Water Project - Destination: Ecuador

After all of the fundraising and preparing for this trip we were finally ready and on our way.  Please remember that we are just the deliverers of what everyone has helped put together.  We are so grateful for the efforts of so many to make this project possible.

So Stephanie Beckman and I left LAX on the 29th at 9am and arrived in Quito at 11:15pm.  After getting through customs (big sigh of relief) we were greeted by Stephanie Peterson and Eduardo Sandoval. By the time we got through customs it was 12:30.  It was late and we were all tired.  We dropped Stef P off in Quito and we heading to the coast for a good 4 hour drive.  It wasn´t raining too bad but the roads have been ruined by the bad rain so it was quite the ride to Quininde. Eduardo worked with me at the orphanage in Quito so we had a lot to catch up on.  We chatted for an hour and then Steph B and I tried sleeping throught the intense moments of driving through the windy roads.

We arrived safely after 4am in Quininde where we stayed and didn´t wake up till 2pm. haha! We were so tired.  The next day we met Yanin (social worker in Quininde) and went to the community to view and meet the people.  We agreed it would be best to stay in the community and get to know the people and water situation there.  We were humbled and delighted to stay with a lady named Maria.  The whole town and community had helped build her a new small concrete tilt up house after her old bamboo house burned to the ground.  Her house burned down just 8 months ago and her husband and baby of 1 year 6 months were both inside.  They both died in the fire.  It is truly a heartbreaking story.  She told us that having us stay with her helped her not feel so lonely and she was so glad to have us.  I will tell you more about her later.  Her house didn´t have a bathroom so we used the house next door.  We did not shower the whole time we were there partly because of fear of malaria and dengue and there was no running water in the homes.  The river was a dirty mess and it still amazes me that people were drinking straight from the river.  So glad that we were able to help several families recieve clean water.

On 2-1-2012 we had a meeting at the school with the families that were recieving the water filters.  Stephanie P was able to be there with us to help with the project that day.  We did a very basic introduction of the filters and showed each family how to put them together and clean the filter. We were able to meet with each family later the next day and talk in depth about their water situation and see them using their filters in their own homes.  I will discuss more on that later.  It was truly an amazing experience in so many ways. 

Everyone was so grateful for the help as many truly understand how bad their dirty water is effecting them. We gave them a solution that will change their lives and their families. It was amazing! More info to follow... Thanks to everyone for the support! You have come with us on this project in our hearts.  I feel your support and prayers and love going with me to each of the places we go. - Carrie