Ecuador Day 4: Our day at Carmen Bajo (Lucy takes over)

 Day 4 was filled with laughter, conversations, connections, painting, and just a little bit of dancing. One of the great joys of this trip was the way our team was invited into the lives and stories of the people we met. It felt like sacred space, and we were honored to be apart of it. 

Day 4 started with a tour of Reypin, a preparation for the next day where we would take the students of Reypin to a farm (spoiler alert!). Reypin is a day program for kids and adults with disabilities. The staff at Reypin were warm and welcoming, offering us tea and a tour of their building. We learned of all the intentional ways Reypin has been designed to care well for their students, from spaces for students to work one-on-one with their speech or physical therapist to sensory rooms where students can play and learn motor skills. 

After getting a tour of the facility, we walked to a nearby park, met the students of Reypin, and had a dance party. Please enjoy this video of our diverse takes on dancing... 

We then drove back to the church of Carmen Bajo which was our home base for most of the week. We spent the rest of our morning playing with about 25 preschoolers at Carmen Bajo and helped lead a craft. 

For lunch we went the school of Carmen Bajo and were given a tour of the classrooms, library, basketball court, and dining area—all the spaces and people that have come alongside so many students in difficult and desperate situations. This has been a safe place for countless students, offering education, meals, and a place to be cared for and known. We had an incredible meal of soup and homemade empanadas and listened to some of the stories of students and staff associated with Carmen Bajo. It was sacred ground we were walking on; listening to others' stories and sharing a meal is reflective of the Kingdom. It is healing, freeing, and redemptive.

Thomas liked the food all week if you couldn't tell:

The view from a classroom at Carmen Bajo, overlooking the beautiful city of Quito:

After lunch we helped move debris from a construction project at the church and helped paint one of the downstairs rooms of their school. Of course, dancing broke out. 

In the late afternoon we went to the Youth World office for a training on privilege. We loved that our service throughout the week was broken up by education and training. To be aware of our own biases and misconceptions is so necessary so that we can love, and come alongside, others well. 

The night ended with a trip to El Manglar, a local restaurant that served huge portions of delicious Ecuadorian food. We were thrilled that our beloved bus driver, Pablo, joined us for the meal.

Feeling humbled and honored to have spent our last day at Carmen Bajo hearing stories, learning, painting, crafting, and being welcomed into the Carmen Bajo family.