mini Christmas beach break

Tuesday we (amy, Claire, Claires friend Nancy and Claires boyfriend Edwin and I ) all piled into Edwins family mini bus and hit the high road. We drove up North to the Esmeraldas and went to a beach  called Same. Edwin used to help run a summer kids camp there so the camp owner let us stay in one of the cabanas which made it all very easy.Only cost about £1.75 a night! Cold water showers though!!! 

Had a lovely couple of days-walked along the beach, swam(ish) in the sea, had 3 meals a day on the beach, drank Coconut water from a freshly cut down Coconut palm tree (macheted a hole and stuck a straw in-very cool!)  and caught up on my sleep. Lovely weather, didn't wear anything with sleeves once!

breakfast on the beach

Same beach

Had a fascinating drive there and back; about 4 hours each way. On the way Edwin gave a lift to his aunt and uncle who live out in the countryside. In true local custom they invited us in which we did. Then we picked fresh Cocoa beans off the trees in the back garden and ate them! Felt a bit like an Umpa-lumpa. Not the Cocoa berries but the actual fruit inside; they're like white triangles and you eat them and the big stone in the middle contains the chocolate cocoa inside them. Then we picked Star fruit and ate them. On the way back today we picked up a family of strangers just because they were on our way! Would never do this alone of course but with Edwin there we do all sorts of random but typically local things like that! Love it. Every week brings loads of "first time ever" moments.

us try ing out  Coconut sweets (told AFTERWARDS that the women make these by chewing then spitting out the coconut!)

Feliz Navidad

First of all let me say a big thank you to everyone who sent me Christmas cards, decorations and parcels. I know sending things here is expensive, long and sometimes difficult. You have no idea how much it meant to me to be able to open the cards and parcels and see that you remembered me and went to the effort to send something! I have never had a simple Christmas card mean so much to me before.

    Christmas came and went. I was away from home, family, friends and church but somehow the world didn't end! Christmas Eve (Bueno Noche) was spent with my host family here. We prayed, shared our past Christmases, played very silly games, gave gifts and ended the night with a traditional festive dinner (chicken&rice like every other meal!) at midnight. Was a lovely time. Christmas Day we did our drama again and then in the evening my boss did a British Christmas dinner. Boxing Day was spent with Amy and Claire doing a mini Brit Christmas day including pudding with Brandy butter yum and the classic "Love Actually."

Amy and the lit pudding!

    I can't say this has been the best Christmas ever but it has been special. I was dreading it but it was good and it has shown me incredible kindness and generosity. People who paid a fortune in posting just so I would get cards and gifts. My boss who cooked Christmas dinner just so I wouldn't be alone on Christmas day and my host family who bought me an extra gift because I "belong" to them. Claire who decorated her flat to make me feel festive and made a whole Brit Christmas for us and my friend Amy who made me a stocking and persuaded someone to sneak into my room at night so I woke up on Christmas Day to find Santa had been!

Elves rock!

After yet another none existent practise session, Saturday saw our little drama group in costume and squashed into a mini bus and on the way to LF. Our arrival caused absolute chaos!!! Hundreds of children poured out of the houses with their mothers and ended up blocking the roads...our bus was mobbed! We spent a hot half hour stuck inside the bus while the crowds were organised and the selected kids were ushered in. I will allow you a moment of believing that we were THAT popular........in actual fact we were mobbed because the families knew we'd give out cake and sweets.

In true Ecuadorian style our main character (Santa Claus) hadn't turned up so we entertained the crowd with songs and games We were introduced as our characters and each one of us had to run into the hall, do a lap of honour and then spend the next 40 minutes leading hordes of children in fun songs with actions! Do you know any fun, Spanish, children's, Christian, Christmas songs? No? Well neither did I or Amy but we didn't let that stop us! We slapped on big grins and madly copied the person next to us (a life saving technique over here!) I am oh so sorry (yeah right!) to say that I was so busy doing stuff that I have no photos of the happy event! You'll have to wait longer before seeing me prance about as an elf.

  The drama itself seemed to go well. LF is chaotic at all times but especially at events. I have been to various events and nobody has ever sat down and listened to a talk, dance or drama but this time they all sat down and stayed silent!!! Absolute miracle. Afterwards we gave out the bags of Christmas sweets in our costumes. For years to come they'll be photos of children looking bewildered next to a random selection of dressed up dolls, elves and Barbie girls.

