Manna Project International Ecuador Updates: September 2008

(Incomparable Ecuadorian sunset-rainbow combination, as seen from our rooftop porch)

Greetings from Ecuador!

When Mark asked me the other day when the Monthly Update for September would be ready to send out, I was in shock. Had it honestly been one month since we sent out the last update? Had time snuck by so quickly down here in Ecuador that I already had to start composing the next(my first!) update? Seeing as how it is now already September 7, the answer is clearly yes.

As I've begun to sort through all that's happened since we last wrote, I'm amazed by the variety and richness of our experiences here so far. We've wandered our way through the markets in Sangolquí and biked through the Andes mountains. We've played pick-up soccer with a jumble of kids from San Francisco and stood with one foot each in both hemispheres. We've learned to identify fresh passion fruit and taught our first classes, immersed ourselves in community development literature and begun to re-mold our preconceived notions on creating change.

(The whole crew on the equator at Mitad del Mundo)

Specifically, the trip to Mitad del Mundo, ("half of the world") encompasses how I've come to view our time down here so far. Straddling the equatorial line put us in the unique position of being a part of two hemispheres simultaneously. Emblematically this stands true as well. Attending some of the top universities in the States allowed us to engage with expert professors in fields ranging from Biological Anthropology to Native American Literature. We benefited greatly from the privileges that come hand in hand with university life; the rich atmosphere of intellectualism, a commitment to communal successes, and a seemingly endless supply of available resources. Now down here in the town of San Francisco, Ecuador, we're encountering a different kind of world, a world struggling to rise above economic uncertainty, insufficient access to health services and lacking educational resources.

As Manna volunteers, we stand figuratively with a foot in each world, able to think and work, to plan and enact with both perspectives in mind. Instead of remaining on one side of the line and
picking out needs on the other, MPIE has been working to redefine our strategy of community development as one that identifies existing communal strengths and uses our abilities and connections to enhance them. We see our role here as three-fold: to empower individuals, strengthen institutions, and build networks. With a stake in each hemisphere, we stand poised to connect and reinforce our numerous worlds.

With finance courses, the expansion of the local health clinic, English classes, women's exercise programs, a community garden/recycling initiative and teenage girls’ art classes in the works, there is plenty to keep updated on. To help our friends, family and donors do so, we're proud to announce the creation of the new "Daily Life" blog, found at http://openhandsdirtyfeet.blogspot.com. With tidbits about life in the house, program updates, random information about MPIE PDs, and a rating of our nightly family dinners, the daily blog is the best way to keep up to date on life at MPIE in real time.

Also, to facilitate the ease with which I send out these monthly updates, we've created an MPIE google group. That way, instead of sending this email out to 500 people in 10 stages (and getting my gmail account shut down from overuse), once you accept the invitation I will be able to send the email one time and reach everyone in our network. Look for the invitation to the google group later tonight, and please accept!

Here's to the next month,
Holly