“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Donald Walsch

That is the quote on a card given to Dr. Julie Moss as a parting gift by a colleague in South Africa when she and the USC Upstate team left to return home last May. Reflecting upon it now, Moss also thought it seemed appropriate upon another team’s return from Ecuador in July.

Two teams of nursing students from USC Upstate’s Mary Black School of Nursing, led by Assistant Professor Moss, embarked on these trips designed to provide them with an opportunity to help meet the needs of people who live in extreme conditions and/or situations.

“Through these international trips, I can expose students to global health and a world outside the Upstate, even the United States,” said Moss. “Often, what they come back saying is ‘I want to give more’ either in this community or other places.”

In South Africa, Moss and a team comprised of 17 Upstate students and faculty, as well as two community participants, went to Cape Town and were able to work with counterparts in a certified nursing program there teaching sessions about diabetes and hypertension, as well as provide general health assessments for people in the community. The team also visited a private clinic and two public health centers seeing firsthand the significant need.

“In the clinics we visited, patients arrived for care early in the morning, standing in line all day waiting to see a nurse,” said Gigi Lattimore, a student participant. “Sometimes they were sent home without being seen and told to return the next day. And in the community health fair we conducted, people came from all over the community. For many, this was the only healthcare they received.”

In addition to the clinic visits, the Upstate team held an HIV Health Fair where they provided screenings for more than 200 people in one day. This was followed by visits to a local orphanage and an “informal settlement,” a title given slum areas, where participants worked with local healthcare workers from New Beginnings Development Center going door to door helping educate residents about tuberculosis.

“What surprised me most about working with the students at the New Beginnings program were the positive attitudes and amazing spirits,” said Kristina Kung, student participant. “Everyone was so eager to learn. One student I worked with listened so intently when I was teaching her how to take blood pressure. I thought I was confusing her, but after I explained it once, she picked up the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope and correctly took a reading practically on her first try! It took me weeks as a nursing student to perfect that skill.”

In Ecuador, Moss led the team of 18 Upstate students and faculty on a journey of comparisons and contrasts as they met with students and professors from Universidad de las Americas, local physicians and healthcare workers.

The team also had an opportunity to work in local kids’ clubs, provide assistance in local feeding programs and conduct health assessments in both cities and rural areas.

While everyone in Ecuador is guaranteed free health care, the team learned that it comes with conditions. Nurses, they discovered, are expected to be, more or less, the educators in terms of interacting with the people. The nurses, however, have learned to use this opportunity to make people aware of better health practices which can help minimize negative health conditions.

“Though the healthcare system is very different there, I was surprised to find out that the healthcare workers are very similar to the ones here in the U.S.,” said team member Kelly Pace, a 2010 Upstate graduate and registered nurse. “They are very hard workers and strive to put the patients at the center of their care.”

Overall, the Upstate students were intrigued, but they determined that it would be difficult, at best, to work in conditions with no real clinic and no supplies. However, there was no denying the gratitude of the people for any assistance that is available.

“The experiences I encountered while on this trip opened my eyes and heart to the people in a way that I never expected,” said Pace. “Whether it was playing with the kids, serving a meal, or checking their blood pressures, the people were always so happy. And these were people who were living in extreme conditions, conditions you or I would not enjoy. They made me realize that true happiness doesn’t come through material possessions but through time with family and friends.”

Nursing student, Hannah Kerr, agreed, as she noted, “I was able to see how my material possessions at home are insignificant in the bigger picture. Their gratification for a simple life showed me it’s not material possessions that make us happy.”

Of course, with any international travel there will always be some challenges.

“The language barrier between our group and the people we served was, by far, the greatest challenge,” said Kerr. “However, I considered it a ‘great’ challenge because it forced each of us to push ourselves out of our comfort zones. The people we were serving never let this barrier limit our interaction. They didn’t care that we couldn’t speak Spanish fluently; they cared that we made the effort to help them.”

Coordinated with Extreme Response International, a nongovernment humanitarian aid organization based in Atlanta, these international study trips were designed to provide participants an opportunity to see, experience and address some very real issues facing many of the less fortunate in both countries.

“We also had great support from faculty and staff across campus as we collected travelsize lotion, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste for personal hygiene kits we shared with the children and families,” said Moss. “We are currently collecting these types of hygiene items for the trips in June and July 2012.”

