Protests in Ecuador

The Ecuadorian government removed a fuel subsidy on diesel, causing the cost of diesel to rise significantly, leading to increased prices across the board. This burdens the lower economic class, which is already stretched thin and paying more for food, transportation, and other basic necessities. Many indigenous people are protesting and fighting for the rights of the common man.

The Ecuadorian government declared a State of Emergency on September 16th with increased security along the main roads. As of September 21st, roadblocks, gatherings, and marches had been reported across many provinces.

Our project, staff, and children are safe, but the situation does make some things more difficult. Six team members are having difficulty commuting to the children’s home due to the road closures. Depending on where you are in Cayambe, you may see increased protest activity compared to other areas. 

The school the children attend has implemented virtual classes until further notice out of an abundance of caution. As they have a limited number of computers, more activities for the children are being organized. Staff secured enough food supplies to maintain the five daily meals needed during the roadblocks. Shifts have been reorganized to compensate for some of the staff's difficulty in making it to the Home. Above all, the care and safety of the children are the number one priority for staff.

The Medical Clinic has remained operational; however, due to the road closures, the number of patients from more rural areas has decreased. With Sumak, our team continues to provide internal support, guidance, and emotional support despite transportation issues. The inability to travel to Ibarra has temporarily suspended those services. Intervention Program staff are limited to telephone follow-ups with families to assess situations of risk, and are prioritizing office work to protect their safety and well-being.

Forever Flowers finds it difficult to transport flowers to the buyer in the mornings, so it has switched to delivering at night once road access reopens after 8:00 p.m. Their staff has also made new arrangements for shifts to minimize delays and maintain normal operations as much as possible.

While these protests do add stress to daily life, protestors exert power in peaceful ways and do not cause direct harm to others. We ask that you pray that the situation will be resolved soon and in a manner acceptable to the majority. We pray for the safety of all our staff and the children in the Home. We also ask for patience as the caregivers now play the role of teacher. We seek God’s guidance as everyone navigates this situation to the best of their abilities.

Video from Ecuadorian news source.