Day 17

Today as we were on the bus to our first destination, Guasmo, there were huge piles of garbage in the middle of the road. It turned out the garbage trucks don't pass through the communities either side of the road and so they have no option but to bring it out and dump in on the road for collection. We guess that it is collected about once a week and with some many people to piles get huge. I only managed to get a picture of a small pile.
It was there that the family with 7 children lived. The women who had come to me on my first day crying that there mother had died and she needed our help; it turned out to be true. The four bedroom house sleeps 15 people, 10 children under 13. When we arrived Amelia, their grandmother was in bed, she got up to talk to us but had a drip in her arm, she had been coughing blood the night before.
Their father was also there. He sometimes works in Esmareldas in the north of the country but was there trying to organise their documents. He is forty something years old and doesn't have any papers. Nor do his children. He told us his Dad died when he was young and he's never tried to get them. Here in Ecuador, there is an identification card, the cedula that is obligatory to have once you turn 18. Unbeleiveable!
The next house had chickens running around inside and even they looked sad.
Next we went to Las Malvines. I felt less comfortable here than the other places, it seemed more closed off and less friendly. The first house we visited was of a family who's mother died two months ago leaving 5 children, one a now 6 month old baby. The father was at work but it seemed they were being looked after. Uri asked them if he drink, takes drugs or beats them. These questions, which i would never dare to ask in such an open situation were answered in what seemed an honest manner. He drinks sometimes when he partys and he beats them when they are naughty.
We visited multiple houses in this area. They all seemed like they were each doing their best to make the best life they could. One family however, was very distant. They didn't invite us in, they were rough and rude, none of them worked and they seemed to have a lot of things. We speculate that they are thieves and we are very worried for the young boy living their with these four adults. The grandmother was out the front of the house skinning and cutting up chicken. It made me feel sick to see the flies buzzing around on it as she talked to us.
It was a long day and I got sun burnt but we managed to do a lot of visits.

Day 16 - House visits

Today we went to an area in the South of Guayaquil. The South is notorious for being dangerous so rather than going in twos, all four of us went together. Israel, who is one of our high school students who has been helping out used to live in the area so we were happy to have him with us.
The area we visited is situated on the river and in the rainy season (now) is often flooded. Parts of it have cement roads and brick houses but the majority are made from Caña (bamboo) and have been built with the help of Hogar de Cristo, an organisation that provides free and low-cost housing to the poorest of the poor in Guayaquil and South America. We were told that 10 years ago much of the area was dense mangroves. (That explains the flooding.)
We met up with one of the mothers on the main road and she led us to her house. She was lucky enough to live in a brick home and even had a fan. She then became our guide as we moved from house to house around the area on mototaxis.
Most of the houses had basic services, water and electricity, they usually consisted of a small tv watching room, a bedroom or maybe two depending on how many people lived there (one three bedroom place had 15 inhabitants) and either a kitchen or a space in the tv room for cooking. Two of the houses had dividing walls made from unfolded cardboard boxes and they all had tin roofs which radiated the heat and made them feel like ovens. It was usually cooler outside than in.
In one very organised home a SARS awareness poster hung on the wall and in another a huge framed picture of the Emelec soccer premiership team of nineteen eighty something. It seemed like every single person shared a bed with at least one other person. The smallest house we saw, a one room brick place had a double bed and a double bunk bed for seven to share. Sadly only two of the three had mosquito nets covering them is an area where mosquitoes are a big problem.

Day 15 - Casa Abierta

The kids were waiting excitedly for me when I arrived at 9. We had to wait for the others to picked up as we were the last group, so I knew we would be a waiting a while. Luckily they have spent a lot of time pasting time without games and they quickly found things to do. Including jungling empty bottles and their favourit; football with an empty water bottle. Just as they were getting really anxious the bus arrived.
We toured the school before they were told the rules of the school and given a lesson on hygene. They were told that they should clean their teeth before and after eating, when they wake up and when they go to bed. They were also told that they should have AT LEAST 2 showers a day but more if they can. I was completely blown away. These kids have better hygene then me, I was tought that more than one shower is wasting water. However it is true that here in Guayaquil when your constantly covered in sweat it is nice to shower and feel clean for 5 minutes afterwards.
We then gave them time to play outside, followed by lunch with the other students. We have about 40 potential students, which is almost as many kids as we already have in the school so the school will be growing significantly.
We then told them the time and day of their house visits. They were all asking what we are doing tomorrow. They were expecting to meet up and play at the park again so were disappointed that they won't be seeing us again till next Monday.
To be honest, I'm a bit sad too. I've really enjoyed playing with them.

Oh and none of the bonice boys showed up :(

Day 14 - Final Day on the streets

It rained really heavily this morning and normally it would have stopped up from going but we needed to make sure the kids new the plans. So we went and only two kids were there. We told them all the relevant information, that Uri would be there at nine tomorrow morning to collect them and bring them to the Foundation. Unfortunately the Bonice boy we were really hoping to help didn't show up. We spotted two other bonice boys and followed them so they could pass the information for us. We really hope he got the message.
Before we left I made the mistake of getting a strawberry smoothy made with milk. I was feeling fine until about 30 mins later when I got really nauseous. Luckily, like all good Ecuadorians, Uri's parents new exactly what I should take for it and I was soon feeling great again.
In Alborada we told the kids the same information except that I would be there to meet them in the morning and then we played games for the last time. They are all really excited about finally going to the foundation tomorrow.
I too, can't wait.

Day 13

It was raining really heavily this morning so we could work with the first group but the sun was shinnig bright by the afternoon when we went to Alborada. The kids were very divided in the beginning, only wanting to play with the other kids they knew, but today they all played amazing well and with whoever happened to want to play the same game as them. They don't fight over things or steal things from eachother and apart from the occasional argument over whether on not a stick moved during pick up sticks there is no onflict at all.
They are so content with a few games and a little attention.
We only have one more day, Monday, before they come to the foundation on Tuesday, they are all getting excited, so I really hope that they are all allowed by their parents.

Day 12

Yesterday and today were both filled with games as always. Uri and I have also been learning some new tricks, some of the kids are teaching us to juggle. Its amazing just how co-ordinated they are and how uncordinated we are. I think it's nice for them to be able to teach us something, to laugh at us and show us their special tallents.
Today we also explained the four important rules of the foundation. This time we are spending with them before they come to the foundation is meant to be about preparing them for what to expect and making them aware that coming to our school is a commitment. The foundation has strict rules about showing up on time and not missing classes. If the students miss too many days or come late they won't be allowed to partake. They also try to teach them about good hygene practices, so we have been washing our hands everyday with soup before we give out their snack and drink. Today we make them peanut butter and jam sandwiches, which I'm sure was a first for them all.

Day 10

FYI: Some phone alarms don't make noise if they're on silent.
I slept in today because I didn't know this so I miss the first group. However, it was incredible how well behaved and relaxed the group in Alborada was. We gave the kids puzzles and games and they played happily the whole hour, it's definitely getting easier as they learn the routine.
I started along with the kids as one of the boys had his parents close by and asked Uri if she would go and talk to them with him. I presume he was scared to ask them himself for fear they would say no. But when they came and joined us later, he ran up to the others kids and said, 'I'm allowed to go to school!' with a huge smile on his face.

I'm definitely learning how lucky I am!