Friday, August 1, 2008

August 2008

Hello and, for those of you who are new to our monthly update, welcome! Starting next month, new Program Director (PD) Holly Ward will be sending out brief monthly updates with stories, pictures, and links to this blog, where we'll be posting even more.

This Sunday marks exactly one year since I (Mark) landed in Quito. I spoke basic Spanish, was unsure if the other volunteers would be able to get visas to meet me in September, and it took me three weeks to locate where I was on Google Maps. I had - at best - fragmented knowledge about community development and nonprofit management, and knew only that my immediate role would be helping with summer camps operated by another local organization.

The other volunteers did in fact arrive in September, and since then our Spanish has improved quite a bit. We still struggle with Ecuador's kafkaesque visa system, however, and - to Craig's consternation - I still get lost in Sangolquí, the valley's biggest city. But our understanding of community development and management have grown in bounds, and we have begun more sharply to define MPI's role in the neighborhoods where we work. That is entirely due to the tireless, selfless work of this year's PDs - Annie, Abbie, Hilary, Seth, Luke, John, Craig and Zak. I can not imagine a stronger founding team, and they have set a high bar for subsequent volunteers.

One year later, the stage is set for MPIE's next generation of PDs, who are moving in to their rooms in the Manna house this evening. After three weeks of training and language school in Quito, they're itching to get to work. They'd better be - they've got their work cut out for them!

Atentamente,

Mark Hand
Ecuador Country Director
Manna Project International

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