Change & Progress

Back in November I attended a two day presentation of the materials from the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit.  The information I learned during that time was a huge inspiration, and yesterday evening while sorting red beans (frijoles) that had gone bad from the remaining good ones, I took the time to listen to some of the speakers again.

Change and progress were two themes that surfaced time and again.  As I reflect on them from my personal standpoint, it takes me back to the beginning of March, when I changed my living situation and set several goals for the coming months.  I’m glad to report that the apartment no longer is overflowing with boxes, and I’ve made some progress on a couple of the goals I set after the move.  This past weekend I cleared out most of the weeds from the area that will hopefully soon be a vegetable garden.  My little helper in that work was a neighbor girl who is hanging out more often at our house.  She is one member of a large extended family that lives around my apartment, and I’m slowly getting to know the entire family.

While those might sound like small steps, the message of one of the Willow Creek speakers, Daniel Pink, pointed to just this sort of action as the source of greatest motivation.  When we notice the small steps, the progress, that we make each day, it is more likely to motivate us than a huge paycheck or the threat of punishment if we fail.  Bill Hybels and Jack Welch also pointed to the importance of celebrating the small triumphs and milestones so that we stay focused on that distant goal and don’t get discouraged that we aren’t closer to achieving it.

So here’s a small celebration of little, daily progress and a commitment to energetically doing my part to be the change I want to see in the world (thank you Ghandi)!

Vota Si? Vota No?

May 7 was Voting Day here in Ecuador.  Actually, it was a referendum, so there were 10 questions for which a person could elect to vote Sí or No.  A lot of attention was given to the question of whether the famous Quito Bull Run and the historical Andean cock fighting should continue.  However, the weightiest questions centered on the potential restructuring of the judicial system and regulation of the media.  While I could give an analysis of the impact of these decisions, suffice it to say that I think this referendum will have extensive implications for this country.

However, since I didn’t participate directly in the election, it was an opportunity for me to focus more on the concept of suffrage, especially as it relates to democracy.  One interesting aspect of voting here in Ecuador is that it is mandatory, and not just for citizens.  A friend who has lived here for 2 years had to vote, and so did the many Cubans, Venezuelans, and Colombians who have obtained Ecuadorian permanent residency.  Not voting results in a $30 fine, so most people show up and vote even if they don’t know anything about the questions.

Is that good or bad?  I’ve debated the consequences of mandatory voting with several friends, and it’s not as clear-cut a decision as one might think.  Democracy is by definition rule by the people, so how can the people’s preference be ascertained if only a minority vote?  Popular opinion should be the rule, and the will of the general public should always be the guideline, right?  At the same time, does someone who is uneducated on the topic know what is in her best interest?  Can someone who is ignorant of the consequences of a vote really make an informed decision on matters of lasting consequence?  Unfortunately, as Mancur Olson pointed out in Power and Prosperity, the average citizen does not benefit proportionately for researching how he should vote.  It is much easier to free ride on the research of others because one vote will have little effect.  But if too many people choose to free ride, the uninformed voter will win the day and might later recant the decision.

So, is it better to mandate that everyone vote, or is it better to allow each person the free choice of whether to participate in an election?  Maybe we should take a vote on that one.

Mariachi in the Morning

Mariachi bands are one of the things that I love about Latin America.  And they show up in the most random places.  This morning as I went for my usual run, I was surprised to hear music.  Upon entering the reservoir that is a popular running spot in the morning, I discovered the source--a running group was standing in a circle with a full mariachi band serenading them.  I wish I had a camera phone so I could upload a picture here, but you will just have to take my word for it.  It was the whole band, with trumpets, guitars, and the works, dressed in the tight blue pants and huge Mexican sombreros, busting out a song to a group of sweaty, half-awake runners at 6am.  I was about ready to sign up for that running group--who wouldn't want a professional band to serenade you after each run?  And then the struck up the familiar tune of "Happy Birthday."  I had to smile--someone had a great start to their birthday today: running with friends, getting serenaded as the sun started burning off the mist, and then enjoying a birthday breakfast, which they were all eating as I finished my loop around the reservoir.  Happy birthday to whoever that was, and congrats to the great friends who came up with a creative early-morning birthday party.

Resuming the countdown: 54 days until I meet a new niece or nephew!

The Parents meet Ecuador

For anyone who has spent an extended period of time outside of their native country, having family from back home come visit is a special occasion.  For me, that opportunity came last week when my parents flew down to Quito to see my work, visit the historic district and the equator, and try authentic Ecuadorian cuisine.  My mom had said that she just wanted to see me and put one foot on each side of the equator.  We did that and a little more, so here are the pictures to prove it:

 

Notice that there are 2 different shots at the "equator."  It's actually a 25km thick line, so the whole area is called the equator!