P.S. The big red circles they painted on my cheeks didn't wash off! I spent the next 2 days with bright red cheeks.

it's better to give than to rececive

Today I rushed(ish) back from Quito to be back in time for lunch.

  

Today our church youth cooked lunch for the Laura Flores families and afterwards we gave each family a parcel of toys and clothes. I am very proud to say all these clothes came from my friends and old school back in Liverpool. Hurrah for Liverpool :)

Laura Flores families (plus me-can you spot me?)

                                               I wish you could have been there to see it!

The mums were so grateful for the clothes especially for the baby clothes we could give them.

modelling the latest "Next" fashion!

Growing up I was always told "it's better to give than to receive". Did you get told that too when you were being difficult? I understand what it means and there have been moments when I agreed with it but..let's be honest...getting a gift is great! Today though was different. Seeing the babies clutching their new (and probably only) toys and hearing the mums discuss their brand new "proper English" clothes I was so happy!

the perfect weekend

I have had an amazing weekend! On Friday night I and the others from our school met up with staff from another special school for a festive dinner.In true Ecuadorian style this was BBQ..yes, that's right people...BBQ in December!

Byron cooking parillada (bbq)

My HUGE plate of meat came with boiled yams, salad and Cola rice. I honestly thought my friends were teasing me but no, we did really eat rice cooked in Coca Cola!

Staff "do"
We finished off the night with our Secret Santa gifts. Over here you describe qualities of your person and everyone guesses who you bought for. Very public! Then we had toasts but each one of us had to say a toast-oh the pressure to be genuine, clever, funny, warm and affectionate all in Spanish!!!!

Yesterday was the missionaries Christmas day. Went up to Quito and joined with the others. Had a gorgeous dinner including turkey, roast potatoes and even a Christmas pudding (God bless my mum and Tescos!)

After lunch we had a special visitor!

Me and Father Christmas YAY!!!

In the afternoon it truly felt like Christmas Day. Had that "I've eaten far too much and can't move" feeling. We all squashed up together on a couple of sofas and played games. Then as it started to get dark we switched on the Christmas tree lights and all sang carols.It should have felt weird or somehow not quite complete as a day but it was truly perfect!

The goodies from England reminded me of my family back home. My Secret Santa gift was just what I needed and showed me I have true friends here who care for me. Being squashed under a small pile of kids made me realise I am surrounded by "family" wherever I am and the perfect day showed me I have a God who loves me and provides silly things like this just because He knows it's what I need.

Operation Christmas part 2

When my mum and Julia visited they brought 2 suitcases of clothes which had been donated. If you can't quite picture what that would like then here is a helpful hint....

  These clothes have been earmarked (by me) for the families in Laura Flores. My boss said they were "my" clothes and therefore my responsibility. So I have spent the last 6 hours wading through a mountain of clothes and toys with our community pastor sorting out gifts of clothing and toys for the needier families in LF.

that horrible stage with clothes sorting when things get messier before they get better!

Yesterday Roderigo&Blanca (pastor&wife) gave out gifts from church and said they were followed around by women and children begging for clothes. This is a community with so much need it's overwhelming. Each parcel contains clothes for the mum and several kids. Some bags provide for a mother in her 30s, her teenage daughters and her daughters children. It's so sad to hear " now that's Ms'  2 kids provided for but what about her? Do you think she'll like this? She's 14."

I cannot thank enough the people who sent all these clothes and toys! The families who dug out old clothes, gave up their own things and the people who actually went out and bought new things specifically for these families. I know you won't be here when the parcels are donated and I know you haven't met these families but I do know them and I will help donate the clothes. Believe me these will be the best gift you'll give this year!

Operation Christmas Child

I've spent the last 23 years buying gifts and making up Christmas shoe boxes. Each year I cram fluffy toys, crayons, soaps and woolly hats into a box and wonder who will receive it. I never thought the day would come when I would be the one unpacking the boxes and distributing the gifts!

wrapping prsents

I usually send these shoe boxes!

Amy and I spent the afternoon rooting through big boxes of goodies and sorting out gifts for the school children. Got filthy dirty but it was quite a success. Amy used her tallness to heave down the boxes, I put on some festive music and the rummaging began....

piles of goodies for each child. Who's been good?