name withheld) did not wait to flee. In March 2008, a paramilitary group in Colombia killed her husband and took possession of his house in Villavicencio (eastern region of the country). Nor did she wait to bury his body, give a statement to the police or have someone to investigate his murder. She just fled ... the trip was 36 hours of anxiety. 
Her journey included three trips in interprovincial buses to get to the border with Ecuador (Ipiales). From there she moved to Quito, where she applied for refugee status with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador. 
"It's hard to start again," she says with a trembling voice. She is distraught. Despite the difficulties, Clara calms down, convinced that since she is willing to work, she will be able to once again have her own home and rebuild her life. 
But that task has not been easy. She has met many setbacks. One of the most complex, said Clara is the lack of knowledge that Ecuadorians have regarding the hiring of refugees. "They tell me they can only give me work with the Ecuadorian ID, but I explain that my refugee visa is valid for me to be hired (...)". 
Jose Sandoval, director of Refugee Ministry of Foreign Trade and Integration, clarifies that there is no problem in hiring a refugee as they "have the same rights and obligations of a citizen of Ecuador." In fact, the document and a permit from the Ministry of Labour Relations can work, joining the Social Security Institute (IESS, etc.). 
This information is also confirmed by a spokesman for the Ministry of Labour Relations, which called for the reserve, which indicates that the process of obtaining the work permit is simple and only requires the card. 
In 2011, 363 refugees of various nationalities requested. In Ecuador, 53 678 Colombians have this status, so the number of permits reflects a high informal employment, says Sandoval. 
Support programs 
This lack of opportunity is one of the ways in which works Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Over 13 Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), national level, offer credit, support to agricultural production, training and promotion of entrepreneurship, and so on. "The goal is the local integration of refugees," said Luis Varese, deputy representative of that organization. 
One of the NGOs working in that program is the Fundación Ambiente y Sociedad (FAS), which in 2011 received by the UNHCR, which borders a budget of USD 400 000 to implement projects for inclusion. Maria Rosa Banks, National Coordinator of the Protection Program and Community Support and Integration of the foundation, acknowledges that serve thousands of people with this status is difficult and must prioritize resources to those most vulnerable individuals and families, including women heads of household, with young children. 
One of the mothers benefit from this program is Claudia R., who fled Cali (Colombia) in 2000, by threats of illegal groups that arrived in your community. She arrived in Quito and served as assistant cook, maid, saleswoman at stores ... But the maximum contract for three months, they said that the document of refugee was an impediment. 
Looking for job security in 2009 set up a stall selling empanadas on the street, which remains. This year she enrolled in FAS for courses of entrepreneurship. 
She was trained for 15 days, learned to develop a business plan, management costs, etc..  She also received cooking utensils and a blender, pots, jars, among other things. With this help, Claudia rented a small store of 25 m², which now sells arepas con chorizo, chili sauce and stew. She is happy with the help and hopes to move forward and provide a better future for their children, she says, stroking her belly eight months pregnant. 
For her condition, she has repeatedly gone to public health services, where she says, is attended with no discrimination. There "I feel like an Ecuadorian more," she says, because they do not ask for your card and give medicines, in case of need. 
Carlos C. shares his view. He fled the coffee region of Colombia and arrived in Quito in 2001. Since then, and seeing the lack of opportunities, is devoted to the sale of accessories for mobile electronic devices on buses and streets. His work includes passing days 12 hours a day, selling under the sun. This is reflected in the brown spots you have in your hands white. 
This involves eating too hectic at any time, which has generated gastritis and other ailments that have been addressed promptly and free of charge at health centers. At that point, Carlos had no inconvenience and appreciates that there is no discrimination in that sector. 
The Journal requested an interview with officials from the Ministry of Health to address the issue. However, there was not a favorable response. 

A Roller Coaster Ride

The last few months have been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs and twists and turns.  I think part of the reason I've neglected this blog is the feeling that I haven't been able to fully get off the roller coaster to process much of what has happened.

