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

UK Computer Consultant Finds Joy in a Dump

Louise Carver’s co-workers in Winchester, England, think she is “slightly mad”. That’s because she prefers to spend her holidays taking care of other people’s kids thousands of miles from home.

In 2007, Carver decided it was time to take a trip where she could see and do something extraordinary. She wanted to experience a new culture, different weather, and a foreign language.

More than anything, she wanted to invest her time working for an organization that was helping people living in difficult circumstances.

After a bit of research, Carver found an organization that was placing volunteers in the Zambiza Dump in Quito, Ecuador. So she signed up for a six-month stint and stayed with an Ecuadorian family while working with children in the dump’s daycare.

The experience was life-changing. Each day Carver was able to work with the babies and small children of dump workers. She witnessed the transformation of children who often entered the nursery as malnourished, unvaccinated, and poorly stimulated.

Before the daycare (launched and managed by Extreme Response) opened, parents had no options. The children played in the trash as their parents “mined” for recyclable materials for hours on end. The families often ate food taken from the trash as well.

When Carver’s six months were up, she identified a way to continue serving the poor in Ecuador. She now returns as part of Extreme Response’s Christmas in Quito team of volunteers from around the world.

The team partners with local community centers, including the Zambiza Dump, to present annual Christmas parties where adults receive food staples and the kids receive gift bags. All participate in games, crafts, and family photos.

“After returning home, I found myself appreciating what I have that others don’t have and made a decision to do something about it,” Carver said. “I came back to be part of the Christmas parties so I could see the kids again.

“I enjoy taking a break from my paid work to come back to Quito,” Carver said. “It refreshes and recharges me.

“I like working with ER because it doesn’t just do projects that the volunteers want. ER focuses on the needs of the people and the culture. The organization stays in touch so a relationship builds over time.”

by Tim Fausch

Dave Findlay Transforms into Papa Noel for Kids

Many people enjoy the idea of transforming themselves into someone else. Often, they dream about becoming a world-class athlete, rock star, or actor.

Dave Findlay wanted to become Santa Claus so he could encourage kids. So he did.

The Guelph, ON, Canada resident donned the red and white suit and became “Papa Noel” at Christmas parties in Quito, Ecuador. He joined with volunteers from around the world who gathered to help throw seven parties in five days in community centers and the Zambiza Dump. The parties are coordinated by Extreme Response.

The location of the parties – impoverished areas of Quito – may have lacked the glamour of a stadium, stage, or Hollywood set, but the results resonated deeply.

“I came on my first Christmas party trip three years ago after my daughter and granddaughter said to me, ‘Let’s go’,” Dave said. “My reaction was ‘wow’. I really enjoyed the people and the work was tremendous.

“I looked at the guys who were playing Papa Noel at the parties and said, ‘I can do that’. I had a ball being Santa. I see so much love in the people. The kids hug you so freely.”

The country of Ecuador was not new to Dave. He had first come to Ecuador in 1958 and worked for HCJB before retiring. Returning as part of an international team of volunteers has been rewarding.

“We fell in love with Extreme Response when we saw what they were doing in Quito. It really opens your eyes to the needs. I love that ER’s programs allow you to be hands-on with the people they serve.

“We visited the orphanage in Manta in 2009 and loved what they are doing there too. I had to come back.”

by Tim Fausch

Clean Freak Pattie Wolfe Gets Dirty in Quito

Pattie Wolfe likes a clean house, clean hands, and well, clean everything. So when she joined a team traveling into sometimes less-than-sanitary situations in 2004, Wolfe had to make a choice.

“Coming on these trips takes me out of my comfort zone,” Pattie said. “I’m a clean freak. This is a chance to hold hands that are dirty, kiss faces that are dirty, and pick up trash with my hands.”

Pattie has been coming on trips to Ecuador for four years; her husband Jim, two. The Indianapolis, IN, couple has joined teams operated by Extreme Response that reach out to those living in extreme poverty, often lacking basic necessities that U.S. citizens take for granted.

Pattie has learned not only how to embrace people whose exteriors are a bit dirty, she values the relationships built by showing love to people who are often overlooked by society.

One way that has been accomplished is by throwing Christmas parties in poor sections of Quito.

“I’ve been impressed with how all the Christmas parties are organized,” she said. “I have always felt that if I am going to invest my time and money, I want it to be for something where I feel I am being used.

“There is a special part for each person to play on these teams. I now feel as though I have brothers and sisters who are Ecuadorian.

“I admire the partnership ER has with the local pastors and their wives. I’m impressed with these strong leaders and their heart for the people they serve. They don’t rely on help from the U.S., but they value our partnership.

“Jim and I value these trips because we’ve been able to show our kids there is so much more in life than being successful. Two of our children have come on trips and one is working in South Africa after going on a Christmas trip with Extreme Response.”

ER Parties Are a Family Affair for DOD Contractor John Mason

As director of Personnel Recovery Center- Ecuador, John Mason spends much of his time tracking down missing travelers from the U.S. and other countries. With such a high-stakes job, Mason feels it is important to make sure his family is grounded.

