Our Visit With Kamila

Our second day here in Quito (July 3) was full of emotion and a further glimpse into what life is like for many of Quito's less-advantaged people.

We went to the Compassion Ecuador office to meet our sponsor child Kamila and her mother, Marie. We were given a tour of the offices and I was impressed by the extent of the work that Compassion is doing in Ecuador, and the care and effort they are putting into managing funds and developing aid.

Then it was time to meet our girl!
We came down the stairs and saw, in person, the one we'd only seen in a little photo on our fridge and in a brief video clip. The anticipation in her expression was a joy to see. She presented us with some beautifully crafted art, and our girls, Amanda and Kayleigh were eager to meet her as well. Hugs all around! Kamila demonstrated a real interest in connecting well with our girls and all three seemed to hit it off instantly, much to our delight.

Since this was a big day for Kamila, she got to decide where we'd go for a 'paseo', or outing. Presented with a couple of ideas, she opted for Volcano Park, an amusement park at the base of Mount Pichincha, and off we went in Fabian's van together, along with Pablo, an interpreter and facilitator from Compassion. (I like the system Compassion has for family visits with sponsor kids, that provides helpful guidelines and assistance so that the visit will go well and everyone will feel secure.)

Volcano Park is your typical amusement park with rides for all ages as well as a games arcade where you can win stuffed animals. The girls enjoyed trying some of the games out (each managed to win something) and also enjoyed, among other things, a jungle gym, a couple of tilt-a-whirl type rides, a trampoline, and a merry-go-round. While we followed them here and there, we had some time to get to know Marie and to find out more about her life and family, and also to share a bit about ourselves. Thanks to Pablo, and Fabian (whom Kamila and her mom regard as their pastor) and with my Spanish as well, we were able to communicate very well.

As morning gave way to early afternoon, it was time for some
lunch. We are still trying to get used to the Latin American schedule for meals (light breakfast, large late lunch, moderate late dinner) so we were feeling a little anxious about getting some food before our kids started a meltdown :-). Fabian had earlier asked Kamila what she'd like for lunch and her reply was "Seafood!" so off we went through the busy Quito streets back towards Carmen Bajo, to a seafood restaurant called Manabichos, for some very delicious fried fish and rice.

After lunch, it was back to Carmen Bajo (our first time this trip into the neighborhood, and the first time ever for Carina and the girls).

Here's where I get poetic for a moment: Carmen Bajo is a dense mix of dwellings made of concrete, rebar and cement. Some homes are finished, often fronted by imposing doors of iron, others are merely a foundation with half completed walls, awaiting the time when the occupants will have more means to further finish construction. Houses are painted any number of colors (or not at all) and the whole community has the character and look of a people trying to survive and have a meaningful life in the midst of roughness, a place of squalor clamped onto the side of a mountain with stunning vistas of the wide valley far below. Maybe the view keeps the people sane enough to keep on hoping for a better future. The view is one of the most precious things they have.

We drove some cobbled streets (and some badly rutted, trash-strewn dirt roads) to park in front of Kamila's home, and we were amazed at how they have built a well-built home that is very clean, bright and nicely decorated. The family obviously takes pride in their home. It was neat to see the photos and cards we have sent so far displayed in Kamila's room.

We chatted with Pablo, Kamila's dad, who is recovering from a serious fall
at work. Pastor Fabian's great skill at pastoral care, something I've witnessed before, was in use as he took the opportunity to chat a bit with the family about where God might be at work in the midst of their struggles with Pablo's injury and physio.
He ended our time with prayer and then it was time to go. We had some gifts for the family, toys for the girls and some practical items for the kitchen. We were touched when Kamila and Diana presented Amanda and Kayleigh with little Quechua dolls, a gesture that speaks of their generosity and desire to be givers as well as receivers.

I think we are all still processing the day, but one thing for sure, it was wonderful to be able to spend time with our sponsor child and her family, that will deepen our connection to them ongoing!