Step 1: Go here http://www.orphanagesupport.org/sponsorships.html

Step 2: Read the information about all the great benefits you will get.

Step 3: Click the link to sign-up.

So easy right? Now for $30/month (or more if you are feeling extra generous!) you can be helping the sweet orphans in Ecuador! Maybe you are thinking “but Kelsey, I have so much more money just sitting around I need to get rid of!” I have that problem solved for you too. You can sponsor an entire orphanage! That starts at $1,000 a year, so perhaps your entire extended family/business/group of friends could get together and do it. What could be better than that?

(Did I sell you yet? Seriously, it’s super important and EASY! $30/month, just cut out one trip to Target and you will have plenty!)

Before we went Aaron asked me if I was nervous the girls wouldn’t remember me.  I told him obviously not because I was 100% sure none of them would remember me.  Our last visit was in 2009, and we saw the girls one time.  Before that we lived here for 6 months in 2007-2008 and I did spend a lot of time teaching a self-esteem class there, but that was 4 years ago.  To my surprise a few of the girls claimed to remember me.  They were 12-year-olds, who would not have come to the class, but they were girls I knew when they first came to the girls house in 2004 when they were only 4.  The likelihood of them actually remembering me seemed low, but who knows.  It was crazy to see these girls who had blossomed from sweet shy little girls into loud and crazy pre-teens.  Additionally another 12-year-old who I knew back when she was at the baby orphanage in 2004 said she remembered me, which I believed a little more, in part because I had much more interaction with her, and probably a little bit in part because I really wanted to believe it.  Some of these kids really feel like my own children, so I can’t help but want to believe it.

I remember a lot of volunteers struggled with going home, thinking that none of the kids would remember them.  While I understood this and believed it was true, I always felt that even though the kids might not remember us, they would always be better because we were there.  And they are.  It has been such a blessing to me to be able to come back here so many times.  To see the kids that I knew as babies and toddlers and little girls “all grown up” is amazing.

Last night I went to the girls house with the OSSO volunteers again, without Aaron and the kids.  I went in hopes of finding some of the older girls I didn’t find on Monday, as they often struggle with boys, English homework, self-esteem, etc. and I enjoy talking to them.  As it turned out there was only one older girl, and 18-year-old who I knew from way back in 2004 when she was only 10.  She didn’t remember me, but I was so happy to see her all grown up, intelligent, funny, beautiful, kind, and talented.  She challenged me and another volunteer to a game of basketball, in the which she and her team soundly destroyed us.  Apparently if you are a foot taller and have long monkey arms, you still can’t win.  Despite my lack of athletic skill and general out-of-shapeness we had a great time.  I look forward to many more Mondays there with my family, and more Thursdays by myself, getting reacquainted with the girls I knew and making friends with the new ones.

There really is nothing better than seeing these kids growing up happy and thriving.  They all still struggle with many problems, but I think that 2004 Kelsey would be really happy.  I know 2012 Kelsey is.

Q: How do you spell Ecuador?
A: Not like this: Equador.  It’s tricky because equator has a ‘Q’ but Ecuador only rolls with a ‘C’.

Q: When do you leave?
A: January 4th

Q: How long are you going for?
A: It depends.  We have tickets to return on June 12th, but we would potentially like to stay longer if we can.  That depends on 1. visa issues 2. money issues 3. wanting to stay or not

Q: Is it hot there?
A: The coast and jungle of Ecuador are very hot.  We are going to the mountains where it will be approximately 65-75 degrees every day of the year.

Q: What are you going to do there?
A: Aaron is going to hopefully do some telecommute work.  Kelsey is going to continue to stay home with the kids.  We all hope to be pretty involved with the orphanages.  And the eating of pizza.

Q: Do you have a place to live already?
A: While we are sure we are moving to Cuenca, we don’t know where we will be living.  Initially we will stay in a family hostel/hotel and look hard until we find something more suitable.  We imagine a house in the city or bigger apartment to start.

Q: Is it really cheap to live there?
A: Ecuador is not the cheapest country in South America, and the city we are going to is probably the most expensive city in the country, but it is less expensive than living in the US.  Much of the cost benefit also comes from the easiness of living simply while there.

Q: Why are you moving to Ecuador?
A: A lot of reasons.  Love of Ecuador, love of people in Ecuador (friends, nuns, orphans, etc.), higher enjoyment of life when living more simply, love of good weather, love of Ecuadorian food, and an overall feeling that it is what we are supposed to do.

Q: What is the deal with the orphans?
A: The orphans collectively are amazing.  They are kids of all ages with so much potential and so much love to give.  Love that they give pretty much unconditionally.  Being with them and feeling their love and joy is awesome.  Aaron and I both look forward to seeing old and new friends, and our kids getting to make a lot of new friends.  Also we love the foundation I worked with in the past, Orphanage Support Services Organizations (OSSO), which helps provide volunteers, food, medicine, school, teachers, social workers, etc. for the orphans of Ecuador.  If you were wondering what you should do with all those dollar bills you get for Christmas…

That’s all the questions I can think of right now.  Any I forgot?

