Ecuador Day 4

Day 4 was a great day!  I think I could call each day my favorite, but this day has a slight edge over the rest.

We awoke in Cotopaxi, which is south of Quito but at a much higher elevation.  It was COLD there!  I pretty much lived in a hoodie and sometimes a fleece jacket for the next few days.  I would have never thought that I'd be cold in July, especially so close to the Equator, but those mountains keep you cool!

We started out with Blanca, who is a director at Fedice.  Blanca took us to Lisa's Angels daycare first.  Be prepared for cuteness overload!  Seriously, if I could have smuggled one of these little dolls home with me, I would have!  They were finishing breakfast when we got there so we kind of watched them and got used to each other for a little bit.  Then they got over their shyness and started interacting with us! 

Lisa's Angels Daycare

Finishing breakfast

So cold they had to wear multiple hats!

Some of the ladies donated money so that they could purchase several more high chairs.

Cutie patooties!

These two were quite the hams while playing on the playground.

Lisa's Angels building

Hanging out after eating

 Erick, our translator, took Melissa and I up to the roof to get a good view of the mountains around us!

View from roof of Lisa's Angels

Some guy was driving his cattle nearby

 The daycare fed us lunch, which consisted of pork steak, cheese, boiled potatoes, some kind of giant lima bean, and hot tea. 

Cooking the pork for our lunch

After lunch we had a presentation and then the kiddos put on a show for us!  They danced and then asked us to join in-good thing I'm not afraid to look silly!

Show time!

We then moved on to the heart of Fedice's work.  We traveled to several different communities where Fedice had provided loans to women and families.  They usually loan out $300-500 to each woman and then the women are expected to repay their loan within one year.  They pay 1% interest each month on their loan.  With this money, they usually purchase animals that they breed and sell.

Devotion at one of the Fedice projects

After the first meeting, we visited several houses where they showed us their animals.  They were so proud to show off their hard work!

Proudly showing off her pig

Cute little house

Piglets-all I could think of is Babe-la la la lala!

Beautiful views!

Poor chicken knows what is coming her way!

 Guinea pig is a food source in Ecuador-none of us were brave enough to try it though.  It would be like eating a pet!

Cuy, or guinea pigs

Bunnies!

The second community we visited was repaying their loan.  Blanca and Marco, who both work for Fedice, counted the money to make sure it was all accounted for and there were no fake bills.  That was a little nerve wracking!  What if there had been money missing?  Fortunately, it was all there and accounted for!

Repaying their loans

Cutest little man ever!  I wanted to bring him home and sit him in the corner of my living room.  He was so cute!

 This project fed us dinner-chicken soup.  The soup was a broth with rice, cilantro, and a chicken leg sticking out!  Then we were served a ball of mashed plantains, pork, and cheese.  Definitely, not my favorite thing.  Judging by this picture and the sounds June was making, she wasn't a fan either!

June pretending to like her plantain/pork/cheese ball

 Blanca and Marco were great guides for the day.  Marco's wife joined us at the last project for dinner. 

Blanca, Marco, and Marco's wife

There was a lot crammed into this day, but it was very rewarding.  The kids were adorable and the people of Fedice were so welcoming, warm, and hard working!  After some Go Fish, I headed to bed exhausted!