Day Two - Traveling to Catamayo and Loja

Day 2... We leave Quito for Catamayo, our destination and location of the home we will be building. We have nothing planned for the day, but the agenda consists of visiting the city of Catamayo and the capital of the province, Loja. By the end of the day we'd play a pick-up game of futbol, meet our family, and check into what can only be described as an Oasis for Ecudoar - Hostel Campo Alegre - Happy Camp.

So we checked into our hotels and got our roomate assignments, strangely enough the 3 guys on the trip of 12 ended up as roomates (who woulda thought). Jessica Avery and Chad Schenk didn't waste long to make use of the hammocks.

After a brief moment taking in the beauty of our hotel, we set out for a walk up to Catamayo to use phones, check out the market and have a snack. The 10 minute walk was our first introduction to the Ecuadorian exaggeration, as it was 2 miles and a solid 40 minute walk to town.

After the walk we caught a ride back to the hotel in the back of a truck, and then made arrangements for our driver to take us 40 km away to Loja. In Loja, we visited a beautiful park, easily 15 acres in size. It took us only about 5 minutes after we pulled out the soccer ball to convene a pick-up game of futbol with some local Lojans. (Maggie in red pants, and Lea in
background are showing the boys how it's done).

After we couldn't play any longer, we caught the bus back to Catamayo to visit our work site, and to meet the homeowner. It was at this point where I think it finally hit me that I was in Ecuador and going to spend a week helping to change the life of a family. I don't think a better family could have been picked. The three girls (Liliana (15), and daugthers Joselin (7), and Magali (5)) could not be any more wonderful.

Selam and the family posing in front of the recently started home.