School update

Jennifer and her husband recently visited the school in Ecuador.

You can read the full article on pages 6-8 of the April Link magazine by clicking here 

She summarised her highlights of her visit:

 

• Getting to know the children and the staff... lots of hugging and kissing, and practising saying my name, although one boy insisted on calling me Grandma  instead!
• Assembly taken by Pastor Rodrigo.
• Lovely school environment with interesting displays and information. 
• Seeing lessons with the theme of Eric Carles’ The Hungry Caterpillar; exciting, interesting and engaging lessons.
• Enthusiastic music lessons led by the leader of the Music Group from a local Baptist Church.
• PE in the local park, about two minutes walk away from school... a large 
• accessible green space and children sharing wheelchairs to get there.
• Horse riding on Friday morning with added games and fun.
• Parents Consultation morning with very appreciative parents and very well attended. Two days of In Service Training for Staff with much discussion and hard work and a desire to see how teaching and learning could be improved.

A busy 2 months...

My two months, January and February , in Ecuador went very quickly. I don't think my feet touched the ground for the whole visit. It was great to meet up with everyone and to see how the school was getting on. We had a visit from Jennifer Bailey, on our board of Trustees, and her husband the Rev. Bailey. Jennifer gave a full assessment of the school, while Steven helped out with a medical mission from the United States and also took to the pulpit on occasion.

Jennifer gave very positive feedback on the school, while giving us some things to think about and to work on in the next school year. Sharon Wilcox will be working with the adolescents on Life Skills, and we have plans to take on another teacher. So it is all go!

We have taken on a new Director, Luzcelli Pamba, who is also the Director of Orphaids, another Christian charity in the town. She has launched the women's work onto the whole town, with regular radio slots telling women how to get help if they are being abused. She has started a Telephone Help Line , so victims of Domestic Violence can get instant advice. There is also a counseling service. The charity is running handicraft classes in different locations in the town. We have also taken on another worker, Maria Agusta, who will be giving conferences to women and working at town level.

It was very encouraging to see how Blanca and Rodrigo have developed so many good relationships with the adults and children in Laura Flores. Their Homework club is a great support for children whose parents cannot help them. They are also now working in two other slum areas where they make a huge impact on these groups of largely neglected people. So the charity is expanding in all directions. 

 

I returned to the UK in March but am hoping to return to Ecuador later in the year.

Jill Ball

Volunteers

Jennifer, a LIAT trustee, and her husband recently visited the work of LIAT in Ecuador.
You can read about their plans to Ecuador in the January edition (page 8) of "Link", published by their church.
Read their article here. 

LIAT writes a blog.

Welcome to our new blog. We hope to keep you up to date with photos of the work of LIAT both in Ecuador and the UK.