Martin Chambers Ecuador Trust

Paul came and went since I last wrote. Duncan Smith arrived before I came back from Scotland but Paul arrived last Monday and stayed for over a week. The two of them went down the school to work so that was good and worked out well: Duncan helping in labouring at the classroom build; and Paul in the English classes. I would say though that Duncan seemed the most tired when they came back to the house. In any case, the school were very happy to have them working and appreciated their work!!!! They gave them a welcome/farewell meal on Wednesday with the usual handicraft gifts. Of course, they were both here during the busiest week of the year – Holy Week. All the ceremonies went well. The Mass of Chrism on Thursday morning I attended myself while they were working at the school. It was good enough although the ‘rammy’ at the end to get the Holy Oils was terrible. Then at night time the Mass of the Lord’s Supper was very well attended and I washed 16 feet – Paul reckoned that there would have been more then just the apostles in the Upper Room so maybe there were more than 12 feet to be washed. On Friday we had the three-and-a-half hour epic Stations of the Cross up past the Rubbish tip. It was so well done (in particular Victor’s acting as Jesus was superb) I was moved to tears as it was going on. The actual crucifixion scene was incredible. At night we had a full Church for the Good Friday celebration. Saturday morning saw our youth convention – well attended in Carmen chapel by around 120 young people. Twas very good with great enthusiasm. Then the Easter Vigil turned into the Piece de Resistance of all celebrations with 0ver 500 people filling the Church. As the night went on and people’s participation in the readings passed the numbers dwindled but, as light came into the Church around 6.30am on Sunday morning, we were still very busy. Highlights were the Good and Evil drama from the chapel here, the fireworks at the Ceremony of Light and Tania receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. Once again it was very worthwhile in having an all-night vigil. Of course, Duncan, Paul and myself were absolutely shattered at the end of it all. But, after five or six hours sleep, we got into the car and headed up the coast so that they could see a little bit of a different Ecuador than the shanty towns of Guayaquil. We went to Puerto Lopez and it was great just to have a night of chatting and eating beside a beautiful Pacific sunset. In the morning we walked into the ocean and then headed down the road. A very worthwhile relax after the hectic Holy Week.