We continue to grow!

April 5, 2025

Dear Friends and family,                                                                 

Having just returned from the hot and humid to the chilly weather of Colorado I’m slowly adjusting once again. Leaving Floron Ecuador behind, the torrential rains and drug gangs, it seems like I never left home. The trips we take to our clinic and community always leave us with mixed feelings – sad to leave yet also glad to be home.

 Day of arrival in Floron usually means having “your running shoes on” – water and office equipment repairs are the first to be addressed – then the real work begins.

Something is wrong--this pipe is Flat tire while delivering water on

to connect with that pipe! on the main highway--no less!

The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful staff. A current decision was made to renew our doctor’s contract for another year – it is our understanding that the patients really enjoy her and we know where her heart lies.

Dr. Kerly Patients early to see Dra. Kerly

It was also decided to add two more Ecuadorian members to the Buen Samaritano Foundation board in Floron, Ecuador. Due to the Ecuadorian government requirement to have signatures from all members for any legal document, members from the US need to be removed because of the difficulty of getting original signatures to Ecuador. New board members will consist of a dentist and the other has two degrees (BS and Masters) in advertising and marketing. That adjustment will occur in June when we are there with the music mission team. The ultimate goal is to change over the administrative duties to all Ecuadorians with us being advisors. Our FYTA board in the US will continue as usual.

The church next to the clinic in Floron 5 that we attend as well as the church in Floron 8 all train their musicians at a young age – notice the drummer. (As noted, the US visiting musicians will work with the churches music department.)

It seems that our stays always hits someone’s birthday besides ours. Here we are celebrating our custodians birthday – Junior turned 27. Besides taking a photo of the honored guest, they always want a group photo.

The torrential rains have devastated many areas with severe flooding in the Manabi Province where we are located but Floron where our clinic is located has received a lot but nothing that was very damaging. The photo below shows an old bridge that collapsed due to the rains – sending vehicles and people to the water below – three killed and the others swam to be rescued.    

 Lastly, continue to pray for the drug situation in Ecuador. The current president (Noboa) faces a run-off election this coming Sunday April the 13^th. He is running against an individual aligned with an old president’s party who will not seek the same goals that he seeks. One of which is his desire to have foreign troops in the country to help battle the pervasive drug situation. One such foreign country is the US. Noboa is currently building facilities at the navy base near Manta that he hopes will house US troops and staff as in the past. The country’s military continues to roam the streets along with the police.

 Our next mission trip in June will involve both Elizabeth and I as we go to attend to the clinic and water. Along with that, we will host another Music Mission from the Colorado Community Church in Aurora. In June 2023, they blessed us and the communities we serve. Besides concerts, the group spends time with upcoming musicians in local churches. And just as they did in 2023, the group will bring instruments to replace old ones and/or train with new ones.

We covet your continued prayers for safety of the staff and success of President Noboa on Sunday, April 13^th.

Dios te bendiga siempre,

Richard