John grew up in Charlotte, NC, but he has spent much of his adult life in South America. After retiring from the U.S. Army in 2006, he moved his family from Bolivia to Quito, Ecuador, so his wife could return to her homeland and their children could be raised there.

The Masons are immersed in the language and culture of Ecuador and are plugged into a school and church. So when Extreme Response’s Dan Maloy asked John to volunteer at the Christmas party at the Zámbiza Dump, Mason said yes simply to “help a buddy”.

But John, who has volunteered at four dump parties through 2010, discovered the annual event met a need within his family.

“I found that volunteering allowed us to grow as a family and to do something together that was not about us,” he said. “It allowed us to be part of something bigger than ourselves. I think it’s important that my kids are here at the dump volunteering.

“These parties take a lot of leadership,” he added. “I see the professionalism, planning, and sincerity that goes into Extreme Response. No one wants to be involved with something that is fly-by night. ER is something you want to be a part of.”

John Mason (left) with Santiago Arteaga

by Tim  Fausch

New Hampshire Couple Finds Kindred Spirits at ER

As the founder of Love In Action, an organization dedicated to connecting, empowering
and mobilizing volunteers, Adriana Mendes looks for partners to help achieve the group’s goals. But when she reached out to organizations serving in Ecuador, she found many were unable to help her.

When Extreme Response offered to help Mendes and her organization as they seek to care for the poor, she was overjoyed.

“ER helps connect us. The staff is flexible, open and operates in an organized manner,” Adriana Mendes said. “ER makes its resources available to us for our work. They donate extra supplies for our Christmas parties.”

Adriana and daughter Tania Mendes launched Love In Action after witnessing the poverty and needs in Ecuador. Adriana, her husband Chris, and their 13- and 15-year-old daughters Dana and Bianca traveled from their home in Merrimack, NH, to Ecuador to volunteer at some ER Christmas parties, and oversee the construction of a community soup kitchen, while running separate Christmas parties in Quito.

“ER has an open philosophy,” Adriana said. “We’ve brought several volunteers from different backgrounds to work at the parties in the dump. It’s easy for Love In Action to be an extension of ER’s outreach.

“The organization (ER) is awesome,” said Chris. “Everyone is on the same page and everything is well run down to the minutia. I love seeing people benefit from the food distribution and the games.

“What ER is doing is very unique,” Chris added. “We’ve encountered a lot of obstacles, but ER has been a big help. Their hearts are in the right place.”

For more information on Love In Action, email Adriana via at loveinactionicu@yahoo.com.

by Tim Fausch

Hog Heaven: Michigan Family Overwhelmed by Ecuadorian Family’s Generosity

In 2006, Don and Kim Clapham and their daughter Stephanie traveled from their home in Lake Angelus, MI, to Quito, Ecuador. Their goal was to help a team of Extreme Response volunteers rebuild a home for a struggling family that worked in the Zambiza Dump.

When the Claphams left Michigan, they viewed their trip as a one-sided affair. They would serve an Ecuadorian family by helping provide safe housing.

They did not expect the family to serve them.

“Unfortunately, the family had lost their home when the roof had collapsed earlier that spring” Don Clapham said. “We learned the family worked six to seven days a week at the Zambiza Dump, digging through the garbage to sort out plastic, metal and cardboard, which they sold for a very small amount of money.

“Because they did not have the time or the resources to rebuild their house, they were forced to live in a home with a leaky, dilapidated roof, exposed to the elements.

“We worked on the home from Monday through Friday, mostly mixing mortar and laying cinder blocks. The work was long and hard, but very gratifying because we knew how appreciative the family members were of our efforts from the looks on their faces.

“As we worked, we noticed that the family had three large pigs in their possession. Upon inquiring, we learned that the pigs made up the majority of the family’s life savings. The pigs were, therefore, of great importance to them.

“When the house was nearly finished, the family invited us to have lunch with them. While we were putting the final changes on the home, we noticed that one of the pigs was missing.

“We then realized the family, out of their extreme appreciation, had butchered one of their three pigs to feed us lunch. Knowing how important that pig was to them moved us all very deeply. We will never forget the heartfelt gratitude the family showed us that day.

“This experience with Extreme Response stirred my heart to serve people in extreme situations, Clapham added. “The appreciation and love shown by the Ecuadorian people made the effort very fulfilling. My family returned to Quito with Extreme Response in 2007 and 2008 and we hope to collaborate with them again in the near future.”

by Tim Fausch

A team from Providence Christian Academy of Lilburn, GA spent 10 days in Quito - leveling the side of a hill for the new playground.  The five girls, 2 guys and adult sponsors worked digging and moving dirt to prepare the area for the new jungle gym and swings.  They also built the steps up to the area.  The playground was put in place on Wednesday, June 10th.  The kids of the daycare are thrilled to have a wonderful new play area - and proud that it’s one of the nicest around.  To people who are used to living off of others’ refuse, this was a “gift” beyond their greatest expectations.  Thank you PCA for all your hard work!

happy girls from the dump daycare center - ready to play!

the finished playground with all the children

the team from Providence Christian Academy in Lilburn, GA plus ER staff

hard working girls from PCA