Serving With Hope, Fun and Compassion
We had a Rock Painting party in the last week of April, and 35 people from our kitchen brought 45 rocks. They were filled with joy and enthusiasm and many painted very artistic rocks for our flower garden. Three of our volunteers assisted them in this fun project. We are planning more projects for the future.
Our Volunteers
During the first week of May we have an American Nurse who will volunteer in checking our people and writing comments for the volunteer doctors. This will cut back on some of the time spent by the doctors. Another volunteer, who is a massage therapist, will give massages to our elderly. This will help with their aches and pains along with circulation. This will be a new experience for many, and I hope the elderly will be receptive. We will keep you updated on our progress.
Community Minga
On May 13 the community has volunteered to do a Minga. Most likely, 35 to 40 people will arrive with shovels, machetes and other small tools to clear the over grown grass and do much weeding. Our second building is used for medical when we can get a doctor to spend some time in helping our elderly. There are two holes in the roof and one of our volunteers is an architect and will assist in the repair with two men coming for the Minga.
The people will start to work around 7:30am until noon. Our two cooks and some of our volunteers will prepare a nice hot lunch in appreciation. We are very grateful that the community people are involved in helping us.
How We Help
Not a typical week, however; we had two people needing medical attention – an infected arm needed immediate medical attention, and a toothache with one of our mute people required the tooth to be extracted after several days of antibiotics.
The government hospital is free but most of the time prescriptions are given to purchase medicines. I personally experienced last week, a man with stomach problems and a tube from his bladder which had not been cleaned. With a translator, we took him to the hospital. However we had to go to the pharmacy and purchase a tube for the urine and an antibiotic along with pills to eliminate water. He will need treatment every two months.
In a domestic case with a 90-year-old woman, a volunteer and two Indigenous people visited the home. I was told that the family home is in very poor condition and they do not want to take care of this elderly parent/grandmother. It was discovered that this 90 year old sleeps on the concrete floor. So far, we have calmed the situation down.
The elderly in a domestic situation have no place to go. We have people on the street that beg and are in that situation. Our big dream is to have a small shelter to help during a crisis.
How Your Donations Help
There are no words for the gratitude expressed by these unfortunate people. Ecuador Project Hope could not help beyond meals if it were not for your generous donations for food and some extra for these medical situations.
We have eye, ear and dental problems that we have not been able to address. We hope to have a volunteer dental group come here from Quito in the near future. Many of our elderly have cataracts and we need specialists. Many also have ear problems.
I am sure there are specialist doctors that we could take our people to for medical care. However it is not free. Your donations help us to serve in many ways and not just serving breakfast and arranging projects.
We are open to any suggestions as we are still a small “grass roots” organization and just making it month by month.
Our next newsletters will cover our Minga on May 13, and a video of our Pancake breakfast that raised a little over $2,000 after expenses.
As always,
Micky Enright,
Founder of Ecuador Project Hope
If you would like to designate your donation to a particular item please indicate. No donation is too small and deeply appreciated. Tax receipts are available.