In late July, my entire family was able to come down to Ecuador for a wonderful family reunion.  We shared some really action packed days together and were able to spend time in a few of my work related activities, but also did lots of sight seeing and meeting lots of people from my community here.  It was a really special time to be with my family and have the opportunity to show them where I live and work.

In early August, I traveled with my parents to Bolivia to the community where they lived for 2 years during a service term with MCC.  It was a truly amazing gathering after more than 30 years had passed without my parents knowing anything about the status/well-being of the community and vice versa.  Within 10 minutes of arriving to the small village an old woman approached my parents and said "my teachers!".  It was a realization for me that my parents had actually been in that exact remote location many years before I was even born and that people still remembered them for being the first teachers in the community.  The whole experience was surreal on many levels.  We were received with such hospitality and my parents were treated as long-lost honored guests during various community celebrations including independence day and the anniversary of the inauguration of the school (which had happened exactly 34 years before while my parents were there).  Of course part of being the honored guests meant that we were asked to be judges of the annual beauty contest...a unique experience to say the least :)

In Bolivia, we also had to the privilege to spend some time with Reuben Maldonado-Nofziger's family in Santa Cruz as well as Benito Miller's parents in Cochabamba.  All were excellent hosts and showed us a great time.

I spent the better part of late August in Colombia with a Witness For Peace delegation in order to learn more about the complex issues in Colombia.  My hope was that through this experience I would be able to relate better to the Colombian refugees that I work with on a daily basis here in Quito and understand more fully their context and background.  The delegation greatly exceeded my expectations and broadened my perspective of the Colombian conflict immensely.  During the delegation we met with an Afrocolombian community that had been the victim of a massacre by paramilitary groups, a human rights worker defending the rights of sugar cane workers, an indigenous group defending their territory using non-violent strategies against armed guerrilla groups, parents whose children were killed by the military, wives who have lost their husbands to the violence, a displaced indigenous community in which more than 60 members of their community are currently living in a one room shelter as they await the day they can return to their land, people working on conserving the memories of lost family members, and other internally displaced people who are currently in hiding.  The content of what I heard and experienced was actually not too far from what I deal with daily here in Quito with refugees that come from very similar backgrounds.  Nevertheless, the power of meeting these people, hearing their stories and being in Colombia took my understanding/knowledge to another level.  The injustice marked by their experiences and those who have been forced to migrate to Quito is greater than any other that I have witnessed on a personal level.


I know that summary doesn't give you a very good idea of what our actual encounters with these people were like, but I hope to write a bit more about specific experiences that were especially moving and powerful.

Inspired by my experiences in Colombia, I arrived back in Quito with a few new ideas of ways that I can make a significant impact in the lives of refugees here.  My rough ideas are to work compiling the stories of different individuals/families, help them with goal setting on a short and long term basis, and work on compiling a list of all of the resources available to refugees in Quito in order for people to have a guide of how to get oriented and where to seek help for specific issues.

I'll leave it there for now so your eyes dont get too tired...but I will hopefully write more very soon.

The whole family on the mountain overlooking Quito

Visiting Mauricio and Denis Chavez' family in Otavalo

Cheering on La Liga in Quito

Sharing Photos with people in community of Aguas Calientes where my parents lived in Bolivia

The parade on Independence Day in Aguas Calientes, Bolivia

We had a wonderful time with Dave and Barbara Miller (Benito's parents) in Cochabamba

The contrasts of life in Buenaventura, Colombia

The wonderful people from the WFP delegation group.

Video about Shoe Business

As part of World Refugee Day which is on June 20th, this short video was made by a news reporter from the Episcopal church about the shoe business that we recently started up.  I hope you enjoy it.

The Story of A Refugee Family

Hi everyone!

I recently wrote an article about a Colombian refugee family that we have been working with.  The article was just published in June edition of The Mennonite.  Below you will find the link to read the article online and the text of the article.

