Scottish International Solidarity Trust

July Newsletter

July 6th, 2008 Posted in Newsletters

Dear all,

Un saludo, (greetings) as they say here in Ecuador, to you all. I hope that you are enjoying a warm and friendly summer and that life is good to you. Life is God´s gift to us and life´s joy is to live as God wills us to do.

MAIN STREET:

                                     You might remember that in my last letter I complained bitterly about the condition of the main street for entering into the town. I do not mention side streets because, in grand part, they do not exist. Well I have good news. The Town Council of Guayaquil moved in last week. They did not attempt to repair the street but to excavate - removing one or two feet of the surface in order to arrive at a possible foundation. Now we hope that the job will be completed and that this main street will be surfaced and usable for the forty to fifty buses that use it daily, the cars and lorries that serve a population of more than fifty thousand.

You see the machinery at work but you can appreciate that the street is not for Formula 1 racing once the top soil is removed!

NEW CONSTITUTION

Ecuadorians, like all latinos, draft laws with gay abandonment. Once approved they religiously ignore what they had been arguing about so excitedly for so many months. That is life!

Here in Ecuador, an elected Assembly has been in session for the past eight months trying to draw up a new constitution (the basic laws for governing the country).  The result is that the country is more divided than ever.  Already two months beyond the finishing date, the members want a few months more.  The final draft has to be approved by a referendum but it looks like that it will be rejected by the country.  What will happen after that is anyone´s guess!  Within two years we are scheduled to have two general elections; another for electing those drawing up the Constitution and two referenda.  No wonder that there is no time for developing industry and national production and that inflation in Ecuador is the highest in Latin America.

The Ecuadorian President continues his controversy with the President of Colombia and there is a lot of nervousness along the border.  It will continue to be a battle of words. Meantime the President of Colombia wants to hold a referendum to see whether he can stand for the Presidency for a third time.  The Constitution only allows one presidential period to any one individual. Laws and Constitutions are very important in Latin America - till they are drawn up and made Law! Enough of that!

Nursery Schools:

                                    Before the end of the year we will have completed five chapels and five nurseries. It is quite a task and it is amazing that I have been able to finance it all.  I have been able to do it due to your generosity, of course.  Particular mention must be made to Hans Humes, a banker form New York who helped me with the water scheme in the Comité del Pueblo, Quito, and now with the nursery schools.  The donations for the chapels have come particularly from small gifts of individuals, whist drives and such like. It is amazing how money accumulates because of the generosity of the many.

Catechetical Season:

                                    Our children do not go to Catholic Schools and so catechesis has to be arranged by the parish.  As many as 600 registered for the first of four years preparation for Holy Communion, Confessions and Confirmation.  It is quite a task accommodating all these children, arranging and forming catechists and keeping them interested (animated, as they say here) during the year.  I much admire the dedication of the young catechists who give up so much of their time in order to help the children.  Some of the catechist study in the university work during the day in order to pay their studies and yet they give of their time help out in the parish.

Youth Groups:

            The pastoral care of the young is an important part of the activity of the parish. I am very pleased that here are seven youth groups in the parish. Their meetings are very lively but they are not about entertaining the young but for giving them human and Christian formation.  We try to do it in the most participative and dynamic way possible. Yesterday I had fifty young people for a one day event.  You see them in the picture reflecting over the day´s activity: the lighten candle represents the light of Christ in their lives; in the booklet they have to note the main decisions of the day and there is also a prayer to be said daily.  In many ways the youth are the mainstay of the parish.

This coming week the National Youth Rally is being held in Guayaquil.  Young people from all over the country will arrive.  The week coincides with the World Day of Youths in Australia where the Pope will be present.  We have to accommodate 30 young pilgrims in our parish for the event.

European Cup:

                        I am writing this letter while watching the European Cup Final between Spain and Germany.  I would say that the Spaniards deserve to be in the lead. They are far more subtle and clever on the ball. Just a minute to go!  You will know the final score by now.

Spain won and there is rejoicing in Ecuador.

Web Page

            I now have a Web Page where I intend to write a short article every week so as to be in closer touch with you.  The address is:

            http://www.fathercolin.org.uk/

and the email for your comments is:

            frcolin@fathercolin.org.uk

I would greatly appreciate your comments or questions and it would make it clearer to me whether it is worthwhile dedicating time to this activity.  In the next number of months we shall be able to make the decision.  The web page also explains that we have established the Scottish International Solidarity Trust.  It is a charity for helping to raise funds for the charitable projects I have in Ecuador.  I will be explaining more about the different projects and giving you the opportunity of helping to fund them.

Many of you contributed to this chapel which accommodates over 300 faithful.  The bell which you see hanging was donated by a group of students from Liniclate School.  It looks rather small but it is hanging too high and I have not come round to hanging it properly yet.  It is on the agenda!  My thanks to the youths  though I daren´t mention whether it was it was first or second year.

Wishing you every blessing and an apology if the letter is rather dull.

Fr Colin