Day 7 (2023)

Hey everyone! This is Tyler Schnittker and I’ll be documenting my day here in Otavalo, Ecuador! Our days here are packed full of amazing experiences and relationships, which is a great opportunity, but it can make you forget what you did 20 minutes ago! So, I’m writing this as I go to ensure you get every single detail of our day. Here goes! 

Our team left our hostel at 7:30 AM to head to the camp where we had breakfast! I’m sure you all have heard by now, but the breakfast at the camp is the BIGGEST BREAKFAST you’ll ever see. We received all kinds of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, pineapple-filled pastries, bolognes (fried cheese and plantains in a ball), ham, and hot chocolate to go with it … because, why not? Most of us agreed that our eyes were way bigger than stomachs! 

The kids were full and energized, so round one of outdoor games was up next. We played everything from uno to my favorite, four-square volleyball, which the kids had gotten pretty good at by then. We had about an hour and a half of intense (fun!) competition before the kids headed to worship and the new group arrived. 

Our group has split time between two groups a day, and we’ve continued to help Sr. Don Pablo move and prepare tons of rocks for what will eventually become a carport. Several of our missionaries have also been helping one of the cooks (Charito) with any task she can think of. Today that included pulling weeds from the entryway and cleaning the children’s tables. We are happy to help!

The new group that arrived today is all girls, ages 11-12, and while we spent some time with them this afternoon—hiking, playing, and doing crafts—tomorrow we will get the chance to talk with them more about their stories. Introducing ourselves has gotten easier and easier, but I still have to listen very closely.

My teammates and I have been treated so wonderfully while we’ve been here, and one of our favorite (and most important) things has been the meals that we’ve been served every day. We made cards for the cooks, who have been working nonstop to keep the camp running. 

After that, the new group left on their hike and after a bit of preparation with the original group, we headed out to the pool, or piscina. While very chaotic, the pool was super fun! The kids loved splashing and wading around.

Because swimming plays such a big role in my life (I’ll be a Leon Swim and Dive captain in the fall) it’s really cool to see all the kids having fun and enjoying being in the water. There’s a slide that’s maybe five feet tall that all the kids love. Both yesterday and today, I positioned myself in the water at the bottom to catch the kids and help them to the side, because most didn’t know how to swim. For many of them, this was their first time in a pool and they probably wouldn’t be back in one for a while. 

One girl was terrified to slide down and took about 5 minutes to work up the courage to slide down, even with me waiting at the very bottom to catch her. She eventually slid down and I caught her, but she was still pretty scared, until I told her “Tengo tú” which I quickly threw together to try and tell her, “I got you.” When she heard me say that, she immediately calmed down and the biggest smile broke out on her face. It was the coolest thing to see and every time she slid down after that, she insisted that I be waiting at the bottom. I felt connected to God in that moment and that experience was an outward illustration of what it means to be faithful. I’m so happy that I was able to share that experience with her and help to make her happy. 

After that whole process, we walked up the big hill back to camp (trip #5 for me). The new group was already doing my favorite activity, 4-square volleyball, so I joined in and we played until dinner, which was an amazing rice, chicken, pork, lentils, beans, and plantain empanadas. We all got on the bus to return to our hostel and debrief at the end of an amazing day!

- Written by Tyler Schnittker