In 2004 Kelsey went to Ecuador to participate in the OSSO program.  She did volunteer work at orphanages and made many new friends there, both Ecuadorian and among the other volunteers. She brought Aaron back with her to see the place & people she loved so much.  In 2007, shortly after getting married, we moved to Ecuador together for 6 months, frequently visiting the orphanages and OSSO house. We returned to the USA after Kelsey got pregnant.  4 years and 2 children later, we’re moving back again.

It’s safe to say Ecuador has a permanent place in our hearts, and that Kelsey’s experience with OSSO has had a major part in shaping our lives.

We want others to have that experience.  If you want to volunteer, if you’d like to experience the wonderful Ecuadorian culture, make lifelong friends, and have your heart touched by children who need your love, please consider volunteering for OSSO.  If money is a concern, don’t let that be an obstacle.

We can help 1 person with up to $2,000 towards the cost of your OSSO program fee. This doesn’t include the application fee or spending money.  Our only stipulation is that you work with all your heart for at least 8 weeks.  If you happen to be in Cuenca when we’re there, you can buy us dinner if you’d like to say thanks.

Send us a note if you’re seriously interested or have any questions about our experience.  Check out http://orphanagesupport.org for more information.

Kelsey Writes: P.S. We are currently looking to send someone who has not gone before, and please pass this along to any of your interested friends!

I want to tell you about Rex and OSSO now. Since I have been here this time (about 5 months) this is what has happened: OSSO has opened a new orphanage, integrating babies and special kids from another orphanage, and later this month will take on a whole other orphange of special kids. There have been 4 kids adopted to families that were in one way or another connected to the program, and more in the works. And the program has grown better since I was here in 2004. The volunteers do more, they teach more, they possibly even love more (ok, maybe not, I think all of the volunteers love the kids infinity much). And then there is Rex. Rex continues to work part-time to support his family (and probably OSSO too) and the rest of the time spends on OSSO. He makes several trips a year to come visit, see how things are going, and to spend time with the kids he loves and cares for. And when he is at home he spend countless hours fundraising. I have never known someone who fundraises with such love. I cannot imagine the responsibility he has, the pressure he must have to fundraise, to make sure that his kids have enough.

I have been lucky to visit with Rex on several occasions. Not only when I lived here, but visiting other times our trips have coincided. He has always greeted with me with the biggest hug, the biggest smile, and made me feel important. When I see him interact with the kids, they adore him. Especially the girls at the girls house. He is like their dad, their big teddy bear, and their friend. I am not doing a great job of telling you how great Rex is, and I know he’ll never read this, but I only felt it fair to express how I feel. Some people say they want to change the world, and some people do it. Rex gives me hope that one person really can change the world, because he has and still is.

And what’s better? I get to have lunch with him and some of the girls who used to be at the girls house tomorrow. My life is good.

On Thursday we went to help move a load of dirt from outside OSSO’s new orphanage to inside for the plants. The dark clouds and lightning in the distance should have formed some sort of warning, but the group of 8 of us found shovels and three wheelbarrows and got to work. Within a minute of moving the first wheelbarrow it started to rain, and within 5 minutes it was torrential downpour. This of course only made us work faster, and turned our awesome dirt into awesome mud. Ishy proclaimed “This is the best experience of my life! We can get dirty, we can roll in the mud, and we can serve!” Way to see the bright side little man, as we were all pretty much soaked and freezing, and eventually gave up because the wheelbarrows were impossible to move across the new mud field. We then all got a nice soak with the hose as the thunder and lightning got closer and closer. Anna Maria brought us something warm to drink and then we all went home.

The other day I found a mighty large cucaracha crawing across the floor and made Aaron kill it. He exclaimed “We’re moving!” Adding another vote along with my mother (“Get the house, big momma’s coming to stay!”) for our house. Speaking of, we went to see it on Thursday and were sad because the workers don’t think working is a good idea so it still is progressing slowly. The landlords told me they were going to the shop (again) to complain, and I asked them to call if they had any news. We decided that if it is not done by next week (Thursday, latest Friday) we will just stay in the apartment until April. Well yesterday Landlord’s daughter calls and reports the workers are there working (ON A HOLIDAY?!?!) and the house should be ready in time. We continue to hold our breath and cross our fingers.

Wednesday through Sunday are the fiestas of Cuenca, and being a block off the main square we have been lucky to see lots of ultra-dangerous fireworks (from the safety of our window) and globos which are little hot air balloons made out of tissues paper that they launch into the sky. They seem to have problems and often light on fire and don’t go up, or get stuck on buildings or trees or whatever is in the way. Maybe some pictures will come later. What is really great about Ecuador is that they have little to no concern for the safety of buildings or people when using fireworks. I was thinking of the Medina Days firework show where they make you keep your boat one million yards away from the firework barge. Not here, you can walk up and touch the burning fireworks should you choose. And if you don’t choose probably one will fall right on you from the sky, either that or a burning globo of death. Isn’t Ecuador great? Good thing I have insurance now.