Over the last few days in Ecuador, medical members of the team carefully monitored remaining patients for discharge and/or continuing care while other members inventoried and packed remaining supplies. The Rotarians offered thank you’s and an excursion to the mountains along with a special cultural meal and music and dancing.

The entire team thanks all who made this mission possible. After a 2 ½ year break because of covid we were able to travel once again. The mission this year was not without its challenges. We were able to make satisfactory arrangements for travel and accommodation in Ecuador. We had supply chain issues in sourcing some of our key items. We also ultimately travelled with two fewer surgeons. Nonetheless we were able to operate on 38 patients. My own personal observation is that patients were even more desperate to have help. We were the first mission in 2 ½ years to travel to Quenca to work with Dr. Avila. In addition, our team of CPR educators taught 200 schoolchildren CPR. We heard a marvelous story while in Quenca that one of the students that the CPR group had instructed during the 2019 mission saved a life in a near drowning situation recently.

We can only do this work because of your continued generous support. We recognize that things have changed financially for many people, and we value every donation that we receive and make every effort to use it wisely.

We are already planning our next mission for February 2024.