Since I wrote the article in late April, much has happened with the family. The father, "Carlos" and son are currently working in a factory that processes stone to be used for making stone floors.  It's very heavy/difficult labor and we are celebrating the fact that they just got their first paycheck on Saturday (they had to work for 5 weeks before getting paid, during which time we helped them with food and transportation expenses since they had no income or money saved.  We are also celebrating since the factory where they are working is notorious for hiring immigrants, employing them for a time and then not paying them.)

The family is no longer living in a shelter in Quito as the article says.  They now are renting a house and up to this point have enjoyed relative stability and are getting to know their neighbors, many of whom are also refugees from Colombia.  They have also been attending Quito Mennonite church regularly and have been a great addition to our church family.  Their enthusiasm for music, humility and positive attitude are contagious.

Despite these positive changes in their life, "Carlos" recently had a scary experience in which he was followed by 2 men on his way home.  He was able to dart into a police station and the 2 men stopped following him.  The family was shaken up by this experience especially because in the last 20 days, 2 of Carlos' cousins have been murdered in Colombia and those involved in the murders say that they will continue to persecute their family until they find Carlos and kill him.  We continue to hope and pray that the persecution of their family in Colombia and in Ecuador will come to an end.  

Link to Read Article Online

Colombians find safety in Ecuador

Young adult MMN worker visits with family who lost farm to FARC.

by David H. Shenk

Two months ago, Carlos and Maria* arrived in Ecuador with their son, daughter and nephew. During their first week in Quito, while seeking help in their difficult transition from a rural farm in Colombia to the capital city of neighboring Ecuador, they happened upon the Mennonite church.  


When Carlos and Maria expressed interest in having me visit their home in a nearby small town, where they had moved because of cheaper rent, I jumped at the chance to hear their story. After a two-hour bus ride a week later, I found myself at their doorstep. Their warm faces were a happy contrast to their windowless, empty “new” house. 

As they welcomed me into their living space, we sat down on their only furnishings, two thin mats and two blankets, which covered the damp floor. These were gifts from the Mennonite church in Quito, where the five members of their family had found refuge after spending a week sleeping on scraps of cardboard. The stained, wet walls were sparsely decorated by a few pencil drawings—depictions of the farm in Colombia that Maria had inherited from her parents. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC, a guerrilla group involved in countless kidnappings and acts of violence) had forcefully taken the farm from Carlos and Maria’s family just weeks before.

Carlos and Maria described how members of FARC accused the family of supporting the opposition paramilitary groups. After death threats and the attempted murder of Carlos, the family decided there was no other choice but to leave their beloved farm behind and flee to Ecuador. Thinking they could leave their problems in Colombia, the family had high hopes of a better life in Ecuador. 

However, a week into their time in Ecuador, they had been accused by an Ecuadorian store owner of stealing. They felt targeted because of their dark skin and Colombian accent. As the police interrogated and searched them, their daughter began to cry, thinking that the Ecuadorian police were members of FARC, who were going to take her father away. 

A week later, when I called Carlos and Maria to follow up on their situation and see how things were going, they informed me that they were no longer living in the same house. The owners of the house had oddly decided to do repairs late at night above the room where Carlos, Maria and their family slept huddled together on their two mats. In addition to being repeatedly awakened by noise, the family was soaked by water that poured through the cracks of their wooden ceiling when the owners decided to wash the floor at 11 p.m. Carlos and Maria understood that they were no longer welcome. 

It took Carlos, Maria and their children a few weeks to accept my invitation to be part of our church community, but one Sunday the family showed up at our church in Quito. I was moved as Carlos stood up during sharing time to express his gratitude for the mats and blankets we had given him so that his family no longer had to sleep on cardboard on the damp floor. But I almost broke down when Carlos expressed gratitude that his family was not alone in their struggle. They now had friends and a community—a foundation for beginning a new life in Ecuador.

