Gracias Damien House!

Here's one last post from our students about the experience at Damien House.  With all this excitement about community service and leadership development, we can't wait to find more ways to get involved!

Sister Annie, Damien House founder, with Starfish students Nery, Sofia, Andreina, Solange and André.
 

Card for Damien House

by Pamela, Flor de Bastión

Thanks for opening us the doors of your foundation.  The experience was really great.  The people who are part of your foundation are really cool.

The women are very dynamic, happy, full of life, and very friendly.  The men have a strong character, but full of advice for those who need it.

The experience is unforgettable.  You all are beautiful people who deserve so much more love than what you have.

From,

Starfish

Sister Annie in the women's section speaking with Starfish students!

Beach bags, a talent of many of the men at Damien House!

"Carta para la Fundación Padre Damien"

por Pamela, Flor de Bastión

Gracias por abrirnos las puertas de su fundación.  La experiencia fue super chevere.  Las personas que integran la fundación son super que chevere.

Las señoras son muy dinámicas, alegres, llenas de vida y muy amables.  Los señores tienen el carácter fuerte pero llenos de consejos para al que lo necesita.

La experiencia es inolvidable.  Son lindas personas que merecen mucho más amor del que ya tienen.

Att. Starfish

Hammock making time!

Joel's experience at Damien House!

Joel had a great time at Damien House a few weeks ago...find out about his experience through his own words!

Joel, participating in "refuerzo" or tutoring with another Starfish scholar, Betsabeth.

"Hi, I'm Joel.  I'm a scholarship student at The Starfish Foundation.  We visited Damien House, a foundation where there were people with Hansen's disease.  It was interesting because I didn't know a lot about this disease.

Jonathan, our tour guide, explaining about Damien House and Hansen's disease.

I wasn't used to socializing with elderly people, I thought it was boring, but I was wrong.  They welcomed us, and I met them one by one.  They gave us a tour of the foundation.  After, they told us we could visit whatever part of the foundation that we wanted to.  I went to the men's section.  They taught me to play dominoes together with some of the other students.  When we went to the women's section, they gave us the advice that we should keep studying, and not to go down the wrong path.  I really liked it.  I'd like to be able to go back some day."

The women's section!

"Hola Soy Joel.  Soy un becado de Starfish Foundation.  Nosotros hicimos una visita a la Fundación Padre Damián, una fundación donde había personas con la enfermedad de Hansen.  Me pareció algo interesante porque conocía poco sobre esta enfermedad.

Yo casi no estaba acostumbrado a socializar mucho con personas de tercera edad, pensaba que era aburrido, pero me equivoqué.  Ellos nos recibieron muy felices, los fui conociendo uno por uno.  Nos dieron un recorrido por toda la fundación.  Después nos dijeron que podríamos ir a visitar a cualquier parte.  Fui a la parte de los abuelitos.  Ellos me enseñaron a jugar dominó junto con otros becados y aprendimos a jugar.  Cuando fuimos a la parte de la abuelitas, ellas nos aconsejaron que sigamos en los estudios, que no nos vamos por el mal camino.  En mi opinión a mí me gustó.  Quisiera que alguna vez se vuelva a repetir."

Joel (black shirt) with Starfish scholars Danny and Anthony and their new friend!

Leadership Development at Damien House

This past week a group of Starfish students (Scholars and non-scholarship students) visited another organization here in Guayaquil as part of our Leadership Development (formally community service) program.

The organization we visited, Damien House, is a charitable hospital and clinic that transforms the lives of patients with Hansen's Disease.  Hansen's disease (formally known as leprosy) is now completely curable - but unfortunately it's past stigma means that many patients are cast out of their families and society.  Damien House provides them with a place to live with dignity, and die with dignity.  Many younger patients who have undergone the treatment have now returned to their families and lead completely normal lives.  Damien House provides care to the patients, but also receives many groups like ours throughout the year in hopes to continue to the spread awareness about Hansen's Disease.

Our students first received a tour and a talk about how the organization began, as well as a talk on what is Hansen's.  Then we had a chance to spend the rest of the day with the patients, getting to know them and assisting in their daily lives.  In the men's section the students were fascinated by one man who makes string bags, while another group of students spent hours playing dominos.

Gathered around, watching the master at work!

In the women's section, the students spent a lot of time talking.  The patients loved hearing about Starfish, as much as we loved hearing about their lives.  This is important as many patients don't receive a lot of visitors.  One lady was working on her bracelets, when Starfish Scholar Pamela shared that she also makes bracelets.  Pamela taught Esther how to make names with string on a pen while Esther showed her many new ways of bracelet making.

All in all it was a great day.  Due to the size of our group and the organization we've broken into 3 groups.  This Saturday it's group number 2's turn!

Joel, center in the Starfish shirt, was a great leader in starting conversation and really getting to know the patients!