Busy Days

Recently, I find myself continually telling people when they ask how I've been, that the last few weeks (now more than a month or so) have been a whirlwind for me.

Just three days after getting back from my visit home and the exciting engagement, I had the opportunity to be "tour guide/host" for a family of 6 from Canada (plus a friend of their family) who were coming to visit the orphanage on their way down to visit two of their sponsored children through Compassion International. They were here for about 6 days; during which we celebrated Children's Day with a program here at FHC which was sponsored by Samaritan's Purse (the children all received shoe boxes filled with gifts), went to church, helped at Pan de Vida (a soup kitchen), visited Old Town Quito, visited the daycare at the dump, went to the Equator museum, went toy shopping for the FHC kids, traveled an hour away to help at my friend's kids club- where there was another Samaritan's Purse shoebox distribution, and found time to spend hours helping with the care of the kids here at FHC. All with 4 boys under the age of 13! It was quite the action packed week. 

Five days after their depature, a good friend of mine from Chicago, who I met while studying abroad in the Dominican Republic, came to visit for a little over one week. We had a great time of catching up, doing some touristy things, going away for a long weekend to Banos (a new place for me). Had lots of great experiences in Banos- swimming in hot springs, going on a "drive-by" tour of some amazing waterfalls, a tour of the jungle  (complete with tastings of lemon ants, chicha (a drink that is made by chewing and spitting out yuca and then allowing it to ferment, a hike to a waterfall, visit of the local market w/ explanation of a number of strange looking new fruits and veggies (and large-maggot-looking caterpillars that are often bbq-ed and eaten in the jungle (don't worry... I definitely did not try those!!)), visit to an animal rescue center where we saw many animals that are native to the jungle and have been rescued and are on the mend from different injuries/sicknesses, etc.). 

In the midst of all of the visits, I've continued to help here at the orphanage where needed (feeding bottles, going in the therapy pool with the babies, play time w/ the older kids, photography projects, organizing donations, working with the Tias) as well as continuing to visit the girls at the foundation who have been rescued from trafficking. Life has been busy!!