Carlos and Maria are currently in a temporary shelter in Quito. Since moving, Carlos and Maria’s son, their son’s wife and their two children joined them in Quito––having been forced to flee persecution in Colombia. Their family, along with thousands of other Colombian refugees, continue to seek job stability, community, prosperity, freedom from discrimination and refuge from violence and persecution. The Mennonite community of Quito continues to seek answers to these large, complex problems, beginning with a helping hand and an open heart.


*Names have been changed for protection

To Colombia and Back Again....

First of all, an apology for having neglected this space to share with you all what's been happening recently.  So much has happened since I last wrote on my blog and now I'm not quite sure where to start....

In late March, I had the opportunity to travel to Colombia for 10 days during which time I attended National Assembly of Colombian Mennonite Churches, met with church leaders, learned more about the armed conflict in Colombia, and met with various Mennonite organizations in Bogota.  It was a great time to learn more about what's happening in Colombia regarding the Mennonite church as well as the current politics and dynamics regarding the armed conflict and displacement.  It was extremely useful for understanding a bit further the best way to approach my work with the refugees here in Ecuador.  

I was also able to spend time with some good buddies, Isaac Beachy and Dave Neufeld, which was great.

Here's a quick rundown of some other exciting things that are happening here:

1)  Shoe-making business:  Over the past 2 months or so, 3 Colombian refugees that we visit weekly had been contemplating and brainstorming about how to help them start up their own shoe making business.  For quite a while now, they've been working as employees in a small shoe fabricating business, but hadnt been getting paid well and were frustrated with the disorganization, pay rate and treatment from their boss.  I helped them elaborate a business plan to see how feasible the idea would be and we discovered that it seemed like a very possible idea for a prosperous small business.  We then consulted with a lawyer who helped us write up a contract.  Isaac Beachy and I decided to invest in their idea and help them with a no interest loan that they can (hopefully) pay back during the next year.  Last thursday I traveled with my 3 friends to the shoe making capital of Ecuador (the city of Ambato) and we bought all of the materials/machines to start up the business.  They will be starting out of their house in order to avoid the cost of rent in another location.  I'm really excited for this project and hope these 3 refugees can fulfill their dream of running their own successful business and eventually teach others how to make shoes and use their business for the benefit of others.

2)  Farm news:  We recently sat down to figure out how successful the first round of chicken raising had been for us.  In raising the first 150 chickens, we definitely had our fair share of mistakes and learning experiences, but even still we came out in the positives.  The family living on the farm was able to make an extra bit of money and the project in general also benefited and was able to invest those earnings in other projects for the refugees.  We are currently putting the finishing touches on the greenhouse and considering the idea of raising guinea pigs as well (which are delicious and sell for good money here......sorry for those who have a pet guinea pig).  I've also had a wonderful time making connections with people in order to sell our chickens, produce and eggs.  A while back, I heard about a popular street vendor who sells "humitas" which is a corn based food wrapped in a corn leaf, kind of like the mexican tamal.  He sells 300 humitas everyday in just 3 hours.  We figured he might need a steady corn supply......I searched for him and found him on the street and I've have ended up selling him a large part of our corn harvest which is great....although hauling around giant, heavy sacks of corn on the bus can be interesting :)  He also buys eggs and chickens from us weekly.

3)  Music.  I love music.  Although I myself am one of the least talented guitarists that I have had the pleasure to meet, due to the current lack of musicians in our church, I've loved being called upon the lead music in our church services, workshops for kids and the "momento por la paz" that we hold once a month.  I'm also happy to have a good friend, Roberto, helping me with the music in the church services.  He is naturally talented leading music and in our Sunday services he plays the guitar and I've had the chance to mess around on the piano.  It's been a joy to see how the improved music over the last months has added energy, happiness and meaning to our church community.

I think I'll leave it there for now so I don't tire anyone out with too many words.  As a side note, I recently wrote an article for The Mennonite about a refugee family that has had an incredibly tough road here in Ecuador, but has faced each problem with resiliency and has always maintained a smile on their face....truly amazing people.  So yeah, keep your eyes opened for that article.  With much love from Quito, Ecuador.