Whether working to understand the needs of a city with 1.2 million people; an “informal settlement” of 40,000; children who live at the city dump or families in remote regions, Upstate students on both trips had their eyes opened to two very different parts of the world and two very different cultures.

“I realized that people are resilient and resourceful,” said Lattimore. “People living in desperate times sometimes take desperate measures. In order to help people of different cultures, it is necessary to monitor and adjust our interventions in a way that is useful given their circumstances and resources.”

One of the key lessons Moss felt both Upstate teams learned centered on understanding how to work with less; making do with what you have.

“Before I left South Africa, I found a book of photography showcasing shacks all around Cape Town. It was amazing to see beauty in something I initially thought of as not so pretty,” Kung added. “Because I was only considering the negative when we first visited the very poor township of Masiphumelele, I almost missed out on what was positive about that place.”

For Moss, the change in the students is exciting to see.

“They are no longer a round peg in a round hole, but a square peg in a round hole challenged to learn and grow from their experiences,” she said.

Experiences that now give them a broader view of what they are capable of, well beyond their comfort zone.

Nursing Students See A Different World
- by MEG HUNT of Upstate Magazine
Fall 2011 Issue

Music artist Jordan Anderson is preparing for a fourth trip to Ecuador, where he’ll lead music for volunteers and help with all the Christmas celebrations. He shares how the first three trips have shaped his world view.

Growing up you see a lot of pictures of poverty, images of kids who are hungry. But the first time I went to Quito was the first time I’ve seen it in person. It really impacts your heart when you go and see people who are hungry and don’t have much, and yet they somehow still have joy in their lives.

Last year we went with our daughter Lorelei. Having a child changes your perspective on other children. It’s interesting. There’s no difference between babies when they are born. It just happens that they are born where they are born into different circumstances. That creates a lot of thankfulness on our parts, but also we more clearly see the needs of children who don’t have much and probably never will. So anything small thing we can do for them, we want to do.

The thing that always touches me is visiting the children’s day care at the Zambiza Dump. I probably get more out of it than the kids do. They are so willing to jump in your arms and be loved on. I think it’s cool when you see people on your team who are more reserved, who keep to themselves, and during the course of the week you see them slowly start to reach out to other people.

I always enjoy going to Remanso de Amor (Haven of Love) and the school there. Having taught before, it draws me in. On one hand you have families, kids, broken homes, and poverty. But around them is incredible scenery. It’s like two different worlds. You have the poor with beautiful mountains in the background.

While these Christmas celebrations are going on, a lot of people forget about the situation they are in, whether that’s a job situation or their family life, or just not having anything. In America, we might try to get away from people with such needs. But they keep getting in lines at the parties because they know we’re there to help them. As much we’re there for them, it’s a huge impact on me personally, being able to serve them. Running a game for two or three hours straight is difficult physically, but the joy far outweighs it.

The first year we went to Quito, I spotted an American volunteer who was kneeling down next to a young girl he had befriended. He had spent a lot of the day with this girl, helping her play the games. She had gone through the food line and he was meeting her as she was walking out. For some reason I felt what he was feeling. And then he just started crying and he hugged her. He looked at me out of corner of his eye. He saw me looking at him and I started tearing up. He looked at me knowing that I saw what just happened, and that moment has always defined what I feel for these kids - to be willing to spend time with them and love on them. You can’t stay with them, but they have a special place in your heart.

I love seeing ER’s partnerships with other people around the world. ER’s mission is to team up with partners as long as the partner needs. And when that partner is sustainable, ER will step away without asking for any honor or glory from it. That’s the way it should be.

To listen to Jordan Anderson’s music, visit www.facebook.com/jandersonmusic.

As music artist Jessa Anderson prepares for a fourth trip to Ecuador, she shares the highlights of her first three trips.

My first trip to Ecuador was a great experience - it had been several years since I’d been on an overseas trip, and it was the first time Jordan and I went as a family. It was refreshing to be reminded of how things are in the rest of the world, versus the small world I live in.

That first trip really renewed my passion to be involved in global work. Throughout the three trips, we’ve been impacted in different ways as we’ve interacted with the families we serve. Last year we had our four-month-old daughter with us, and I felt like I experienced the week differently than the previous years. My heart had totally changed for all those mothers and children we worked with. I felt so connected to them; it really drove home the point that we are equally valuable, no matter what our circumstances.

