For His Children is an orphanage which has been operating in Quito, Ecuador for 19 years with over 550 orphans having been cared for in the home. There are currently 45 children in the Quito home. A new home has been opened this year in the city of Latacunga, Ecuador, about 1 ½ hours from Quito, in order to help the orphans in that area of the country. Children are brought to the home by various means such as the police, who often find them abandoned in the parks, from hospitals, where the mothers give birth and leave the children, or from the court systems. Schooling is provided for all the children, including the many special-needs kids. While the new building is still under construction, the first floor is in use with 19 children. They expect to have 35 – 40 children eventually with room to increase up to about 70 children if needed. Work teams are coming from the US and Canada to help with the ongoing construction of the house. Extreme Response is offering to help them with the teams and short-term workers who desire to serve at the home. This will take a lot of the burden off the directors and give them more time to concentrate on the needs of the children. That’s what we do at Extreme Response.

by Mike Bishop

Student Home for Quichua Indian Students

Reaching out to the Quichua Indian communities of Ecuador, Casa Nicodemo provides a place for students (ages 13 through 18) to live while they attend school in the city of Ambato. The majority of the Quichua communities only provide school through grade six, and in order to continue their education the students have to leave their communities to study in the nearest major city of Ambato. Many of the Quichua villages are isolated with no transportation to and from the city so the students are forced to search for a place to live while studying. Casa Nicodemo provides a safe place to live with good meals and help with studies during the school week. Most of the students return to their communities on the weekends.

The director of Casa Nicodemo has left Ecuador and the work is undergoing some changes. At present there is a core group of young men who have already completed their studies and are continuing to work with Casa Nicodemo and the Quichua communities with humanitarian aid and support.

A new director for the work will soon be coming through Extreme Response to run Casa Nicodemo. This couple will once again organize and open a house for students who wish to continue their education. The most urgent need is for funding for the program and for a good location for the house. Casa Nicodemo depends solely on outside contributions to maintain the house and provide food for the children.

The effect of Casa Nicodemo on the lives of those who live there is very apparent as we spend time with them and see their hearts to serve their own Quichua communities providing hope and help. They are a great example of the partnerships of Extreme Response International as we seek to provide relief and support to people living in extreme, often life-threatening conditions.

On August 30, six people from the Extreme Response Quito office went to the coastal town of Manta, Ecuador to help with a fundraiser for the Montañita Verde Children’s Home run by our partner organization Por Amor. A favorite Ecuadorian dish called Fritada (fried pork) was served with hominy and a salad. It was truly a cooperative effort between the orphanage, Extreme Response, Mr. Chancho (providing the pork), about 30 students from a cooking school, the local Howard Johnson’s Hotel and a local TV station, Manavisión. Everyone worked together to raise funds for the orphanage which cares for about 25 children. Over $3,000 was raised.