Martin Chambers Ecuador Trust

The big building work of this month has been completed. Basically it is a wall outside the Divino Nino chapel (the chapel that St. John’s youth group did up when they came out here). For a while the catechists there had been on at me to do something. I had said that if they raised $500, we would go ahead. So being pretty smart people they got going with fundraisers: bingos, selling hot dogs out on the street etc. So quickly they came up with the cash. And I had to come up with my part of the bargain! It looks good, strong and sturdy. Although they have put barbed wire along the top which takes away a bit of the good look. Last Saturday was a massive Confirmation day – we had 120 people for the Sacrament! With so many Confirmations throughout the Diocese, the Archbishop sends out local priests to do the needful. So we had Padre Mauricio who was very good – he only spoke for thirty minutes (I heard of a guy who spoke for an hour and a half). So the Church was packed and, after the Mass, it was a long period of smiling for all the cameras with the various kids that had lined up. That, of course, was followed up by another batch of Baptisms – only thirty this weekend! We are looking forward to building the long-promised Medical Centre. We got a few good donations from back home so, although not all the money to complete the project is there; there is enough to make a good stab at it. The rest, God will provide. However, before we even get to that stage, the housing charity (Hogar de Cristo) who will run the Medical Centre, are fighting on our behalf. Basically the best bit of land for building is right beside the Nursery but we don’t yet have claim to that land. Not only that but the ‘lawyer’ said it wasn’t ours!!!! So I think while the lawyer seems to be ‘on the run from the law’, we are making hay with the City Council and getting claims!!! Hopefully we can start building soon. And I got another bit of good news this week: the local Rotary Club is funding the laying of a water pipe to get water up to the Nursery, Church and House. They sunk a well two years ago in the school and now they want to lay pipes from the school up to the house. It will be a great boon and blessing as we spend $50 each week for water in the Nursery and house. Good old Rotary! John Keane has his sister, Mary, our visiting him. While I was out at San Pablo to get some Society things sorted, we went out for lunch to a lovely place at Ballenita overlooking the ocean. Mary had just arrived and was shocked by the extent of the poverty. But the meal and the chat – and the scenery – made for a lovely afternoon!