For me, the biggest impact overall has been the reaction of the kids. They are so excited to get a small portion of food or a tiny gift. To see the joy on their faces for what they receive is almost heartbreaking because of how happy it makes them. When you compare that with our lifestyle, you realize how much we have we don’t even need. I love to do all this because of the impact we’re making in the children’s lives.

I love to spend time at (partner site) Pan de Vida. It’s located downtown, so the people are from the city. It’s been very powerful to see them come and stand in line, often in the rain, and then cram into a very small space to participate in the Christmas party.

The Zambiza Dump party is always amazing - the sheer number of people who come from every direction. They stand outside with their entire families, and you realize just how important these parties are to them. And then the food lines are always so long, but they line up an hour or more early just to make sure they are in line for their food. It touches your heart to see how important it is for them to take home a bag of basic staples.

I feel really privileged to know a lot of the key staff members of Extreme Response. When you come and work with people for a week, you get the benefit of seeing what they are doing first-hand, but sitting down one-to-one and getting to know them has been so affirming. Over the years I’ve gotten to know the founders and see the kind of people they are - genuine and passionate. What gets them up in the morning is Extreme Response because it is making a huge impact on the world.

To listen to Jessa’s new CD, Not Myself Anymore, visit www.jessaanderson.com

We love what we do.  We love making a difference.  The daycare that we run at the Zambiza dump has become a testimony to the love of many.  Six years ago, the future for the children of the dump was bleak.  Most had no hope of ever going to school, and they didn’t dare dream of another life.  My friend Dawn wrote a while back that “the poor don’t dream”.  They don’t.  Dreaming creates the expectation and the hope that someday things might be different, while reality paints a very dark, very harsh reality.

Today, that reality is changing.  100% of the children who have gone through our daycare are now enrolled in school.  Their teachers marvel at how well they are doing.  They can dare to dream that perhaps tomorrow might be different.  The future looks brighter…sunnier…hopeful.  This has happened because of the generosity of others.  People who make sure that they have food to eat and clothes to wear…people who send money so that they can receive vaccines that protect them from disease…people who encourage them.  People like you.

Several weeks ago, Nestle contacted Extreme Response to let us know that they wanted to donate “some food”.  “Some food” translated to two tons.  4000 pounds. It was overwhelming, for a couple of reasons.  The first reason was that this was a local company, reaching out to help their own.  This is exciting for us to watch.  The second reason is that it was 4000 pounds.  Have you ever seen 4000 pounds of food in one spot?  It’s a LOT of food!  Several people from Nestle came and put on a program for the children, which they loved.  After that, Dan and the rest of the ER team (Nick, Dan Smoker, Paul and Susan and Mayra) were faced with the delightfully challenging task of making sense of all of that food, and figuring out how to get it into the hands of the workers at the dump.  Last Thursday, after much sorting and calculating, they were able to do a “food distribution” day.  Each person went home with a box of food that would last for a couple of weeks.  For people who work to earn just enough for each day, it was a huge blessing to have a little extra.

Thank you, friends, for standing with us and being a part of what is happening here in Ecuador and around the world.  Know that you are making a difference.  A huge difference.  You are bringing hope.

By Cyndi Maloy

Inspired by Love at Manta Orphanage

When Cindy Haviland heard about a team going to serve at an orphanage in Manta, Ecuador, she knew it was something she had to do. The orphanage has become an important partner to Extreme Response International, and especially to Extreme Response Canada.

Each year, teams go to Manta to throw Christmas parties and help with light maintenance and distributing gift and food bags. Cindy, who lives in the small town of Waterford, ON, Canada, has volunteered on three trips. The teams also have helped with even larger parties in several impoverished areas of Quito, Ecuador.

The mother of four leads an active life, volunteering at school, helping lead Bible studies, assisting her self-employed husband, and sewing, knitting and quilting items to be donated to missions. Yet the trips to Ecuador have allowed her to serve in a whole new way.

“I’ve always had a heart for kids, but most of the trips I knew about focused on construction,” she said. “But when this trip to Manta came up and I heard what previous teams were saying, I felt I should go.”

Cindy has been inspired by the way young lives are being transformed.

“The orphanage at Manta is run by the Por Amor Foundation,” she said. “The way the orphanage is set up, national couples live in each house. The kids call them mom and dad. A lot of these kids have never had their own bed or a home.