Crappy Resilience

For the past week, I’ve been debating whether to share the following story.  It’s not one of those fairy tale, life-is-a-pleasant-adventure-in-Ecuador stories, but it is something that needs to be told because the hard lessons are the ones that we learn from the most.

Last week, while my parents were visiting, we were robbed.  It wasn’t an intense robbery at gunpoint, nor was it a story where we realized the next day that some things were missing.  Almost the moment it happened we realized that a backpack had been taken and yet we were powerless to recover it.  It began with poop being thrown at us, and then the Andean drug that it contained, burundanga (scopolamine), kicked in and made us compliant with any suggestion of those who were robbing us.  First they feigned kindness—pulling out tissues to help us clean off the poop.  But moments later they had whisked away the backpack and left us still half covered with crap.

As soon as I realized what happened, I tried to chase them down, yelling in Spanish “Thieves!  They stole my backpack!”  I even chased a bus a whole block only to find that they weren’t actually on that bus.  By now the backpack and the camera, jackets, and umbrellas it contained are long gone, but the memory remains.  I didn’t want to forgive them at the time for doing something so despicable.  I didn’t want to trust anyone anymore, and because of the drug they used, all I wanted to do for the rest of the day was cry.

But with time come perspective and the ability to forgive.  And as hard as it is to believe, I also have to admit that God let this happen to us for a reason.  At the same time He protected us from anything worse happening.  The struggle to move on from experiences like this one reminds me time and again that we live by faith.  We live each day with the faith that an earthquake or tornado won’t suddenly destroy our house.  We live by faith that our job will still exist tomorrow and that crops won’t fail to extent that we can’t find food.  Far too often we take these things for granted.  And then every once in a while, the earthquake hits or there is a car accident or someone robs us and our world stands still for a moment.  It’s hard to move on and be optimistic.  Sometimes we need to cry it out and be angry at the world for a while.

But then there comes the time to move on.  We call it resilience—bouncing back from whatever happens.  In reality, it isn’t a quick bounce but instead slow, feeble steps toward solid ground.  Walking down the street again, smiling or making small talk on the bus—these are the very things the worst Thief wants to steal.  But I refuse to let him steal my joy.  As long as God gives me breath on this earth, I’m going to live with joy and will not cave into fear, especially fear of those who cannot touch my soul.  Yes, I’ll be careful and prudent, but Jesus never said that following him would be safe or easy.  He promised us something better—that he will never leave us nor forsake us.  And that’s why I can walk by faith.

Waterfalls

For the past two weeks in Ecuador it has been raining.  I don’t mean the cloudy-all-day-no-sun rain, but “winter” aka the rainy season, Ecuador style.  Every morning I wake up to a brilliant sun and any clouds that existed at 6am are burned off by 8am when I’m headed to the bus.  To an outsider, it would appear that rain showers would be impossible.  But between noon and 1pm, without fail, it starts raining—sometimes with a downpour and thunder and sometimes even with hail.  If you ever want an example of the phrase “appearances are deceptive,” I’ve got a great one—Ecuador weather.

The upshot of all this is that more rain=larger, faster rivers=better waterfalls.  Last weekend, during Easter break I spent some time with a family in Pintag, and we hiked through a river canyon to several spectacular waterfalls.  From now on, when people talk about the beauty of Ecuador, these waterfalls will be one of the things I think of, along with the volcanoes, jungle, and patchwork fields on mountainsides.  So, come along for a picture tour of the hike out to the waterfalls.

And not to overlook my countdown...

1 day until my parents arrive

65 days 'til I meet a new niece or nephew in Michigan!

Now let the waterfall tour begin...

Hiking down into the river valley

The adventurers - on a more well-beaten trail

The first waterfall - more of an occasional, rainy season addition to the river below

Another small waterfall

Under the waterfall (pretending that we like the ice cold water!)

Valeria and her sister stand on a tree beside the river

We came across some horses on our hike, and someone convinced me to mount this one bareback

First river crossing (the second was up to my waist!)

Wilson went fishing for river trout every chance we got along the way.

The first major waterfall

Second major waterfall

The Waterfall!  We could hear it a 1/2 mile away!

Lunch break at 2pm on the return journey.

Looking down on the largest waterfall in the distance.  It started raining right after lunch, so we opted to hike straight up the canyon wall, with some bouldering and scrambling included.  We arrived back at the house 6 hours after we left and completely exhausted.