Today (Sunday) is a big day in Ecuador as the country votes on the new Constitution! Basically Rafael Correa, the President, is hoping to push through some reforms that will radically change the way the country is run. There has been a very busy and bitter campaign not least with the Churches, some of whose leaders have openly opposed the reforms. However, it does seem that the President will get his way though maybe not throughout the country. In any case the country has been so oppressive of the poor for so long – so many people living in sub-standard housing, with poor education and poor health care – that what comes now could not be much worse. We shall see! As a result the sector is quite quiet as people travel the country to vote – often in the native town or village. Everyone is compelled to vote; if they do actually vote, they receive a certificate which entitles them to various benefits in the years ahead. On Friday we had another very typical Ecuadorian festival, the swearing-in of the National Flag. Every public institution has to perform some ceremony towards the end of September to honour their flag. In our school we had an early-morning ceremony with the Primary 7s taking the lead. We sing the National Anthem, hear about various Ecuadorian heroes, and then watch as each pupil bows before the flag and swear allegiance. It is now the fifth time I have taken part in that school service and it always strikes me that we in Scotland do not have the same emotion for such civic ceremonies – I’m not sure that’s it’s a good or bad thing. After it was all over, the teachers had a party out in the school yard with Disco Dave being the centre of attention as English and Spanish words were exchanged and as he received the by-now traditional “Teachers Pile-on”. On Thursday I went with Dave to an Anniversary Funeral Mass for the mother of one of our workers. Mauricio is a lovely hard-working guy but it is his son that is better-known to some Scots that have been out here. Bismarck, who is three years old now, had a hernia as a young baby when the St. John’s, Stevenston group was out and Susan Keyes, the nurse was able to take the stitches out – for free – as the family did not have money to pay doctor’s fees. The family is a good example of a shanty family: they scrape by to get the five eldest kids into school; they live in a bamboo house that is leaning to one side; and the three girls until recently slept under the floorboards! That is why I am so willing to help them in any kind of need. Disco continues to enjoy his work here. He is down the School most days and, although he is finding the Ecuadorian teaching systems a little lax, he is enjoying the company. From my point of view, it is terrific to have someone so witty and intelligent around the place. I think he raises the tone! Although I have no building projects on the go at the moment, I met with the architect through the week to pay off outstanding debts and also to look forward to a possible Medical Centre. After having looked at different locations around the sector, I feel the best place is actually where it is just now, right beside the school – being at a main street corner, it is accesses by so many people. So Pedro is looking into building a two-storey Medical Centre that will be able to attend to more people and in more ways than the present two-roomed centre. Talking of building we are gearing up for two Chapel Inaugurations: Maestro will have their big day next Sunday; and then La Paz chapel will be inaugurated on the 19th October. No doubt there will be singing and dancing all over the place.

So last week we were off to Ayangue for the monthly meeting. As I mentioned I was able to get off on Sunday night, rather than Monday so it meant an extra night’s peace. You do get used to Nueva Prosperina but the daily noise here (and even through the night) does take a bit of getting used to. Ayangue was good – it is great to meet up with the other St. James’ priests, hear their chat and their jokes and share stories about how projects are going. Since there was no meeting on Monday morning, I headed up the coast with Disco Dave as far as Olon. There is a dramatic monastery there perched on a cliff top from where stretches an enormously long beach. The whole coastline is beautiful dotted with small fishing villages. On the way back we went into a village called Barcelona where they make “Panama Hats” – don’t want to bore you with the details but the light, straw Panama Hats do not in fact come from Panama but Ecuador! Once we were back in Nueva Prosperina it was back to the day job. While I got going on the home visits, Dave got going on the school. I think it would be fair to say that Ecuadorian school life is not as organized as it is back home. He is taking English classes with Freddy’s sister, Yessenia, but there does seem to be a bit of improvisation in teaching methods. Still it is great to be involved with the school and know that truthfully education is the only way that so many of the world’s poor can eek their way out of poverty. When I came back last week, Colm Hogan, the Irish priest that has been staying with me since December, was still here. During the summer his house in his new Parish of Monte Sinai had been getting built but was not yet finished. I had been over a few days just to see how it was all getting on. Some furniture going in, some painting still to be done. And then suddenly he was away – on Thursday. I had a mixture of emotions: sadness that a friend was moving away; but also great happiness as Colm steps out on an exciting path. To be with your people, to actually live there takes time in our set-up here but, once you are actually there, so much can be achieved. Good Luck, Colm. I took Dave on a few home visits and it was great to see the people again. This week it was mostly sick and housebound and I was happy to see my friends again, people in real need. In some cases, there was money to be given to help them buy medicines but in most cases we simply prayed and had Communion. It was also back to the usual round of Masses (eight between Friday and Sunday) and there were also three Baptisms. An interesting feature of being back here is that, for the first time in over three years, I have no building projects. There will be a Medical Centre being built once we raise some money but at the moment nothing. Having said that, we finished two chapels just before I went to Scotland so those communities are busily preparing their inaugurations for next month. No doubt there will be dances and eats as well as the Mass itself. I am looking forward to these days as the chapels stand proudly in the midst of poverty as a symbol of change, a prosperous change that the can also achieve in their own lives..

So they’re off and running! Back to Guayaquil after a great time in Scotland. As ever I love being at home with me family and friends. I had preaching to do every weekend but there was plenty of time to catch up and see as many people as possible. I love being at home. Leaving home, therefore, can be quite trying for me as witness the two hour crying session with the Ecuadorians when we were returning home in March of this year. However, the tears were not much in evidence this year. Sad, yes, but with my Mum & Dad we managed to keep it together. Of course, returning to Guayaquil with me this time was Disco Dave Ross (for the sake of this diary will be referred to as Dave). He got a wee bit sick on the way over but I don’t think it was my chat that was putting him off rather the rotten scrambled eggs that KLM had served at 2am!!! Having said that, after a wee rest in the house he was settled and ready for Latin American life. I am sure the weeks ahead will be very worthwhile for him …. He laughs at my jokes and, out of respect, I laugh at his! My time at home this year was a little shorter than other years; the reason being I had thought of traveling up to the jungle for a couple of days. So, after a check to see if they could take us, myself and Dave took off first to Banos and then on to Puyo at the mouth of the Ecuadorian jungle. It was brilliant experience with a canoe journey up the forest, walks up jungle hills, night walks to see the insects and wild flowers and, of course, eating with the monkeys and parrots (no, literally). It was something I would recommend to anyone and, if I have another chance, maybe go in a little further! So, with all of that, the only Parish activity has been Sunday there. And it was an unusual one. The local Archbishop Arregui had decreed that there were to be no Sunday Masses apart from the big open air Masses to be celebrated around the city in support of ‘Life and Families’. Our area to the north of the city had an open air Mass in the grounds of Hogar de Cristo, the housing charity. The reason for it all was to promote life in all its aspects in the light of the referendum on the New Constitution on the 28th of this month. The President has been working hard in support of the ‘Yes’ vote. The Church is against some aspects of the Constitution and has been in the press a lot. I am not sure how the vote will go but the President still had a great popular vote. We shall see….. So, with no Sunday evening Masses, I set off with Dave a little early to our Ayangue meeting. It is always great to be down the coast and I look forward to meeting up with all the priest from all over the country. And, with my homesickness ebbing away, I am very enthusiastic to return to the Parish on Wednesday morning to get going with gusto.