A very brief update from Mocache ... My internet is very poor here, so I can only give a very short update.
In Mocache
I´m here in Mocache, in the province of Los Rios, about midway between Quito and Quayaquil in Ecuador. I am sopping sweat in my clothes every day, as Mocache is definitely coastal climate!
Im here for about 6 days, with Pd Julian in a very large parish. There are about 100 communities, and there is only one priest. But things are very active, and it´s in the season of first sacraments, so I´ve hit the ground running in helping out for several days. That includes helping out with scheduling and other administrative stuff, which is the focus for the next few weeks in the parish, but also spending time with some groups. I´ll be leaving Monday morning.
Finish in Chontal
Things wrapped up well in Chontal, and I had an opportunity to say some goodbyes as a number of families and the church invited me for meals. It was a good despedida, as it´s called. A few photos here ...
Fundraiser Wrap-Up
The fundraiser for the Christmas bags of goodies for the kids ended well. The leftover bags were brought to a few more remote villages. We were left with $85 leftover, and that I donated to the priest to be used as seed money for the new social works project in the parish. We initiated a collection for people in need during Christmas, and we received several donations of food and personal supplies. The idea is that it could grow over time. I had discussion with the priest and several others in Chontal about the next steps, including gathering the people who would be interested and making plans. That money can facilitate those first steps, as there is always a certain cost because of travel. I hope to be contact to see how it goes... I´m grateful to everyone who donated, we´ve been able to do a lot of things with the money!