Friday: Meeting Our Sponsored Children

Friday was the day we were looking forward to most.  We got to meet our three sponsored children in Ecuador.  We took an hour long bus ride from the Swiss Hotel to a waterpark on the outskirts of Quito.  The children sponsored by all the 31 members of our group were waiting for us.  This is the group Dylan and I met when we walked into the park!

From the left:  Maira (Dylan's mother), Alfredo (Compassion Project worker), Dylan (Dylan's sponsored child), Maria (Carlos' mother), Dylan, Carlos (it was his 10th birthday), Amelia (Compassion Project worker), Javier (Compassion Project worker), Melanie (Amalia's sponsored child), and Victor (Melanie's father)

Dylan was very outgoing and active.  He really enjoyed playing frisbee, soccer, and splashing in the pool!

Melanie also enjoyed the frisbee.  She was not as outdoing as Dylan, but less shy than Carlos.

Jay, Maira, Dylan, Dylan, and Alfredo (Dylan and I later discovered we getting numerous bug bites sitting on the grass in shorts!)

Jay, Melanie, Dylan, Victor, and Javier

Jay, Carlos, Dylan, Maria, Amelia

Amelia presented us with a wooden barrel bank that was hand made by her grandfather.  It was a very touching gift that will be proudly displayed in the entryway to our home.  I doubt we will put any coins in it though because you pretty much have to break the barrel to get them out!

Carlos still feeling rather shy, but he eventually warmed up.  He didn't want to make eye contact or talk very much, but he readily joined in frisbee, soccer, and splashing in the pool!

Dylan and I plus the three kids playing with the soccer ball in the pool. 

While Carlos was shy when it came to talking but he joined right in playing frisbee and in the pool! 

Melanie also had a great time playing in the pool.

Dylan also had a lot of fun playing in the pool.  Dylan has asthma and his mom was not going to let him play in the pool, but just as with any American kid, he kept after her until she relented and let him play in the pool!

Just some photographic evidence that I was in the pool as well!

Maira, Dylan, & Dylan

Isn't Melanie adorable!  And she has a twin sister also named Melanie (but wtih a different middle name).

Carlos beginning to warm up at the end of the day.

It was an amazing day interacting with Dylan, Melanie, and Carlos.  And to hear their parents talk about the impact Compassion sponsorship has on their children.  We had to explain to Melanie that because she had a college spring break class, Amalia could not come with Dylan and me.  But she seemed to understand and appreciate that Dylan and I were there to visit with her.

We shared gifts with the children and their families at the end of the day, but the priviledge fo spending time with these three great kids was worth more than anyting we gave them!