“The love for the kids is phenomenal. Every kid has their own story, but they found a home at the orphanage.

“We’re helping by showing love to the people. The trips give us a chance to meet them in their own setting and come along side them.

“I want to share what ER is doing, how it is working with its partners, and the passion those partners have for their people. It’s not about us.”

by Tim Fausch

Father, Daughter Keep Volunteers Rolling

Anyone who has been part of an overseas volunteer team knows that team transportation is a major headache. That’s especially true when the busses carry not only human cargo, but also games, food, candy and supplies needed to throw parties for hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of people.

Toss in several dozen travel-weary foreigners and the prospects of managing such logistics become downright frightening.

Fortunately for Extreme Response, a great partnership has developed with Rogelio Paula, who operates a transportation company in Quito, Ecuador. When teams come to Quito, they know they can count on traveling in vehicles every bit as safe and comfortable as what they would find at home.

Originally, Rogelio owned mostly public transport busses. But after partnering with ER, he formed a tourist transport company and purchased high-quality vehicles. It was a big gamble, especially with a wife and four girls to support.

The investment has paid off, in more than just the business sense. Not only has Rogelio grown his transportation company, he has seen the teams his company transports help many in his country.

“When a team comes in, they are helping our country,” he said. “They help everything, from the hiring a bus, to the owner of a tienda (store), to helping the leaders of the community centers.

“The teams always look at what the needs are and how to meet those needs. They are a big blessing for the people of Ecuador. The idea that we are helping the people of my country, poor people, that brings a lot of joy to me.”

Rogelio made another big contribution to the success of ER in Quito. He convinced his daughter Mayra to work for ER handling administrative duties starting in 2005.

At the time, Mayra was attending university, enjoying a carefree lifestyle. Having to go to work, even part-time, was not in her plans.

“My life changed completely,” she said. “Before I was a girl studying in the university, having a good time with my friends, parties, and games. So when I received a call offering me a job, I felt confused. I liked my university life, but my daddy Rogelio encouraged me to work with Extreme Response.”

At first Mayra worked three hours a day. But as ER grew, she began working full time and shifted to night classes in order to complete her studies. She said her vision for her life has changed as a result of working with ER.

“It’s been five years and I am so happy to work with Extreme Response,” she said. “I’ve learned accounting and legal skills, the English language, the culture, and the customs. I have good relationship with my co-workers, who are my friends are patient with me.

“All of what ER does impacts me personally,” she added. “I see all the love and time people give to work with the different projects. I see the wonderful heart the ER staff has, and all the groups have, to come to Ecuador to work, share, help and to give peace and love that the people need.”

Rogelio said his own approach to life has changed after seeing people reaching out to help those living in extreme conditions.

“ER has driven me to want to serve and help the poor,” he added. “I don’t just want to just drive a bus. It’s motivated me to want to do more.”

By Tim Fausch

Child Sponsors Find Their Next Step in Ecuador

Kristen and Mark Ghesquiere, MD, run a medical practice in Simcoe, Canada. They have been sponsoring children in poor countries for 20 years.

While the sponsorships have helped meet the couple’s desire to help others, they found themselves seeking the next step. So along with their teenage daughter Madi, they joined a team from Canada headed to Ecuador to help throw Christmas parties in community centers located in impoverished sections of Quito and at the Zambiza Dump.

“When Mark started his practice, we dedicated funds for World Vision kids and have increased the number of children we sponsor over the years,” said Kristen Ghesquiere.

“We felt we were being called to extend ourselves a bit more,” Mark said. “We were looking for an organization to become involved with when we heard about Extreme Response and decided to do a little reconnaissance.

“We wanted to come and see what Extreme Response is about,” Mark added. “We really liked the fact that ER is a streamlined organization and the staff demonstrates humility.”

“I’ve been so impressed by Jose Jimenez and his work in the dump,” Kristen said. “In Canada, the government takes care of the needs of the poor. There’s none of that in Ecuador. Jose takes responsibility for the dump families and makes things happen.”

The Ghesquieres also have been inspired by the willingness of nationals to step up and support the work and partnerships of Extreme Response.

“I was working alongside an Ecuadorian volunteer at the dump and she shared her personal situation with me,” Kristen said. “She’s a single mom with three kids. She chose to be a volunteer at the dump instead of a victim.”

