Martin Chambers Ecuador Trust

Well the real personal excitement this week was telling my family that I would be home in March for Mum & Dad’s 50th Wedding Anniversary. I had booked my ticket some months ago but had kept it a secret. So when Ian phoned to ask if I would be able to manage a few days home – seeing that the 31st March is so near to Holy Week! You can’t publish the words that were spoken when I told them about me keeping it secret. I am really looking forward to be home for ten days around eth anniversary. Parish life keeps me busy and, as ever, my best thing is simply to get out and meet folk. Yesterday among others, I went to old Louisa (she still wears the clothes that Tracy and Suzanne bought her), to Aida who is looking for a new bed and a chair, and to Silberio who is still getting to grips with losing a leg last year. I also had a sad occasion on Sunday morning after early Mass – I was called to the house of Alvarito: this six-year old had special needs and had taken a fit that morning and died. It was so sad to see the distraught family and friends who clearly had a great affection for their little star. Sad also to see the way that poverty affects even in death – six-year old Alvarito was not in a coffin but wrapped in a shawl …. They would be getting a coffin once they had traveled the country to his place of rest. This week we were back at Ayangue for our regular meeting with the St. James’ guys. After all the activity of the Christmas weeks, it was great to get there and enjoy the rest. Strange to be able to swim in the ocean – knowing that back home the temperatures are way below zero!! Yesterday I went to visit Richard one of our very committed catechists. He lived with Gisella, his wife and their one child, Omar. Their house was falling to one side and was so small that even a cat could not be swung. In any case, several people have made donations to his new house. I had seen the house at the start of the project but it was amazing to see how much it has developed in the past weeks. It is also great to see that Richard, at the moment unemployed, is doing it all by himself with some help from his brothers. This house will last for ages and will be a great present from Scotland.