At the end of last month our Board President, Dan Teefey led a team down to Ecuador.
The team was able to go on visits to the Medical Clinic, the Home for At Risk Children and Forever Flowers. Additionally, they participated in construction on the Home for At Risk Children.
They, along with the Medical Clinic staff and Kim, held a Medical Caravan in La Magdalena. As you may remember from a recent post, they also had a special outing to the Hot Springs in Oyacachi and took the kids from the Home and the staff with them.
Dan graciously shared his thoughts with us from the trip:
“At the end of June, our team of 6 traveled to Cayambe, Ecuador, to serve alongside the Santiago Partnership. This was my 5th trip to Ecuador, but the first time for most of our team. We spent our time worshiping with Iglesia El Buen Pastor in Cangahua, painting at Casa Hogar, participating in two medical caravans, touring the Forever Flowers farm, playing a soccer match, and traveling with children from Casa Hogar to the Oyacachi hot springs. We also took a tourist day to experience Ecuadorian sights, sounds, and artisan markets.
It was a privilege to see the growth of the Santiago Partnership projects and to see the impact of Joel, Kim, Rolando, Esther, and the entire Santiago Partnership and project teams. They are each faithful and gifted leaders that lead with integrity and vision.
One day when we were visiting Casa Hogar, our team had the opportunity to see a young boy from the home leave to be reunited with his parents. The child's family was crying tears of joy as the boy clung to his father's leg. On the other side of the Casa Hogar lobby, a young girl was weeping, knowing that her good friend was leaving the home. The moment was complex but beautiful as it conveyed the home's profound impact. A family had found the support and healing they needed to bring their child back home with them. Their young boy was loved and nourished by Casa Hogar staff so that he could rejoin his family when they were healthy. And though the young girl's crying filled the room, her tears were evidence of the deep bonds and faithful community that are forged between children and staff at Casa Hogar.”
Thank you Dan and Team! We had a wonderful time with you!
