What Do I Need to DO Right Now?

1) Book your flights-- then send your itinerary to TROY

2) Make sure your passport is current

3) Get started on immunization series if needed (see post below)

4) Make sure your temple recommend is current if you would like to serve there (see itinerary post)

5) Make sure your kids have a recommend if they would like to eat in the temple cafetieria or do baptisms for the dead while they are there

6) Square away babysitting-those grandmas fill up fast-and get work off

IMMUNIZATIONS

Hello to all of you Guasmo workers-to-be,

The trip to Ecuador is approaching faster than you know. I hope you are as excited about it as I am! Now that you are booking flights and making travel plans, be sure to consider some other preparations...

Do you cherish those sweet memories of getting gamma-globulin shots at zone conference, taking "the bomb" and tasting metal for months, or sleeping under cozy mosquito nets while being cooled by filthy fans? Do you find yourself longing for boiled water filtered through your old handkerchief or even giving up on water completely and risking kidney stones by drinking a couple of "familiar" sized colas (in a bag) each day? Was there any particular reason why the Hermana wouldn't let you pour that delicious looking bagged milk onto your cereal, eat those inviting strawberries, make a "healthy" salad out of lettuce grown in night soil, or break your fast on some of that tripe from a friendly street vendor?

Beautiful Ecuador has left a lasting impression on our hearts and minds, but we need to remember that it has the potential to leave a lasting impression on our G.I. tract and overall health if we aren't prepared. A few key points to consider:

IMMUNIZATIONS: Be sure each person going to Ecuador is completely up to date on all of the usual recommended vaccines for the USA, paying special attention to TdaP (tetanus and pertussis) and the series of Hepatitis A (the reason we were getting gamma-globulin shots back in the day). Yellow Fever and Typhoid are also recommended by the CDC. Please visit the CDC website on Ecuador http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/Ecuador.aspx and read it in detail, especially the parts on timing of vaccines. Discuss these with your doctor. Some need to be given well before the day you fly!

MALARIA: Although malaria is not present in the cities of Guayaquil, Quito, or the Galápagos, all other areas at altitudes <1,500 m (<4,921 ft) are teaming with chloroquine-resistant malaria. Depending on your travel plans after the service days, you may need to start anti-malarial drugs before, during, and after your trip. Check the CDC website above and contact your doctor for a prescription if you need it.

BUCHANAN'S TAP WATER DIET: take a moment to remember Hermana Gonzalez's words of wisdom and to discuss simple health precautions with family members or friends travelling to South America for the first time. Don't forget to pack things like a hat, sunscreen, and mosquito repellant. If you really want to relive the missionary experience, some of you may plan on hitting a tienda in Guayaquil for some Chinese chalk for those pesky ants or a candle and a Torvi sprayer used as a flamethrower for invading cockroaches. The CDC website also recommends taking a small stash of an over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication such as Immodium as well as all of your usual prescription medication.

With a few precautions, we should all stay healthy and have a fantastic trip back to our old stompin' grounds in Ecuador.

Feel free to discuss any of your questions with your personal physician or to contact me at mitchell.moffitt@gmail.com.

Mitch (Moffitt)

Trip Itinerary

The actual service dates are June 6^th -9^th. Surrounding those dates are optional events that we are planning for all to attend. The only request we have is to please be in Guayaquil by Sunday night at 7pm for our official meeting where we will outline the details of the days of service. So here we go:

Ecuador Itinerary:

Friday- June 3rd

TRAVEL to GUAYAQUIL, ECUADOR

Saturday- June 4^th

12pm Lunch in the Temple Cafeteria (*children 8 & under can eat with us. Children over 8 yrs. must bring a temple recommend to eat in the cafeteria.)

2pm Temple-We have reserved a special session for our group

5-6pm Parque de Iguanas, Bahía, Downtown

6-8pm Visit areas where different people have served

9pm Dinner @ La Parrilla del Ñato

Sunday- June 5th

Church- Any ward you want. If you don’t have a preference, join us at Salado 2.

4pm Mission Reunion with local companions (Location: Chapel where we will be serving the following day)

5pm We are asking the current Mission President of Guayaquil South to come speak to us about the mission.

6pm Dinner for the group

7pm Mandatory meeting (All need to attend that are serving. Location: Chapel where we will serve, address TBA)

Monday-Thursday June 6^th-9^th

Service Days: At the Annika Tutoring Center & Nearby LDS Church Bldg

We are going to break everyone into 4 groups:

1. Construction-building/finishing the construction on the 2nd level of the building (Onsite at Annika Tutoring Center)

2. Education (2 locations)

a. At tutoring center

b. On location with dental team to train kids on hygiene (nearby LDS Chapel)

3. Medical- yet to be determined

4. Dental- LDS Chapel

Friday-June 10^th and on…

VACATION TIME! I am sure many will want to take trips to Quito or Cuenca. We are not going to officially plan anything for this duration of the trip.

Some questions you may have...

Do we book our own hotel?
No, we want to all stay in the same hotel and we are working on getting a group rate. As soon as all those who are going book their flights then we will book the rooms. We are waiting for a solid number before we do that.

How will we get from the hotel to the service sites?
We are arranging transportation to and from the hotel on the service days. We are hiring members to drive the vans.

Do we need to be there all of the service days?
The service days are Monday thru Thursday (June 6-9). If it works best for you to take off a day then that's not a problem. Everyone needs to be there Monday; and if you plan to take off any of the other days, just let Troy know so he can plan the teams and make sure we have enough working in each area.

Will lunch be provided on the service days?
We want to take a vote...
There are mixed opinions about this. Some would prefer to eat a gronola bar or fend for ourselves during a half-hour lunch break (finding tiendas or nearby food stands)-- while others would like a meal brought in so we don't have the hassle. What do YOU think? Please COMMENT and tell us who you are.

How are the kids getting to the church for dental care?
They are being bussed in. Teresa at FAUM is coordinating that. Abe has been in c0ntact with her.

Do you have any more questions? If you do...someone else probably does too. (Comment here.) More info to come...

Travel Plans

Daphne and I were talking this morning, and we think it would be helpful if everyone can post their travel plans, (even if you haven't booked your flights yet). If you can tell us what dates you plan to depart and return, and what airports you will be flying out of. Also, we would love to know what your plans are for the dates following the humanitarian service time block. What places are you hoping to visit etc? Ryan and I are planning on flying out of SLC into Guayaquil on Friday June 3rd The flights leaves SLC at about 8:30 am and arrives in Guayaquil at about 11:00 that night. Then we will return on Sunday June 12th. We are planning to visit Cuenca, but are open to ideas of others as well.

Service begins 6/6/11

Created by OnePlusYou

11 WEEKS TO LIFT OFF!

Welcome to the Ecuador Guayaquil South 20-Year Reunion Trip Blog!

Here you can find out WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON and get all the info you need for our June 2011 trip! Anyone is welcome to add info, updates, deals on airfare, whatever! We hope this keeps everyone in the loop.

Whether you served in Guayaquil, Cuenca, or Baba-hueco...

...get ready to see the temple you prayed for...

...to see how Ecuador's the same...


...and how it's changed!

We are going back to your old stomping ground...

to serve the people and country you love.

11 weeks--77 short days....we've got work to do!

WE'RE GOING TO THE ECUATOR BABY!