June 2nd, 2008 (Monday)

Today, I woke up in our Hostal Urbina to take a shower before my roommate Shellie. I gather my things and got undress to learn that the water nor electricity worked. I checked the faucet and the light but nothing comes on. I get dress to go find out if they just turned it off and when it might be turned back on. I find out that the electricity and water is out all over town including the Hostal. So I decided to shower-bath with my brown water bottle that I had filled up from the night before from the sink. I put in my iodine tablets but the water seemed a little bit scary to drink but was at least clean. One of my roommates, Michael Anne, let me borrow her wet wipes and a bottle of water because two of the girls were able to take a bath the night before. I washed my hair, body and shaved with two wet wipes and a bottle and half of water. The rest we used to brush our teeth with.

We ate breakfast without electricity and then we packed up and headed to Urbina. The place that we are staying at is an old train station. But before we get there, we stopped on the way at a local market in Latatunga to buy fruit and school supplies to give to the local community. Michale Anne bought two soccer balls, Kristen bought soccer balls too and I had help from Derek to pick out a basketball for the community. Between the eleven of us students and two professors, we ended up raising over $140. We bought enough for this community and for the one in the jungle that we were headed to after this stop.

When we arrived at Urbina, something happened and they could not feed us lunch. So, we headed to the nearest town for lunch to eat pizza at !Uno Momento Pizza! While we waited on our food, we roamed around the city, Rio Bamba. I walked with Senora and then we meet up with the other wanderers. After eating, we headed back. On the way back, we saw the peak of Chimborazo, the highest mountain in Ecuador. Also, we saw an active volcano that was erupting ash (Tungurahua).

As we arrive back to Urbina we meet with the owner, Rodrigo. He talked about the history and showed us around the Hostal. We took pictures with the llamas, played with the guinea pigs and learned all of the vegetation that they had and their crafts. After that we loaded up and headed down the street to visit the local community. There we meet the kids to give them the toys, school supplies and fruits. We arrived there and they came out and we introduced ourselves. We got out the soccer balls and started to play with them. We went in the church once we had played for a while and meet the leader of the community to tell him why we were here. We passed out everything and they loved it even the parents. The children ate the food right then and there. The women came around to us and thanked us personally. Seeing this happen moved me completely even to the point of tears several times throughout this event. One lady even brought us a liter of coke, two blocks of cheese and lima beans to thank us for what we have done. This community has so little but are yet so courteous. We ended up eating the cheese with our dinner and lima beans as part of our breakfast the next day. While inside the church, I went and got my basketball from the bus and brought it in. One little boy really took to it. He had a white puma cap on and had to be like 7 or 8 years old. He did pretty well with it, maybe he will be the next Mugsey Bogus according to Derek and myself.

We all definitely wanted to stay and help. It broke my heart but I am glad that we could help them in some way. Those people touched us all. Their warming smiles, eyes, hand shakes and hugs will be with me always.

- Mindy McKoin-