David

Neuf and I in Bogota

Hanging out in a coffee shop with Isaac Beachy

Checking out sowing machines for the shoe making business

The contract signing for the shoe business (sorry that it's turned the wrong way)

My buddy Juan the street vendor and his niece who buy corn from us

corn

Playing some music for the kids in our Peace Education workshop

By the way, my host sister and I went bungee jumping....very exciting.

Jungle Service Trip: Arajuno

Hey friends.  About a week ago, I got back from a service trip in a small jungle community with a group of 10 guys from Nebraska and 2 Colombians, plus a Colombian volunteer that is working in Riobamba, Ecuador.  The week we spent there was truly amazing.  I had a great time interacting with the people from the community and enjoyed trying to learn a bit of Kichwa, their native language.  It was also a fun experience being the "tour guide" and translator for the group.  Below, I have attached a small article that I wrote about the experience for VMM's Connections magazine.  It will hopefully give you a little insight into our trip along with the photos I have attached.

“Good morning.”  “Buenos dias.”  “Alli punsha.”

In the small Ecuadorian jungle community of Arajuno, these three languages, English, Spanish and Kichwa, flowed together harmoniously as a group of 10 men from Nebraska, 3 Colombians and I worked alongside the local indigenous people to help them construct a new church building.

During a week of hard work defined by new experiences, further cultural understanding, and ultimately cross-cultural unity, we managed to make impressive progress in the construction that we had set out to accomplish.   Nevertheless, as we cleaned up the last of our tools, gathered together to say our goodbyes and made our way out of the jungle on a winding gravel road, I couldn’t help but think that the construction that we had completed was just the tip of the iceberg. 

In reality, we had done much more than simply help provide a place for Iglesia Esperanza Viva to have their Sunday morning services and Wednesday evening Bible studies.  We had shared meals together, sweated under the hot jungle sun side by side, played soccer together, laughed together despite language barriers, attempted to learn phrases from each other’s respective languages (which contributed to more laughter), and learned about each other’s families and ways of life.  We had demonstrated and received love and solidarity that transcends physical structures.

In my short 23 years of life, there are few things that I have experienced that make me feel as satisfied and fulfilled as sharing and receiving love through actions.  On a human level, if unifies and purifies us and on a spiritual level, we grow closer to God who is the source of life and love.  May we continue to seek unity and understanding in a world full of separation and brokenness.  

Drinking "chicha".  A local drink made by boiling yucca, smashing it, then having the women of the community chew it and spit it out and then letting it ferment for several days.  It's an interesting tangy taste to say the least.  The majority of the local people drink various "bowls" of chicha everyday.  On the construction site, they exclusively drank chicha as the women served us constantly.

Working on leveling the floor before pouring concrete.

Our swimming hole after work.

Lunch time.

Getting the mix ready.

Whats left of the McCully house.  Ed McCully was among the 5 missionaries killed in 1956 by the nearby Huaorani indigenous community (a story that I'm sure some of you remember).  He lived in Arajuno (where we were working) and used the small Arajuno airstrip to fly out to the community where they were eventually killed.  Interestingly enough, in the construction project, we worked alongside an older man who walked a day through the jungle to help recover the bodies when they were killed.  Another man who we worked with in the construction was Huaorani and the grandson of one of the people from the tribe who was involved in killing the missionaries.  

Probably the most skillful chainsaw display I have ever seen.  We ran out of wood for the supports to pour concrete, so they went back into the jungle, found a tree, and effortlessly cut perfect boards with a chainsaw.

Perfect boards.  Already cut to the right dimensions.  Amazing.

Having some fun.

Pouring the concrete.

The whole group.

An Array of Photos

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words....consider this my essay for this month.  It's worth mentioning however, that despite the photos which all look fun and excellent, we have faced some difficult situations with the refugees this past month...a man being deported after a marriage dispute, a women recovering from being assaulted, another woman torn and sobbing due to domestic violence and people arriving on our doorstep without a home or a place to stay.  It is certainly a life of ups and downs...

