Against The Wind

There’s a saying in Ecuador — “Contra viento y marea” — against wind and tide. Over these past weeks at the flower farm, the staff lived that phrase in a very real way. What began as a routine maintenance project quickly turned into something far more demanding, stretching our team’s patience, strength, and faith.

They expect strong winds July through September. But this year, the winds arrived with a force none anticipated. What should have been a 15‑day project to replace the greenhouse plastic stretched into nearly 30 days. Every step on top of the greenhouse required balance, teamwork, and caution. “Better safe than sorry” became their daily reminder.

And then came the day the wind turned inside the greenhouse.

You can see it clearly in the photos below: the metal arches, once perfectly curved, twisted into an “S” shape under wind pressure. One by one, they bent until the metal tubes finally snapped. The plastic they had just replaced — torn again. No one planned for this kind of damage, and it meant even more work ahead.

David, one of our team members, climbed up to see if we could do anything to stabilize the structure. But the wind was too strong, too unpredictable. There was no safe way to intervene.

That day around 3:00 p.m., the team went up to check the greenhouses again. The winds were fierce — strong enough to knock down anyone who tried to climb onto the structure. They felt helpless, knowing that stepping in at that moment would put someone’s life at risk. All they could do was wait, pray, and trust that once the winds calmed, they would find a way forward.

Once the winds finally settled, they assessed the damage and began the extra repairs needed to bring the greenhouses back into good condition. It was slow, careful work — bending metal back into place, replacing broken tubes, re‑stretching plastic, securing every corner.

The team worked from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. last Saturday, making sure everything was covered. It was a prayer in motion — that they would finish in time, that the winds would stay calm, that the greenhouse would stand strong again.

Today, everything is fixed. The greenhouse is covered, the structure reinforced, and the roses are protected again. By the grace of God, the winds calmed, the work was completed, and the team stayed safe.

This wasn’t just maintenance. It was resilience. It was teamwork. It was hope lived out in real time.

And it was made possible because of the Santiago Partnership and donors who continue to stand with us. Your support helps care for what already exists, strengthens what we're building, and moves hope forward.

Thank you for standing against the wind with us.