“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

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

Chris Roina Challenged to Take Ecuador Lesson Home to California

Chris Roina could spend his vacation time at the beach or mountains of California. Instead, Chris has made two trips to Ecuador to help throw parties in several impoverished areas of Quito.

He returned home to Santa Maria, CA, with some powerful insights.

“I was thinking about the challenge to love my neighbor,” Chris said. “Are people in Ecuador my neighbors? It doesn’t seem like it. But when you are standing in Quito, loving on people and serving them, the cultural and language barriers don’t exist anymore.

“You have kids running up and hugging you even though they don’t even know you. You see the power of love to touch and change people’s lives.

“That does something to you and makes you want to be a part of it,” he said.

“One of the things I’ve been raised to believe is that if you’ve been given much, much is required. I feel I have a responsibility to give back because I have the resources.

“This morning, I got a hot shower. Most of these people (at the parties) didn’t. I have a lot of give and it’s pretty selfish if I don’t.

“The town I live in, Santa Maria, California, is actually quite similar to Quito, not only in weather, we also have a very high Hispanic population. I was thinking I should learn to speak Spanish so I can come to Ecuador, but I realized I should learn Spanish to speak with people who live in my own neighborhood. I can reach out and be a part of their lives as well.

“It’s funny how you have to go thousands of miles to realize some of the same opportunities are in your backyard.”

Chris said he was impacted deeply by the Christmas party at Pan de Vida, a community center that reaches out to street kids and homeless adults.

“Pan de Vida was amazing. There is just so much joy in the place, in spite of whatever hardship was going on.

“Even the power of a child’s heart – they are just so happy and joyful. You can’t help but catch that as well. It touched my heart. I hurt from smiling.”

by Tim Fausch

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

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.”

by Tim  Fausch

Homeschooling Mom Cheryl Tomas Bends the Rules to Join Christmas Team

As a stay-at-home mom homeschooling her daughters in Fishers, IN, Cheryl Tomas follows a rigorous schedule. It’s the only way to assure the girls achieve their educational requirements and the needs of the family are met.

The problem was Cheryl’s friends Santi and Ruth Arteaga and Joe and Julie Wendel continually shared their positive experiences serving those in need of help in Ecuador. The Arteagas live in Quito and work as Extreme Response staff and the Wendels are ardent supporters and volunteers.

Her friends’ compassion eventually got the best of Cheryl. She and her husband Nate decided it was time for her to join a team heading to Ecuador to help throw Christmas parties at the Zambiza Dump and several community centers in Quito.

“I’ve wanted to join the team in the past, but felt the need to stay home and continue the girls schooling. I don’t like to get behind schedule,” Cheryl said. “But this year it was impressed on my heart the selfishness behind that reasoning.”

Nate, a technical manager for a software company, offered to work from home to keep the girls on schedule. Cheryl organized classroom assignments the girls could do on their own while she was in Ecuador.

Cheryl said being an active participant on the Christmas team had a tremendous impact on her.

“While volunteering at the Quito parties, I watched the children’s and adult’s faces light up at a single word of encouragement, a smile or a hug,” Cheryl said. “Through this I realized how desperate people are for someone to come along beside them and love them. I should be intentionally looking for ways to encourage people around me.

“This trip opened my heart to the people around the world who are struggling daily to support their families,” she added. “I no longer believe giving monetarily is enough for me, although still extremely important. Intentionally getting in the trenches, being vulnerable and building relationships are the keys to helping people.”

by Tim Fausch

Summer is work team season for Extreme Response. One of the ways we can best help our partners is to provide them with teams willing to help out for a week or two and bring the funds needed to get the work done. The teams really get to know our people and projects personally. We have 16 teams scheduled for Ecuador during the summer months (June, July and August). Although we do work teams in other locations, Ecuador is the number one destination this summer. Here’s a list of who they are and who they are working with.

• Avery Coonly School 8th grade Class - Quito dump project
• Fair Lawn Church - For His Children Orphanage
• Kensington Community Church - Por Amor Foundation and Montañita Children’s Home
• Woodside Bible Church - Buen Pastor School
• Wellesley Village Church- For His Children Orphanage
• North Point Community Church - Haven of Love & Por Amor
• St. Paul’s - Por Amor Foundation
• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church - For His Children Orphanage
• Providence Christian Academy - Quito Dump daycare center
• University South Carolina - nursing students helping at various Ecuador projects
• Calvary Church in Souderton - New Friends (Nuevos Amigos)
• Fountain of Life Lutheran Church - Bread of Life (Pan de Vida)
• Water’s Edge Bible Church - building a home for a dump family
• Westside Church of Omaha - building a home for a dump family
• Glenkirk Presbyterian Church - For His Children Orphanage
• Lifetree Adventures - Quito Dump project

Thank you, teams, for all your hard work and encouragement!

It’s that time of year again - time for the annual Extreme Response Christmas parties. This year we’ll be holding parties in Quito, Ecuador and Cape Town, South Africa. The parties will run from Dec 2 - Dec 11th and we’re planning on celebrating with over 14,000 people between the two countries. Keep checking back for more updates!

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

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