¿por qué?

First and foremost, WE FINALLY GOT PLACED! This actually happened a few days ago, but up until then, there were eleven of the RdC volunteers that were not sure which Duran community they were going to be placed into. There are two preexisting RdC communities in both Arbolito and Antonio Jose de Sucre (AJS), both located within Duran, and there is a new community in Monte Sinai (Mont-ay Seen-aye-ee) as well. The Monte Sinai kids knew their placements before orientation (holler MARITA, JENN, BECKY, JEFF, and AARON) while the rest of us weren't quite sure where we'd end up. A few days ago, JESSIE, TASHA, BETH, MARK, AND CELSO were placed in AJS while CAITLIN, TIERNEY, JON, BRENDAN, KIPP, and myself were placed in Arbolito :) I had been kidding around saying that I would want to raise livestock in order to then use them as a main dish (sorry) but they told me that only if I was placed in Arbolito did they really think I'd have room for say, chickens (even though Elyse did it two years ago in AJS) or a pig or cow. Then low and behold, I end up in Arbolito haha so yes, my community will probably be in discussion over the course of the year whether or not we will be purchasing and raising some animals for food.

The real topic I wanted to dedicate this wall post to is the whole idea of why exactly I'm doing what I'm doing (that's what ¿por qué? means) and what the RdC program stands for and represents. There were lots and lots of things that contributed to my decision, and I'm going to try my best to put lots of emotions and memories into comprehensive sentences, but I'm sure my thoughts might seem random and disconnected at times. I'll still try my best!


Why I signed myself up for this is a big question. Contrary to some people's beliefs, I did not sign up for this because the job market sucks or because I couldn't find a job or wanted to put off "the real world" for another year. In my opinion, I'm about to enter into the "real world". That one trip I took to Guatemala changed how I perceived poverty. After learning about a mass genocide that the US had a direct hand in carrying out, it's hard to look through the same lens. Sure there have been lots of problems with countries and violence throughout the years, but when you sit with someone whose mother had to flee through the jungle because the US was scared of communism (that is obviously a very simplified version of what happened), it makes you think. To make a long story short, I suppose it took something heavy like that to finally make me feel like I couldn't brush it aside. That's when I first decided that there are a LOT of problems that many people choose to ignore, and I think poverty is the biggest one. I think that many people would just assume to believe that poverty does not exist, or that they have no role in its demise or promotion. Thinking about poverty makes a lot of people really uncomfortable, and who wants to voluntarily make themselves feel uncomfortable? I suppose that through a lot of this, I've come to the conclusion that I feel like I've been given a whole lot, and I feel like I owe something to the world. Once you see a smart little kid stay home from school just because he can't afford shoes, it seems like ignorance to poverty can't really be a choice or option anymore.

The thing about Rostro de Cristo that I love, is that it's message and our mission is not focused on doing, but rather simply on being with the people. Mission in a sense, is being present to the person standing right in front of you. Many people just need someone to talk to, and it is this reason that the RdC volunteers become such a source of inspiration and hope within the communities. Our purpose is to find Christ in the people that we serve, and to not fix their problems, but to accompany them in their daily struggles. How are we supposed to come into their country and community and know exactly what they need? We can't possibly fix their problems for them, because we don't know the cultural or social infrastructures and implications that make any single decision or project so difficult. RdC challenges us to take on a new perspective of life by simply being with the Ecuadorian people.

RdC is very unique in that we share our experience and perspective by hosting about twenty-five groups of American high school and college kids throughout the year for service break trips. I felt like it would be amazing to be able to offer an alternate perspective to the students that come to Duran and Guayaquil. After all, that single experience and opportunity in Guatemala is what jump-started the chain of events that led me to where I am going in 5 days.