By Tim Fausch

True Grit: Extreme Needs Impact Joe and Julie Wendel

Like many people, Joe and Julie Wendel statistically comprehended the humanitarian needs in other countries. However, the Noblesville, Indiana, couple was busy raising two sons, running a successful business, and enjoying many fulfilling relationships with friends.

They were happy to help support people like Ruth Arteaga, a friend of Julie’s for 25 years, who is on staff with Extreme Response (ER) in Quito, Ecuador. The Wendels also knew Paul and Susan Fernane, who serve in Ecuador through ER.

Then Julie agreed to join a volunteer team headed to Ecuador to help throw Christmas parties in some impoverished areas of Quito.

The stories of Ruth, Paul and Susan became more than just stories. They became personal and very real. They had their concepts of overseas volunteer trips turned upside down. Julie has returned to Ecuador twice more to volunteer.

“Prior to going on my first ER Christmas team trip, I had a lot of preconceived ideas on what it meant to help people, such as digging wells and building buildings,” Julie Wendel said.

“Volunteering through Extreme Response was the perfect first volunteer trip. There is so much interaction with the people you are helping. You see the grit of their lives. The trip makes it more personal and impacts your perspective.

“Christmas at home in Indiana has not been the same,” she added. “Our involvement with Extreme Response gives us a different view of our stuff. We’ve been challenged to live and give sacrificially.

“We have focused our giving on needs-based ministries that focus upon orphans, widows and children who are marginalized in societies throughout the world. ER is a critical and trusted partner in these efforts. We are on a giving journey with real goals that we are challenged and burdened to reach.

“Leader Mundial (ER’s leadership training arm) has been one of the most influential things in our lives. Joe has been impacted deeply by the chance to pour into leaders in other parts of the world. He Skypes regularly with Gabriel Kpodi, who leads a school for refugees in Ivory Coast.

“One of the things we love about Extreme Response is that it is small enough to know everyone and, as a result, there is a naturally higher level of accountability. From a donor perspective, it’s exciting to be part of an organization filled with people we love caring for people we want to help. At the same time we are provided opportunities to get to meet those we want to help and love them with more than just money.”

by Tim Fausch

Ana Pallikan Discovers Silent Killer

Ana Pallikan never dreamed of going to Ecuador. But her friends kept talking about their positive experiences there, so she agreed to join a team of volunteers to help throw Christmas parties in several impoverished areas of Quito.

“Julie Wendel is a forced to be reckoned with,” Ana said, referring to her friend and trip recruiter. Ana and Julie attend the same church in Fishers, IN, so there was little chance of escaping the invitation.

Ana’s team from Indiana joined a large international team in Quito. The volunteers proceeded to put on seven Christmas parties in five days at community centers, a retirement home, and the Zambiza Dump.

The team spent many hours preparing crafts, assembling gift bags for children, and preparing food for distribution. The parties were high-energy, with games, face and nail painting, and family photos.

Ana said she the trip was eye-opening.

“I really noticed the immense needs,” she said. “I don’t know how much food the people have, but the gratitude they show is tremendous. What we would consider a little, they consider a lot.

“I was surprised how people can find joy in joyless situations,” she added. “It speaks to how we let materialism in the U.S. blind us.

“This trip was a reality check. Our wealth is a silent killer.”

by Tim Fausch

Dan Smoker Finds Joy Serving Others

Dan Smoker has experienced life challenges no one wants to face. Having lost a loved one and his job, Smoker turned his focus outward.

Smoker left York, PA, and has been serving others, including a three-month stint in Quito helping Extreme Response by doing maintenance and team preparation work.

“I have had some serious changes of direction in my life,” Smoker said. “I am looking for a time of personal healing and to help people.”

“I was laid off last September. Without a job, I worked in New Orleans in the 9th and 10th wards and really bonded with the people.

“I love Latin America. I’m here in Quito on a tourist visa, but I hope to come back.

“I love the way the local leaders are taking charge to reach their communities and Extreme Response is partnering with them.”

Smoker said his efforts to serve other people have challenged him on several levels.

“I have trouble trusting people. I don’t reach out. But I want to open my heart.

“It’s easy within an organizational situation, but not when you are isolated. I want to break down my skepticism and fears.”

by Tim Fausch