Anchayacu

We spent the last 3 days in the coastal jungle of Ecuador in the town of Anchayacu. We went with 25 youth to share Christmas gifts with the children there. Anchayacu is a small village population of blacks and Chachi Indians along the Onzole river in the province of Esmeraldas. From Quito, it took us 7 hours by bus and 1.5 hours by motorized canoes to reach our destination. Our hosts were a local pastor and his wife (see top left pic), who pastor a small Christian church (see white building with horse in front) in a community of about 400 people. Steve, our host in Quito, has made several medical and constructions trips to this area over the last several years, but this was the first youth trip. Most of the youth we went with have never been out of Quito so this was quite an adventure for them. While the youth slept in tents or bunk beds, Greg and I were graciously given the master bedroom of the house- a modest small bedroom with a double sized mattress mosquito net bed (see top right pic) while our hosts slept on the floor of the food closet. Anchayacu is everything you picture when you think of jungle....hot, humid rain forest, fresh fruits and coconuts, wide brown rivers that are used for washing clothes, bathing, swimming, food, and transportation; and people carrying machetes. It was a great trip- one that we will never forget!