Question of the Day: In what ways do you want to live or work more like the people in San Juan de Llullundongo? And what does happiness mean to you?
Today, we had the opportunity to visit the community of San Juan and participate in making adobe blocks for the construction of a community kitchen. The group was so passionate and committed to the project that we created 128 blocks! While working alongside the locals, we found satisfaction and joy in hard work and collaboration. After a few hours, the students then joined the local kids in games and dances. We had a great time exchanging culture and shared many laughs. Meghan found joy in trading card magic tricks with a little girl who also had a few up her own sleeve. Carly and Carter actually found some mud up their own sleeves after working relentlessly on the adobe bricks while unfortunately Ky and Grace wished they had some tricks that magically created blocks. Overall, the Glimspers, GG leaders, and locals were all proud and thankful of the work that we accomplished together.
In the coming days, we will prepare for our community action project. We hope to impart a lasting impact on San Juan through our service. We all felt tremendous passion and energy in our group as we discussed the next steps leading up to the execution of our project. After meeting and playing with the children of San Juan, we feel that our service is more than just work; it is a message from the bottom of our hearts to the community and is an example of love, compassion, and collaboration to the world.
After a day packed with action and exercise, we would like to appreciate Brandon and Katrina for introducing the group to some great games to keep our spirits and energy high. Our Program Coordinators, Camilo and Stephanie, inspired everyone to work hard and help by translating not only in Spanish, but also in a native dialect called Kichwa. Yuvi and Maritza exemplified great kindness in making sure our lovely bus driver, Andrea, felt welcome during our lunch in San Juan. These are just a few of the many moments today that we are honored to be a part of on this trip.
We believe that we speak on behalf of all the Glimpsers when we say that today, we redefined what happiness means to us. We are eternally grateful for the opportunity to be welcomed into the hearts and lives of the locals of Ecuador.
Introductions to San Juan de Llullundongo
Ever Present Majesty of Mt. Chimborazo
Hard At Work
Hard At Work
Hard At Work
Hard At Play
Hard At Play
Loved this post! So much love and appreciation, I got teary reading it <3 You all are spreading the goodness; thank you for representing us!
Thinking about you all the time, Grace! I love you!
Hey Lo!
I hope you’re having fun in Ecuador, it looks amazing! I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever and I have so much to tell you! Come back soon because I miss you!
-Car
Hey Lo!
Your trip looks amazing so far and I hope you’re having the best time helping out the community of San Juan! I miss you and have so much to tell you when you get back!
-Car
P.S. I’m so proud of you!!
Love getting pics… but Alexia, where are you!!?! We miss seeing your face!! Hope we can catch a “glimpse” of you soon!!!!!
HI Brandon,
Looks like you are having a great time and doing amazing things! Ecuador looks wonderful. Hope you are taking lost of pics. Missing you so much! Love you!
~~~Mom
Hi Lauryn!
Good to see you working & living like a local… we’re gonna have to put all the skills you acquire there to good use when you get home! ?
Love & miss you,
Mom ?
Hi Iana!!!
I bet the kiddos loved you. Looks like you are having an amazing time and are a busy little bee. So proud of you and a little jealous. You are so blessed to have this experience, can’t wait to hear all about it!! Miss you tons!
Love,
Mom, Dad & Gabriel
Hi Brandon
it looks like you’re having amazing time in having fun with everyone. Can’t wait to hear about all of your your new adventures, Dad and I miss you like crazy. We love seeing you in all the pictures that they’re posting on the blog.
Take care,
we love you
dad and I
Hi Maritza!
Keep up the hard work! Looks like you were deep in mud, building the adobe blocks. Enjoy your time with all the Glimpsers and new Ecuadorian friends. Also, Warriors got the sweep!
Thank you for sharing all these beautiful pictures. It looks like you are all having an awesome time! So wonderful to see the smiles on your faces and the kids there. Miss you a ton Nava! Hurry up and call me :), I am not use to not talking to you for so long.
Love you so much XO
Mom
Hi Kayla,
Seen all the photos, cool and nice. We hope you are having fun!! We are so proud of you.
