A note from Mitch Moffitt

Well said Daphne. The trip was incredible on so many levels. Glad to have shared the experience with so many great people.

Even if you didn't come on the trip, be sure to watch for word of the "return and report" event with Elder Walter Gonzalez and the Hermana sometime in the near future. We will see some incredible photos and video footage from Janae Bingham and all of our camera files and hear about the many incredible things that went on while we were there. -Mitch (Moffitt)

LO HICIMOS!!!

We did what we came here to do...and more. We built the tutoring center, we taught newly graduated med students neonatal rescusitation just in time for them to go into the villages to serve, we educated kids about dental care and then took care of their dental needs. We stocked the tutoring center with supplies (and a flat screen TV!) We delivered newborn kits to all the new moms in the Guasmo hospital. We served in the temple and reunited with the Ecuadorian people we love. And we went about doing good everywhere we could. I'm proud to be a part of this group of amazingly skilled, loving, hard working and faithful people.

Construction team woke up before dawn and went home after dark. They were soaked in sweat, water, mud, grout, and paint.

Dr. Moffitt's neonatal rescusitation course went better than we could have imagined. Classes were full, med students were sharp and extremely excited, and now Dr. Carlos Latorre (Ecuador) is trained to teach those classes.

The dental team worked hunched over lawn chairs...but were happy the stake center had air conditioning. The aching backs and equipment struggles made up for that luxury.

We had 2 Ecuadorian dentists serving with us.

We helped over 650 kids in 4 days! Some were special needs, some were preparing to go on missions and just couldn't afford the dental, all were from Guasmo and the surrounding areas.

Those in the education team were key to keeping the peace. They not only taught dental hygeine but also kept the kids entertained while they waited.

Abe, Troy and Teresa are the reason this happened in the first place. They handled the behind the scenes...and did an amazing job! It worked so well having a director at each location. They were insanely busy.

Brave souls worked on bamboo scaffolding lashed with rope. Below is the cleanest we ever saw Mayo.

This is the neighbor next door to the tutoring center. This is a rough area and the kids live in homes like these.

Before...

After!

And they are why we do it.

The kids from the tutoring center put on a program for us and then we celebrated "Dia de los Ninos."

Words cannot even express what we have experienced. There are too many stories to tell, too many miracles to count, too mant people to thank, and with hearts so full tears spill out when we open our mouths. They say they are grateful to us---but we will never be the same. It was truly "un placer."

Soaking It In

This is how we roll here. Sometimes we have 3 vans and it's a cushy ride. Other times we are like a circus car full of clowns. Man, we are a spectacle here.

Going to back to our old stomping grounds. They used to live on the 2nd floor of this building and the girls in the shop below remember them yelling, "Aprende la bomba!" (Turn on the water!)

A common quote on this trip is "This is straight up Ecuador!"

Troy, Daphne and Abe came in 3 days early to prepare all the details...but they managed to squeeze in a quick trip to Cuenca, Paute, Gualaceo and Chordeleg.

We couldn't leave without riding in the back of a truck for old times sake.

We all split up and went to different wards that we served in. Every one of us has an incredible story. It has been amazing seeing the impact these guys had on these people 20 years ago and seeing how it has changed their lives.

We were invited to come to a missionary prep activity and Deven Smith was asked to bear his testimony. We all sang "Called to Serve." Very cool experience. Then tonight we had a reunion and the current mission president spoke to us about the work. Afterwards, we hammered out the details of the service tomorrow and now we are READY TO GET TO WORK!

Progress on the Tutoring Center

I don't know if it loooks like much to you, but this is looking amazing! They have even put spme cute trim on the outside that will look great when it's painted. We swung by to talk to the arctitect and discuss colors with Teresa. Monday morning our group will take over and our goal is to have it doen Thursday night. Ambitious? Heck yeah. But we're ready to work. The medical team is working out details like projectors and compressors. The dental team is finding lawn chairs and ethyl alcohol. And I've been tasked to choose the paint color. So many details! We'll keep you posted.

Troy, Deven, and Abe talking with the arctitect. This room will be an office for the FAHUM staff. Most of this 2nd level that we are building is going to be used for parent education and counseling. They will be trained on how to keep their kids in school so they won't lose their sponsorships. It will also double as a place to teach the kids ballet. The tutoring center is focused mainly on 2 things: keeping kids in school and involving them the arts (among many other things.)

This is the home of one family who has 4 kidws who are helped at

the center.

This is why we do this.

The Ecuador Guayaquil Temple

20 years ago we prayed for this temple. In 1999 it was finally a reality. Now we all serve together in this beautiful structure. It was an emotional way to start our trip.

We all felt that if we only came for this one day it would have been worth it. There are no words...

I made it!!!!

I finally arrived after a "fun" trip. I was supposed to arrived in Quito at 11pm wound up being 2am. Lot of fog resulted in our flight going to Guayaquil fueling up then back to Quito to reattempt a landing. I woke up as we were landing.

FYI...I was asked at customs what was in my luggage ( I have a bunch of paints and paintbrushes) I told them what I was here for and what they were for , and they let me right through.

I was met by Pepe Romero and my trainer Giovanni Marcillo, poor guys were waiting 3.5 hours for me.

Anyway I am here will catch a quick nap and off to find some dental units

See you all soon

The EGSM President is going to Speak to Us!

Good news! We just got confirmation this morning that the current Mission President for the Guayaquil South Mission and his wife will be able to come to our reunion on Sunday! We are so excited to have Pres. Montalti speaks to us about how the work is going in Ecuador. This reunion will be in Ecuador on Sunday, June 5th.

Packing Tips

This is mainly for the wives and family members who haven't traveled to Ecuador...

*Don't forget to pack for both hot and chilly weather. It will be hot in Guayaquil where the reunions and service are. And it will be jeans and sweatshirt weather if you travel to Quito or Cuenca. That was a surprise to me so I thought I'd pass it along.

*Ecuador uses regular outlets like in the US so don't worry about adapters.

*There are grocery stores and pharmacies everywhere so don't stress--yes, you can buy almost anything down there. Maybe not your favorite brand, but the basic necessities are all there.

*Bring a small day pack or bag to carry water, a gronola bar, your camera, etc. on the service days. You'll be gone all day.

* Yes, the temple does rent clothing.

Please comment with any other questions you have or email us directly. It's all coming together--we are so close!

Not the first time we have served together