There is also a heavy emphasis on RdC community and simple living, and I'll probably say it a lot and refer to it constantly throughout the year. As RdC volunteers, we live in an intentional Christian community. I wanted to do this for two reasons: 1) I learned from break trips that if I can't talk to someone who knows exactly what I'm going through, then I'll probably crack (probably scream into a pillow first). The way I cope with difficult interactions and situations is by being able to talk it through with someone who is experiencing the same exact thing as me (ie living in Ecuador with me). I will keep you all updated as best I can and some things will be harder to convey because it's simply something you have to physically see in order to "get", but I'll still talk to you I swear! It's comforting to know that when it comes down to it, there are fifteen other people living in Ecuador with me that know what it's like to be living here, but also lots of people from home supporting me. The second thing I like about this intentional Christian community business is the fact that it has an emphasis on faith. I don't think I could do this full year without knowing that there's something (ie God) out there that's a lot bigger than myself. Without keeping focused on that, I feel like it would be very difficult for me to handle everything that I'm sure I'll be dealt in the next twelve months.

And I guess that's how and why I'm here and how and why I'm going to give everything I have to bring the best of myself to the people of Duran. I can already tell that my mindset and perspective is starting to change (you should see the number of sessions and discussions we've had - and still have - through this orientation program). I don't think change is a bad thing, at least not anymore. This quote has been said a few times throughout the orientation so I guess I'll end with that. Thanks again to everyone for supporting me. I'm thinking about you guys a lot :)

Paz, Amor, y Ecuador <3

"God loves us just the way we are, but too much to let us stay that way." - Dr. Scott Hahn, Franciscan University of Steubenville

Smile :)

¡feliz cumpleaños celso!

We had our first birthday today. We may have slightly embarassed him through multiple posters and an interesting rendition of happy birthday (I'm really good at singing, I swear), but I think Celso secretly enjoyed it :) Lucky Celso gets to spend TWO birthdays with his RdC community. What a lucky duck.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Celso!

Paz, Amor, y Ecuador <3

what upp orientation

Blogging is one of those things that I've always wanted to try but never figured I'd had much of a reason to. I had tried to search for an excuse to try blogging by trying to find something worthwhile to blog about. I would hardly call a year of service in Ecuador an excuse to blog, but it certainly has given me the push to start one.

So when I started this blog, I was trying to figure out what the heck I was supposed to name it. I felt like it was such a big step to finally start up this blog thing, and then I realized that I had no witty or remarkable thing to call it. I ended up deciding on that first part because it's the title from a book I just read (thank you Mitch Albom) and also because I wear a ring that says Faith on my right ring finger. The second part I once said at the end of an email to all the rest of the Rostro volunteers when we were trying to figure out what types of clothes we were supposed to bring (how do you pack for a year anyway?) and then I realized that it rhymes, so I decided that instead of liking it, I really liked it. I guess little things like that tend to really amuse me.

After finding out I would be spending a year in Ecuador, I started to get really excited, and really nervous, and really anxious. I probably experienced every emotion in the past few months, and having to say goodbye to people was the hardest part so far. I don't cry that much, but I cried saying goodbye, and it's weird because I know it's not going to be forever. It's only a year. Sometimes I think a year is really long and then I realize that the past four years of college felt like they passed within the timespan of a single week. I think it's strange how time works like that.

Anyway, I've finally ended all the goodbyes, which has been sad, yes, but also a sigh of relief. I feel like I can truly focus now on what next year will bring. Orientation has been great so far. All the JVC and RdC kids are so open and friendly, and knowing that everyone is kind of scared and kind of anxious and really excited is very comforting. We're all in the same boat, so we're going to make sure we all keep afloat :) (that also rhymed, and I just laughed out loud in the BC library...)

Contact can be pretty limited, but I'll do my best to update this as much as possible. Mom, I'm healthy and happy, so don't worry, and thanks to everyone that supported this maybe not-so-conventional post-graduation opportunity. It really meant, and continues to mean, a lot to me :)

Paz, Amor, y Ecuador (that means Peace, Love, and Ecuador) <3