Updates

Last month we had the pleasure of welcoming another group of students from Franciscan University of Steubenville to Ecuador. For several years, the university’s mission department has organized yearly trips to the Esperanza Home for Children, or mission home, for students to serve and volunteer. The Franciscan students come for 3 weeks and volunteer with the missionary sisters at the mission home, as well as in the English classes at Santa Maria del Fiat school, all while living on site in volunteer housing at the mission home.

We were so excited to welcome back another wonderful group of students this year. As always, the volunteers were eager to jump right into everyday life at the mission. In the mornings, many volunteers assisted in English classes at the mission school. Some also helped with the specialized home schooling program at the mission home, and a few even helped in the kitchen! Every afternoon, the volunteers were divided into the various houses at the mission home to help the children with their homework, eat dinner, and of course play!

The volunteers also organized a one day retreat for the adolescent boys and girls to encourage self esteem building, and faith formation. It was extremely well received and the volunteers did an exceptional job communicating sensitive and important topics to the adolescents. As always, it was hard to say goodbye to the volunteers. But the children and missionaries will not forget the impact and love that was shared. We are so grateful for the volunteers’ hearts for service and for their partnership in this mission!