A mission of love...

Go forth to the ends of the earth...

My dear family and friends,

Once I again, I come to write to you of the latest adventures of this little missionary nurse. Thank you all for your love from afar; it is such a blessing to receive your messages of encouragement and to know what ya´ll are up to. I have found that in trying to think, speak, and live only in Spanish, my grasp of the English language is, well, leaving me at times...so I will really try to focus in writing this post. Ha.

There is much to write of, as always. I will be returning to the little village I spoke of before every Thursday with a local physician. We have started house visits, doing a health census of sorts of this community of about 150 people. We treat the people as we can, and also, once we have a better idea of their needs, we will be having classes on different health topics. At the mission base, Maribeth and I are getting a bit more accustomed to the 4:30am wake-up siren to start the day. And our hand-washed clothes finally dried on the line in the few days we had without rain or mist! But today, I will spend my time telling you a bit about my dear little Victor.

Victor is 9-years-old. From the information I have gathered, he had been living in the streets of Quito (the capital city of Ecuador, where I lived last year) for two years before he was taken into a foster family, passed through a few different foundations, and has now found a home here with us. When he was in the streets of Quito, he had been kicked out of the house by his family to go "make" money, which usually means beg or steal. Victor loves just to be hugged. His affect is slightly off, and he has difficulties interacting with the other children. This child has become a special friend to Maribeth and me. He looks for us at daily Mass, often to come sit within our embrace; well, this often means he ends up sleeping in the most awkward positions (even when I am standing with his arms wrapped around my waist), bringing great laughter to my heart. He had a cut on his arm that I helped the doctor stitch the other day, so I receive a status report on the wound and its bandage nearly every time I see him. (I love being a nurse!) Today after Mass, he brought a mini-chalkboard to show Maribeth and me that he could write his vowels. After years of no schooling, he is now receiving his education at the school here, in the special class for kids who haven´t had previous schooling. Victor is a treasure. Many of the children here have stories such as Victor´s. What brings immense joy to my heart is that these children, like dear Victor, have now found a loving, stable and safe home, where they are free to be kids and to grow in an environment of love. Thank You, Lord. Thank you to all the parents who provide a loving home for their own children. Thanks to my parents for their love. The importance of family life to the stability and development of persons and communities is so evident. I am blessed to be working with a foundation who helps these little ones, like my dear Victor, with such Christ-like love. The love the misioneras (the consecrated women here) give these children and the love they put into all the work they do, is such a beautiful reflection of the overflow of love from their prayful relationship with the Lord.

Well, I must be off. The foundation also has "family houses" where a misionera lives with a group of younger children who are siblings. Today there is a birthday party for a few of the little ones, so Maribeth and I are headed there...to celebrate and to do what Ecuadorians always seem to do at parties...DANCE! :)

May you be blessed in your own mission of love...

All my love from afar,

Mariya

PS: Happy Sunday of Missions!

PPS: We are headed to Quito next week when the kids have a week of vacation from school. I may be able to catch-up with ya´ll a bit more at that time.

PPPS: Please pray for us, that the Holy Spirit may inspire everything we do!