Martin Chambers Ecuador Trust

Okay that’s me just about ready to go out the door as I head home for Mum & Dad’s 50th Wedding Anniversary. It will be a great occasion and I am really looking forward to being at this proud event. Of course, the folk here want to be involved in the moment and are sending a few home-made presents. I am sure they will be appreciated. Last week I was at Ayangue with the St. James’ guys for our monthly meeting. It was the usual business mixed with a bit of swimming. It is always great to get together with the other priests every so often to catch up but also to encourage one another and to hear everyone’s story. Of course, with a strong Irish contingent, we celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a fine meal – roast beef, as far as I remember. When the priests went away on Wednesday morning, I stayed on because I had a teachers retreat to give; the teachers from the Parish School normally start the year with a retreat and I suggested that we could have it in Ayangue since I was going to be there. It was a relaxed affair – we prayed and shared but there was also time for the teachers to get a swim in the sea! The most touching part of the retreat was when we had a night-time Stations of the Cross through the village with each teacher carrying the heavy cross. The prayers in the night-time were at the very least poignant as each person related something of their own life-story. Once back in Nueva Prosperina I got stuck into work with Lent and the Masses. It was a busy weekend as we also had three youth meetings with the parents. There are a few youth events planned for the next month or two so we had to bring the parents up to speed with what is happening. The youth work is something that I love as it is full of life. The school building is now nearing its completion and should be fully ready by the time I come back from Scotland. I can see it from my house and I could see the second floor going up and the roof going on. My only concern is that we might be losing a few pupils this year. The school year starts in April so a lot of parents are signing up in these last days of March. However, Ecuador’s President has offered free state education and many people are taking advantage of that. Our school cannot compete with FREE education but hopefully the proof of our worth is in the good education we have provided now for six years. It remains to be seen how well we do with numbers once April comes. So it’s off for Scotland and the celebrations. Chaocito!