Love and miss you!!!
mom and dad
Hey Ashley,
It looks like you’re having a great time. Try to get in on more photos, we missed you but can’t see you on the pictures.
I’m so proud of you for helping the local people there. Have fun, drink lots of water, and be safe. Love dad, mom, and Ethan.
Great job on a hard day’s work! Excited to hear more about your community action project.
Xoxo Lo! Feels quiet around here without ya ?
Sounds like hard work and a fun day, and I love seeing the pictures. Good job everyone!
Love & miss you Apryl?
Happy to see that the group had another wonderful enriching experience of a day.
Hi Sophia. We are happy to see you in the pictures having a cultural immersion with all smiles. We are looking forward to hear your accounts of all your experiences. Have you already started teaching English Class?
Iffy perfected making guacamole & pizza, so we’ve been having a lot of it lately. We will make them when you get home.
Much love,?
Mommy, Daddy, Iffy & Pluto & Mars?
Working side by side, getting dirty, learning, living, laughing; embracing the adventure. So proud of all of you.
Hi Helena!!!
Hope you’re having fun! Looks like it, HAHA. Don’t forget to call home! Mom always ask if you have called home or not… Stay hydrated!!!
Iana,
Looks like you guys are having a blast while learning so much!! Can’t wait to hear about all your adventures! We miss you!!
Love,
Auntie Christa and Uncle Dave
Hi Ashwin,
Looks like you are having a great time! Enjoy and learn. Guaranda and San Juan de Llullundongo seem like amazing places.
Love,
Dad and Mom
Hi Lauryn,
Looks like you’re having a great time! Keep up the good work … we miss you and love you!
Dad
If there’s anywhere else I’d like to be right now, it’s alongside each of you. Seriously! Yes a vacation in Hawaii sounds grand but there’s nothing more self gratifying than knowing you made a difference in someone’s livelihood. That “feel-good” emotion lasts longer than a “vacation” feeling.
We miss you so much Meia!!! Valentina is growing by the minute and making different babbling noise. Her eyes are still blue 😉
Don’t worry about home ok? Enjoy EVERY moment there with no hesitation. This is for YOU to explore, enjoy, dive in and fully commit your passion to. God is with you every step of the way, lean on him for strength and peace. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
We love love love you <3
The Goonies 🙂
So proud of you, Meia !!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ We miss you a whole lot, but don’t worry about us…enjoy your time and experience out there. Can’t wait to hear all about it!!! Glad your mama YEEHAA ? worked her butts off to get it planned and got the funds together to get you out there!!! Looking forward Tibet seeing you when you get back.
Love, aunty 2yen ❤️
Hey Katrina!
Glad you are looking happy and healthy.
We check daily on your blog, so keep trying to get into pictures!
Make sure you wear your hat and drink plenty of water!
Stay safe!!
Love,
Kim, Mom, Dad, and Trung
Hey Katrina!
This is mom. So happy to see you happy and healthy. Be safe and learn lots of thing as you can. Love you ??.
Mom Dad?
Dear Grace
Grammie loves you no matter what
I love you no matter what
Be safe and have fun — miss you and love U
Grammie
Meia Clark,
I hope your having a fantastic time. We are so very proud of you. Cant wait to hear about your adventure and everything you did in Ecuador.
Love yah
Hi Meia!
It’s Aunty Lisa & Uncle Raul. We are very happy and excited that you have this opportunity. I wish I had the same opportunity when I was your age. Not many student were as lucky as you guys were. I hope you have a fabulous experience, learn and share with the locals, and build new friendships.
We look forward to seeing more photos and reading more stories.
Enjoy every moment there because home will always be here. We love you and will see you later.
Meia Clark,
Stop and take a moment to realize what an impact you are having on someone’s life. May it be sharing a meal, building a school, digging a ditch, or even giving a hug, you are forever enhancing someone’s life..
The Goonies are so proud.
#GooniesNeverSayDie
Hi Meia, It sounds like u are having a wonderful experience. I hope this is just the first of many more. I’ m looking forward to seeing you when u get home and hearing firsthand about your adventures! Uncle Pat