We did two health fairs last week, on Thursday and Friday nights. They were attended by approx 60 people each night, and covered topics like nutrition, first aid, CPR. We have another health fair tomorrow night, and then again next Tuesday evening in Quito. Today the students taught CPR to the community leaders, and to doctors in the rural community outside Guayaquil where they do a lot of teaching. Tomorrow they will teach CPR to the firemen, and Wednesday to health care providers at the private hospital. One of our instructors also taught ACLS to ICU nurses at the children's hospital this morning.
I went with the students again to the maternity hospital, bringning with us the "evidence" concerning cord care which I got from our maternity textbook. The chief nurse at the hospital is having us teach an inservice on cord care first thing tomorrow, so I spend a lot of time making a power point today. Fortunately for me, there was a student who translated it.
We did something really fun on Saturday. We went to Cerro Blanco, a protected forest just outside of Guayaquil. Eric Horstman, our cousin, is the executive director. I haven't seen Eric for over 30 years, and it was good to see him again. I also got to meet his wife, Sonja, and his son, E. W.
Cerro Blanco is a cool place. It is owned by a cement company here in Guayaquil, who pays to keep it as a preserve. There are many animals there, lots of trees, and nature, and they have to work really hard to keep people from coming in to cut down trees. (They use hacksaws to keep quiet, and then haul the trees out on their backs).
We went on a four mile hike with a very knowledgeable guide. We saw birds, LOTS of spiders, including tiger spiders and tarantulas, many beautiful butterflies, and lots of trees, especially my favorite, the big Ceiba trees. I looked and looked for monkeys, but did not see any. If there were any to be seen, I am sure the guide would have spotted them. We could hear the howler monkeys, but never got close enough to see them.
We had lunch at Cerro Blanco, then went to Puerto Hondo to have a canoe guide through the mangroves. We again had a great guide, showing us the many types of mangroves there. We saw parakeets, and lots of iguanas. I was glad not to see snakes, but we did get to see little crabs.
Another fun thing we got to do last week was a surpise birthday party for one of our students. He is from here in Guayaquil, and his mom has a restaurant not far from where we are staying. We went there for dinner, which turned out to be free, we had cake, and a mariachi band came and performed. We had dancing (20 women to the two male students, so we danced with each other), and had a really good time. We get to go for a repeat party Friday night, our last night in Guayaquil. Saturday we fly to Quito, but not until we have built a house in the community, and done all the teaching, CPR classes, and clinical work we have planned for this week. It is going to be one busy week!!
The biggest news of the week, however, is that Neil got his mission papers in!! He is leaving for Honduras on May 29th, to be an Amigos project supervisor for two months. It is highly unlikely he will get his call before he goes. I am hoping the bishop can e-mail him as to where he is going, and when, then he can e-mail us. You will be sure to find out once I do!! (I am hoping to find out first, however, after Neil). For now, if you have guesses as to where he will go, just e-mail them back and I will save them.
Hasta pronto!
Shelly
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