Update from the other leader!

Hello parents and friends!  You haven't heard from me because I didn't have the access information to post on the blog.  My name is Sandy Schmidt, and I organized the trip to Ecuador.  I had been here two years ago with my husband as consultants to both the schools in which we are working.  I was incredibly impressed by the Alliance Academy International's school facilities and curriculum.  However, I was even more impressed by the wonderful job the folks are doing at the Carmen Bajo school called Colegio Amor y Esperanza (The School of Love and Hope).  With little resources, those people are giving the children on one of the poorest neighborhoods in Quito a wonderful, transforming, and Christ-filled education.  I wanted the GC students to have the experience of working at both schools. 

So, here is my update:  Paint, paint, paint--that's pretty much what we have been doing for the last three days.  Yes, we took a break to help with chapel for the elementary school children at AAI, but other than that we painted.   This group of GC students are amazing!  Parents--you have done a wonderful job training these kids.  They have worked hard but never complained.  We worked with somewhat unorthodox materials, but we did it!  We painted 6 dorm rooms, a long (really long) hallway, and the stairwells of our side of the building.  We broke up in small groups, and each group tackled one room.  If one group finished sooner than another, they joined whoever needed help.  Then another mini-crew came around and cleaned up the drops of paint and whatever managed to get under the tape we used to protect the woodwork.  Some kids were "abused"--the tall ones like Bobby, Christina and Lindsay--they were always called on to give  an extra hand in hard to reach places.  There was even singing,(in harmony no less!), while all this painting was going on. Kim, Joey, Chelsea,Joey and some others became the paintbrush and paint tray cleaning crew.  At the end of the day we were exhausted but happy we had done such a wonderful job.  The maintenance director at the school was so impressed; she said ours was one of the best crews they have had work at the school.  We were neat, used our time well, and cleaned after ourselves.  She said she felt blessed by the group and their great work.
    Tomorrow we head out for some sightseeing.  We are going to Otavalo, the largest indigenous artisan market in the world!  OK, so do you hear the ca-ching?  Yes, this is probably where the kids will spend money.  Sorry parents, but it's an experience we didn't want them to miss.