Enjoy the photos.



Although it isn't much of a joy to take the life of a chicken, I am proud to be a part of a 100% sustainable/0% waste, chicken raising operation that generates income for a refugee family and delicious, healthy meat for people in the community.

Starting to raise the walls of the greenhouse at the farm.  We finished it this past Saturday and it looks wonderful.  Unfortunately I didnt have my camera with me that day...I promise to post a picture of the finished project soon.

At my first professional soccer game in Quito.  Arriba La Liga!

At the peace education workshop this past month, I was in charge of the older kids activities (age 10-15).  We had more than 20 kids in this age range.  In this picture they are cutting out "chain people" to represent their friends as the theme was "What Makes a Good Friend?".

The finished product of another activity we did in the peace education workshop in reflecting with the kids about what makes a good friend.

Taking the kids home from the peace education workshop...I've always loved riding in the back of pickup trucks and with 25 kids packed in the back with you, it's even better.

In the latest youth group meeting that I planned, I taught the youth how to make pizza...

We had 4 groups, each group was in charge of making their own pizza anyway they wanted...keeping in mind that after every group was finished, we were going to vote for the most delicious, most creative and most aesthetically pleasing pizzas.  Here you have the winners of the most creative pizza--the stuffed crust won the votes.

After making pizza, we played a great game of "spoons".

Of course, we decided to throw the spoons in the yard without looking to add an extra dimension of fun to the game of "spoons".

                                         

                                        One of the beautiful soccer fields where we play weekly.

First Impressions in the New Year

Hello friends,

After a busy first month and a half here in Ecuador, I've finally found a chance to sit down and give you all an update about whats been happening here in Quito.  It's hard to know where to begin; my work here has begun quickly and I've been able to get involved in many projects.  My days are never the same as they consist of visiting Colombian refugee families, helping in the bimonthly workshops held for the refugees, planning and helping in the monthly peace education workshops for kids, working on a farm north of Quito, practicing music (and hopefully giving some basic guitar lessons in the future), and planning and holding events for the youth in the community.  

I've certainly learned a great deal through the experiences in my work up to this point and have been faced with challenging situations.  Especially regarding the Colombian refugees, their context is complex here in Ecuador as many deal with blatant discrimination, the fear and the reality of continued persecution by Colombian armed military groups (just last week one of the ladies we regularly visit was badly beaten in the street and left with a broken vertebra), unemployment or jobs in the informal economy, being separated from family members, trauma from past experiences....and the list continues.  I've enjoyed getting to know them and attempting to understand their situations through the different outreach programs that the church here has created.  Our house visits allow us to get to know them on a more personal level while the workshops provide a space to create community among the Colombians and provide them with an interesting and useful presentation with topics ranging from cooking to mechanics to jewelry making to managing money to environmental responsibility.  Nevertheless, creating community among Colombians is a constant challenge as many of them are fearful and suspicious of each other because of the delicate situations that they come from.

My experience working on the farm once a week with a refugee family has been a highlight up to this point as well.  We are raising chickens, growing corn and other vegetables and through a recent connection with my host family, selling the figs that grow on the various trees on the farm.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be able to work on a rural farm while living in such a large urban setting.  In the near future, we plan to build a small green house to grow more vegetables and my dream is to start a compost project in order to save the organic waste that virtually everyone throws in the trash here.  

I also had the opportunity to travel to the beach for New Years with my host family and take a trip to the jungle last weekend to begin coordinating a trip for a group from the US who is planning to come down for a service project in February.  I've also really enjoyed exploring the city, visiting the parks, hiking in the mountains, and checking out some open air markets.  Ecuador is truly a country full of natural beauty.

I'll leave it at that for the moment, if you're curious about more details, feel free to send me an email.  I'm very excited about the way things have begun here and I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds.  I hope you all have been well and I wish everyone the best in 2011.  Much love and peace.

PS. If you'd like to see more pictures, I have a photo album on facebook called "Vida Ecuatoriana" where I am uploading pictures.